17,246 research outputs found
Modeling of Euclidean braided fiber architectures to optimize composite properties
Three-dimensional braided fiber reinforcements are a very effective toughening mechanism for composite materials. The integral yarn path inherent to this fiber architecture allows for effective multidirectional dispersion of strain energy and negates delamination problems. In this paper a geometric model of Euclidean braid fiber architectures is presented. This information is used to determine the degree of geometric isotropy in the braids. This information, when combined with candidate material properties, can be used to quickly generate an estimate of the available load-carrying capacity of Euclidean braids at any arbitrary angle
Cosmological perturbations in a family of deformations of general relativity
We study linear cosmological perturbations in a previously introduced family
of deformations of general relativity characterized by the absence of new
degrees of freedom. The homogeneous and isotropic background in this class of
theories is unmodified and is described by the usual Friedmann equations. The
theory of cosmological perturbations is modified and the relevant deformation
parameter has the dimension of length. Gravitational perturbations of the
scalar type can be described by a certain relativistic potential related to the
matter perturbations just as in general relativity. A system of differential
equations describing the evolution of this potential and of the stress-energy
density perturbations is obtained. We find that the evolution of scalar
perturbations proceeds with a modified effective time-dependent speed of sound,
which, contrary to the case of general relativity, does not vanish even at the
matter-dominated stage. In a broad range of values of the length parameter
controlling the deformation, a specific transition from the regime of modified
gravity to the regime of general relativity in the evolution of scalar
perturbations takes place during the radiation domination. In this case, the
resulting power spectrum of perturbations in radiation and dark matter is
suppressed on the comoving spatial scales that enter the Hubble radius before
this transition. We estimate the bounds on the deformation parameter for which
this suppression does not lead to observable consequences. Evolution of scalar
perturbations at the inflationary stage is modified but very slightly and the
primordial spectrum generated during inflation is not noticeably different from
the one obtained in general relativity.Comment: 45 pages, version published in JCAP; minor changes, one section moved
to the appendi
Gravitational Wave Burst Source Direction Estimation using Time and Amplitude Information
In this article we study two problems that arise when using timing and
amplitude estimates from a network of interferometers (IFOs) to evaluate the
direction of an incident gravitational wave burst (GWB). First, we discuss an
angular bias in the least squares timing-based approach that becomes
increasingly relevant for moderate to low signal-to-noise ratios. We show how
estimates of the arrival time uncertainties in each detector can be used to
correct this bias. We also introduce a stand alone parameter estimation
algorithm that can improve the arrival time estimation and provide
root-sum-squared strain amplitude (hrss) values for each site. In the second
part of the paper we discuss how to resolve the directional ambiguity that
arises from observations in three non co-located interferometers between the
true source location and its mirror image across the plane containing the
detectors. We introduce a new, exact relationship among the hrss values at the
three sites that, for sufficiently large signal amplitudes, determines the true
source direction regardless of whether or not the signal is linearly polarized.
Both the algorithm estimating arrival times, arrival time uncertainties, and
hrss values and the directional follow-up can be applied to any set of
gravitational wave candidates observed in a network of three non co-located
interferometers. As a case study we test the methods on simulated waveforms
embedded in simulations of the noise of the LIGO and Virgo detectors at design
sensitivity.Comment: 10 pages, 14 figures, submitted to PR
The Parkes Elvis Festival: Attendee and host community perspectives
Each year, up to 20,000 people descend upon the rural town of Parkes, 365km west of Sydney, to attend the Parkes Elvis Festival. Initiated in 1993 by a group of locals who were Elvis Presley fans, the annual festival has grown from the humble beginnings of a one-day event with a few hundred attendees to a five day festival. In a bid to assist the festival organisers to understand the impacts of the Parkes Elvis Festival on both attendees and the host community, researchers designed a set of survey instruments to deliver a comprehensive evaluation of the social and economic impacts of the festival. Research was carried out in 2010 and separate surveys were conducted for festival organisers, attendees and local residents. After a brief explanation of the festival, and the man it is inspired by, this chapter explores the methods used to collect data before outlining the results. The results are divided into two key sections, attendees’ perceptions, and host community perceptions. First we profile the demographics, motivations and experience of festival attendees. Second, we profile the perceptions of the host community with respect to both the economic and social impacts of the festival. The surveys demonstrate the overwhelming goodwill and enthusiasm for the festival, by both the host community and attendees. Results show that the festival attracts a mix of first time and repeat visitors, and that many of the returning attendees do so to catch up with friends made at previous festivals. For residents, regardless of whether they attend or not, the large majority understand the economic, tourism and community benefits generated by the festival
Dual mode nanoparticles: CdS coated iron nanoparticles
Reverse micelles can be used in a sequential fashion to make core-shell nanoparticles. Using this technique it is possible to make a magnetic quantum dot, by coating an iron core with a cadmium sulfide shell. Transmission electron microscopy indicated core-shell morphology and narrow size distribution of the obtained particles. Collectively, x-ray powder diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy verified the presence of cadmium sulfide on the surface of the nanoparticles. Optical properties of the coated particles were demonstrated using fluorescence spectroscopy. A vibrating sample magnetometer was used to determine magnetic properties. Dual mode cadmium sulfide coatediron core-shell nanoparticles make unique candidates for the use in biomedical applications
Solution of the dispersionless Hirota equations
The dispersionless differential Fay identity is shown to be equivalent to a
kernel expansion providing a universal algebraic characterization and solution
of the dispersionless Hirota equations. Some calculations based on D-bar data
of the action are also indicated.Comment: Late
Uses of zeta regularization in QFT with boundary conditions: a cosmo-topological Casimir effect
Zeta regularization has proven to be a powerful and reliable tool for the
regularization of the vacuum energy density in ideal situations. With the
Hadamard complement, it has been shown to provide finite (and meaningful)
answers too in more involved cases, as when imposing physical boundary
conditions (BCs) in two-- and higher--dimensional surfaces (being able to
mimic, in a very convenient way, other {\it ad hoc} cut-offs, as non-zero
depths). What we have considered is the {\it additional} contribution to the cc
coming from the non-trivial topology of space or from specific boundary
conditions imposed on braneworld models (kind of cosmological Casimir effects).
Assuming someone will be able to prove (some day) that the ground value of the
cc is zero, as many had suspected until very recently, we will then be left
with this incremental value coming from the topology or BCs. We show that this
value can have the correct order of magnitude in a number of quite reasonable
models involving small and large compactified scales and/or brane BCs, and
supergravitons.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figure, Talk given at the Seventh International Workshop
Quantum Field Theory under the Influence of External Conditions, QFEXT'05,
Barcelona, September 5-9, 200
Surveying the solar system by measuring angles and times: from the solar density to the gravitational constant
A surprisingly large amount of information on our solar system can be gained
from simple measurements of the apparent angular diameters of the sun and the
moon. This information includes the average density of the sun, the distance
between earth and moon, the radius of the moon, and the gravitational constant.
In this note it is described how these and other quantities can be obtained by
simple earthbound measurements of angles and times only, without using any
explicit information on distances between celestial bodies. The pedagogical and
historical aspects of these results are also discussed briefly.Comment: 12 pges, one figur
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