Stephen Ornes wrote The Hungry Blob at the Edge of the Universe
on April 29,2009, it was published at www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20090429/Feature1. The blob is actually called a Lyman-alpha blob. Astronomer Masami Ouchi and his team believes that this distant galaxy is feeding off of cold gases. Other Astronomers think that these are smaller galaxys coming togeather and make one big galaxy or that this blob is a cloud of gas that is being heated by a huge black hole. This blob is so far away that it is the fourth most distant object ever seen. This blob is seen by a special telescopes that is able to see infrared light coming from space. We can’t see them with our own eyes but you can feel it. Infrared light feels like heat at a distance
Friday, May 15, 2009
Joshua - April S.I.N. - Sea Shells used to clean up Heavy Metals
In developing countries, millions of people lack access to clean drinking water because companies can’t afford expensive filtration systems. However, according to the article Sea Shells used to clean up Heavy Metals by Michael Reilly, published on msnbc.com on April 27, 2009, a team of researchers, led by Stephan Kohler of the Graz University of Technology in Austria, are currently testing a solution. The solution involves nothing but one of the cheapest, most abundant materials available – seashells.
Kohler and his team are currently trying this system out in factories on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, in Vietnam. The system works by pouring metal and acid-laden water over a bed of crushed clam or mussel shells. The seashells are made from aragonite, a form of calcium carbonate (CACO3). Aragonite swaps its calcium atoms for heavy metals, and the shells, having a pH of 8.3 when dissolved, are naturally basic.
This project started with work done in 2003 by Manuel Prieto of Oviedo University in Spain, who demonstrated that seashells remove cadmium from water. While Prieto removed concentrated cadmium in a laboratory environment, Kohler and his team are expanding that to include other heavy metals, such as lead.
While it’s not likely that developed countries, who can afford more expensive filtration systems, will use seashells to treat water, it could save millions of lives in developing countries. The implications of this are fairly obvious – the quality of life will be significantly improved in those countries due to the increase in drinking water quality.
Kohler and his team are currently trying this system out in factories on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, in Vietnam. The system works by pouring metal and acid-laden water over a bed of crushed clam or mussel shells. The seashells are made from aragonite, a form of calcium carbonate (CACO3). Aragonite swaps its calcium atoms for heavy metals, and the shells, having a pH of 8.3 when dissolved, are naturally basic.
This project started with work done in 2003 by Manuel Prieto of Oviedo University in Spain, who demonstrated that seashells remove cadmium from water. While Prieto removed concentrated cadmium in a laboratory environment, Kohler and his team are expanding that to include other heavy metals, such as lead.
While it’s not likely that developed countries, who can afford more expensive filtration systems, will use seashells to treat water, it could save millions of lives in developing countries. The implications of this are fairly obvious – the quality of life will be significantly improved in those countries due to the increase in drinking water quality.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Alex L., The Magnetoplasmadynamic Thruster, S.I.N 4-09
As a continuation of the articles “Hall Thruster” and “Ion Thruster”, the third installment will discuss the very latest of this type of technology, the magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster. Again, the article “New Dawn for Electric Rockets” by Edgar Y. Choueiri, published on page number 58 of the February 2009 issue of Scientific American was used as the source for data regarding the thruster. First a refresher about the basics of the technology: the magnetoplasmadynamic thruster is a type of electric plasma engine (EPE).
EPE’s in general have characteristics that incline them toward being used in applications where high velocity and/or maneuverability is desired. This type of engine produces little thrust, but can do so over a much greater period of time while requiring a smaller input of fuel; they are limited by this small amount of thrust, for they cannot escape the gravitational field of the earth. In its most simple form, the functioning of an EPE can be described thus: an electrical or magnetic field is generated, into which atoms of gas are introduced. These atoms are ionized creating ions and free electrons that are accelerated out of the engine.
An MPD engine is composed of a shorter hollow cathode placed within a longer cylindrical anode; there is open space between the cathode and anode. Lithium vapor is pumped through the center of the cathode and escapes into the anode, where an “azimuthal” (encircling) magnetic field ionizes the lithium. The same electrical force that was induced to create the magnetic field generates a Lorentz force that accelerates the lithium ions out of the engine. The statistics of the thruster are: flight-tested but not operational, input power is 100-500kW, exhaust velocity is 15-60km/s, thrust is 2.5-25N, and efficiency is 40-60%. This is the most promising of the EPE’s for it has the highest thrust density and allows for modulation of thrust output (throttling) causing more precise control to be realized.
EPE’s in general have characteristics that incline them toward being used in applications where high velocity and/or maneuverability is desired. This type of engine produces little thrust, but can do so over a much greater period of time while requiring a smaller input of fuel; they are limited by this small amount of thrust, for they cannot escape the gravitational field of the earth. In its most simple form, the functioning of an EPE can be described thus: an electrical or magnetic field is generated, into which atoms of gas are introduced. These atoms are ionized creating ions and free electrons that are accelerated out of the engine.
An MPD engine is composed of a shorter hollow cathode placed within a longer cylindrical anode; there is open space between the cathode and anode. Lithium vapor is pumped through the center of the cathode and escapes into the anode, where an “azimuthal” (encircling) magnetic field ionizes the lithium. The same electrical force that was induced to create the magnetic field generates a Lorentz force that accelerates the lithium ions out of the engine. The statistics of the thruster are: flight-tested but not operational, input power is 100-500kW, exhaust velocity is 15-60km/s, thrust is 2.5-25N, and efficiency is 40-60%. This is the most promising of the EPE’s for it has the highest thrust density and allows for modulation of thrust output (throttling) causing more precise control to be realized.
SIN -- Water-resistant Mesh, Orion K. April 2009
Scientists from the Harbin Institute of Technology in China have made a mesh that traps air, making it buoyant (by repelling water), reports Charles Q. Choi in an article entitled Float Your Boat. This article appears on page 28 of the May 2009 issue of Scientific American.
The water retardant mesh is made out of copper wire approximately 200 microns in diameter, with holes of about the same size. First, the researchers submerged the mesh in a solution of silver nitrate, then in acid. This resulted in silver leaf-like structures about seven microns high. The idea for this was found in the hairs of the diving beetle Dytiscus marginalis. The “leaves” trap a “film” of air (the air “sticks to” the leaves), this air film stops water infiltration and gives the mesh its buoyancy. In tests with boats of about an inch square, the leaf covered meshes supported three times as much mass as a mesh without the leaves.
The researchers concede that this repulsion, and resulting buoyancy, would not be enough to float large vessels (such as oil tankers, or even rowboats); however, they say that this could help in development of new miniature aquatic robots.
The water retardant mesh is made out of copper wire approximately 200 microns in diameter, with holes of about the same size. First, the researchers submerged the mesh in a solution of silver nitrate, then in acid. This resulted in silver leaf-like structures about seven microns high. The idea for this was found in the hairs of the diving beetle Dytiscus marginalis. The “leaves” trap a “film” of air (the air “sticks to” the leaves), this air film stops water infiltration and gives the mesh its buoyancy. In tests with boats of about an inch square, the leaf covered meshes supported three times as much mass as a mesh without the leaves.
The researchers concede that this repulsion, and resulting buoyancy, would not be enough to float large vessels (such as oil tankers, or even rowboats); however, they say that this could help in development of new miniature aquatic robots.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Quantum Entanglement Progresses-March 2009 SIN, Orion
According to a new study published on February 17, 2009, atomic energy levels, called clock states, are “strong contenders” for use in the quantum computer field, possibly leading to faster, and more efficient computing. This information was presented at physics.aps.org. The article, written by David Voss, documents the work of G. Kirchmair, et al.
There are many difficulties with quantum information storage and processing, including writing to, storing, and reading the states. This all must be done with minimal data loss. One theoretical way to do this is by using the more precise optical entanglement method to write the information, and then transfer that to the longer-lasting clock state entanglement.
The researchers showed optically entangled qubits can be transferred to a calcium ion with only slightly over 3 percent data loss. The calcium ion was 43Ca+. The researchers used laser and microwave forces to produce the optical entanglement in two ions, and transferred the entanglement to hyperfine clock state levels with laser pulses. In an optical entanglement, 25 percent information loss is recorded after 3.43 milliseconds; however, with clock state entanglement, information loss of only 3.3 percent is maintained after 96 milliseconds, with longer times perhaps possible.
This may be the next step toward a functional quantum computer. A quantum computer would be able to operate at much higher speeds, with greater efficiency then present computers.
There are many difficulties with quantum information storage and processing, including writing to, storing, and reading the states. This all must be done with minimal data loss. One theoretical way to do this is by using the more precise optical entanglement method to write the information, and then transfer that to the longer-lasting clock state entanglement.
The researchers showed optically entangled qubits can be transferred to a calcium ion with only slightly over 3 percent data loss. The calcium ion was 43Ca+. The researchers used laser and microwave forces to produce the optical entanglement in two ions, and transferred the entanglement to hyperfine clock state levels with laser pulses. In an optical entanglement, 25 percent information loss is recorded after 3.43 milliseconds; however, with clock state entanglement, information loss of only 3.3 percent is maintained after 96 milliseconds, with longer times perhaps possible.
This may be the next step toward a functional quantum computer. A quantum computer would be able to operate at much higher speeds, with greater efficiency then present computers.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Alex L. Hall Thruster S.I.N.-March 2009
This post builds on the post “The Ion Thruster”; it adds the Hall Thruster to the discussion. The same source, the article called New Dawn for Electric Rockets by Edgar Y. Choueiri, published on the 58th page of the February 2009 issue of Scientific American, was used. Simply put, the technology under discussion, rockets designed with electric plasma engines (EPE’s), is a relatively new technology that uses electricity to accelerate particles, thus providing acceleration in the opposite direction to the rocket in question. EPE’s generate a much lower magnitude of thrust then a conventional chemical rocket; however, this force of acceleration can be applied for much longer, yielding a higher final velocity. Because this magnitude is lower, this technology can only be applied outside of the atmosphere.
The most recent thruster to become a viable option for use and travel is the Hall Thruster. Named after Edwin H. Hall, who discovered the underlying effect in 1879. This thruster has higher thrust, but is less efficient (only 45% to 60% vs. 60% to 80%) and requires more power. Because of the method of propulsion, this thruster attains higher exhaust velocity. It achieves this by using what is termed the Hall current (the principle behind this current is that when two magnetic fields are placed perpendicular in a conductor the electric current will flow perpendicular to the two fields.) The radial magnetic field causes the electrons from the Hall current to circle and accelerate about the central anode. An external cathode provides negatively charged electrons, while Xenon atoms are injected. The interactions between the Xenon atoms, the electrons, the Hall current, and the radial magnetic field causes the Xenon atoms to collide with the whirling electrons; which then cause the Xenon atoms to devolve into ions, forming plasma. The plasma is then accelerated by the electro-magnetic field generated by the Hall current’s interaction with the radial magnetic field. This technology has higher power density because it avoids the issue of the electron build up from the Ion Thruster.
The technology in the Hall Thruster allows us to travel further then would the Ion Thruster, allowing us to explore and thrive in a way previously unachievable.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Stephen Terry
December: Science in the News
Title: Meteorites May Have Sparked Life on Earth
Date of Article: December 17, 2008
Publisher: Society for Science and the Public
Copyright: 2008
In the December 17, 2008 Society for Science and the Public stated that. meteorites may have helped start life on Earth. Large rocks such as meteors moving very fast, may have helped start life on Earth. Geochemist Yoshihiro Furukawa at Tohuku University in Sendai, Japan had an idea of how life started on earth. When rocks such as meteors, crash into oceans they produce a lot of heat and the rocks turn into gas. Scientists did experiments and mixed carbon, iron, and nickel, which are found in meteorites with water, ammonia, and nitrogen, which are found on earth. Then the scientists put these items in canisters and shot them at a target. They wanted to see what was inside of the rocks. After the experiment, the scientists found fatty acids and amino acids in the canisters. These acids are found in cell membranes and proteins. I care about meteorites helping start life on earth because we can use fatty acids and amino acids for our own health.
December: Science in the News
Title: Meteorites May Have Sparked Life on Earth
Date of Article: December 17, 2008
Publisher: Society for Science and the Public
Copyright: 2008
In the December 17, 2008 Society for Science and the Public stated that. meteorites may have helped start life on Earth. Large rocks such as meteors moving very fast, may have helped start life on Earth. Geochemist Yoshihiro Furukawa at Tohuku University in Sendai, Japan had an idea of how life started on earth. When rocks such as meteors, crash into oceans they produce a lot of heat and the rocks turn into gas. Scientists did experiments and mixed carbon, iron, and nickel, which are found in meteorites with water, ammonia, and nitrogen, which are found on earth. Then the scientists put these items in canisters and shot them at a target. They wanted to see what was inside of the rocks. After the experiment, the scientists found fatty acids and amino acids in the canisters. These acids are found in cell membranes and proteins. I care about meteorites helping start life on earth because we can use fatty acids and amino acids for our own health.
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