8,738 research outputs found
Survival of fossils under extreme shocks induced by hypervelocity impacts
Experimental data are shown for survival of fossilized diatoms undergoing shocks in the GPa range. The results were obtained from hypervelocity impact experiments which fired fossilized diatoms frozen in ice into water targets. After the shots, the material recovered from the target water was inspected for diatom fossils. Nine shots were carried out, at speeds from 0.388 to 5.34?km?s?1, corresponding to mean peak pressures of 0.2â19?GPa. In all cases, fragmented fossilized diatoms were recovered, but both the mean and the maximum fragment size decreased with increasing impact speed and hence peak pressure. Examples of intact diatoms were found after the impacts, even in some of the higher speed shots, but their frequency and size decreased significantly at the higher speeds. This is the first demonstration that fossils can survive and be transferred from projectile to target in hypervelocity impacts, implying that it is possible that, as suggested by other authors, terrestrial rocks ejected from the Earth by giant impacts from space, and which then strike the Moon, may successfully transfer terrestrial fossils to the Moon
Equilibrium orbit analysis in a free-electron laser with a coaxial wiggler
An analysis of single-electron orbits in combined coaxial wiggler and axial
guide magnetic fields is presented. Solutions of the equations of motion are
developed in a form convenient for computing orbital velocity components and
trajectories in the radially dependent wiggler. Simple analytical solutions are
obtained in the radially-uniform-wiggler approximation and a formula for the
derivative of the axial velocity with respect to Lorentz factor
is derived. Results of numerical computations are presented and the
characteristics of the equilibrium orbits are discussed. The third spatial
harmonic of the coaxial wiggler field gives rise to group orbits which
are characterized by a strong negative mass regime.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures, to appear in phys. rev.
A CONJOINT ANALYSIS OF PAPER DEMAND BY COMMERCIAL GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
Conjoint analysis was used to evaluate the preferences of graphic designers toward kenaf paper. Results indicate that price is of overwhelming importance to designers in their purchasing decisions regarding paper stock. If priced competitively with existing wood and recycled papers, kenaf products should gain market share among designers.Demand and Price Analysis,
The colour dipole approach to small-x processes
We explain why it is possible to formulate a wide variety of high energy
(small-x) photon-proton processes in terms of a universal dipole cross section
and compare and contrast various parameterizations of this function that exist
in the literature.Comment: 6 pages, latex, 2 figures. Contribution to Durham Collider Workshop
(Sept 99) proceeding
Nonlinear r-modes in Rapidly Rotating Relativistic Stars
The r-mode instability in rotating relativistic stars has been shown recently
to have important astrophysical implications (including the emission of
detectable gravitational radiation, the explanation of the initial spins of
young neutron stars and the spin-distribution of millisecond pulsars and the
explanation of one type of gamma-ray bursts), provided that r-modes are not
saturated at low amplitudes by nonlinear effects or by dissipative mechanisms.
Here, we present the first study of nonlinear r-modes in isentropic, rapidly
rotating relativistic stars, via 3-D general-relativistic hydrodynamical
evolutions. Our numerical simulations show that (1) on dynamical timescales,
there is no strong nonlinear coupling of r-modes to other modes at amplitudes
of order one -- unless nonlinear saturation occurs on longer timescales, the
maximum r-mode amplitude is of order unity (i.e., the velocity perturbation is
of the same order as the rotational velocity at the equator). An absolute upper
limit on the amplitude (relevant, perhaps, for the most rapidly rotating stars)
is set by causality. (2) r-modes and inertial modes in isentropic stars are
predominantly discrete modes and possible associated continuous parts were not
identified in our simulations. (3) In addition, the kinematical drift
associated with r-modes, recently found by Rezzolla, Lamb and Shapiro (2000),
appears to be present in our simulations, but an unambiguous confirmation
requires more precise initial data. We discuss the implications of our findings
for the detectability of gravitational waves from the r-mode instability.Comment: 4 pages, 4 eps figures, accepted in Physical Review Letter
On the Importance of Engaging Students in Crafting Definitions
In this paper we describe an activity for engaging students in crafting definitions. We explore the strengths of this particular activity as well as the broader implications of engaging students in crafting definitions more generally
Student understanding of rotational and rolling motion concepts
We investigated the common difficulties that students have with concepts
related to rotational and rolling motion covered in the introductory physics
courses. We compared the performance of calculus- and algebra-based
introductory physics students with physics juniors who had learned rotational
and rolling motion concepts in an intermediate level mechanics course.
Interviews were conducted with six physics juniors and ten introductory
students using demonstration-based tasks. We also administered free-response
and multiple-choice questions to a large number of students enrolled in
introductory physics courses, and interviewed six additional introductory
students on the test questions (during the test design phase). All students
showed similar difficulties regardless of their background, and higher
mathematical sophistication did not seem to help acquire a deeper
understanding. We found that some difficulties were due to related difficulties
with linear motion, while others were tied specifically to the more intricate
nature of rotational and rolling motion.Comment: 23 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables; it includes a multiple-choice test (in
Appendix B
Microtesla MRI of the human brain combined with MEG
One of the challenges in functional brain imaging is integration of
complementary imaging modalities, such as magnetoencephalography (MEG) and
functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). MEG, which uses highly sensitive
superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) to directly measure
magnetic fields of neuronal currents, cannot be combined with conventional
high-field MRI in a single instrument. Indirect matching of MEG and MRI data
leads to significant co-registration errors. A recently proposed imaging method
- SQUID-based microtesla MRI - can be naturally combined with MEG in the same
system to directly provide structural maps for MEG-localized sources. It
enables easy and accurate integration of MEG and MRI/fMRI, because microtesla
MR images can be precisely matched to structural images provided by high-field
MRI and other techniques. Here we report the first images of the human brain by
microtesla MRI, together with auditory MEG (functional) data, recorded using
the same seven-channel SQUID system during the same imaging session. The images
were acquired at 46 microtesla measurement field with pre-polarization at 30
mT. We also estimated transverse relaxation times for different tissues at
microtesla fields. Our results demonstrate feasibility and potential of human
brain imaging by microtesla MRI. They also show that two new types of imaging
equipment - low-cost systems for anatomical MRI of the human brain at
microtesla fields, and more advanced instruments for combined functional (MEG)
and structural (microtesla MRI) brain imaging - are practical.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures - accepted by JM
Methodological pluralism in qualitative research: Reflections on a meta-study
A short report is provided of a meta-study of methodological pluralism in qualitative research; that is, of the use of two or more qualitative methods to analyse the same data set. Ten eligible papers were identified and assessed. Their contents are described with respect to theory, methods and findings, and their possible implications discussed in relation to a series of wider debates in qualitative research more generally
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