Open Superstring Star as a Continuous Moyal Product

By diagonalizing the three-string vertex and using a special coordinate representation the matter part of the open superstring star is identified with the continuous Moyal product of functions of anti-commuting variables. We show that in this representation the identity and sliver have simple expressions. The relation with the half-string fermionic variables in continuous basis is given.Comment: Latex, 19 pages; more comments added and notations are simplifie

Neutron irradiation effects on the ductile-brittle transition of ferritic/martensitic steels

Ferritic/martensitic steels such as the conventional 9Cr-1MoVNb (Fe-9Cr-1Mo-0.25V-0.06Nb-0.1C) and 12Cr-1MoVW (Fe-12Cr-1Mo-0.25V-0.5W-0.5Ni-0.2C) steels have been considered potential structural materials for future fusion power plants. The major obstacle to their use is embrittlement caused by neutron irradiation. Observations on this irradiation embrittlement will be reviewed. Below 425-450{degrees}C, neutron irradiation hardens the steels. Hardening reduces ductility, but the major effect is an increase in the ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) and a decrease in the upper-shelf energy, as measured by a Charpy impact test. After irradiation, DBTT values can increase to well above room temperature, thus increasing the chances of brittle rather than ductile fracture. In addition to irradiation hardening, neutrons from the fusion reaction will produce large amounts of helium in the steels used to construct fusion power plant components. Tests to simulate the fusion environment indicate that helium can also affect the toughness. Steels are being developed for fusion applications that have a low DBTT prior to irradiation and then show only a small shift after irradiation. A martensitic 9Cr-2WVTa (nominally Fe-9Cr-2W-0.25V-0.07Ta-0.1C) steel had a much lower DBTT than the conventional 9Cr-1MoVNb steel prior to neutron irradiation and showed a much smaller increase in DBTT after irradiation. 27 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab

An improved correlation procedure for subsize and full-size Charpy impact specimen data

The possibility of using subsize specimens to monitor the properties of reactor pressure vessel steels is receiving increasing attention for light-water reactor plant life extension. This potential results from the possibility of cutting samples of small volume form the internal surface of the pressure vessel for determination of the actual properties of the operating pressure vessel. In addition, plant life extension will require supplemental data that cannot be provided by existing surveillance programs. Testing of subsize specimens manufactured from broken halves of previously tested surveillance Charpy specimens offers an attractive means of extending existing surveillance programs. Using subsize Charpy V-notch-type specimens requires the establishment of a specimen geometry that is adequate to obtain a ductile-to-brittle transition curve similar to that obtained from full-size specimens, and the development of correlations for transition temperature and upper-shelf energy (USE) level between subsize and full-size specimens. Five different geometries of subsize specimens were selected for testing and evaluation. The specimens were made from several types of pressure vessel steels with a wide range of yield strengths, transition temperatures, and USEs. The effects of specimen dimensions, including notch depth, angle, and radius, have been studied. The correlations of transition temperatures determined from different types of subsize specimens and the full-size specimens are presented. A new procedure for transforming data from subsize specimens is developed. The transformed data are in good agreement with data from full-size specimens for materials that have USE levels less than 200 J

Neutron irradiation effects on the ductile-brittle transition of ferritic/martensitic steels

Ferritic/martensitic steels such as the conventional 9Cr-1MoVNb (Fe-9Cr-1Mo-0.25V-0.06Nb-0.1C) and 12Cr-1MoVW (Fe-12Cr-1Mo-0.25V-0.5W-0.5Ni-0.2C) steels have been considered potential structural materials for future fusion power plants. The major obstacle to their use is embrittlement caused by neutron irradiation. Observations on this irradiation embrittlement will be reviewed. Below 425-450{degrees}C, neutron irradiation hardens the steels. Hardening reduces ductility, but the major effect is an increase in the ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) and a decrease in the upper-shelf energy, as measured by a Charpy impact test. After irradiation, DBTT values can increase to well above room temperature, thus increasing the chances of brittle rather than ductile fracture. In addition to irradiation hardening, neutrons from the fusion reaction will produce large amounts of helium in the steels used to construct fusion power plant components. Tests to simulate the fusion environment indicate that helium can also affect the toughness. Steels are being developed for fusion applications that have a low DBTT prior to irradiation and then show only a small shift after irradiation. A martensitic 9Cr-2WVTa (nominally Fe-9Cr-2W-0.25V-0.07Ta-0.1C) steel had a much lower DBTT than the conventional 9Cr-1MoVNb steel prior to neutron irradiation and showed a much smaller increase in DBTT after irradiation. 27 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab

Tensile and charpy impact properties of irradiated reduced-activation ferritic steels

Tensile tests were conducted on 8 reduced-activation Cr-W steels after irradiation to 15-17 and 26-29 dpa, and Charpy impact tests were conducted on steels irradiated to 26-29 dpa. Irradiation was in Fast Flux Test Facility at 365 C on steels containing 2.25-12% Cr, varying amounts of W, V, and Ta, and 0.1%C. Previously, tensile specimens were irradiated to 6-8 dpa and Charpy specimens to 6-8, 15- 17, and 20-24 dpa. Tensile and Charpy specimens were also thermally aged to 20,000 h at 365 C. Thermal aging had little effect on tensile properties or ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT), but several steels showed a slight increase in upper-shelf energy (USE). After 7 dpa, strength increased (hardened) and then remained relatively unchanged through 26-29 dpa (ie, strength saturated with fluence). Post-irradiation Charpy impact tests after 26-29 dpa showed that the loss of impact toughness (increased DBTT, decreased USE) remained relatively unchanged from the values after 20-24 dpa, which had been relatively unchanged from the earlier irradiations. As before, the two 9Cr steels had the most irradiation resistance

Random walk on disordered networks

Random walks are studied on disordered cellular networks in 2-and 3-dimensional spaces with arbitrary curvature. The coefficients of the evolution equation are calculated in term of the structural properties of the cellular system. The effects of disorder and space-curvature on the diffusion phenomena are investigated. In disordered systems the mean square displacement displays an enhancement at short time and a lowering at long ones, with respect to the ordered case. The asymptotic expression for the diffusion equation on hyperbolic cellular systems relates random walk on curved lattices to hyperbolic Brownian motion.Comment: 10 Pages, 3 Postscript figure

Construction of the Vacuum String Field Theory on a non-BPS Brane

In the framework of the Sen conjectures a construction of vacuum superstring field theory on a non-BPS brane is discussed. A distinguished feature of this theory is a presence of a ghost kinetic operator mixing GSO+/- sectors. A candidate for such kinetic operator with zero cohomology is discussed.Comment: expression for the pure ghost kinetic operator corrected, Comments added; 21 pages, 1 figure, LaTeX 2

Sporopollenin as a dilution agent in artificial diets for solitary bees

Nutritional studies often require precise control of nutrients via dilution of artificial diets with indigestible material, but such studies in bees are limited. Common diluents like cellulose typically result in total mortality of bee larvae, making quantitative studies difficult. We investigated potential alternative dietary dilution agents, sporopollenin (pollen exines) and agar. We reared Osmia bicornis larvae on pollen diluted with these substances, alongside undiluted controls. Sporopollenin neither prevented nor improved survival, suggesting it is a suitable diluent. Agar appeared marginally to increase survival and its suitability requires further research. Both substances reduced cocoon weight, and sporopollenin also prolonged development, suggesting processing costs. Determining the physiological mechanisms driving these responses requires further work. Our findings should facilitate studies involving nutritional manipulations for solitary bees

Evaluating invasion risk for freshwater fishes in South Africa

South Africa, as a signatory of the Convention on Biological Diversity, has an obligation to identify, prioritise and manage invasive species and their introduction pathways. However, this requires knowledge of the introduction pathways, factors influencing establishment success, invasive potential, current distributions and ecological impacts. Objectives: To evaluate the Fish Invasiveness Screening Kit (FISK) to predict the invasion risk posed by fish species proposed for introduction into South Africa. Method: FISK assessments were compiled for species whose invasion status in South Africa was known. A Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to calibrate the FISK for South Africa. The calibrated FISK was used to evaluate the risk that three species recently proposed for importation for aquaculture could become invasive in South Africa. Results: A FISK score of 14 was identified as the threshold to delineate between species that could become invasive in South Africa and those that are unlikely to become invasive. Of the three species evaluated, Silurus glanis had a high risk of becoming invasive in South Africa, Lates calcarifer was likely to be invasive and Oncorhynchus tshawytscha was unlikely to be invasive in South Africa. Conclusion: FISK was demonstrated to be a useful risk assessment tool to evaluate the invasion risk posed by species proposed for use in aquaculture. For the large number of fish imported for the pet trade, a rapid screening assessment to flag potentially high risk species was recommended prior to a full FISK assessment for flagged species.EM201