Ultra-dense magnetoresistive mass memory

This report details the progress and accomplishments of Nonvolatile Electronics (NVE), Inc., on the design of the wafer scale MRAM mass memory system during the fifth quarter of the project. NVE has made significant progress this quarter on the one megabit design in several different areas. A test chip, which will verify a working GMR bit with the dimensions required by the 1 Meg chip, has been designed, laid out, and is currently being processed in the NVE labs. This test chip will allow electrical specifications, tolerances, and processing issues to be finalized before construction of the actual chip, thus providing a greater assurance of success of the final 1 Meg design. A model has been developed to accurately simulate the parasitic effects of unselected sense lines. This model gives NVE the ability to perform accurate simulations of the array electronic and test different design concepts. Much of the circuit design for the 1 Meg chip has been completed and simulated and these designs are included. Progress has been made in the wafer scale design area to verify the reliable operation of the 16 K macrocell. This is currently being accomplished with the design and construction of two stand alone test systems which will perform life tests and gather data on reliabiliy and wearout mechanisms for analysis

Thermodynamics of lattice QCD with 3 flavours of colour-sextet quarks

We have been studying QCD with 2 flavours of colour-sextet quarks to distinguish whether it is QCD-like or conformal. For comparison we are now studying QCD with 3 flavours of colour-sextet quarks, which is believed to be conformal in the chiral limit. Here we present the results of simulations of lattice QCD with 3 colour-sextet quarks at finite temperatures on lattices of temporal extent $N_t=4$ and 6, with masses small enough to yield access to the chiral limit. As for the 2-flavour case, we find well-separated deconfinement and chiral-symmetry restoration transitions, both of which move to appreciably weaker couplings as $N_t$ is increased from 4 to 6. If this theory is conformal, we would expect there to be a bulk chiral transition at a fixed coupling. For this reason we conclude that for $N_t=4$ and 6, the chiral and hence the deconfinement transitions are in the strong-coupling domain where the theory is essentially quenched. The similarity between the behaviours of the 2 and 3 flavour theories suggested that the $N_t=4$ and 6 transitions for the 2-flavour theory also lie in the strong-coupling domain. The phase structure of both theories is very similar.Comment: 17 pages Latex(Revtex), 7 postscript figure

Extended Daylength to Increase Fall/Winter Yields of Warm-Season Perennial Grasses

Low forage production in fall/winter months is a severe limitation for dairy and beef cattle producers in the southeastern U.S. It was hypothesized that shrt daylengths during these months induce a physiological dormancy in grasses. Four grasses [Pensacola bahiagrass, Paspalum notatum Flugge; Tifton 85 and Florakirk bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon (L.); Florona stargrass, C. nlemfuensis Vanderyst var. nlemfuensis] were subjected to extended daylengths during the winter/fall months in a field test. Pensacola bahiagrass and Tifton 85 bermudagrass showed especially dramatic increases in forage yield during the fall/winter season under the extended daylength. Genetic elimination of daylength sensitivity in these grasses appears to be a viable option for increasing year-round forage production

Persistent Decadal-Scale Rainfall Variability in the Tropical South Pacific Convergence Zone Through the Past Six Centuries

Modern Pacific decadal variability (PDV) has global impacts; hence records of PDV from the pre-instrumental period are needed to better inform models that are used to project future climate variability. We focus here on reconstructing rainfall in the western tropical Pacific (Solomon Islands; similar to 9.5 degrees S, similar to 160 degrees E), a region directly influenced by PDV, using cave deposits (stalagmite). A relationship is developed between delta O-18 variations in the stalagmite and local rainfall amount to produce a 600 yr record of rainfall variability from the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ). We present evidence for large (similar to 1.5 m), abrupt, and periodic changes in total annual rainfall amount on decadal to multidecadal timescales since 1423 +/- 5 CE (Common Era) in the Solomon Islands. The timing of the decadal changes in rainfall inferred from the 20th-century portion of the stalagmite delta O-18 record coincides with previously identified decadal shifts in PDV-related Pacific ocean-atmosphere behavior (Clement et al., 2011; Deser et al., 2004). The Solomons record of PDV is not associated with variations in external forcings, but rather results from internal climate variability. The 600 yr Solomon Islands stalagmite delta O-18 record indicates that decadal oscillations in rainfall are a persistent characteristic of SPCZ-related climate variability.Taiwan ROC NSCNTU 101-2116-M-002-009, 102-2116-M-002-016, 101R7625Geological Science

NASTRAN as an analytical research tool for composite mechanics and composite structures

Selected examples are described in which NASTRAN is used as an analysis research tool for composite mechanics and for composite structural components. The examples were selected to illustrate the importance of using NASTRAN as an analysis tool in this rapidly advancing field

Small Leaf Mid-Rib Xylem Related to Leaf Freeze Tolerance Trait in Bahia (\u3cem\u3ePaspalum Notatum\u3c/em\u3e Flugge) Grass Lines

Controlled freeze (-60o C) trials of 31 bahiagrass selections from a breeding program for cold tolerance by Blount et al. (2001) showed diverse genotype Leaf Tissue Cold Damage (LTCD). Breman et al. (2003) defined LTCD on a rating scale (1 = no damage to 9 = 100% leaf damage). Unique midrib damage was observed as part of LTCD in bahiagrass under transpiration stress after a freeze trial. Small xylem conduit diameter and area has been strongly correlated with reduced cavitation caused by freeze thaw cycles which maintain leaf tissue in evergreen temperate woody plants; further shown in twelve woody species by Davis et al. (1999). Air bubbles in vessel ice columns prevent normal refill and function upon thawing. The purpose of this study was to test whether genotype xylem diameter and area could be used to predict LTCD

ArCLight - a Compact Dielectric Large-Area Photon Detector

ArCLight is a novel device for detecting scintillation light over large areas with Photon Detection Efficiency (PDE) of the order of a few percent. Its robust technological design allows for efficient use in large-volume particle detectors, such as Liquid Argon Time Projection Chambers (LArTPCs) or liquid scintillator detectors. Due to its dielectric structure it can be placed inside volumes with high electric field. It could potentially replace vacuum PhotoMultiplier Tubes (PMTs) in applications where high PDE is not required. The photon detection efficiency for a 10x10cm2 detector prototype was measured to be in the range of 0.8% to 2.2% across the active area

The effect of mountain bike wheel size on Cross-Country performance

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of different wheel size diameters on indicators of cross-country mountain bike time trial performance. Nine competitive male mountain bikers (age 34.7 ± 10.7 years; stature 177.7 ± 5.6 cm; body mass 73.2 ± 8.6 kg) performed 1 lap of a 3.48 km mountain bike (MTB) course as fast as possible on 26″, 27.5″ and 29″ wheeled MTB. Time (s), mean power (W), cadence (revs · min−1) and velocity (km · h−1) were recorded for the whole lap and during ascent and descent sections. One-way repeated measure ANOVA was used to determine significant differences. Results revealed no significant main effects for any variables by wheel size during all trials, with the exception of cadence during the descent (F(2, 16) = 8.96; P = .002; P2 = .53). Post hoc comparisons revealed differences lay between the 26″ and 29″ wheels (P = .02). The findings indicate that wheel size does not significantly influence performance during cross-country when ridden by trained mountain bikers, and that wheel choice is likely due to personal choice or sponsorship commitments

Thermal limits of summer-collected Pardosa wolf spiders (Araneae: Lycosidae) from the Yukon Territory and Greenland

Arctic and sub-Arctic terrestrial ectotherms contend with large daily and seasonal temperature ranges. However, there are few data available on the thermal biology of these high-latitude species, especially arachnids. We determined the lower and upper thermal limits of seven species of wolf spider from the genus Pardosa (Araneae: Lycosidae) collected in summer from the Yukon Territory (Canada) and Southern Greenland. None of these species survived freezing, and while spiderlings appeared freeze-avoidant, surviving to their supercooling point (SCP, the temperature at which they spontaneously freeze), chill-susceptible adults and juveniles died at temperatures above their SCP. The critical thermal minimum (CTmin, the lower temperature of activity) and SCP were very close (spiders continued moving until they freeze), and at − 5.4 to − 8.4 °C, are not substantially lower than those of lower-latitude species. The SCP of spiderlings was significantly lower than that of overwintering juveniles or adults, likely because of their small size. There was no systematic variation in SCP among collection sites, latitude, or species. Critical thermal maxima (CTmax) ranged from + 42.3 to + 46.8 °C, showed no systematic patterns of variation, and were also similar to those of lower-latitude relatives. Overall, heat tolerances of the Pardosa spp. were likely sufficient to tolerate even very warm Arctic summer temperatures, but cold tolerance is probably inadequate to survive winter conditions. We expect that seasonal thermal plasticity is necessary for overwintering in these species