A Noise Investigation of Tunnel-Diode Microwave Amplifiers

An analysis and derivation of the noise figure of a tunnel-diode microwave amplifier are presented. The agreement between the measured noise figure and the theoretical results is an indirect check on the existence of full shot noise in germanium tunnel diodes at microwave frequencies. The limiting noise temperature of the amplifier is eI0R/2k, and can be approached by using diodes with small (RC) products in which the extreme overcoupling (load mismatch) and high gain can be achieved simultaneously

A linear circuit analysis program with stiff systems capability

Several existing network analysis programs have been modified and combined to employ a variable topological approach to circuit translation. Efficient numerical integration techniques are used for transient analysis

Creative approaches to emotional expression animation

In facial expression research, it is well established that certain emotional expressions are universally recognized. Studies into observer perception of expressions have built upon this research by highlighting the importance of particular facial regions, actions, and movements to the recognition of emotions. In many studies, the stimuli for such studies have been generated through posing by non-experts or performances by trained actors. However, character animators are required to craft recognizable, believable emotional facial expressions as a part of their profession. In this poster, the authors discuss some of the creative processes employed in their research into emotional expressions, and how practice-led research into expression animation might offer a new perspective on the generation of believable emotional expressions

Zero gravity tissue-culture laboratory

Hardware was developed for performing experiments to detect the effects that zero gravity may have on living human cells. The hardware is composed of a timelapse camera that photographs the activity of cell specimens and an experiment module in which a variety of living-cell experiments can be performed using interchangeable modules. The experiment is scheduled for the first manned Skylab mission

Equivalent damage: A critical assessment

The overall goal of achieving improved life cycle management of aircraft engine, gas turbine components is a major industry thrust. Low cycle fatigue (LCF) crack initiation prediction, an important element of life cycle management as traditionally applied, may be overly conservative in estimating total cyclic life capability. Consequently, there is increasing pressure to improve predictive methods both for crack initiation and for subsequent crack propagation. The utility of equivalent damage concepts for application to hot section components of aircraft engines was studied. Specifically, the topics examined were mean stress, cumulative damage, and multiaxiality. Other factors inherently linked to this study were the basic formulation of damage parameters at elevated temperatures and the fact that hot section components experience severe temperature fluctuations throughout their service lifetime

Considerations for believable emotional facial expression animation

Facial expressions can be used to communicate emotional states through the use of universal signifiers within key regions of the face. Psychology research has identified what these signifiers are and how different combinations and variations can be interpreted. Research into expressions has informed animation practice, but as yet very little is known about the movement within and between emotional expressions. A better understanding of sequence, timing, and duration could better inform the production of believable animation. This paper introduces the idea of expression choreography, and how tests of observer perception might enhance our understanding of moving emotional expressions

Investigating facial animation production through artistic inquiry

Studies into dynamic facial expressions tend to make use of experimental methods based on objectively manipulated stimuli. New techniques for displaying increasingly realistic facial movement and methods of measuring observer responses are typical of computer animation and psychology facial expression research. However, few projects focus on the artistic nature of performance production. Instead, most concentrate on the naturalistic appearance of posed or acted expressions. In this paper, the authors discuss a method for exploring the creative process of emotional facial expression animation, and ask whether anything can be learned about authentic dynamic expressions through artistic inquiry

Testing a Simplified Version of Einstein's Equations for Numerical Relativity

Solving dynamical problems in general relativity requires the full machinery of numerical relativity. Wilson has proposed a simpler but approximate scheme for systems near equilibrium, like binary neutron stars. We test the scheme on isolated, rapidly rotating, relativistic stars. Since these objects are in equilibrium, it is crucial that the approximation work well if we are to believe its predictions for more complicated systems like binaries. Our results are very encouraging.Comment: 9 pages (RevTeX 3.0 with 6 uuencoded figures), CRSR-107

Exotic Meson Decay Widths using Lattice QCD

A decay width calculation for a hybrid exotic meson h, with JPC=1-+, is presented for the channel h->pi+a1. This quenched lattice QCD simulation employs Luescher's finite box method. Operators coupling to the h and pi+a1 states are used at various levels of smearing and fuzzing, and at four quark masses. Eigenvalues of the corresponding correlation matrices yield energy spectra that determine scattering phase shifts for a discrete set of relative pi+a1 momenta. Although the phase shift data is sparse, fits to a Breit-Wigner model are attempted, resulting in a decay width of about 60 MeV when averaged over two lattice sizes.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, RevTex4, minor change to Fig.

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

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 $P_{ICE}$ scales approximately linearly with the measured neutron flux from fusion reactions, and with the inferred concentration, $n_\alpha/n_i$, 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