Directory of aerospace safety specialized information sources

Directory aids safety specialists in locating information sources and individual experts in engineering-related fields. Lists 170 organizations and approximately 300 individuals who can provide safety-related technical information in form of documentation, data, and consulting expertise. Information on hazard and failure cause identification, accident analysis, and materials characteristics are covered

A universal approach for drainage basins

Drainage basins are essential to Geohydrology and Biodiversity. Defining those regions in a simple, robust and efficient way is a constant challenge in Earth Science. Here, we introduce a model to delineate multiple drainage basins through an extension of the Invasion Percolation-Based Algorithm (IPBA). In order to prove the potential of our approach, we apply it to real and artificial datasets. We observe that the perimeter and area distributions of basins and anti-basins display long tails extending over several orders of magnitude and following approximately power-law behaviors. Moreover, the exponents of these power laws depend on spatial correlations and are invariant under the landscape orientation, not only for terrestrial, but lunar and martian landscapes. The terrestrial and martian results are statistically identical, which suggests that a hypothetical martian river would present similarity to the terrestrial rivers. Finally, we propose a theoretical value for the Hack's exponent based on the fractal dimension of watersheds, $\gamma=D/2$. We measure $\gamma=0.54 \pm 0.01$ for Earth, which is close to our estimation of $\gamma \approx 0.55$. Our study suggests that Hack's law can have its origin purely in the maximum and minimum lines of the landscapes.Comment: 20 pages, 6 Figures, and 1 Tabl

Entropy-based measure of structural order in water

We analyze the nature of the structural order established in liquid TIP4P water in the framework provided by the multi-particle correlation expansion of the statistical entropy. Different regimes are mapped onto the phase diagram of the model upon resolving the pair entropy into its translational and orientational components. These parameters are used to quantify the relative amounts of positional and angular order in a given thermodynamic state, thus allowing a structurally unbiased definition of low-density and high-density water. As a result, the structurally anomalous region within which both types of order are simultaneously disrupted by an increase of pressure at constant temperature is clearly identified through extensive molecular-dynamics simulations.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. E (Rapid Communication

Modal Features and Dynamic Behavior of a Nonlinear 3D Guyed Mast with Uncertain Guys Pretension

The study of the nonlinear dynamic characteristics and response of a guyed mast, considering the uncertainty of the guys pretension is reported in this work. A computational model is constructed with the mast represented by an equivalent beam-column and the three guys at one level by cables with an initial pretension and only having tensile capacity. Starting from the energy formulation of beams and nonlinear cables, the continuous equations are discretized using finite element techniques, considering Hermite elements for the mast (Bernoulli beam theory) and quadratic elements for the nonlinear guys. Also, the second order effect due to the axial loads on the mast is taken into account. An ad hoc software, developed by the first author, is employed here to explore natural frequencies and modes of the structure considering the uncertainty propagation of the stochastic guys pretension. Since the guys design value can be modified at the construction stage and more, during the service life, the pretension force is modeled as a random variable with a probability density function (PDF) derived from the Principle of Maximum Entropy (PME). The model herein presented contributes to attain a more realistic description of the structure, mainly regarding the three-dimensional representation and the sensibility to the variability of the guys pretensions. The results here presented (natural frequencies and modes) obtained through an uncertainty quantification analysis, improve the understanding of the real dynamic properties and behavior of slender and flexible guyed structures.Publicado en: Mecánica Computacional vol. XXXV, no. 21Facultad de Ingenierí

Directory of aerospace safety specialized information sources

A directory is presented to make available to the aerospace safety community a handbook of organizations and experts in specific, well-defined areas of safety technology. It is designed for the safety specialist as an aid for locating both information sources and individual points of contact (experts) in engineering related fields. The file covers sources of data in aerospace design, tests, as well as information in hazard and failure cause identification, accident analysis, materials characteristics, and other related subject areas. These 171 organizations and their staff members, hopefully, should provide technical information in the form of documentation, data and consulting expertise. These will be sources that have assembled and collated their information, so that it will be useful in the solution of engineering problems. One of the goals of the project in the United States that have and are willing to share data of value to the aerospace safety community

Augmentation of cytotoxic drug action and X-irradiation by antibodies.

The effect of an antiserum containing antibodies against cell surface components of PyBHK cells on the action of certain anticancer agents has been studied using a colony formation inhibition assay. The effects of x-rays, chlorambucil, CCNU and possibly ICRF 159 are augmented by the antiserum whereas methotrexate and vinblastine are not