Performance of a lithium fluoride bolometer for Tokyo dark matter search experiment

The performance of a 21-g lithium fluoride bolometer is presented. The background spectrum was measured in the surface laboratory. We derive an exclusion plot for the spin-dependent coupled Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) cross section.     

Collapse behavior of a brick masonry house using a shaking table and numerical simulation based on the extended distinct element method

Damage caused by devastating earthquakes has occurred in many developing countries. In order to mitigate such damage by promoting the study of adequate seismic design strategies, the authors conducted a dynamic collapse test on 3 m × 3 m × 3 m brick masonry house constructed with Pakistani bricks, using a one-direction horizontal large-scale shaking table. In order to analyze and simulate seismic performance of the masonry structures, the authors applied a new numerical simulating method based on the Extended Distinct Element Method (EDEM) and conducted collapse simulations of the brick masonry house behavior during the shaking table tests. In the numerical simulation model, bricks were assumed to be rigid bodies, and mortar was modeled using a mortar spring that consists of a normal spring and a shear spring. The parameters of each mortar spring were defined based on the results of material tests. Simulated results showed various collapsing processes, and the simulated aspects were found to be similar to the results of the shaking table tests.     

Rare Earth Magnets: Conservation of Energy and the Environment

Rare earth sintered magnets (Nd magnet) have been used in many applications such as computer and industrial equipment, automobile manufacturing and many others. They are highly efficient and reduce energy consumption because of their superior magnetic properties. The element dysprosium (Dy) contained in the Nd magnet is important and indispensable. It improves the stability of the Nd magnet by enhancing the coercive force of its magnetic properties at high temperature. Dy is not so abundant. The rapid growth of the Nd magnet may result in Dy shortage. Exploration for new deposits of Dy is desired.     

A comparison between finite element and finite difference explicit formulations for triangular and quadrilateral plane-strain elements

For non-linear dynamic problems, it has been recognized that an explicit time-integration method of approach is a very efficient way of solving the dynamic equations of motion. The numerical formulation and computation for such problems fall into the two general categories of finite elements and finite differences. Over the years, there have been many arguments between schools which adopt the finite element approach and those which adopt the finite difference approach. At one extreme, arguments areconcerned with the superiority of each approach and at the other end of the spectrum the arguments are about which approach is a subset of the other. The most common of these arguments are concerned with efficiency and accuracy. This publication addresses the accuracy issue with specific reference to explicit calculations in which the analysis domain is discretized into triangular or quadrilateral plane-strain elements. It concludes that if the same basic assumptions are made in the two approaches, they, will give identical answers for problems in this category.     

The Structure of Young Stellar Jets and Winds Revealed by High Resolution [Fe II] λ1.644μm Line Observations

We present high angular resolution spectra taken along the jets from L1551 IRS 5 and DG Tau obtained with the Subaru Telescope. The position-velocity diagrams of the [Fe II] λ 1.644 μmemission line revealed remarkably similar characteristics for the two sources, showing two distinct velocity components separated from each other in both velocity and space with the entire emission range blueshifted with respect to the stellar velocity. The high velocity component (HVC) has a velocity of –200 ––300 km s^-1 with a narrow line width, while the low velocity component (LVC) is around –100 km s^-1 exhibitinig a broad line width. The HVC is located farther away from the origin and is more extended than the LVC. Our results suggest that the HVC is a well-collimated jet originating from the region close to the star, while the LVC is a widely-opened wind accelerated in the region near the inner edge of the accretion disk.     

Near-Infrared Colors of the Binary Kuiper Belt Object 1998 WW 31

We have measured near-infrared colorsof the binary Kuiper Belt object (KBO)1998 WW₃₁ using the Subaru Telescope withadaptive optics. The satellite was detectednear its perigee and apogee(0.18“ and 1.2” apart from the primary).The primary and the satellite have similar H–Kcolors, while the satellite is redder thanthe primary in J–H. Combined with the Rband magnitude previously published byVeillet et al., 2002, the color of the primaryis consistent with that of optically red KBOs. Thesatellite's R-, J-, H-colors suggest thepresence of ～1 μm absorption band dueto rock-forming minerals. If the surface of thesatellite is mainly composed by olivine, thesatellite's albedo is higher value than the canonicallyassumed value of 4%.     

Simultaneous seeing measurement through the Subaru Telescope in the visible and near-infrared bands for the wavelength dependence evaluation

Stellar images have been obtained under natural seeing at visible and near-infrared wavelengths simultaneously through the Subaru Telescope at Mauna Kea. The image quality is evaluated by the full-width at the half-maximum (FWHM) of the stellar images. The observed ratio of FWHM in the V-band to the K-band is 1.54 ± 0.17 on average. The ratio shows tendency to decrease toward bad seeing as expected from the outer scale influence, though the number of the samples is still limited. The ratio is important for simulations to evaluate the performance of a ground-layer adaptive optics system at near-infrared wavelengths based on optical seeing statistics. The observed optical seeing is also compared with outside seeing to estimate the dome seeing of the Subaru Telescope.     

SOFIE project – 3D shaking table test on a seven‐storey full‐scale cross‐laminated timber building

Multi‐storey buildings made of cross‐laminated timber panels (X‐lam) are becoming a stronger and economically valid alternative in Europe compared with traditional masonry or concrete buildings. During the design process of these multi‐storey buildings, also their earthquake behaviour has to be addressed, especially in seismic‐prone areas such as Italy. However, limited knowledge on the seismic performance is available for this innovative massive timber product. On the basis of extensive testing series comprising monotonic and reversed cyclic tests on X‐lam panels, a pseudodynamic test on a one‐storey X‐lam specimen and 1D shaking table tests on a full‐scale three‐storey specimen, a full‐scale seven‐storey building was designed according to the European seismic standard Eurocode 8 and subjected to earthquake loading on a 3D shaking table. The building was designed with a preliminary action reduction factor of three that had been derived from the experimental results on the three‐storey building. The outcomes of this comprehensive research project called ‘SOFIE – Sistema Costruttivo Fiemme’ proved the suitability of multi‐storey X‐lam structures for earthquake‐prone regions. The buildings demonstrated self‐centring capabilities and high stiffness combined with sufficient ductility to avoid brittle failures. The tests provided useful information for the seismic design with force‐based methods as defined in Eurocode 8, that is, a preliminary experimentally based action reduction factor of three was confirmed. Valid, ductile joint assemblies were developed, and their importance for the energy dissipation in buildings with rigid X‐lam panels became evident. The seven‐storey building showed relatively high accelerations in the upper storeys, which could lead to secondary damage and which have to be addressed in future research. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of the copepod community structure on fecal pellet flux in Kagoshima bay,a deep,semi-enclosed embayment

Seasonal changes in the shape and size composition of fecal pellets were investigated with sediment trap samples from 50 and 150 m in Kagoshima Bay to evaluate how the mesozooplankton community affects fecal pellet flux. Deep vertical mixing was evident in March, and thermal stratification was developed above 50 m in June, August and November. Chlorophyll a, suspended particulate organic carbon (POC) and copepod abundance were uniform throughout the water column during the seasonal mixing and concentrated above 50 m in the stratified seasons. Calanoids were the most predominant copepods in March and poecilostomatoids composed more than 45% of the copepod community in June, August and November. Fecal pellet fluxes at 50 and 150 m were the highest in March, nearly half of POC flux. The relative contribution declined considerably in the other months, especially for less than 4% of POC flux in August. The decline was corresponded to the predominance of cyclopoids and poecilostomatoids. Cylindrical pellets dominated the fecal matters at both depths throughout the study period, while larger cylindrical pellets nearly disappeared at 150 m in June, August and November. Copepod incubation revealed that cylindrical and oval pellets were egested by calanoids and the other copepods, respectively. We suggest that cylindrical fecal pellets produced by calanoid copepods contribute to feces flux but the predominance of poecilostomatoids and/or cyclopoids decreases feces flux via the increase of oval pellets and fragmentation of larger cylindrical pellets.