The effects of localized damping on structural response

The effect of localized structural damping on the excitability of higher order normal modes of the large space telescope was investigated. A preprocessor computer program was developed to incorporate Voigt structural joint damping models in a NASTRAN finite-element dynamic model. A postprocessor computer program was developed to select critical modes for low-frequency attitude control problems and for higher frequency fine-stabilization problems. The mode selection is accomplished by ranking the flexible modes based on coefficients for rate gyro, position gyro, and optical sensors, and on image-plane motions due to sinusoidal or random power spectral density force and torque inputs

Effect of damping on excitability of high-order normal modes

The effect of localized structural damping on the excitability of higher-order large space telescope spacecraft modes is investigated. A preprocessor computer program is developed to incorporate Voigt structural joint damping models in a finite-element dynamic model. A postprocessor computer program is developed to select critical modes for low-frequency attitude control problems and for higher-frequency fine-stabilization problems. The selection is accomplished by ranking the flexible modes based on coefficients for rate gyro, position gyro, and optical sensor, and on image-plane motions due to sinusoidal or random PSD force and torque inputs

Electromagnetic Transition Strengths in Heavy Nuclei

We calculate reduced B(E2) and B(M1) electromagnetic transition strengths within and between K-bands in support of a recently proposed model for the structure of heavy nuclei. Previously, only spectra and a rough indication of the largest B(E2) strengths were reported. The present more detailed calculations should aid the experimental identification of the predicted $0^+$, $1^+$ and $2^+$ bands and, in particular, act to confirm or refute the suggestion that the model $0^+$ and $2^+$ bands correspond to the well known and widespread beta and gamma bands. Furthermore they pinpoint transitions which can indicate the presence of a so far elusive $1^+$ band by feeding relatively strongly into or out of it. Some of these transitions may already have been measured in $^{230}$Th, $^{232}$Th and $^{238}$U.Comment: 10 pages, 1 Figure, submitted to Physical Review

Applying metrological techniques to satellite fundamental climate data records

Quantifying long-term environmental variability, including climatic trends, requires decadal-scale time series of observations. The reliability of such trend analysis depends on the long-term stability of the data record, and understanding the sources of uncertainty in historic, current and future sensors. We give a brief overview on how metrological techniques can be applied to historical satellite data sets. In particular we discuss the implications of error correlation at different spatial and temporal scales and the forms of such correlation and consider how uncertainty is propagated with partial correlation. We give a form of the Law of Propagation of Uncertainties that considers the propagation of uncertainties associated with common errors to give the covariance associated with Earth observations in different spectral channels

Influence of surface passivation on ultrafast carrier dynamics and terahertz radiation generation in GaAs

The carrier dynamics of photoexcited electrons in the vicinity of the surface of (NH4)2S-passivated GaAs were studied via terahertz (THz) emission spectroscopy and optical-pump THz-probe spectroscopy. THz emission spectroscopy measurements, coupled with Monte Carlo simulations of THz emission, revealed that the surface electric field of GaAs reverses after passivation. The conductivity of photoexcited electrons was determined via optical-pump THz-probe spectroscopy, and was found to double after passivation. These experiments demonstrate that passivation significantly reduces the surface state density and surface recombination velocity of GaAs. Finally, we have demonstrated that passivation leads to an enhancement in the power radiated by photoconductive switch THz emitters, thereby showing the important influence of surface chemistry on the performance of ultrafast THz photonic devices.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Applied Physics Letter

A statistical model for sea surface diurnal warming driven by numercial weather predictions fluxes and winds

A statistical model is derived relating the diurnal variation of sea surface temperature (SST) to the net surface heat flux and surface wind speed from a numerical weather prediction (NWP) model. The model is derived using fluxes and winds from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) NWP model and SSTs from the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI). In the model, diurnal warming has a linear dependence on the net surface heat flux integrated since (approximately) dawn and an inverse quadratic dependence on the maximum of the surface wind speed in the same period. The model coefficients are found by matching, for a given integrated heat flux, the frequency distributions of the maximum wind speed and the observed warming. Diurnal cooling, where it occurs, is modelled as proportional to the integrated heat flux divided by the heat capacity of the seasonal mixed layer. The model reproduces the statistics (mean, standard deviation, and 95-percentile) of the diurnal variation of SST seen by SEVIRI and reproduces the geographical pattern of mean warming seen by the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E). We use the functional dependencies in the statistical model to test the behaviour of two physical model of diurnal warming that display contrasting systematic errors

Energy transfer in nonlinear network models of proteins

We investigate how nonlinearity and topological disorder affect the energy relaxation of local kicks in coarse-grained network models of proteins. We find that nonlinearity promotes long-range, coherent transfer of substantial energy to specific, functional sites, while depressing transfer to generic locations. Remarkably, transfer can be mediated by the self-localization of discrete breathers at distant locations from the kick, acting as efficient energy-accumulating centers.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Beryllium in the Ultra-Lithium-Deficient,Metal-Poor Halo Dwarf, G186-26

The vast majority of low-metal halo dwarfs show a similar amount of Li; this has been attributed to the Li that was produced in the Big Bang. However, there are nine known halo stars with T $>$ 5900 K and [Fe/H] $<$ $-$1.0 that are ultra-Li-deficient. We have looked for Be in the very low metallicity star, G 186-26 at [Fe/H] = $-$2.71, which is one of the ultra-Li-deficient stars. This star is also ultra-Be deficient. Relative to Be in the Li-normal stars at [Fe/H] = $-$2.7, G 182-26 is down in Be by more than 0.8 dex. Of two potential causes for the Li-deficiency -- mass-transfer in a pre-blue straggler or extra rotationally-induced mixing in a star that was initially a very rapid rotator -- the absence of Be favors the blue-straggler hypothesis, but the rotation model cannot be ruled-out completely.Comment: Accepted for Ap.J. Letters 10 pages, 4 figure