Optimization and performance of Space Station Freedom solar cells

High efficiency, large area and low cost solar cells are the drivers for Space Station solar array designs. The manufacturing throughput, process complexity, yield of the cells, and array manufacturing technique determine the economics of the solar array design. The cell efficiency optimization of large area (8 x 8 m), dielectric wrapthrough contact solar cells are described. The results of the optimization are reported and the solar cell performance of limited production runs is reported

A correlation between light profile and [Mg/Fe] abundance ratio in early-type galaxies

We explore possible correlations between light profile shapes, as parameterized by the Sersic index or the concentration index C_re(1/3), and relevant stellar population parameters in early-type galaxies. Mean luminosity weighted ages, metallicities and abundance ratios were obtained from spectra of very high signal-to-noise and stellar population models that synthesize galaxy spectra at the resolution given by their velocity dispersions, in combination with an age indicator that is virtually free of the effects of metallicity. We do not find any significant correlation between the Sersic index (or C_re(1/3)) and mean age or metallicity, but a strong positive correlation of the shape parameters with [Mg/Fe] abundance ratio. This dependence is as strong as the [Mg/Fe] vs. velocity dispersion and C_re(1/3) vs. velocity dispersion relations. We speculate that early-type galaxies settle up their structure on time-scales in agreement with those imposed by their [Mg/Fe] ratios. This suggest that the global structure of larger galaxies, with larger [Mg/Fe] ratios and shorter time-scales, was already at place at high z, without experiencing a significant time evolution.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures (to appear in The Astrophysical Journal Letters

Briefing: The ICE intelligent client capability framework

Recent aspirations to transform the delivery of major capital programmes and projects in the public sector are focusing on the achievement of value for money, whole‐life asset management and sustainable procurement, embodied in the principles of the Intelligent Client. However, there is little support offered to those working in client functions to promote the development of the skills and behaviours that underpin effective client decision-making. In line with the re-launch Infrastructure UK's Project Initiation Routemap, the Capacity Building Panel at the Institution for Civil Engineers has taken the first step in providing individuals with client capability development guidance. The Intelligent Client Capability Framework translates the principles of the Intelligent Client into a self-assessment with big potential, not just for building the capacity of Civil Engineers as Intelligent Clients, but for UK clients in general

A Robust Age Indicator for Old Stellar Populations

We derive new spectral H_gamma index definitions which are robust age indicators for old and relatively old stellar populations and thus have great potential for solving the age-metallicity degeneracy of galaxy spectra. To study H_gamma as a function of age, metallicity and resolution, we used a new spectral synthesis model which predicts SEDs of single-age, single-metallicity stellar populations at resolution FWHM=1.8A (which can be smoothed to different resolutions), allowing direct measurements of the equivalent widths of particular absorption features. We find that the H_gamma strong age disentangling power strongly depends strongly on the adopted resolution and galaxy velocity dispersion. We propose a system of indices which are completely insensitive to metallicity and stable against resolution, allowing the study of galaxies up to ~300 km/s. Observational spectra of very high S/N and relatively high dispersion, are required to gain this unprecedented age discriminating power. Once such spectra are obtained, accurate and reliable estimates for the luminosity-weighted average stellar ages of these galaxies will become possible for the first time, without assessing their metallicities. We measured this index for two globular clusters, a number of low-luminosity elliptical galaxies and a standard S0 galaxy. We find a large spread in the average stellar ages of a sample of low-luminosity ellipticals. In particular these indices yield 4 Gyr for M32, in agreement with the age provided by an extraordinary fit to the full spectrum of this galaxy that we achieve here.Comment: 22 pages, 4 figures. ApJ, in press. Models and details can be found at http://www.ioa.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/~vazdekis

Bimodal AGNs in Bimodal Galaxies

By their star content, the galaxies split out into a red and a blue population; their color index peaked around u-r=2.5 or u-r=1, respectively, quantifies the ratio of the blue stars newly formed from cold galactic gas, to the redder ones left over by past generations. On the other hand, upon accreting substantial gas amounts the central massive black holes energize active galactic nuclei (AGNs); here we investigate whether these show a similar, and possibly related, bimodal partition as for current accretion activity relative to the past. To this aim we use an updated semianalytic model; based on Monte Carlo simulations, this follows with a large statistics the galaxy assemblage, the star generations and the black hole accretions in the cosmological framework over the redshift span from z=10 to z=0. We test our simulations for yielding in close detail the observed split of galaxies into a red, early and a blue, late population. We find that the black hole accretion activities likewise give rise to two source populations: early, bright quasars and later, dimmer AGNs. We predict for their Eddington parameter $\lambda_E$ -- the ratio of the current to the past black hole accretions -- a bimodal distribution; the two branches sit now under $\lambda_E \approx 0.01$ (mainly contributed by low-luminosity AGNs) and around $\lambda_E \approx 0.3-1$. These not only mark out the two populations of AGNs, but also will turn out to correlate strongly with the red or blue color of their host galaxies.Comment: 7 pages, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

GPAQ-R: development and psychometric properties of a version of the general practice assessment questionnaire for use for revalidation by general practitioners in the UK.

BACKGROUND: The General Practice Assessment Questionnaire (GPAQ) has been widely used to assess patient experience in general practice in the UK since 2004. In 2013, new regulations were introduced by the General Medical Council (GMC) requiring UK doctors to undertake periodic revalidation, which includes assessment of patient experience for individual doctors. We describe the development of a new version of GPAQ - GPAQ-R which addresses the GMC's requirements for revalidation as well as additional NHS requirements for surveys that GPs may need to carry out in their own practices. METHODS: Questionnaires were given out by doctors or practice staff after routine consultations in line with the guidance given by the General Medical Council for surveys to be used for revalidation. Data analysis and practice reports were provided independently. RESULTS: Data were analysed for questionnaires from 7258 patients relating to 164 GPs in 29 general practices. Levels of missing data were generally low (typically 4.5-6%). The number of returned questionnaires required to achieve reliability of 0.7 were around 35 for individual doctor communication items and 29 for a composite score based on doctor communication items. This suggests that the responses to GPAQ-R had similar reliability to the GMC's own questionnaire and we recommend 30 completed GPAQ-R questionnaires are sufficient for revalidation purposes. However, where an initial screen raises concern, the survey might be repeated with 50 completed questionnaires in order to increase reliability. CONCLUSIONS: GPAQ-R is a development of a well-established patient experience questionnaire used in general practice in the UK since 2004. This new version can be recommended for use in order to meet the UK General Medical Council's requirements for surveys to be used in revalidation of doctors. It also meets the needs of GPs to ask about patient experience relating to aspects of practice care that are not specific to individual general practitioners (e.g. receptionists, telephone access) which meet other survey requirements of the National Health Service in England. Use of GPAQ-R has the potential to reduce the number of surveys that GPs need to carry out in their practices to meet the various regulatory requirements which they face

Black Carbon Contribution to the Aerosol Phase and its Scavenged Fraction in Mixed Phase Clouds at the High Alpine Site Jungfraujoch (3580m asl)

The mass fraction of black carbon (BC) in the atmospheric aerosol and its mixing state are important for the direct aerosol climate effect. These properties also determine if BC is incorporated into cloud hydrometeors (i.e. droplets and ice crystals) and are important because the microphysical and optical properties of the cloud are altered (indirect aerosol effect). Measurements were performed during several Cloud and Aerosol Characterization Experiments, in winter 2004 (CLACE3), summer 2004 (CLACE3.5), winter 2005 (CLACE4) and summer 2005 (CLACE4.5) at the high Alpine research station Jungfraujoch (3580 m asl)