2,158 research outputs found
Helmet weight simulator
A device for providing acceleration cues to the helmet of a simulator pilot is described. Pulleys are attached to both shoulders of the pilot. A cable is attached to both sides of the helmet and extends through the pulleys to a takeup reel that is controlled by a torque motor. Control signals are applied to a servo system including the torque motor, the takeup reel and a force transducer which supplies the feedback signal. In one embodiment of the invention the force transducer is in the cable and in another it is in the takeup reel
GAELS Project Final Report: Information environment for engineering
The GAELS project was a collaboration commenced in 1999 between Glasgow University Library and Strathclyde University Library with two main aims:· to develop collaborative information services in support of engineering research at the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde· to develop a CAL (computer-aided learning package) package in advanced information skills for engineering research students and staff The project was funded by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) from their Strategic Change Initiative funding stream, and funding was awarded initially for one year, with an extension of the grant for a further year. The project ended in June 2001.The funding from SHEFC paid for two research assistants, one based at Glasgow University Library working on collaborative information services and one based at Strathclyde University Library developing courseware. Latterly, after these two research assistants left to take up other posts, there has been a single researcher based at Glasgow University Library.The project was funded to investigate the feasibility of new services to the Engineering Faculties at both Universities, with a view to making recommendations for service provision that can be developed for other subject areas
Probing the electron EDM with cold molecules
We present progress towards a new measurement of the electron electric dipole
moment using a cold supersonic beam of YbF molecules. Data are currently being
taken with a sensitivity of . We
therefore expect to make an improvement over the Tl experiment of Commins'
group, which currently gives the most precise result. We discuss the systematic
and statistical errors and comment on the future prospect of making a
measurement at the level of .Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, proceedings of ICAP 200
Pulsed beams as field probes for precision measurement
We describe a technique for mapping the spatial variation of static electric,
static magnetic, and rf magnetic fields using a pulsed atomic or molecular
beam. The method is demonstrated using a beam designed to measure the electric
dipole moment of the electron. We present maps of the interaction region,
showing sensitivity to (i) electric field variation of 1.5 V/cm at 3.3 kV/cm
with a spatial resolution of 15 mm; (ii) magnetic field variation of 5 nT with
25 mm resolution; (iii) radio-frequency magnetic field amplitude with 15 mm
resolution. This new diagnostic technique is very powerful in the context of
high-precision atomic and molecular physics experiments, where pulsed beams
have not hitherto found widespread application.Comment: 6 pages, 12 figures. Figures heavily compressed to comply with
arxiv's antediluvian file-size polic
High Ratio of 44Ti/56Ni in Cas A and Axisymmetric Collapse-Driven Supernova Explosion
The large abundance ratio of in Cas A is puzzling. In fact,
the ratio seems to be larger than the theoretical constraint derived by Woosley
& Hoffman (1991). However, this constraint is obtained on the assumption that
the explosion is spherically symmetric, whereas Cas A is famous for the
asymmetric form of the remnant. Recently, Nagataki et al. (1997) calculated the
explosive nucleosynthesis of axisymmetrically deformed collapse-driven
supernova. They reported that the ratio of was enhanced by
the stronger alpha-rich freezeout in the polar region. In this paper, we apply
these results to Cas A and examine whether this effect can explain the large
amount of and the large ratio of . We demonstrate
that the conventional spherically symmetric explosion model can not explain the
Ti mass produced in Cas A if its lifetime is shorter than 80
years and the intervening space is transparent to the gamma-ray line from the
decay of Ti. On the other hand, we show the axisymmetric explosion
models can solve the problem. We expect the same effect from a three
dimensionally asymmetric explosion, since the stronger alpha-rich freezeout
will also occur in that case in the region where the larger energy is
deposited.Comment: 10 pages, LaTeX text and 3 postscript figure
Chandra Detection of the Forward and Reverse Shocks in Cassiopeia-A
We report the localization of the forward and reversed shock fronts in the
young supernova remnant Cas-A using X-ray data obtained with the Chandra
Observatory. High resolution X-ray maps resolve a previously unseen X-ray
feature encompassing the extremity of the remnant. This feature consists of
thin, tangential wisps of emission bordering the outer edge of the thermal
X-ray and radio remnant, forming a circular rim, approx. 2.7 in radius. Radio
images show a sharp rise in brightness at this X-ray rim, along with a large
jump in the synchrotron polarization angle. These characteristics suggest that
these wisps are the previously unresolved signature of the forward, or outer,
shock. Similarly, we identify the sharp rise in emissivity of the bright shell
for both the radio and X-ray line emission associated with the reverse shock.
The derived ratio of the averaged forward and reverse shock radii of approx.
3:2 constrains the remnant to have swept up roughly the same amount of mass as
was ejected; this suggests that Cas-A is just entering the Sedov phase.
Comparison of the X-ray spectra from the two shock regions shows that the
equivalent widths of prominent emission lines are significantly lower exterior
to the bright shell, as expected if they are respectively identified with the
shocked circumstellar material and shocked ejecta. Furthermore, the spectrum of
the outer rim itself is dominated by power-law emission, likely the counterpart
of the non-thermal component previously seen at energies above 10 keV.Comment: 7 pages with 5 figures, LaTex, emulateapj.sty. To appear in the
Astrophysical Journal Letter
Space station automation of common module power management and distribution
The purpose is to automate a breadboard level Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) system which possesses many functional characteristics of a specified Space Station power system. The automation system was built upon 20 kHz ac source with redundancy of the power buses. There are two power distribution control units which furnish power to six load centers which in turn enable load circuits based upon a system generated schedule. The progress in building this specified autonomous system is described. Automation of Space Station Module PMAD was accomplished by segmenting the complete task in the following four independent tasks: (1) develop a detailed approach for PMAD automation; (2) define the software and hardware elements of automation; (3) develop the automation system for the PMAD breadboard; and (4) select an appropriate host processing environment
The Compact Central Object in Cas A: A Neutron Star with Hot Polar Caps or a Black Hole?
The central pointlike X-ray source of the Cas A supernova remnant was
discovered in the Chandra First Light Observation and found later in the
archival ROSAT and Einstein images. The analysis of these data does not show
statistically significant variability of the source. The power-law fit yields
the photon index 2.6-4.1, and luminosity (2-60)e34 erg/s, for d=3.4 kpc. The
power-law index is higher, and the luminosity lower, than those observed
fromvery young pulsars. One can fit the spectrum equally well with a blackbody
model with T=6-8 MK, R=0.2-0.5 km, L=(1.4-1.9)e33 erg/s. The inferred radii are
too small, and the temperatures too high, for the radiationcould be interpreted
as emitted from the whole surface of a uniformly heated neutron star. Fits with
the neutron star atmosphere models increase the radius and reduce the
temperature, but these parameters are still substantially different from those
expected for a young neutron star. One cannot exclude, however, that the
observed emission originates from hot spots on a cooler neutron star surface.
Because of strong interstellar absorption, the possible low-temperature
component gives a small contribution to the observed spectrum; an upper limit
on the (gravitationally redshifted) surface temperature is < 1.9-2.3 MK.
Amongst several possible interpretations, we favor a model of a strongly
magnetized neutron star with magnetically confined hydrogen or helium polar
caps on a cooler iron surface. Alternatively, the observed radiation may be
interpreted as emitted by a compact object (more likely, a black hole)
accreting from a fossil disk or from a late-type dwarf in a close binary.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, submitted to ApJ
Search for an Near-IR Counterpart to the Cas A X-ray Point Source
We report deep near-infrared and optical observations of the X-ray point
source in the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant, CXO J232327.9+584842. We have
identified a J=21.4 +/- 0.3 mag and Ks=20.5 +/- 0.3 mag source within the
1-sigma error circle, but we believe this source is a foreground Pop II star
with Teff=2600-2800 K at a distance of ~2 kpc, which could not be the X-ray
point source. We do not detect any sources in this direction at the distance of
Cas A, and therefore place 3-sigma limits of R >~ 25 mag, F675W >~ 27.3 mag, J
>~ 22.5 mag and Ks >~ 21.2 mag (and roughly H >~ 20 mag) on emission from the
X-ray point source, corresponding to M_{R} >~ 8.2 mag, M_{F675W} >~ 10.7 mag,
M_{J} >~ 8.5 mag, M_{H} >~ 6.5 mag, and M_{Ks} >~ 8.0 mag, assuming a distance
of 3.4 kpc and an extinction A_{V}=5 mag.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures. Accepted by Ap
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