1,057 research outputs found
System design of the Pioneer Venus spacecraft. Volume 8: Command/data handling subsystems studies
Study tasks for the command and data handling subsystems have been directed to: (1) determining ground data systems, (GDS) interfaces and deep space network (DSN) changes, if required, (2) defining subsystem requirements, (3) surveying existing hardware that could be used or modified to meet subsystem requirements, and (4) establishing a baseline design. Study of the existing GDS led to the conclusion that the Viking configuration GDS can be used with only minor changes required for the Pioneer Venus baseline. Those changes required are associated with providing a predetection recording capability used during probe entry and descent. Subsystem requirements were first formulated with sufficient latitude so that surveys of existing hardware could lead to low cost hardware which, in turn, could modify more narrowly defined subsystem requirements
Proton fraction in the inner neutron-star crust
Monte Carlo simulations of neutron-rich matter of relevance to the inner
neutron-star crust are performed for a system of A=5,000 nucleons. To determine
the proton fraction in the inner crust, numerical simulations are carried out
for a variety of densities and proton fractions. We conclude---as others have
before us using different techniques---that the proton fraction in the inner
stellar crust is very small. Given that the purported "nuclear pasta" phase in
stellar crusts develops as a consequence of the long-range Coulomb interaction
among protons, we question whether pasta formation is possible in such
proton-poor environments. To answer this question, we search for physical
observables sensitive to the transition between spherical nuclei and exotic
pasta structures. Of particular relevance is the static structure factor
S(k)---an observable sensitive to density fluctuations. However, no dramatic
behavior was observed in S(k). We regard the identification of physical
observables sensitive to the existence---or lack-thereof---of a pasta phase in
proton-poor environments as an open problem of critical importance.Comment: 24 pages and 7 figure
Nonuniform Neutron-Rich Matter and Coherent Neutrino Scattering
Nonuniform neutron-rich matter present in both core-collapse supernovae and
neutron-star crusts is described in terms of a semiclassical model that
reproduces nuclear-matter properties and includes long-range Coulomb
interactions. The neutron-neutron correlation function and the corresponding
static structure factor are calculated from molecular dynamics simulations
involving 40,000 to 100,000 nucleons. The static structure factor describes
coherent neutrino scattering which is expected to dominate the neutrino
opacity. At low momentum transfers the static structure factor is found to be
small because of ion screening. In contrast, at intermediate momentum transfers
the static structure factor displays a large peak due to coherent scattering
from all the neutrons in a cluster. This peak moves to higher momentum
transfers and decreases in amplitude as the density increases. A large static
structure factor at zero momentum transfer, indicative of large density
fluctuations during a first-order phase transition, may increase the neutrino
opacity. However, no evidence of such an increase has been found. Therefore, it
is unlikely that the system undergoes a simple first-order phase transition. It
is found that corrections to the commonly used single heavy nucleus
approximation first appear at a density of the order of g/cm and
increase rapidly with increasing density. Thus, neutrino opacities are
overestimated in the single heavy nucleus approximation relative to the
complete molecular dynamics simulations.Comment: 17 pages, 23 included ps figure
Self-Consistent Separable Rpa Approach for Skyrme Forces: Axial Nuclei
The self-consistent separable RPA (random phase approximation) method is
formulated for Skyrme forces with pairing. The method is based on a general
self-consistent procedure for factorization of the two-body interaction. It is
relevant for various density- and current-dependent functionals. The
contributions of the time-even and time-odd Skyrme terms as well as of the
Coulomb and pairing terms to the residual interaction are taken
self-consistently into account. Most of the expression have a transparent
analytical form, which makes the method convenient for the treatment and
analysis. The separable character of the residual interaction allows to avoid
diagonalization of high-rank RPA matrices and thus to minimize the calculation
effort. The previous studies have demonstrated high numerical accuracy and
efficiency of the method for spherical nuclei. In this contribution, the method
is specified for axial nuclei. We provide systematic and detailed presentation
of formalism and discuss different aspects of the model.Comment: 42 page
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Degradation modeling: A key to understanding effects of aging and maintenance
Component degradation modeling is the analysis of component degradations for the purpose of developing models of the degradation process and its implications. Degradation modeling can encompass many different areas, from the microscopic modeling of material degradation processes to macroscopic modeling of times of occurrences of degradations. In this paper, we present basic concepts, approaches, and applications of degradation modeling using times of occurrences of component degradations and failures. Specific applications of the modeling approaches, performed for ``active`` components, are presented
Modulation of lung inflammation by vessel dilator in a mouse model of allergic asthma
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and its receptor, NPRA, have been extensively studied in terms of cardiovascular effects. We have found that the ANP-NPRA signaling pathway is also involved in airway allergic inflammation and asthma. ANP, a C-terminal peptide (amino acid 99–126) of pro-atrial natriuretic factor (proANF) and a recombinant peptide, NP73-102 (amino acid 73–102 of proANF) have been reported to induce bronchoprotective effects in a mouse model of allergic asthma. In this report, we evaluated the effects of vessel dilator (VD), another N-terminal natriuretic peptide covering amino acids 31–67 of proANF, on acute lung inflammation in a mouse model of allergic asthma.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A549 cells were transfected with pVD or the pVAX1 control plasmid and cells were collected 24 hrs after transfection to analyze the effect of VD on inactivation of the extracellular-signal regulated receptor kinase (ERK1/2) through western blot. Luciferase assay, western blot and RT-PCR were also performed to analyze the effect of VD on NPRA expression. For determination of VD's attenuation of lung inflammation, BALB/c mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin and then treated intranasally with chitosan nanoparticles containing pVD. Parameters of airway inflammation, such as airway hyperreactivity, proinflammatory cytokine levels, eosinophil recruitment and lung histopathology were compared with control mice receiving nanoparticles containing pVAX1 control plasmid.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>pVD nanoparticles inactivated ERK1/2 and downregulated NPRA expression in vitro, and intranasal treatment with pVD nanoparticles protected mice from airway inflammation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>VD's modulation of airway inflammation may result from its inactivation of ERK1/2 and downregulation of NPRA expression. Chitosan nanoparticles containing pVD may be therapeutically effective in preventing allergic airway inflammation.</p
DFTCalc: reliability centered maintenance via fault tree analysis (tool paper)
Reliability, availability, maintenance and safety (RAMS) analysis is essential in the evaluation of safety critical systems like nuclear power plants and the railway infrastructure. A widely used methodology within RAMS analysis are fault trees, representing failure propagations throughout a system. We present DFTCalc, a tool-set to conduct quantitative analysis on dynamic fault trees including the effect of a maintenance strategy on the system dependability
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