3,073 research outputs found
A noncontact measurement technique for the density and thermal expansion coefficient of solid and liquid materials
A noncontact measurement technique for the density and the thermal expansion coefficient of refractory materials in their molten as well as solid phases is presented. This technique is based on the video image processing of a levitated sample. Experiments were performed using the high-temperature electrostatic levitator (HTESL) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in which 2–3 mm diam samples can be levitated, melted, and radiatively cooled in vacuum. Due to the axisymmetric nature of the molten samples when levitated in the HTESL, a rather simple digital image analysis can be employed to accurately measure the volumetric change as a function of temperature. Density and the thermal expansion coefficient measurements were made on a pure nickel sample to test the accuracy of the technique in the temperature range of 1045–1565 °C. The result for the liquid phase density can be expressed by rho=8.848+(6.730×10^−4)×T (°C) g/cm^3 within 0.8% accuracy, and the corresponding thermal expansion coefficient can be expressed by beta=(9.419×10^−5) −(7.165×10^−9)×T (°C) K^−1 within 0.2% accuracy
Fermion Production in Strong Magnetic Field and its Astrophysical Implications
We calculate the effective potential of a strong magnetic field induced by
fermions with anomalous magnetic moments which couple to the electromagnetic
field in the form of the Pauli interaction. For a uniform magnetic field, we
find the explicit form of the effective potential. It is found that the
non-vanishing imaginary part develops for a magnetic field stronger than a
critical field and has a quartic form which is quite different from the
exponential form of the Schwinger process. We also consider a linear magnetic
field configuration as an example of inhomogeneous magnetic fields. We find
that the imaginary part of the effective potential is nonzero even below the
critical field and shows an exponentially decreasing behavior with respect to
the inverse of the magnetic field gradient, which is the non-perturbative
characteristics analogous to the Schwinger process. These results imply the
instability of the strong magnetic field to produce fermion pairs as a purely
magnetic effect. The possible applications to the astrophysical phenomena with
strong magnetic field are also discussed.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figure
USER INFORMATION SATISFACTION: TOWARD CONCEPTUAL CLARITY
User information satisfaction (UIS) has been generally recognized by management information systems (MIS) researchers as one of the more important indicators of success in designing and implementing MIS. However, the existence of various UIS measures using different definitions of UIS has resulted in the use of inconsistent theoretical constructs and an inability to interpret across studies. Using consumer satisfaction research as a reference theory, this paper develops a conceptual model of UIS to clarify the concept. In the model, UIS is considered a function of organizational factors and the discrepancy between expected information service quality and perceived information service quality. This discrepancy, in turn, is a result of a series of gaps which are related to the MIS development and information service delivery processes. The implications of this model for future research and practice are discussed
Production of Neutral Fermion in Linear Magnetic Field through Pauli Interaction
We calculate the production rate of neutral fermions in linear magnetic
fields through the Pauli interaction. It is found that the production rate is
exponentially decreasing function with respect to the inverse of the magnetic
field gradient, which shows the non-perturbative characteristics analogous to
the Schwinger process. It turns out that the production rate density depends on
both the gradient and the strength of magnetic fields in 3+1 dimension. It is
quite different from the result in 2+1 dimension, where the production rate
depends only on the gradient of the magnetic fields, not on the strength of the
magnetic fields. It is also found that the production of neutral fermions
through the Pauli interaction is a magnetic effect whereas the production of
charged particles through minimal coupling is an electric effect.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figure
The Power of Integrality: Linkages between Product Architecture, Innovation, and Industry Structure
A substantial literature stream suggests that many products are becoming more modular over
time, and that this development is often associated with a change in industry structure towards
higher degrees of specialization. These developments can have strong implications for an
industry’s competition as the history of the PC industry illustrates. To add to our understanding
of the linkages between product architecture, innovation, and industry structure we study an
unusual case in which a firm – through decreasing its product modularity – turned its formerly
competitive industry into a near-monopoly. Using this case study we explore how existing
theories on modularity explain the observed phenomenon, and show that most consider in their
analysis technological change in rather long-term dimensions, and tend to focus on efficiencyrelated
arguments to explain the resulting forces on competition. Expanding on these theories
we add three critical aspects to the theory construct that connects technological change and
industry dynamics. First, we suggest re-integating as a new design operator to explain product
architecture genesis. Second, we argue that a finer-grained analysis of the product architecture
shows the existence of multiple linkages between product architecture and industry structure, and
that these different linkages help explain the observed intra-industry heterogeneity across firms.
Third, we propose that the firm boundary choice can also be a pre-condition of the origin of
architectural innovation, not only an outcome of efficiency considerations
An Examination of Factors for the Strategic Use of Information Systems in the Healthcare Industry
The potential use of information systems technology (IST) as a competitive weapon has been of enormous interest to many academic scholars and practitioners. However, the importance of identifying factors that organizations must deal with in the process of achieving IST competitive advantages has received inadequate research attention. This article attempts to identify these important factors for the strategic use of IST by examining the multifaceted role of IST in the healthcare context. Three propositions are developed from (1) re-examining a variety of successful IST applications both within and outside healthcare organizations, (2) re-applying the integration concept from the literature, and (3) examining field experiences in the healthcare industry. These propositions should serve as a basis for future empirical investigations into IST strategic applications
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