An empirical analysis of the distribution of the duration of overshoots in a stationary gaussian stochastic process

This analysis utilizes computer simulation and statistical estimation. Realizations of stationary gaussian stochastic processes with selected autocorrelation functions are computer simulated. Analysis of the simulated data revealed that the mean and the variance of a process were functionally dependent upon the autocorrelation parameter and crossing level. Using predicted values for the mean and standard deviation, by the method of moments, the distribution parameters was estimated. Thus, given the autocorrelation parameter, crossing level, mean, and standard deviation of a process, the probability of exceeding the crossing level for a particular length of time was calculated

Natural environment support guidelines for space shuttle tests and operations

All space shuttle events from launch through solid rocket booster recovery and orbiter landing are considered in terms of constraints placed on those operations by the natural environment. Thunderstorm activity is discussed as an example of a possible hazard. The activities most likely to require advanced detection and monitoring techniques are identified as those from deorbit decision to Orbiter landing. The inflexible flight plan will require the transmission of real time wind profile information below 24 km and warnings of thunderstorms or turbulence in the Orbiter flight path. Extensive aerial reconnaissance and communication facilities and procedures to permit immediate transmission of aircraft reports to the mission control authority and to the Orbiter will also be required

Poly-essential and general Hyperelastic World (brane) models

This article provides a unified treatment of an extensive category of non-linear classical field models whereby the universe is represented (perhaps as a brane in a higher dimensional background) in terms of a structure of a mathematically convenient type describable as hyperelastic, for which a complete set of equations of motion is provided just by the energy-momentum conservation law. Particular cases include those of a perfect fluid in quintessential backgrounds of various kinds, as well as models of the elastic solid kind that has been proposed to account for cosmic acceleration. It is shown how an appropriately generalised Hadamard operator can be used to construct a symplectic structure that controles the evolution of small perturbations, and that provides a characteristic equation governing the propagation of weak discontinuities of diverse (extrinsic and extrinsic) kinds. The special case of a poly-essential model - the k-essential analogue of an ordinary polytropic fluid - is examined and shown to be well behaved (like the fluid) only if the pressure to density ratio $w$ is positive.Comment: 16 pages Latex, Contrib. to 10th Peyresq Pysics Meeting, June 2005: Micro and Macro Structures of Spacetim

Differential rotation of Kepler-71 via transit photometry mapping of faculae and starspots

Knowledge of dynamo evolution in solar-type stars is limited by the difficulty of using active region monitoring to measure stellar differential rotation, a key probe of stellar dynamo physics. This paper addresses the problem by presenting the first ever measurement of stellar differential rotation for a main-sequence solar-type star using starspots and faculae to provide complementary information. Our analysis uses modelling of light curves of multiple exoplanet transits for the young solar-type star Kepler-71, utilizing archival data from the Kepler mission. We estimate the physical characteristics of starspots and faculae on Kepler-71 from the characteristic amplitude variations they produce in the transit light curves and measure differential rotation from derived longitudes. Despite the higher contrast of faculae than those in the Sun, the bright features on Kepler-71 have similar properties such as increasing contrast towards the limb and larger sizes than sunspots. Adopting a solar-type differential rotation profile (faster rotation at the equator than the poles), the results from both starspot and facula analysis indicate a rotational shear less than about 0.005 rad d-1, or a relative differential rotation less than 2 per cent, and hence almost rigid rotation. This rotational shear contrasts with the strong rotational shear of zero-age main-sequence stars and the modest but significant shear of the modern-day Sun. Various explanations for the likely rigid rotation are considered

Quantum integrability of quadratic Killing tensors

Quantum integrability of classical integrable systems given by quadratic Killing tensors on curved configuration spaces is investigated. It is proven that, using a "minimal" quantization scheme, quantum integrability is insured for a large class of classic examples.Comment: LaTeX 2e, no figure, 35 p., references added, minor modifications. To appear in the J. Math. Phy

Symplectic structure for elastic and chiral conducting cosmic string models

This article is based on the covariant canonical formalism and corresponding symplectic structure on phase space developed by Witten, Zuckerman and others in the context of field theory. After recalling the basic principles of this procedure, we construct the conserved bilinear symplectic current for generic elastic string models. These models describe current carrying cosmic strings evolving in an arbitrary curved background spacetime. Particular attention is paid to the special case of the chiral string for which the worldsheet current is null. Different formulations of the chiral string action are discussed in detail, and as a result the integrability property of the chiral string is clarified.Comment: 18 page

Experimental study of ion heating and acceleration during magnetic reconnection

Ion heating and acceleration has been studied in the well-characterized reconnection layer of the Magnetic Reconnection Experiment [M. Yamada , Phys. Plasmas 4, 1936 (1997)]. Ion temperature in the layer rises substantially during null-helicity reconnection in which reconnecting field lines are anti-parallel. The plasma outflow is sub-Alfvenic due to a downstream back pressure. An ion energy balance calculation based on the data and including classical viscous heating indicates that ions are heated largely via nonclassical mechanisms. The T-i rise is much smaller during co-helicity reconnection in which field lines reconnect obliquely. This is consistent with a slower reconnection rate and a smaller resistivity enhancement over the Spitzer value. These observations show that nonclassical dissipation mechanisms can play an important role both in heating the ions and in facilitating the reconnection process

Categorical Groups, Knots and Knotted Surfaces

We define a knot invariant and a 2-knot invariant from any finite categorical group. We calculate an explicit example for the Spun Trefoil.Comment: 40 pages, lots of figures. Second version: Added example and discussion, clarification of the fact that the maps associated with Reidemeister Moves are well define

Chiral Vortons and Cosmological Constraints on Particle Physics

We investigate the cosmological consequences of particle physics theories that admit stable loops of current-carrying string - vortons. In particular, we consider chiral theories where a single fermion zero mode is excited in the string core, such as those arising in supersymmetric theories with a D-term. The resulting vortons formed in such theories are expected to be more stable than their non-chiral cousins. General symmetry breaking schemes are considered in which strings formed at one symmetry breaking scale become current-carrying at a subsequent phase transition. The vorton abundance is estimated and constraints placed on the underlying particle physics theories from cosmological observations. Our constraints on the chiral theory are considerably more stringent than the previous estimates for more general theories.Comment: minor corrections made. This version will appear in PR