Commissioning and performance results of the WFIRST/PISCES integral field spectrograph

The Prototype Imaging Spectrograph for Coronagraphic Exoplanet Studies (PISCES) is a high contrast integral field spectrograph (IFS) whose design was driven by WFIRST coronagraph instrument requirements. We present commissioning and operational results using PISCES as a camera on the High Contrast Imaging Testbed at JPL. PISCES has demonstrated ability to achieve high contrast spectral retrieval with flight-like data reduction and analysis techniques.Comment: Author's copy - Proceedings of SPIE Volume 10400. Citation to SPIE proceedings volume will be added when availabl

A convex-programming-based guidance algorithm to capture a tumbling object on orbit using a spacecraft equipped with a robotic manipulator

An algorithm to guide the capture of a tumbling resident space object by a spacecraft equipped with a robotic manipulator is presented. A solution to the guidance problem is found by solving a collection of convex programming problems. As convex programming offers deterministic convergence properties, this algorithm is suitable for onboard implementation and real-time use. A set of hardware-in-the-loop experiments substantiates this claim. To cast the guidance problem as a collection of convex programming problems, the capture maneuver is divided into two simultaneously occurring sub-maneuvers: a system-wide translation and an internal re-configuration. These two sub-maneuvers are optimized in two consecutive steps. A sequential convex programming procedure, overcoming the presence of non-convex constraints and nonlinear dynamics, is used on both optimization steps. A proof of convergence is offered for the system-wide translation, while a set of structured heuristics—trust regions—is used for the optimization of the internal re-configuration sub-maneuver. Videos of the numerically simulated and experimentally demonstrated maneuvers are included as supplementary material

The water balance in Mendoza : measurement proposals

La Ley N°8051/2009 de Ordenamiento Territorial y Usos del Suelo de Mendoza subraya la importancia de considerar la disponibilidad de agua para garantizar un uso equilibrado del territorio. La Ley General de Aguas de 1884 y la Constitución Provincial de 1916 destacan la necesidad de verificar la existencia de excedentes hídricos previa a la entrega de nuevas concesiones. Considerando al balance hídrico como un elemento para el manejo de la sustentabilidad del recurso hídrico y del suelo, los objetivos del presente estudio son: describir los componentes del balance para las cuencas de Mendoza, proponer alternativas para su medición y esclarecer su incidencia en la planificación del territorio. El balance hídrico se mide a nivel de cuenca o subcuenca y se entiende como la diferencia entre la oferta y la demanda de agua, para verificar la existencia de excedentes. La oferta proviene de los aforos de los ríos y de evaluaciones de recarga subterránea y está afectada cuantitativamente por la contaminación. La demanda está integrada por los diferentes usos: doméstico, riego, industrial, municipal y ambiental. Se discuten y proponen alternativas de estimación para los términos de la demanda. Ante la falta de mediciones directas sobre los elementos que integran la demanda, se recomienda realizar mediciones indirectas utilizando coeficientes de uso de agua por unidad de consumo. Se sugiere modelizar el balance hídrico como variable importante para la construcción de escenarios alternativos y del modelo territorial deseado.Law 8051 of Land Use Planning and Soil Use in Mendoza, which was passed in 2009, recognizes the importance of considering water availability to ensure a balanced use of the land. The Water Law of 1884 and the Provincial Constitution of 1916 refer to the need to check the existence of water surpluses before granting new water use permits. Since water balance is a crucial element for managing water and soil sustainability, the objectives of this study are to describe the system’s components in the Mendoza basins, to propose measurement alternatives and to explore its impact on land use planning. The water balance is measured at the basin or sub-basin level and since it is considered as the difference between water supply and demand, it is possible to check the existence of water surpluses. The water supply comes from river gauging and from groundwater recharge. Water supply is affected by surface and groundwater pollution. Water demand comes from different uses: domestic, irrigation, industrial, municipal and environmental. Assessment alternatives are discussed and proposed. Given the lack of direct measurements of water demand, it is recommended to conduct indirect measurements using water use coefficients per unit of consumption. The study proposes to model the water balance as a relevant variable to construct alternative scenarios and to apply them to the intended land use model.Fil: Llop, Armando A.. Instituto Nacional del Agua. Centro de Economía, Legislación y Administración del AguaFil: Fasciolo, Graciela. Instituto Nacional del Agua. Centro de Economía, Legislación y Administración del AguaFil: Duek, Alicia E.. Instituto Nacional del Agua. Centro de Economía, Legislación y Administración del AguaFil: Comellas, Eduardo A.. Instituto Nacional del Agua. Centro de Economía, Legislación y Administración del AguaFil: Buccheri, Mauricio J.. Instituto Nacional del Agua. Centro de Economía, Legislación y Administración del Agu

Physiological characteristics of libero and central volleyball players

The aim of this study is to determine the intensity of effort in competition of the libero and central players by measuring heart rate and blood lactate. A sample of 30 players from 10 teams was used. Heart rate was measured by telemetry during the matches. Blood samples were obtained when there were substitutions for the players and about 300 samples were taken. Significant differences were observed in mean and maximal heart rate values between the central players and the libero (p<0.01). Mean and maximal heart rate values tended to decrease in the last sets in all the positions analysed. Higher levels have been observed in the libero when the set is lost than when it is won. (p<0.01). With regard to blood lactate, significant differences were found in mean values between the two central players and the libero (p<0.01). It was observed that 40.9% of all the blood lactate concentrations, regardless of the position, corresponded to values higher than 4 mmol•l-1, and 2.8% were above 8 mmol•l-1. These values are far higher than those found in earlier studies

Development of a glass-ceramic glaze formulated from industrial residues to improve the mechanical properties of the porcelain stoneware tiles

In this research a mixture of 90%wt of industrial residues (recycled soda-lime glass and ashes from a coalpower thermal plant) have been vitrified for their use as ‘‘secondary raw material”. Then, a glaze suspen-sion was prepared to be applied on the porcelain stoneware tile. The tested pieces have been fired by aconventional porcelain cycle at 1180 °C of maximum temperature. The XRD, XRF, SEM/EDS and thedilatometric analysis have been the instrumental techniques used to characterize the material. Finally,an ecological glass-ceramic glaze perfectly fitting on porcelain ceramic tile has been produced, exhibitinga unique phase, anorthite, which ensures a high flexural strength (around 96 MPa) and a significantVickers microhardness of 250 GPa, improving the mechanical properties of a conventional the porcelainceramic tile

Zimosis en vinos

We have isolated one sporulate yeast strain that produce a thick pellicle on the top of a disease wine. lt has been made the taxonomyc study in pure culture and it was analysed it's probable systematic position. It has been reproduced the disease in a lot of wines. The analitie results revea that the alcohol is kept without harmfull but the total accidity is considerably reduced by the yeast effect.Se aísla una levadura esporulada que forma gruesa película en la superficie de un vino alterado. Se hace el estudio taxonómico en cultivo puro. Se analiza su probable ubicación sistemática. Se reproduce la formación de película en una serie de vinos del comercio. Los datos analíticos revelan que el alcohol no es oxidado, pero sí la acción zimógeno modifica la proporción de ácidos totales que se reducen apreciablemente. Para mayores detalles sobre los métodos empleados nos remitirnos a nuestros trabajos citados en la bibliografía con los n% 4 y 5.Fil: De Pritz, María J. R.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias AgrariasFil: Llop, Armando A.

Achromatizing scalar vortex coronagraphs with radial phase mask dimples

The Habitable Worlds Observatory mission will require coronagraphs capable of achieving contrasts of 1e-10 to detect exo-Earths. The choice of coronagraph depends on finding a solution that is achromatic within a 20\% bandwidth, insensitive to low order aberrations and polarization independent. We present two scalar vortex phase mask designs which employ a Roddier phase dimple and a dual zone phase dimple to improve the achromatic performance by addressing the chromatic stellar leakage not handled by the vortex. We show that using these dimples, it is possible to substantially improve the broadband contrast performance of existing scalar vortex phase masks.Comment: Conference Proceedings of SPIE: Techniques and Instrumentation for Detection of Exoplanets XI, vol. 12680 (2023