Converging Perturbative Solutions of the Schroedinger Equation for a Two-Level System with a Hamiltonian Depending Periodically on Time

We study the Schroedinger equation of a class of two-level systems under the action of a periodic time-dependent external field in the situation where the energy difference 2epsilon between the free energy levels is sufficiently small with respect to the strength of the external interaction. Under suitable conditions we show that this equation has a solution in terms of converging power series expansions in epsilon. In contrast to other expansion methods, like in the Dyson expansion, the method we present is not plagued by the presence of ``secular terms''. Due to this feature we were able to prove absolute and uniform convergence of the Fourier series involved in the computation of the wave functions and to prove absolute convergence of the epsilon-expansions leading to the ``secular frequency'' and to the coefficients of the Fourier expansion of the wave function

Reconsidering Traditional Urbanism

The 1999 Weiss Symposium series assembled a dozen leading figures from the fields of planning, architecture, history, sociology, psychology, and journalism to discuss and debate traditional urbanism in five events held in the spring of 1999 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This special section presents the ideas of three participants: Robert Russell, James Howard Kunstler, and Carroll William Westfall

Planner's Digest: Traditional Urbanism Reconsidered: The 1999 Weiss Urban Livability Symposium

It would be impossible to discuss urban livability without confronting the concept of urbanism - its many, varied forms, historical basis, aesthetic qualities, functional performance, and urban lifestyles. The 1999 Weiss Symposium at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus presents a unique end-of-the-century opportunity to reflect on traditional urbanism, and to ponder the future of urbanism in a world where the importance of local communities and a sense of place are increasingly challenged by technological advances, globalism, and the commodification of urban places. Presenters and participants will consider and debate the contemporary relevance of traditional urban forms as more sustainable, livable alternatives in an age of sprawl

Orion Spacecraft MMOD Protection Design and Assessment

The Orion spacecraft will replace the Space Shuttle Orbiter for American and international partner access to the International Space Station by 2015 and, afterwards, for access to the moon for initial sorties and later for extended outpost visits as part of the Constellation Exploration Initiative. This work describes some of the efforts being undertaken to ensure that the Constellation Program, Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle design will meet or exceed the stringent micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) requirements set out by NASA when exposed to the environments encountered with these missions. This paper will provide a brief overview of the approaches being used to provide MMOD protection to the Orion vehicle and to assess the spacecraft for compliance to the Constellation Program s MMOD requirements

Ballistic Performance of Porous Ceramic Thermal Protection Systems at 9 km/s

Porous-ceramic, thermal-protection-systems are used heavily in current reentry vehicles like the Orbiter, and they are currently being proposed for the next generation of manned spacecraft, Orion. These materials insulate the structural components and sensitive electronic components of a spacecraft against the intense thermal environments of atmospheric reentry. Furthermore, these materials are also highly exposed to space environmental hazards like meteoroid and orbital debris impacts. This paper discusses recent impact testing up to 9 km/s on ceramic tiles similar to those used on the Orbiter. These tiles have a porous-batting of nominally 8 lb/cubic ft alumina-fiber-enhanced-thermal-barrier (AETB8) insulating material coated with a damage-resistant, toughened-unipiece-fibrous-insulation (TUFI) layer

Ballistic Performance of Porous-Ceramic, Thermal Protection Systems to 9 km/s

Porous-ceramic, thermal protection systems are used heavily in current reentry vehicles like the Orbiter, and they are currently being proposed for the next generation of US manned spacecraft, Orion. These materials insulate the structural components and sensitive components of a spacecraft against the intense thermal environments of atmospheric reentry. These materials are also highly exposed to solid particle space environment hazards. This paper discusses recent impact testing up to 9.65 km/s on ceramic tiles similar to those used on the Orbiter. These tiles are a porous-ceramic insulator of nominally 8 lb/ft(exp 3) alumina-fiber-enhanced-thermal-barrier (AETB8) coated with a damage-resistant, toughened-unipiece-fibrous-insulation/reaction-cured-glass layer (TUFI/RCG)

Proton acceleration by irradiation of isolated spheres with an intense laser pulse

We report on experiments irradiating isolated plastic spheres with a peak laser intensity of 2-3 x 10(20) W cm(-2). With a laser focal spot size of 10 mu m full width half maximum (FWHM) the sphere diameter was varied between 520 nm and 19.3 mu m. Maximum proton energies of similar to 25 MeV are achieved for targets matching the focal spot size of 10 mu m in diameter or being slightly smaller. For smaller spheres the kinetic energy distributions of protons become nonmonotonic, indicating a change in the accelerating mechanism from ambipolar expansion towards a regime dominated by effects caused by Coulomb repulsion of ions. The energy conversion efficiency from laser energy to proton kinetic energy is optimized when the target diameter matches the laser focal spot size with efficiencies reaching the percent level. The change of proton acceleration efficiency with target size can be attributed to the reduced cross-sectional overlap of subfocus targets with the laser. Reported experimental observations are in line with 3D3V particle in cell simulations. They make use of well-defined targets and point out pathways for future applications and experiments.DFG via the Cluster of Excellence Munich-Centre for Advanced Photonics (MAP) Transregio SFB TR18NNSA DE-NA0002008Super-MUC pr48meIvo CermakCGC Instruments in design and realization of the Paul trap systemIMPRS-APSLMUexcellent Junior Research FundDAAD|ToIFEEuropean Union's Horizon research and innovation programme 633053Physic