Protostellar Feedback Processes and the Mass of the First Stars

We review theoretical models of Population III.1 star formation, focusing on the protostellar feedback processes that are expected to terminate accretion and thus set the mass of these stars. We discuss how dark matter annihilation may modify this standard feedback scenario. Then, under the assumption that dark matter annihilation is unimportant, we predict the mass of stars forming in 12 cosmological minihalos produced in independent numerical simulations. This allows us to make a simple estimate of the Pop III.1 initial mass function and how it may evolve with redshift.Comment: 6 pages, Proceedings of 'The First Stars and Galaxies: Challenges for the Next Decade", Austin, TX, March 8-11, 201

Lightweight nickel electrode for nickel hydrogen cells and batteries

The nickel electrode was identified as the heaviest component of the nickel hydrogen (NiH2) battery. The NASA Lewis Research Center is developing nickel electrodes for NiH2 battery devices which will be lighter in weight and have higher energy densities when cycled under a low Earth orbit regime at deep depths of discharge. Lightweight plaques are first exposed to 31 percent potassium hydroxide for 3 months to determine their suitability for use as electrode substrates from a chemical corrosion standpoint. Pore size distribution and porosity of the plaques are then measured. The lightweight plaques examined are nickel foam, nickel felt, nickel plastic and nickel plated graphite. Plaques are then electrochemically impregnated in an aqueous solution. Initial characterization tests of the impregnated plaques are performed at five discharge levels, C/2, 1.0 C, 1.37 C, 2.0C, and 2.74 C rates. Electrodes that passed the initial characterization screening test will be life cycle tested. Lightweight electrodes are approximately 30 to 50 percent lighter in weight than the sintered nickel electrode

Recent advances in Ni-H2 technology at NASA Lewis Research Center

The NASA Lewis Research Center has concentrated its efforts on advancing the Ni-H2 system technology for low Earth orbit applications. Component technology as well as the design principles were studied in an effort to understand the system behavior and failure mechanisms in order to increase performance and extend cycle life. The design principles were previously addressed. The component development is discussed, in particular the separator and nickel electrode and how these efforts will advance the Ni-H2 system technology

Lifting the Veil: France’s New Crusade

France is home to the largest Muslim population in Europe, comprising six percent of the French population, making Islam the second most practiced religion in France. With an influx of Muslim immigrants, France struggles with concerns over its national identity and culture. In 2009, the French government began to consider a ban on the face veil, or burqa, in public. Critics accused France of discrimination and Islamophobia, while officials calling for such a ban defended it on constitutional grounds: secularism and a belief that the burqa represents gender discrimination. On September 14, 2010, the French Senate approved the bill to ban women from wearing the veil in public and with the approval of the Constitutional Council, the law will go into effect in the Spring of 2011. This Note calls on the European Court of Human Rights to depart from its history of deference to Member State governments regarding issues of religious expression; instead, the court should ensure that any decision to restrict religious expression in France through a burqa ban does not violate the European Convention on Human Rights

Scalable arrays of RF Paul traps in degenerate Si

We report techniques for the fabrication of multi-zone linear RF Paul traps that exploit the machinability and electrical conductivity of degenerate silicon. The approach was tested by trapping and laser cooling 24Mg+ ions in two trap geometries: a single-zone two-layer trap and a multi-zone surface-electrode trap. From the measured ion motional heating rate we determine an electric field spectral density at the ion's position of approximately 1E-10 (V/m)^2/Hz at a frequency of 1.125 MHz when the ion lies 40 micron above the trap surface. One application of these devices is controlled manipulation of atomic ion qubits, the basis of one form of quantum information processing.Comment: 3 pages; 2 figures; v2: fix heating rate typ

Study of the Decay $\Lambda_c \to \Lambda l^+ \nu_{l}

Using the CLEO II detector at CESR, we observe 500 $\Lambda l^+$ pairs consistent with the semileptonic decay $\Lambda_c \to \Lambda l^+ \nu_{l}$. We measure $\sigma (e^+ e^- \to \Lambda_c X) \dot {cal B}(\Lambda_c^+ \to \Lambda l \nu_{l}) =4.77 \pm 0.25 \pm 0.66$pb. Combining with the charm semileptonic width and the lifetime of the $\Lambda_c$, we also obtain ${\cal B}(\Lambda_c \to p K^- \pi^+)$. We find no evidence for $\Lambda l^+ \nu_{l}$ final states in which there are additional $\Lambda_c^+$ decay products. We measure the decay asymmetry parameter of $\Lambda_c \to \Lambda l^+ \nu_{l}$ to be $\alpha_{\Lambda_c} =-0.89\pm{^{0.17}_{0.11}}\pm{^{0.09}_{0.06}}.Comment: 18 pages uuencoded compressed postscript (process with uudecode then gunzip). hardcopies with figures can be obtained by sending mail to: [email protected]

Electrolyte management in porous battery components. Static measurements

The interaction between the porous hydrogen and nickel electrodes and microporous separator with respect to electrolyte management in nickel/hydrogen cells has been investigated. The distribution of electrolyte among the components has been measured and correlated with the pore size distributions, total void volume, and resistance of a variety of electrodes and separators. Calculations are used to show the effects of systematically varying these properties

Pore size engineering applied to the design of separators for nickel-hydrogen cells and batteries

Pore size engineering in starved alkaline multiplate cells involves adopting techniques to widen the volume tolerance of individual cells. Separators with appropriate pore size distributions and wettability characteristics (capillary pressure considerations) to have wider volume tolerances and an ability to resist dimensional changes in the electrodes were designed. The separators studied for potential use in nickel-hydrogen cells consist of polymeric membranes as well as inorganic microporous mats. In addition to standard measurements, the resistance and distribution of electrolyte as a function of total cell electrolyte content were determined. New composite separators consisting of fibers, particles and/or binders deposited on Zircar cloth were developed in order to engineer the proper capillary pressure characteristics in the separator. These asymmetric separators were prepared from a variety of fibers, particles and binders