13,671 research outputs found
Effect of low-stiffness closeout overwrap on rocket thrust-chamber life
Three rocket thrust chambers with copper liners and a thrust level of 20.9 kN were cyclically test fired to failure. Two of the liners were made from oxygen free, high conductivity (OFHC) copper and from annealed Amzirc. The milled coolant channels were closed out with a thin copper closeout over which a fiberglass composite was wrapped to provide hoop strength only. Experimental data are presented, along with the results of a preliminary analysis that was performed before fabrication to evaluate the life extending potential of a thin copper closeout with a fiberglass overwrap
Criteria for Bayesian model choice with application to variable selection
In objective Bayesian model selection, no single criterion has emerged as
dominant in defining objective prior distributions. Indeed, many criteria have
been separately proposed and utilized to propose differing prior choices. We
first formalize the most general and compelling of the various criteria that
have been suggested, together with a new criterion. We then illustrate the
potential of these criteria in determining objective model selection priors by
considering their application to the problem of variable selection in normal
linear models. This results in a new model selection objective prior with a
number of compelling properties.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/12-AOS1013 the Annals of
Statistics (http://www.imstat.org/aos/) by the Institute of Mathematical
Statistics (http://www.imstat.org
Teukolsky Master Equation: De Rham wave equation for the gravitational and electromagnetic fields in vacuum
A new version of the Teukolksy Master Equation, describing any massless field
of different spin in the Kerr black hole, is presented here in
the form of a wave equation containing additional curvature terms. These
results suggest a relation between curvature perturbation theory in general
relativity and the exact wave equations satisfied by the Weyl and the Maxwell
tensors, known in the literature as the de Rham-Lichnerowicz Laplacian
equations. We discuss these Laplacians both in the Newman-Penrose formalism and
in the Geroch-Held-Penrose variant for an arbitrary vacuum spacetime.
Perturbative expansion of these wave equations results in a recursive scheme
valid for higher orders. This approach, apart from the obvious implications for
the gravitational and electromagnetic wave propagation on a curved spacetime,
explains and extends the results in the literature for perturbative analysis by
clarifying their true origins in the exact theory.Comment: 30 pages. No figures. Used PTP macros. To appear on Prog. Theor.
Phys., Vol. 107, No. 5, May 200
Galactic secondary positron flux at the Earth
Secondary positrons are produced by spallation of cosmic rays within the
interstellar gas. Measurements have been typically expressed in terms of the
positron fraction, which exhibits an increase above 10 GeV. Many scenarios have
been proposed to explain this feature, among them some additional primary
positrons originating from dark matter annihilation in the Galaxy. The PAMELA
satellite has provided high quality data that has enabled high accuracy
statistical analyses to be made, showing that the increase in the positron
fraction extends up to about 100 GeV. It is therefore of paramount importance
to constrain theoretically the expected secondary positron flux to interpret
the observations in an accurate way. We find the secondary positron flux to be
reproduced well by the available observations, and to have theoretical
uncertainties that we quantify to be as large as about one order of magnitude.
We also discuss the positron fraction issue and find that our predictions may
be consistent with the data taken before PAMELA. For PAMELA data, we find that
an excess is probably present after considering uncertainties in the positron
flux, although its amplitude depends strongly on the assumptions made in
relation to the electron flux. By fitting the current electron data, we show
that when considering a soft electron spectrum, the amplitude of the excess
might be far lower than usually claimed. We provide fresh insights that may
help to explain the positron data with or without new physical model
ingredients. PAMELA observations and the forthcoming AMS-02 mission will allow
stronger constraints to be aplaced on the cosmic--ray transport parameters, and
are likely to reduce drastically the theoretical uncertainties.Comment: 15 pages, 12 figures. The recent PAMELA data on the positron fraction
(arXiv:0810.4995) have been included and the ensuing discussion has been
extended. Accepted version in A&
Evaluation of the infrared test method for the olympus thermal balance tests
The performance of the infrared (IR) rig used for the thermal balance testing of the Olympus S/C thermal model is discussed. Included in this evaluation are the rig effects themselves, the IRFLUX computer code used to predict the radiation inputs, the Monitored Background Radiometers (MBR's) developed to measure the absorbed radiation flux intensity, the Uniform Temperature Reference (UTR) based temperature measurement system and the data acquisition system. A preliminary set of verification tests were performed on a 1 m x 1 m zone to assess the performance of the IR lamps, calrods, MBR's and aluminized baffles. The results were used, in part, to obtain some empirical data required for the IRFLUX code. This data included lamp and calrod characteristics, the absorptance function for various surface types, and the baffle reflectivities
Guia para a captura e o aproveitamento artesanal do tubarão em Moçambique
A summary is given of practical recommendations on materials and methods for the capture and main utilization of shark in Mozambique
Long-Term Multiwavelength Studies of High-Redshift Blazar 0836+710
Aims. The observation of gamma -ray flares from blazar 0836+710 in 2011,
following a period of quiescence, offered an opportunity to study correlated
activity at different wavelengths for a high-redshift (z=2.218) active galactic
nucleus. Methods. Optical and radio monitoring, plus Fermi-LAT gamma-ray
monitoring provided 2008-2012 coverage, while Swift offered auxiliary optical,
ultraviolet, and X-ray information. Other contemporaneous observations were
used to construct a broad-band spectral energy distribution. Results. There is
evidence of correlation but not a measurable lag between the optical and
gamma-ray flaring emission. On the contrary, there is no clear correlation
between radio and gamma-ray activity, indicating radio emission regions that
are unrelated to the parts of the jet that produce the gamma-rays. The
gamma-ray energy spectrum is unusual in showing a change of shape from a power
law to a curved spectrum when going from the quiescent state to the active
state.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures, Accepted for publication in A&
Test particle motion in a gravitational plane wave collision background
Test particle geodesic motion is analysed in detail for the background
spacetimes of the degenerate Ferrari-Ibanez colliding gravitational wave
solutions. Killing vectors have been used to reduce the equations of motion to
a first order system of differential equations which have been integrated
numerically. The associated constants of the motion have also been used to
match the geodesics as they cross over the boundary between the single plane
wave and interaction zones.Comment: 11 pages, 6 Postscript figure
Polarization and photometric observations of the gamma-ray blazar PG 1553+113
We present the results of an observational photo-polarimetry campaign of the
blazar PG 1553+113 at optical wavelengths. The blazar was recently detected at
very high energies (> 100 GeV) by the H.E.S.S and MAGIC gamma-ray Cherenkov
telescopes.
Our high-temporal resolution data show significant variations in the linear
polarization percentage and position angle at inter-night time-scales, while at
shorter (intra-night) time-scales both parameters varied less significantly, if
at all. Changes in the polarization angle seem to be common in gamma-ray
emitting blazars. Simultaneous differential photometry (through the B and R
bands) shows no significant variability in the total optical flux. We provide B
and R magnitudes, along with a finding chart, for a set of field stars suitable
for differential photometry.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures. To be published by Astronomy and Astrophysic
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