3,287 research outputs found
Fixed-range optimum trajectories for short-haul aircraft
An algorithm, based on the energy-state method, is derived for calculating optimum trajectories with a range constraint. The basis of the algorithm is the assumption that optimum trajectories consist of, at most, three segments: an increasing energy segment (climb); a constant energy segment (cruise); and a decreasing energy segment (descent). This assumption allows energy to be used as the independent variable in the increasing and decreasing energy segments, thereby eliminating the integration of a separate adjoint differential equation and simplifying the calculus of variations problem to one requiring only pointwise extremization of algebraic functions. The algorithm is used to compute minimum fuel, minimum time, and minimum direct-operating-cost trajectories, with range as a parameter, for an in-service CTOL aircraft and for an advanced STOL aircraft. For the CTOL aircraft and the minimum-fuel performance function, the optimum controls, consisting of air-speed and engine power setting, are continuous functions of the energy in both climb and descent as well as near the maximum or cruise energy. This is also true for the STOL aircraft except in the descent where at one energy level a nearly constant energy dive segment occurs, yielding a discontinuity in the airspeed at that energy. The reason for this segment appears to be the relatively high fuel flow at idle power of the engines used by this STOL aircraft. Use of a simplified trajectory which eliminates the dive increases the fuel consumption of the total descent trajectory by about 10 percent and the time to fly the descent by about 19 percent compared to the optimum
A conceptual analytics model for an outcome-driven quality management framework as part of professional healthcare education
BACKGROUND: Preparing the future health care professional workforce in a changing world is a significant undertaking. Educators and other decision makers look to evidence-based knowledge to improve quality of education. Analytics, the use of data to generate insights and support decisions, have been applied successfully across numerous application domains. Health care professional education is one area where great potential is yet to be realized. Previous research of Academic and Learning analytics has mainly focused on technical issues. The focus of this study relates to its practical implementation in the setting of health care education. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to create a conceptual model for a deeper understanding of the synthesizing process, and transforming data into information to support educators’ decision making. METHODS: A deductive case study approach was applied to develop the conceptual model. RESULTS: The analytics loop works both in theory and in practice. The conceptual model encompasses the underlying data, the quality indicators, and decision support for educators. CONCLUSIONS: The model illustrates how a theory can be applied to a traditional data-driven analytics approach, and alongside the context- or need-driven analytics approach
The mass-radius relationship from solar-type stars to terrestrial planets: a review
In this review, we summarize our present knowledge of the behaviour of the
mass-radius relationship from solar-type stars down to terrestrial planets,
across the regime of substellar objects, brown dwarfs and giant planets.
Particular attention is paid to the identification of the main physical
properties or mechanisms responsible for this behaviour. Indeed, understanding
the mechanical structure of an object provides valuable information about its
internal structure, composition and heat content as well as its formation
history. Although the general description of these properties is reasonably
well mastered, disagreement between theory and observation in certain cases
points to some missing physics in our present modelling of at least some of
these objects. The mass-radius relationship in the overlaping domain between
giant planets and low-mass brown dwarfs is shown to represent a powerful
diagnostic to distinguish between these two different populations and shows
once again that the present IAU distinction between these two populations at a
given mass has no valid foundation.Comment: Cool Stars, Stellar Systems and the Sun 15, invited revie
Premartensite to martensite transition and its implications on the origin of modulation in Ni2MnGa ferromagnetic shape memory alloy
We present here results of temperature dependent high resolution synchrotron
x-ray powder diffraction study of sequence of phase transitions in Ni2MnGa. Our
results show that the incommensurate martensite phase results from the
incommensurate premartensite phase, and not from the austenite phase assumed in
the adaptive phase model. The premartensite phase transforms to the martensite
phase through a first order phase transition with coexistence of the two phases
in a broad temperature interval (~40K), discontinuous change in the unit cell
volume as also in the modulation wave vector across the transition temperature
and considerable thermal hysteresis in the characteristic transition
temperatures. The temperature variation of the modulation wave vector q shows
smooth analytic behaviour with no evidence for any devilish plateau
corresponding to an intermediate or ground state commensurate lock-in phases.
The existence of the incommensurate 7M like modulated structure down to 5K
suggests that the incommensurate 7M like modulation is the ground state of
Ni2MnGa and not the Bain distorted tetragonal L10 phase or any other lock-in
phase with a commensurate modulation. These findings can be explained within
the framework of the soft phonon model
Optoelectronic and antimicrobial activity of composite zinc oxide and cadmium sulphide quantum dots and application in water treatment
In the present study, we report the synthesis of composite zinc oxide and cadmium sulphidenanoparticles by a chemical route. ZnO–CdS nanocomposites have been gaining much importance as they show fascinating opto-electronic properties such as tunable band gap and the nanomaterials are suitable for fast photon absorption, transportation and collection. The prepared composite nanoparticles have been characterized by UV–VIS absorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and TEM, AFM and FTIR observation. UV-VIS optical spectroscopy study has been carried out to determine the band gap of the composite zinc oxide and cadmium sulphide thin film and it shows a blue shift with respect to the bulk value. The nanocomposites show enhanced optio -electronic properties compared to the individual constituents. The band gap of CdS–ZnO nanocomposites depend on various experimental parameters such as reaction time, concentrations of cadmium salt, and also chemical nature of the cadmium salt. The band gap value of the ZnO–CdS nanocrystalline films are obtained in the range of 3.88–4.14 eV which is higher than that of bulk value of ZnO (3.3 eV) and CdS (2.42 eV). The synthesized nanoparticles exhibited high antibacterial activity and can be used for water purification
Warm Ice Giant GJ 3470b. I. A Flat Transmission Spectrum Indicates a Hazy, Low-methane, and/or Metal-rich Atmosphere
We report our spectroscopic investigation of the transiting ice giant GJ
3470b's atmospheric transmission, and the first results of extrasolar planet
observations from the new Keck/MOSFIRE spectrograph. We measure a planet/star
radius ratio of Rp/Rs = 0.0789 +/- 0.0020 in a bandpass from 2.09-2.36 micron
and in six narrower bands across this wavelength range. When combined with
existing broadband photometry, these measurements rule out cloud-free
atmospheres in chemical equilibrium assuming either solar abundances (5.4 sigma
confidence) or a moderate level of metal enrichment (50x solar abundances, 3.8
sigma), confirming previous results that such models are not representative for
cool, low-mass, externally irradiated extrasolar planets. Current measurements
are consistent with a flat transmission spectrum, which suggests that the
atmosphere is explained by high-altitude clouds and haze, disequilibrium
chemistry, unexpected abundance patterns, or the atmosphere is extremely
metal-rich (>200x solar). Because GJ 3470b's low bulk density sets an upper
limit on the planet's atmospheric enrichment of <300x solar, the atmospheric
mean molecular weight must be <9. Thus, if the atmosphere is cloud-free its
spectral features should be detectable with future observations. Transit
observations at shorter wavelengths will provide the best opportunity to
discriminate between plausible scenarios. We obtained optical spectroscopy with
the GMOS spectrograph, but these observations exhibit large systematic
uncertainties owing to thin, persistent cirrus conditions. Finally, we also
provide the first detailed look at the steps necessary for well-calibrated
MOSFIRE observations, and provide advice for future observations with this
instrument.Comment: Accepted to A&A. Light curves will be available at CDS (or download
arXiv tarball
High Resolution, Differential, Near-infrared Transmission Spectroscopy of GJ 1214b
The nearby star GJ 1214 hosts a planet intermediate in radius and mass
between Earth and Neptune, resulting in some uncertainty as to its nature. We
have observed this planet, GJ 1214b, during transit with the high-resolution,
near-infrared NIRSPEC spectrograph on the Keck II telescope, in order to
characterize the planet's atmosphere. By cross-correlating the spectral changes
through transit with a suite of theoretical atmosphere models, we search for
variations associated with absorption in the planet atmosphere. Our
observations are sufficient to rule out tested model atmospheres with
wavelength-dependent transit depth variations >5e-4 over the wavelength range
2.1 - 2.4 micron. Our sensitivity is limited by variable slit loss and telluric
transmission effects.
We find no positive signatures but successfully rule out a number of
plausible atmospheric models, including the default assumption of a gaseous,
H-dominated atmosphere in chemical equilibrium. Such an atmosphere can be made
consistent if the absorption due to methane is reduced. Clouds can also render
such an atmosphere consistent with our observations, but only if they lie
higher in the atmosphere than indicated by recent optical and infrared
measurements.
When taken in concert with constraints from other groups, our results support
a consensus model in which the atmosphere of GJ 1214b contains significant H
and He, but where methane is depleted. If this depletion is the result of
photochemical processes, it may also produce a haze that suppresses spectral
features in the optical.Comment: 32 pages, 15 figures, preprint, accepted to ApJ, responded to
referee's comments. Comments welcom
Re-evaluating Hot Jupiter WASP-12b: An Update
The hot Jupiter WASP-12b is one of the largest, hottest, and best-studied
extrasolar planets. We revisit our recent analysis of WASP-12b's emission
spectrum in light of near-infrared spectroscopic measurements which have been
claimed to support either a hydride-dominated or carbon-rich atmospheric
composition. We show that this new spectrum is still consistent with a
featureless blackbody, indicating a nearly isothermal photosphere on the
planet's day side. Thus the ensemble of occultation measurements for WASP-12b
is still insufficient to constrain the planet's atmospheric composition.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. Submitted as Proceedings to the ROPACS meeting
"Hot Planets and Cool Stars" (Nov. 2012, Garching),
http://www.mpe.mpg.de/events/ropacs-2012/Home.htm
- …