Optimal Trajectories for Near-Earth-Objects Using Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) and Gravity Assisted Maneuver

The future interplanetary missions will probably use the conventional chemical rockets to leave the sphere of influence of the Earth, and solar electric propulsion (SEP) to accomplish the other maneuvers of the mission. In this work the optimization of interplanetary missions using solar electric propulsion and Gravity Assisted Maneuver to reduce the costs of the mission, is considered. The high specific impulse of electric propulsion makes a Gravity Assisted Maneuver 1 year after departure convenient. Missions for several Near Earth Asteroids will be considered. The analysis suggests criteria for the definition of initial solutions demanded for the process of optimization of trajectories. Trajectories for the asteroid 2002TC70 are analyzed. Direct trajectories, trajectories with 1 gravity assisted from the Earth and with 2 gravity assisted from the Earth and either Mars are present. An indirect optimization method will be used in the simulations

IDeS (Industrial Design Structure) Method Applied to the Automotive Design Framework: Two Sports Cars with Shared Platform

The present study was set to validate two different suburban-type sportscar bodies with shared common underpinnings. The chosen method to develop this project was the Industrial Design Structure (IDeS), which characterizes the ability to use the different innovative techniques known within the industrial field, across the whole organization. This method is embodied by following a series of structured analysis tools, such as QFD (Quality Function Deployment), Benchmarking (BM), Top-Flop analysis (TFA), Stylistic Design Engineering (SDE), Prototyping, Testing, Budgeting and Planning. This project aims to study the present-day car market and to foresee deployment in the near future. This attempt was confirmed by delivering the complete styling and technical feasibility characteristics of two different sports cars, obtained by the IDeS methodology. This approach of embodying design together with phases of product development would provide a better engineered, target-oriented product, that uses state-of-the-art style and CAD environments to reduce product development time and, hence, overall Time to Market (TTM)

Remoción de plaguicidas MCPA e Imazapic de solución acuosa con materiales carbonosos

El objetivo general de este trabajo se orienta a la búsqueda de alternativas simples y accesibles para la remediación de aguas contaminadas, teniendo en cuenta que la presencia de contaminantes emergentes en nuestros recursos hídricos, tales como fármacos y pesticidas, es motivo de preocupación para la salud y seguridad ambiental. Se realizaron estudios de adsorción de dos pesticidas: MCPA (ácido 4-cloro-2-metil fenoxiacético) e Imazapic (ácido 2-[4,5-dihidro-4-metil-4-(1-metiletil)-5-oxo-1H-imidazol-2-il]-5-metil-3-piridin carboxílico), en dos diferentes tipos de material carbonoso. Fueron utilizados dos tipos de carbón activado, cada uno con diferentes características físicas y químicas, CAT-Ox 4 sulfuro de hidrógeno, adquirido en pellets de 4mm y CARBOPAL MB 4S (Donau). Se realizaron diferentes experimentos en batch de los herbicidas MCPA e Imazapic sobre dos tipos de carbón activado, CAT y CARBOPAL, bajo diferentes condiciones. Ambos materiales parecen ser muy efectivos removiendo estos contaminantes, pero CAT parece tener una mayor capacidad. Ambos pesticidas siguen cinéticas de adsorción de pseudo segundo orden en ambos materiales, lo que indicaría una mayor contribución de quimisorción con formación de monocapa. La capacidad de adsorción (qe) de herbicidas es significativamente influenciada por el valor de pH. En el presente estudio, ambos pesticidas tienen una disminución en la capacidad de adsorción cuando se utilizan condiciones básicas debido a que la superficie de los carbones están cargadas negativamente y en estas condiciones los herbicidas se encuentran en forma aniónica. Además, diferentes modelos fueron analizados para predecir propiedades de cada proceso de adsorción. MCPA se adapta al modelo teórico de Langmuir en ambos materiales. Debido a esto, se predice un proceso de quimisorción con la formación de una monocapa. Por otro lado, Imazapic se adapta al modelo GAB sobre CAT y CARBOPAL, con la formación de multicapas. La capacidad de adsorción es muy alta, por lo que ambos materiales pueden ser usados como método efectivo y de bajo costo para remover MCPA e Imazapic de recursos acuosos.Trabajo presentado por el Centro de Estudio de Compuestos Orgánicos (CEDECOR

Technology requirements of exploration beyond Neptune by solar sail propulsion

This paper provides a set of requirements for the technology development of a solar sail propelled Interstellar Heliopause Probe mission. The mission is placed in the context of other outer solar systems missions, ranging from a Kuiper Belt mission through to an Oort cloud mission. Mission requirements are defined and a detailed parametric trajectory analysis and launch date scan performed. Through analysis of the complete mission trade space a set of critical technology development requirements are identified which include an advanced lightweight composite High-Gain Antenna, a high-efficiency Ka-band travelling-wave tube amplifier and a radioisotope thermoelectric generator with power density of approximately 12 W/kg. It is also shown that the Interstellar Heliopause Probe mission necessitates the use of a spinning sail, limiting the direct application of current hardware development activities. A Kuiper Belt mission is then considered as a pre-curser to the Interstellar Heliopause Probe, while it is also shown through study of an Oort cloud mission that the Interstellar Heliopause Probe mission is the likely end-goal of any future solar sail technology development program. As such, the technology requirements identified to enable the Interstellar Heliopause Probe must be enabled through all prior missions, with each mission acting as an enabling facilitator towards the next

Aspectos preliminares de la calidad del agua del arroyo Tapalqué en la ciudad de Olavarría, provincia de Buenos Aires

In Tapalqué stream, different recreational and farming activities are developed, and on its way through Olavarría city, it receipts rainwater and sewage residues previously treated. The aim of this study is to evaluate the quality of the resource, through the determination of conventional physicochemical and bacteriological parameters, heavy metals and organochloride derivatives. Four sampling stations were monitored each 45 days (2009-2010), before and after the city, after the treatment plant and downstream near Sierra Chica town. The water was classified as oligohaline and sodium bicarbonated. Hypoxia is common at stations 3 and 4. Metals as Pb, Cd and Hg were not detected. Arsenic exceeded the allowed limits for some applications, decreasing its concentration downstream. Organochlorides substances were detected in two points, in one of them Aldrin and in the other Heptachlor and/or its derivates with values above the permitted limits. An important increase in the number of total and fecal coliform organisms in downstream stations was detected.Instituto de Limnología "Raúl A. Ringuelet

Aspectos preliminares de la calidad del agua del arroyo Tapalqué en la ciudad de Olavarría, provincia de Buenos Aires

In Tapalqué stream, different recreational and farming activities are developed, and on its way through Olavarría city, it receipts rainwater and sewage residues previously treated. The aim of this study is to evaluate the quality of the resource, through the determination of conventional physicochemical and bacteriological parameters, heavy metals and organochloride derivatives. Four sampling stations were monitored each 45 days (2009-2010), before and after the city, after the treatment plant and downstream near Sierra Chica town. The water was classified as oligohaline and sodium bicarbonated. Hypoxia is common at stations 3 and 4. Metals as Pb, Cd and Hg were not detected. Arsenic exceeded the allowed limits for some applications, decreasing its concentration downstream. Organochlorides substances were detected in two points, in one of them Aldrin and in the other Heptachlor and/or its derivates with values above the permitted limits. An important increase in the number of total and fecal coliform organisms in downstream stations was detected.Instituto de Limnología "Raúl A. Ringuelet

Aspectos preliminares de la calidad del agua del arroyo Tapalqué en la ciudad de Olavarría, provincia de Buenos Aires

In Tapalqué stream, different recreational and farming activities are developed, and on its way through Olavarría city, it receipts rainwater and sewage residues previously treated. The aim of this study is to evaluate the quality of the resource, through the determination of conventional physicochemical and bacteriological parameters, heavy metals and organochloride derivatives. Four sampling stations were monitored each 45 days (2009-2010), before and after the city, after the treatment plant and downstream near Sierra Chica town. The water was classified as oligohaline and sodium bicarbonated. Hypoxia is common at stations 3 and 4. Metals as Pb, Cd and Hg were not detected. Arsenic exceeded the allowed limits for some applications, decreasing its concentration downstream. Organochlorides substances were detected in two points, in one of them Aldrin and in the other Heptachlor and/or its derivates with values above the permitted limits. An important increase in the number of total and fecal coliform organisms in downstream stations was detected.Instituto de Limnología "Raúl A. Ringuelet

High Prevalence of Chronic Pituitary and Target-Organ Hormone Abnormalities after Blast-Related Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Studies of traumatic brain injury from all causes have found evidence of chronic hypopituitarism, defined by deficient production of one or more pituitary hormones at least 1 year after injury, in 25–50% of cases. Most studies found the occurrence of posttraumatic hypopituitarism (PTHP) to be unrelated to injury severity. Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and hypogonadism were reported most frequently. Hypopituitarism, and in particular adult GHD, is associated with symptoms that resemble those of PTSD, including fatigue, anxiety, depression, irritability, insomnia, sexual dysfunction, cognitive deficiencies, and decreased quality of life. However, the prevalence of PTHP after blast-related mild TBI (mTBI), an extremely common injury in modern military operations, has not been characterized. We measured concentrations of 12 pituitary and target-organ hormones in two groups of male US Veterans of combat in Iraq or Afghanistan. One group consisted of participants with blast-related mTBI whose last blast exposure was at least 1 year prior to the study. The other consisted of Veterans with similar military deployment histories but without blast exposure. Eleven of 26, or 42% of participants with blast concussions were found to have abnormal hormone levels in one or more pituitary axes, a prevalence similar to that found in other forms of TBI. Five members of the mTBI group were found with markedly low age-adjusted insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels indicative of probable GHD, and three had testosterone and gonadotropin concentrations consistent with hypogonadism. If symptoms characteristic of both PTHP and PTSD can be linked to pituitary dysfunction, they may be amenable to treatment with hormone replacement. Routine screening for chronic hypopituitarism after blast concussion shows promise for appropriately directing diagnostic and therapeutic decisions that otherwise may remain unconsidered and for markedly facilitating recovery and rehabilitation

Optimal low-thrust trajectories to asteroids through an algorithm based on differential dynamic programming

In this paper an optimisation algorithm based on Differential Dynamic Programming is applied to the design of rendezvous and fly-by trajectories to near Earth objects. Differential dynamic programming is a successive approximation technique that computes a feedback control law in correspondence of a fixed number of decision times. In this way the high dimensional problem characteristic of low-thrust optimisation is reduced into a series of small dimensional problems. The proposed method exploits the stage-wise approach to incorporate an adaptive refinement of the discretisation mesh within the optimisation process. A particular interpolation technique was used to preserve the feedback nature of the control law, thus improving robustness against some approximation errors introduced during the adaptation process. The algorithm implements global variations of the control law, which ensure a further increase in robustness. The results presented show how the proposed approach is capable of fully exploiting the multi-body dynamics of the problem; in fact, in one of the study cases, a fly-by of the Earth is scheduled, which was not included in the first guess solution

Search for direct stau production in events with two hadronic τ-leptons in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

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