Determination of the Hubble Constant Using a Two-Parameter Luminosity Correction for Type Ia Supernovae

In this paper, we make a comprehensive determination of the Hubble constant $H_0$ by using two parameters - the B-V color and the rate of decline $\Delta m_{15}$ - to simultaneously standardize the luminosities of all nearby Cepheid-calibrated type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) and those of a larger, more distant sample of 29 SNe Ia. Each group is treated in as similar a manner as possible in order to avoid systematic effects. A simultaneous $\chi ^2$ minimization yields a standardized absolute luminosity of the Cepheid-calibrated supernovae as well as the Hubble constant obtained from the more distant sample. We find $H_0 = 62 km/s Mpc^{-1}$ and a standardized absolute magnitude of -19.46. The sensitivity of $H_0$ to a metallicity dependence of the Cepheid-determined distances is investigated. The total uncertainty $\delta H_0$, dominated by uncertainties in the primary Cepheid distance indicator, is estimated to be 5 km/s Mpc^{-1}.Comment: To appear in Ap

ABC of adolescence: sexual health, contraception, and teenage pregnancy

Sexual health becomes a new health priority in early adolescence. The sexual health of young people is a matter of intense public concern. The adverse consequences of unsafe sexual behaviour-such as pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV infection-affect adolescents as well as adults. "Risk taking" behaviours are common when adolescents start being sexually intimate and are often linked with other health risk behaviours, such as substance misuse

Surface roughness effects in hydrodynamic lubrication: The flow factor method

For abstract see A83-13523

Hertzian contact in two and three dimensions

The basic solution to the problem of mechanical contact between elastically deforming solids was proposed by Hertz over a century ago and has been used by tribologists and others ever since in a steadily increasing number of applications. While the theoretical development is not conceptually difficult and treatments exist to suit all tastes, it is nonetheless interesting to trace the relationships among the solutions in different dimensions. Such an approach is used herein to shed light on the curious and sometimes perplexing behavior of line contacts. A number of the more frequently used contact expressions together as a convenient reference and for comparative purposes

An algorithm for minimum-cost set-point ordering in a cryogenic wind tunnel

An algorithm for minimum cost ordering of set points in a cryogenic wind tunnel is developed. The procedure generates a matrix of dynamic state transition costs, which is evaluated by means of a single-volume lumped model of the cryogenic wind tunnel and the use of some idealized minimum-costs, which is evaluated by means of a single-volume lumped model of the cryogenic wind tunnel and the use of some idealized minimum-cost state-transition control strategies. A branch and bound algorithm is employed to determine the least costly sequence of state transitions from the transition-cost matrix. Some numerical results based on data for the National Transonic Facility are presented which show a strong preference for state transitions that consume to coolant. Results also show that the choice of the terminal set point in an open odering can produce a wide variation in total cost

Numerical methods and computers used in elastohydrodynamic lubrication

Some of the methods of obtaining approximate numerical solutions to boundary value problems that arise in elastohydrodynamic lubrication are reviewed. The highlights of four general approaches (direct, inverse, quasi-inverse, and Newton-Raphson) are sketched. Advantages and disadvantages of these approaches are presented along with a flow chart showing some of the details of each. The basic question of numerical stability of the elastohydrodynamic lubrication solutions, especially in the pressure spike region, is considered. Computers used to solve this important class of lubrication problems are briefly described, with emphasis on supercomputers

Surface roughness effects in elastohydrodynamic contacts

Surface roughness effects in full-film EHL contacts were studied. A flow factor modification to the Reynolds equation was applied to piezoviscous-elastic line contacts. Results for ensemble-averaged film shape, pressure distribution, and other mechanical quantities were obtained. Asperities elongated in the flow direction by a factor exceeding two decreased both film shape and pressure extrema at constant load; isotropic or transverse asperities increased these extrema. The largest effects are displayed by traction, which increased by over 5% for isotropic or transverse asperities and by slightly less for longitudinal roughness

An application of multivariable design techniques to the control of the national transonic facility

The digital versions of optimal linear regulator theory and eigenvalue placement theory are applied to the Mach number control loop of the National Transonic Facility cryogenic wind tunnel. The control laws developed are evaluated on a nonlinear simulation of the tunnel process for a typical est condition and are found to significantly reduce the open loop time required to achieve a Mach number set point

Evidence for Correlated Titanium and Deuterium Depletion in the Galactic ISM

Current measurements indicate that the deuterium abundance in diffuse interstellar gas varies spatially by a factor of ~4 among sightlines extending beyond the Local Bubble. One plausible explanation for the scatter is the variable depletion of D onto dust grains. To test this scenario, we have obtained high signal-to-noise, high resolution profiles of the refractory ion TiII along seven Galactic sightlines with D/H ranging from 0.65 to 2.1x10^-5. These measurements, acquired with the recently upgraded Keck/HIRES spectrometer, indicate a correlation between Ti/H and D/H at the >95% c.l. Therefore, our observations support the interpretation that D/H scatter is associated with differential depletion. We note, however, that Ti/H values taken from the literature do not uniformly show the correlation. Finally, we identify significant component-to-component variations in the depletion levels among individual sightlines and discuss complications arising from this behavior.Comment: 4 pages; Accepted to Astrophysical Journal Letter

Probing the IGM/Galaxy Connection IV: The LCO/WFCCD Galaxy Survey of 20 Fields Surrounding UV Bright Quasars

We publish the survey for galaxies in 20 fields containing ultraviolet bright quasars (with z_em 0.1 to 0.5) that can be used to study the association between galaxies and absorption systems from the low-z intergalactic medium (IGM). The survey is magnitude limited (R~19.5 mag) and highly complete out to 10' from the quasar in each field. It was designed to detect dwarf galaxies (L ~ 0.1 L*) at an impact parameter rho 1Mpc (z=0.1) from a quasar. The complete sample (all 20 fields) includes R-band photometry for 84718 sources and confirmed redshifts for 2800 sources. This includes 1198 galaxies with 0.005 < z < (z_em - 0.01) at a median redshift of 0.18, which may associated with IGM absorption lines. All of the imaging was acquired with cameras on the Swope 40" telescope and the spectra were obtained via slitmask observations using the WFCCD spectrograph on the Dupont 100" telescope at Las Campanas Observatory (LCO). This paper describes the data reduction, imaging analysis, photometry, and spectral analysis of the survey. We tabulate the principal measurements for all sources in each field and provide the spectroscopic dataset online.Comment: Accepted to the Astrophysical Journal Supplements; 20 pages, only 6 figures shown in this version. See http://www.ucolick.org/~xavier/WFCCDOVI/index.html for a full-length manuscript and other supportive materia