911 research outputs found

    The 2.5-5.0 micron spectra of Io: Evidence for H2S and H2O frozen in SO2

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    The techniques of low temperature spectroscopy are applied to identify the constituents of the ices covering the surface of Io, a satellite of Jupiter. Infrared spectra of Io in the 4000-2000 cm exp -1 region, including new observational data, are analyzed using laboratory studies of plausible surface ices

    The Albedo, Size, and Density of Binary Kuiper Belt Object (47171) 1999 TC36

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    We measured the system-integrated thermal emission of the binary Kuiper Belt Object 1999 TC36 at wavelengths near 24 and 70 microns using the Spitzer space telescope. We fit these data and the visual magnitude using both the Standard Thermal Model and thermophysical models. We find that the effective diameter of the binary is 405 km, with a range of 350 -- 470 km, and the effective visible geometric albedo for the system is 0.079 with a range of 0.055 -- 0.11. The binary orbit, magnitude contrast between the components, and system mass have been determined from HST data (Margot et al., 2004; 2005a; 2005b). Our effective diameter, combined with that system mass, indicate an average density for the objects of 0.5 g/cm3, with a range 0.3 -- 0.8 g/cm3. This density is low compared to that of materials expected to be abundant in solid bodies in the trans-Neptunian region, requiring 50 -- 75% of the interior of 1999 TC36 be taken up by void space. This conclusion is not greatly affected if 1999 TC36 is ``differentiated'' (in the sense of having either a rocky or just a non-porous core). If the primary is itself a binary, the average density of that (hypothetical) triple system would be in the range 0.4 -- 1.1 g/cm3, with a porosity in the range 15 -- 70%.Comment: ApJ, in press (May, 2006

    IR-dust observations of Comet Tempel 2 with CRAF VIMS

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    Measurement strategies are now being planned for using the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) to observe the asteroid Hestia, and the nucleus, and the gas and dust in the coma of comet P/Tempel 2 as part of the Comet Rendezvous Asteroid Flyby (CRAF) mission. The spectral range of VIMS will cover wavelengths from 0.35 to 5.2 micrometers, with a spectral resolution of 11 nm from 0.35 to 2.4 micrometers and of 22 nm from 2.4 to 5.2 micrometers. The instantaneous field of view (IFOV) provided by the foreoptics is 0.5 milliradians, and the current design of the instrument provides for a scanning secondary mirror which will scan a swath of length 72 IFOVs. The CRAF high resolution scan platform motion will permit slewing VIMS in a direction perpendicular to the swath. This enables the building of a two dimensional image in any or all wavelength channels. Important measurements of the dust coma will include the onset of early coma activity, the mapping of gas and dust jets and correlations with active nucleus areas, observations of the dust coma from various scattering phase angles, coverage of the low wavelength portion of the thermal radiation, and the 3.4 micrometer hydrocarbon emission. A description of the VIMS instrument is presented

    Near-Infrared Spectral Geometric Albedos of Charon and Pluto: Constraints on Charon's Surface Composition

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    The spectral geometric albedos of Charon and Pluto are derived at near-infrared wavelengths (1.4-2.5 jAm) from measurements obtained in 1987. Comparisons of these to theoretical calculations are used to place constraints on the identity and relative abundances of surface ices on Charon. These compari- sons suggest that widespread regions of pure CH4 ice do not occur on Charon and that if CH4 is abundant on Charon then it is large grained (-5 mm) and is likely mixed at the granular level with H20 ice, and possibly C02 ice

    Planetary astronomy

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    The authors profile the field of astronomy, identify some of the key scientific questions that can be addressed during the decade of the 1990's, and recommend several facilities that are critically important for answering these questions. Scientific opportunities for the 1990' are discussed. Areas discussed include protoplanetary disks, an inventory of the solar system, primitive material in the solar system, the dynamics of planetary atmospheres, planetary rings and ring dynamics, the composition and structure of the atmospheres of giant planets, the volcanoes of IO, and the mineralogy of the Martian surface. Critical technology developments, proposed projects and facilities, and recommendations for research and facilities are discussed

    Cryogenic and vacuum sectorisation of the LHC arcs

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    Following the recommendation of the LHC TC of June 20th, 1995 to introduce a separate cryogenic distribution line (QRL), which opened the possibility to have a finer cryogenic and vacuum sectorisation of the LHC machine than the original 8 arcs scheme, a working group was set up to study the implications: technical feasibility, advantages and drawbacks as well as cost of such a sectorisation (DG/DI/LE/dl, 26 July 1995). This report presents the conclusions of the Working Group. In the LHC Conceptual Design Report, ref. CERN/AC/95-05 (LHC), 20 October 1995, the so-called "Yellow Book", a complete cryostat arc (~ 2.9 km) would have to be warmed up in order to replace a defective cryomagnet. Even by coupling the two large refrigerators feeding adjacent arcs at even points to speed up the warm-up and cool down of one arc, the minimum down-time of the machine needed to replace a cryomagnet would be more than a full month (and even 52 days with only one cryoplant). Cryogenic and vacuum sectorisation of an arc into smaller sectors is technically feasible and would allow to reduce the down-times considerably (by one to three weeks with four sectors of 750 m in length, with respectively two or one cryoplants). In addition, sectorisation of the arcs may permit a more flexible quality control and commissioning of the main machine systems, including cold testing of small magnet strings. Sectorisation, described in detail in the following paragraphs, consists essentially of installing several additional cryogenic and vacuum valves as well as some insulation vacuum barriers. Additional cryogenic valves are needed in the return lines of the circuits feeding each half-cell in order to complete the isolation of the cryoline QRL from the machine, allowing intervention (i.e. venting to atmospheric pressure) on machine sectors without affecting the rest of an arc. Secondly, and for the same purpose, special vacuum and cryogenic valves must be installed, at the boundaries of machine sectors, for the circuits not passing through the cryoline QRL. Finally, some additional vacuum barriers must be installed around the magnet cold masses to divide the insulation vacuum of the magnet cryostats into independent sub-sectors, permitting to keep under insulating vacuum the cryogenically floating cold masses, while a sector (or part of it) is warmed up and opened to atmosphere. A reasonable scenario of sectorisation, namely with four 650-750 m long sectors per arc, and each consisting of 3 or 4 insulation vacuum sub-sectors with two to four half-cells, would represent an additional total cost of about 6.6 MCHF for the machine. It is estimated that this capital investment would be paid off by time savings in less than three long unscheduled interventions such as the change of a cryomagnet

    Update of the LHC Arc Cryostat Systems Layouts and Integration

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    Since the LHC Conceptual Design report's publication in October 1995 [1], and subsequent evolutions [2], the LHC Arc Cryostat System has undergone recently a number of significant changes, dictated by the natural evolution of the project. Most noteworthy are the recent decisions to route the large number of auxiliary circuits feeding the arc corrector magnets in a separate tube placed inside the cryostat with connections to the magnets every half-cell. Further decisions concern simplification of the baseline vacuum and cryogenic sectorization, the finalization of the design of the arc cryogenic modules and the layout of the arc electrical distribution feedboxes. The most recent features of the highly intricate cryogenics, magnetic, vacuum and electrical distribution systems of the LHC are presente

    The Spitzer Space Telescope Mission

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    The Spitzer Space Telescope, NASA's Great Observatory for infrared astronomy, was launched 2003 August 25 and is returning excellent scientific data from its Earth-trailing solar orbit. Spitzer combines the intrinsic sensitivity achievable with a cryogenic telescope in space with the great imaging and spectroscopic power of modern detector arrays to provide the user community with huge gains in capability for exploration of the cosmos in the infrared. The observatory systems are largely performing as expected and the projected cryogenic lifetime is in excess of 5 years. This paper summarizes the on-orbit scientific, technical and operational performance of Spitzer. Subsequent papers in this special issue describe the Spitzer instruments in detail and highlight many of the exciting scientific results obtained during the first six months of the Spitzer mission.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophyscial Journal Supplement Spitzer Special Issue, 22 pages, 3 figures. Higher resolution versions of the figures are available at http://ssc.spitzer.caltech.edu/pubs/journal2004.htm

    Trouble at the top: The construction of a tenant identity in the governance of social housing organizations

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    The project of citizen governance has transformed the social housing sector in England where 20,000 tenants now sit as directors on the boards of housing associations, but the entrance of social housing tenants to the boardroom has aroused opposition from the chief executives of housing companies and triggered regulatory intervention from government inspectors. This paper investigates the cause of these tensions through a theoretical framework drawn from the work of feminist philosopher Judith Butler. It interprets housing governance as an identificatory project with the power to constitute tenant directors as regulated subjects, and presents evidence to suggest that this project of identity fails to completely enclose its subject, allowing tenant directors to engage in ‘identity work’ that threatens the supposed unity of the board. The paper charts the development of antagonism and political tension in the board rooms of housing companies to present an innovative account of the construction and contestation of identities in housing governance
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