Physical and dynamical characterisation of low Delta-V NEA (190491) 2000 FJ10

We investigated the physical properties and dynamical evolution of Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) (190491) 2000 FJ10 in order to assess the suitability of this accessible NEA as a space mission target. Photometry and colour determination were carried out with the 1.54 m Kuiper Telescope and the 10 m Southern African Large Telescope during the object's recent favourable apparition in 2011-12. During the earlier 2008 apparition, a spectrum of the object in the 6000-9000 Angstrom region was obtained with the 4.2 m William Herschel Telescope. Interpretation of the observational results was aided by numerical simulations of 1000 dynamical clones of 2000 FJ10 up to 10^6 yr in the past and in the future. The asteroid's spectrum and colours determined by our observations suggest a taxonomic classification within the S-complex although other classifications (V, D, E, M, P) cannot be ruled out. On this evidence, it is unlikely to be a primitive, relatively unaltered remnant from the early history of the solar system and thus a low priority target for robotic sample return. Our photometry placed a lower bound of 2 hrs to the asteroid's rotation period. Its absolute magnitude was estimated to be 21.54+-0.1 which, for a typical S-complex albedo, translates into a diameter of 130+-20 m. Our dynamical simulations show that it has likely been an Amor for the past 10^5 yr. Although currently not Earth-crossing, it will likely become so during the period 50 - 100 kyr in the future. It may have arrived from the inner or central Main Belt > 1 Myr ago as a former member of a low-inclination S-class asteroid family. Its relatively slow rotation and large size make it a suitable destination for a human mission. We show that ballistic Earth-190491-Earth transfer trajectories with Delta-V < 2 km s^-1 at the asteroid exist between 2052 and 2061.Comment: 2 Tables, 11 Figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Polyimides containing oxyethylene units. Part 4: Polymerization of dianhydrides containing ether linkages

The development of new composite resins for various aerospace applications is attempted. Although it is highly desirable that these polymers be soluble in order to facilitate processing, they must display considerable solvent-resistance in use. A recent approach has involved the synthesis of a new series of polyimides containing flexible linkages. The polymers were prepared by the polymerization of aromatic dianhydrides with diamines containing oxyethylene linkages. For example, the polymerization of 3,3',4,4'-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA) with 1,2-bis(4-aminophenoxy)ethane (1a) and bis2-(4-aminophenoxy)ethylether (lb), afforded highly crystalline polyimides that were completely insoluble. However, a polyimide that was amorphous and soluble was obtained from the polymerization of BTDA and an isomer of lb, i.e., bis2-(3-aminophenoxy)ethyl ether (4b). In an attempt to obtain a soluble, amorphous polyimide that could be annealed into a crysalline state, block copolymers of 1b and 4b and BTDA were prepared. Copolymers containing less than 20 weight % 1b were soluble in organic solvents. However, these polymers did not crystallize when heated above their Tg's. Copolymers containing higher levels of 1b were semicrystalline and insoluble. The polymerization of the diamines containing oxyethylene linkages with 4,4'-oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA) and a new dianhydride, i.e., 4,4'-oxyethyleneoxyethyleneoxydiphthalic anhydride (OEDA) was investigated. It was postulated that the use of these more flexible dianhydrides would result in more processable polyimides

Macroscopic and lattice expansion of Bi single crystals

J. K. Roberts (1) has been the first one to measure the thermal expansion coefficient of Bismuth single crystals normal (α┴) and parallel (αII) to the principal axis in the range between room temperature and melting point (272°C), in order to check the relation between specific heats (c) and the thermal expansion in anisotropic metal crystals proposed by Gruneisen and Goens.(2

Implications for Ice Stability and Particle Ejection From High-Resolution Temperature Modeling of Asteroid (101955) Bennu

The finding by the OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security–Regolith Explorer) mission that its target (101955) Bennu is an active asteroid has raised questions as to whether the observed particle ejection events are driven by temperature. To investigate sublimation of water ice and rock thermal fracture as possible temperature-driven causes, we modeled the global temperatures of Bennu and searched for correlations with the identified ejection points on the asteroid surface. We computed temperatures with the Advanced Thermophysical Model and the 75-cm-resolution global shape model of Bennu derived by the OSIRIS-REx mission. We find that ~1856 m^2 of Bennu's polar regions have orbit-averaged temperatures that are sufficiently cold to enable water ice, if buried within the top few meters of the surface, to remain stable over geological timescales. Millimeter-thick layers of surface water ice are also stable over ~10^3-year timescales within polar centimeter-scale cold traps. However, we do not find evidence of conditions enabling ice stability in the warmer equatorial regions, where ejection events have been observed, implying that sublimation of water ice is not the cause of particle ejection. Conversely, rock thermal fracture remains a possible mechanism of particle ejection. We find high amplitudes of diurnal temperature variation, a proxy for the efficacy of thermal fracturing, at all latitudes on Bennu due to its extreme ruggedness. Therefore, if rock thermal fracture is the mechanism, particles could be ejected from any latitude, which is consistent with the continued observations of particle ejection by OSIRIS-REx

Flammability of Epoxy Resins Containing Phosphorus

As part of a program to develop fire-resistant exterior composite structures for future subsonic commercial and general aviation aircraft, flame-retardant epoxy resins are under investigation. Epoxies and their curing agents (aromatic diamines) containing phosphorus were synthesized and used to prepare epoxy formulations. Phosphorus was incorporated within the backbone of the epoxy resin and not used as an additive. The resulting cured neat epoxy formulations were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, propane torch test, elemental analysis, microscale combustion calorimetry, and fire calorimetry. Several formulations showed excellent flame retardation with phosphorous contents as low as 1.5% by weight. The fracture toughness and compressive strength of several cured formulations showed no detrimental effect due to phosphorus content. The chemistry and properties of these new epoxy formulations are discussed

Refined parameters of the planet orbiting HD 189733

We report on the BVRI multi-band follow-up photometry of the transiting extrasolar planet HD 189733b. We revise the transit parameters and find planetary radius RP = 1.154+/- 0.032RJ and inclination i_P = 85.79+/-0.24deg. The new density (~ 1g cm-3) is significantly higher than the former estimate (~ 0.75g cm-3); this shows that from the current sample of 9 transiting planets, only HD 209458 (and possibly OGLE-10b) have anomalously large radii and low densities. We note that due to the proximity of the parent star, HD 189733b currently has one of the most precise radius determinations among extrasolar planets. We calculate new ephemerides: P = 2.218573+/-0.000020 days, T0 = 2453629.39420+/-0.00024 (HJD), and estimate the timing offsets of the 11 distinct transits with respect to the predictions of a constant orbital period, which can be used to reveal the presence of additional planets in the system.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Ap

Charge Transport in Voltage-Biased Superconducting Single-Electron Transistors

Charge is transported through superconducting SSS single-electron transistors at finite bias voltages by a combination of coherent Cooper-pair tunneling and quasiparticle tunneling. At low transport voltages the effect of an ``odd'' quasiparticle in the island leads to a $2e$-periodic dependence of the current on the gate charge. We evaluate the $I-V$ characteristic in the framework of a model which accounts for these effects as well as for the influence of the electromagnetic environment. The good agreement between our model calculation and experimental results demonstrates the importance of coherent Cooper-pair tunneling and parity effects.Comment: RevTeX, 12 pages, 4 figure

Non Equilibrium Electronic Distribution in Single Electron Devices

The electronic distribution in devices with sufficiently small diemnsions may not be in thermal equilibrium with their surroundings. Systems where the occupancies of electronic states are solely determined by tunneling processes are analyzed. It is shown that the effective temperature of the device may be higher, or lower, than that of its environment, depending on the applied voltage and the energy dependence of the tunneling rates. The I-V characteristics become asymmetric. Comparison with recent experiments is made

An All-Cryogenic THz Transmission Spectrometer

This paper describes a THz transmission spectrometer for the spectral range of 2-65 cm^-1 (100 GHz to 2 THz) with a spectral resolution of at least 1.8 cm^-1 (50 GHz) where the source, sample, and detector are all fully contained in a cryogenic environment. Cyclotron emission from a two-dimensional electron gas heated with an electrical current serves as a magnetic field tunable source. The spectrometer is demonstrated at 4.2 K by measuring the resonant cyclotron absorption of a second two dimensional electron gas. Unique aspects of the spectrometer are that 1) an ultra-broadband detector is used and 2) the emitter is run quasi-continuously with a chopping frequency of only 1 Hz. Since optical coupling to room temperature components is not necessary, this technique is compatible with ultra-low temperature (sub 100 mK) operation.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures. Author affiliation and funding acknowledgements clarifie