11,195 research outputs found
Modified hydraulic braking system limits angular deceleration to safe values
Conventional spring actuated, hydraulically released, fail-safe disk braking system is modified to control the angular deceleration of a massive antenna. The hydraulic system provides an immediate preset pressure to the spring-loaded brake shoes and holds it at this value to decelerate the antenna at the desired rate
Paleoseismic and Slip-Rate Observations along the Honey Lake Fault Zone, Northeastern California, USA
The Honey Lake fault is a major strike-slip fault in northeastern California that accommodates northwest-directed right-lateral shear in the northern Walker Lane. We reexamine the fault’s paleoseismic history and slip rate by evaluating a natural stream bank exposure of the fault and offset terrace riser. Structural and stratigraphic relations within the modern stream cut, radiocarbon ages, and a detailed topographic survey of the offset terrace riser are used to estimate a Holocene fault slip rate of 1.7–0.6 mm/yr or more. We also interpret the occurrence of at least four surface-rupturing earthquakes during the last 7025 calendar years before present (B.P.). Three of the surface-rupturing earthquakes occurred prior to 4670 calendar years B.P. and have interevent times that range between 730 and 990 yr. The stratigraphic record is limited after ~4670 calendar years B.P., and records evidence for at least one more subsequent surface-rupturing earthquake
The BATSE Gamma-Ray Burst Spectral Catalog. I. High Time Resolution Spectroscopy of Bright Bursts using High Energy Resolution Data
This is the first in a series of gamma-ray burst spectroscopy catalogs from
the Burst And Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) on the Compton Gamma Ray
Observatory, each covering a different aspect of burst phenomenology. In this
paper, we present time-sequences of spectral fit parameters for 156 bursts
selected for either their high peak flux or fluence. All bursts have at least
eight spectra in excess of 45 sigma above background and span burst durations
from 1.66 to 278 s. Individual spectral accumulations are typically 128 ms long
at the peak of the brightest events, but can be as short as 16 ms, depending on
the type of data selected. We have used mostly high energy resolution data from
the Large Area Detectors, covering an energy range of typically 28 - 1800 keV.
The spectral model chosen is from a small empirically-determined set of
functions, such as the well-known `GRB' function, that best fits the
time-averaged burst spectra. Thus, there are generally three spectral shape
parameters available for each of the 5500 total spectra: a low-energy power-law
index, a characteristic break energy and possibly a high-energy power-law
index. We present the distributions of the observed sets of these parameters
and comment on their implications. The complete set of data that accompanies
this paper is necessarily large, and thus is archived electronically at:
http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/ApJ/journal/.Comment: Accepted for publication: ApJS, 125. 38 pages, 9 figures;
supplementary electronic archive to be published by ApJ; available from lead
author upon reques
Lifetime cost effectiveness of simvastatin in a range of risk groups and age groups derived from a randomised trial of 20,536 people
<i>Objectives</i>: To evaluate the cost effectiveness of 40 mg simvastatin daily continued for life in people of different ages with differing risks of vascular disease.
Design A model developed from a randomised trial was used to estimate lifetime risks of vascular events and costs of treatment and hospital admissions in the United Kingdom.
<i>Setting</i>: 69 hospitals in the UK.
<i>Participants</i>: 20 536 men and women (aged 40-80) with coronary disease, other occlusive arterial disease, or diabetes.
<i>Interventions</i>: 40 mg simvastatin daily versus placebo for an average of 5 years.
<i>Main</i> <i>outcome</i> <i>measures</i>: Cost effectiveness of 40 mg simvastatin daily expressed as additional cost per life year gained. Major vascular event defined as non-fatal myocardial infarction or death from coronary disease, any stroke, or revascularisation procedure. Results were extrapolated to younger and older age groups at lower risk of vascular disease than were studied directly, as well as to lifetime treatment.
<i>Results</i>: At the April 2005 UK price of ÂŁ4.87 (€7; $9) per 28 day pack of generic 40 mg simvastatin, lifetime treatment was cost saving in most age groups and vascular disease risk groups studied directly. Gains in life expectancy and cost savings decreased with increasing age and with decreasing risk of vascular disease. People aged 40-49 with 5 year risks of major vascular events of 42% and 12% at start of treatment gained 2.49 and 1.67 life years, respectively. Treatment with statins remained cost saving or cost less than ÂŁ2500 per life year gained in people as young as 35 years or as old as 85 with 5 year risks of a major vascular event as low as 5% at the start of treatment.
<i>Conclusions</i>: Treatment with statins is cost effective in a wider population than is routinely treated at present
X-rays from T Tau: A test case for accreting T Tauri stars
We test models for the generation of X-rays in accreting T Tauri stars (TTS),
using X-ray data from the classical TTS T Tau. High-resolution spectroscopy
from the Reflection Grating Spectrometers on XMM-Newton is used to infer
electron densities, element abundances and the thermal structure of the X-ray
source. We also discuss the ultraviolet light curve obtained by the Optical
Monitor, and complementary ground-based photometry. A high-resolution image
from Chandra constrains contributions from the two companions of T Tau N. The
X-ray grating spectrum is rich in emission lines, but shows an unusual mixture
of features from very hot (~30 MK) and very cool (1-3 MK) plasma, both emitted
by similar amounts of emission measure. The cool plasma confirms the picture of
a soft excess in the form of an enhanced OVII/OVIII Lya flux ratio, similar to
that previously reported for other accreting TTS. Diagnostics from lines formed
by this plasma indicate low electron densities (<~ 1E10 cm-3). The Ne/Fe
abundance ratio is consistent with a trend in pre-main sequence stars in which
this ratio depends on spectral type, but not on accretion. On the basis of line
density diagnostics, we conclude that the density of the cool ``soft-excess''
plasma is orders of magnitude below that predicted for an accretion shock,
assuming previously determined accretion rates of (3-6)E-8 M_sun/y. We argue
that loading of magnetic field lines with infalling material suppresses the
heating process in a part of the corona. We thus suggest that the X-ray
production of T Tau is influenced by the accretion process although the X-rays
may not form in the bulk of the accretion footpoints.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, A&A style. Accepted by A&A, to appear in a
special section/issue dedicated to the XMM-Newton Extended Survey of the
Taurus Molecular Cloud (XEST). See also
http://www.issibern.ch/teams/Taurus/papers.htm
Spectral Evolution of Two High-Energy Gamma-Ray Bursts
The prompt emission of the gamma-ray bursts is found to be very energetic,
releasing ~10^51 ergs in a flash. However, their emission mechanism remains
unclear and understanding their spectra is a key to determining the emission
mechanism. Many GRB spectra have been analyzed in the sub-MeV energy band, and
are usually well described with a smoothly broken power-law model. We present a
spectral analysis of two bright bursts (GRB910503 and GRB930506), using BATSE
and EGRET spectra that cover more than four decades of energy (30 keV - 200
MeV). Our results show time evolutions of spectral parameters (low-energy &
high-energy photon indices and break energy) that are difficult to reconcile
with a simple shock-acceleration model.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, to appear in the proceedings of "Astrophysical
Particle Acceleration in Geospace and Beyond", Chattanooga, 2002, AGU
monograp
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