11,478 research outputs found
A study of the probability of depositing viable organisms on Mars during the Mariner 1964 mission
Probability of depositing viable organisms on Mars during 1964 Mariner missio
Rotorcraft contingency power study
Twin helicopter engines are often sized by the power requirement of a safe mission completion after the failure of one of the two engines. This study was undertaken for NASA Lewis by General Electric Co. to evaluate the merits of special design features to provide a 2-1/2 Contingency Power rating, permitting an engine size reduction. The merits of water injection, turbine cooling airflow modulation, throttle push, and a propellant auxiliary power plant were evaluated using military Life Cycle Cost (LCC) and commercial helicopter Direct Operating Cost (DOC) merit factors in a rubber engine and a rubber aircraft scenario
Experimental determination of the state-dependent enhancement of the electron-positron momentum density in solids
The state-dependence of the enhancement of the electron-positron momentum
density is investigated for some transition and simple metals (Cr, V, Ag and
Al). Quantitative comparison with linearized muffin-tin orbital calculations of
the corresponding quantity in the first Brillouin zone is shown to yield a
measurement of the enhancement of the s, p and d states, independent of any
parameterizations in terms of the electron density local to the positron. An
empirical correction that can be applied to a first-principles state-dependent
model is proposed that reproduces the measured state-dependence very well,
yielding a general, predictive model for the enhancement of the momentum
distribution of positron annihilation measurements, including those of angular
correlation and coincidence Doppler broadening techniques
Sizes of Voids as a test for Dark Matter Models
We use the void probability statistics to study the redshift-space galaxy
distribution as described by a volume-limited subsample of the Perseus-Pisces
survey. We compare the results with the same analysis realized on artificial
samples, extracted from high-resolution N-body simulations by reproducing the
observational biases of the real data set. Simulations are run for the
Cold+HotDM model (CHDM) and for unbiased and biased (b=1.5) CDM models in a 50
Mpc/h box. We identify galaxies as residing in peaks of the evolved density
field. We fragment overmerged structures into individual galaxies so as to
reproduce both the correct luminosity function (after assuming M/ L values for
the resulting galaxy groups) and the two-point correlation function. Our main
result is that a void-probability function (VPF) from the standard CHDM model
with fractions 60% cold, 30% hot, 10% barions, exceeds the observational VPF
with a high confidence level. CDM models produce smaller VPF independent of the
biasing parameter. We verify the robustness of this result against changing the
observer position in the simulations and the galaxy identification in the
evolved density field.Comment: 15 pages, postscrip
The Universality of the Fundamental Plane of E and S0 Galaxies. Spectroscopic data
We present here central velocity dispersion measurements for 325 early-type
galaxies in eight clusters and groups of galaxies, including new observations
for 212 galaxies. The clusters and groups are the A262, A1367, Coma (A1656),
A2634, Cancer and Pegasus clusters, and the NGC 383 and NGC 507 groups. The new
measurements were derived from medium dispersion spectra, that cover 600 A
centered on the Mg Ib triplet at lambda ~ 5175. Velocity dispersions were
measured using the Tonry & Davis cross-correlation method, with a typical
accuracy of 6%. A detailed comparison with other data sources is made.Comment: 12 pages, 5 tables, 3 figures, to appear in AJ. Note that tables 2
and 3 are in separate files, as they should be printed in landscape forma
Lead Isotope Data for Gold-Bearing Veins and Their Host Metasedimentary Rocks of the Goldenville Formation, Eastern Nova Scotia
Lead isotope analyses have been determined for galenas which occur in small quantities in quartz veins in the Goldenville Formation of the Meguma Terrane, and also for five whole rock samples from this formation- The ten least radiogenic galenas are homogeneous in isotopic composition, and they plot close to the average terrestrial growth curve of Stacey and Kramers and the "orogene" curve of Doe and Zartman. The mean model ages are 550 Ma (Stacey and Kramers) and 600 Ma (Doe and Zartman), which are in approximate agreement with the Cambro-Ordovician age of deposition of the sediments. The close position of the galena compositions to these average growth curves suggests that these compositions were established by mixing processes as envisaged in the Doe and Zartman "plumbotectonics" model. The isotopic analyses of the whole rocks indicate that small amounts of radiogenic lead are present in non-mineralized sections of the sedimentary sequence- Three galenas from veins in rocks metamorphosed to biotite and staurolite-andalusite grades, and from late veins (post-dating deformation, metamorphism and plutonism) are significantly more radiogenic than the majority of the samples. We interpret the isotopic characteristics of these galenas to be the result of extraction of lead from Meguma metasediments or of additions of radiogenic lead to less radiogenic lead during remobllization. Other interpretations consistent with the isotopic data are possible.
RÉSUMÉ
Des analyses aux isotopes de plomb ont été déterminé pour les galènes qui se trouvent en petite quantitié's dans les veines de quartz de la formation Goldenville du terrane Meguma, et aussi pour cinq échantillons de roches entieres de cette formation. Les dix galènes les moins radiogèniques sont homogènes en composition isotopique, et elles ont une trace proche de la courbe de croissauce terreste moyenne de Stacey et Kramers, et de la courbe "orogène" de Doe et Zartman. Le âges moyens des modules sont de 550 Ma (Stacey et Kramers) et de 600 Ma (Doe et Zartman), ce qui s'accorde approximativement avec l'âge Cambro-Ordovicien du dépôt des sédiments. La position proche des compositions de la galène avec ces courbes moyennes de croissance, indique que ces compositions ont été établies par un processus de mélanges, comme le propose le modèle "Piumbotectonique" de Doe et Zartman. Les analyses isotopiques de roche entiere indiquent que de petites quantitié's de plomb radiogenique sont présences dans les sections non-minéralisees de la séquence sédimentaire. Trois galènes, provenant de veines de roches métamorphosée au dégris de biotite et de staurolite-anda lusite, et de veines avancées (post-datant la déformation, le métamorphisine et le plutonisme) sont d'une maniere significative plus radiogèniques que la majoritié des échantillons. Nous interprètons les caractéristiques isotopiques de ces galènes comme le résultat de l'extraction de plomb des méta-sédiments Meguma, ou a L’addition de plomb radiogènique au plomb moins radiogènique durant la remobilisation. D'autres Interprètations en accord avec les donnés isotopiques sont possible.
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What is wrong with 'being a pill-taker'? The special case of statins.
In an interview study of decision-making about statins, many participants said they took pills regularly, yet described themselves as 'not really pill-takers'. This paper explores this paradox and its implications. The practice of pill-taking itself can constitute a challenge to the presentation of moral adequacy, beyond the potential for rendering stigmatised illnesses visible. Meeting this challenge involves a complex process of calibrating often-conflicting moral imperatives: to be concerned, but not too concerned, over one's health; to be informed, but not over-informed; and deferential but not over-deferential to medical expertise. This calibration reflects a broader tension between rival tropes: embracing medical progress and resisting medicalisation. Participants who take statins present them as unquestionably necessary; 'needing' pills, as opposed to choosing to take them, serves as a defence against the devalued identity of being a pill-taker. However, needing to take statins offers an additional threat to identity, because taking statins is widely perceived to be an alternative strategy to 'choosing a healthy lifestyle'. This perception underpins a responsibilising health promotion discourse that shapes and complicates the work participants do to avoid presenting themselves as 'pill-takers'. The salience of this discourse should be acknowledged where discussions of medicalisation use statins as an example
Soil Quality Under Permanent and Annual Pastures: Its Implications for Soil Microbial Activity and Nutrient Turnover
Dairy farming in humid, subtropical parts of South Africa is based on permanent kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum) swards. However, there is a shortage of feed during the winter because low temperatures limit kikuyu growth. As a result, annual pastures incorporating temperate grasses, are grown for winter feed production. The grasses used are typically annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) and sometimes perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne). Kikuyu is so invasive in the locality that it becomes dominant within a few years, even if the field is sown to perennial ryegrass. For that reason, the swards are usually incorporated using a rotary cultivator, each summer and resown. Concern has arisen in recent years about soil degradation that is possibly occurring under annually-tilled pastures. Observations have suggested that with time, production has progressively declined and this is suspected to be related to soil degradation, particularly a decrease in organic matter content and a loss of related soil microbial and physical properties. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of permanent pasture and annually-tilled ryegrass pasture on soil organic matter content, size and activity of the microbial biomass and aggregate stability
Approximation Algorithms for the Capacitated Domination Problem
We consider the {\em Capacitated Domination} problem, which models a
service-requirement assignment scenario and is also a generalization of the
well-known {\em Dominating Set} problem. In this problem, given a graph with
three parameters defined on each vertex, namely cost, capacity, and demand, we
want to find an assignment of demands to vertices of least cost such that the
demand of each vertex is satisfied subject to the capacity constraint of each
vertex providing the service. In terms of polynomial time approximations, we
present logarithmic approximation algorithms with respect to different demand
assignment models for this problem on general graphs, which also establishes
the corresponding approximation results to the well-known approximations of the
traditional {\em Dominating Set} problem. Together with our previous work, this
closes the problem of generally approximating the optimal solution. On the
other hand, from the perspective of parameterization, we prove that this
problem is {\it W[1]}-hard when parameterized by a structure of the graph
called treewidth. Based on this hardness result, we present exact
fixed-parameter tractable algorithms when parameterized by treewidth and
maximum capacity of the vertices. This algorithm is further extended to obtain
pseudo-polynomial time approximation schemes for planar graphs
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