Control power requirements of VTOL aircraft Quarterly status report, 1 Apr. - 30 Jun. 1969

Computer derived reference design of intercity VTOL aircraft and analysis of control power requirements and operating cost

Simplified Model of Segmented Electrode Losses in Nonequilibrium MHD Generators

Simplified model of segmented electrode losses in nonequilibrium magnetohydrodynamic generator

Contracts, grants and funding summary of supersonic cruise research and variable-cycle engine technology programs, 1972 - 1982

NASA-SCAR (AST) program was initiated in 1972 at the direct request of the Executive Office of the White House and Congress following termination of the U.S. SST program. The purpose of SCR was to conduct a focused research and technology program on those technology programs which contributed to the SST termination and, also, to provide an expanded data base for future civil and military supersonic transport aircraft. Funding for the Supersonic Cruise Research (SCR) Program was initiated in fiscal year 1973 and terminated in fiscal year 1981. The program was implemented through contracts and grants with industry, universities, and by in-house investigations at the NASA/OAST centers. The studies included system studies and five disciplines: propulsion, stratospheric emissions impact, materials and structures, aerodynamic performance, and stability and control. The NASA/Lewis Variable-Cycle Engine (VCE) Component Program was initiated in 1976 to augment the SCR program in the area of propulsion. After about 2 years, the title was changed to VCE Technology program. The total number of contractors and grantees on record at the AST office in 1982 was 101 for SCR and 4 for VCE. This paper presents a compilation of all the contracts and grants as well as the funding summaries for both programs

Life Insurance Firms in the Retirement Market: Is the News All Bad?

The role of the insurance industry in the retirement assets market is examined. The popular image of the industry as one in decline is scrutinized by drawing upon various governmental and industry data sources. Our examination begins with the traditional area of corporate pensions, specifically, Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution Plans. It is demonstrated that this segment has remained relatively flat as proportion of wealth, but has declined in relation to the retirement market as a whole. This slow relative change masks a dramatic shift away from Defined Benefit Plans to Defined Contribution Plans. The primary driver of this change is the rapid growth of 401(k) plans. The shift from large corporate plans to individual retirement planning is most strongly demonstrated by the increase of IRA assets, such that they now comprise nearly a quarter share of the market. This trend is surprising in light of the fact that contributions have been low since a tightening of the tax code in 1986. More germane to our examination is the annuities market. With 55 million contracts in force, and total assets of $1.2 trillion, the insurance industry's domination of this area would seem to speak well of their present and future prospects. Indeed, annuities have grown as a percentage of wealth, but within the retirement sector, they have been outpaced by other instruments. This fact should be worrisome to insurance companies, as they have grown increasingly dependent upon annuities as a proportion of premium income. In summary, the picture for insurance companies is not as dire as the press has portrayed. But, comfort should not be taken in this fact. Individual retirement planning is driving the rapid growth of retirement assets. Annuities are, by and large, insurance companies' sole entry in this competition and, as of late, their record has not been exemplary. The low loads associated with mutual funds and their flexibility set a difficult paradigm for insurance companies to emulate. But, a lack of a successful effort will relegate insurance companies to the role of bit players in the retirement market.

Problem Bank Resolution: Evaluating the Options

The authors describe the function of intermediation in the financial sector and the role of regulatory supervision in managing the inherent structural vulnerability of the process. Financial intermediaries provide both a risk taking and a maturity transformation function in mobilizing savings assets into productive real investments. These inherent activities create a natural structural vulnerability which regulatory oversight is intended to mitigate. The consequence of failure to effectively manage the inherent structural vulnerability can lead to "runs" in which depositors withdraw funds leading to institutional insolvency. The vulnerability to runs becomes a public policy concern when a loss of confidence in the sector leads to a contagious loss of confidence in other institutions. In response to these dangers, governments and regulators throughout the world have established "financial safety nets" to be triggered at various stages in evolving financial crises. The "safety nets" can be seen as comprising at least seven elements or separate stages in managing financial crises: 1) the chartering function screens out institution managers who would be likely to take on excessive insolvency exposure; 2) if institution managers do try to expose their institution to shocks, the prudential supervision function is established to prevent this; 3) if a shock still occurs, the termination authority removes the institution's license before too much damage is caused; 4) if losses still occur, the insurance function may prevent creditors from running; 5) if the institution closes, the insurance function may sustain the confidence of creditors at similar institutions; 6) if runs take place at other institutions, the lender of last resort function may help solvent institutions meet the claims of liability holders; and 7) if other failures occur the monetary authority may confine the damage to the institutions directly affected. The role of regulators is to return the financial structure to its position before the crisis and restore confidence in the system and should not be punitive or involve reconstruction of the system, which can wait until a later time. Solutions will differ depending on how many institutions are affected and whether the problem affects impacts on the entire system or market. There are three generic options available for problem resolution: 1) permitting continued operation under some restrictions; 2) forcing a merger with another institutions or 3) closure of some form. Within these three options are seven ways to either continue operations, force a merger or liquidate. These are: 1) forbearance - granting of time for an institution to resolve its problems; 2) capital infusion with existing management; 3) regulatory control (temporary); 4) de facto nationalization of the institutions; 5) Good-bank, Bad-bank split; 6) purchases and assumption; 7) liquidation with and without governmental assistance. The authors review and summarize the experiences in the US, Scandinavia and France where a variety of these resolution options have been recently applied. Forbearance was used in an attempt to resolve the US Thrift Crisis of the 1980s. This option did not create the desired results and the Resolution Trust Corporation was established in 1989 in order to organize the process. When Norway was faced with a major banking crisis in 1991, it nationalized the banking system. Sweden similarly infused its failing banks with capital during a crisis in 1993, effectively nationalizing them. The "good bank-bad bank" method was used extensively in the Swedish bailout. Finland's central bank took over failing banks in 1991 and the remaining ones were consolidated into one entity. The French government has bailed out troubled Credit Lyonnais, costing the government as much as 135 billion francs. From their review of foreign intervention in bank crises, the authors conclude that: 1) Costs of intervention are generally larger than anticipated; 2) Interventions aimed at preserving the current institutional structure generally do not achieve the expected outcome; and 3) The only true resolution appears to come from a change in the aggregate economy.

3D Velocity and Density Reconstructions of the Local Universe with Cosmicflows-1

This paper presents an analysis of the local peculiar velocity field based on the Wiener Filter reconstruction method. We used our currently available catalog of distance measurements containing 1,797 galaxies within 3000 km/s: Cosmicflows-1. The Wiener Filter method is used to recover the full 3D peculiar velocity field from the observed map of radial velocities and to recover the underlying linear density field. The velocity field within a data zone of 3000 km/s is decomposed into a local component that is generated within the data zone and a tidal one that is generated by the mass distribution outside that zone. The tidal component is characterized by a coherent flow toward the Norma-Hydra-Centaurus (Great Attractor) region while the local component is dominated by a flow toward the Virgo Cluster and away from the Local Void. A detailed analysis shows that the local flow is predominantly governed by the Local Void and the Virgo Cluster plays a lesser role. The analysis procedure was tested against a mock catalog. It is demonstrated that the Wiener Filter accurately recovers the input velocity field of the mock catalog on the scale of the extraction of distances and reasonably recovers the velocity field on significantly larger scales. The Bayesian Wiener Filter reconstruction is carried out within the ?CDM WMAP5 framework. The Wiener Filter reconstruction draws particular attention to the importance of voids in proximity to our neighborhood. The prominent structure of the Local Supercluster is wrapped in a horseshoe collar of under density with the Local Void as a major component.Comment: Accepted for ApJ, August 6, 201

Electrode current distributions in MGD CHANNELS

Current distribution to and electric field behavior of segmented electrodes in linear magnetogasdynamic generato

The Buddy Quiz: A collaborative assessment and a representation of the scientific enterprise

The form and function of a collaborative assessment known as a "Buddy Quiz" is presented. The assessment is conducted in three successive phases over a contiguous 45- to 60-minute class period. A portion of each Quiz is completed in collaboration with one or two peers and a portion is completed without collaboration. The Quiz is primarily summative and is also designed to include formative aspects. The representation in the Quiz of the scientific enterprise as collaborative and individualistic is discussed. The employment of this instrument in a ninth-grade (age 15 years) conceptual physics course in an independent US secondary school is described and student feedback is presented.Comment: accepted to Physics Education; 11 pages, 1 table, 2 figure