Spherical solid-propellant rocket motor Patent

Spherical solid propellant rocket engine desig

The mid-infrared spectrum of the transiting exoplanet HD 209458b

We report the spectroscopic detection of mid-infrared emission from the transiting exoplanet HD 209458b. Using archive data taken with the Spitzer/IRS instrument, we have determined the spectrum of HD 209458b between 7.46 and 15.25 microns. We have used two independent methods to determine the planet spectrum, one differential in wavelength and one absolute, and find the results are in good agreement. Over much of this spectral range, the planet spectrum is consistent with featureless thermal emission. Between 7.5 and 8.5 microns, we find evidence for an unidentified spectral feature. If this spectral modulation is due to absorption, it implies that the dayside vertical temperature profile of the planetary atmosphere is not entirely isothermal. Using the IRS data, we have determined the broad-band eclipse depth to be 0.00315 +/- 0.000315, implying significant redistribution of heat from the dayside to the nightside. This work required development of improved methods for Spitzer/IRS data calibration that increase the achievable absolute calibration precision and dynamic range for observations of bright point sources.Comment: 35 pages, 12 figures, revised version accepted by the Astrophysical Journa

A case study using ECHO(Extraction and Classification of Homogeneous Objects) for analysis of multispectral scanner data

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

Contextual classification of multispectral image data

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

The role of moral identity and regret on cheating in sport

Cheating in sport can have adverse interpersonal consequences and violate the ideal of fair play, which involves abiding by the rules when competing. To help develop effective methods to prevent cheating in sport, research is needed that identifies the psychological factors underpinning an athlete’s decision to cheat. The purpose of this multi-study research was to examine the role of moral identity and regret on cheating in sport. In Study 1, we used a cross-sectional design to examine relationships between moral identity, regret, and cheating attitudes. In Study 2, we used a field design to examine relationships between moral identity, regret, and cheating attitudes during competitive running races to win prize money. After awarding the prize money to the winners, we asked participants whether they would change their decision to cheat if given the opportunity. In Study 1, moral identity was directly and indirectly (via regret) related to cheating attitudes. In Study 2, participants who cheated reported lower moral identity, greater regret, and more favourable cheating attitudes than those who did not cheat. After the prizes were awarded to winners, those who did not cheat, but wanted to change their decision to cheat, reported greater feelings of regret compared to those not wanting to change their decision. In conclusion, cheating in sport elicits regret, which could modify future cheating behaviour. However, athletes may be more likely to cheat in future if they had chosen not to cheat and foregone a benefit

Materials for Biomedical Applications

This paper discusses two ceramic material systems for selective laser sintering (SLS) that are being developed for biomedical applications for use in repair of bone defects. SLS is the preferred method of fabricating ceramic implants that exhibit well defined porous microstructures. Implants fabricated in this. manner have proven effective in-vivo showing excellent biocompatibility as well as considerable osseous integration and remodeling of the imp'ant materialMechanical Engineerin

The First Data Release of the KODIAQ Survey

We present and make publicly available the first data release (DR1) of the Keck Observatory Database of Ionized Absorption toward Quasars (KODIAQ) survey. The KODIAQ survey is aimed at studying galactic and circumgalactic gas in absorption at high-redshift, with a focus on highly-ionized gas traced by OVI, using the HIRES spectrograph on the Keck-I telescope. KODIAQ DR1 consists of a fully-reduced sample of 170 quasars at 0.29 < z_em < 5.29 observed with HIRES at high resolution (36,000 <= R <= 103,000) between 2004 and 2012. DR1 contains 247 spectra available in continuum normalized form, representing a sum total exposure time of ~1.6 megaseconds. These co-added spectra arise from a total of 567 individual exposures of quasars taken from the Keck Observatory Archive (KOA) in raw form and uniformly processed using a HIRES data reduction package made available through the XIDL distribution. DR1 is publicly available to the community, housed as a higher level science product at the KOA. We will provide future data releases that make further QSOs, including those with pre-2004 observations taken with the previous-generation HIRES detectors.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures, Submitted to AJ. All data products available at the Keck Observatory Archive beginning May 15, 2015. URL: https://koa.ipac.caltech.edu/applications/KODIA

High-Calcium Limestone Deposits of Cumberland Valley, Pennsylvania

Author Institution: University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MinnesotaHigh-calcium limestones occur in the upper part of the New Market Formation, of Lower Middle Ordovician age, in Franklin and Cumberland Counties, Pennsylvania. The high-calcium facies of the New Market Formation is represented by sublithographic limestone or vaughanite, which probably formed in quiet water, low-energy environments such as intershoal lagoons, or in protected bays similar to the present-day Florida Bay environment. Rapid facies changes are characteristic of the strata. The better grade of stone lies in the upper 100 to 125 feet of the New Market Formation and averages 95-97% calcium carbonate. Silica and magnesia are about equal in amount as impurities. One high-calcium belt extends from the Maryland state line through Chambersburg and Newville to beyond Carlisle. The strata in this belt are structurally complex, which requires careful field study and core-drilling prior to exploitation. Stone suitable for blast-furnace flux is present in relatively large amounts, but stone for open-hearth use or portland cement requires more selective quarrying

Fatigue crack initiation and small crack growth in several airframe alloys

The growth of naturally-initiated small cracks under a variety of constant amplitude and variable amplitude load sequences is examined for several airframe materials: the conventional aluminum alloys, 2024-T3 and 7075-T6, the aluminum-lithium alloy, 2090-T8E41, and 4340 steel. Loading conditions investigated include constant amplitude loading at R = 0.5, 0, -1 and -2 and the variable amplitude sequences FALSTAFF, Mini-TWIST and FELIX/28. Crack growth was measured at the root of semicircular edge notches using acetate replicas. Crack growth rates are compared on a stress intensity factor basis, to those for large cracks to evaluate the extent of the small crack effect in each alloy. In addition, the various alloys are compared on a crack initiation and crack growth morphology basis

An effective elastic thickness map of Australia from wavelet transforms of gravity and topography using Forsyth's method

We have developed a wavelet version of Forsyth's coherence method for estimating the effective elasticthickness (T e) of the lithosphere from gravity and topography. We have previously shown that the 'fan' wavelet is particularly well suited to making localised coherence estimates and here we progress the method by showing how the coherence can be modelled by using the wavelet transforms of gravity and topography to infer the initial loads that flex the plate. The effectiveness of the method is demonstrated on synthetic data from a model having a rectangular area of large T e embedded in a uniform low T e surrounding, and a load ratio that increases with wave number. The results for the Australia region show a 'core' of high T e under north and central Australia, with much lower values to the east and also, unexpectedly, under the western parts of the Yilgarn and Pilbara cratons