5,106 research outputs found
Valve recession: From experiment to predictive model
Increasing demands on engine performance and cost reductions have meant that advances made in materials and production technology are often outpaced This frequently results in wear problems occurring with engine components. Few models exist for predicting wear, and consequently each wear problem has to be investigated, the cause isolated and remedial action taken. The objective of this work was to carry out experimental studies to investigate valve and seat insert wear mechanisms and use the test results to develop a recession prediction tool to assess the potential for valve recession and solve problems that occur more quickly. Experimental apparatus has been developed that is capable of providing a valid simulation of the wear of diesel automotive inlet valves and seats. Test methodologies developed have isolated the effects of impact and sliding. A semi-empirical wear model for predicting valve recession has been developed based on data gathered during the bench testing. A software program, RECESS, was developed to run the model. Model predictions are compared with engine dynamometer tests and bench tests. The model can be used to give a quantitative prediction of the valve recession to be expected with a particular material pair or a qualitative assessment of how parameters need to be altered in order to reduce recession. The valve recession model can be integrated into an industrial environment in order to help reduce costs and timescales involved in solving valve/seat wear problems
The scatter about the "Universal" dwarf spheroidal mass profile: A kinematic study of the M31 satellites, And V and And VI
While the satellites of the Milky Way (MW) have been shown to be largely
consistent in terms of their mass contained within one half--light radius
(M_{half}) with a "Universal" mass profile, a number of M31 satellites are
found to be inconsistent with such relations, and seem kinematically colder in
their central regions than their MW cousins. In this work, we present new
kinematic and updated structural properties for two M31 dSphs, And V and And VI
using data from the Keck Low Resolution Imaging Spectrograph (LRIS) and the
DEep Imaging Multi-Object Spectrograph (DEIMOS) instruments and the Subaru
Suprime-Cam imager. We measure systemic velocities of v_r=-393.1+/-4.2km/s and
-344.8+/-2.5km/s, and dispersions of sigma_v=11.5{+5.3}{-4.4}km/s and
sigma_v=9.4{+3.2}{-2.4}km/s for And V and And VI respectively, meaning these
two objects are consistent with the trends in sigma_v and r_{half} set by their
MW counterparts. We also investigate the nature of this scatter about the MW
dSph mass profiles for the "Classical" (i.e. M_V<-8) MW and M31 dSphs. When
comparing both the "classical" MW and M31 dSphs to the best--fit mass profiles
in the size--velocity dispersion plane, we find general scatter in both the
positive (i.e. hotter) and negative (i.e. colder) directions from these
profiles. However, barring one exception (CVnI) only the M31 dSphs are found to
scatter towards a colder regime, and, excepting the And I dSph, only MW objects
scatter to hotter dispersions. We also note that the scatter for the combined
population is greater than expected from measurement errors alone. We assess
this divide in the context of the differing disc-to-halo mass (i.e. stars and
baryons to total virial mass) ratios of the two hosts and argue that the
underlying mass profiles for dSphs differ from galaxy to galaxy, and are
modified by the baryonic component of the host.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures. Small modifications made for referee report.
Accepted for publication in MNRAS (29/06/2011
Recommended from our members
Experimental evidence on promotion of electric and improved biomass cookstoves.
Improved cookstoves (ICS) can deliver "triple wins" by improving household health, local environments, and global climate. Yet their potential is in doubt because of low and slow diffusion, likely because of constraints imposed by differences in culture, geography, institutions, and missing markets. We offer insights about this challenge based on a multiyear, multiphase study with nearly 1,000 households in the Indian Himalayas. In phase I, we combined desk reviews, simulations, and focus groups to diagnose barriers to ICS adoption. In phase II, we implemented a set of pilots to simulate a mature market and designed an intervention that upgraded the supply chain (combining marketing and home delivery), provided rebates and financing to lower income and liquidity constraints, and allowed households a choice among ICS. In phase III, we used findings from these pilots to implement a field experiment to rigorously test whether this combination of upgraded supply and demand promotion stimulates adoption. The experiment showed that, compared with zero purchase in control villages, over half of intervention households bought an ICS, although demand was highly price-sensitive. Demand was at least twice as high for electric stoves relative to biomass ICS. Even among households that received a negligible price discount, the upgraded supply chain alone induced a 28 percentage-point increase in ICS ownership. Although the bundled intervention is resource-intensive, the full costs are lower than the social benefits of ICS promotion. Our findings suggest that market analysis, robust supply chains, and price discounts are critical for ICS diffusion
Scalable target detection for large robot teams
In this paper, we present an asynchronous display method, coined image queue, which allows operators to search through a large amount of data gathered by autonomous robot teams. We discuss and investigate the advantages of an asynchronous display for foraging tasks with emphasis on Urban Search and Rescue. The image queue approach mines video data to present the operator with a relevant and comprehensive view of the environment in order to identify targets of interest such as injured victims. It fills the gap for comprehensive and scalable displays to obtain a network-centric perspective for UGVs. We compared the image queue to a traditional synchronous display with live video feeds and found that the image queue reduces errors and operator's workload. Furthermore, it disentangles target detection from concurrent system operations and enables a call center approach to target detection. With such an approach we can scale up to very large multi-robot systems gathering huge amounts of data that is then distributed to multiple operators. Copyright 2011 ACM
Solvable model of strings in a time-dependent plane-wave background
We investigate a string model defined by a special plane-wave metric ds^2 =
2dudv - l(u) x^2 du^2 + dx^2 with l(u) = k/u^2 and k=const > 0. This metric is
a Penrose limit of some cosmological, Dp-brane and fundamental string
backgrounds. Remarkably, in Rosen coordinates the metric has a ``null
cosmology'' interpretation with flat spatial sections and scale factor which is
a power of the light-cone time u. We show that: (i) This spacetime is a
Lorentzian homogeneous space. In particular, like Minkowski space, it admits a
boost isometry in u,v. (ii) It is an exact solution of string theory when
supplemented by a u-dependent dilaton such that its exponent (i.e. effective
string coupling) goes to zero at u=infinity and at the singularity u=0,
reducing back-reaction effects. (iii) The classical string equations in this
background become linear in the light-cone gauge and can be solved explicitly
in terms of Bessel's functions; thus the string model can be directly
quantized. This allows one to address the issue of singularity at the
string-theory level. We examine the propagation of first-quantized
point-particle and string modes in this time-dependent background. Using
certain analytic continuation prescription we argue that string propagation
through the singularity can be smooth.Comment: 58 pages, latex. v2: several references to related previous work
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Metabolic potential of uncultured bacteria and archaea associated with petroleum seepage in deep-sea sediments
Little is known about the microbial ecology of the deep seabed. Here, Dong et al. predict metabolic capabilities and microbial interactions in deep seabed petroleum seeps using shotgun metagenomics, sediment geochemistry, metabolomics, and thermodynamic modelling
The Vehicle, April 1960, Vol. 2 no. 2
Vol. 2, No. 2
Table of Contents
A White Man\u27s BurdenRobert Mills Frenchpage 2
RealistA.B. Carterpage 4
The Two MatchesLouise A. Kemperpage 5
Thought Upon Looking at a Modern Painting Titled Grass Thomas McPeakpage 7
BewareDennis Lewispage 7
WavesJean Nightingalepage 7
The SpectatorKathleen Ferreepage 8
Animal RugAl Brookspage 8
Success Comes to CulturevilleJ.B. Youngpage 9
On Giving Up Religion in DespairThe Skepticpage 11
The DecisionGeorge Fosterpage 12
Wisdom ConfoundedJames D. Rannepage 15
Smalltown: 5 A.M.James M. Jenkinsonpage 15
Man of MettleC.E.S.page 16https://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1005/thumbnail.jp
The Vehicle, April 1960, Vol. 2 no. 2
Vol. 2, No. 2
Table of Contents
A White Man\u27s BurdenRobert Mills Frenchpage 2
RealistA.B. Carterpage 4
The Two MatchesLouise A. Kemperpage 5
Thought Upon Looking at a Modern Painting Titled Grass Thomas McPeakpage 7
BewareDennis Lewispage 7
WavesJean Nightingalepage 7
The SpectatorKathleen Ferreepage 8
Animal RugAl Brookspage 8
Success Comes to CulturevilleJ.B. Youngpage 9
On Giving Up Religion in DespairThe Skepticpage 11
The DecisionGeorge Fosterpage 12
Wisdom ConfoundedJames D. Rannepage 15
Smalltown: 5 A.M.James M. Jenkinsonpage 15
Man of MettleC.E.S.page 16https://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1005/thumbnail.jp
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