University of Iceland

About: University of Iceland is a education organization based out in Reykjavik, Suðurnes, Iceland. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Genome-wide association study. The organization has 5423 authors who have published 16199 publications receiving 694762 citations. The organization is also known as: Háskóli Íslands.

Testing the origin of high-energy cosmic rays

Abstract: Recent accurate measurements of cosmic-ray (CR) protons and nuclei by ATIC-2, CREAM, and PAMELA reveal (1) unexpected spectral hardening in the spectra of CR species above a few hundred GeV per nucleon, (2) a harder spectrum of He compared to protons, and (3) softening of the CR spectra just below the break energy. These newly discovered features may offer a clue to the origin of the observed high-energy Galactic CRs. We discuss possible interpretations of these spectral features and make predictions for the secondary CR fluxes and secondary-to-primary ratios, anisotropy of CRs, and diffuse Galactic γ-ray emission in different phenomenological scenarios. Our predictions can be tested by currently running or near-future high-energy astrophysics experiments.

Was the economic crisis of 2008 good for Icelanders? Impact on health behaviors.

Abstract: This study uses the 2008 economic crisis in Iceland to identify the effects of a macroeconomic downturn on a range of health behaviors. We use longitudinal survey data that include pre- and post-reports from the same individuals on a range of health-compromising and health-promoting behaviors. We find that the crisis led to large and significant reductions in health-compromising behaviors (such as smoking, drinking alcohol or soft drinks, and eating sweets) and certain health-promoting behaviors (consumption of fruits and vegetables), but to increases in other health-promoting behaviors (consumption of fish oil and recommended sleep). The magnitudes of effects for smoking are somewhat larger than what has been found in past research in other contexts, while those for alcohol, fruits, and vegetables are in line with estimates from other studies. Changes in work hours, real income, financial assets, mortgage debt, and mental health, together, explain the effects of the crisis on some behaviors (such as consumption of sweets and fast food), while the effects of the crisis on most other behaviors appear to have operated largely through price increases.