1,521 research outputs found
Wind loads on ground-based telescopes
One of the factors that can influence the performance of large optical telescopes is the vibration of the telescope structure due to unsteady wind inside the telescope enclosure. Estimating the resulting degradation in image quality has been difficult because of the relatively poor understanding of the flow characteristics. Significant progress has recently been made, informed by measurements in existing observatories, wind-tunnel tests, and computational fluid dynamic analyses. We combine the information from these sources to summarize the relevant wind characteristics and enable a model of the dynamic wind loads on a telescope structure within an enclosure. The amplitude, temporal spectrum, and spatial distribution of wind disturbances are defined as a function of relevant design parameters, providing a significant improvement in our understanding of an important design issue
Magnetically asymmetric interfaces in a (LaMnO)/(SrMnO) superlattice due to structural asymmetries
Polarized neutron reflectivity measurements of a ferromagnetic
[(LaMnO)/(SrMnO)] superlattice reveal a modulated
magnetic structure with an enhanced magnetization at the interfaces where
LaMnO was deposited on SrMnO (LMO/SMO). However, the opposite
interfaces (SMO/LMO) are found to have a reduced ferromagnetic moment. The
magnetic asymmetry arises from the difference in lateral structural roughness
of the two interfaces observed via electron microscopy, with strong
ferromagnetism present at the interfaces that are atomically smooth over tens
of nanometers. This result demonstrates that atomic-scale roughness can
destabilize interfacial phases in complex oxide heterostructures.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Near-UV and optical spectroscopy of comets using the ISIS spectrograph on the <i>WHT</i>
We present an analysis of long-slit cometary spectroscopy using the dual-arm ISIS spectrograph on the 4.2 m WHT. Eleven comets were observed over two nights in 2016 March and we detected the OH (0-0) emission band at 3085 Å in the spectra of five of these comets. Emission bands of the species NH, CN, C3, C2, NH2 and [OI] were also detected. We used Haser modelling to determine molecular production rates and abundance ratios for the observed species. We found that our average abundances relative to OH and CN were generally consistent with those measured in previous studies
Ground-based monitoring of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko gas activity throughout the <i>Rosetta</i> mission
Simultaneously to the ESA Rosetta mission, a world-wide ground-based campaign provided measurements of the large scale activity of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko through measurement of optically active gas species and imaging of the overall dust coma. We present more than two years of observations performed with the FORS2 low resolution spectrograph at the VLT, TRAPPIST, and ACAM at the WHT. We focus on the evolution of the CN production, as a tracer of the comet activity. We find that it is asymmetric with respect to perihelion and different from that of the dust. The CN emission is detected for the first time at 1.34 au pre-perihelion and production rates then increase steeply to peak about two weeks after perihelion at (1.00±0.10) ×1025 molecules s−1, while the post-perihelion decrease is more shallow. The evolution of the comet activity is strongly influenced by seasonal effects, with enhanced CN production when the Southern hemisphere is illuminated
MRAPs, Irregular Warfare, and Pentagon Reform
The controversial MRAPs raise two questions. First, does the MRAP experience support the contention that the Pentagon is not sufficiently able to field irregular warfare capabilities? Second, what factors best explain the MRAP failure, whether that failure is determined to be their delayed fielding or the fact that they were fielded at all? We conclude that MRAPs are a valid irregular warfare requirement and that the Pentagon should have been better prepared to field them, albeit not on the scale demanded by events in Iraq. We also argue that the proximate cause of the failure to quickly field MRAPs is not the Pentagon’s acquisition system but rather the requirements process, reinforced by more fundamental organizational factors. These findings suggest that acquisition reform is the wrong target for advancing Secretary Gates’ objective of improving irregular warfare capabilities, and that achieving the objective will require more extensive reforms than many realize
Magnetic Structure in Fe/Sm-Co Exchange Spring Bilayers with Intermixed Interfaces
The depth profile of the intrinsic magnetic properties in an Fe/Sm-Co bilayer
fabricated under nearly optimal spring-magnet conditions was determined by
complementary studies of polarized neutron reflectometry and micromagnetic
simulations. We found that at the Fe/Sm-Co interface the magnetic properties
change gradually at the length scale of 8 nm. In this intermixed interfacial
region, the saturation magnetization and magnetic anisotropy are lower and the
exchange stiffness is higher than values estimated from the model based on a
mixture of Fe and Sm-Co phases. Therefore, the intermixed interface yields
superior exchange coupling between the Fe and Sm-Co layers, but at the cost of
average magnetization.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures and 1 tabl
Suppressed magnetization in LaCaMnO/YBaCuO superlattices
We studied the magnetic properties of LaCaMnO /
YBaCuO superlattices. Magnetometry showed that with
increasing YBaCuO layer thickness the saturation
magnetization per LaCaMnO layer decreases. From polarized
neutron reflectometry we determined that this magnetization reduction is due to
an inhomogenous magnetization depth profile arising from the suppression of
magnetization near the LaCaMnO /
YBaCuO interface. Electron energy loss spectroscopy
indicates an increased 3d band occupation of the Mn atoms in the
LaCaMnO layers at the interface. Thus, the suppression of
ferromagnetic order at the LaCaMnO /
YBaCuO interface is most likely due to charge transfer
between the two materials.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Correlation between microstructure and magnetotransport in organic semiconductor spin valve structures
We have studied magnetotransport in organic-inorganic hybrid multilayer
junctions. In these devices, the organic semiconductor (OSC) Alq
(tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum) formed a spacer layer between ferromagnetic
(FM) Co and Fe layers. The thickness of the Alq layer was in the range of
50-150 nm. Positive magnetoresistance (MR) was observed at 4.2 K in a current
perpendicular to plane geometry, and these effects persisted up to room
temperature. The devices' microstructure was studied by X-ray reflectometry,
Auger electron spectroscopy and polarized neutron reflectometry (PNR). The
films show well-defined layers with modest average chemical roughness (3-5 nm)
at the interface between the Alq and the surrounding FM layers.
Reflectometry shows that larger MR effects are associated with smaller
FM/Alq interface width (both chemical and magnetic) and a magnetically dead
layer at the Alq/Fe interface. The PNR data also show that the Co layer,
which was deposited on top of the Alq, adopts a multi-domain magnetic
structure at low field and a perfect anti-parallel state is not obtained. The
origins of the observed MR are discussed and attributed to spin coherent
transport. A lower bound for the spin diffusion length in Alq was estimated
as nm at 80 K. However, the subtle correlations between
microstructure and magnetotransport indicate the importance of interfacial
effects in these systems.Comment: 21 pages, 11 figures and 2 table
Estimating the incidence, prevalence and true cost of asthma in the UK: secondary analysis of national stand-alone and linked databases in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales-a study protocol.
INTRODUCTION: Asthma is now one of the most common long-term conditions in the UK. It is therefore important to develop a comprehensive appreciation of the healthcare and societal costs in order to inform decisions on care provision and planning. We plan to build on our earlier estimates of national prevalence and costs from asthma by filling the data gaps previously identified in relation to healthcare and broadening the field of enquiry to include societal costs. This work will provide the first UK-wide estimates of the costs of asthma. In the context of asthma for the UK and its member countries (ie, England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales), we seek to: (1) produce a detailed overview of estimates of incidence, prevalence and healthcare utilisation; (2) estimate health and societal costs; (3) identify any remaining information gaps and explore the feasibility of filling these and (4) provide insights into future research that has the potential to inform changes in policy leading to the provision of more cost-effective care.
METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Secondary analyses of data from national health surveys, primary care, prescribing, emergency care, hospital, mortality and administrative data sources will be undertaken to estimate prevalence, healthcare utilisation and outcomes from asthma. Data linkages and economic modelling will be undertaken in an attempt to populate data gaps and estimate costs. Separate prevalence and cost estimates will be calculated for each of the UK-member countries and these will then be aggregated to generate UK-wide estimates.
ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Approvals have been obtained from the NHS Scotland Information Services Division's Privacy Advisory Committee, the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage Collaboration Review System, the NHS South-East Scotland Research Ethics Service and The University of Edinburgh's Centre for Population Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee. We will produce a report for Asthma-UK, submit papers to peer-reviewed journals and construct an interactive map
- …