53,311 research outputs found
Flight testing the fixed-wing configuration of the Rotor Systems Research Aircraft (RSRA)
The Rotor Systems Research Aircraft (RSRA) is a unique research aircraft designed to flight test advanced helicopter rotor system. Its principal flight test configuration is as a compound helicopter. The fixed wing configuration of the RSRA was primarily considered an energy fly-home mode in the event it became necessary to sever an unstable rotor system in flight. While it had always been planned to flight test the fixed wing configuration, the selection of the RSRA as the flight test bed for the X-wing rotor accelerated this schedule. This paper discusses the build-up to, and the test of, the RSRA fixed wing configuration. It is written primarily from the test pilot's perspective
Lie symmetries of (1+2) nonautonomous evolution equations in Financial Mathematics
We analyse two classes of evolution equations which are of special
interest in Financial Mathematics, namely the Two-dimensional Black-Scholes
Equation and the equation for the Two-factor Commodities Problem. Our approach
is that of Lie Symmetry Analysis. We study these equations for the case in
which they are autonomous and for the case in which the parameters of the
equations are unspecified functions of time. For the autonomous Black-Scholes
Equation we find that the symmetry is maximal and so the equation is reducible
to the Classical Heat Equation. This is not the case for the
nonautonomous equation for which the number of symmetries is submaximal. In the
case of the two-factor equation the number of symmetries is submaximal in both
autonomous and nonautonomous cases. When the solution symmetries are used to
reduce each equation to a equation, the resulting equation is of
maximal symmetry and so equivalent to the Classical Heat Equation.Comment: 15 pages, 1 figure, to be published in Mathematics in the Special
issue "Mathematical Finance
Ion yields and erosion rates for Si1−xGex(0x1) ultralow energy O2+ secondary ion mass spectrometry in the energy range of 0.25–1 keV
We report the SIMS parameters required for the quantitative analysis of Si1−xGex across the range of 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 when using low energy O2+ primary ions at normal incidence. These include the silicon and germanium secondary ion yield [i.e., the measured ion signal (ions/s)] and erosion rate [i.e., the speed at which the material sputters (nm/min)] as a function of x. We show that the ratio Rx of erosion rates, Si1−xGex/Si, at a given x is almost independent of beam energy, implying that the properties of the altered layer are dominated by the interaction of oxygen with silicon. Rx shows an exponential dependence on x. Unsurprisingly, the silicon and germanium secondary ion yields are found to depart somewhat from proportionality to (1−x) and x, respectively, although an approximate linear relationship could be used for quantification across around 30% of the range of x (i.e., a reference material containing Ge fraction x would give reasonably accurate quantification across the range of ±0.15x). Direct comparison of the useful (ion) yields [i.e., the ratio of ion yield to the total number of atoms sputtered for a particular species (ions/atom)] and the sputter yields [i.e., the total number of atoms sputtered per incident primary ion (atoms/ions)] reveals a moderate matrix effect where the former decrease monotonically with increasing x except at the lowest beam energy investigated (250 eV). Here, the useful yield of Ge is found to be invariant with x. At 250 eV, the germanium ion and sputter yields are proportional to x for all x
Study and prototype of data system interactions for the Earth Observing System Data and Information System
A crucial part of the Earth Observing System (EOS) is its Data and Information System (EOSDIS). The success of EOS depends not only on its instruments and science studies, but also on its ability to help scientists integrate data sets of geophysical and biological measurements taken by various instruments and investigators. NASA contractors have completed Phase B studies of EOSDIS, in particular its architecture, functionality, and user interfacing. At this point in time, it may seem impossible to exercise the EOSDIS or any of its components since they do not exist; i.e., if the EOSDIS is accepted as a totally new system, distinct from any existing DIS. However, if EOSDIS is seen as evolving from existing data systems, then some limited prototyping studies can be conducted by using currently functioning systems. In support of both the EOSDIS Science Advisory Panel and the EOSDIS Project, a prototyping activity was carried out by a cross section of interdisciplinary scientists. That prototyping activity is summarized and some conclusions are drawn that can be used by NASA-Goddard to evaluate and modify the specifications soon to be released in an RFP to build EOSDIS
On the Excess Dispersion in the Polarization Position Angle of Pulsar Radio Emission
The polarization position angles (PA) of pulsar radio emission occupy a
distribution that can be much wider than what is expected from the average
linear polarization and the off-pulse instrumental noise. Contrary to our
limited understanding of the emission mechanism, the excess dispersion in PA
implies that pulsar PAs vary in a random fashion. An eigenvalue analysis of the
measured Stokes parameters is developed to determine the origin of the excess
PA dispersion. The analysis is applied to sensitive, well-calibrated
polarization observations of PSR B1929+10 and PSR B2020+28. The analysis
clarifies the origin of polarization fluctuations in the emission and reveals
that the excess PA dispersion is caused by the isotropic inflation of the data
point cluster formed by the measured Stokes parameters. The inflation of the
cluster is not consistent with random fluctuations in PA, as might be expected
from random changes in the orientation of the magnetic field lines in the
emission region or from stochastic Faraday rotation in either the pulsar
magnetosphere or the interstellar medium. The inflation of the cluster, and
thus the excess PA dispersion, is attributed to randomly polarized radiation in
the received pulsar signal. The analysis also indicates that orthogonal
polarization modes (OPM) occur where the radio emission is heavily modulated.
In fact, OPM may only occur where the modulation index exceeds a critical value
of about 0.3.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap
Investigation of conventional and Super-X divertor configurations of MAST Upgrade using SOLPS
One of the first studies of MAST Upgrade divertor configurations with
SOLPS5.0 are presented. We focus on understanding main prospects associated
with the novel geometry of the Super-X divertor (SXD). This includes a
discussion of the effect of magnetic flux expansion and volumetric power losses
on the reduction of target power loads, the effect of divertor geometry on the
divertor closure and distribution of neutral species and radiation in the
divertor, the role of the connection length in broadening the target wetted
area. A comparison in conditions typical for MAST inter-ELM H-mode plasmas
confirms improved performance of the Super-X topology resulting in
significantly better divertor closure with respect to neutrals (the atomic flux
from the target increased by a factor of 6, but the atomic flux from the
divertor to the upper SOL reduced by a factor of 2), increased radiation volume
and increased total power loss (a factor of 2) and a reduction of target power
loads through both magnetic flux expansion and larger volumetric power loss in
the divertor (a factor of 5-10 in attached plasmas). The reduction of the
target power load by SXD further increases with collisionality (high density or
detached regimes) thanks to larger importance of volumetric power losses. It is
found that a cold divertor plasma leads to stronger parallel temperature
gradients in the SOL which drive more parallel heat flux, meaning that the
effectiveness of perpendicular transport in spreading the power at the target
can be reduced, and this needs to be taken into account in any optimisation.Comment: 32 pages, 23 figures. This is an author-created, un-copyedited
version of an article accepted for publication in PPCF. IOP Publishing Ltd
and IAEA are not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of
the manuscript or any version derived from i
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