25,403 research outputs found

    Multiple man-machine interfaces

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    The multiple man machine interfaces inherent in military pilot training, their social implications, and the issue of possible negative feedback were explored. Modern technology has produced machines which can see, hear, and touch with greater accuracy and precision than human beings. Consequently, the military pilot is more a systems manager, often doing battle against a target he never sees. It is concluded that unquantifiable human activity requires motivation that is not intrinsic in a machine

    Comparison of model and flight test data for an augmented jet flap STOL research aircraft

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    Aerodynamic design data for the Augmented Jet Flap STOL Research Aircraft or commonly known as the Augmentor-Wing Jet-STOL Research Aircraft was based on results of tests carried out on a large scale research model in the NASA Ames 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel. Since the model differs in some respects from the aircraft, precise correlation between tunnel and flight test is not expected, however the major areas of confidence derived from the wind tunnel tests are delineated, and for the most part, tunnel results compare favorably with flight experience. In some areas the model tests were known to be nonrepresentative so that a degree of uncertainty remained: these areas of greater uncertainty are identified, and discussed in the light of subsequent flight tests

    A mechanical well log study of the popular interval of the Mississippian Madison Formation in North Dakota

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    The Poplar interval of interbedded evaporites and carbonates forms the uppermost part of the Mississippian Madison Forr.1ation in western North Dakota. A detailed mechanical well log study of the Poplar interval in North Dakota was conducted to interpret the Poplar\u27s regional geology and to attempt to locate areas with potential for petroleum production. Limestone, dolomite, anhydrite and salt were differentiated using mechanical well logs. The complex facies of the Madison are subdivided into para-time rock units (the Poplar interval is one) on the basis of extensive thin anhydrite beds which are considered time-parallel. The base of the Poplar interval is a wide-spread anhydrite unit. The top of the Poplar on the basin flanks is a thin anhydrite, whereas in the basin interior a thick massive salt overlying the thin anhydrite is considered to be the top. Salt deposits formed during periodic increases in the rate of basin subsidence account for most of the increase in thickness (176 feet on the basin flanks, to 687 feet in the central basin area) of the Poplar interval. The anhydrites and salts of the Poplar interval were deposited in a saline environment caused by the restriction of a regressing sea. Periodic transgressions caused near normal marine conditions that resulted in the deposition of carbonates. Some anhydrites that may have been deposited in sabkhas resulted in linear down dip trends of thicks and thins in gross anhydrite in the basin and a general increase in anhydrite from the basin center to the basin margins. Except where influenced by the Nesson Anticline and other structures in Divide and Billings Counties the Poplar interval generally conforms to the Williston Basin. The Nesson Anticline and a small anticline named Divide High in Divide County were actively positive, although subdued in Poplar time. An anticline in Billings County appears to represent a post-Poplar event. Pre-Mesozoic erosion had little effect on the present day topography of the Poplar. Poplar exploration should be carried out primarily as a search for anticlines similar to that in the East Poplar Field in Montana that produces oil from the Poplar interval. Stratigraphic traps should also be considered

    Using rewards and penalties to obtain desired subject performance

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    Operant conditioning procedures, specifically the use of negative reinforcement, in achieving stable learning behavior is described. The critical tracking test (CTT) a method of detecting human operator impairment was tested. A pass level is set for each subject, based on that subject's asymptotic skill level while sober. It is critical that complete training take place before the individualized pass level is set in order that the impairment can be detected. The results provide a more general basis for the application of reward/penalty structures in manual control research

    Quantifying fusion born ion populations in magnetically confined plasmas using ion cyclotron emission

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    Ion cyclotron emission (ICE) offers unique promise as a diagnostic of the fusion born alpha-particle population in magnetically confined plasmas. Pioneering observations from JET and TFTR found that ICE intensity PICEP_{ICE} scales approximately linearly with the measured neutron flux from fusion reactions, and with the inferred concentration, nα/nin_\alpha/n_i, of fusion-born alpha-particles confined within the plasma. We present fully nonlinear self-consistent kinetic simulations that reproduce this scaling for the first time. This resolves a longstanding question in the physics of fusion alpha-particle confinement and stability in MCF plasmas. It confirms the magnetoacoustic cyclotron instability (MCI) as the likely emission mechanism and greatly strengthens the basis for diagnostic exploitation of ICE in future burning plasmas

    The Innermost Stable Circular Orbit of Binary Black Holes

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    We introduce a new method to construct solutions to the constraint equations of general relativity describing binary black holes in quasicircular orbit. Black hole pairs with arbitrary momenta can be constructed with a simple method recently suggested by Brandt and Bruegmann, and quasicircular orbits can then be found by locating a minimum in the binding energy along sequences of constant horizon area. This approach produces binary black holes in a "three-sheeted" manifold structure, as opposed to the "two-sheeted" structure in the conformal-imaging approach adopted earlier by Cook. We focus on locating the innermost stable circular orbit and compare with earlier calculations. Our results confirm those of Cook and imply that the underlying manifold structure has a very small effect on the location of the innermost stable circular orbit.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, RevTex, submitted to PR

    Excision boundary conditions for black hole initial data

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    We define and extensively test a set of boundary conditions that can be applied at black hole excision surfaces when the Hamiltonian and momentum constraints of general relativity are solved within the conformal thin-sandwich formalism. These boundary conditions have been designed to result in black holes that are in quasiequilibrium and are completely general in the sense that they can be applied with any conformal three-geometry and slicing condition. Furthermore, we show that they retain precisely the freedom to specify an arbitrary spin on each black hole. Interestingly, we have been unable to find a boundary condition on the lapse that can be derived from a quasiequilibrium condition. Rather, we find evidence that the lapse boundary condition is part of the initial temporal gauge choice. To test these boundary conditions, we have extensively explored the case of a single black hole and the case of a binary system of equal-mass black holes, including the computation of quasi-circular orbits and the determination of the inner-most stable circular orbit. Our tests show that the boundary conditions work well.Comment: 23 pages, 23 figures, revtex4, corrected typos, added reference, minor content changes including additional post-Newtonian comparison. Version accepted by PR

    Characterizing the Existence of Optimal Proof Systems and Complete Sets for Promise Classes.

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    In this paper we investigate the following two questions: Q1: Do there exist optimal proof systems for a given language L? Q2: Do there exist complete problems for a given promise class C? For concrete languages L (such as TAUT or SAT) and concrete promise classes C (such as NP∩coNP, UP, BPP, disjoint NP-pairs etc.), these ques-tions have been intensively studied during the last years, and a number of characterizations have been obtained. Here we provide new character-izations for Q1 and Q2 that apply to almost all promise classes C and languages L, thus creating a unifying framework for the study of these practically relevant questions. While questions Q1 and Q2 are left open by our results, we show that they receive affirmative answers when a small amount on advice is avail-able in the underlying machine model. This continues a recent line of research on proof systems with advice started by Cook and Kraj́ıček [6]

    Black Hole Data via a Kerr-Schild Approach

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    We present a new approach for setting initial Cauchy data for multiple black hole spacetimes. The method is based upon adopting an initially Kerr-Schild form of the metric. In the case of non-spinning holes, the constraint equations take a simple hierarchical form which is amenable to direct numerical integration. The feasibility of this approach is demonstrated by solving analytically the problem of initial data in a perturbed Schwarzschild geometry.Comment: 13 pages, RevTeX forma

    Carbon/graphite fiber risk analysis and assessment study: An assessment of the risk to Douglas commercial transport aircraft

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    The potential hazard to electrical and electronic devices should there be a release of free carbon fibers due to an aircraft crash and fire was assessed. Exposure and equipment sensitivity data were compiled for a risk analysis. Results are presented in the following areas: DC-9/DC-10 electrical/electronic component characterization; DC-9 and DC-10 fiber transfer functions; potential for transport aircraft equipment exposure to carbon fibers; and equipment vulnerability assessment. Results reflect only a negligible increase in risk for the DC-9 and DC-10 fleets either now or projected to 1993
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