Direct stimulation of the retina by the method of virtual-quanta for heavy cosmic-ray nuclei

The contribution to the frequency of visual sensations induced in the dark-adapted eye by the virtual photon field was calculated, this field is associated with the heavy nuclei that exist in space beyond the geomagnetic field. In order to determine the probability that the virtual photon field induces a light flash, only the portion of the virtual photon spectrum that corresponds to the known frequency dependence of the sensitivity of human rods to visible light was utilized. The results can be expressed as a curve of the mean frequency of light flashes induced by the absorption of at least R virtual photons versus the threshold number R. The contribution to the light flash frequency from the virtual photon field of heavy cosmic ray nuclei is smaller than that from Cerenkov photons. The flux and energy spectra of galactic cosmic ray nuclei helium to iron were used

Light flash phenomena induced by HzE particles

Astronauts and Apollo and Skylab missions have reported observing a variety of visual phenomena when their eyes are closed and adapted to darkness. These phenomena have been collectively labelled as light flashes. Visual phenomena which are similar in appearance to those observed in space have been demonstrated at the number of accelerator facilities by expressing the eyes of human subjects to beams of various types of radiation. In some laboratory experiments Cerenkov radiation was found to be the basis for the flashes observed while in other experiments Cerenkov radiation could apparently be ruled out. Experiments that differentiate between Cerenkov radiation and other possible mechanisms for inducing visual phenomena was then compared. The phenomena obtained in the presence and absence of Cerenkov radiation were designed and conducted. A new mechanism proposed to explain the visual phenomena observed by Skylab astronauts as they passed through the South Atlantic Anomaly, namely nuclear interactions in and near the sensitive layer of the retina, is covered. Also some studies to search for similar transient effects of space radiation on sensors and microcomputer memories are described

An experimental and analytical investigation of isolated rotor flap-lag stability in forward flight

For flap-lag stability of isolated rotors, experimental and analytical investigations are conducted in hover and forward flight on the adequacy of a linear quasisteady aerodynamics theory with dynamic inflow. Forward flight effects on lag regressing mode are emphasized. A soft inplane hingeless rotor with three blades is tested at advance ratios as high as 0.55 and at shaft angles as high as 20 degrees. In combination with lag natural frequencies, collective pitch settings and flap-lag coupling parameters, the data base comprises nearly 1200 test points (damping and frequency) in forward flight and 200 test points in hover. By computerized symbolic manipulations, an analytic model is developed in substall to predict stability margins with mode identification. It also predicts substall and stall regions to help explain the correlation between theory and data

Mirrors to the Underworld: Reflective Portals between Life and Death in the Harry Potter Series

This article argues that reflective surfaces throughout all seven Harry Potter novels symbolize thresholds between discrete worlds. By displaying Harry’s dead parents on ‘the other side’ of the Mirror of Erised, the text draws on the Myth of Narcissus and various other mythological death-mirrors to create the impression of an inverse afterlife realm where the dead live again, supporting the central themes of death and grief in the series. By drawing upon Lori M. Campbell’s theory of object ‘porters,’ the article shows how the gradual transformation of this framework through more abstract reflections (eyes, creatures, lakes) reveals a deep symbolic framework woven throughout the entire series, with further roots in Farah Mendlesohn’s sub-genre classifications as well as modern fantasy literature. When paired with John Granger’s contention that Harry’s confrontations with death parallel the descents of monomythic heroes across time, the text’s spatial symbology allows it to effectively signal the boy wizard’s escalating awareness of mortality and willingness to face it, courting death in the name of life

Economic aspects of the St. Lawrence project as they affect the United States

Thesis (M.B.A.)--Boston University

The Effects of Music on Employee Affect

This thesis is concerned with the effect of music on mood in the workplace. Mood, or affect, is an important attribute in the working environment. For Example, positive affect is directly proportional to employee satisfaction, which can lead to more productivity and more efficiency. The mood of employees at a student café at the University of Dayton was assessed with and without background music while they worked. Data were collected over a two-week period from 20 student employees. Data included background questionnaires asking for demographic information such as music preference, music experience, and hours spent listening to music. The Positive Affectivity, Negative Affectivity Scale (PANAS-X) was distributed before and after each work shift in order to assess changes in affectivity scores. Each participant was exposed to both music and nomusic conditions. The hypotheses were that music would enhance satisfaction in this work environment and that the music background of the participants would also affect work satisfaction

Luminosity measurements at LHCb using dimuon pairs produced via elastic two photon fusion.

This note outlines the feasibility of using the elastic two photon process pp$\rightarrow$ p+$\mu^{+}\mu^{-}+p$ to make luminosity measurements at LHCb. The overall efficiency at LHCb for recording and selecting pp$\rightarrow$ p+$\mu^{+}\mu^{-}+p$ events produced within 1.6<$\eta$<5 has been determined using Monte-Carlo to be 0.0587 $\pm$ 0.0008, yielding 5210$\pm$71(stat.) events for an integrated luminosity of 1fb$^{-1}$. The main background processes where dimuons are produced via inelastic two-photon fusion and double Pomeron exchange have been studied using the full LHCb detector simulation while the other background sources, including backgrounds caused by K/$\pi$ mis-identification, have been studied at four vector level. The background is estimated to be (4.1 $\pm$ 0.5(stat.) $\pm$ 0.6(syst.))% of the signal level. Most of this background comes from K/$\pi$ mis-identification, although the largest source of uncertainty in the estimation is due to knowledge of the number of events produced via double Pomeron exchange. Systematic uncertainties on a luminosity measurement at LHCb using this channel are estimated to be ~1% the largest of which are the uncertainty on the predicted cross-section for events containing dimuons produced via double Pomeron exchange, and the knowledge of the trigger and reconstruction efficiency for muons in LHCb