782 research outputs found
High-Reynolds Number Active Blowing Semi-Span Force Measurement System Development
Recent wind-tunnel tests at the NASA Langley Research Center National Transonic Facility utilized high-pressure bellows to route air to the model for evaluating aircraft circulation control. The introduction of these bellows within the Sidewall Model Support System significantly impacted the performance of the external sidewall mounted semi-span balance. As a result of this impact on the semi-span balance measurement performance, it became apparent that a new capability needed to be built into the National Transonic Facility s infrastructure to allow for performing pressure tare calibrations on the balance in order to properly characterize its performance under the influence of static bellows pressure tare loads and bellows thermal effects. The objective of this study was to design both mechanical calibration hardware and an experimental calibration design that can be employed at the facility in order to efficiently and precisely perform the necessary loadings in order to characterize the semi-span balance under the influence of multiple calibration factors (balance forces/moments and bellows pressure/temperature). Using statistical design of experiments, an experimental design was developed allowing for strategically characterizing the behavior of the semi-span balance for use in circulation control and propulsion-type flow control testing at the National Transonic Facility
Radio Detection of the Fermi LAT Blind Search Millisecond Pulsar J1311-3430
We report the detection of radio emission from PSR J1311-3430, the first
millisecond pulsar discovered in a blind search of Fermi Large Area Telescope
(LAT) gamma-ray data. We detected radio pulsations at 2 GHz, visible for <10%
of ~4.5-hrs of observations using the Green Bank Telescope (GBT). Observations
at 5 GHz with the GBT and at several lower frequencies with Parkes, Nancay, and
the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope resulted in non-detections. We also report
the faint detection of a steep spectrum continuum radio source (0.1 mJy at 5
GHz) in interferometric imaging observations with the Jansky Very Large Array.
These detections demonstrate that PSR J1311-3430, is not radio quiet and
provides additional evidence that the radio beaming fraction of millisecond
pulsars is very large. The radio detection yields a distance estimate of 1.4
kpc for the system, yielding a gamma-ray efficiency of 30%, typical of
LAT-detected MSPs. We see apparent excess delay in the radio pulsar as the
pulsar appears from eclipse and we speculate on possible mechanisms for the
non-detections of the pulse at other orbital phases and observing frequencies.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures. ApJ Letters, in pres
PEER Testbed Study on a Laboratory Building: Exercising Seismic Performance Assessment
From 2002 to 2004 (years five and six of a ten-year funding cycle), the PEER Center organized
the majority of its research around six testbeds. Two buildings and two bridges, a campus, and a
transportation network were selected as case studies to “exercise” the PEER performance-based
earthquake engineering methodology. All projects involved interdisciplinary teams of
researchers, each producing data to be used by other colleagues in their research. The testbeds
demonstrated that it is possible to create the data necessary to populate the PEER performancebased framing equation, linking the hazard analysis, the structural analysis, the development of
damage measures, loss analysis, and decision variables.
This report describes one of the building testbeds—the UC Science Building. The project
was chosen to focus attention on the consequences of losses of laboratory contents, particularly
downtime. The UC Science testbed evaluated the earthquake hazard and the structural
performance of a well-designed recently built reinforced concrete laboratory building using the
OpenSees platform. Researchers conducted shake table tests on samples of critical laboratory
contents in order to develop fragility curves used to analyze the probability of losses based on
equipment failure. The UC Science testbed undertook an extreme case in performance
assessment—linking performance of contents to operational failure. The research shows the
interdependence of building structure, systems, and contents in performance assessment, and
highlights where further research is needed.
The Executive Summary provides a short description of the overall testbed research
program, while the main body of the report includes summary chapters from individual
researchers. More extensive research reports are cited in the reference section of each chapter
Five New Millisecond Pulsars From a Radio Survey of 14 Unidentified Fermi-LAT Gamma-ray Sources
We have discovered five millisecond pulsars (MSPs) in a survey of 14
unidentified Fermi-LAT sources in the southern sky using the Parkes radio
telescope. PSRs J0101-6422, J1514-4946, and J1902-5105 reside in binaries,
while PSRs J1658-5324 and J1747-4036 are isolated. Using an ephemeris derived
from timing observations of PSR J0101-6422 (P =2.57 ms, DM=12 pc cm-3), we have
detected {\gamma}-ray pulsations and measured its proper motion. Its
{\gamma}-ray spectrum (a power law of {\Gamma} = 0.9 with a cutoff at 1.6 GeV)
and efficiency are typical of other MSPs, but its radio and {\gamma}-ray light
curves challenge simple geometric models of emission. The high success rate of
this survey-enabled by selecting {\gamma}-ray sources based on their detailed
spectral characteristics-and other similarly successful searches indicate that
a substantial fraction of the local population of MSPs may soon be known.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables, accepted by ApJ
The High Time Resolution Universe Survey VI: An Artificial Neural Network and Timing of 75 Pulsars
We present 75 pulsars discovered in the mid-latitude portion of the High Time
Resolution Universe survey, 54 of which have full timing solutions. All the
pulsars have spin periods greater than 100 ms, and none of those with timing
solutions are in binaries. Two display particularly interesting behaviour; PSR
J1054-5944 is found to be an intermittent pulsar, and PSR J1809-0119 has
glitched twice since its discovery.
In the second half of the paper we discuss the development and application of
an artificial neural network in the data-processing pipeline for the survey. We
discuss the tests that were used to generate scores and find that our neural
network was able to reject over 99% of the candidates produced in the data
processing, and able to blindly detect 85% of pulsars. We suggest that
improvements to the accuracy should be possible if further care is taken when
training an artificial neural network; for example ensuring that a
representative sample of the pulsar population is used during the training
process, or the use of different artificial neural networks for the detection
of different types of pulsars.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figure
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A Mechanistic Analysis of Phase Evolution and Hydrogen Storage Behavior in Nanocrystalline Mg(BH4)2 within Reduced Graphene Oxide.
Magnesium borohydride (Mg(BH4)2, abbreviated here MBH) has received tremendous attention as a promising onboard hydrogen storage medium due to its excellent gravimetric and volumetric hydrogen storage capacities. While the polymorphs of MBH-alpha (α), beta (β), and gamma (γ)-have distinct properties, their synthetic homogeneity can be difficult to control, mainly due to their structural complexity and similar thermodynamic properties. Here, we describe an effective approach for obtaining pure polymorphic phases of MBH nanomaterials within a reduced graphene oxide support (abbreviated MBHg) under mild conditions (60-190 °C under mild vacuum, 2 Torr), starting from two distinct samples initially dried under Ar and vacuum. Specifically, we selectively synthesize the thermodynamically stable α phase and metastable β phase from the γ-phase within the temperature range of 150-180 °C. The relevant underlying phase evolution mechanism is elucidated by theoretical thermodynamics and kinetic nucleation modeling. The resulting MBHg composites exhibit structural stability, resistance to oxidation, and partially reversible formation of diverse [BH4]- species during de- and rehydrogenation processes, rendering them intriguing candidates for further optimization toward hydrogen storage applications
PSR J2030+3641: radio discovery and gamma-ray study of a middle-aged pulsar in the now identified Fermi-LAT source 1FGL J2030.0+3641
In a radio search with the Green Bank Telescope of three unidentified low
Galactic latitude Fermi-LAT sources, we have discovered the middle-aged pulsar
J2030+3641, associated with 1FGL J2030.0+3641 (2FGL J2030.0+3640). Following
the detection of gamma-ray pulsations using a radio ephemeris, we have obtained
a phase-coherent timing solution based on gamma-ray and radio pulse arrival
times that spans the entire Fermi mission. With a rotation period of 0.2 s,
spin-down luminosity of 3e34 erg/s, and characteristic age of 0.5 Myr, PSR
J2030+3641 is a middle-aged neutron star with spin parameters similar to those
of the exceedingly gamma-ray-bright and radio-undetected Geminga. Its gamma-ray
flux is 1% that of Geminga, primarily because of its much larger distance, as
suggested by the large integrated column density of free electrons, DM=246
pc/cc. We fit the gamma-ray light curve, along with limited radio polarimetric
constraints, to four geometrical models of magnetospheric emission, and while
none of the fits have high significance some are encouraging and suggest that
further refinements of these models may be worthwhile. We argue that not many
more non-millisecond radio pulsars may be detected along the Galactic plane
that are responsible for LAT sources, but that modified methods to search for
gamma-ray pulsations should be productive -- PSR J2030+3641 would have been
found blindly in gamma rays if only >0.8 GeV photons had been considered, owing
to its relatively flat spectrum and location in a region of high soft
background.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ, 9 pages, 6 figure
Sequential and Differential Interaction of Assembly Factors During Nitrogenase MoFe Protein Maturation
Nitrogenases reduce atmospheric nitrogen, yielding the basic inorganic molecule ammonia. The nitrogenase MoFe protein contains two cofactors, a [7Fe-9S-Mo-C-homocitrate] active-site species, designated FeMo-cofactor, and a [8Fe-7S] electron-transfer mediator called P-cluster. Both cofactors are essential for molybdenum-dependent nitrogenase catalysis in the nitrogen-fixing bacterium Azotobacter vinelandii. We show here that three proteins, NafH, NifW, and NifZ, copurify with MoFe protein produced by an A. vinelandii strain deficient in both FeMo-cofactor formation and P-cluster maturation. In contrast, two different proteins, NifY and NafY, copurified with MoFe protein deficient only in FeMo-cofactor formation. We refer to proteins associated with immature MoFe protein in the following as “assembly factors.” Copurifications of such assembly factors with MoFe protein produced in different genetic backgrounds revealed their sequential and differential interactions with MoFe protein during the maturation process. We found that these interactions occur in the order NafH, NifW, NifZ, and NafY/NifY. Interactions of NafH, NifW, and NifZ with immature forms of MoFe protein preceded completion of P-cluster maturation, whereas interaction of NafY/NifY preceded FeMo-cofactor insertion. Because each assembly factor could independently bind an immature form of MoFe protein, we propose that subpopulations of MoFe protein–assembly factor complexes represent MoFe protein captured at different stages of a sequential maturation process. This suggestion was supported by separate isolation of three such complexes, MoFe protein–NafY, MoFe protein–NifY, and MoFe protein–NifW. We conclude that factors involved in MoFe protein maturation sequentially bind and dissociate in a dynamic process involving several MoFe protein conformational states
Three Millisecond Pulsars in FERMI LAT Unassociated Bright Sources
We searched for radio pulsars in 25 of the non-variable, unassociated sources
in the Fermi LAT Bright Source List with the Green Bank Telescope at 820 MHz.
We report the discovery of three radio and gamma-ray millisecond pulsars (MSPs)
from a high Galactic latitude subset of these sources. All of the pulsars are
in binary systems, which would have made them virtually impossible to detect in
blind gamma-ray pulsation searches. They seem to be relatively normal, nearby
(<=2 kpc) millisecond pulsars. These observations, in combination with the
Fermi detection of gamma-rays from other known radio MSPs, imply that most, if
not all, radio MSPs are efficient gamma-ray producers. The gamma-ray spectra of
the pulsars are power-law in nature with exponential cutoffs at a few GeV, as
has been found with most other pulsars. The MSPs have all been detected as
X-ray point sources. Their soft X-ray luminosities of ~10^{30-31} erg/s are
typical of the rare radio MSPs seen in X-rays.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
Bright X-ray and Radio Pulses from a Recently Reactivated Magnetar
Magnetars are young, rotating neutron stars that possess larger magnetic fields (B ≈ 10¹³-10¹⁵G) and longer rotational periods (P ≈ 1-12 s) than ordinary pulsars. In contrast to rotation-powered pulsars, magnetar emission is thought to be fueled by the evolution and decay of their powerful magnetic fields. They display highly variable radio and X-ray emission, but the processes responsible for this behavior remain a mystery. We report the discovery of bright, persistent individual X-ray pulses from XTE J1810-197, a transient radio magnetar, using the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) following its recent radio reactivation. Similar behavior has only been previously observed from a magnetar during short time periods following a giant flare. However, the X-ray pulses presented here were detected outside of a flaring state. They are less energetic and display temporal structure that differs from the impulsive X-ray events previously observed from the magnetar class, such as giant flares and short X-ray bursts. Our high frequency radio observations of the magnetar, carried out simultaneously with the X-ray observations, demonstrate that the relative alignment between the X-ray and radio pulses varies on rotational timescales. No correlation was found between the amplitudes or temporal structure of the X-ray and radio pulses. The magnetar's 8.3 GHz radio pulses displayed frequency structure, which was not observed in the pulses detected simultaneously at 31.9 GHz. Many of the radio pulses were also not detected simultaneously at both frequencies, which indicates that the underlying emission mechanism producing these pulses is not broadband. We find that the radio pulses from XTE J1810-197 share similar characteristics to radio bursts detected from fast radio burst (FRB) sources, some of which are now thought to be produced by active magnetars
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