"Much has been said or written in recent times about the value of Six Sigma methodologies in driving organizational improvement. Yet, so many still seem to be intimidated by or skeptical about these principles and tools. In this text, Drs. Gitlow and Levine have provided a pragmatic, user-friendly treatment of underlying principles and methods, management obligations, and helpful case study examples to assist all of us in value-added enterprise-wide improvement." -Gary Floss, Managing Director, Bluefire Partners, and Board of Directors, the American Society for Quality (ASQ) "The authors provide the perfect blend of managerial insight and a straightforward "how to" approach to statistics. Anyone interested in learning about Six Sigma for the first time, or practitioners wanting to learn more, will find this book to-the-point, exciting, and easy to read. And also hard to put down!" -Timothy C. Krehbiel, Professor of Decision Sciences and MIS, Miami University (Ohio) "This book provides an excellent understanding of the foundations of quality management that provide a basis for the evolution of Six Sigma. For executives who wish to be "Champions" of Six Sigma, this book provides an understanding of what to expect of Green Belts as they work through a DMAIC project and what they should expect of themselves. Green Belt candidates will find the case studies extremely useful and informative. Both Champions and Green Belts will benefit from the comprehensive coverage of certification." -Edward A. Popovich, Ph. D., Vice President, Enterprise Excellence, Boca Raton Community Hospital and President, Sterling Enterprises International, Inc. The first complete Six Sigma implementation guide for Green Belts and Champions! Understand the rationale for Six Sigma Implement a proven executive framework for a successful quality initiative Use the DMAIC method for improvement from start to finish: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control Manage Six Sigma statistics-without becoming a statistician Learn through complete detailed manufacturing and service case studies Learn how to understand and manage Six Sigma statistics, through practical, Minitab-based application examples. Includes instructions for using Minitab software Learn how to pass Six Sigma certification examinations with sample questions and answers If you're "project managing" Six Sigma (potential Green Belt)-or promoting it at the executive level (potential Champion)-this is your book. It's the first Six Sigma book written specifically for Green Belts, Champions...and anyone who plans to become one. Two experts help you master the entire DMAIC model: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. You'll discover realistic solutions for Six Sigma's profound human and technical challenges. You can even prepare for one of the world's leading Six Sigma certification programs. Clear, detailed, and proven...this is the one indispensable book for anyone who must manage Six Sigma to success. (c) Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

The spectral window at L-band (1.4 GHz) is important for passive remote sensing of soil moisture and ocean salinity from space, parameters that are needed to understand the hydrologic cycle and ocean circulation. At this frequency, radiation from extraterrestrial (mostly galactic) sources is strong and, unlike the constant cosmic background, this radiation is spatially variable. This paper presents a modern radiometric map of the celestial sky at L-band and a solution for the problem of determining what portion of the sky is seen by a radiometer in orbit. The data for the radiometric map is derived from recent radio astronomy surveys and is presented as equivalent brightness temperature suitable for remote sensing applications. Examples using orbits and antennas representative of those contemplated for remote sensing of soil moisture and sea surface salinity from space are presented to illustrate the signal levels to be expected. Near the galactic plane, the contribution can exceed several Kelvin.