30,063 research outputs found
Deep Reconditioning Testing for near Earth Orbits
The problems and benefits of deep reconditioning to near Earth orbit missions with high cycle life and shallow discharge depth requirements is discussed. A simple battery level approach to deep reconditioning of nickel cadmium batteries in near Earth orbit is considered. A test plan was developed to perform deep reconditioning in direct comparison with an alternative trickle charge approach. The results demonstrate that the deep reconditioning procedure described for near Earth orbit application is inferior to the alternative of trickle charging
Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): FMEA/CIL assessment
The McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Company (MDAC) was selected to perform an Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL). Direction was given by the Orbiter and GFE Projects Office to perform the hardware analysis and assessment using the instructions and ground rules defined in NSTS 22206. The IOA analysis featured a top-down approach to determine hardware failure modes, criticality, and potential critical items. To preserve independence, the analysis was accomplished without reliance upon the results contained within the NASA and Prime Contractor FMEA/CIL documentation. The assessment process compared the independently derived failure modes and criticality assignments to the proposed NASA post 51-L FMEA/CIL documentation. When possible, assessment issues were discussed and resolved with the NASA subsystem managers. Unresolved issues were elevated to the Orbiter and GFE Projects Office manager, Configuration Control Board (CCB), or Program Requirements Control Board (PRCB) for further resolution. The most important Orbiter assessment finding was the previously unknown stuck autopilot push-button criticality 1/1 failure mode. The worst case effect could cause loss of crew/vehicle when the microwave landing system is not active. It is concluded that NASA and Prime Contractor Post 51-L FMEA/CIL documentation assessed by IOA is believed to be technically accurate and complete. All CIL issues were resolved. No FMEA issues remain that have safety implications. Consideration should be given, however, to upgrading NSTS 22206 with definitive ground rules which more clearly spell out the limits of redundancy
Thomas-Fermi generalized approach for studying systems under pressure
In a previous work one of the authors proposed a simple model for studying
systems under pressure based on the Thomas-Fermi (TF) model of single atom. In
this work we intend to extend the previous work to more general Thomas-Fermi
models where electronic exchange and correlation are introduced. To do so, we
first study numerically the equation obtained by H.W.Lewis (TFDL) which
introduces the effects of exchange and correlation into the original TF
equation; next the procedure followed in the previous work is extended to the
new approach and a specific example is illustrated. Although one could expect
that no big differences were produced by the generalized TF model, we show the
qualitative as well as quantitative equivalence with detailed numerical
results. These results support the robustness of our conclusions with regards
to the model proposed in the previous work and give the character of
universality (i.e. to pass from one atom to another, the quantities calculated
must be simply scaled by a numerical factor) to the properties of compressed
systems shown in this work.Comment: 16 pages and 5 figure
Adelic Integrable Systems
Incorporating the zonal spherical function (zsf) problems on real and
-adic hyperbolic planes into a Zakharov-Shabat integrable system setting, we
find a wide class of integrable evolutions which respect the number-theoretic
properties of the zsf problem. This means that at {\it all} times these real
and -adic systems can be unified into an adelic system with an -matrix
which involves (Dirichlet, Langlands, Shimura...) L-functions.Comment: 23 pages, uses plain TE
Photoionisation and Heating of a Supernova Driven, Turbulent, Interstellar Medium
The Diffuse Ionised Gas (DIG) in galaxies traces photoionisation feedback
from massive stars. Through three dimensional photoionisation simulations, we
study the propagation of ionising photons, photoionisation heating and the
resulting distribution of ionised and neutral gas within snapshots of
magnetohydrodynamic simulations of a supernova driven turbulent interstellar
medium. We also investigate the impact of non-photoionisation heating on
observed optical emission line ratios. Inclusion of a heating term which scales
less steeply with electron density than photoionisation is required to produce
diagnostic emission line ratios similar to those observed with the Wisconsin
H{\alpha} Mapper. Once such heating terms have been included, we are also able
to produce temperatures similar to those inferred from observations of the DIG,
with temperatures increasing to above 15000 K at heights |z| > 1 kpc. We find
that ionising photons travel through low density regions close to the midplane
of the simulations, while travelling through diffuse low density regions at
large heights. The majority of photons travel small distances (< 100pc);
however some travel kiloparsecs and ionise the DIG.Comment: 10 pages, 13 figures, accepted to MNRA
The screwworm eradication data system archives
The archives accumulated during 1 year of operation of the Satellite Temperature-Monitoring System during development of the Screwworm Eradication Data System are reported. Brief descriptions of all the kinds of tapes, as well as their potential uses, are presented. Reference is made to other documents that explain the generation of these data
Self Piercing Riveting for Metal-Polymer Joints
Self-Piercing Riveting (SPR) is a sheet metal joining technique based on the insertion of a rivet into two or more sheets, with no preparatory hole. This process has gained wide diffusion in the automotive industry, due to the increasing use of materials alternative to steel, that are difficult or impossible to join with traditional techniques. In particular, polymeric materials are becoming increasingly used, due to their favorable weight/strength ratio. This paper reports the results of experimental investigations, aimed at identifying the variables affecting the mechanical characteristics of mixed metal-plastic joints. A statistic model for the optimization of the geometrical parameters has been computed. The paper demonstrates that self-piercing riveting appears competitive for metal/polymer junction. The results analyzed in light of statistical techniques show that some geometrical parameters affect joint performance more than others and can therefore be used as independent variables for joint performance optimizatio
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