Bulk Charging of Dielectrics in Cryogenic Space Environments

We use a 1-D bulk charging model to evaluate dielectric charging at cryogenic temperatures relevant to space systems using passive cooling to <100K or extended operations in permanently dark lunar craters and the lunar night

Environment Challenges for Exploration of the Moon

NASA's Constellation Program is designing a new generation of human rated launch and space transportation vehicles to first replace the Space Shuttle fleet, then support develop of a permanent human habitat on the Moon, and ultimately prepare for human exploration of Mars. The ambitious first step beyond low Earth orbit is to develop the infrastructure required for conducting missions to a variety of locations on the lunar surface for periods of a week and establishment of a permanent settlement at one of the lunar poles where crews will serve for periods on the order of approx.200 days. We present an overview of the most challenging aspects of the lunar environment that will need to be addressed when developing transport and habitat infrastructure for long term human presence on the Moon including low temperatures and dusty regolith surfaces, radiation environments due to galactic cosmic rays and solar energetic particles, charging of lunar infrastructure when exposed to lunar plasma environments, and secondary meteor environments generated by primary impacts on the lunar surface

Coherent States Measurement Entropy

Coherent states (CS) quantum entropy can be split into two components. The dynamical entropy is linked with the dynamical properties of a quantum system. The measurement entropy, which tends to zero in the semiclassical limit, describes the unpredictability induced by the process of a quantum approximate measurement. We study the CS--measurement entropy for spin coherent states defined on the sphere discussing different methods dealing with the time limit $n \to \infty$. In particular we propose an effective technique of computing the entropy by iterated function systems. The dependence of CS--measurement entropy on the character of the partition of the phase space is analysed.Comment: revtex, 22 pages, 14 figures available upon request (e-mail: [email protected]). Submitted to J.Phys.

Modeling the Chandra Space Environment

ABSTRACT This paper describes the development of CRMFLX, an ion model for the outer magnetosphere developed for scheduling periods when the Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer (ACIS) instrument onboard the Chandra X-ray Observatory can be safely moved into the focal plane position required for science observations. Because exposure to protons with energies of approximately 100 keV to 200 keV has been shown to produce an increase in the charge transfer inefficiency (CTI) of the ACIS instrument, a tool for predicting encounters with magnetospheric regions rich in these particles is required. The model is based on data from the EPIC/ICS instrument onboard the Geotail satellite and provides the user with flux values for 100 kev to 200 keV protons as a function of satellite position and the geomagnetic activity Kp index

Population Synthesis in the Blue I. Synthesis of the Integrated Spectrum of 47 Tucanae from its Color-Magnitude Diagram

We perform an empirical synthesis of the blue integrated spectrum of the metal-rich globular cluster 47 Tucanae, based directly on the color-magnitude diagram of the cluster coupled to a moderately high-resolution spectral library. Freed from any significant dependence on theory, we are able to perform a fundamental test of the adequacy of the spectral library and its associated stellar parameters. Excellent fits are achieved for almost all absorption-line indices studied, provided the computations are corrected for two limitations of the spectral library, namely, the lack of a representative set of metal-poor giants and the absence of CN-strong stars. The latter effect is corrected by means of spectrum synthesis from model photospheres, considering the abundance pattern of CN-strong and CN-normal stars. We also need to perform a slight correction of the metallicity of the cluster (by --0.05 dex in relation to the standard value [Fe/H]=-0.7) in order to match the metal-line index measurements in the cluster spectrum. After these relatively small adjustments, the overall spectral agreement is good. Good fits are achieved for Hbeta, Hgamma, Mgb, , Ca4227 and Fe4383, and only Hdelta_F is overpredicted. Thus, ages inferred from Hdelta_F are slightly older than the ages based on the other Balmer lines, by ~ 3 Gyrs. The success of this exercise suggests that previous failures to synthesize the spectrum of 47 Tuc must have arisen from inadequacies in the theoretical evolutionary isochrones and/or luminosity functions. Such a possibility is considered in a companion paper

Ateriovenous subclavia-shunt for head and neck reconstruction

Reconstruction of the facial hard- and soft tissues is of special concern for the rehabilitation of patients especially after ablative tumor surgery has been performed. Impaired soft and hard tissue conditions as a sequelae of extensive surgical resection and/or radiotherapy may impede common reconstruction methodes. Even free flaps may not be used without interposition of a vein graft as recipient vessels are not available as a consequence of radical neck dissection

A Mathematical model for Astrocytes mediated LTP at Single Hippocampal Synapses

Many contemporary studies have shown that astrocytes play a significant role in modulating both short and long form of synaptic plasticity. There are very few experimental models which elucidate the role of astrocyte over Long-term Potentiation (LTP). Recently, Perea & Araque (2007) demonstrated a role of astrocytes in induction of LTP at single hippocampal synapses. They suggested a purely pre-synaptic basis for induction of this N-methyl-D- Aspartate (NMDA) Receptor-independent LTP. Also, the mechanisms underlying this pre-synaptic induction were not investigated. Here, in this article, we propose a mathematical model for astrocyte modulated LTP which successfully emulates the experimental findings of Perea & Araque (2007). Our study suggests the role of retrograde messengers, possibly Nitric Oxide (NO), for this pre-synaptically modulated LTP.Comment: 51 pages, 15 figures, Journal of Computational Neuroscience (to appear

First Results from the CHARA Array. I. An Interferometric and Spectroscopic Study of the Fast Rotator alpha Leonis (Regulus)

We report on K-band interferometric observations of the bright, rapidly rotating star Regulus (type B7 V) made with the CHARA Array on Mount Wilson, California. Through a combination of interferometric and spectroscopic measurements, we have determined for Regulus the equatorial and polar diameters and temperatures, the rotational velocity and period, the inclination and position angle of the spin axis, and the gravity darkening coefficient. These first results from the CHARA Array provide the first interferometric measurement of gravity darkening in a rapidly rotating star and represent the first detection of gravity darkening in a star that is not a member of an eclipsing binary system.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal, 44 pages w/ 14 figure

Genome-wide association study identifies a variant in HDAC9 associated with large vessel ischemic stroke

Genetic factors have been implicated in stroke risk but few replicated associations have been reported. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in ischemic stroke and its subtypes in 3,548 cases and 5,972 controls, all of European ancestry. Replication of potential signals was performed in 5,859 cases and 6,281 controls. We replicated reported associations between variants close to PITX2 and ZFHX3 with cardioembolic stroke, and a 9p21 locus with large vessel stroke. We identified a novel association for a SNP within the histone deacetylase 9(HDAC9) gene on chromosome 7p21.1 which was associated with large vessel stroke including additional replication in a further 735 cases and 28583 controls (rs11984041, combined P = 1.87×10−11, OR=1.42 (95% CI) 1.28-1.57). All four loci exhibit evidence for heterogeneity of effect across the stroke subtypes, with some, and possibly all, affecting risk for only one subtype. This suggests differing genetic architectures for different stroke subtypes

Asteroseismology and Interferometry

Asteroseismology provides us with a unique opportunity to improve our understanding of stellar structure and evolution. Recent developments, including the first systematic studies of solar-like pulsators, have boosted the impact of this field of research within Astrophysics and have led to a significant increase in the size of the research community. In the present paper we start by reviewing the basic observational and theoretical properties of classical and solar-like pulsators and present results from some of the most recent and outstanding studies of these stars. We centre our review on those classes of pulsators for which interferometric studies are expected to provide a significant input. We discuss current limitations to asteroseismic studies, including difficulties in mode identification and in the accurate determination of global parameters of pulsating stars, and, after a brief review of those aspects of interferometry that are most relevant in this context, anticipate how interferometric observations may contribute to overcome these limitations. Moreover, we present results of recent pilot studies of pulsating stars involving both asteroseismic and interferometric constraints and look into the future, summarizing ongoing efforts concerning the development of future instruments and satellite missions which are expected to have an impact in this field of research.Comment: Version as published in The Astronomy and Astrophysics Review, Volume 14, Issue 3-4, pp. 217-36