New Analysis of the Delta I = 1/2 Rule in Kaon Decays and the B_K Parameter

We present a new analysis of the Delta I = 1/2 rule in K --> pi pi decays and the B_K parameter. We use the 1/N_c expansion within the effective chiral lagrangian for pseudoscalar mesons and compute the hadronic matrix elements at leading and next-to-leading order in the chiral and the 1/N_c expansions. Numerically, our calculation reproduces the dominant Delta I = 1/2 K --> pi pi amplitude. Our result depends only moderately on the choice of the cutoff scale in the chiral loops. The Delta I = 3/2 amplitude emerges sufficiently suppressed but shows a significant dependence on the cutoff. The B_K parameter turns out to be smaller than the value previously obtained in the 1/N_c approach. It also shows a significant dependence on the choice of the cutoff scale. Our results indicate that corrections from higher order terms and/or higher resonances are large for the Delta I = 3/2 K --> pi pi amplitude and the (|Delta S| = 2) K^0 -- anti K^0 transition amplitude.Comment: 50 pages, LaTeX, 13 eps figure

True airspeed measured by airborne laser Doppler velocimeter

Velocimeter utilizing carbon dioxide laser measures true airspeed of aircraft. Results of flight tests indicate that clear-weather airspeeds can be measured with accuracy better than 0.1% at altitudes up to 3000 meters; measurements can be made at much greater altitudes in cloudy or turbid air

Analyzing epsilon'/epsilon in the 1/N_c Expansion

We present a recent analysis of epsilon'/epsilon in the 1/N_c expansion. We show that the 1/N_c corrections to the matrix element of Q_6 are large and positive, indicating a Delta I=1/2 enhancement similar to the one of Q_1 and Q_2 which dominate the CP conserving amplitude. This enhances the CP ratio and can bring the standard model prediction close to the measured value for central values of the parameters.Comment: One reference corrected. 5 pages, talk presented by P.H. Soldan at the 3. International Conference on B Physics and CP Violation, Taipei, Taiwan, December 3 - 7, 1999. Slightly expanded version of the article submitted to the proceeding

Bipolar Nickel-hydrogen Batteries for Aerospace Applications

A bipolar nickel-hydrogen battery which effectively addresses all key requirements for a spacecraft power system, including long-term reliability and low mass, is discussed. The design of this battery is discussed in the context of system requirements and nickel-hydrogen battery technology in general. To achieve the ultimate goal of an aerospace application of a bipolar Ni-H2 battery several objectives must be met in the design and development of the system. These objectives include: maximization of reliability and life; high specific energy and energy density; reasonable cost of manufacture, test, and integration; and ease in scaling for growth in power requirements. These basic objectives translate into a number of specific design requirements, which are discussed