Saran film is fire-retardant in oxygen atmosphere

Saran was tested for flammability as a wrapping on TFE-insulated electrical wire bundles in oxygen gas at pressures of 7.5 psia and 14.7 psia. It was found to be fire retardant or self-extinguishing in most instances

Expansionfree Fluid Evolution and Skripkin Model in f(R) Theory

We consider the modified $f(R)$ theory of gravity whose higher order curvature terms are interpreted as a gravitational fluid or dark source. The gravitational collapse of a spherically symmetric star, made up of locally anisotropic viscous fluid, is studied under the general influence of the curvature fluid. Dynamical equations and junction conditions are modified in the context of f(R) dark energy and by taking into account the expansionfree evolution of the self-gravitating fluid. As a particular example, the Skripkin model is investigated which corresponds to isotropic pressure with constant energy density. The results are compared with corresponding results in General Relativity.Comment: 18 pages, accepted for publication Int. J. Mod. Phys.

Dynamics of Viscous Dissipative Plane Symmetric Gravitational Collapse

We present dynamical description of gravitational collapse in view of Misner and Sharp's formalism. Matter under consideration is a complicated fluid consistent with plane symmetry which we assume to undergo dissipation in the form of heat flow, radiation, shear and bulk viscosity. Junction conditions are studied for a general spacetime in the interior and Vaidya spacetime in the exterior regions. Dynamical equations are obtained and coupled with causal transport equations derived in context of M$\ddot{u}$ller Israel Stewart theory. The role of dissipative quantities over collapse is investigated.Comment: 17 pages, accepted for publication in Gen. Relativ. Gra

Charging Interacting Rotating Black Holes in Heterotic String Theory

We present a formulation of the stationary bosonic string sector of the whole toroidally compactified effective field theory of the heterotic string as a double Ernst system which, in the framework of General Relativity describes, in particular, a pair of interacting spinning black holes; however, in the framework of low--energy string theory the double Ernst system can be particularly interpreted as the rotating field configuration of two interacting sources of black hole type coupled to dilaton and Kalb--Ramond fields. We clarify the rotating character of the $B_{t\phi}$--component of the antisymmetric tensor field of Kalb--Ramond and discuss on its possible torsion nature. We also recall the fact that the double Ernst system possesses a discrete symmetry which is used to relate physically different string vacua. Therefore we apply the normalized Harrison transformation (a charging symmetry which acts on the target space of the low--energy heterotic string theory preserving the asymptotics of the transformed fields and endowing them with multiple electromagnetic charges) on a generic solution of the double Ernst system and compute the generated field configurations for the 4D effective field theory of the heterotic string. This transformation generates the $U(1)^n$ vector field content of the whole low--energy heterotic string spectrum and gives rise to a pair of interacting rotating black holes endowed with dilaton, Kalb--Ramond and multiple electromagnetic fields where the charge vectors are orthogonal to each other.Comment: 15 pages in latex, revised versio

Static cylindrical symmetry and conformal flatness

We present the whole set of equations with regularity and matching conditions required for the description of physically meaningful static cylindrically symmmetric distributions of matter, smoothly matched to Levi-Civita vacuum spacetime. It is shown that the conformally flat solution with equal principal stresses represents an incompressible fluid. It is also proved that any conformally flat cylindrically symmetric static source cannot be matched through Darmois conditions to the Levi-Civita spacetime. Further evidence is given that when the Newtonian mass per unit length reaches 1/2 the spacetime has plane symmetry.Comment: 13 pages, Late

The Effects of Music Genre on Cycling Performance and Perceived Exertion

Many people claim that music enhances their exercise experience. To our knowledge, no studies have analyzed the effect of music genre on exercise performance and perceived effort. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of music genre on effort as well as perceived exertion while exercising. Methods: Eighteen untrained individuals, age 18-22, participated in this study. Participants performed two 25-minute exercise trials on a Monark bicycle ergometer. Participants were randomized to a music genre (either hip-hop, country or classical) and to condition (music or no music). Rating of perceived exertion (RPE), heart rate (HR), and resistance were recorded for the first ten minutes, while the same three measures and total calories burned were recorded for the final fifteen. Results: No significant difference was found in RPE between music and no music (p=0.477). The results of the Tukey post-hoc showed a significant increase in caloric expenditure between country music and hip-hop music (p=.008). There were no differences in RPE (F2,17=1.45, p=0.265) and music preference (F2,17=3.21, p=0.069) across genre. Conclusion: Based on these results, exercise performance and perceived effort were similar with or without music. When examining the effects of music genre, listening to country music increased caloric expenditure when compared to hip-hop music

Experimental investigation of a variable speed constant frequency electric generating system from a utility perspective

As efforts are accelerated to improve the overall capability and performance of wind electric systems, increased attention to variable speed configurations has developed. A number of potentially viable configurations have emerged. Various attributes of variable speed systems need to be carefully tested to evaluate their performance from the utility points of view. With this purpose, the NASA experimental variable speed constant frequency (VSCF) system has been tested. In order to determine the usefulness of these systems in utility applications, tests are required to resolve issues fundamental to electric utility systems. Legitimate questions exist regarding how variable speed generators will influence the performance of electric utility systems; therefore, tests from a utility perspective, have been performed on the VSCF system and an induction generator at an operating power level of 30 kW on a system rated at 200 kVA and 0.8 power factor

A search for radio pulsars and fast transients in M31 using the WSRT

We present the results of the most sensitive and comprehensive survey yet undertaken for radio pulsars and fast transients in the Andromeda galaxy (M31) and its satellites, using the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) at a central frequency of 328 MHz. We used the WSRT in a special configuration called 8gr8 (eight-grate) mode, which provides a large instantaneous field-of-view, about 5 square degrees per pointing, with good sensitivity, long dwell times (up to 8 hours per pointing), and good spatial resolution (a few arc minutes) for locating sources. We have searched for both periodicities and single pulses in our data, aiming to detect bright, persistent radio pulsars and rotating radio transients (RRATs) of either Galactic or extragalactic origin. Our searches did not reveal any confirmed periodic signals or bright single bursts from (potentially) cosmological distances. However, we do report the detection of several single pulse events, some repeating at the same dispersion measure, which could potentially originate from neutron stars in M31. One in particular was seen multiple times, including a burst of six pulses in 2000 seconds, at a dispersion measure of 54.7 pc cm^-3, which potentially places the origin of this source outside of our Galaxy. Our results are compared to a range of hypothetical populations of pulsars and RRATs in M31 and allow us to constrain the luminosity function of pulsars in M31. They also show that, unless the pulsar population in M31 is much dimmer than in our Galaxy, there is no need to invoke any violation of the inverse square law of the distance for pulsar fluxes.Comment: 18 pages, 14 figures, 8 tables. Accepted for publication in the main journal of MNRA

Projection of distributed-collector solar-thermal electric power plant economics to years 1990-2000

A preliminary comparative evaluation of distributed-collector solar thermal power plants was undertaken by projecting power plant economics of selected systems to the 1990 to 2000 time frame. The selected systems include: (1) fixed orientation collectors with concentrating reflectors and vacuum tube absorbers, (2) one axis tracking linear concentrator including parabolic trough and variable slat designs, and (3) two axis tracking parabolic dish systems including concepts with small heat engine-electric generator assemblies at each focal point as well as approaches having steam generators at the focal point with pipeline collection to a central power conversion unit. Comparisons are presented primarily in terms of energy cost and capital cost over a wide range of operating load factors. Sensitvity of energy costs for a range of efficiency and cost of major subsystems/components is presented to delineate critical technological development needs