5,126 research outputs found
Phase control system concepts and simulations
A phase control system concept for a solar power satellite is proposed which partitions the system into three major levels. The first level of phase control consists of a reference phase distribution system implemented in the form of phase distribution tree structure. The major purpose of the tree structure is to electronically compensate for the phase shift due to the transition path lengths from the center of the spacetenna to each phase control center located in each subarray. In the reference system, this is accomplished using the master slave returnable timing system technique. The second level of phase control consists of the beam steering and microwave power generating system which houses the power transponders. This transponder consists of a set of phase conjugation multipliers driven by the reference phase distribution system output and the output of a pilot spread spectrum receiver which accepts the received pilot via a diplexer connected to a separate receive horn or the subarray itself. The output of the phase conjugation circuits serve as inputs to the third level of the phase control system. The third level of phase control is associated with maintaining an equal and constant phase shift through the microwave power amplifier devices while minimizing the associated phase noise effects on the generated power beam. This is accomplished by providing a phase locked loop around each high power amplifier
Geometric Effects on the Amplification of First Mode Instability Waves
The effects of geometric changes on the amplification of first mode instability waves in an external supersonic boundary layer were investigated using numerical techniques. Boundary layer stability was analyzed at Mach 6 conditions similar to freestream conditions obtained in quiet ground test facilities so that results obtained in this study may be applied to future test article design to measure first mode instability waves. The DAKOTA optimization software package was used to optimize an axisymmetric geometry to maximize the amplification of the waves at first mode frequencies as computed by the 2D STABL hypersonic boundary layer stability analysis tool. First, geometric parameters such as nose radius, cone half angle, vehicle length, and surface curvature were examined separately to determine the individual effects on the first mode amplification. Finally, all geometric parameters were allowed to vary to produce a shape optimized to maximize the amplification of first mode instability waves while minimizing the amplification of second mode instability waves. Since first mode waves are known to be most unstable in the form of oblique wave, the geometries were optimized using a broad range of wave frequencies as well as a wide range of oblique wave angles to determine the geometry that most amplifies the first mode waves. Since first mode waves are seen most often in flows with low Mach numbers at the edge of the boundary layer, the edge Mach number for each geometry was recorded to determine any relationship between edge Mach number and the stability of first mode waves. Results indicate that an axisymmetric cone with a sharp nose and a slight flare at the aft end under the Mach 6 freestream conditions used here will lower the Mach number at the edge of the boundary layer to less than 4, and the corresponding stability analysis showed maximum first mode N factors of 3
Cost-effective road safety measures for reducing serious casualty crashes in South Australia
A large number of road safety countermeasures were evaluated as to their likely effectiveness in reducing the total number of serious casualty crashes in South Australia and the cost to government authorities of their implementation. The five most promising countermeasures identified were speed limit reductions in three speed zones, raising the age of licensure and sealing the shoulders on the outside of curves.C.N. Kloeden, A.J. McLean and V. Lindsa
Anderson Localization of Classical Waves in Weakly Scattering Metamaterials
We study the propagation and localization of classical waves in
one-dimensional disordered structures composed of alternating layers of left-
and right-handed materials (mixed stacks) and compare them to the structures
composed of different layers of the same material (homogeneous stacks). For
weakly scattering layers, we have developed an effective analytical approach
and have calculated the transmission length within a wide region of the input
parameters. When both refractive index and layer thickness of a mixed stack are
random, the transmission length in the long-wave range of the localized regime
exhibits a quadratic power wavelength dependence with the coefficients
different for mixed and homogeneous stacks. Moreover, the transmission length
of a mixed stack differs from reciprocal of the Lyapunov exponent of the
corresponding infinite stack. In both the ballistic regime of a mixed stack and
in the near long-wave region of a homogeneous stack, the transmission length of
a realization is a strongly fluctuating quantity. In the far long-wave part of
the ballistic region, the homogeneous stack becomes effectively uniform and the
transmission length fluctuations are weaker. The crossover region from the
localization to the ballistic regime is relatively narrow for both mixed and
homogeneous stacks. In mixed stacks with only refractive-index disorder,
Anderson localization at long wavelengths is substantially suppressed, with the
localization length growing with the wavelength much faster than for
homogeneous stacks. The crossover region becomes essentially wider and
transmission resonances appear only in much longer stacks. All theoretical
predictions are in an excellent agreement with the results of numerical
simulations.Comment: 19 pages, 16 figures, submitted to PR
Effects of polarization on the transmission and localization of classical waves in weakly scattering metamaterials
We summarize the results of our comprehensive analytical and numerical
studies of the effects of polarization on the Anderson localization of
classical waves in one-dimensional random stacks. We consider homogeneous
stacks composed entirely of normal materials or metamaterials, and also mixed
stacks composed of alternating layers of a normal material and metamaterial. We
extend the theoretical study developed earlier for the case of normal incidence
[A. A. Asatryan et al, Phys. Rev. B 81, 075124 (2010)] to the case of off-axis
incidence. For the general case where both the refractive indices and layer
thicknesses are random, we obtain the long-wave and short-wave asymptotics of
the localization length over a wide range of incidence angles (including the
Brewster ``anomaly'' angle). At the Brewster angle, we show that the long-wave
localization length is proportional to the square of the wavelength, as for the
case of normal incidence, but with a proportionality coefficient substantially
larger than that for normal incidence. In mixed stacks with only
refractive-index disorder, we demonstrate that p-polarized waves are strongly
localized, while for s-polarization the localization is substantially
suppressed, as in the case of normal incidence. In the case of only thickness
disorder, we study also the transition from localization to delocalization at
the Brewster angle.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in PR
Probing the Catalytic Roles of Arg548 and Gln552 in the Carboxyl Transferase Domain of the \u3cem\u3eRhizobium etli\u3c/em\u3e Pyruvate Carboxylase by Site-directed Mutagenesis
The roles of Arg548 and Gln552 residues in the active site of the carboxyl transferase domain of Rhizobium etli pyruvate carboxylase were investigated using site-directed mutagenesis. Mutation of Arg548 to alanine or glutamine resulted in the destabilization of the quaternary structure of the enzyme, suggesting that this residue has a structural role. Mutations R548K, Q552N, and Q552A resulted in a loss of the ability to catalyze pyruvate carboxylation, biotin-dependent decarboxylation of oxaloacetate, and the exchange of protons between pyruvate and water. These mutants retained the ability to catalyze reactions that occur at the active site of the biotin carboxylase domain, i.e., bicarbonate-dependent ATP cleavage and ADP phosphorylation by carbamoyl phosphate. The effects of oxamate on the catalysis in the biotin carboxylase domain by the R548K and Q552N mutants were similar to those on the catalysis of reactions by the wild-type enzyme. However, the presence of oxamate had no effect on the reactions catalyzed by the Q552A mutant. We propose that Arg548 and Gln552 facilitate the binding of pyruvate and the subsequent transfer of protons between pyruvate and biotin in the partial reaction catalyzed in the active site of the carboxyl transferase domain of Rhizobium etli pyruvate carboxylase
Decoherence on a two-dimensional quantum walk using four- and two-state particle
We study the decoherence effects originating from state flipping and
depolarization for two-dimensional discrete-time quantum walks using four-state
and two-state particles. By quantifying the quantum correlations between the
particle and position degree of freedom and between the two spatial ()
degrees of freedom using measurement induced disturbance (MID), we show that
the two schemes using a two-state particle are more robust against decoherence
than the Grover walk, which uses a four-state particle. We also show that the
symmetries which hold for two-state quantum walks breakdown for the Grover
walk, adding to the various other advantages of using two-state particles over
four-state particles.Comment: 12 pages, 16 figures, In Press, J. Phys. A: Math. Theor. (2013
Accidents to intoxicated pedestrians in South Australia
This report reviews the literature on alcohol-intoxicated pedestrian casualties, concentrating on possible countermeasures. It also presents data on the blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) of pedestrian accident victims in South Australia, though all the datasets used have limitations (BAC is unknown in many cases). In South Australia and elsewhere, the alcohol levels of many pedestrians killed and injured are very high indeed. A number of measures are available for preventing intoxicated pedestrian accidents, but it is unlikely that any would have a large effect on the total number of pedestrian casualties. In most respects, improved safety of drunk pedestrians will come about by making the environment safer for all pedestrians, drunk or sober. The measure that would be expected to be most effective is a reduction of speed limits.T.P. Hutchinson, C.N. Kloeden, V.L. Lindsa
Investigations of excitation energy transfer and intramolecular interactions in a nitrogen corded distrylbenzene dendrimer system.
The photophysics of an amino-styrylbenzene dendrimer (A-DSB) system is probed by time-resolved and steady state luminescence spectroscopy. For two different generations of this dendrimer, steady state absorption, emission, and photoluminescence excitation spectra are reported and show that the efficiency of energy transfer from the dendrons to the core is very close to 100%. Ultrafast time-resolved fluorescence measurements at a range of excitation and detection wavelengths suggest rapid (and hence efficient) energy transfer from the dendron to the core. Ultrafast fluorescence anisotropy decay for different dendrimer generations is described in order to probe the energy migration processes. A femtosecond time-scale fluorescence depolarization was observed with the zero and second generation dendrimers. Energy transfer process from the dendrons to the core can be described by a Förster mechanism (hopping dynamics) while the interbranch interaction in A-DSB core was found to be very strong indicating the crossover to exciton dynamics
Psychedelics Promote Structural and Functional Neural Plasticity.
Atrophy of neurons in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a key role in the pathophysiology of depression and related disorders. The ability to promote both structural and functional plasticity in the PFC has been hypothesized to underlie the fast-acting antidepressant properties of the dissociative anesthetic ketamine. Here, we report that, like ketamine, serotonergic psychedelics are capable of robustly increasing neuritogenesis and/or spinogenesis both in vitro and in vivo. These changes in neuronal structure are accompanied by increased synapse number and function, as measured by fluorescence microscopy and electrophysiology. The structural changes induced by psychedelics appear to result from stimulation of the TrkB, mTOR, and 5-HT2A signaling pathways and could possibly explain the clinical effectiveness of these compounds. Our results underscore the therapeutic potential of psychedelics and, importantly, identify several lead scaffolds for medicinal chemistry efforts focused on developing plasticity-promoting compounds as safe, effective, and fast-acting treatments for depression and related disorders
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