8,237 research outputs found
Investigation of deep flaws in thin walled tanks
Growth of deep surface flaws in thin wall tanks of aluminum and titanium base metal
Teaching Teachers for the Future (TTF) Project: Development of the TTF TPACK survey instrument
This paper presents a summary of the key findings of the TTF TPACK Survey developed and administered for the Teaching the Teachers for the Future (TTF) Project implemented in 2011. The TTF Project, funded by an Australian Government ICT Innovation Fund grant, involved all 39 Australian Higher Education Institutions which provide initial teacher education. TTF data collections were undertaken at the end of Semester 1 (T1) and at the end of Semester 2 (T2) in 2011. A total of 12881 participants completed the first survey (T1) and 5809 participants completed the second survey (T2). Groups of like-named items from the T1 survey were subject to a battery of complementary data analysis techniques. The psychometric properties of the four scales: Confidence - teacher items; Usefulness - teacher items; Confidence - student items; Usefulness- student items, were confirmed both at T1 and T2. Among the key findings summarised, at the national level, the scale: Confidence to use ICT as a teacher showed measurable growth across the whole scale from T1 to T2, and the scale: Confidence to facilitate student use of ICT also showed measurable growth across the whole scale from T1 to T2. Additional key TTF TPACK Survey findings are summarised
Digital compensation of the side-band-rejection ratio in a fully analog 2SB sub-millimeter receiver
In observational radio astronomy, sideband-separating receivers are
preferred, particularly under high atmospheric noise, which is usually the case
in the sub-millimeter range. However, obtaining a good rejection ratio between
the two sidebands is difficult since, unavoidably, imbalances in the different
analog components appear. We describe a method to correct these imbalances
without making any change in the analog part of the sideband-separating
receiver, specifically, keeping the intermediate-frequency hybrid in place.
This opens the possibility of implementing the method in any existing receiver.
We have built hardware to demonstrate the validity of the method and tested it
on a fully analog receiver operating between 600 and 720GHz. We have tested the
stability of calibration and performance vs time and after full resets of the
receiver. We have performed an error analysis to compare the digital
compensation in two configurations of analog receivers, with and without
intermediate frequency (IF) hybrid. An average compensated sideband rejection
ratio of 46dB is obtained. Degradation of the compensated sideband rejection
ratio on time and after several resets of the receiver is minimal. A receiver
with an IF hybrid is more robust to systematic errors. Moreover, we have shown
that the intrinsic random errors in calibration have the same impact for
configuration without IF hybrid and for a configuration with IF hybrid with
analog rejection ratio better than 10dB. Compensated rejection ratios above
40dB are obtained even in the presence of high analog rejection. The method is
robust allowing its use under normal operational conditions at any telescope.
We also demonstrate that a full analog receiver is more robust against
systematic errors. Finally, the error bars associated to the compensated
rejection ratio are almost independent of whether IF hybrid is present or not
Physical Mechanisms for the Variable Spin-down of SGR 1900+14
We consider the physical implications of the rapid spindown of Soft Gamma
Repeater 1900+14, and of the apparent "braking glitch", \Delta P/P = l x 10^-4,
that was concurrent with the Aug. 27th giant flare. A radiation-hydrodynamical
outflow associated with the flare could impart the required torque, but only if
the dipole magnetic field is stronger than ~ 10^14 G and the outflow lasts
longer and/or is more energetic than the observed X-ray flare. A positive
period increment is also a natural consequence of a gradual, plastic
deformation of the neutron star crust by an intense magnetic field, which
forces the neutron superfluid to rotate more slowly than the crust. Sudden
unpinning of the neutron vortex lines during the August 27th event would then
induce a glitch opposite in sign to those observed in young pulsars, but of a
much larger magnitude as a result of the slower rotation.
The change in the persistent X-ray lightcurve following the August 27 event
is ascribed to continued particle heating in the active region of that
outburst. The enhanced X-ray output can be powered by a steady current flowing
through the magnetosphere, induced by the twisting motion of the crust. The
long term rate of spindown appears to be accelerated with respect to a simple
magnetic dipole torque. Accelerated spindown of a seismically-active magnetar
will occur when its persistent output of Alfven waves and particles exceeds its
spindown luminosity. We suggest that SGRs experience some episodes of relative
inactivity, with diminished spindown rates, and that such inactive magnetars
are observed as Anomalous X-ray Pulsars (AXPs). The rapid reappearence of
persistent X-ray emission following August 27 flare gives evidence against
accretion-powered models.Comment: 24 pages, no figure
Ultra-pure digital sideband separation at sub-millimeter wavelengths
Deep spectral-line surveys in the mm and sub-mm range can detect thousands of
lines per band uncovering the rich chemistry of molecular clouds, star forming
regions and circumstellar envelopes, among others objects. The ability to study
the faintest features of spectroscopic observation is, nevertheless, limited by
a number of factors. The most important are the source complexity (line
density), limited spectral resolution and insufficient sideband (image)
rejection (SRR). Dual Sideband (2SB) millimeter receivers separate upper and
lower sideband rejecting the unwanted image by about 15 dB, but they are
difficult to build and, until now, only feasible up to about 500 GHz
(equivalent to ALMA Band 8). For example ALMA Bands 9 (602-720 GHz) and 10
(787-950 GHz) are currently DSB receivers. Aims: This article reports the
implementation of an ALMA Band 9 2SB prototype receiver that makes use of a new
technique called calibrated digital sideband separation. The new method
promises to ease the manufacturing of 2SB receivers, dramatically increase
sideband rejection and allow 2SB instruments at the high frequencies currently
covered only by Double Sideband (DSB) or bolometric detectors. Methods: We made
use of a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and fast Analog to Digital
Converters (ADCs) to measure and calibrate the receiver's front end phase and
amplitude imbalances to achieve sideband separation beyond the possibilities of
purely analog receivers. The technique could in principle allow the operation
of 2SB receivers even when only imbalanced front ends can be built,
particularly at very high frequencies. Results: This digital 2SB receiver shows
an average sideband rejection of 45.9 dB while small portions of the band drop
below 40 dB. The performance is 27 dB (a factor of 500) better than the average
performance of the proof-of-concept Band 9 purely-analog 2SB prototype
receiver.Comment: 5 page
Moody's Correlated Binomial Default Distributions for Inhomogeneous Portfolios
This paper generalizes Moody's correlated binomial default distribution for
homogeneous (exchangeable) credit portfolio, which is introduced by Witt, to
the case of inhomogeneous portfolios. As inhomogeneous portfolios, we consider
two cases. In the first case, we treat a portfolio whose assets have uniform
default correlation and non-uniform default probabilities. We obtain the
default probability distribution and study the effect of the inhomogeneity on
it. The second case corresponds to a portfolio with inhomogeneous default
correlation. Assets are categorized in several different sectors and the
inter-sector and intra-sector correlations are not the same. We construct the
joint default probabilities and obtain the default probability distribution. We
show that as the number of assets in each sector decreases, inter-sector
correlation becomes more important than intra-sector correlation. We study the
maximum values of the inter-sector default correlation. Our generalization
method can be applied to any correlated binomial default distribution model
which has explicit relations to the conditional default probabilities or
conditional default correlations, e.g. Credit Risk, implied default
distributions. We also compare some popular CDO pricing models from the
viewpoint of the range of the implied tranche correlation.Comment: 29 pages, 17 figures and 1 tabl
The pre-outburst flare of the A 0535+26 August/September 2005 outburst
We study the spectral and temporal behavior of the High Mass X-ray Binary A
0535+26 during a `pre-outburst flare' which took place ~5 d before the peak of
a normal (type I) outburst in August/September 2005. We compare the studied
behavior with that observed during the outburst. We analyse RXTE observations
that monitored A 0535+26 during the outburst. We complete spectral and timing
analyses of the data. We study the evolution of the pulse period, present
energy-dependent pulse profiles both at the initial pre-outburst flare and
close to outburst maximum, and measure how the cyclotron resonance-scattering
feature (hereafter CRSF) evolves. We present three main results: a constant
period P=103.3960(5)s is measured until periastron passage, followed by a
spin-up with a decreasing period derivative of Pdot=(-1.69+/-0.04)x10^(-8)s/s
at MJD 53618, and P remains constant again at the end of the main outburst. The
spin-up provides evidence for the existence of an accretion disk during the
normal outburst. We measure a CRSF energy of Ecyc~50kev during the pre-outburst
flare, and Ecyc~46kev during the main outburst. The pulse shape, which varies
significantly during both pre-outburst flare and main outburst, evolves
strongly with photon energy.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in A&A Letters. To be
published in parallel to Postnov et al. 200
New Exclusion Limits for the Search of Scalar and Pseudoscalar Axion-Like Particles from "Light Shining Through a Wall"
Physics beyond the Standard Model predicts the possible existence of new
particles that can be searched at the low energy frontier in the sub-eV range.
The OSQAR photon regeneration experiment looks for "Light Shining through a
Wall" from the quantum oscillation of optical photons into "Weakly Interacting
Sub-eV Particles", such as axion or Axion-Like Particles (ALPs), in a 9 T
transverse magnetic field over the unprecedented length of m.
In 2014, this experiment has been run with an outstanding sensitivity, using an
18.5 W continuous wave laser emitting in the green at the single wavelength of
532 nm. No regenerated photons have been detected after the wall, pushing the
limits for the existence of axions and ALPs down to an unprecedented level for
such a type of laboratory experiment. The di-photon couplings of possible
pseudo-scalar and scalar ALPs can be constrained in the nearly massless limit
to be less than GeV and
GeV, respectively, at 95% Confidence Level.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure
XTE J1946+274 = GRO J1944+26: An Enigmatic Be/X-ray Binary
XTE J1946+274 = GRO J1944+26 is a 15.8 s Be/X-ray pulsar discovered
simultaneously in 1998 September with the Burst and Transient Source Experiment
(BATSE) on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) and the All-Sky Monitor
(ASM) on the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). Here we present new results
from BATSE and {\em RXTE} including a pulse timing analysis, spectral analysis,
and evidence for an accretion disk. Our pulse timing analysis yielded an
orbital period of 169.2 days, a moderate eccentricity of 0.33, and implied a
mass function of 9.7 M_sun. We observed evidence for an accretion disk, a
correlation between measured spin-up rate and flux, which was fitted to obtain
a distance estimate of 9.5 +/- 2.9 kpc. XTE J1946+274 remained active from 1998
September - 2001 July, undergoing 13 outbursts that were not locked in orbital
phase. Comparing RXTE PCA observations from the initial bright outburst in 1998
and the last pair of outbursts in 2001, we found energy and intensity dependent
pulse profile variations in both outbursts and hardening spectra with
increasing intensity during the fainter 2001 outbursts. In 2001 July, optical
Halpha observations indicate a density perturbation appeared in the Be disk as
the X-ray outbursts ceased. We propose that the equatorial plane of the Be star
is inclined with respect to the orbital plane in this system and that this
inclination may be a factor in the unusual outburst behavior of the system.Comment: 18 pages, 15 figures, To appear in ApJ v584, Feb 20, 2003 issu
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