Manila Observatory’s Brown Bag Lectures: Some suggestions for topics

Since most of the speakers would be talking about scientific stuff in Manila Observatory’s Brown Bag Lectures, for a change, I would like to give a talk on some things I learned from books that may be useful to Manila Observatory.  Here are some topics to choose from:

1.  “Duct Tape Marketing: the World’s Most Practical Small Business Guide” by John Jantsch.  MO needs to market itself as Philippines premiere scientific institution.  The core marketing message must be applied from the level of the porter and up.

2.  “Getting Things Done: The Art of stress-free productivity” by David Allen. How to collect all tiny bits of things to do in order to free your mind from the stress of trying to remember everything.  Includes effective use of calendars, task lists, and file folders.  Also includes how to sort your emails and loose papers.

3. “Built to Last: Successful habits of visionary companies” by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras.  Some insights may be useful for understanding how MO lasted for 150 years and how it could last for another 150 years.

4.  “The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles from the World’s Greatest Manufacturer” by Jeffrey Liker.  Discusses how to speed up business processes, improve quality,and cut costs in any industry. Also discusses how to create a learning institution and just-in-time production.

This is all for now.  Maybe talks like these would encourage Admin and network guys to give similar talks:

1.  “Finance for dummies: how to prepare program budgets with inflation and depreciation”
2.  “W3C web standards: What it means for the MO website”
3.  “Latest library technology that would be useful to MO”
4.  “Philippine Internet backbones: How is MO in connected?”

The important thing is this: everybody shares whatever they know to help Manila Observatory become better.  This is not just the job of scientists.

Rebranding Padre Faura’s Notebook as a management blog: a review of my other blogs

I haven’t blogged on Padre Faura’s Notebook for quite a while.  The reason for this is that its former functions were taken over by my other blogs.

My blogs/websites are roughly divided according to three types: Catholic, Physics, and Personal.

A.  My Catholic WordPress blogs

1. Monk’s Hobbit, “The Dark Ages is at hand,”  is my blog for Philippine religion and culture, especially those that concerns Jesuits and Ateneo de Manila University
2. Ateneo For Life is my blog for the promotion of the culture of life specifically in Ateneo de Manila University.  But I made my blog private, because I will not use Ateneo’s name unless there is a Jesuit behind the movement
3. St. Holbytla’s Monastery, “Reading Tolkien in the light of Faith” is my blog for the Catholic reading of the Lord of the Rings.  I haven’t updated it for more than two years, though there are still many ideas in my head that needs to written.
4. Ateneo Latin Mass Society.  There are four admins in this Facebook page.  We post here all updates about the activities of the Ateneo Latin Mass Society.  The original Yahoo group is not active enough, because frequent email conversations clog the mail box.

B.  My Physics Blogs

1. Ateneo Physics News, “Physics News and Features from Ateneo de Manila University,” is my blog to promote the Department of Physics of Ateneo de Manila University by news and features.  I always have this radar for what I think is newsworthy, then I interview people, and write the news or features.  The audience is primarily those in Ateneo de Manila University and the Physics Department’s alumni.
2. Ateneo Physics Teacher, “Mastering the art of physics teaching,” is my blog primarily to help teachers teach physics.  There are physics of everyday life, laboratory experiments, sample exam questions, and teaching methods.
3. Ateneo Physics Handbook, “Documenting courses, policies, and programs of the Physics Department,” is my blog for anything that would be useful for making a handbook for the teachers and students in the Department of Physics of Ateneo de Manila University.  I also post there announcements in Ateneo Blueboard that affect the department.
4. Ateneo Physics Laboratories is my blog for scientific notes, such as links to resources on a particular topic that would be useful for writing a research proposal or journal article.  I shall change its tagline to “Physics research notes and reviews.”  The main tab headers are the Department’s Laboratories.
5. Ateneo Physics Archives, “Archive of Physics related publications in Ateneo de Manila University,” is my repository for all the department’s publications.  I only post the abstracts and give the links to the original papers.
6. Physics Department’s Facebook Page.  This is my hub for all articles posted in the Department’s blogs, and also some articles about the department I culled from other sites.  This FB page is also my storage area for pictures whose url adresses I link to whenever I post pictures in the department’s blogs.  In this way, we don’t have to worry about space upgrades and we can use our WordPress blogs forever without paying WordPress anything.
7. Ateneo de Manila University’s Department of Physics.  This is the department’s homepage.  It’s crazy url is bad marketing, so I don’t use it in my calling card; I use www.ateneophysicsnews.wordpress.com.  Soon I shall change the homepage to www.facebook.com/ateneophysicsdepartment.  I only use the department’s site as a link hub.  Once you click on the tab headers, they go the individual physics blogs.
8. Manila Observatory’s Facebook page.  This is where I place the links to articles I cull from Google Alerts about Manila Observatory.  (Do you know that there is a place–probably a hotel with a roof deck with observations–that also refers to itself as the Manila Observatory?)
9. Geometric Algebra, “Beauty shall save physics,” is my blog on geometric algebra.  I rebranded it as a blog solely about my thoughts on the subject.
10. Geometric Algebra Facebook Page.  This is where I post links to articles on geometric algebra and Clifford algebra that I cull from Google Alerts.

C.  My Personal Sites

1. My Facebook page.  It’s private, so I won’t link it here.  It is only for friends.
2. My Google Plus page.  It’s a public page.  It’s sole purpose is to collect all my blog articles in a single repository.
3. My Linked in page.  It is a semi-public page, with my CV publicly visible.  I don’t blog in Linkedin.  But Linkedin sends out very helpful articles about higher education which I regularly read.

C.  Padre Faura’s Notebook

So amidst all these blogs, where does Padre Faura’s Notebook fit in?  I think PFN will be my blog as I grapple with the job of being the manager of the Ionosphere Research Building.   A better term would be a steward.  As the Lord said to Peter:

“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute [the] food allowance at the proper time? 43Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. 44Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. (Lk 12:42-44)

I have been reading lots of books on management, business, finance, operations research, marketing, sales, branding, search engine optimization–anything that would help me become a better leader and manager (and secretary and toilet bowl cleaner).  I’ll write about what I learned from my reading here.  Maybe others can learn from my joys and mistakes.  My aim is to institutionalize best practices, so that the Ionosphere Building and Manila Observatory can grow like a mustard seed into a big tree, while being rooted in the heritage of its glorious past.

Study guide for Jackson’s Classical Electrodynamics: Electrostatics 1.1-1.4

by Dr. Quirino Sugon Jr.

Physics Department, Ateneo de Manila University

J.D. Jackson, Classical Electrodynamics, 2nd ed. (John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1965), pp. 27-33.

At the start of a 3 hour Saturday class, the students will be quizzed regarding their basic understanding of the assigned text.  The quiz will be 15 minutes long and shall cover the questions listed below.  In this way, our discussion in the class would be faster and deeper.

1.1 Coulomb’s Law

A.  Physical Intuition.  Choose a word or phrase inside the parenthesis that makes the statement true.  Write your answer on the space before each number.

1.  If the magnitude of one of the charges increases, the force between the two charges (decreases, increases).
2. If the distance between the two charges increases, the force between the two charges (decreases, increases).
3. The force of a charge on another charge is (along, perpendicular) to the line joining the two charges.
4. A positive and a negative charge (repel, attract).
5. A positive and a positive charge (repel, attract).
6. If there are two charges acting on a third charge, the net force on the third charge is the (sum, difference) of the force vectors acting on the third charge.
7. Glass has a (lower, higher) electric susceptibility compared to air.
8. A metal (is, is not) a dielectric.

1.2 Electric Field

A.  Identification.

On the space provided before each number write the term corresponding to the description given.

1. Force per unit charge acting on a given point.
2. A particle with a negligibly small charge used to measure the force on the particle’s position.
3. The product of the charge and the electric field acting on it.
4. The law that governs the force between two charges.
5. A mathematically improper function whose value is zero every except at a particular point wherein its value shoots up to infinity.
6. The limit of a Gaussian curve which becomes narrower and narrower, but higher and higher, in such a way that the area under the curve is always constant.
7. Unit of charge in cgs system.

B. Physical Intuition.  

Choose a word or phrase inside the parenthesis to make the statement true.  Write your answer on the space provided before each number.

1. If the charge is positive the electric force is (parallel, opposite) to the electric field.
2. The electric field surrounding a negative charge points (towards, away) from the charge.
3. The vector drawn from the first point to the second point is the difference of the position vectors of the (first and second points, second and first points).
4.  If the product of the two charges is positive, the force on the first charge due to that of the second charge is (along, opposite) the vector drawn from the first charge to the second charge.
5. If the charges are so small and numerous that they can be described by a charge density function, then the electric field at a point in space is computed using a (summation, integral).
6. The integral of the Dirac delta distribution over all space is equal to (zero, one).
7. The Dirac delta distribution for three dimensional space is equal to the (sum, product) of the Dirac delta distributions along the x-, y-, and z-axis.

C.  Symbols

Identify the symbol or group of symbols corresponding to the description given.  Write your answer on the space provided before each number.

1. Electric field
2. Electric charge
3. Force
4. Force on an electric charge due to an external electric field
5. Position of charge 1
6. Position of charge 1 with respect to charge 2
7. Position of charge 2 with respect to charge 1
8. Distance between charges 1 and 2
9. Product of two charges
10. Cube of the distance between charge 1 and charge 2
11. Electric force between two charges
12. Position of a test charge with respect to charge 1
13. Electric force due to charge 1 as a function of the position of the test charge
14. Charge density as a function of position
15. Volume of an infinitesimally small box
16. Dirac delta distribution that is zero everywhere except at the position x = a where the value is infinite.
17. Dirac delta distribution that is zero everywhere except at the position .
18. Charge distribution function for a collection of point charges

1.3 Gauss’s Law 

A. Physical Intuition.  

Choose a word or phrase inside the parenthesis to make the statement true.  Write your answer on the space provided before each number.

1. If a positive charge is inside a spherical surface, the dot product of the electric field and the outward normal vector to the surface is (negative, positive).
2. If a negative charge is inside a spherical surface, the dot product of the electric field and the outward normal vector to the surface is (negative, positive)
3. If a positive charge is not enclosed by the surface, then the flux of the charge’s electric field through the surface is (negative, zero, positive)
4. If a negative charge is enclosed by the surface, then the flux of the charge’s electric field through the surface is (negative, zero, positive)

B.  Symbols

Identify the symbol or group of symbols corresponding to the description given.  Write your answer on the space provided before each number.

1. Electric field of a point charge
2. Charge of a point charge
3. A small patch of area
4. Unit normal vector to the surface
5. Angle between the electric field and the normal vector to the interface
6. Distance of a point on the surface from the point charge.
7. Solid angle
8. A small solid angle
9. Surface
10. Component of the electric field along the unit normal vector to the surface
11. Integral over a close surface
12. Flux of the electric field through the surface
13. Sum of charges enclosed by the surface
14. Differential volume in three dimensions
15. Volume enclosed by the surface
16. Area vector

1.4 Differential Form of Gauss’s Law

A.  Identification.

On the space provided before each number write the term corresponding to the description given.

1. A theorem which relates the total flux of the vector field through a surface and the divergence of the vector field integrated over the volume bounded by the surface

B.  Symbols

Identify the symbol or group of symbols corresponding to the description given.  Write your answer on the space provided before each number.

1. Vector field
2. Surface
3. Volume enclosed by the surface
4. Flux integral of the vector field
5. Divergence of the vector field
6. Integral over the volume
7. Charge density
8. Differential form of Gauss’s law for electrostatics
9. Integral form of Gauss’s law for electrostatics.

Course Syllabus Ps 11.1: General Physics for Life Sciences

COURSE SYLLABUS

Course Number: PS 11.1 B
Title: General Physics for Life Sciences, Laboratory
Department/Program: Physics
School: SOSE
Semester and School Year: 1st Semester, SY 2011-2012
Instructor: Dr. Quirino Sugon Jr.
Schedule: F 0830-1030
Room: SEC C-106A

I. Course Description

Ps 11.1 is laboratory physics course for students in the life sciences. Topics covered are mechanics and heat.

Prerequisites: None

II. Textbook

Hugh D. Young and Roger A. Freedman, University Physics with Modern Physics, 11th ed. (Addison Wesley, Singapore, 2004).

III. Grading System

The student’s final grade G is computed as follows:

G = 0.2P + 0.3E + 0.5R,

where P is the performance grade, E is the exam grade, and R is the laboratory report grade. Below is the percentile equivalents of the letter grades:

A = 92 – 100
B+ = 86 – 91
B = 77 – 85
C+ = 69 – 76
C = 60 – 68
D = 50 – 59
F = 0 – 49

A. Performance

Performance P is measured by your attendance and lates. If there are N laboratory experiments and the student only performed n experiments, then the student’s performance grade is

P = (n/N) x 100.

If the student is late in the class, his performance grade for that laboratory experiment is equal to 100 minus each minute that he is late. On the other hand, if the teacher is late in coming to class, all students get a 1 pt bonus in the lab performance for that experiment for each minute that the teacher is late.

B. Laboratory Exam

Every 4 to 5 weeks, instead of a laboratory session, there will be a laboratory exam covering the four previous laboratory experiments. The students wil be asked regarding their laboratory report: abstract, problem, theoretical framework, procedure, results, and conclusion. Each laboratory exam is worth 100 pts.

C. Laboratory Report

Each laboratory report should follow the format of IEEE conference paper template:

http://www.ieee.org/conferences_events/conferences/publishing/templates.html

How to write the laboratory report will be taught in class. Here are some general rules:

1. Title should not exceed 13 words
2. Abstract should not exceed 5 sentences. The abstract should contain the problem, method, results, conclusion.
3. The Introduction should not exceed 3 paragraphs. The first and second paragraphs describes the key concepts in the title and their applications to life science. The third paragraph describe the problem and the method in one or two sentences
4. The theoretical framework should discuss the pertinent equations that will be verified in the experiment. If needed, the report must show how the final working equation is derived from first principles. If this derivation is provided in a book or journal, the result may be immediately stated with the accompanying citation of the reference. The variables in the equations should be properly named. As a rule of thumb, the final working equation should have its dependent variable at the left side and the measurable parameters on the right side. The theoretical framework should also have a diagram relating the variables in the working equation.
5. The methodology has two parts: materials and procedure. In the materials section, discuss the brand/model of your special equipments and their precision. In the procedure section, describe how you shall measure the measurable parameters on the right side of your working equation. If this procedure requires some statistical methods of analysis, describe these methods. If the methods are well known, cite the reference. The procedure should contain the figure for the experimental setup. This figure illustrates the materials and how they are connected to each other.
6. In the Results and Discussion, if the data is better presented as a table, present is as a table; if figure, present it as a figure. Only make sure that you do not present the same data in both tabular and figure form.
7. The Conclusion is essentially your Abstract in hindsight. An Abstract is a promise to tell your story. The Conclusion is a statement that you have fulfilled your promise. As a rule, the Conclusion has three logical parts, which may not be in three separate paragraphs: summary, conclusion proper, and recommendation.

IV. List of Experiments

1. Position, velocity, and acceleration
2. Vector addition and balance of forces
3. Rotational motion and the water pail
4. Hooke’s law and vibrations
5. Measurement of gravitational acceleration using a pendulum
6. Conservation of momentum: collisions
7. Rolling sphere and moment of inertia
8. Platform balance and balance of torques
9. Torque and angular momentum: spinning bicycle wheel
10. Strength of materials: stress and strain
11. Linear expansion
12. Heat capacity of metals
13. Calorimetry and phase changes
14. Newton’s law of cooling and heating

V. Dress Code

Ateneo de Manila University is a Catholic university. So the dress rule in class follows the Catholic dress code: Be modest. Modesty is the guardian of chastity. Honeymoon after marriage is most exciting when you have more parts of your body to uncover. So dress for the future, so that you can say to your future husband or wife, “All these years I have kept these hidden for you to uncover, because I love you.” As a rule, students must enter the class following the dress code in the school library. Those who disobey the dress code will be sent out of class and marked absent.

AMDG

FMCW radar problem: Index exceeds matrix dimensions

There is a problem in the FMCW radar Matlab window.  It reads:

Melted 20110328062800.ion

??? Index exceeds matrix dimensions.

Error in ==> f_rd_radarinf_v3 at 32 time=time(1:5)

Error in ==> manila_startup2 at 59

r_inf=f_rd_radarinf_v3(tmp_dir,flist(i).name);

Phivolcs List of Philippine Earthquakes for February 2011

28 Feb 2011 – 09:11 PM         13.37       122.51       029          2.8         075 km S 83° E of Boac (Marinduque)
27 Feb 2011 – 05:02 AM         06.47       123.95       602          3.4         076 km S 73° W of Isulan (Sultan Kudarat)
25 Feb 2011 – 01:24 AM         09.24       125.63       006          2.7         016 km S 45° E of Jabonga (Agusan del Norte)
24 Feb 2011 – 07:17 PM         17.29       121.23       034          1.9         035 km S 48° W of Tabuk (Kalinga-Apayao)
24 Feb 2011 – 02:31 PM         11.27       124.73       023          3.1         005 km S 48° E of Carigara (Leyte)
24 Feb 2011 – 01:45 PM         05.58       126.67       093          3.9         159 km S 19° E of Mati (Davao Oriental)
24 Feb 2011 – 02:22 AM         08.96       126.60       040          2.6         045 km S 71° E of Tandag (Surigao del Sur)
23 Feb 2011 – 02:30 AM         17.48       119.73       033          2.6         074 km S 82° W of Vigan, Ilocos Sur
22 Feb 2011 – 09:55 PM         18.20       120.88       009          2.7         032 km S 89° E of Laoag City
22 Feb 2011 – 08:42 PM         12.56       122.57       022          2.0         002 km S 03° W of Romblon (Romblon)
22 Feb 2011 – 12:20 PM         14.09       120.41       112          2.6         024 km N 86° W of Nasugbu (Batangas)
22 Feb 2011 – 10:10 AM         14.13       120.39       108          4.7         028 km N 75° W of Nasugbu (Batangas)
22 Feb 2011 – 06:06 AM         06.14       126.14       021          2.9         089 km S 05° W of Mati (Davao Oriental)
22 Feb 2011 – 02:09 AM         17.65       120.05       011          2.9         038 km N 78° W of Vigan (Ilocos Sur)
20 Feb 2011 – 12:00 AM         09.48       125.21       004          3.2         036 km S 79° W of Mainit (Surigao Del Norte)
19 Feb 2011 – 10:20 PM         11.37       124.99       005          3.5         011 km S 32° E of Santa Rita (Samar)
19 Feb 2011 – 07:43 PM         18.59       119.38       012          3.3         137 km N 63° W of Currimao (Ilocos Norte)
19 Feb 2011 – 10:27 AM         08.30       123.31       007          1.5         032 km S 6° W of Dipolog City
19 Feb 2011 – 08:10 AM         14.32       120.29       113          4.5         049 km S 34° W of Balanga (Bataan)
19 Feb 2011 – 02:46 AM         12.94       123.46       016          2.9         014 km N 78° W of Dansol (Sorsogon)
18 Feb 2011 – 08:39 PM         11.63       124.26       001          3.7         013 km S 61° W of Kawayan (Biliran, Island)
18 Feb 2011 – 06:28 PM         09.96       125.90       034          3.1         027 km N 37° W of Dapa (Siargao)
18 Feb 2011 – 06:20 AM         16.49       120.53       014          5.0         009 km N 61° W of La Trinidad (Benguet)
18 Feb 2011 – 05:42 AM         09.54       125.26       010          3.5         036 km S 45° W of Surigao City
17 Feb 2011 – 02:25 PM         16.45       120.55       023          2.8         006 km N 83° W of La Trinidad (Benguet)
17 Feb 2011 – 02:25 PM         16.34       120.50       008          3.1         007 km S 12° E of Baguio City
17 Feb 2011 – 11:54 AM         16.40       120.53       009          3.3         008 km N 68° W of La Trinidad (Benguet)
17 Feb 2011 – 01:51 AM         12.22       121.82       007          2.3         063 km S 52° W of Romblon (Romblon)
16 Feb 2011 – 11:51 PM         11.85       125.46       001          3.6         027 km N 07° E of Borongan ( Eastern Samar)
16 Feb 2011 – 09:33 PM         08.41       122.34       032          3.4         113 km S 80° W of Dipolog City
16 Feb 2011 – 04:13 PM         03.44       126.59       075          4.5         337 km S 28° E of General Santos City
15 Feb 2011 – 03:18 PM         21.02       121.07       063          5.7         119 km N 57° W of Basco (Batanes)
15 Feb 2011 – 06:17 AM         16.62       119.74       042          2.2         064 km S 90° W of San Fernando (La Union)
14 Feb 2011 – 03:26 PM         14.79       119.30       032          4.1         097 km S 51° W of Iba (Zambales)
14 Feb 2011 – 02:45 AM         15.00       119.99       009          3.1         035 km N 58° W of Olongapo City
13 Feb 2011 – 09:54 AM         08.55       126.30       096          3.4         020 km N 06° W of Hinatuan (Surigao del Sur)
12 Feb 2011 – 07:55 AM         13.01       120.20       080          2.5         050 km S 61° W of Mamburao (Occ. Mindoro)
11 Feb 2011 – 05:11 PM         10.30       125.11       007          3.7         006 km N 88° E of Libagon (Southern Leyte)
11 Feb 2011 – 04:28 AM         05.16       126.22       037          4.4         158 km S 48° E of General Santos City
11 Feb 2011 – 04:26 AM         16.14       119.47       021          3.0         086 km N 81° W of Lingayen (Pangasinan)
10 Feb 2011 – 10:42 PM         04.31       122.84       515          6.3         281 km S 46° E of Jolo (Sulu)
10 Feb 2011 – 10:39 PM         03.69       123.16       572          6.6         356 km S 42° E of Jolo (Sulu)
09 Feb 2011 – 05:01 AM         18.07       120.83       065          5.3         030 km S 61° E of Laoag City
09 Feb 2011 – 02:24 AM         13.10       121.66       026          2.6         044 km S 27° W of Boac (Marinduque)
09 Feb 2011 – 01:19 AM         17.49       122.14       135          2.8         044 km N 43° E of Ilagan (Isabela)
08 Feb 2011 – 12:08 PM         10.99       126.64       023          4.5         150 km S 63° E of Borongan (Eastern Samar)
07 Feb 2011 – 09:32 AM         06.39       125.86       036          3.6         068 km S 52° E of Digos (Davao Del Sur)
06 Feb 2011 – 06:45 AM         08.45       123.05       033          2.1         036 km S 65° W of Dipolog City (Zamboanga Del Norte)
04 Feb 2011 – 08:17 PM         15.49       121.18       022          3.4         012 km S 52° E of Palayan City (Nueva Ecija)
04 Feb 2011 – 01:57 AM         17.16       121.55       020          3.2         010 km S 49° W of Mallig (Isabela)
02 Feb 2011 – 11:22 PM         12.35       120.39       026          2.3         100 km S 13° W of Mamburao (Occ. Mindoro)
01 Feb 2011 – 09:23 PM         10.59       122.72       030          2.6         014 km N 65° W of Bago City (Negros Occ.)
01 Feb 2011 – 11:24 AM         13.16       120.26       074          1.9         038 km S 79° W of Mamburao (Occ. Mindoro)

Phivolcs: Philippine earthquakes for Jan 2011

From Phivolcs (Philippine Volcanology and Seismology):

31 Jan 2011 – 05:55 AM 15.03      119.49         025         3.3         063 km S 58° W of Iba (Zambales)
31 Jan 2011 – 03:58 AM 08.78      124.14        103         3.5 050 km N 49° E of Orquieta City (Misamis Occ.)
30 Jan 2011 – 01:19 PM 16.66      120.95        025         2.5         026 km S 52° W of Lagawe (Ifugao)
30 Jan 2011 – 10:01 AM 11.23      122.51        008         3.1         005 km S 45° W of Tapaz (Capiz)
28 Jan 2011 – 06:53 PM 11.23      122.60        002       2.7         008 km S 62° E of Tapaz (Capiz)
28 Jan 2011 – 09:15 AM 08.09      123.05        089       3.4         052 km N 56° W of Pagadian (Zamboanga del Sur)
28 Jan 2011 – 04:28 AM 14.70      121.67        021     2.3         006 km S 25° E of Infanta (Quezon)
28 Jan 2011 – 01:21 AM 17.90      120.08        010       3.0         049 km N 44° W of Vigan (Ilocus Sur)
27 Jan 2011 – 10:11 PM 14.47      121.73        009       2.9         041 km N 60° E of Santa Cruz (Laguna)
27 Jan 2011 – 08:41 PM 10.01      126.45        003       2.7         040 km N 53° E of General Luna (Siargao)
26 Jan 2011 – 04:36 AM 16.11      120.97        033       2.7         035 km N 3° W of San Jose City (Nueva Ecija)
26 Jan 2011 – 10:10 PM 09.31      125.58        004       3.7         041 km N 6° E of Butuan City (Agusan del Norte)
26 Jan 2011 – 06:07 PM 12.16      125.07        006       3.1         051 km N 26° E of Catbalogan (Samar)
26 Jan 2011 – 03:48 PM 10.99      122.03        027       2.8         029 km N 26° E of San Jose de Buenavista (Antique)
26 Jan 2011 – 09:12 AM 09.15      126.28        008       3.1         010 km N 47° E of Tandag (Surigao del Sur)
25 Jan 2011 – 09:13 PM 05.97      125.88        139       4.6 080 km S 79° E of General Santos City
25 Jan 2011 – 03:59 AM 13.09      120.73        021       3.0         021 km S 46° E of Mamburao (Occ. Mindoro)
25 Jan 2011 – 01:21 AM 13.08      120.74        015       2.9         024 km S 44° E of Mamburao (Occ. Mindoro)
24 Jan 2011 – 02:28 PM 06.39      123.60        579       5.0 112 km S 37° W of Cotabato City
24 Jan 2011 – 01:00 AM 17.73      120.30        028       4.0 019 km N 30° W of Vigan (Ilocos Sur)
22 Jan 2011 – 06:18 PM 15.90      119.51        017       4.7 081 km N 39° W of Iba (Zambales)
22 Jan 2011 – 01:49 PM 09.29      126.38        001       1.8         030 km N 40° E of Tandag (Surigao Del Sur)
22 Jan 2011 – 06:23 AM 12.71      123.09        045       3.2         069 km N 54° W of Masbate (Masbate)
22 Jan 2011 – 02:28 AM 13.80      120.58        150       3.6         023 km S 47° W of Balayan (Batangas)
21 Jan 2011 – 08:55 AM 16.44      121.11        016      4.3 007 km S 42° W of Bayombong (Nueva Viscaya)
21 Jan 2011 – 02:15 AM 05.52      126.94        013      3.9         177 km S 27° E of Mati (Davao Oriental)
21 Jan 2011 – 01:18 AM 08.46      125.29        043      2.6         034 km N 39° E of Malaybalay (Bukidnon)
20 Jan 2011 -06:19 PM 08.61      124.64        001      2.1         014 km N 1° E of Cagayan de Oro City
19 Jan 2011 – 08:47 AM 15.23      119.03        005      3.1         105 km S 84° W of Iba (Zambales)
19 Jan 2011 – 03:54 AM 17.18      121.61        042      2.1         029 km S 85° W of Ilagan (Isabela)
19 Jan 2011 – 03:39 AM 04.46      126.55        116      2.8         239 km S 40° E of General Santos City
19 Jan 2011 – 03:21 AM 15.72      119.34        012      2.7         083 km N 59° W of Iba (Zambales)
19 Jan 2011 – 03:19 AM 15.72      119.41        019      3.2         077 km N 55° W of Iba (Zambales)
18 Jan 2011 – 06:41 PM 10.79      125.87        040      4.1 103 km S 28° E of Borongan (Eastern Samar)
17 Jan 2011 – 03:45 AM 09.40      125.80        148      3.1         017 km N 77° W of Carrascal (Surigao Del Sur)
16 Jan 2011 – 07:02 PM 10.17      126.63        001       3.5         066 km N 51° E of General Luna (Siargao)
13 Jan 2011 – 11:50 PM 09.26      125.58        008       4.1 035 km N 6° E of Butuan City (Agusan del Norte)
13 Jan 2011 – 06:20 PM 06.10      126.98        027       4.4 125 km S 43° E of Mati (Davao Oriental)
13 Jan 2011 – 10:36 AM 13.52      120.44        085       1.9         037 km N 28° W of Mamburao (Occidental Mindoro)
13 Jan 2011 – 06:54 AM 13.73      120.52        094       2.7         057 km N 8° W of Mamburao (Occidental Mindoro)
13 Jan 2011 – 12:42 AM 05.25      124.10        505       4.9 152 km S 51° W of General Santos City
12 Jan 2011 – 08:57 AM 08.98      127.18        001       3.8         107 km S 83° E of Tandag (Surigao del Sur)
12 Jan 2011 – 11:28 AM 13.47      121.40        032       2.4         026 km N 76° E of Calapan (Oriental Mindoro)
11 Jan 2011 – 02:31 PM 19.09      121.18        018       2.1         009 km N 80° W of Dalupiri Island (Babuyan Island Group)
11 Jan 2011 – 05:43 AM 11.05      122.24        035       1.3         050 km N 47° E of San Jose de Buenavista (Antique)
11 Jan 2011 – 05:40 AM 11.05      122.25        036       1.6         049 km N 48° E of San Jose de Buenavista (Antique)
11 Jan 2011 – 01:40 AM 09.68      126.18        012       3.0         066 km S 3° W of Tandag (Surigao del Sur)
10 Jan  2011 – 02:55 AM 07.78      126.82        067       3.6         116 km N 36° E of Mati (Davao Oriental)
09 Jan  2011 – 03:38 AM 08.84      127.25        021       3.4         118 km S 76° E of Tandag (Surigao del Sur)
09 Jan  2011 – 03:33 AM 13.68      120.54        106       2.6         051 km N 07° W of Mamburao (Occ. Mindoro)
09 Jan  2011 – 03:22 AM 09.01      127.49        015       3.8         141 km S 86° E of Tandag (Surigao del Sur)
09 Jan  2011 – 02:30 AM 10.20      126.74        015       3.6 137 km N 25° E of Tandag (Surigao del Sur)
09 Jan  2011 – 01:31 AM 11.32      126.68        140       4.6 143 km S 77° E of Borongan (Eastern Samar)
09 Jan  2011 – 01:21 AM 06.55      127.41        008         4.0 139 km S 72° E of Mati (Davao Oriental)
09 Jan  2011 – 12:30 AM 18.10      119.89        023       3.8         080 km N 43° W of Vigan (Ilocos Sur)
08 Jan  2011 – 05:32 PM 10.17      126.52        013       3.4         123 km N 69° E of Surigao City
08 Jan  2011 – 01:01 AM 11.04      126.60        031       4.4 097 km N 89° E of Guiuan (Eastern Samar)
07 Jan  2011 – 09:05 PM 06.56      126.46        027       3.5         050 km S 33° E of Mati (Davao Oriental)
06 Jan  2011 – 11:26 PM 10.94      126.66        012       4.7 103 km S 84° E of Guiuan (Eastern Samar)
04 Jan  2011 – 02:51 PM 12.13      122.11        010       3.5         053 km S 19° W of Romblon (Romblon)
04 Jan  2011 – 06:19 AM 18.60      120.82        004       3.2         051 km N 30° E of Laoag City
03 Jan  2011 – 07:31 AM 17.24      119.93        003         4.1 065 km S 55° W of Vigan (Ilocos Sur)
03 Jan  2011 – 06:21 AM 19.84      121.72        069       2.8         072 km S 22° W of Basco (Batanes)
02 Jan  2011 – 02:38 PM 10.31      122.71        014       4.0 029 km S 28° W of Bago City (Negros Occidental)
01 Jan  2011 – 07:40 AM 11.35      124.58        003       4.4 009 km N 52° W of Capoocan (Leyte)

FMCW radar: failure observation thread start

Dear Dr. Ikeda,

The last recorded data was 27 Jan 2011. The SKSONDE Management software
says: “failure: obs thread start”.

Shall I restart the system? Sorry, I misplaced my radar notebook and I
forgot the details on how to restart. What do I type in the SkManager
and Matlab?

Sincerely yours,

Dr. Sugon
Manila Observatory

P.S. I am now working on the content of the web page of the SERC
subcenter in Manila Observatory website. I’ll put the history of the
subcenter and the radar details.

Search for the School of Science and Engineering (SOSE) Dean of Ateneo de Manila University

I.  FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR SOSE

Jim Collins, in his book, “Good to Great”, said that for a company to grow from good to great, one of the things the company must do is to identify the common denominator for its economic engine.  I think that for the School of Science and Engineering, that economic denominator must be ISI publication cost: total operating cost per ISI publication.  The aim of SOSE should be to lower the ISI publication cost.  If we agree on this economic denominator then many things must change in SOSE.

A.  Publication requirements for students and faculty

BS students should be required to have a national or international conference paper, MS students an ISI paper, and Ph.D. students two ISI papers (includes the 1 ISI paper in their masters).  Otherwise, they cannot graduate.  This was an issue last faculty day, but I think it is the only way to go.  We should not measure ourselves against UP with 100+ ISI papers per year.  We should measure against National University of Singapore with 1000+ papers per year.  Being contented with our present publication output goes
against the Jesuit tradition of magis.

We may not be able to do anything with our tenured faculty, but Ateneo can still do something in the choice of whom to hire and fire in its non-tenured faculty, based on publication output.  The promotion from Assistant Professor to Associate, and for that of
the Associate to Full Professor should also have specific number of ISI publications as minimum requirements.  In this way, faculty members have a goal to reach and a benchmark to test themselves whether they are already eligible to be nominated for the next rank.
We may need to express conference papers, book chapters, and entire books in ISI publication units, and so are the number of citations to a paper.

B.  SOSE Silicon Valley

SOSE needs buy a parcel of land in Marikina valley to be leased to Companies into Research and Development for high-technology products.  These companies can purchase teaching units from Ateneo and convert them to research units for the faculty, using the Manila Observatory model.  Students doing research for their thesis and on-the-job training can work there.  Excellent research works can then be patented or published in ISI journals.  This was how Standford University built the Silicon Valley and Hewlett
Packard was one of the start-up firms who first leased there.  Once the SOSE Silicon valley gains momentum, there is no stopping SOSE’s publication and patent engine.

The SOSE Silicon valley would be the Big, Hair, and Audacious Goal (BHAG) that would unite all the SOSE departments.  The School of Management (SOH) would also be interested and we can have venture capital from business and technology firms.  I think it is doable once we institute the publication requirements in part A.  We get the best students and faculty from all over the Philippines, so we have a right to expect the best from them. Jesuit education is not meant for people who wants an ordinary job.  Rather, Jesuit
education is for people who wants to be sent as missionaries into unknown frontiers–be that in science, arts, or business.  Otherwise, Jesuit education falls short in its aim for the greater glory of God and salvation of souls.

II.  QUALITIES OF THE NEW SOSE DEAN

I would like a person who can institute the changes in Part I.  He must have lots of publications and patents.  He must have management experience in research and technology firms.  He must have experience working in the Philippine government in terms of science and technology.  He must have numerous international linkages around the world.  He is a graduate of Ateneo de Manila University, because we do not want somebody who is not familiar with the Jesuit and Ateneo tradition.

III. NOMINEES FOR THE NEW SOSE DEAN

There is only one person who fits what I think is the job description for the new SOSE Dean: Dr. Greg Tangonan (BS Physics ’69).

Transmitting the Jesuit Scientific Tradition at the Manila Observatory

04 Nov 2010

St. Ignatius never intended the Society of Jesus to establish a worldwide network of observatories.  What he did was to teach the Spiritual Exercises in order to recruit the most talented men to work in the Lord’s vineyard.  And these talented men preached the Gospel in all the corners of the world, in all realms of human endeavor, using the things of the world at their disposal for the greater glory of God and for the salvation of souls.  And along the way, these men established universities and observatories in order to further the cause of the Gospel.

The Manila Observatory has survived for nearly 150 years because it has a steady stream of Jesuit priests and scholastics who share the Jesuit scientific tradition.  But at present, the Manila Observatory barely have full-time Jesuit scientists.  Fr. Daniel J. McNamara, SJ was assigned to Ateneo de Davao University to join with Fr. Francisco Glover, SJ.  Fr. Jose Ramon T.  Villarin, SJ, was assigned as university presidents of Xavier University and then of Ateneo de Manila University.  Fr. Victor Badillo, SJ is now staying the rest of his days in the Jesuit Infirmary.  Fr. Sergio Su, SJ is now feeble.  Fr. David Skelskey, S.J. is only staying for a while and will be back to the US in a few months or a few years.   Except for Fr. Jose Ramon T.  Villarin, SJ,  these Jesuit priests are already in their 70’s and 80’s.  Of the younger Jesuits with Physics background, Fr. Oliver Dy, SJ went to Theology, while Bro. Patrick Echevarria, SJ went to Management and Finance.

Ateneo de Manila University also faced the same problem as the Manila Observatory: dwindling number of Jesuits.  To cope with this problem, Ateneo de Manila University established the Office for Mission and Identity (OMI) and trained its teachers in the ISEW (Ignatian Spirituality in Education Workshop).

The Manila Observatory can also do something similar in order to the transmit to its next generation of researchers and scientists the Jesuit scientific tradition.  This can be done in many ways:

1. Icons and Role Models. Manila Observatory needs to write biographies of Jesuit priests and scholastics who worked at the Manila Observatory, compile copies of their publications, and describe in detail the instruments they designed and used.  These information should be available in the Manila Observatory website.  Each research program should have their own icons or founding fathers: Fr. Federico Faura, SJ for Regiional Climate Systems (RCS), Fr. Jose Algue, SJ for Geomatics for Environment and Development (GED), Fr. Juan Doyle, SJ for Iono-Geomagnetics, etc.   Their pictures and biographies should hang on the walls of each program and on the program’s webpage.
2. Manila Observatory Museum. The Manila Observatory chooses vacant rooms at the Main Bulding to serve as a museum, as an extension of the Manila Observatory Archives.  This museum is similar to that of the Smithsonian Institution.  (No vacant room at the Observatory should be given or leased to Ateneo de Manila University for teaching or faculty rooms, unless these uses are in line with the research programs of the Observatory; otherwise, the Observatory simply becomes one of the buildings in Ateneo de Manila University and the Observatory’s distinct research tradition would be diluted.)  Each historical equipment whose use have been superseded by newer equipments should be placed at the Observatory’s museum, e.g. Faura barometer, Fr. Badillo’s ionosondes, radiosonde at the black sphere, etc.  Each equipment should have an essay on its history which should also be reflected in the Observatory’s website.  Although the Cives Mundi had helped and still interested in continuing the preservation of the institution’s archives, the Manila Observatory can set up a foundation for raising funds for the museum that can be used to fund historical research projects that professors from the Ateneo de Manila University can undertake.  The Observatory can ask the help of the National Historical Institute to lobby for funds from the Philippine Government.  The Observatory can also set up funds for research grants on the reconstruction of the Observatory’s history. The Observatory can also invite educational institutions to tour the museum and its virtual counterpart in the Observatory’s website.
3. Manila Observatory Calendar. The Manila Observatory should produce its own calendar or planner.  The calendar should contain the Liturgical Seasons; feasts of Christ, Mary, St. Joseph, and Jesuit saints; and important dates in the Observatory’s history.  The calendar should be posted in all the Observatory’s offices.  The calendar should also be available in the Observatory’s website.
4. Daily Mass at the Manila Observatory Chapel. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the center of every Jesuit mission.  Thus, the mass should be celebrated daily at the Observatory’s chapel.  The celebrating priests should be encouraged to include in their homily some anecdotes from the Observatory’s history.  Without daily mass at the Observatory, the Observatory will lose its distinctive Jesuit character and will become just one of the secular observatories in the world.  The Observatory is part of the Jesuit mission, and the Jesuit mission is to use the things of the world for the greater glory of God and for the salvation of souls.  Each mass should be offered for the intention of the Pope, the Bishop of Cubao, the Jesuit Superior General, the President of Ateneo de Manila University, the Rector of the Manila Observatory, the Observatory’s Jesuits (living and dead), the Observatory’s scientists and staff (present and former), and other special intentions.
5. Promotion of Jesuit Vocation Seminars. The Observatory should sponsor Jesuit vocation seminars.  Potential recruits from the sciences can stay for a week at the spartan rooms in the third floor of the Observatory’s Main Building where the former Jesuit community stayed.  The chapel should not be renovated as little as possible so that potential recruits can see what the Jesuits decades ago saw.  The old chasubles in the three private chapels should be cleaned and placed back in the cabinets.  Pictures of the former Jesuits in prayer and research should be placed in each rooms.  It is to the Observatory’s interest to promote Jesuit vocation in the sciences: The presence of Jesuits at the Observatory strengthens its Jesuit scientific culture and identity.  The greatness of the Manila Observatory should be measured not on how many ISI journal papers it can produce, how many instruments it has patented, how may maps it has made, or how many lives it has saved from natural disasters.  These things other institutions can do or even better.  Rather, the greatness of the Manila Observatory should be measured in only one thing: how many Jesuit priests and scholastics it has produced.  The greatest tragedy is for the Observatory to achieve worldwide fame once again but without a single Jesuit left working in its research programs.
6. Linking of the Observatory to the Philippine Jesuit Province. In the Manila Observatory website, there should be a link to the Philippine Jesuit Province and vice-versa.  News about the accomplishments of Jesuit priests and scholastics should be published in the Jesuit Province’s Clipper news and the Windhover magazine.
7. Linking of the Observatory to other Jesuit Observatories. The Manila Observatory should strive to send exchange researchers to other Jesuit Observatories in order to strengthen the linkages.  This exchange program would give Jesuit and lay scientists fresh ideas and perspectives on old research problems.  The program would also allow them to see the global picture of the Jesuit scientific apostolate and build a living scientific network, so that, in effect,  there is only one Jesuit Observatory in the world, and Manila Observatory is only one of its branches.