NASA teleconference pilot project evaluation for 1975

Tabular data were given to summarize the results of the NASA teleconferencing network pilot project for 1975. The 1,241 evaluation reports received indicate that almost 100,000 man-hours of teleconferences took place. The travel funds reported saved total about $1.44 million, which is about 10$1.28 million (about 9% of the travel costs). The teleconferencing network has proved to be successful in conducting many management meetings and reviews within NASA and its contractors. In spite of difficulties caused by inexperience in teleconferencing and some equipment and circuit problems, the evaluation reports indicated the system was satisfactory in an overwhelming majority of cases

Estimate of contribution of jet aircraft operations to trace element concentration at or near airports

Samples of ASTM type A jet fuel were analyzed for trace-element content by instrumental neutron activation techniques. Forty-nine elements were sought. Only ten, aluminum, gold, indium, lanthanum, titanium, vandium, barium, dysprosium, tellurium, and uranium, were observed at levels above the detection limits encountered; of these only aluminum, titanium, and barium were present at concentrations greater than 0.1 ppm. Estimates of exhaust gas concentrations are made, and the ambient contribution at or near airports is calculated by using the Los Angeles International Airport dispersion model. It is shown that the ambient contribution is about an order of magnitude below typical urban levels for virtually all elements sought

Death Transfer Taxation of Stock: Effect and Extensions of First National Bank v. Maine

xiii, 258 hlm.; 22 c

Search for solid conductors of Na(+) and K(+) ions: Five new conductors

Five conductors of three structure types were discovered which, as solids, can transport Na(+) or K(+) ions with conductivities of approximately .00001/(omega cm) at 300 K. These compounds are: (1) the pyrochlores NaTaWO6 and NaTa2O5F, both with an activation energy for conduction delta E of 21 kJ/mole; (2) the bodycentered cubic form of NaSbO3, with delta E = 42 kJ/mole; and (3) the niobates 2Na2O with 3Nb2O5 and 2K2O with 3Nb2O5, with the alkali ions probably in open layers of the incompletely determined structure; delta E = 17 kJ/mole. On the basis of approximately 40 structure types, some generalizations were made regarding the relation between structure and ionic transport

Power technologies and the space future

Advancements in space power and energy technologies are critical to serve space development needs and help solve problems on Earth. The availability of low cost power and energy in space will be the hallmark of this advance. Space power will undergo a dramatic change for future space missions. The power systems which have served the U.S. space program so well in the past will not suffice for the missions of the future. This is especially true if the space commercialization is to become a reality. New technologies, and new and different space power architectures and topologies will replace the lower power, low-voltage systems of the past. Efficiencies will be markedly improved, specific powers will be greatly increased, and system lifetimes will be markedly extended. Space power technology is discussed - its past, its current status, and predictions about where it will go in the future. A key problem for power and energy is its cost of affordability. Power must be affordable or it will not serve future needs adequately. This aspect is also specifically addressed

Conductivity of boules of single crystal sodium beta-alumina

The ionic and electrochemical polarization characteristics of two boules of single crystal sodium beta-alumina (Na2O.8Al2O3), 2 cm in diameter, were investigated over the range of 25 to 300 C using 2- and 4-probe ac and dc techniques with reversible and ion-blocking electrodes. Textural (or internal) polarization at 27 C was present only in boule 1 which cleaved easily. Interfacial polarization, using solid sodium electrodes, was present at 27 C in the 2-probe conductivities for both boules. Cleaning with liquid sodium at 300 C reduced its magnitude, but some interfacial polarization was still present in the 2-probe conductivities for boule 2 below about 140 C. Above 140 C, with liquid sodium electrodes, the 2-probe conductivities, essentially polarization-free, were given by KT = 3300 exp(-3650/RT). The conductivity of boule 2 at 180 C remained essentially constant with increasing current density up to about 140 milliamps per square centimeter

Juvenile morphology: A clue to the origins of the most mysterious of mysticetes?

The origin of the pygmy right whale (Caperea marginata) has long been one of the most vexing conundrums of marine mammal evolution. The extremely disparate skeletal structure ofCapereaand a patchy fossil record have left morphology and molecules at odds: whereas most morphological analyses allyCapereawith right whales (Balaenidae), most molecular studies instead suggest a close relationship with rorquals (Balaenopteridae) and grey whales (Eschrichtiidae). The morphological evidence supporting aCaperea-balaenid clade consists of several shared features of the skull and mandible, as traditionally observed in adult individuals. Here, we show that at least two of these features, the ascending process of the maxilla and the coronoid process, arise from substantially different precursors early during ontogeny and therefore likely do not represent genuine synapomorphies. Both of these juvenile morphologies have adult counterparts in the fossil record, thus indicating that the ontogenetic variation in the living species may be a genuine reflection of differing ancestral states. This new evidence contradicts previous morphological hypotheses on the origins ofCapereaand may help to reconcile morphological and molecular evidence.Fil: Marx, Felix. University of Otago; Nueva ZelandaFil: Buono, Mónica Romina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagonico; ArgentinaFil: Fordyce, R. Ewan. University of Otago; Nueva ZelandaFil: Boessenecker, Robert W.. University of Otago; Nueva Zeland

High flow conditions mediate damaging impacts of sub-lethal thermal stress on corals' endosymbiotic algae

The effects of thermal anomalies on tropical coral endosymbiosis can be mediated by a range of environmental factors, which in turn ultimately influence coral health and survival. One such factor is the water flow conditions over coral reefs and corals. Although the physiological benefits of living under high water flow are well known, there remains a lack of conclusive experimental evidence characterizing how flow mitigates thermal stress responses in corals. Here we use in situ measurements of flow in a variety of reef habitats to constrain the importance of flow speeds on the endosymbiosis of an important reef building species under different thermal regimes. Under high flow speeds (0.15 m s−1) and thermal stress, coral endosymbionts retained photosynthetic function and recovery capacity for longer compared to low flow conditions (0.03 m s−1). We hypothesize that this may be due to increased rates of mass transfer of key metabolites under higher flow, putatively allowing corals to maintain photosynthetic efficiency for longer. We also identified a positive interactive effect between high flow and a pre-stress, sub-lethal pulse in temperature. While higher flow may delay the onset of photosynthetic stress, it does not appear to confer long-term protection; sustained exposure to thermal stress (eDHW accumulation equivalent to 4.9°C weeks) eventually overwhelmed the coral meta-organism as evidenced by eventual declines in photo-physiological function and endosymbiont densities. Investigating flow patterns at the scale of metres within the context of these physiological impacts can reveal interesting avenues for coral reef management. This study increases our understanding of the effects of water flow on coral reef health in an era of climate change and highlights the potential to learn from existing beneficial bio-physical interactions for the effective preservation of coral reefs into the future

Experiments with a Malkus-Lorenz water wheel: Chaos and Synchronization

We describe a simple experimental implementation of the Malkus-Lorenz water wheel. We demonstrate that both chaotic and periodic behavior is found as wheel parameters are changed in agreement with predictions from the Lorenz model. We furthermore show that when the measured angular velocity of our water wheel is used as an input signal to a computer model implementing the Lorenz equations, high quality chaos synchronization of the model and the water wheel is achieved. This indicates that the Lorenz equations provide a good description of the water wheel dynamics.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures. The following article has been accepted by the American Journal of Physics. After it is published, it will be found at http://scitation.aip.org/ajp