Thermal stability of some aircraft turbine fuels derived from oil shale and coal

Thermal stability breakpoint temperatures are shown for 32 jet fuels prepared from oil shale and coal syncrudes by various degrees of hydrogenation. Low severity hydrotreated shale oils, with nitrogen contents of 0.1 to 0.24 weight percent, had breakpoint temperatures in the 477 to 505 K (400 to 450 F) range. Higher severity treatment, lowering nitrogen levels to 0.008 to 0.017 weight percent, resulted in breakpoint temperatures in the 505 to 533 K (450 to 500 F) range. Coal derived fuels showed generally increasing breakpoint temperatures with increasing weight percent hydrogen, fuels below 13 weight percent hydrogen having breakpoints below 533 K (500 F). Comparisons are shown with similar literature data

Constraints on hot metals in the Vicinity of the Galaxy

We have searched for evidence of soft X-ray absorption by hot metals in the vicinity of the Galaxy in the spectra of a small sample of fifteen Type I AGN observed with the high resolution X-ray gratings on board Chandra. This is an extension of our previous survey of hot OVII and OVIII absorbing gas in the vicinity of the Galaxy. The strongest absorption signatures within a few hundred km/s of their rest-frame energies are most likely due to warm absorbing outflows from the nearest AGN, which are back-lighting the local hot gas. We emphasize that absorption signatures in the spectra of some distant AGN that are kinematically consistent with the recessional velocity of the AGN are most likely to be due to hot local gas. Along the sightline towards PG 1211+143, PDS 456 and MCG-6-30-15 there is a very large absorbing Fe column density which is kinematically consistent with absorption by hot, local Fe. The sightlines to these three AGN pass through the limb of the Northern Polar Spur (NPS), a local bubble formed from several supernovae which, if rich in Fe, may account for a large local Fe column. We obtain limits on the column density of local, highly ionized N, Ne, Mg, Si along all of the sightlines in our sample. We correlate the column density limits with those of highly ionized O along the same sightlines. Assuming the hot local gas is in collisionally ionized equilibrium, we obtain limits on the temperature and relative abundances of the metals in the hot local gas. Our limits on the ionic column densities in the local hot gas seem to be consistent with those observed in the hot halo gas of edge-on normal spiral galaxies.Comment: 9 pages,2 figures, MNRAS (accepted

East Midlands FRESA targets project

Reviewed employment and skills targets in use by organisations in the East Midlands in order to inform the development of targets for the East Midlands Framework for Employment and Skills action (FRESA). Established target development process later adopted by emda for 2006 RES. Developed criteria for applying to future selection of economic performance monitoring metrics - especially for skills, based on extant best practice, such as the Treasury's 'Green Book'

Condensation on spacecraft surfaces downstream of a Kaufman thruster

Thruster exhaust products condensation on surfaces downstream of mercury electron bombardment ion thruste

Oscillation Spectrum of a Magnetized Strongly Coupled One-Component-Plasma

A first-principle study of the collective oscillation spectrum of a strongly correlated one-component plasma in a strong magnetic field is presented. The spectrum consists of six fundamental modes which are found to be in good agreement with results from the Quasi-Localized Charge approximation. At high frequencies additional modes are observed that include Bernstein-type oscillations and their transverse counterparts which are of importance for the high-frequency optical and transport properties of these plasmas

BeppoSAX observations of low-energy spectral features in AGN

The combination of the broad band coverage and moderate spectral resolution of the LECS and MECS instruments on-board BeppoSAX allow the spectra of AGN to be studied in unprecedented detail down to 0.1 keV. We describe the calibration and the performance of the LECS and report on observations of low-energy absorption features in the spectra of both a low (MCG-6-30-15) and a high luminosity (3C 273) AGN. These features provide important diagnostics on the location and nature of the material surrounding the AGN. A comparison of LECS and ASCA/SIS low energy performance is also presented in the case of 3C 273.Comment: 5 pages. To appear in symposium proceedings: The Active X-Ray Sky, Rome, October 199

The UK scheduled express coach market – its economic structure and consequent entry, exit and operation by small and medium firms

Following deregulation of the UK inter-city coach market through the 1980 Transport Act the network is now dominated by two firms giving cause to question the success of the policy and the processes enabling competitive freedom. A policy cornerstone was contestability, and though market entry by small and medium sized coach firms in the UK has not been sustained in large quantities, deregulation has arguably been successful in maintaining low prices and stimulating innovation and quality improvements. The research examines potential reasons for the lack of multiple firm activity in the UK given the freedoms afforded by the market structure and tracks changes in the market. Consolidating early academic work and filling knowledge gaps with non-academic and trade press data, the research also outlines economic market structures that characterise the market across the research period and which have influenced the success of deregulation. The research compares subsequently liberalised European markets with the UK, examining factors that have stimulated and suppressed market entry. The conclusions focus on factors that are critical to market success, such as: the requirement for a comprehensive network to maximise efficiency and reach; strong demand in both service directions; brand awareness (local level and/or nationwide); e-commerce platforms, and financial resources to mitigate losses while building market share. The research finds that entry by small and medium sized firms can only be sustained if at least one of these factors are present. In parallel the research demonstrates movement through several economic structures by each market, in-part meeting objectives set by Governments, and results in a cyclical model to show the likely lifecycle of a liberalised inter-city coach market. The research finds that settled state structures have provided such freedom that large firms may now more easily compete (retaliate) or change business models (switching the main role of competition away from the open market to new monopsonistic sub-markets) with monopoly control remaining in the open market - a policy failure perhaps but maintaining the mode as a viable competitor in the public transport mix. The main research finding is how e-commerce has shaped liberalisation, shortening early competitive phases, altering travel behaviour, and raising customer expectations – all creating new barriers for smaller firms but seeing an increase in use, reach and coverage for large firms and new opportunities for 'virtual' providers