375 research outputs found
Generic absoluteness and boolean names for elements of a Polish space
It is common knowledge in the set theory community that there exists a
duality relating the commutative -algebras with the family of -names
for complex numbers in a boolean valued model for set theory . Several
aspects of this correlation have been considered in works of the late 's
and early 's, for example by Takeuti, and by Jech. Generalizing Jech's
results, we extend this duality so as to be able to describe the family of
boolean names for elements of any given Polish space (such as the complex
numbers) in a boolean valued model for set theory as a space
consisting of functions whose domain is the Stone space of , and
whose range is contained in modulo a meager set. We also outline how this
duality can be combined with generic absoluteness results in order to analyze,
by means of forcing arguments, the theory of .Comment: 27 page
Analytical mechanics of asteroid disassembly using the Orbital Siphon effect
A chain of tether-connected payload masses assembled from the surface material of a spherical rotating asteroid is envisaged as a means of delivering a fraction of the asteroid mass into orbit, without the need of external work to be done. Under conditions to be discussed, a net radial force is established on the chain which can be exploited to initialize an orbital siphon effect: new payloads are connected to the chain while top payloads are removed and released into orbit. Adopting simplifying assumptions, the underlying dynamics of the problem is entirely analytical and is investigated in detail. The amount of mass extractable from the asteroid is then discussed, according to a range of strategies. It is proposed that the scheme could in future provide an efficient means of extracting material resources from rotating Near Earth Asteroids
Progetto di un circuito amplificatore - mixer - oscillatore a basso consumo per comunicazioni wireless a 2.4 GHz
Il lavoro descritto in questa Tesi riguarda lo studio e la progettazione del front end di un ricevitore in quadratura. In particolare, esso viene implementato utilizzando una cella monolitica (detta cella LMV) che raccoglie al suo interno le tre funzionalità tipiche dei blocchi base che lo costituiscono: amplificatore RF, mixer e oscillatore. Il sistema è stato progettato per una tecnologia CMOS da 0.13 um ed il suo corretto funzionamento è stato valutato per mezzo di simulazione circuitale. Si è curato con particolare dettaglio il mantenimento in quadratura dei due oscillatori e l'adattamento di impedenza in ingressoope
Engineering near-Earth asteroid resources using the orbital siphon effect
Exploitation of the resources available in space is one of the key challenges for future space exploration. Many of these resources have been recognized as potentially low-cost alternatives to those launched from Earth. In particular, near-Earth asteroids are among the easiest objects to reach and could provide resources such as water, liquid propellants electrolysed form water, semiconductors, and metals. Several studies have shown that a useful quantity of accessible resources may be available to be transferred into Earth orbit with transfer energies lower than that required to exploit material from the Moon. To address this problem, different scenarios can be envisaged to transfer material to Earth orbit or Halo orbits, such as transport of the entire asteroid or transport of mined material, the optimal choice depending on the particular asteroid of interest. A further possibility is in-situ manufacturing using asteroid resources, for example to assemble space-structures directly nearby the asteroid or to process water for propellants or life support.
Motivated by this growing interest in asteroid resource exploitation, this thesis investigates a novel strategy to deliver a fraction of the asteroid mass into orbit about the asteroid or to escape. The analysis has its roots in the idea of leveraging the rotational kinetic energy of a rotating body to lift material, for example with the concept of the space elevator. The elevator is envisaged as a tethered structure to connect a mass in synchronous (or higher) orbit and the surface of the body. The tether is in equilibrium by the balance of centripetal and gravitational forces acting on it; the payload, i.e. mass extracted from the asteroid, is then lifted to the desired altitude along the tether and, if synchronous orbit is reached, the payload could increase its altitude without further work required.
A direct evolution of the space elevator is the orbital siphon concept which is the foundation of this thesis. In this case, rather than a single payload ascending along the tether, a chain of tether-connected masses is envisaged, where the centrifugal-induced pull due to the body's spin can overcome the gravitational force on the payloads, eventually allowing payloads to escape. A chain of payloads can therefore be envisaged to provide a continuous mass flow from the surface of a rotating asteroid into orbit (siphon effect): new payloads are connected to the chain while the top payloads are removed and released into orbit, without the need for external work to be done.
The siphon, as with the space elevator, can in principle be used as a payload-raising mechanism on any rotating body. However, contrary to the space elevator, the siphon does not require external work to lift asteroid material below synchronous altitude. In support of mining operations, the siphon can be used to raise mined material to a collecting/processing station in orbit around the asteroid or directly connected to the siphon. Alternatively, the siphon can be used to release material to escape, without the need to use propellant-based methods.
This thesis therefore will investigate the dynamics of an orbital siphon anchored at an asteroid and examine a range of applications in the context of asteroid manipulation and resource exploitation. Long-term effects of the siphon operation are discussed, showing that this device allows a significant quantity of mass to be raised to orbit or to escape. It is shown that an optimal siphon length can be chosen, such that the extracted mass is maximised. Key variables, such as achievable mass flow rates, tension on the tethers, timescales and anchor forces are discussed.
It is demonstrated that the oscillations of this device resulting from Coriolis forces are damped and the siphon will eventually align with the local vertical if mass is released to a collecting spacecraft connected at the top of the siphon. Moreover, it is proposed that the siphon dynamics could be leveraged to deliver resource payloads to stable equilibria about the
asteroid, with a smaller delta-v than direct transfer from the surface, which may be beneficial in a long-term mining scenario. Effects of an irregular gravity field on the siphon dynamics are also examined, using polyhedral shape models of two candidate asteroids. The siphon effect is still generated for the candidate asteroids analysed, even with motion of the anchoring system on the asteroid surface, thus allowing the mining location to be moved without interrupting the flow of material to the collecting spacecraft.
If a large quantity of material is released to escape, the siphon effect may also be exploited to induce a small variation to the heliocentric velocity of a potentially hazardous asteroid for impact risk mitigation. It is shown that typical delta-v on the order of 1 cm/s can be achieved within a time window of a decade. Finally, use of the orbital siphon to generate artificial cavities for habitats or storage of mined material is discussed
Out-of-Equilibrium Non-Gaussian Behavior in Driven Granular Gases
The characterization of the distance from equilibrium is a debated problem in
particular in the treatment of experimental signals. If the signal is a
1-dimensional time-series, such a goal becomes challenging. A paradigmatic
example is the angular diffusion of a rotator immersed in a vibro-fluidized
granular gas. Here, we experimentally observe that the rotator's angular
velocity exhibits significative differences with respect to an equilibrium
process. Exploiting the presence of two relevant time-scales and non-Gaussian
velocity increments, we quantify the breakdown of time-reversal asymmetry,
which would vanish in the case of a 1d Gaussian process. We deduce a new model
for the massive probe, with two linearly coupled variables, incorporating both
Gaussian and Poissonian noise, the latter motivated by the rarefied collisions
with the granular bath particles. Our model reproduces the experiment in a
range of densities, from dilute to moderately dense, with a meaningful
dependence of the parameters on the density.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
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