24,822 research outputs found
Preparation and characterization of electrodes for the NASA Redox storage system
Electrodes for the Redox energy storage system based on iron and chromium chloride reactants is discussed. The physical properties of several lots of felt were determined. Procedures were developed for evaluating electrode performance in lab scale cells. Experimental procedures for evaluating electrodes by cyclic voltammetry are described which minimize the IR losses due to the high internal resistance in the felt (distributed resistance). Methods to prepare electrodes which reduced the coevolution of hydrogen at the chromium electrode and eleminate the drop in voltage on discharge occasionally seen with previous electrodes were discussed. Single cells of 0.3329 ft area with improved membranes and electrodes are operating at over 80% voltage efficiency and coulombic efficiencies of over 98% at current densities of 16 to 20 amp % ft
A Parallax Distance to the Microquasar GRS 1915+105 and a Revised Estimate of its Black Hole Mass
Using the Very Long Baseline Array, we have measured a trigonometric parallax
for the micro quasar GRS 1915+105, which contains a black hole and a K-giant
companion. This yields a direct distance estimate of 8.6 (+2.0,-1.6) kpc and a
revised estimate for the mass of the black hole of 12.4 (+2.0,-1.8) Msun. GRS
1915+105 is at about the same distance as some HII regions and water masers
associated with high-mass star formation in the Sagittarius spiral arm of the
Galaxy. The absolute proper motion of GRS 1915+105 is -3.19 +/- 0.03 mas/y and
-6.24 +/- 0.05 mas/y toward the east and north, respectively, which corresponds
to a modest peculiar speed of 22 +/-24 km/s at the parallax distance,
suggesting that the binary did not receive a large velocity kick when the black
hole formed. On one observational epoch, GRS 1915+105 displayed superluminal
motion along the direction of its approaching jet. Considering previous
observations of jet motions, the jet in GRS 1915+105 can be modeled with a jet
inclination to the line of sight of 60 +/- 5 deg and a variable flow speed
between 0.65c and 0.81c, which possibly indicates deceleration of the jet at
distances from the black hole >2000 AU. Finally, using our measurements of
distance and estimates of black hole mass and inclination, we provisionally
confirm our earlier result that the black hole is spinning very rapidly.Comment: 20 pages; 2 tables; 6 figure
Violation of multi-particle Bell inequalities for low and high flux parametric amplification using both vacuum and entangled input states
We show how polarisation measurements on the output fields generated by
parametric down conversion will reveal a violation of multi-particle Bell
inequalities, in the regime of both low and high output intensity. In this case
each spatially separated system, upon which a measurement is performed, is
comprised of more than one particle. In view of the formal analogy with spin
systems, the proposal provides an opportunity to test the predictions of
quantum mechanics for spatially separated higher spin states. Here the quantum
behaviour possible even where measurements are performed on systems of large
quantum (particle) number may be demonstrated. Our proposal applies to both
vacuum-state signal and idler inputs, and also to the quantum-injected
parametric amplifier as studied by De Martini et al. The effect of detector
inefficiencies is included.Comment: 12 pages, 12 figure
Multi-Wavelength Study of Sgr A*: The Short Time Scale Variability
To understand the correlation and the radiation mechanism of flare emission
in different wavelength bands, we have coordinated a number of telescopes to
observe SgrA* simultaneously. We focus only on one aspect of the preliminary
results of our multi-wavelength observing campaigns, namely, the short time
scale variability of emission from SgrA* in near-IR, X-ray and radio
wavelengths. The structure function analysis indicate most of the power
spectral density is detected on hourly time scales in all wavelength bands. We
also report minute time scale variability at 7 and 13mm placing a strong
constraint on the nature of the variable emission. The hourly time scale
variability can be explained in the context of a model in which the peak
frequency of emission shifts toward lower frequencies as a self-absorbed
synchrotron source expands adiabatically near the acceleration site. The short
time scale variability, on the other hand, places a strong constraint on the
size of the emitting region. Assuming that rapid minute time scale fluctuations
of the emission is optically thick in radio wavelength, light travel arguments
requires relativistic particle energy, thus suggesting the presence of outflow
from SgrA*.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, The Galactic Center: A Window on the Nuclear
Environment of Disk Galaxies ASP Conference Series, 2010 eds: M. Morris, D.
Q. Wang and F. Yua
Analytical and physical modeling program for the NASA Lewis Research Center's Altitude Wind Tunnel (AWT)
An effort is currently underway at the NASA Lewis Research Center to rehabilitate and extend the capabilities of the Altitude Wind Tunnel (AWT). This extended capability will include a maximum test section Mach number of about 0.9 at an altitude of 55,000 ft and a -20 F stagnation temperature (octagonal test section, 20 ft across the flats). In addition, the AWT will include an icing and acoustic research capability. In order to insure a technically sound design, an AWT modeling program (both analytical and physical) was initiated to provide essential input to the AWT final design process. This paper describes the modeling program, including the rationale and criteria used in program definition, and presents some early program results
Measurement of the Bs0-Bs0 oscillation frequency δms in Bs0→Ds-(3)π decays
The Bs0-Bs0 oscillation frequency δms is measured with 36 pb-1 of data collected in pp collisions at s=7TeV by the LHCb experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. A total of 1381 Bs0→Ds-π+ and Bs0→Ds-π+π-π + signal decays are reconstructed, with average decay time resolutions of 44 fs and 36 fs, respectively. An oscillation signal with a statistical significance of 4.6σ is observed. The measured oscillation frequency is δm s=17.63±0.11(stat)±0.02(syst)ps -1
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