Threshold concepts and metalearning capacity

This study operationalises the empowering concept of metalearning in the specific context of engagement with a threshold concept. An experience of metalearning was constituted in two parts. First students' awareness of themselves as learners is prompted by, and focuses on, a learning profile that is generated online through the completion of the Reflections on Learning Inventory (RoLI). Second, students are given an opportunity to interpret their respective profiles and write a short and undirected reflective account of their interpretation. The second part of the experience focuses not only on students' awareness but also on their capacity to control their future learning on the basis of their heightened awareness.

Design, fabrication and test of graphite/polyimide composite joints and attachments

The design, analysis, and testing performed to develop four types of graphite/polyimide (Gr/PI) bonded and bolted composite joints for lightly loaded control surfaces on advanced space transportation systems that operate at temperatures up to 561 K (550 F) are summarized. Material properties and small specimen tests were conducted to establish design data and to evaluate specific design details. Static discriminator tests were conducted on preliminary designs to verify structural adequacy. Scaled up specimens of the final joint designs, representative of production size requirements, were subjected to a series of static and fatigue tests to evaluate joint strength. Effects of environmental conditioning were determined by testing aged (125 hours at 589 K (600 F)) and thermal cycled (116 K to 589 K (-250 F to 600 F), 125 times) specimens. It is concluded Gr/PI joints can be designed and fabricated to carry the specified loads. Test results also indicate a possible resin loss or degradation of laminates after exposure to 589 K (600 F) for 125 hours

A preliminary training guide for utilizing high-altitude, color-infrared photography in compiling soil maps

Instruction for acquiring and analytically processing small-scale color-infrared photography to perform a soil resources inventory over forests of the southern U.S. is provided. Planning the project; acquiring aerial photography, materials, equipment and supplemental data; and preparing the photography for analysis are discussed. The procedures for preparing ancillary and primary component overlays are discussed. The use of correlation charts and dichotomous keys for mountain landforms, water regime, and vegetation is explained

Planck Scale Cosmology in Resummed Quantum Gravity

We show that, by using resummation techniques based on the extension of the methods of Yennie, Frautschi and Suura to Feynman's formulation of Einstein's theory, we get quantum field theoretic predictions for the UV fixed-point values of the dimensionless gravitational and cosmological constants. Connections to the phenomenological asymptotic safety analysis of Planck scale cosmology by Bonanno and Reuter are discussed.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figur

The Taurus Boundary of Stellar/Substellar (TBOSS) Survey I: far-IR disk emission measured with Herschel

With Herschel/PACS 134 low mass members of the Taurus star-forming region spanning the M4-L0 spectral type range and covering the transition from low mass stars to brown dwarfs were observed. Combining the new Herschel results with other programs, a total of 150 of the 154 M4-L0 Taurus members members have observations with Herschel. Among the 150 targets, 70um flux densities were measured for 7 of the 7 ClassI objects, 48 of the 67 ClassII members, and 3 of the 76 ClassIII targets. For the detected ClassII objects, the median 70um flux density level declines with spectral type, however, the distribution of excess relative to central object flux density does not change across the stellar/substellar boundary in the M4-L0 range. Connecting the 70um TBOSS values with the results from K0-M3 ClassII members results in the first comprehensive census of far-IR emission across the full mass spectrum of the stellar and substellar population of a star-forming region, and the median flux density declines with spectral type in a trend analogous to the flux density decline expected for the central objects. SEDs were constructed for all TBOSS targets covering the optical to far-IR range and extending to the submm/mm for a subset of sources. Based on an initial exploration of the impact of different physical parameters; inclination, scale height and flaring have the largest influence on the PACS flux densities. From the 24um to 70um spectral index of the SEDs, 5 new candidate transition disks were identified. The steep 24um to 70um slope for a subset of 8 TBOSS targets may be an indication of truncated disks in these systems.Two examples of mixed pair systems that include secondaries with disks were measured. Finally, comparing the TBOSS results with a Herschel study of Ophiuchus brown dwarfs reveals a lower fraction of disks around the Taurus substellar population.Comment: 64 pages, 33 figures, 12 tables, accepted for publication in A&

Threshold Corrections in Precision LHC Physics: QED otimes QCD

With an eye toward LHC processes in which theoretical precisions of 1 percent are desired, we introduce the theory of the simultaneous YFS resummation of QED and QCD to compute the size of the expected resummed soft radiative threshold effects in precision studies of heavy particle production at the LHC. Our results show that both QED and QCD soft threshold effects must be controlled to be on the conservative side to achieve such precision goals.Comment: 4 pages, no figures; presented by B.F.L. Ward in DPF200