Solar cell radiation handbook

The handbook to predict the degradation of solar cell electrical performance in any given space radiation environment is presented. Solar cell theory, cell manufacturing and how they are modeled mathematically are described. The interaction of energetic charged particles radiation with solar cells is discussed and the concept of 1 MeV equivalent electron fluence is introduced. The space radiation environment is described and methods of calculating equivalent fluences for the space environment are developed. A computer program was written to perform the equivalent fluence calculations and a FORTRAN listing of the program is included. Data detailing the degradation of solar cell electrical parameters as a function of 1 MeV electron fluence are presented

3-dimensional Gravity from the Turaev-Viro Invariant

We study the $q$-deformed su(2) spin network as a 3-dimensional quantum gravity model. We show that in the semiclassical continuum limit the Turaev-Viro invariant obtained recently defines naturally regularized path-integral $\grave{\rm a}$ la Ponzano-Regge, In which a contribution from the cosmological term is effectively included. The regularization dependent cosmological constant is found to be ${4\pi^2\over k^2} +O(k^{-4})$, where $q^{2k}=1$. We also discuss the relation to the Euclidean Chern-Simons-Witten gravity in 3-dimension.Comment: 11page

Dipole anisotropies of IRAS galaxies and the contribution of a large-scale local void

Recent observations of dipole anisotropies show that the velocity of the Local Group (\Vec v_{\rm G}) induced by the clustering of IRAS galax ies has an amplitude and direction similar to those of the velocity of Cosmic Microwave Background dipole anisotropy (\Vec v_{\rm CMB}), but the difference | \Vec v_{\rm G} - \Vec v_{\rm CMB} | is still $\sim 170$ km/s, which is about 28% of |\Vec v_{\rm CMB} |. Here we consider the possibility that the origin of this difference comes from a hypothetical large-scale local void, with which we can account for the accelerating behavior of type Ia supernovae due to the spatial inhomogeneity of the Hubble constant without dark energies and derive the constraint to the model parameters of the local void. It is found as a result that the distance between the Local Group and the center of the void must be $(10 -- 20) h^{-1}$ Mpc, whose accurate value depends on the background model parameters.Comment: 13 pages, 1 figure, to be published in ApJ 584, No.2 (2003

Superconductivity induced by longitudinal ferromagnetic fluctuations in UCoGe

From detailed angle-resolved NMR and Meissner measurements on a ferromagnetic (FM) superconductor UCoGe (T_Curie ~ 2.5 K and T_SC ~ 0.6 K), we show that superconductivity in UCoGe is tightly coupled with longitudinal FM spin fluctuations along the c axis. We found that magnetic fields along the c axis (H || c) strongly suppress the FM fluctuations and that the superconductivity is observed in the limited magnetic field region where the longitudinal FM spin fluctuations are active. These results combined with model calculations strongly suggest that the longitudinal FM spin fluctuations tuned by H || c induce the unique spin-triplet superconductivity in UCoGe. This is the first clear example that FM fluctuations are intimately related with superconductivity.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, to appear in PR

Describing Function Inversion: Theory and Computational Techniques

In the last few years the study of nonlinear mechanics has received the attention of numerous investigators, either under the scope of pure mathematics or from the engineering point of view. Many of the recent developments are based on the early works of H. Poincare [1] and A. Liapunov [2] As examples can be cited the perturbation method, harmonic balance, the second method of Liapunov, etc. An approximate technique developed almost simultaneously by C. Goldfarb [3] in the USSR, A. Tustin [4] in England, R. Kochenburger [5] in the USA, W, Oppelt [6] in Germany and J. Dutilh [7] and C. Ecary [8] in France, known as the describing function technique, can be considered as the graphical solution of the first approximation of the method of the harmonic balance. The describing function technique has reached great popularity, principally because of the relative ease of computation involved and the general usefulness of the method in engineering problems. However, in the past, the describing function technique has been useful only in analysis. More exactly, it is a powerful tool for the investigation of the possible existence of limit cycles and their approximate amplitudes and frequencies. Several extensions have been developed from the original describing function technique. Among these can be cited the dual-input describing function, J. C. Douce et al. [9]; the Gaussian-input describing function, R. C, Booton [10]; and the root-mean-square describing function, J. E. Gibson and K. S. Prasanna-Kumar [11]. In a recent work which employs the describing function, C. M„ Shen [12] gives one example of stabilization of a nonlinear system by introducing a saturable feedback. However, Shen’s work cannot be qualified as a synthesis method since he fixes a priori the nonlinearity to be introduced in the feedback loop. A refinement of the same principle used by Shen has been proposed by R. Haussler [13] The goal of this new method of synthesis is to find the describing function of the element being synthesized. Therefore, for Haussler’s method to be useful, a way must be found to reconstruct the nonlinearity from its describing function. This is called the inverse-describing-function-problem and is essentially a synthesis problem. This is not the only ease in which the inverse-describing-function-problem can be useful. Sometimes, in order to find the input-output characteristic of a physical nonlinear element, a harmonic test can be easier to perform rather than a static one (which also may be insufficient). The purpose of this report is to present the results of research on a question which may then be concisely stated as; If the describing function of a nonlinear element is known, what is the nonlinearity? The question may be divided into two parts, the first part being the determination of the restrictions on the nonlinearity (or its describing function) necessary to insure that the question has an answer, and the second part the practical determination of that answer when it exists. Accordingly, the material in this report is presented in two parts. Part I is concerned with determining what types of nonlinearities are (and what types are not) uniquely determined by their conventional (fundamental) describing function. This is done by first showing the non-uniqueness in general of the describing function, and then constructing a class of null functions with respect to the describing function integral, i.e., a class of nonlinearities not identically zero whose describing functions are identically zero. The defining equations of the describing function are transformed in such a manner as to reduce the inverse describing function problem to the problem of solving a Volterra integral equation, an approach similar to that used by Zadeh [18]. The remainder of Part I presents the solution of the integral equations and studies the effect of including higher order harmonics in the description of the output ware shape. The point of interest here is that inclusion of the second harmonic may cause the describing function to become uniquely invertible in some cases. Part II presents practical numerical techniques for effecting the inversion of types of describing functions resulting from various engineering assumptions as to the probable form of the nonlinearities from which said describing functions were determined. The most general method is numerical evaluation of the solution to the Volterra integral equations developed in Part I, A second method, which is perhaps the easiest to apply, requires a least squares curve fit to the given describing function data. Then use is made of the fact that the describing function of a polynomial nonlinearity is itself a polynomial to calculate the coefficients in a polynomial approximation to the nonlinearity. This approach is indicated when one expects that the nonlinearity is a smooth curve, such as a cubic characteristic. The third method presented assumes that the nonlinearity can be approximated by a piecewise linear discontinuous function, and the slopes and y-axis intercepts of each linear segment are computed. This approach is indicated when one expects a nonlinearity with relatively sharp corners. It may toe remarked that the polynomial approximation and the piecewise linear approximation are derived independently of the material in Part I. All three methods presented in Part II are suited for use with experimental data as well as with analytic expressions for the describing functions involved. Indeed, an analytical expression must toe reduced to discrete data for the machine methods to the of use. To the best of the authors® knowledge, research in the area of describing function inversion has been nonexistent with the exception of Zadeh’s paper [18] in 1956. It seems that a larger effort in this area would toe desirable in the light of recent extensions of the describing function itself to signal stabilization of nonlinear control systems by Oldentourger and Sridhar [19] and Boyer [20] and the less restrictive study of dual-input describing functions for nonautonomous systems by Gibson and Sridhar [21]. There presently exist techniques for determining a desired describing function for use in avoiding limit cycle oscillations in an already nonlinear system (Haussler [13]), and the methods presented in this report now allow the exact synthesis of the nonlinear element from the describing function data

Localized Corrosion Behavior of Type 304SS with a Silica Layer Under Atmospheric Corrosion Environments

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has proposed a potential repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste at the Yucca Mountain site in Nevada. [I] The temperature could be high on the waste packages, and it is possible that dripping water or humidity could interact with rock dust particulate to form a thin electrolyte layer with concentrated ionic species. Under these conditions, it is possible that highly corrosion-resistant alloys (CRAs) used as packages to dispose the nuclear waste could suffer localized corrosion. Therefore, to better understand long-term corrosion performance of CRAs in the repository, it is important to investigate localized corrosion under a simulated repository environment. We measured open circuit potential (OCP) and galvanic current (i{sub g}) for silica-coated Type 304SS during drying of salt solutions under controlled RH environments to clarify the effect of silica layer as a dust layer simulant on localized corrosion under atmospheric environments. Type 304SS was used as a relatively susceptible model CRA instead of the much more corrosion resistant alloys, such as Alloy 22, that are being considered as, waste package materials

Oral carcinogenesis biomarkers in Oral Chronic Mechanical Irritation-associated lesions

Previous works of our team had shown clinical data which suggest that Chronic Mechanical Irritation (CMI) could be a risk factor for Oral Cancer (OC). However, there are no known patterns of biomarkers in CMI indicative of cellular malignancy. The aim of this study was to identify a biomarker pattern of differentiation (Ck19) and cell proliferation (Ki67) in CMI-associated lesions, similar to those observed in OC. Methods: a Cross-sectional study of adult patients (n = 61), both sexes, with lesions associated with CMI according to the Piemonte et al criteria. CK19 and Ki67 Immunohistochemistry were carried out in biopsies of both types of lesions and the patterns were described according to previous publications of Safadi and Argyris. The present study was approved by Ethics Committee of the College of Dentistry, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Results: Ki67 overexpression and a CK19 focal pattern with strong intensity in basal and parabasal cells were observed in CMI lesions, similar to that observed in OC. Conclusion: there is no scientific literature on biomarker patterns of Oral CMI. Therefore, the described pattern, particularly Ck19, is novel and could be indicative of the relationship between the presence of CMI and oral carcinogenesis.Fil: Gilligan, Gerardo Marcelo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Odontología. Cátedra de Estomatología A; Argentina.Fil: Piemonte, Eduardo David. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Odontología. Cátedra de Estomatología A; Argentina.Fil: Panico, René Luis. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Odontología. Cátedra de Estomatología A; Argentina.Fil: Di Tada, Cecilia E. Fundación para el progreso de la Medicina; Argentina.Fil: Di Tada, Cecilia E.. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica; Argentina.Fil: Brunotto, Mabel. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Odontología. Cátedra Biología Celular A; Argentina.Otras Ciencias de la Salu

The Rydberg-Atom-Cavity Axion Search

We report on the present progress in development of the dark matter axion search experiment with Rydberg-atom-cavity detectors in Kyoto, CARRACK I and CARRACK II. The axion search has been performed with CARRACK I in the 8 % mass range around $10 \mu {\rm eV}$, and CARRACK II is now ready for the search in the wide range $2 \mu {\rm eV} - 50 \mu {\rm eV}$. We have also developed quantum theoretical calculations on the axion-photon-atom system in the resonant cavity in order to estimate precisely the detection sensitivity for the axion signal. Some essential features on the axion-photon-atom interaction are clarified, which provide the optimum experimental setup for the axion search.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, Invited talk presented at the Dark2000, Heidelberg, Germany,10-15 July, 200