Best use of “Predator” music you’ll hear today:
[youtube cbBlYfTbA44]
Sep 232011
Sep 222011
Read the paper for yourself:
Measurement of the neutrino velocity with the OPERA detector in the CNGS beam
The OPERA neutrino experiment at the underground Gran Sasso Laboratory has measured the velocity of neutrinos from the CERN CNGS beam over a baseline of about 730 km with much higher accuracy than previous studies conducted with accelerator neutrinos. The measurement is based on high-statistics data taken by OPERA in the years 2009, 2010 and 2011. Dedicated upgrades of the CNGS timing system and of the OPERA detector, as well as a high precision geodesy campaign for the measurement of the neutrino baseline, allowed reaching comparable systematic and statistical accuracies. An early arrival time of CNGS muon neutrinos with respect to the one computed assuming the speed of light in vacuum of (60.7 \pm 6.9 (stat.) \pm 7.4 (sys.)) ns was measured. This anomaly corresponds to a relative difference of the muon neutrino velocity with respect to the speed of light (v-c)/c = (2.48 \pm 0.28 (stat.) \pm 0.30 (sys.)) \times 10-5.
The summary:
The results of the study indicate for CNGS muon neutrinos with an average energy of 17
GeV an early neutrino arrival time with respect to the one computed by assuming the speed of
light in vacuum:
δt = (60.7 ± 6.9 (stat.) ± 7.4 (sys.)) ns.
The corresponding relative difference of the muon neutrino velocity and the speed of light
is:
(v-c)/c = δt /(TOF’c – δt) = (2.48 ± 0.28 (stat.) ± 0.30 (sys.)) ×10-5.
with an overall significance of 6.0 σ.
Sep 222011
*IF* this pans out… this is the biggest news EVAR.
Scientific breakthrough: Physicists at CERN have recorded particles moving faster than light
Short form… a beam of neutrinos was sent from Geneva to Gran Sasso, Italy. The light trip-time is 2.3 milliseconds, but the neutrinos were getting there 60 nanoseconds ahead of schedule.
I’d bet good money that this will turn out to have a mundane explanation… timing/sensor issues, that sort of thing. It’s 732 kilometers from Geneva to Gran Sasso; 60 nanoseconds at the speed of light is about 18 meters. But if it’s for real…
Sep 222011
This (68 megabyte ZIP folder of jpg images) package contains diagrams to be used in the construction of accurate display models of the B-47. Includes:
1) Boeing drawing 23-2305, “Boeing B-47E Model Drawings 1/100 Scale,” 9000X5432 pixels, dated 1956
2) Boeing drawing 14-5068, “Boeing XB-47 Stratojet Model Drawing,” 13408X8412 pixels, dated 1947
Also included are halfsize and quartersize version for easier viewing and printing.
Air Drawing 57 can be downloaded for $$4.50.
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Sep 222011
This drawing package (41 megabyte ZIP folder of grayscale GIF images) contains drawings of the AABNCP (Advanced Airborne National Command Post), or at least an early version of the design. The aircraft shown here is not quite the E-4 that actually flew, and differs in several notable ways. Most obvious are the long dorsal fairing covering satellite dishes, and especially the two extra jet engine pods under the wing roots (which appear to be electrical generators rather than additional thrust units). Included:
1) Boeing drawing 65B59599, “Markings Installation Decorative, Exterior AABNCP.” 26881X 7200 pixels, dated 1973
2) Boeing drawing 747-CP-4007, “747 AABNCP Study Configuration Phase 1B,” 30310X7200 pixels, dated 1972
Also included are halfsize and quartersize version for easier viewing and printing.
Air Drawing 56 can be downloaded for $5.50.
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Sep 222011
This (36 megabyte ZIP folder of jpg’s) package includes:
1) Grumman drawing A51F091 (1 of 3), Inboard Profile, F-14A (10784X4269 pixels)
2) Grumman drawing A51F091 (2 of 3), inboard profile F-14A (10680X4302 pixels)
3) Grumman drawing A51F091 (3 of 3), inboard plan view, F-14A (10624X4221 pixels)
All dated June, 1969.
Also included are half-size and quarter-size versions for easier viewing and printing.
Air Drawing 55 can be downloaded for $4.50.
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Sep 222011
One complaint about the article, though. FTFA: “NASA models suggest that the leading edge of one CME will pass by Earth at around 5 PM ET on Sep 21, at which point sky watchers should be on the lookout for auroras.”
Article posted: September 22, 2011
Hmmph.
Sep 202011
Every government makes contingency plans. These include drawing up war plans – defensive and offensive – against a range of enemies. And “enemies” can sometimes be rather surprising. Take, for example, War Plan Red… the 1930 plan by the US War Department to wipe out the British Empire.
It makes for an interesting read. And no doubt this will cause the conspiro-nuts to further whackify. But the thing is… I have no doubt that the British Ministry Of Empire Maintenance And Planetary Domination (or whatever it was called in 1930) had reciprocal war plans against the US. I have no doubt that the US *today* has war plans for a fight against Canada… and that Canada has war plans for a fight against the US (they certainly did in the 1920s). It makes sense for war planners to plan for every possible contingency… not just every *likely* contingency. Along with preparedness for in case the Canucks actually do invade, it’s also a good intellectual exercise for those responsible for planning wars. And in 1930… who knew? The trio of nearly identical evils – Fascism, Socialism and Communism – were romping all over Europe… who could say that Britain wouldn’t fall to one of them?
Along with War Plan Red, there were a number of other hypotheticals, such as War Plan Green (against Mexico), Black (Germany), Orange (Japan), Purple (South America) and Yellow (go on… GUESS).
Sep 202011
Apollo 10’s “Snoopy” Lunar Module ascent stage was abandoned into solar orbit and lost. Now, some astronomers are looking to find it again. This would be a fairly impressive achievement if they succeed.
Sep 192011
A few years ago, the movie “Stealth” came out. Lots of neato special effects, some cool sci-fi airplane designs, and something or other that may have bore some vague resemblance to a plot (I honestly don’t recall). Anyway, the two fighters were based on input from Northrop-Grumman engineers; input that was then “Hollywoodized.” One of the aircraft was “EDI,” an autonomous jet fighter. It looked like this:
Note the shape of EDI. Now, take a look at the second illustration here:
PHOTOS: Fighter, bomber & trainer concepts unveiled at AFA
Not an exact match… but pretty strikingly similar.