Artificial meteor ablation studies: Olivine

Artificial meteor ablation was performed on a Mg-rich olivine sample using an arc-heated plasma of ionized air. Experimental conditions simulated a meteor traveling about 12 km/sec at an altitude of 70 km. The mineral content of the original olivine sample was 98% olivine (including traces of olivine alteration products) and 2% chromite. Forsterite content of the original olivine was Fo-89. After ablation, the forsterite content had increased to Fo-94 in the recrystallized olivine. In addition, lamella-like intergrowths of magnetite were prevalent constituents. Wherever magnetite occurred, there was an increase in Mg and a corresponding decrease in Fe for the recrystallized olivine. The Allende fusion crust consisted of a recrystallized olivine, which was more Mg-rich and Fe-deficient than the original meteorite's olivine, and abundant magnetite grains. Although troilite and pentlandite were the common opaque mineral constituents in this meteorite, magnetite was the principal opaque mineral found in the fusion crust

Thermodynamic versus Topological Phase Transitions: Cusp in the Kert\'esz Line

We present a study of phase transitions of the Curie--Weiss Potts model at (inverse) temperature $\beta$, in presence of an external field $h$. Both thermodynamic and topological aspects of these transitions are considered. For the first aspect we complement previous results and give an explicit equation of the thermodynamic transition line in the $\beta$--$h$ plane as well as the magnitude of the jump of the magnetization (for $q \geqslant 3)$. The signature of the latter aspect is characterized here by the presence or not of a giant component in the clusters of a Fortuin--Kasteleyn type representation of the model. We give the equation of the Kert\'esz line separating (in the $\beta$--$h$ plane) the two behaviours. As a result, we get that this line exhibits, as soon as $q \geqslant 3$, a very interesting cusp where it separates from the thermodynamic transition line

Biochemical and physiological evaluation of human subjects in a life support systems evaluator

Biochemical and physiological evaluation of human nutritional requirements under simulated aerospace condition

Operator normalized quantum arrival times in the presence of interactions

We model ideal arrival-time measurements for free quantum particles and for particles subject to an external interaction by means of a narrow and weak absorbing potential. This approach is related to the operational approach of measuring the first photon emitted from a two-level atom illuminated by a laser. By operator-normalizing the resulting time-of-arrival distribution, a distribution is obtained which for freely moving particles not only recovers the axiomatically derived distribution of Kijowski for states with purely positive momenta but is also applicable to general momentum components. For particles interacting with a square barrier the mean arrival time and corresponding ``tunneling time'' obtained at the transmission side of the barrier becomes independent of the barrier width (Hartman effect) for arbitrarily wide barriers, i.e., without the transition to the ultra-opaque, classical-like regime dominated by wave packet components above the barrier.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, RevTe

Field Measurements of Penetrator Seismic Coupling in Sediments and Volcanic Rocks

Field experiments were conducted to determine how well a seismometer installed using a penetrator would be coupled to the ground. A dry-lake bed and a lava bed were chosen as test sites to represent geological environments of two widely different material properties. At each site, two half-scale penetrators were fired into the ground, a three-component geophone assembly was mounted to the aft end of each penetrator, and dummy penetrators were at various distances to generate seismic signals. These signals were detected by the penetrator-mounted geophone assembly and by a reference geophone assembly buried or anchored to surface rock and 1-m from the penetrator. The recorded signals were digitized, and cross-spectral analyses were performed to compare the observed signals in terms of power spectral density ratio, coherence, and phase difference. The analyses indicate that seismometers deployed by penetrators will be as well coupled to the ground as are seismometers installed by conventional methods for the frequency range of interest in earthquake seismology

Approche pour l'identification des causes de la mauvaise décantation des solides biologiques

Les procédés d'épuration biologique à culture libre (boues activées) comprennent habituellement un décanteur qui permet de concentrer les solides biologiques en vue de leur recirculation en tête du réacteur biologique. Lorsque ce décanteur fonctionne mal on observe une perte de solides biologiques (SB), ce qui se traduit par une augmentation de la concentration des matières en suspension (MES) dans l'effluent du décanteur secondaire et par une baisse des performances du procédé d'épuration. Lorsque la concentration de MES dans l'effluent du décanteur secondaire est trop élevée on mesure l'indice de volume des boues (IVB). Un IVB faible indique que les solides biologiques ont de bonnes caractéristiques de décantation de sorte que la cause de la mauvaise efficacité du décanteur est d'ordre physique et peut être identifiée facilement. Lorsque l'IVB est élevé, la mauvaise décantation est alors causée par un désordre de l'écosystème qui se traduit le plus souvent par une croissance excessive d'organismes filamenteux. Les causes et les solutions d'un tel problème sont alors difficiles à identifier. Pour ce travail, les auteurs ont réalisé une importante revue bibliographique dont les résultats sont présentés sous la forme d'un cheminement critique (fig. 1). Dans cette figure, les cases numérotées de 1 à 48 sont liées par des énoncés logiques. Ainsi, en répondant à des questions simples, il est possible de cheminer dans la figure 1 et d'identifier les causes les plus probables du déséquilibre microbiologique ainsi que les solutions qui ont déjà été apportées avec succès. De plus les auteurs ont associé à chaque case une fiche technique (portant le même numéro que la case) sur laquelle sont présentées des explications et la liste des références consultées.Activated sludge is a microbiological aerated sewage treatment process which includes a secondary clarifier to separate the treated effluent from the biological solids. Part of the concentrated solids is recirculated to maintain an adequate concentration of mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) In the aerated basin. When the secondary clarifier malfunctions, some biological solids are lost to the effluent : the process efficiency drops and the concentration of suspended solids (SS) increases. When the SS in the effluent is too high the sludge volume index (SVI) must be measured. A low SVI means that the biological solids have good sedimentation characteristics : the problem is thon physical in nature and is easily identified. When the SVI is high, the problem is due to a disturbance of the microbiological ecosystem, which is at the origin of excessive filamentous organism growth. The origins and solutions of such a problem are much harder to find. To this end the authors proceeded with an important review of the literature, the results of which are summarized through a critical path, in figure 1. Files from 1 to 48 are linked by logical statements in such a way that by answering simple questions, one can proceed through the files and identify the must probable cause of the biological disturbance as well as the solution which has already proven successful. Furthermore, the authors have linked each file to a technical file which bears the same number and on which an explanation and references are found.Before proceeding with figure 1 to identify a problem in real life, one must obtain information, resulting from an analysis and observations, with regard to plant effluent, primary clarifier effluent and activated sludge characteristics, including the MLSS concentration. One must also know the chemical oxygen demand (COD), the soluble and total biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), as well as the nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in the plant influent. Furthermore, one must also be told of the presence of toxic material or industrial wastes in the sewage and of the fraction of pollution load which is in the form of particulates. Whether sudden changes in the quality of the plant influent have occurred is worth knowing. The concentration of oxygen or hydrogen sulfide in the primary clarifier is also important. One must also gather data related to the activated sludge treatment itself : type of reactor (completely mixed or plug flow), mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) concentration, dissolved oxygen concentration, rate of oxygen uptake and pH. Finally, the results of a microbiological analysis of the sludge are very useful.To illustrate the use of figure 1, let us say that we have the following data :a) Many filamentous microorganisms are present in the MLSS, in particular Microthrix parvicella, type 0092, and Thiothrix sp;b) The rate of dissolved oxygen uptake is 12 mg O2/g of SS - h;c) The rate of COD removal is 0,48 Kg/Kg of SS -d;d) There are no toxic substances in the plant influent;e) There are no abrupt changes in plant influent quality;f) The pHs of the plant influent and of the MLSS are 7,0 and 6,8 respectively;g) The ammonia nitrogen concentration of the plant influent is 1,2 mg/L (N);h) The phosphorus concentration of the plant influent is 4,4 mg/L (P);i) The total and soluble BOD5 concentrations of the plant influent are 400 and 80 mg/L respectively.With this information, we are ready to proceed through figure 1. From file one, one goes to file 2, since the rate of oxygen uptake is sufficient. Otherwise, we would have proceeded to file 32. The reactor being completely mixed, the next step is file 3, where it is said that, because of the low soluble BOD5 concentration one must go to file 9, where we find a fast of filamentous microarganisms which may be responsible for the disturbance. Since two of these microorganisms are effectively present in the mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS), Microthrox parvicella and type 0092, we are invited to go to file 35, where it is stated that someone has already solved a similar problem by creating a modified contact zone to increase the substrats (organic matter) concentration around the microbiological flocs. The third filamentous microorganism is not identified in file 9. As a second possibility one may assume, in file 2. That the mixing is not complete, which is often the case. With the help of information and results of analyses already available, we proceed, through file 4, 14, 15 and 16, to file 20 where Thiothrixsp is included in the microorganisms listed. File 20 is linked to file 41, where it is said that the controlled addition of nitrogen in the plant influent has already been used to solve this type of problem.The critical path presented in this article is the result of an elaborate study. It may be used as a tool to identify the causes of bad biological flocs sedimentation in the secondary clarifier and select solutions that have already been used successfully

A Way Out of the Quantum Trap

We review Event Enhanced Quantum Theory (EEQT). In Section 1 we address the question "Is Quantum Theory the Last Word". In particular we respond to some of recent challenging staments of H.P. Stapp. We also discuss a possible future of the quantum paradigm - see also Section 5. In Section 2 we give a short sketch of EEQT. Examples are given in Section 3. Section 3.3 discusses a completely new phenomenon - chaos and fractal-like phenomena caused by a simultaneous "measurement" of several non-commuting observables (we include picture of Barnsley's IFS on unit sphere of a Hilbert space). In Section 4 we answer "Frequently Asked Questions" concerning EEQT.Comment: Replacement. Corrected affiliation. Latex, one .jpg figure. To appear in Proc. Conf. Relativistic Quantum Measurements, Napoli 1998, Ed. F. Petruccion

Space capsule Patent

Manned space capsule configuration for orbital flight and atmospheric reentr

Assessment of left atrial volume before and after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

BackgroundImpaired left ventricular diastolic filling is common in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), and recent studies support left ventricular underfilling as a cause. To investigate this further, we assessed left atrial volume index (LAVI) in patients with CTEPH before and after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE).MethodsForty-eight consecutive CTEPH patients had pre- & post-PTE echocardiograms and right heart catheterizations. Parameters included mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), cardiac index, LAVI, & mitral E/A ratio. Echocardiograms were performed 6 ± 3 days pre-PTE and 10 ± 4 days post-PTE. Regression analyses compared pre- and post-PTE LAVI with other parameters.ResultsPre-op LAVI (mean 19.0 ± 7 mL/m2) correlated significantly with pre-op PVR (R = -0.45, p = 0.001), mPAP (R = -0.28, p = 0.05) and cardiac index (R = 0.38, p = 0.006). Post-PTE, LAVI increased by 18% to 22.4 ± 7 mL/m2 (p = 0.003). This change correlated with change in PVR (765 to 311 dyne-s/cm5, p = 0.01), cardiac index (2.6 to 3.2 L/min/m2, p = 0.02), and E/A (.95 to 1.44, p = 0.002).ConclusionIn CTEPH, smaller LAVI is associated with lower cardiac output, higher mPAP, and higher PVR. LAVI increases by ~20% after PTE, and this change correlates with changes in PVR and mitral E/A. The rapid increase in LAVI supports the concept that left ventricular diastolic impairment and low E/A pre-PTE are due to left heart underfilling rather than inherent left ventricular diastolic dysfunction

Normal State Magnetic Properties of Ni and Zn Substituted in YBa_{2}Cu_{3} O_{6+x}: Hole-Doping Dependence

We present SQUID susceptibility data on Zn and Ni substituted YBa_{2}Cu_{3}O_{6+x}. Cross-checks with NMR yield an unprecedented accuracy in the estimate of the magnetic susceptibility associated with the substituants, from the underdoped to the lightly overdoped case. This allows us to determine the Weiss temperature \theta for YBCO: its value is very small for all hole dopings n_h. Since in conventional metals, the Kondo temperature, $T_{K}<\theta$, magnetic screening effects would not be expected for $T\gg \theta$; in contrast, increasing n_h produces a reduction of the small moment induced by Zn^{2+} and a nearly constant effective moment for Ni^{2+} corresponding to a spin 1/2 rather than to a spin 1.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, to be published in Europhysics Letter