40,996 research outputs found
The resistible effects of Coulomb interaction on nucleus-vapor phase coexistence
We explore the effects of Coulomb interaction upon the nuclear liquid vapor
phase transition. Because large nuclei (A>60) are metastable objects, phases,
phase coexistence, and phase transitions cannot be defined with any generality
and the analogy to liquid vapor is ill-posed for these heavy systems. However,
it is possible to account for the Coulomb interaction in the decay rates and
obtain the coexistence phase diagram for the corresponding uncharged system.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure
Inelastic neutron scattering signal from deconfined spinons in a fractionalized antiferromagnet
We calculate the contribution of deconfined spinons to inelastic neutron
scattering (INS) in the fractionalized antiferromagnet (AF*), introduced
elsewhere. We find that the presence of free spin-1/2 charge-less excitations
leads to a continuum INS signal above the Neel gap. This signal is found above
and in addition to the usual spin-1 magnon signal, which to lowest order is the
same as in the more conventional confined antiferromagnet. We calculate the
relative weights of these two signals and find that the spinons contribute to
the longitudinal response, where the magnon signal is absent to lowest order.
Possible higher-order effects of interactions between magnons and spinons in
the AF* phase are also discussed.Comment: 9 page
Observation of fine one-dimensionally disordered layers in silicon carbide
The improved resolution of synchrotron edge-topography is enabling thinner (less than 100 microns), silicon carbide crystals to be studied, and is providing a more detailed and wider database on polytype depth profiles. Fine long-period and one-dimensionally-disordered layers, 5-25 microns thick, can now be confidently resolved and are found to be very common features, often in association with high-defect density bands. These features are illustrated in this paper using three examples. A new long period polytype LPP (152H/456R) has been discovered and reported here for the first time
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The joy of vacuuming? How the user experience affects vacuum cleaner longevity
An apparent reduction in the average lifetime of vacuum cleaners is explored in this paper in relation to their perceived usability and increasingly frequent product replacement. Motivations for product disposal combine perceived and real product failure with a perceived or real improved product offer. From an historical perspective, vacuum cleaners typify this pattern, continually offering a âcheaper and improvedâ product. Vacuum cleaner manufacturers reinvigorate the sense of satisfaction and revulsion associated with extracting dirt from our homes through new performance focused product development. For example, increased motor power, filtration, bag-less machines and clear bin compartments have all acted as sales drivers, whilst cost effective materials and offshore and more efficient manufacturing have reduced purchase prices. The latter, cost-driven, processes can create machines that are more likely to be functionally and aesthetically damaged in use, reinforcing the trend for faster replacement. The market appears likely to continue to focus on improved user experience, with growth in market share for lighter weight cordless battery powered machines posing the risk of an increased environmental burden. Drawing from qualitative and quantitative research undertaken for a study for Defra, we explore the userâs relationship to the product, investigating the frustrations and joys of vacuum cleaner use and ownership. The findings illustrate that the revulsion and attraction of cleaning, as well as the tedium and satisfaction fostered by the product, have direct implications for vacuum cleaner longevity
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The relationship between ideas about cleanliness and actions that affect product longevity
As Mary Douglas famously put it, âwhere there is dirt there is systemâ (1991 (1966): 35). She was concerned particularly with the cultural systems that determine the ideas about dirt that motivate and constrain peopleâs actions with material objects. This paper assumes that such motivations and constraints may affect consumersâ willingness to keep or to dispose of their possessions, and therefore have an impact on product longevity. It reports on ongoing empirical research using product analysis, ethnographic interviews, a questionnaire and student design work into the possibility of increasing the longevity of vacuum cleaners by design interventions. Because its object of study is a cleaning product used in everyday cleaning practices, the research naturally connects with Douglasâ ideas as well as more recent work such as Dant 2003 that focuses on how people deal practically with the materiality of dirt, not determined by cultural categories. This paper builds on Vaussard et al.âs (2014) classification of individuals by their degree of concern for keeping their house clean, into âSpartanâ, âMinimalisticâ, âCaringâ and âCommittedâ cleaners and their implications for vacuum cleaner replacement. Introducing a short history of concern about dirt since germ theory, it considers whether the desire for a more up to date/efficient/powerful/good looking/clean/shiny machine may accelerate replacement. It finally considers whether a design that âages gracefullyâ might have a longer life-span, either as a personal possession or as part of a service system
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What is broken? Expected lifetime, perception of brokenness and attitude towards maintenance and repair
This paper addresses the discrepancy between the expected and actual lifetimes of vacuum cleaners considering perceived âbrokennessâ as a driver for replacement. Among electrical products, vacuum cleaners have a high rate of domestic ownership in the UK. They also embody large quantities of greenhouse gases which could be reduced by increasing their longevity and resource efficiency (Schreiber et al., 2012). A focus on energy efficiency has only shown limited or even negative results, therefore to meet recent European Union regulations on durability requirements a focus on product longevity is needed. Around one half of new vacuum cleaner purchasers replace one less than 5 years old, below the expected lifespan, with perceived breakage, poor performance and unreliability as the major reasons for replacement. Their relative simplicity could allow vacuum cleaners to last for significantly longer. The nature of the common causes of failure is known, including stretched cords or blockages, and WRAP has developed guidelines for product improvements. However, many working or repairable machines are disposed of because they are perceived to be âirremediablyâ broken
Optical Constants of Silver and Barium in the Vacuum Ultraviolet Spectral Region
Optical constants of silver and barium in vacuum ultraviolet spectral regio
Thunderstorm hazards flight research: Storm hazards 1980 overview
A highly instrumented NASA F-106B aircraft, modified for the storm hazards mission and protected against direct lightning strikes, was used in conjunction with various ground based radar and lightning measurement systems to collect data during thunderstorm penetration flights. During 69 thunderstorm penetrations, there were 10 direct lightning strikes to the aircraft. No problems were encountered with any of the aircraft's systems as a result of the strikes and the research instrumentation performed as designed. Electromagnetic characteristics of nine strikes were recorded, and the results of other experiments confirm the theory that X-ray radiation and nitrous oxide gas are being produced by processes associated directly with thunderstorm electric fields and lightning discharges. A better understanding of aircraft lightning attachment mechanisms and strike zones is being accomplished by careful inspection, identification, and documentation of lightning attachment points and swept stroke paths following each strike to the aircraft
Compound nuclear decay and the liquid to vapor phase transition: a physical picture
Analyses of multifragmentation in terms of the Fisher droplet model (FDM) and
the associated construction of a nuclear phase diagram bring forth the problem
of the actual existence of the nuclear vapor phase and the meaning of its
associated pressure. We present here a physical picture of fragment production
from excited nuclei that solves this problem and establishes the relationship
between the FDM and the standard compound nucleus decay rate for rare particles
emitted in first-chance decay. The compound thermal emission picture is
formally equivalent to a FDM-like equilibrium description and avoids the
problem of the vapor while also explaining the observation of Boltzmann-like
distribution of emission times. In this picture a simple Fermi gas thermometric
relation is naturally justified and verified in the fragment yields and time
scales. Low energy compound nucleus fragment yields scale according to the FDM
and lead to an estimate of the infinite symmetric nuclear matter critical
temperature between 18 and 27 MeV depending on the choice of the surface energy
coefficient of nuclear matter.Comment: Five page two column pages, four figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
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