Long-lived quantum memory with nuclear atomic spins

We propose to store non-classical states of light into the macroscopic collective nuclear spin ($10^{18}$ atoms) of a $^3$He vapor, using metastability exchange collisions. These collisions, commonly used to transfer orientation from the metastable state $2^{3}S\_1$ to the ground state state of $^3$He, can also transfer quantum correlations. This gives a possible experimental scheme to map a squeezed vacuum field state onto a nuclear spin state with very long storage times (hours).Comment: 4 page

High hydrogen yield and purity from palm empty fruit bunch and pine pyrolysis oils

The benefits of CO 2 sorption enhanced steam reforming using calcined dolomite were demonstrated for the production of hydrogen from highly oxygenated pyrolysis oils of the agricultural waste palm empty fruit bunches (PEFB) and pine wood. At 1 atm in a down-flow packed bed reactor at 600 °C, the best molar steam to carbon ratios were between 2 and 3 using a Ni catalyst. After incorporating steam-activated calcined dolomite as the CO 2 sorbent in the reactor bed, the H 2 yield from the moisture free PEFB oil increased from 9.5 to 10.4 wt.% while that of the pine oil increased from 9.9 to 13.9 wt.%. The hydrogen purity also rose from 68 to 96% and from 54 to 87% for the PEFB and pine oils respectively, demonstrating very substantial sorption enhancement effects

Optical control of solar sails using distributed reflectivity

The dynamics of solar sails with a variable surface reflectivity distribution are investigated. When changing the reflectivity across the sail film, which can be achieved using electro-chromic coatings, the solar radiation pressure forces and torques across the sail film can be controlled without changing the attitude of the spacecraft relative to the Sun and without using mechanical systems. The paper presents two approaches. First, a continuous reflectivity distribution is presented to control the sail attitude under the influence of, for example, gravity gradient torques in Earth orbit. The second approach assumes discrete on/o reflectivity regions across the surface. Both concepts of `optical reconfiguration' of solar sails enable a more flexible steering of the spacecraft and minimize actuation effort

Squad management, injury and match performance in a professional soccer team over a Championship-winning season

Squad management, injury and physical, tactical and technical match performance were investigated in a professional soccer team across five consecutive league seasons (2008–2013, 190 league games) with specific focus on a championship-winning season (2010/11). For each player, match participation and time-loss injuries were recorded, the latter prospectively diagnosed by the team's physician. Defending and attacking tactical and technical performance indicators investigated included ball possession and possession in opponents' half, passes, forward passes, completed passes and forward passes, crosses and completed crosses, goal attempts and goal attempts on target, successful final third entries, free-kicks and 50/50 duels won/lost. Physical performance measures included total distance and distance covered at high-speeds (≥19.1 km/h). Results showed that during the 2010/11 season, squad utilisation was lowest potentially owing to the observed lower match injury occurrence and working days lost to injury thereby increasing player availability. In 2010/11, the team won both its highest number of points and conceded its lowest number of goals especially over the second half of this season. The team also won its highest number of games directly via a goal from a substitute and scored and conceded a goal first on the highest and lowest number of occasions, respectively. While multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) detected a significant difference in some attacking and defensive performance indicators across the five seasons, these were generally not distinguishing factors in 2010/11. Similarly, univariate ANOVAs showed a significant difference in running distances covered across seasons, but the trend was for less activity in 2010/11

Are aerobic fitness and repeated sprint ability linked to fatigue in professional soccer match-play? A pilot study

This investigation examined the association between aerobic fitness and repeated sprint ability and match-related fatigue in 9 professional outfield soccer players. Aerobic fitness using maximal aerobic speed (MAS) was determined via a continuous progressive incremental running test conducted on a motorised treadmill. A repeated sprint ability test (6 successive 6 s sprints separated by 20 s passive recovery) was performed on a non-motorised treadmill to determine mean and best sprint times and a percentage decrement score (%PD). A total of 114 observations of physical performance derived using computerised time motion analyses were collected from 33 matches. Correlations between fitness test and match-play measures were examined for 1) accumulated fatigue: percentage difference between halves for total distance covered per minute, distance run at high-intensities (HIR, actions for 1s duration, >19.1 km/h) per minute, mean recovery time between high-intensity runs, and percentage difference between the distance covered in HIR in the first 5- and 15-minute periods versus the final 5- and 15-minute periods respectively in normal time; and for 2) transient fatigue: percentage difference between the distance covered in HIR in a peak 5-minute period and the subsequent 5-minute period and for the latter compared to the mean for all other 5-minute periods. No significant relationships were observed between MAS and fatigue scores (magnitude of associations: trivial to large). For mean and best sprint times and %PD, the only reported significant correlation (r=0.77, magnitude of association: very large, p<0.05) was between %PD and the % difference across halves for mean recovery time between high-intensity runs (magnitude of other associations: small to large). Criterion measures from tests of aerobic fitness and repeated sprint ability might not accurately depict a player’s capacity to resist fatigue during professional soccer competition

Orbit targeting specialist function: Level C formulation requirements

A definition of the level C requirements for onboard maneuver targeting software is provided. Included are revisions of the level C software requirements delineated in JSC IN 78-FM-27, Proximity Operations Software; Level C Requirements, dated May 1978. The software supports the terminal phase midcourse (TPM) maneuver, braking and close-in operations as well as supporting computation of the rendezvous corrective combination maneuver (NCC), and the terminal phase initiation (TPI). Specific formulation is contained here for the orbit targeting specialist function including the processing logic, linkage, and data base definitions for all modules. The crew interface with the software is through the keyboard and the ORBIT-TGT display