Continuously variable voltage-controlled phase shifter

Phase shifter circuit adjusts the phase relationship between a locally generated reference frequency and a received RF signal applied to a phase-coherent detector. It is small enough to be integrated into a receiver subassembly and operates on command from remote control panels

Improved frequency divider employs transistor avalanche effect

New frequency divider circuit can be synchronized over a wider input control frequency range, has greater phase stability, and is less sensitive to temperature changes than conventional synchronized oscillators. The new circuit uses the avalanche breakdown mode of operation of transistors

Block 3 X-band receiver-exciter

The development of an X-band exciter, for use in the X-Band Uplink Subsystem, was completed. The exciter generates the drive signal for the X-band transmitter and also generates coherent test signals for the S- and X-band Block 3 translator and a Doppler reference signal for the Doppler extractor system. In addition to the above, the exciter generates other reference signals that are described. Also presented is an overview of the exciter design and some test data taken on the prototype. A brief discussion of the Block 3 Doppler extractor is presented

X-band uplink ground systems development: Part 2

The prototype X-band exciter testing has been completed. Stability and single-sideband phase noise measurements have been made on the X-band exciter signal (7.145-7.235 GHz) and on the coherent X- and S-band receiver test signals (8.4-8.5 GHz and 2.29-2.3 GHz) generated within the exciter equipment. Outputs are well within error budgets

RV Knorr Cruise KN200-4, 13 Apr-03 May 2011. RAPID Mooring Cruise

This report describes the mooring operations conducted during RV Knorr cruise KN200-4 between 13 April and 3 May 2011. These mooring operations were completed as part of the United Kingdom Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) funded RAPID-WATCH Programme to monitor the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC) at 26.5°N. The primary purpose on this cruise for the UK team was to service the RAPID Western Boundary moorings while the US teams worked on the Western Boundary Time Series project and the RAPID-MOCHA Western Boundary moorings. Cruise KN200-4 was from Port Everglades, Florida to Port Everglades, Florida and covered the Western Boundary moorings deployed on RB0901 and OC459. This cruise was the ninth annual refurbishment of the Western Boundary section of an array of moorings deployed across the Atlantic in order to continuously observe the MOC. This array will be further refined and refurbished during subsequent years. The instruments deployed on the array consist of a variety of current meters, bottom pressure recorders, and CTD loggers, which, combined with time series measurements of the Florida Straits Current and wind stress estimates, will be used to determine the strength and structure of the MOC at 26.5°N. (http://www.noc.soton.ac.uk/rapid

Eddy Impacts on the Florida Current

The Gulf Stream in the Atlantic carries warm water northwards and forms both the return closure of the subtropical gyre as well as the upper limb of the meridional overturning circulation. Recent time series recorded east of the Bahamas at 26°N indicate that from May 2009 to April 2011, in contrast with past observations, the northward flowing Antilles Current covaried with the Gulf Stream in the Florida Straits—the Florida Current—even though the Florida and Antilles Currents are separated by banks and islands spanning 150?km. The peak-to-trough amplitude of transport variations during this period was 15?×?106?m3?s?1 for the Florida Current and 12?×?106?m3?s?1 for the Antilles Current, at time scales of 50?days to a year. From satellite observations, we show that the fluctuations in both the Florida and Antilles Currents between May 2009 and April 2011 are driven by eddy activity east of the Bahamas. Since the Florida Current time series is a critical time series for the state of the oceans, and often compared to climate models, this newly identified source of variability needs careful consideration when attributing the variability of the Florida Current to changes in the larger-scale circulations (e.g., gyre and overturning) or wind forcing.<br/

Post-buckling behavior of a beam-column on a nonlinear elastic foundation with a gap

The structural behavior of an elastic beam-column placed with a gap between two nonlinearity elastic layers each resting on a rigid foundation was examined. The beam-column was laterally supported at both ends and subjected to a uniform transverse load and axial compression. Its slenderness was such that the axial compressive force exceeds the amount that would be necessary to buckle it as a simple supported column. The elastic layers were represented by an elastic foundation with a strongly nonlinear specific reaction taken as a rapidly increasing function of the layer compression. The analytical model developed simulated the entire pattern of the deflection and stress state including layer and end support reactions, under gradually increasing axial force

Postnatal depression and reproductive success in modern, low-fertility contexts

Background and objectives: Postnatal depression (PND) presents a puzzling phenomenon to evolutionary anthropologists as it is highly prevalent and yet detrimental to child development and maternal health. Adaptive explanations have been proposed, but have not been tested with data that directly link PND to female fertility. Methodology: A survey was designed to gather complete reproductive histories and retrospective measures of PND to measure the effects of PND on fitness. Respondents were born between 1930 and 1967, with the majority based in the UK during their childrearing years. The hypothesis that PND is detrimental to fitness is assessed using Mann–Whitney U tests on completed fertility. Binary logistic regression modelling is used to test the hypothesis that PND reduces the likelihood of parity progression. Results: Women experiencing PND at their first or second birth have lower completed fertility, with PND at the first birth leading to lowered fertility. Logistic regression analyses show that this is the result of reductions in the likelihood of parity progression to a third birth when PND is experienced at the first birth or when repeat bouts occur. Conclusions and implications: Our results call into question adaptationist arguments, contribute to the growing understanding of the importance of emotional wellbeing to fertility decision making, and given the economic consequences of markedly below replacement fertility, highlight a potential new source of financial incentive to invest in screening and preventative measures to ensure good maternal mental health

Observations of the plasma flow in comet P/Swift‐Tuttle

We present direct ground based observations of the plasma flow sunward and tailward of the nucleus of comet P/Swift‐Tuttle. The observations are long‐slit high resolution spectra of the H_2O^+ emission centered at 6199Å with a velocity resolution of about 7 km s^(−1) (FWHM) and a spatial resolution of about 10^4 km at the comet. Emission is visible from just inside the predicted position of the cometopause on the sunward side of the nucleus out to 5 × 10^5 km on the tailward side. The deceleration of the solar plasma on the sunward side is clearly observed as is the acceleration of cometary ions into the tail. These observations show the effectiveness of ground based methods for the systematic study of cometary plasmas and point to the need for a better theoretical understanding of their acceleration mechanisms