Quss Ibn Sa’ida al-Iyadi (6th–7th cent. A.D.), Bishop of Najran: An Arabic and Islamic Cultural Hero

The article deals with the half-legendary Quss Ibn Sa’ida from an ancient North Arab tribe Iyad, who is believed to have been a bishop of the Yemeni city of Najran and a monk (anachorete). The sources from the Quranic and medieval Arab (Muslim) tradition are gathered and analysed to underline the vivid place that Quss had in later historiography and theological works, and his unique position, a Christian, in the history of the Arab-Muslim culture. The case of Quss is not without value as far as the problem of common historical memory is concerned

The World Needs Forms

Leonardo Electronic Almanac’s digital media exhibition platform was inaugurated by a pair of projects developed by two established artists who throughout their respective careers have produced works that respond in highly personalised ways to the interdisciplinary potential afforded by creative technologies. In deciding to present Paul Catanese and Jane Prophet together during the autumn of 2010, LEA’s curatoriate had hoped that some connections might be drawn from their respective artistic projects and that these resulting insights would be more than fortuitous. While the serendipitous relationships that did eventuate cannot be claimed fully by design on the curators’ part, it is wholly welcomed nonetheless

"Russian America" and its meaning for the cultural memory of citizens of former Russian colonies in North America

Wydział HistoriiRozprawa doktorska analizuje funkcjonowanie dziedzictwa rosyjskiej kolonizacji Ameryki Północnej w pamięci kulturowej mieszkańców terenów Ameryki Północnej należących w XVIII i XIX w. do Rosji. Spośród całości tych ziem do analizy wybrane zostały trzy konkretne miejsca, badane i analizowane jako studia przypadku. Pierwszym miejscem jest miejscowość Sitka na Alasce, dawna stolica rosyjskich kolonii w Ameryce, która nosiła wówczas nazwę „Nowy Archangielsk”. Drugie miejsce to osada znana pod nazwą Fort Ross, znajdująca się w północnej Kalifornii. Dziś ma ona status Stanowego Parku Historycznego. Ostnim miejscem jest pozostałość po Forcie Elżbiety, który znajduje się na wyspie Kaua’i, należącej do archipelagu Hawajów. To miejsce również ma status Stanowego Parku Historycznego. Kompozycyjnie praca składa się z pięciu rozdziałów: pierwszy stanowi wprowadzenie teoretyczno-metodologiczne, prezentujące zastosowane w pracy teorie naukowe oraz metody badawcze. Rozdział drugi prezentuje historyczne tło stanowiące podstawę do omawianych elementów pamięci kulturowej. Pozostałe trzy rozdziały analizują kolejno wspomniane trzy studia przypadku. Każdy z nich analizuje charakterystyczne elementy pamięci kulturowej mieszkańców danego terytorium: ważne postaci historyczne, wydarzenia kluczowe dla kształtowanie się zbiorowej tożsamości, instytucje i organizacje pełniące funkcję strażników pamięci, a także materialne oraz niematerialne dziedzictwo. Te elementy są analizowane także pod kątem zróżnicowania w ich funkcjonowaniu w lokalnej pamięci kulturowej w zależności od konkretnej grupy (etnicznej, kulturowej, religijnej), bądź konkretnych aktorów pamięci. Szereg tych elementów jest źródłem lokalnych kontrowersji, a także w związku z tym konfliktów pamięci.The doctoral dissertation analyzes the functioning of the heritage of the Russian colonization of North America in the cultural memory of the inhabitants of North America belonging to Russia in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Out of all these lands, three specific sites were selected for analysis, studied, and analyzed as case studies. The first place is Sitka in Alaska, the former capital of the Russian colonies in America, which was then called "New Arkhangelsk". The second place is the settlement known as Fort Ross, located in Northern California. Today it has the status of a State Historic Park. The last place is the remains of Fort Elizabeth, which is located on the island of Kaua'i, belonging to the Hawaii archipelago. This place also has the status of a State Historical Park. The composition of the work consists of five chapters: the first is a theoretical and methodological introduction, presenting the academic theories and research methods used in the work. The second chapter presents the historical background constituting the basis for the discussed elements of cultural memory. The remaining three chapters subsequently analyze the three case studies. Each of them analyzes the characteristic elements of the cultural memory of the inhabitants of a given territory: important historical figures, key events in the formation of collective identity, institutions and organizations that act as memory custodians, as well as tangible and intangible heritage. These elements are also analyzed in terms of the differentiation in their functioning in local cultural memory depending on a specific group (ethnic, cultural, religious) or specific memory agents. A number of these elements are a source of local controversy and, therefore, conflicts of memory

Electrospray Collection of Lunar Dust

A report describes ElectroSpray Ionization based Electrostatic Precipitation (ESIEP) for collecting lunar dust particles. While some HEPA filtration processes may remove a higher fraction (>99.9 percent) of the particles, the high efficiency may not be appropriate from an overall system standpoint, especially in light of the relatively large power requirement that such systems demand. The new electrospray particle capture technology is described as a variant of electrostatic precipitation that eliminates the current drawbacks of electrostatic precipitation. The new approach replaces corona prone field with a mist of highly charged micro-droplets generated by electrospray ionization (ESI) as the mechanism by which incoming particles are attracted and captured. In electrospray, a miniscule flow rate (microliters/minute) of liquid (typically water and a small amount of salt to enhance conductivity) is fed from the tip of a needle held at a high voltage potential relative to an opposite counter electrode. At sufficient field strength, a sharp liquid meniscus forms , which emits a jet of highly charged droplets that drift through the surrounding gas and are collected on the walls of a conductive tube. Particles in the gas have a high probability of contact with the droplets either by adhering to the droplets or otherwise acquiring a high level of charge, causing them to be captured on the collecting electrode as well. The spray acts as a filtration material that is continuously introduced and removed from the gas flow, and thus can never become clogged

Historical memory of a text: Khabar describing the Jews from Khaybar in Kitāb al-istiqṣā by Aḥmad b. Khālid al-Nāṣirī

El presente artículo analiza las transformaciones experimentadas en el khabar que describe la abolición de la jizya impuesta a los judíos residentes en Khaybar. La historia comenzó en el siglo X, con una obra de Hilāl al-Ṣābiˀ, que fue incluida posteriormente, con algunas variantes, en las historiografías de otros autores de épocas más tardías, llegando hasta el siglo XIX. Fue probablemente entonces cuando se recoge la última referencia a la cuestión en la obra del historiador marroquí Aḥmad al-Nāṣirī. El artículo analiza también la función que desempeña el khabar en la obra cuando es citado.The article analyses the transformations that occurred in the khabar describing abolishment of the jizya for the Jews living in Khaybar. This story first emerged in the 10th century, in a work by Hilāl al-Ṣābiˀ, and later, with various alterations, it was included in historiographies by other authors from the subsequent epochs until the 19th century. It was probably then that it was last referenced by a Moroccan historian, Aḥmad al-Nāṣirī. The article also analyses the function played by the khabar in the work where it is quoted

Reaction-diffusion scheme for the clock and wavefront mechanism of pattern formation

We present a model of pattern formation in reaction-diffusion systems that is based on coupling between a propagating wave front and temporal oscillations. To study effects of internal fluctuations on the spatial structure development we use a chemical master equation for our reaction-diffusion model. First, a model with local, uncoupled oscillators is studied. Based on it we show that synchronization of oscillations in neighboring cells is necessary for the formation of regular patterns. We introduce synchronization through diffusion, but then, to get a stable pattern, it is necessary to add an additional species that represents the local state of the system. Numerical simulations of the master equation show that this extended model is resistant to fluctuations

Restore-L Satellite Servicing Internship Final Report

An experiment was conducted to determine whether a sample of shorter flexible metal hoses could sustain tensile loads of up to 200 lbf and continue to meet the minimum mission requirements. The purpose of this experiment was to determine if tension loads during the processing of the hoses compromise performance. With this information, it will be decided whether the flight flex-hose manufacturer should proceed with the testing of the full-scale flex-hoses. To reduce the time and funding required for this test, a test fixture was designed and assembled in the Engineering Development & Operations (EDO) test facility. In this test fixture, two Engineering Development Unit (EDU) flex-hoses were loaded with free floating weights up to 350 lbf. A load of 200 lbf equates to the maximum expected loading with a margin of safety, thus all data recorded after 200 lbf was purely for reference. Measurements were taken using a tape measure and a custom datum measurement system to record the loaded and unloaded length of each flex-hose at various loads. Any permanent stretching beyond a 1/8th of an inch was indicative of inelastic yielding. The loading of each flex-hose was done with an initial weight 80 lbf and was increased to 100 lbf. Additional loading up to 350 lbf was done by 50 lbf increments thereafter. During the performance of the test, slippage occurred in the mounting of the flex-hoses in the test fixture. The first slippage occurred during the testing of the first flex-hose due to the collar of the flex-hose slipping within the collet of the top Kellem. As a result, the first flex-hose test was terminated early to modify the fixture. Due to the flex-hose not inelastically yielding, the test was repeated on the first flex hose. This test resulted in another instance of slippage in the upper collar of the Kellem due to tape interfering with the securing of a collet around the collar of the flex-hose. The test was then continued with one more slippage of the flex-hose within the collet of the bottom Kellem. Preventive measures were taken for future slippage, and the second hose remained secure during testing.Once the tests were concluded, the elongation of each hose was analyzed for inelastic yielding. Both flex-hoses stretched a measurable and repeatable amount under loading, however, this stretching was recovered once each hose was unloaded. As a result, both EDU flex-hoses did not experience any inelastic yielding during the tension testing. Once received, one additional flex-hose will be tested for yielding, but at the time of this paper, the recommendation is to proceed with testing of the full-scale flex-hoses at the flex-hose manufacturer