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2004

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Articles 91 - 120 of 132

Full-Text Articles in Astrophysics and Astronomy

Astronaut Eva Exposure Estimates From Cad Model Spacesuit Geometry, Giovanni De Angelis, Brooke M. Anderson, William Atwell, John E. Nealy, Gary D. Qualls, John W. Wilson Mar 2004

Astronaut Eva Exposure Estimates From Cad Model Spacesuit Geometry, Giovanni De Angelis, Brooke M. Anderson, William Atwell, John E. Nealy, Gary D. Qualls, John W. Wilson

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

Ongoing assembly and maintenance activities at the International Space Station (ISS) require much more extravehicular activity (EVA) than did the earlier U.S. Space Shuttle missions. It is thus desirable to determine and analyze, and possibly foresee, as accurately as possible what radiation exposures crew members involved in EVAs will experience in order to minimize risks and to establish exposure limits that must not to be exceeded. A detailed CAD model of the U.S. Space Shuttle EVA Spacesuit, developed at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC), is used to represent the directional shielding of an astronaut; it has detailed helmet and backpack …

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Observations Of White Dwarfs In The Solar Neighborhood, Adela Kawka, Stphane Vennes, John R. Thorstensen Mar 2004

Observations Of White Dwarfs In The Solar Neighborhood, Adela Kawka, Stphane Vennes, John R. Thorstensen

Dartmouth Scholarship

High proper motion surveys are still adding much to our understanding of the local white dwarf population and, possibly, to the Galactic halo membership of some objects. As part of our study of white dwarfs in the solar neighborhood we have observed seven white dwarfs from the revised New Luyten Two Tenths (NLTT) catalog of Salim & Gould. We found four DA white dwarfs (NLTT 529, 49985, 53468, 55932), one DZ white dwarf (NLTT 40607) that shows a close resemblance to the unusual DZ white dwarf G165-7, and two DC white dwarfs (NLTT 19138, NLTT 52404). The white dwarf candidates …

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The Intrinsic Intensity Modulation Of Psr B1937+21 At 1410 Mhz, Fredrick A. Jenet, Janusz Gil Feb 2004

The Intrinsic Intensity Modulation Of Psr B1937+21 At 1410 Mhz, Fredrick A. Jenet, Janusz Gil

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

The single-pulse properties of the millisecond radio pulsar PSR B1937+21 are studied at 1410 MHz. The nongiant pulse emission regions appear to be remarkably stable, showing no pulse-to-pulse fluctuations other then those induced by the interstellar medium. This type of behavior has not been seen in any other pulsar, although it was seen in previous 430 MHz observations of this source. The stability of this source is interpreted in the context of the sparking gap model of radio pulsar emission, and a model-dependent upper bound is placed on the Lorentz factor of the outflowing plasma.

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Oxygen In Open Cluster Dwarfs: Pleiades And M34, Simon C. Schuler, Jeremy R. King, L M. Hobbs, Marc H. Pinsonneault Feb 2004

Oxygen In Open Cluster Dwarfs: Pleiades And M34, Simon C. Schuler, Jeremy R. King, L M. Hobbs, Marc H. Pinsonneault

Publications

We analyze the high-excitation O I lambda7774 triplet in high-resolution, moderate signal-to-noise ratio spectra of 15 Pleiades and eight M34 open cluster dwarfs over the effective temperature range of 5048-6172 K. Relative O abundances have been derived using model atmospheres interpolated from four different sets of ATLAS9 grids. In contrast to existing non-LTE (NLTE) predictions, a dramatic increase in the O I triplet abundance with decreasing temperature is seen for both clusters, regardless of the atmospheric model. S I abundances of three Pleiades stars derived from the high-excitation lambda6053 feature mimic the O I abundance behavior. O abundances have also …

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Dedicated Polarimeter Design For Hard X-Ray And Soft Gamma-Ray Astronomy, Mark L. Mcconnell, J Ledoux, John R. Macri, James M. Ryan Feb 2004

Dedicated Polarimeter Design For Hard X-Ray And Soft Gamma-Ray Astronomy, Mark L. Mcconnell, J Ledoux, John R. Macri, James M. Ryan

Space Science Center

We have developed a modular design for a hard X-ray and soft gamma-ray polrimeter that we call GRAPE (Gamma RAy Polarimeter Experiment). Optimized for the energy range of 50-300 keV, the GRAPE design is a Compton polarimeter based on the use of an array of plastic scintillator scattering elements in conjunction with a centrally positioned high-Z calorimeter detector. Here we shall review the results from a laboratory model of the baseline GRAPE design. The baseline design uses a 5-inch diameter position sensitive PMT (PSPMT) for readout of the plastic scintillator array and a small array of CsI detectors for measurement …

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Boron Alloying In Gan, Gus L. W. Hart, Laurian Escalanti Feb 2004

Boron Alloying In Gan, Gus L. W. Hart, Laurian Escalanti

Faculty Publications

Using first-principles calculations in the local density approximation, we studied effects of adding up to 6% boron to zinc-blende GaN. We found that the band gap increases monotonically with boron incorporation, in agreement with experiment. A composition-independent band-gap bowing parameter of 4.30 eV was determined, and proved to be large compared to bowing for other mixed cation systems. The formation enthalpy of mixing, ΔH, was determined for BxGa1-xN, BxGa1-xAs, and GaAs1-xNx. A comparison of enthalpies indicates that the production of BxGa1-xN films with boron concentrations of at least 5% may be possible.

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Book Review: The Big Bang: A View From The 21st Century, T. D. Oswalt Feb 2004

Book Review: The Big Bang: A View From The 21st Century, T. D. Oswalt

Publications

This document is Dr. Oswalt’s review of The Big Bang : a View from the 21st Century by David M. Harland. Springer/Praxis, 2003 262p, 1-85233-713-3 $39.95.

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Influence Of The Hall Term On Kh Instability And Reconnection Inside Kh Vortices, K. Nykyri, A. Otto Feb 2004

Influence Of The Hall Term On Kh Instability And Reconnection Inside Kh Vortices, K. Nykyri, A. Otto

Publications

The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI) in its nonlinear stage can develop small-scale filamentary field and current structures at the flank boundaries of the magnetosphere. It has been shown previously with MHD simulations that magnetic reconnection can occur inside these narrow current layers, resulting in plasma transport from the solar wind into the magnetosphere. During periods of northward IMF, this transport is sufficient to generate a cold, dense plasma sheet on time scales consistent with satellite observations. However, when the length scales of these narrow current layers approach the ion inertia scale, the MHD approximation is not valid anymore and the Hall …

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Derivation Of Moving-Coil Loudspeaker Parameters Using Plane Wave Tube Techniques, Brian Eric Anderson Jan 2004

Derivation Of Moving-Coil Loudspeaker Parameters Using Plane Wave Tube Techniques, Brian Eric Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

Small-signal moving-coil loudspeaker driver parameters are traditionally derived through electrical impedance measurement techniques. These parameters are commonly called Thiele/Small parameters, after Neville Thiele and Richard Small who are credited with developing industry-standard loudspeaker modeling techniques. However, because loudspeaker drivers are electro-mechano-acoustical transducers, it should be possible to measure their parameters in physical domains other than the electrical domain. A method of measuring loudspeaker parameters from the acoustical domain will be developed. The technique uses a plane wave tube to measure acoustical properties of a baffled driver under test. Quantities such as the transmission loss through the driver are measured for …

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Observation Of M87 At 400 Gev With The Whipple 10 Meter Telescope, P. T. Reynolds, Et. Al. Jan 2004

Observation Of M87 At 400 Gev With The Whipple 10 Meter Telescope, P. T. Reynolds, Et. Al.

Physical Sciences Publications

We present results from observations taken with the Whipple 10 m very high energy γ-ray telescope with maximal sensitivity at 400 GeV during 39 hr between 2000 and 2003 in the direction of the giant radio galaxy M87. Using the entire data set, we derive a 99% confidence level upper limit on the flux of γ-ray emission above 400 GeV from M87 to be ≤6.9 × 10-12 cm-2 s-1. This suggests variability at the 90% confidence level when compared to the flux measured by the HEGRA collaboration in 1999 if the differential spectrum is steeper than a power law of …

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Testing Protoplanetary Disk Alignment In Young Binaries, Eric L.N. Jensen, R. D. Mathieu, A. X. Donar, Allyn Dullighan , '01 Jan 2004

Testing Protoplanetary Disk Alignment In Young Binaries, Eric L.N. Jensen, R. D. Mathieu, A. X. Donar, Allyn Dullighan , '01

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Works

We present K-band (2.2 mum) imaging polarimetry that resolves 19 T Tauri binary and multiple systems in the Taurus-Auriga and Scorpius-Ophiuchus star-forming regions. We observed systems with projected separations 1."5 - 7."2 (similar to200 - 1000 AU) in order to determine the relative orientation of the circumstellar disks in each binary system. Scattered light from these disks is polarized, allowing us to deduce the position angle of the disk on the sky from the position angle of polarization even though our observations do not resolve the disks themselves. We detected measurable polarization ( typically 0.5% - 2%, with typical uncertainty …

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High-Resolution Chandra Spectroscopy Of Gamma Cassiopeiae (B0.5e), M. A. Smith, David H. Cohen, M. F. Gu, R. D. Robinson, N. R. Evans, Prudence G. Schran Jan 2004

High-Resolution Chandra Spectroscopy Of Gamma Cassiopeiae (B0.5e), M. A. Smith, David H. Cohen, M. F. Gu, R. D. Robinson, N. R. Evans, Prudence G. Schran

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Works

gamma Cas is the prototypical classical B0.5e star and is now known to be the primary in a wide binary system. It has long been famous for its unique hard X-ray characteristics, among which are variations that correlate with changes in a number of optical light and UV line and continuum properties. These peculiarities have led to a picture in which processes on or near the Be star produce the observed X-ray emission. In this paper we report on a 53 ks Chandra High Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer observation of this target. An inspection of our spectrum shows that it …

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Nucleosynthesis, Reionization, And The Mass Function Of The First Stars, Jason Tumlinson, Aparna Venkatesan, J Shull Jan 2004

Nucleosynthesis, Reionization, And The Mass Function Of The First Stars, Jason Tumlinson, Aparna Venkatesan, J Shull

Physics and Astronomy

We critique the hypothesisthat the first starswere very massive stars(VMSs; M > 140 M).We review the twomajor lines of evidencefor the existence ofVMSs: (1) that therelative metal abundances ofextremely metal-poor Galactic halostars show evidence ofVMS enrichment and (2)that the high electron-scatteringoptical depth (e) tothe cosmic microwave backgroundfound by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe(WMAP) requires VMSs forreionization in a concordanceCDM cosmology. The yieldpatterns of VMSs explodingas pair-instability supernovae areincompatible with the Fe-peakand r-process abundances inhalo stars. Models includingType II supernovae and/or"hypernovae" from zero-metallicity progenitorswith M = 840 Mcan better explain theobserved trends. We usethe …

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Be Star Spectroscopy Using The Uca Fiber-Fed Spectrograph, Scott Austin Jan 2004

Be Star Spectroscopy Using The Uca Fiber-Fed Spectrograph, Scott Austin

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Beginning in June 2003, undergraduate students and the author have spectroscopically monitored bright Be stars using a custom built fiber-fed spectrograph attached to the UCA Observatory 11-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. We have obtained 0.8 Angstrom/pixel resolution spectra of the H-alpha line for over forty Be-Stars. Some have been observed on multiple dates in order to detect any temporal changes. Line profiles, velocities, and observed variations for some of these stars will be presented.

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The Exterior Orientation Of Aerial Imagery Using Existing Orthoimagery And Terrain Models:A Performance Test, Finnian O'Cionnaith Jan 2004

The Exterior Orientation Of Aerial Imagery Using Existing Orthoimagery And Terrain Models:A Performance Test, Finnian O'Cionnaith

Masters

In every part of the world the rate of map revision is alarmingly low when compared to the rate of change of many human influenced surface features. There is therefore a requirement to regularly gather up-to-date information about surface features and to incorporate changes in maps both quickly and effectively before it becomes history. When an aerial photograph is taken, it contains errors one category of which is caused by the aircraft taking the photograph being tilted. This aerial photograph by itself is of little commercial value. Accurate maps cannot be created from it, its use in GIS (Geographical Information …

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The Host Of Grb 030323 At Z=3.372: A Very High Column Density Dla System With A Low Metallicity, P. M. Vreeswijk, S. L. Ellison, C. Ledoux, R. A. M. J. Wijers, J. P. U. Fymbo, P. Møller, A. Henden, J. Hjorth, G. Masi Jan 2004

The Host Of Grb 030323 At Z=3.372: A Very High Column Density Dla System With A Low Metallicity, P. M. Vreeswijk, S. L. Ellison, C. Ledoux, R. A. M. J. Wijers, J. P. U. Fymbo, P. Møller, A. Henden, J. Hjorth, G. Masi

Publications

We present photometry and spectroscopy of the afterglow of GRB 030323. VLT spectra of the afterglow show damped Lyα(DLA) absorption and low- and high-ionization lines at a redshift z =3.3718 ±0.0005. The inferred neutral hy-drogen column density, log N(H i) =21.90±0.07, is larger than any (GRB- or QSO-) DLA H  column density inferred directly from Lyαin absorption. From the afterglow photometry, we derive a conservative upper limit to the host-galaxy extinction: AV <0.5 mag. The iron abundance is [Fe/H] =−1.47 ±0.11, while the metallicity of the gas as measured from sulphur is [S/H] =−1.26 ±0.20. We derive an upper limit on the H2 molecular fraction of 2N(H2)/(2N(H2) +N(H i)) <∼10−6.In the Lyαtrough, a Lyαemission line is detected, which corresponds to a star-formation rate (not corrected for dust extinction) of roughly 1 Myr−1. All these results are consistent with the host galaxy of GRB 030323 consisting of a low metallicity gas with a low dust content. We detect fine-structure lines of silicon, Si*, which have never been clearly detected in QSO-DLAs; this suggests that these lines are produced in the vicinity of the GRB explosion site. Under the assumption that these fine-structure levels are populated by particle collisions, we estimate the H  volume density to be nH i =102−104 cm−3.HST/ACS imaging 4 months after the burst shows an extended AB(F606W) =28.0 ±0.3 mag object at a distance of 0.14 (1 kpc) from the early afterglow location, which presumably is the host galaxy of GRB 030323.

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Lisa Time-Delay Interferometry Zero-Signal Solution: Geometrical Properties, Massimo Tinto, Shane L. Larson Jan 2004

Lisa Time-Delay Interferometry Zero-Signal Solution: Geometrical Properties, Massimo Tinto, Shane L. Larson

All Physics Faculty Publications

Time-delay interferometry (TDI) is the data processing technique needed for generating interferometric combinations of data measured by the multiple Doppler readouts available onboard the three Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) spacecraft. Within the space of all possible interferometric combinations TDI can generate, we have derived a specific combination that has zero response to the gravitational wave signal, and called it the zero-signal solution (ZSS). This is a two-parameter family of linear combinations of the generators of the TDI space, and its response to a gravitational wave becomes null when these two parameters coincide with the values of the angles of …

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Single-Sided Czt Strip Detectors, John R. Macri, L A. Hamel, Manuel Julien, R S. Miller, B Donmez, Mark L. Mcconnell, James M. Ryan, Mark Widholm Jan 2004

Single-Sided Czt Strip Detectors, John R. Macri, L A. Hamel, Manuel Julien, R S. Miller, B Donmez, Mark L. Mcconnell, James M. Ryan, Mark Widholm

Space Science Center

We report progress in the study of thick CZT strip detectors for 3-D imaging and spectroscopy and discuss two approaches to device design. Unlike double-sided strip detectors, these devices feature both row and column contacts implemented on the anode surface. This electron-only approach circumvents problems associated with poor hole transport in CZT that normally limit the thickness and energy range of double-sided strip detectors. The work includes laboratory and simulation studies aimed at developing compact, efficient, detector modules for 0.05 to 1 MeV gamma radiation measurements while minimizing the number and complexity of the electronic readout channels. These devices can …

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Future Prospects For High Energy Polarimetry Of Gamma‐Ray Bursts, Mark L. Mcconnell Jan 2004

Future Prospects For High Energy Polarimetry Of Gamma‐Ray Bursts, Mark L. Mcconnell

Space Science Center

The recent detection of linear polarization from GRB120206 has piqued the interest of the community in this relatively unexplored avenue of research. Here, we review the current status and prospects for GRB polarimetry at hard X‐ray and soft γ‐ray energies. After reviewing the most recent results, we present a brief survey of current and planned experiments that are capable of making GRB polarization measurements in the energy range between 30 keV and 30 MeV.

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Grain Size Distributions And Photoelectric Heating In Ionized Media, P. A. M. Vanhoof, J. C. Weingartner, P. G. Martin, K. Volk, Gary J. Ferland Jan 2004

Grain Size Distributions And Photoelectric Heating In Ionized Media, P. A. M. Vanhoof, J. C. Weingartner, P. G. Martin, K. Volk, Gary J. Ferland

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Ever since the pioneering study of Spitzer, it has been widely recognized that grains play an important role in the heating and cooling of photoionized environments. This includes the diffuse interstellar medium and H II regions, planetary nebulae and photodissociation regions. A detailed code is necessary to model grains in a photoionized medium since the interactions of grains with their environment include a host of microphysical processes. In this paper we will use the spectral synthesis code CLOUDY for this purpose. A comprehensive upgrade of the grain model has been recently incorporated into CLOUDY. One of these upgrades is the …

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Uranium Oxide As A Highly Reflective Coating From 100-400 Ev, Richard L. Sandberg, David D. Allred, Luke J. Bissell, Jed E. Johnson, R. Steven Turley Jan 2004

Uranium Oxide As A Highly Reflective Coating From 100-400 Ev, Richard L. Sandberg, David D. Allred, Luke J. Bissell, Jed E. Johnson, R. Steven Turley

Faculty Publications

We present the measured reflectances (Beamline 6.3.2, ALS and LBNL) of naturally oxidized uranium and naturally oxidized nickel thin films from 100-460 eV (2.7 to 11.6 nm) at 5 and 15 degrees grazing incidence. These show that uranium as UO2, can fulfill its promise as the highest known single surface reflector for this portion of the soft x-ray region, being nearly twice as reflective as nickel in the 124-250 eV (5-10 nm) region. This is due to its large index of refraction coupled with low absorption. Nickel is commonly used in soft x-ray applications in astronomy and synchrotrons. (Its reflectance …

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Senior Thesis Work, Corey Jansen Jan 2004

Senior Thesis Work, Corey Jansen

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

In closing, it is important to remember, as stated earlier, that no one can prove exactly what it was that the authors of Genesis were trying to get across to us. It is valid to note, however, that the stories they were trying to get across were intended for and more properly understood by the people at that time and place. While they form the basis of many of our beliefs in Christianity, they weren't written with the realization that thousands of years later there would be great scientific discoveries that would teach us more about the world and about …

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Novel N-Body Orbits For Constrained Potentials Including The Unusual Figure Eight Three Body Orbit, Jan M. Dudzik Jan 2004

Novel N-Body Orbits For Constrained Potentials Including The Unusual Figure Eight Three Body Orbit, Jan M. Dudzik

Masters Theses

Recently new n-body planar orbits have been discovered which are known as choreographies. These orbits correspond to small n, generally n<20, and exhibit unexpected patterns with respect to given initial conditions. Here we shall examine numerical solutions to the three-body problem and the restricted three-body problem for three body potentials that are the sum of three two-body potentials. Then for an everywhere attractive three body potential with non-collinear and collision-less orbits with a strictly monotone decreasing potential function there exist bound states that are not chaotic that are choreographies. For the right initial conditions these orbits can be mapped numerically and visualized. We will display a number of these cases corresponding to the three body problem, restricted three body problem, the chaotic restricted three body problem and the new figure eight bound state choreography for the Kazalov potential orbits to exhibit some of their special features and to take note of a number of open questions dealing with simple orbital problems.

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Table Of Contents Jan 2004

Table Of Contents

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

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President's Message, David J. Stroup Jan 2004

President's Message, David J. Stroup

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

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Scas Officers And Council Members 2004 - 2005 Jan 2004

Scas Officers And Council Members 2004 - 2005

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

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Bioinformatics: An Undergraduate Research/Teaching Tool., Abhishek Agrawal, Valgene L. Dunham Jan 2004

Bioinformatics: An Undergraduate Research/Teaching Tool., Abhishek Agrawal, Valgene L. Dunham

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

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Riemann Tensor Of The Ambient Universe, The Dilaton, And Newton’S Constant, Rossen Ivanov, Emil Prodanov Jan 2004

Riemann Tensor Of The Ambient Universe, The Dilaton, And Newton’S Constant, Rossen Ivanov, Emil Prodanov

Articles

We investigate a four-dimensional world, embedded into a five-dimensional spacetime, and find the five-dimensional Riemann tensor via generalisation of the Gauss (--Codacci) equations. We then derive the generalised equations of the four-dimensional world and also show that the square of the dilaton field is equal to the Newton's constant. We find plausable constant and non-constant solutions for the dilaton. Comment: 5 pages, revtex

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The Faith Factor: New Testament Cosmology In Its Historical Context, Keith A. Burton Jan 2004

The Faith Factor: New Testament Cosmology In Its Historical Context, Keith A. Burton

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

No abstract provided.

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Generation Of The Transient Electrical And Spontaneous Magnetic Fields By Solid State Combustion, Karen S. Martirosyan, J. R. Claycomb, J. H. Miller Jr., D. Luss Jan 2004

Generation Of The Transient Electrical And Spontaneous Magnetic Fields By Solid State Combustion, Karen S. Martirosyan, J. R. Claycomb, J. H. Miller Jr., D. Luss

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

Experiments revealed that transient electric field intensities up to 2.5 V/cm were generated during the initial period of combustion synthesis of the ferromagnetic products before the maximum temperature was reached. This occurred when the iron particles were partially oxidized and the reaction product was mainly magnetite sFe3O4d. The electromagnetic field caused spontaneous magnetization of the product in the postcombustion zone. Magnetic field values up to 4 µT formed after the sample temperature fell below the Curie temperature and the initial reactants were completely converted to the ferromagnetic phase PbFe12O19. Increasing the volume of the samples increases the absolute residual magnetic …

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