On the use of Ajisai and Jason-1 satellites for tests of General Relativity

Here we analyze in detail some aspects of the proposed use of Ajisai and Jason-1, together with the LAGEOS satellites, to measure the general relativistic Lense-Thirring effect in the gravitational field of the Earth. A linear combination of the nodes of such satellites is the proposed observable. The systematic error due to the mismodelling in the uncancelled even zonal harmonics would be \sim 1% according to the latest present-day CHAMP/GRACE-based Earth gravity models. In regard to the non-gravitational perturbations especially affecting Jason-1, only relatively high-frequency harmonic perturbations should occur: neither semisecular nor secular bias of non-gravitational origin should affect the proposed combination: their maximum impact is evaluated to \sim 4% over 2 years. Our estimation of the root-sum-square total error is about 4-5% over at least 3 years of data analysis required to average out the uncancelled tidal perturbations.Comment: Latex, 24 pages, 5 tables, 1 figure. Two references added, minor modifications. To appear in New Astronom

Uncovering perceived identification accuracy of in-vehicle biometric sensing

Biometric techniques can help make vehicles safer to drive, authenticate users, and provide personalized in-car experiences. However, it is unclear to what extent users are willing to trade their personal biometric data for such benefits. In this early work, we conducted an open card sorting study (N=11) to better understand how well users perceive their physical, behavioral and physiological features can personally identify them. Findings showed that on average participants clustere

Real-time performance of mechatronic PZT module using active vibration feedback control

This paper proposes an innovative mechatronic piezo-actuated module to control vibrations in modern machine tools. Vibrations represent one of the main issues that seriously compromise the quality of the workpiece. The active vibration control (AVC) device is composed of a host part integrated with sensors and actuators synchronized by a regulator; it is able to make a self-assessment and adjust to alterations in the environment. In particular, an innovative smart actuator has been designed and developed to satisfy machining requirements during active vibration control. This study presents the mechatronic model based on the kinematic and dynamic analysis of the AVC device. To ensure a real time performance, a H2-LQG controller has been developed and validated by simulations involving a machine tool, PZT actuator and controller models. The Hardware in the Loop (HIL) architecture is adopted to control and attenuate the vibrations. A set of experimental tests has been performed to validate the AVC module on a commercial machine tool. The feasibility of the real time vibration damping is demonstrated and the simulation accuracy is evaluate

Thermochemistry of Alane Complexes for Hydrogen Storage: A Theoretical and Experimental Comparison

Knowledge of the relative stabilities of alane (AlH3) complexes with electron donors is essential for identifying hydrogen storage materials for vehicular applications that can be regenerated by off-board methods; however, almost no thermodynamic data are available to make this assessment. To fill this gap, we employed the G4(MP2) method to determine heats of formation, entropies, and Gibbs free energies of formation for thirty-eight alane complexes with NH3-nRn (R = Me, Et; n = 0-3), pyridine, pyrazine, triethylenediamine (TEDA), quinuclidine, OH2-nRn (R = Me, Et; n = 0-2), dioxane, and tetrahydrofuran (THF). Monomer, bis, and selected dimer complex geometries were considered. Using these data, we computed the thermodynamics of the key formation and dehydrogenation reactions that would occur during hydrogen delivery and alane regeneration, from which trends in complex stability were identified. These predictions were tested by synthesizing six amine-alane complexes involving trimethylamine, triethylamine, dimethylethylamine, TEDA, quinuclidine, and hexamine, and obtaining upper limits of delta G for their formation from metallic aluminum. Combining these computational and experimental results, we establish a criterion for complex stability relevant to hydrogen storage that can be used to assess potential ligands prior to attempting synthesis of the alane complex. Based on this, we conclude that only a subset of the tertiary amine complexes considered and none of the ether complexes can be successfully formed by direct reaction with aluminum and regenerated in an alane-based hydrogen storage system.Comment: Accepted by the Journal of Physical Chemistry

Networked buffering: a basic mechanism for distributed robustness in complex adaptive systems

A generic mechanism - networked buffering - is proposed for the generation of robust traits in complex systems. It requires two basic conditions to be satisfied: 1) agents are versatile enough to perform more than one single functional role within a system and 2) agents are degenerate, i.e. there exists partial overlap in the functional capabilities of agents. Given these prerequisites, degenerate systems can readily produce a distributed systemic response to local perturbations. Reciprocally, excess resources related to a single function can indirectly support multiple unrelated functions within a degenerate system. In models of genome:proteome mappings for which localized decision-making and modularity of genetic functions are assumed, we verify that such distributed compensatory effects cause enhanced robustness of system traits. The conditions needed for networked buffering to occur are neither demanding nor rare, supporting the conjecture that degeneracy may fundamentally underpin distributed robustness within several biotic and abiotic systems. For instance, networked buffering offers new insights into systems engineering and planning activities that occur under high uncertainty. It may also help explain recent developments in understanding the origins of resilience within complex ecosystems. \ud \u

Experimental and analytical thermal study of PTFE composite sliding against high carbon steel as a function of the surface roughness, sliding velocity and applied load

This study investigates the contact temperatures caused by frictional heating of sliding parallel pairs. In this case the materials studied are a PTFE composite in contact with a high carbon steel plate. These materials are commonly used for industrial applications, in particular as the main contacting components within a scroll expander system. The expected contact temperature values are important to be quantified in order to predict failure mechanisms associated with excessive thermal effects caused by sliding friction. A rational and coherent interpretation of the thermal effects on the actual tribological contact is presented.Contact temperatures are monitored continuously using a high-precision infrared thermal imaging technique with a systematic variation in surface roughness of the high carbon steel material. These surface temperatures are investigated as a function of the friction coefficient, the sliding velocity and the applied load while the most influential parameter for the temperature rise is determined. Analytical results using conventional mathematical methodology are also produced. The analytical and experimental findings are then compared indicating interesting correlations within the macro- and micro-surface temperature regimes and the experimental conditions. Microscopic observations show that thermal effects can seriously affect fibers durability while transfer films formed across the steel counterpart can be beneficial for the operation of scroll systems under specific roughness and test conditions

The dislocation behaviour and GND development in a nickel based superalloy during creep

In the current study, dislocation activity and storage during creep deformation in a nickel based superalloy (Waspaloy) were investigated, focussing on the storage of geometrically necessary (GND) and statistically stored (SSD) dislocations. Two methods of GND density calculation were used, namely, EBSD Hough Transformation and HR-EBSD Cross Correlation based methods. The storage of dislocations, including SSDs, was investigated by means of TEM imaging. Here, the concept of GND accumulation in soft and hard grains and the effect of neighbouring grain orientation on total dislocation density was examined. Furthermore, the influence of applied stress (below and above the yield stress of Waspaloy) during creep on deformation micro-mechanism and dislocation density was studied. It was demonstrated that soft grains provided pure shear conditions on at least two octahedral (111) slip systems for easy dislocation movement. This allowed dislocations to reach the grain boundary without significant geometrically necessary dislocation accumulation in the centre of the grain. Hence, the majority of the soft grains appeared to have minimum GND density in the centre of the grain with high GND accumulation in the vicinity of the grain boundaries. However, the values and width of accumulated GND depended on the surrounding grain orientations. Furthermore, it was shown that the hard grains were not favourably oriented for octahedral slip system activation leading to a grain rotation in order to activate any of the available slip systems. Eventually, (i) the hard grain resistance to deformation and (ii) neighbouring grain resistance for the hard grain reorientation caused high GND density on a number of octahedral (111) slip systems. The results also showed that during creep below the yield stress of Waspaloy (500 MPa/700 °C), the GND accumulation was relatively low due to the insufficient macroscopic stress level. However, the regions near grain boundaries showed high GND density. At 800 MPa/700 °C (above yield at this temperature), in addition to the movement of pre-existing dislocations (SSD and GND) at a higher mobility rate, large numbers of dislocations were generated and moved toward the grain boundaries. This resulted in a much higher GND density but narrower width of high intensity GNDs near the grain boundaries. It is concluded that although GND measurement by means of EBSD can provide great insight into dislocation accumulation and its behaviour, it is critical to consider SSD type which also contributes to the strain hardening of the material

Mobile DHHC palmitoylating enzyme mediates activity-sensitive synaptic targeting of PSD-95

Protein palmitoylation is the most common posttranslational lipid modification; its reversibility mediates protein shuttling between intracellular compartments. A large family of DHHC (Asp-His-His-Cys) proteins has emerged as protein palmitoyl acyltransferases (PATs). However, mechanisms that regulate these PATs in a physiological context remain unknown. In this study, we efficiently monitored the dynamic palmitate cycling on synaptic scaffold PSD-95. We found that blocking synaptic activity rapidly induces PSD-95 palmitoylation and mediates synaptic clustering of PSD-95 and associated AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid)-type glutamate receptors. A dendritically localized DHHC2 but not the Golgi-resident DHHC3 mediates this activity-sensitive palmitoylation. Upon activity blockade, DHHC2 translocates to the postsynaptic density to transduce this effect. These data demonstrate that individual DHHC members are differentially regulated and that dynamic recruitment of protein palmitoylation machinery enables compartmentalized regulation of protein trafficking in response to extracellular signals

Resolution of impact-related microstructures in lunar zircon: A shock-deformation mechanism map

The microstructures of lunar zircon grains from breccia samples 72215, 73215, 73235, and 76295 collected during the Apollo 17 mission have been characterized via optical microscopy, cathodoluminescence imaging, and electron backscatter diffraction mapping. These zircon grains preserve deformation microstructures that show a wide range in style and complexity. Planar deformation features (PDFs) are documented in lunar zircon for the first time, and occur along {001}, {110}, and {112}, typically with 0.1–25 µm spacing. The widest PDFs associated with {112} contain microtwin lamellae with 65°/ misorientation relationships. Deformation bands parallel to {100} planes and irregular low-angle ( misorientation axes. This geometry is consistent with a dislocation glide system with {010} during dislocation creep. Nonplanar fractures, recrystallized domains with sharp, irregular interfaces, and localized annealing textures along fractures are also observed. No occurrences of reidite were detected. Shock-deformation microstructures in zircon are explained in terms of elastic anisotropy of zircon. PDFs form along a limited number of specific {hkl} planes that are perpendicular to directions of high Young’s modulus, suggesting that PDFs are likely to be planes of longitudinal lattice damage. Twinned {112} PDFs also contain directions of high shear modulus. A conceptual model is proposed for the development of different deformation microstructures during an impact event. This “shock-deformation mechanism map” is used to explain the relative timing, conditions, and complexity relationships between impact-related deformation microstructures in zircon