Operational framework based on modeling languages to support product repository implementation.

Part 3: Tools and MethodologiesInternational audienceEmbracing Product Lifecycle Management approach involves integrating a product repository in the company information system. From customer's needs to disposal stage, several product representations exist. The product repository purpose is to secure consistency of one product representation with the others. This paper presents an operational modeling framework that supports product repository implementation. In order to ensure consistency, this framework identifies correspondences between entities of languages (“trade” languages and standard languages). The presented concepts are illustrated with correspondences between language entities of product designed and productplanned to be built Bills of Materials

SPI observations of the diffuse 60Fe emission in the Galaxy

Gamma-ray line emission from radioactive decay of 60Fe provides constraints on nucleosynthesis in massive stars and supernovae. The spectrometer SPI on board INTEGRAL has accumulated nearly three years of data on gamma-ray emission from the Galactic plane. We have analyzed these data with suitable instrumental-background models and sky distributions to produce high-resolution spectra of Galactic emission. We detect the gamma-ray lines from 60Fe decay at 1173 and 1333 keV, obtaining an improvement over our earlier measurement of both lines with now 4.9 sigma significance for the combination of the two lines. The average flux per line is (4.4 \pm 0.9) \times 10^{-5} ph cm^{-2} s^{-1} rad^{-1} for the inner Galaxy region. Deriving the Galactic 26Al gamma-ray line flux with using the same set of observations and analysis method, we determine the flux ratio of 60Fe/26Al gamma-rays as 0.148 \pm 0.06. The current theoretical predictions are still consistent with our result.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables, A&A in pres

Predicted gamma-ray line emission from the Cygnus complex

The Cygnus region harbours a huge complex of massive stars at a distance of 1.0-2.0kpc from us. About 170 O stars are distributed over several OB associations, among which the Cyg OB2 cluster is by far the most important with about 100-120 O stars. These massive stars inject large quantities of radioactive nuclei into the interstellar medium, such as 26Al and 60Fe, and their gamma-ray line decay signals can provide insight into the physics of massive stars and core-collapse supernovae. Past studies of the nucleosynthesis activity of Cygnus have concluded that the level of 26Al decay emission as deduced from CGRO/COMPTEL observations was a factor 2-3 above the predictions based on the theoretical yields available at that time and on the observed stellar content of the Cygnus region. We reevaluate the situation from new measurements of the gamma-ray decay fluxes with INTEGRAL/SPI and new predictions based on recently improved stellar models including some of the effects of stellar rotation for the higher mass stars and a coherent estimate of the contribution from SNIb/c. We developed a population synthesis code to predict the nucleosynthesis activity and corresponding decay fluxes of a given stellar population of massive stars. The observed decay fluxes from the Cygnus complex are found to be consistent with the values predicted by population synthesis at solar metallicity. The observed extent of the 1809keV emission from Cygnus is found to be consistent with the result of a numerical simulation of the diffusion of 26Al inside the superbubble blown by Cyg OB2. Our work indicates that the past dilemma regarding the gamma-ray line emission from Cygnus resulted from an overestimate of the 1809keV flux of the Cygnus complex, combined with an underestimate of the nucleosynthesis yields.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in A&

New infrared star clusters in the Northern and Equatorial Milky Way with 2MASS

We carried out a survey of infrared star clusters and stellar groups on the 2MASS J, H and K_s all-sky release Atlas in the Northern and Equatorial Milky Way (350 < l < 360, 0 < l < 230). The search in this zone complements that in the Southern Milky Way (Dutra et al. 2003a). The method concentrates efforts on the directions of known optical and radio nebulae. The present study provides 167 new infrared clusters, stellar groups and candidates. Combining the two studies for the whole Milky Way, 346 infrared clusters, stellar groups and candidates were discovered, whereas 315 objects were previously known. They constitute an important new sample for future detailed studies.Comment: Accepted to Astronomy and Astrophysic

PLM in SME, what are we missing? an alternative view on PLM implementation for SME

Part 10: PLM Maturity, Implementation and AdoptionInternational audienceToday, the concept of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is widely accepted as strategically important. It is used to manage the increasing complexity of products, processes and organizations. The need to adopt PLM is growing rapidly for Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SME). PLM implementations are costly and require a lot of effort. The business impact and financial risks are high for SME. Also, SMEs seem to have relatively more difficulties to benefit from PLM. The study at hand addresses the question, based on literature research, why these difficulties exist and how they can be overcome. To answer that question, three sub questions are discussed in this paper. (1) A generic PLM implementation process structure. (2) A list of identified PLM implementation challenges, specific for SME. (3) A classification of PLM research for SME, related to the common PLM implementation process structure. A hypothesis for a PLM implementation failure mechanism in SMEs is formulated, based on the findings. Also, a potential research gap on operational implementation knowledge in SMEs is identified

The Scientific Performance of the Microchannel X-ray Telescope on board the SVOM Mission

The Microchannel X-ray Telescope (MXT) will be the first focusing X-ray telescope based on a "Lobster-Eye" optical design to be flown on Sino-French mission SVOM. SVOM will be dedicated to the study of Gamma-Ray Bursts and more generally time-domain astrophysics. The MXT telescope is a compact (focal length ~ 1.15 m) and light (< 42 kg) instrument, sensitive in the 0.2--10 keV energy range. It is composed of an optical system, based on micro-pore optics (MPOs) of 40 micron pore size, coupled to a low-noise pnCDD X-ray detector. In this paper we describe the expected scientific performance of the MXT telescope, based on the End-to-End calibration campaign performed in fall 2021, before the integration of the SVOM payload on the satellite.Comment: 22 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in Experimental Astronom

Power-to-Hydrogen and Hydrogen-to-X pathways: opportunities for next generation energy systems

Energy systems are evolving rapidly around the world, driven mainly by CO2-e reduction targets. This has led to opportunities for integrated low carbon electricity-and-fuel systems founded on large scale “Power-to-Hydrogen, Hydrogen-to-X” (PtH-HtX). Power-to-Hydrogen (PtH) refers to large scale electrolysis. Hydrogen-to-X (HtX) refers to a range of high value products and services. If these pathways start with low-carbon electricity, then the fuel consumed at the downstream end also low-carbon. Use of intermittently low valued power lowers all production costs. This paper specifically identifies the main pathways and interconnections in a way that overcomes the ambiguities inherent in the term “Power-to-Gas”. In turn, this provides solid and easier to understand foundations for building legal and regulatory frameworks for new business opportunities along the lengths of the numerous pathways from supply to consumption.<br/

New infrared star clusters in the southern Milky Way with 2MASS

We carried out a 2MASS J, H and K_s survey of infrared star clusters in the Milky Way sector 230$^{\circ}$ $< \ell <$ 350$^{\circ}$. This zone was the least studied in the literature, previously including only 12 infrared clusters or stellar groups with $|b|<$ 10$^{\circ}$, according to the recent catalogue by Bica et al. (2003). We concentrated efforts on embedded clusters, which are those expected in the areas of known radio and optical nebulae. The present study provides 179 new infrared clusters and stellar groups, which are interesting targets for detailed future infrared studies. The sample of catalogued infrared clusters and stellar groups in the Galaxy is now increased by 63%.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figures, accepted to A&A. Tables 3 and 4 available in eletronic form at CD

BD+43 3654 -- a blue straggler?

The astrometric data on the runaway star BD+43 3654 are consistent with the origin of this O4If star in the center of the Cyg OB2 association, while BD+43 3654 is younger than the association. To reconcile this discrepancy, we suggest that BD+43 3654 is a blue straggler formed via a close encounter between two tight massive binaries in the core of Cyg OB2. A possible implication of this suggestion is that the very massive (and therefore apparently very young) stars in Cyg OB2 could be blue stragglers as well. We also suggest that the binary-binary encounter producing BD+43 3654 might be responsible for ejection of two high-velocity stars (the stripped helium cores of massive stars) -- the progenitors of the pulsars B2020+28 and B2021+51.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication in A&A Letter