13,878 research outputs found
Introduction: what is Wandelweiser?
The introduction to a special issue of 'Contemporary Music Review' on Wandelweiser
Future directions in aeropropulsion technology
Future directions in aeropropulsion technology that have been identified in a series of studies recently sponsored by the U.S. Government are discussed. Advanced vehicle concepts that could become possible by the turn of the century are presented along with some of their projected capabilities. Key building-block propulsion technologies that will contribute to making these vehicle concepts a reality are discussed along with projections of their status by the year 2000. Some pertinent highlights of the NASA aeropropulsion program are included in the discussion
A new camera for high-resolution infrared imaging of works of art
A new camera â SIRIS (scanning infrared imaging system) â developed at the National Gallery in London allows high-resolution images to be made in the near infrared region (900â1700 nm). The camera is based on a commercially available 320 Ă 256 pixel indium gallium arsenide area array sensor. This relatively small sensor is moved across the focal plane of the camera using two orthogonal translation stages to give images of c. 5000 Ă 5000 pixels. The main advantages of the SIRIS camera over scanning infrared devices or sequential image capture and mosaic assembly are its comparative portability and rapid image acquisition â making a 5000 Ă 5000 pixel image takes less than 20 minutes. The SIRIS camera can operate at a range of resolutions; from around 2.5 pixels per millimetre over an area of up to 2 Ă 2 m to 10 pixels per millimetre when examining an area measuring 0.5 Ă 0.5 m. The development of the mechanical, optical and electronic components of the camera, including the design of a new lens, is described. The software used to control image capture and to assemble the individual frames into a seamless mosaic image is mentioned. The camera was designed primarily to examine underdrawings in paintings; preliminary results from test targets and paintings imaged in situ are presented and the quality of the images compared with those from other cameras currently used for this application
Pattern stabilization through parameter alternation in a nonlinear optical system
We report the first experimental realization of pattern formation in a
spatially extended nonlinear system when the system is alternated between two
states, neither of which exhibits patterning. Dynamical equations modeling the
system are used for both numerical simulations and a weakly nonlinear analysis
of the patterned states. The simulations show excellent agreement with the
experiment. The nonlinear analysis provides an explanation of the patterning
under alternation and accurately predicts both the observed dependence of the
patterning on the frequency of alternation, and the measured spatial
frequencies of the patterns.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures. To appear in PR
The energy efficient engine project
The Energy Efficient Engine Project is directed at providing, by 1984, the advanced technologies which could be used for a generation of fuel conservative turbofan engines. The project is conducted through contracts with the General Electric Company and Pratt and Whitney Aircraft. The scope of the entire project and the current status of these efforts are summarized. A description of the preliminary designs of the fully developed engines is included and the potential benefits of these advanced engines, as well as highlights of some of the component technology efforts conducted to date, are discussed
SIRIS: a high resolution scanning infrared camera for examining paintings
The new SIRIS (Scanning InfraRed Imaging System) camera developed at the National Gallery in London allows highresolution images of paintings to be made in the near infrared region (900â1700 nm). Images of 5000 Ă 5000 pixels are made by moving a 320 Ă 256 pixel InGaAs array across the focal plane of the camera using two orthogonal translation stages. The great advantages of this camera over scanning infrared devices are its relative portability and that image acquisition is comparatively rapid â a full 5000 Ă 5000 pixel image can be made in around 20 minutes. The paper describes the development of the mechanical, optical and electronic components of the camera, including the design of a new lens. The software routines used to control image capture and to assemble the individual 320 Ă 256 pixel frames into a seamless mosaic image are also mentioned. The optics of the SIRIS camera have been designed so that the camera can operate at a range of resolutions; from around 2.5 pixels per millimetre on large paintings of up to 2000 Ă 2000 mm to 10 pixels per millimetre on smaller paintings or details of paintings measuring 500 Ă 500 mm. The camera is primarily designed to examine underdrawings in paintings; preliminary results from test targets and paintings are presented and the quality of the images compared with those from other cameras currently used in this field
Complementarity and Scientific Rationality
Bohr's interpretation of quantum mechanics has been criticized as incoherent
and opportunistic, and based on doubtful philosophical premises. If so Bohr's
influence, in the pre-war period of 1927-1939, is the harder to explain, and
the acceptance of his approach to quantum mechanics over de Broglie's had no
reasonable foundation. But Bohr's interpretation changed little from the time
of its first appearance, and stood independent of any philosophical
presuppositions. The principle of complementarity is itself best read as a
conjecture of unusually wide scope, on the nature and future course of
explanations in the sciences (and not only the physical sciences). If it must
be judged a failure today, it is not because of any internal inconsistency.Comment: 29 page
Luminosity Density of Galaxies and Cosmic Star Formation Rate from Lambda-CDM Hydrodynamical Simulations
We compute the cosmic star formation rate (SFR) and the rest-frame comoving
luminosity density in various pass-bands as a function of redshift using
large-scale \Lambda-CDM hydrodynamical simulations with the aim of
understanding their behavior as a function of redshift. To calculate the
luminosity density of galaxies, we use an updated isochrone synthesis model
which takes metallicity variations into account. The computed SFR and the
UV-luminosity density have a steep rise from z=0 to 1, a moderate plateau
between z=1 - 3, and a gradual decrease beyond z=3. The raw calculated results
are significantly above the observed luminosity density, which can be explained
either by dust extinction or the possibly inappropriate input parameters of the
simulation. We model the dust extinction by introducing a parameter f; the
fraction of the total stellar luminosity (not galaxy population) that is
heavily obscured and thus only appears in the far-infrared to sub-millimeter
wavelength range. When we correct our input parameters, and apply dust
extinction with f=0.65, the resulting luminosity density fits various
observations reasonably well, including the present stellar mass density, the
local B-band galaxy luminosity density, and the FIR-to-submm extragalactic
background. Our result is consistent with the picture that \sim 2/3 of the
total stellar emission is heavily obscured by dust and observed only in the
FIR. The rest of the emission is only moderately obscured which can be observed
in the optical to near-IR wavelength range. We also argue that the steep
falloff of the SFR from z=1 to 0 is partly due to the shock-heating of the
universe at late times, which produces gas which is too hot to easily condense
into star-forming regions.Comment: 25 pages, 6 figures. Accepted version in ApJ. Substantially revised
from the previous version. More emphasis on the comparison with various
observations and the hidden star formation by dust extinctio
A physics-based life prediction methodology for thermal barrier coating systems
A novel mechanistic approach is proposed for the prediction of the life of
thermal barrier coating (TBC) systems. The life prediction methodology is based
on a criterion linked directly to the dominant failure mechanism. It relies on
a statistical treatment of the TBC's morphological characteristics,
non-destructive stress measurements and on a continuum mechanics framework to
quantify the stresses that promote the nucleation and growth of microcracks
within the TBC. The last of these accounts for the effects of TBC constituents'
elasto-visco-plastic properties, the stiffening of the ceramic due to sintering
and the oxidation at the interface between the thermally insulating yttria
stabilized zirconia (YSZ) layer and the metallic bond coat. The mechanistic
approach is used to investigate the effects on TBC life of the properties and
morphology of the top YSZ coating, metallic low-pressure plasma sprayed bond
coat and the thermally grown oxide. Its calibration is based on TBC damage
inferred from non-destructive fluorescence measurements using
piezo-spectroscopy and on the numerically predicted local TBC stresses
responsible for the initiation of such damage. The potential applicability of
the methodology to other types of TBC coatings and thermal loading conditions
is also discussed
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