4,276 research outputs found
SIMS chemical analysis of extended impacts on the leading and trailing edges of LDEF experiment AO187-2
Numerous 'extended impacts' found in both leading and trailing edge capture cells were successfully analyzed for the chemical composition of projectile residues by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Most data were obtained from the trailing edge cells where 45 of 58 impacts were classified as 'probably natural' and the remainder as 'possibly man-made debris.' This is in striking contrast to leading edge cells where 9 of 11 impacts so far measured are definitely classified as orbital debris. Although all the leading edge cells had lost their plastic entrance foils during flight, the rate of foil failure was similar to that of the trailing edge cells, 10 percent of which were recovered intact. Ultraviolet embrittlement is suspected as the major cause of failure on both leading and trailing edges. The major impediment to the accurate determination of projectile chemistry is the fractionation of volatile and refractory elements in the hypervelocity impact and redeposition processes. This effect had been noted in a simulation experiment but is more pronounced in the LDEF capture cells, probably due to the higher average velocities of the space impacts. Surface contamination of the pure Ge surfaces with a substance rich in Si, but also containing Mg and Al, provides an additional problem for the accurate determination of impactor chemistry. The effect is variable, being much larger on surfaces that were exposed to space than in those cells that remained intact. Future work will concentrate on the analyses of more leading edge impacts and the development of new SIMS techniques for the measurement of elemental abundances in extended impacts
Operations on integral lifts of K(n)
This very rough sketch is a sequel to arXiv:1808.08587; it presents evidence
that operations on lifts of the functors K(n) to cohomology theories with
values in modules over valuation rings of local number fields, indexed by
Lubin-Tate groups of such fields, are extensions of the groups of automorphisms
of the indexing group laws, by the exterior algebras on the normal bundle to
the orbits of the group laws in the space of lifts.Comment: \S 2.0 hopefully less cryptic. To appear in the proceedings of the
2015 Nagoya conference honoring T Ohkawa. Comments very welcome
Verification of a many-ion simulator of the Dicke model through slow quenches across a phase transition
We use a self-assembled two-dimensional Coulomb crystal of ions in
the presence of an external transverse field to engineer a simulator of the
Dicke Hamiltonian, an iconic model in quantum optics which features a quantum
phase transition between a superradiant/ferromagnetic and a normal/paramagnetic
phase. We experimentally implement slow quenches across the quantum critical
point and benchmark the dynamics and the performance of the simulator through
extensive theory-experiment comparisons which show excellent agreement. The
implementation of the Dicke model in fully controllable trapped ion arrays can
open a path for the generation of highly entangled states useful for enhanced
metrology and the observation of scrambling and quantum chaos in a many-body
system.Comment: 6 + 5 pages, 2 + 5 figures. arXiv admin note: substantial text
overlap with arXiv:1711.0739
Social presence in the 21st Century: an adjustment to the Community of Inquiry framework
The Community of Inquiry framework, originally proposed by Garrison, Anderson and Archer (2000) identifies teaching, social and cognitive presences as central to a successful online educational experience. This article presents the findings of a study conducted in Uruguay between 2007 and 2010. The research aimed to establish the role of cognitive, social and teaching presences in the professional development of 40 English language teachers on Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programmes delivered in blended learning settings. The findings suggest that teaching presence and cognitive presence have themselves 'become social'. The research points to social presence as a major lever for engagement, sense-making and peer support. Based on the patterns identified in the study, this article puts forward an adjustment to the Community of Inquiry framework, which shows social presence as more prominent within the teaching and cognitive constructs than the original version of the framework suggests
L^2-Betti numbers of one-relator groups
We determine the L^2-Betti numbers of all one-relator groups and all
surface-plus-one-relation groups (surface-plus-one-relation groups were
introduced by Hempel who called them one-relator surface groups). In particular
we show that for all such groups G, the L^2-Betti numbers b_n^{(2)}(G) are 0
for all n>1. We also obtain some information about the L^2-cohomology of
left-orderable groups, and deduce the non-L^2 result that, in any
left-orderable group of homological dimension one, all two-generator subgroups
are free.Comment: 18 pages, version 3, minor changes. To appear in Math. An
Towards an urban marine ecology: Characterizing the drivers, patterns, and processes of marine ecosystems in coastal cities
This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Wiley via the DOI in this record Human population density within 100 km of the sea is approximately three times higher than the global average. People in this zone are concentrated in coastal cities that are hubs for transport and trade – which transform the marine environment. Here, we review the impacts of three interacting drivers of marine urbanization (resource exploitation, pollution pathways and ocean sprawl) and discuss key characteristics that are symptomatic of urban marine ecosystems. Current evidence suggests these systems comprise spatially heterogeneous mosaics with respect to artificial structures, pollutants and community composition, while also undergoing biotic homogenization over time. Urban marine ecosystem dynamics are often influenced by several commonly observed patterns and processes, including the loss of foundation species, changes in biodiversity and productivity, and the establishment of novel assemblages, ruderal species and synanthropes. Further, we discuss potential urban acclimatization and adaptation among marine taxa, interactive effects of climate change and marine urbanization, and ecological engineering strategies for enhancing urban marine ecosystems. By assimilating research findings across disparate disciplines, we aim to build the groundwork for urban marine ecology – a nascent field; we also discuss research challenges and future directions for this new field as it advances and matures. Ultimately, all sides of coastal city design: architecture, urban planning, and civil and municipal engineering, will need to prioritize the marine environment if negative effects of urbanization are to be minimized. In particular, planning strategies that account for the interactive effects of urban drivers and accommodate complex system dynamics could enhance the ecological and human functions of future urban marine ecosystems.National Research Foundation, Prime Minister’s Office SingaporeUS National Science Foundatio
Quality improvement activities associated with organisational capacity in general practice
Copyright © 2007 Australian College of General Practitioners Copyright to Australian Family Physician. Reproduced with permission. Permission to reproduce must be sought from the publisher, The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.BACKGROUND Clinical audit is recognised worldwide as a useful tool for quality improvement. METHODS A feedback report profiling capacity for chronic disease care was sent to 97 general practices. These practices were invited to complete a clinical audit activity based on that feedback. Data were analysed quantitatively and case studies were developed based on the free text responses. RESULTS Eighty-two (33%) of 247 general practitioners participated in the clinical audit process, representing 57 (59%) of 97 general practices. From the data in their feedback report, 37 (65%) of the 57 practices recognised the area most in need of improvement. This was most likely where the need related to clinical practice or teamwork, and least likely where the need related to linkages with other services, and business and finance. Only 25 practices (46%) developed an action plan related to their recognised area for improvement, and 22 (39%) practices implemented their chosen activity. Participating GPs judged that change activity focused on teamwork was most successful. DISCUSSION The clinical audit process offered participating GPs and practices an opportunity to reflect on their performance across a number of key areas and to implement change to enhance the practice’s capacity for quality chronic disease care. The relationship between need and action was weak, suggesting a need for greater support to overcome barriers.Cheryl Amoroso, Judy Proudfoot, Tanya Bubner, Edward Swan, Paola Espinel, Christopher Barton, Justin Beilby and Mark Harri
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