Tool for use in lifting pin supported objects

A tool for use in lifting a pin-supported, electronic package mounted in juxtaposition with the surface of an electronic circuit board is described. The tool is configured to be received beneath a pin-supported package and is characterized by a manually operable linkage, including an elongated, rigid link is supported for axial reciprocation and a pivotal link pinned to the body and supported for oscillation induced in response to axial motion imparted to the rigid link. A lifting plate is pivotally coupled to the distal end of the pivotal link so that oscillatory motion imparted to the pivotal link serves to move the plate vertically for elevating the plate into lifting engagement with the electronic package positioned thereabove

Development and verification of design methods for ducts in a space nuclear shield

A practical method for computing the effectiveness of a space nuclear shield perforated by small tubing and cavities is reported. Performed calculations use solutions for a two dimensional transport code and evaluate perturbations of that solution using last flight estimates and other kernel integration techniques. In general, perturbations are viewed as a change in source strength of scattered radiation and a change in attenuation properties of the region

Potential solar axion signatures in X-ray observations with the XMM-Newton observatory

The soft X-ray flux produced by solar axions in the Earth's magnetic field is evaluated in the context of ESA's XMM-Newton observatory. Recent calculations of the scattering of axion-conversion X-rays suggest that the sunward magnetosphere could be an observable source of 0.2-10 keV photons. For XMM-Newton, any conversion X-ray intensity will be seasonally modulated by virtue of the changing visibility of the sunward magnetic field region. A simple model of the geomagnetic field is combined with the ephemeris of XMM-Newton to predict the seasonal variation of the conversion X-ray intensity. This model is compared with stacked XMM-Newton blank sky datasets from which point sources have been systematically removed. Remarkably, a seasonally varying X-ray background signal is observed. The EPIC count rates are in the ratio of their X-ray grasps, indicating a non-instrumental, external photon origin, with significances of 11(pn), 4(MOS1) and 5(MOS2) sigma. After examining the constituent observations spatially, temporally and in terms of the cosmic X-ray background, we conclude that this variable signal is consistent with the conversion of solar axions in the Earth's magnetic field. The spectrum is consistent with a solar axion spectrum dominated by bremsstrahlung- and Compton-like processes, i.e. axion-electron coupling dominates over axion-photon coupling and the peak of the axion spectrum is below 1 keV. A value of 2.2e-22 /GeV is derived for the product of the axion-photon and axion-electron coupling constants, for an axion mass in the micro-eV range. Comparisons with limits derived from white dwarf cooling may not be applicable, as these refer to axions in the 0.01 eV range. Preliminary results are given of a search for axion-conversion X-ray lines, in particular the predicted features due to silicon, sulphur and iron in the solar core, and the 14.4 keV transition line from 57Fe.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 67 pages total, including 39 figures, 6 table

Proper Mixtures of Ellis County Soils for Adobe Construction, and Their Physical Properties

This paper deals with the adobe strategy of construction which is mixing and puddling the materials to be applied to a sun-dried brick or to a structure of that material. The work was divided into three main parts: (1) Survey of Ellis County Soils; (2) Selection of soil material with respect to shrinkage; and (3) Treatment of soils with respect to waterproofing.https://scholars.fhsu.edu/fort_hays_studies_series/1052/thumbnail.jp

X-ray emission from the Sculptor galaxy NGC 300

We report here the results of a full analysis of all the ROSAT PSPC spectral imaging observations and all the ROSAT HRI high resolution imaging observations of the very nearby (D=2.1 Mpc) Sculptor galaxy, NGC 300. Many point sources are detected within the field, several of them showing evidence for variability, and we present full source lists detailing their X-ray properties, and attempt to classify them on the basis of their temporal, spectral and multi-wavelength characteristics. A black hole X-ray binary candidate, a supersoft source and several supernova remnants and HII regions are detected in X-rays, as is unresolved, possibly diffuse emission, accounting for perhaps 20% of the total NGC 300 X-ray (0.1-2.4 keV) luminosity (5.8 10e38 erg/s). We compare the X-ray source luminosity distribution of NGC 300 with that of other nearby galaxies, and we also compare NGC 300 with its Sculptor neighbours, concluding that it is a quite an unremarkable system, showing no unusual X-ray (or other multi-wavelength) properties. It may be one of the best examples of a completely typical normal quiescent late-type spiral galaxy.Comment: 12 pages, latex file, 7 compressed postscript figures, to appear in A&

Fractionalization and confinement in the U(1) and Z2Z_2 gauge theories of strongly correlated systems

Recently, we have elucidated the physics of electron fractionalization in strongly interacting electron systems using a $Z_2$ gauge theory formulation. Here we discuss the connection with the earlier U(1) gauge theory approaches based on the slave boson mean field theory. In particular, we identify the relationship between the holons and Spinons of the slave-boson theory and the true physical excitations of the fractionalized phases that are readily described in the $Z_2$ approach.Comment: 4 page