Evolution of low-mass stars. implications for the dark matter distribution in the halo

We present up-to-date evolutionary models of low-mass stars, from M0.6 M down to the hydrogen burning minimum mass, using recent equation of state and synthetic spectra calculations. Comparison is made with observed luminosity function for these objects. We also present implications for the dark-matter distribution in the galactic halo.     

Optimal multiple level decision fusion with distributed sensors

A data fusion model consisting of several levels of parallel decision fusions is considered. Global optimization of such a model is discussed to obtain the fusion rules for overall optimal performance. The reliability analysis of the proposed model is carried out to establish its superiority over the existing parallel and serial fusion models     

Nonlinear deforming of laminated composite shells of revolution under finite deflections and normal’s rotation angles

The discretization of the boundary value problem for laminated composite shells is based on the finite difference approach using the regular mesh with the constant grid step and the difference operators of the second order of accuracy. The dynamic relaxation method is proposed for the solution of the nonlinear problem. The evolutionary equations of the dynamic relaxation are constructed, and the optimum parameters of the converging linear iterative process are estimated.     

To selection of the model fluid for hydrogen simulation in testing of seals

The paper discusses the applicability of cold gaseous nitrogen as a model working fluid in testing the hydrogen pump seals for power plants by three-dimensional modeling.     

Trends in research of hydrodynamic damping in rotor supports of gas turbine engines

The paper studies different types of dampers for rotor supports of gas turbine engines (GTE). The advantages of hydrodynamic dampers are shown. Hydrodynamic dampers for GTE rotor supports are studied. A new design and technique of calculation are proposed for an adjustable hydrodynamic damper.     

Determination of Gas-Generator Fuel Capacity for Hybrid Aerial Underwater Vehicles with Airfoil Cavity-Forming System

We determine the behavior of onboard gas-generator flowrate for generating the cavitation flow around a hybrid aerial underwater vehicle by using an annular wing on the underwater trajectory section.     

Calculation of tractive nozzle characteristics with altitude compensation

The numerical calculations of flows in conical and contoured nozzles with slots in the supersonic part that operate under overexpansion conditions are presented. The calculations were made with the aid of the authors’ algorithm and program of simulating turbulent two-dimensional (axisymmetric) flows of a viscous heat-conducting gas. The results of computational investigations of tractive slot nozzle characteristics and the amount of combustion product leakage from an annular slot depending on the flight altitude are given. It is shown that the flight altitude at which the gas flow through the annular slot is “chocked” depends on its size and location in the supersonic nozzle part.     

The THEMIS Array of Ground-based Observatories for the Study of Auroral Substorms

The NASA Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) project is intended to investigate magnetospheric substorm phenomena, which are the manifestations of a basic instability of the magnetosphere and a dominant mechanism of plasma transport and explosive energy release. The major controversy in substorm science is the uncertainty as to whether the instability is initiated near the Earth, or in the more distant >20 Re magnetic tail. THEMIS will discriminate between the two possibilities by using five in-situ satellites and ground-based all-sky imagers and magnetometers, and inferring the propagation direction by timing the observation of the substorm initiation at multiple locations in the magnetosphere. An array of stations, consisting of 20 all-sky imagers (ASIs) and 30-plus magnetometers, has been developed and deployed in the North American continent, from Alaska to Labrador, for the broad coverage of the nightside magnetosphere. Each ground-based observatory (GBO) contains a white light imager that takes auroral images at a 3-second repetition rate (“cadence”) and a magnetometer that records the 3 axis variation of the magnetic field at 2 Hz frequency. The stations return compressed images, “thumbnails,” to two central databases: one located at UC Berkeley and the other at the University of Calgary, Canada. The full images are recorded at each station on hard drives, and these devices are physically returned to the two data centers for data copying. All data are made available for public use by scientists in “browse products,” accessible by using internet browsers or in the form of downloadable CDF data files (the “browse products” are described in detail in a later section). Twenty all-sky imager stations are installed and running at the time of this publication. An example of a substorm was observed on the 23rd of December 2006, and from the THEMIS GBO data, we found that the substorm onset brightening of the equatorward arc was a gradual process (>27 seconds), with minimal morphology changes until the arc breaks up. The breakup was timed to the nearest frame (<3 s) and located to the nearest latitude degree at about ±3^oE in longitude. The data also showed that a similar breakup occurred in Alaska ～10 minutes later, highlighting the need for an array to distinguish prime onset.     

Characterization and Calibration of the CheMin Mineralogical Instrument on Mars Science Laboratory

A principal goal of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover Curiosity is to identify and characterize past habitable environments on Mars. Determination of the mineralogical and chemical composition of Martian rocks and soils constrains their formation and alteration pathways, providing information on climate and habitability through time. The CheMin X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instrument on MSL will return accurate mineralogical identifications and quantitative phase abundances for scooped soil samples and drilled rock powders collected at Gale Crater during Curiosity’s 1-Mars-year nominal mission. The instrument has a Co X-ray source and a cooled charge-coupled device (CCD) detector arranged in transmission geometry with the sample. CheMin’s angular range of 5^° to 50^° 2θ with <0.35^° 2θ resolution is sufficient to identify and quantify virtually all minerals. CheMin’s XRF requirement was descoped for technical and budgetary reasons. However, X-ray energy discrimination is still required to separate Co?Kα from Co?Kβ and Fe?Kα photons. The X-ray energy-dispersive histograms (EDH) returned along with XRD for instrument evaluation should be useful in identifying elements Z>13 that are contained in the sample. The CheMin XRD is equipped with internal chemical and mineralogical standards and 27 reusable sample cells with either Mylar^? or Kapton^? windows to accommodate acidic-to-basic environmental conditions. The CheMin flight model (FM) instrument will be calibrated utilizing analyses of common samples against a demonstration-model (DM) instrument and CheMin-like laboratory instruments. The samples include phyllosilicate and sulfate minerals that are expected at Gale crater on the basis of remote sensing observations.