Optimization of the Observing Cadence for the Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time: A Pioneering Process of Community-focused Experimental Design

Vera C. Rubin Observatory is a ground-based astronomical facility under construction, a joint project of the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy, designed to conduct a multipurpose 10 yr optical survey of the Southern Hemisphere sky: the Legacy Survey of Space and Time. Significant flexibility in survey strategy remains within the constraints imposed by the core science goals of probing dark energy and dark matter, cataloging the solar system, exploring the transient optical sky, and mapping the Milky Way. The survey’s massive data throughput will be transformational for many other astrophysics domains and Rubin’s data access policy sets the stage for a huge community of potential users. To ensure that the survey science potential is maximized while serving as broad a community as possible, Rubin Observatory has involved the scientific community at large in the process of setting and refining the details of the observing strategy. The motivation, history, and decision-making process of this strategy optimization are detailed in this paper, giving context to the science-driven proposals and recommendations for the survey strategy included in this Focus Issue.

Preparing to Discover the Unknown with Rubin LSST: Time Domain

Perhaps the most exciting promise of the Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) is its capability to discover phenomena never before seen or predicted: true astrophysical novelties; but the ability of LSST to make these discoveries will depend on the survey strategy. Evaluating candidate strategies for true novelties is a challenge both practically and conceptually. Unlike traditional astrophysical tracers like supernovae or exoplanets, for anomalous objects, the template signal is by definition unknown. We approach this problem by assessing survey completeness in a phase space defined by object color and flux (and their evolution), and considering the volume explored by integrating metrics within this space with the observation depth, survey footprint, and stellar density. With these metrics, we explore recent simulations of the Rubin LSST observing strategy across the entire observed spatial footprint and in specific Local Volume regions: the Galactic Plane and Magellanic Clouds. Under our metrics, observing strategies with greater diversity of exposures and time gaps tend to be more sensitive to genuinely new transients, particularly over time-gap ranges left relatively unexplored by previous surveys. To assist the community, we have made all of the tools developed publicly available. While here we focus on transients, an extension of the scheme to include proper motions and the detection of associations or populations of interest will be communicated in Paper II of this series. This paper was written with the support of the Vera C. Rubin LSST Transients and Variable Stars and Stars, Milky Way, Local Volume Science Collaborations.

Locating Graves with Geophysics

The detection and mapping of unmarked graves is a significant focus of many archaeological and forensic investigations however traditional methods such as probing, forensic botany, cadaver dogs or dowsing are often ineffective, slow to cover large areas or excessively invasive. Geophysics offers an appealing alternative suitable for the rapid non invasive investigation of large areas. Unfortunately graves are a challenging target with no diagnostic geophysical response and so the use of a rigorous application-specific methodology is essential for a successful outcome. The most important inclusions in a successful survey methodology include ultrahigh density data, the use of multiple geophysical techniques to validate results based on several physical properties, excellent quality positioning and intensive site recording. Regardless of the methodology applied, geophysics should not be considered a panacea for locating all graves on all sites but should be used as an integral part of a comprehensive survey strategy.

Market Survey Strategy for Sharp Well Economic: A Case Study of Well Planning in Deepwater Exploration Indonesia

A deep-water well is one of the high profile project which is closely related to a high cost project. One of the key success prior starting the project is by conducting the cost estimation (Owner Estimate). For a typical new operation with limited offset data, market survey is one of the way to have the base cost estimation. Performing a market survey for estimating owner estimate prior to perform tender process and also a need for a basis of well cost is critical step in calculating economic of the well or investment decisions during well planning. Many approaches to perform the market survey and sometimes people customize them in order to fit with the purpose. This paper is trying to exercise some of the market survey methodology options and also to describe the impact to the selection of procurement strategy and maturation of cost estimation. The market survey methodology will be presented in details for each options. Experiences while estimating long lead items (LLI) and drilling services costs for a deep-water exploration drilling well were exercised here. The outcomes were compared and assessed. Nevertheless, literature reviews are also performed to enrich understanding and better judgment when estimating the cost. By performing a comprehensive market survey, we have successfully determined the current market condition and accurate cost estimation, which plays crucial roles in the decision making process for the best procurement strategy. Additionally, with the selective and progressive method in the market survey, it has narrowed down the bias cost data, especially for some of the major drilling services contract. The method on the market survey has established also an advantage in the remuneration strategy which leads to a cost saving in the project and also helps to fit in the project timeline.

Foreign Firms’ Cross-cultural Competence and Pro-domestic Purchasing Behaviours: How Relevant Are Social Norms?

This study examined the role of the perceived cross-cultural competence of foreign firms on local consumers’ ethnocentrism and pro-domestic purchasing behaviours, as measured by pro-domestic purchasing bias and sacrifices in favour of pro-domestic purchasing among consumers. The study also investigated the role of social norms in reinforcing consumer ethnocentrism and fostering pro-domestic buying behaviours. A quantitative methodology, in the form of a survey strategy, was employed to obtain data from South African consumers. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to validate the scales and to test the path model. The findings of the study show that perceived cross-cultural competence is negatively related to consumer ethnocentrism, and they indicate that consumers’ ethnocentrism significantly predicts their degree of pro-domestic purchasing bias and the sacrifices they make in favour of pro-domestic purchasing. Finally, the findings show that the relationships between consumer ethnocentrism and pro-domestic purchasing bias, on the one hand, and consumer ethnocentrism and sacrifice for pro-domestic purchasing, on the other, are significantly moderated by social norms. The findings of this study differ from those in the literature by shedding light on the importance of foreign firms’ perceived cross-cultural competence in ameliorating consumer ethnocentrism and pro-domestic purchasing behaviour. The study contributes to the literature by showing how social norms are a boundary condition that reinforces consumer ethnocentrism with respect to pro-domestic purchasing behaviours in South Africa.

Seafloor Hydrothermal Activity around a Large Non-Transform Discontinuity along Ultraslow-Spreading Southwest Indian Ridge (48.1–48.7° E)

Non-transform discontinuity (NTD) is one category of tectonic units along slow- and ultraslow-spreading ridges. Some NTD-related hydrothermal fields that may reflect different driving mechanisms have been documented along slow-spreading ridges, but the discrete survey strategy makes it hard to evaluate the incidence of hydrothermal activity. On ultraslow-spreading ridges, fewer NTD-related hydrothermal activities were reported. Factors contributing to the occurrence of hydrothermal activities at NTDs and whether they could be potential targets for hydrothermal exploration are poorly known. Combining turbidity and oxidation reduction potential (ORP) sensors with a near-bottom camera, Chinese Dayang cruises from 2014 to 2018 have conducted systematic towed surveys for hydrothermal activity around a large NTD along the ultraslow-spreading Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR, 48.1–48.7° E). Five new potential hydrothermal anomaly sites (2 inferred and 3 suspected) of high or low temperature and the previously inferred Sudi hydrothermal field occurred in diverse morphotectonic settings along a 78 km long ridge axis. The calculated vent frequency (Fs, sites/100 km) was ~7.7 over the entire study area, higher than the modified value (Fs ≈ 6.5) between 48 and 52° E of SWIR. Even only for the 54 km long large NTD, three hydrothermal anomaly sites yielded an Fs of ~5.6, which is higher than that of most ridge sections and is comparable to some fast-spreading ridges with high-resolution surveys. This indicates that NTDs along ultraslow-spreading ridges could be promising areas in fertilizing hydrothermal activities. Moreover, the deeply penetrating faults on the rift valley walls and strain-focused areas may contribute to the formation of NTD-related hydrothermal circulations. We suggest that NTDs along ultraslow-spreading ridges may be potential targets for further exploration of hydrothermal activities and seafloor sulfide deposits.

Widening the Breadth of Knowledge Diffusion among Nigerian Employees: The Upsides of Globalization

Many scholars from the developing world argue that globalization is a weapon of imperialism used to perpetuate the income and welfare gap between developing and developed countries. This study joins an emerging stream of studies calling for a holistic re-examination of the impact of globalization on developing countries to understand both the positive and negative contributions instead of have a one-sided view of globalization. Employing a quantitative design with a survey strategy, data for this study was collected from 130 human resources personnel across six multinational firms spanning: oil, banking, and manufacturing sectors of the Nigerian economy. Inferential analysis of collected data found significant positive contributions of globalization towards personnel training and development. In particular, findings show that globalization has increased the frequency and methods of trainings, increased use of e-trainings and certifications, and uniform design of training programmes across the subsidiaries of MNCs globally. All these were found to reduce the physical incidence of personnel going abroad to study reducing both brain-drain and expenses to domestic companies and governments.

Does Meaningful Work Fuel the Altruistic Behavior of Employees in the Contemporary World of Work? Evidence from Private Sector Banks in Sri Lanka

In the modern era, infinite selfless behavior patterns of employees play a central role in founding a great place of work. But it is hard to expect altruistic behaviors from employees as the game of business is frolicked in a dynamic and competitive arena. Surprisingly, most employees were concerned only about themselves and over-utilized the COVID-19 catastrophe to rationalize their egotistic behaviors. However, scholars found that employees who demonstrate altruistic behaviors are more likely to be optimistic and cheerful than egocentric employees. Hence, employers need to discover appropriate strategies to nurture altruistic behaviors at the workplace. Nowadays, employees have an inner desire to accept tasks, duties, and responsibilities which add more meaning to their work lives. No matter what the situation is, meaningful work can maintain the employee’s momentum even during a crisis. Scholars have proved that meaningful work is a significant contributor to altruistic behavior in the workplace. Hence, this study investigated the impact of meaningful work on altruistic behavior with special reference to private sector banking employees in Sri Lanka. Researchers conducted this study in a quantitative perspective along with the positivism philosophy, deductive approach, and survey strategy. Through convenience sampling, data were collected from 149 private sector banking employees in Sri Lanka. Based on the regression analysis, researchers proved that meaningful work could create 34.1% of an effect on employee’s altruistic behavior. Hence, it is evidenced that when employees receive meaningful work, they are intrinsically inspired to exhibit altruistic behaviors at the workplace. Keywords: Altruistic Behavior, Meaningful Work, Private Sector Banking Employees, Sri Lanka

DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS OF PERCEIVED CHANGE ACCEPTANCE AND CHANGE REJECTION IN BANKS IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA

This study aimed at analysing perceived change acceptance and change rejection in banks in North Central Nigeria. The study used review strategy and survey strategy. Staff of Systematic Important Banks (SIBs) was the object of interest. For the sample size, given the population for each state (Benue- 168 and Kogi- 202) in the North Central, Sallant and Dillman’s method was used to arrive at 189. Data were analysed using descriptive analytical techniques. Finding showed that employees’ change rejection factors such as perceived change outcomes and change methods are the strongest factors in Benue State while bank employees are likely to reject organizational change on the basis of change type or methods in Kogi State. Finding further showed that the attitude of employees towards change is the strongest factors influencing acceptance of organizational change in Benue State, and that change based on complexity is the strongest factors influencing acceptance of organizational change in banks in Kogi State. The study concluded that employees’ change resistance or rejection is subject to numerous factors. The study recommended that bank leaders should monitor change outcomes and change methods in Benue State, and that change type or methods should be given strong attention in Kogi State.