Stick-slip chaos in a non-ideal self-excited system

In engineering practical systems the excitation source is generally dependent on the system dynamic structure. In this paper we analyze a self-excited oscillating system due to dry friction which interacts with an energy source of limited power supply (non ideal problem). The mechanical system consists of an oscillating system sliding on a moving belt driven by a limited power supply. In the oscillating system considered here, dry friction acts as an excitation mechanism for stick-slip oscillations. The stick-slip chaotic oscillations are investigated because the knowledge of their dynamic characteristics is an important step in system design and control. Many engineering systems present stick-slip chaotic oscillations such as machine tools, oil well drillstrings, car brakes and others.

Structural and geochronological studies of the Médio Coreaú domain, NE Brazil: Constraints on Brasiliano/Pan-African tectonic evolution in the NW part of the Borborema Province

Recent structural investigations and geochronological studies of rocks from the Médio Coreaú domain in the NW part of northeast Brazil's Borborema Province provide important constraints on the tectonic evolution of the region both preceeding and during the assembly of West Gondwana. Field observations of structural features and fabrics have revealed the presence of four distinct deformational phases in the MCD: D1, D2, D3 and D4. Only the early Paleoproterozoic gneisses record the D1 tectonic event and its preservation is cryptic owing to strong overprinting by the subsequent tectonic phases. The D2, D3 and D4 events affected younger supracrustal rocks and Neoproterzoic magmatic units, and U-Pb geochronological constraints show that all of these tectonic phases represent deformational events that occurred during Brasiliano collision between the West African craton and the NW part of the Borborema Province. The D2 phase, lasting between ca. 622 and 591 Ma, represents a frontal collision stage, which generated NW verging thrust-nappe systems, low-angle foliation, high-grade metamorphism and crustal anatexis. Transition to a strike-slip regime (D3) occurred at around 591 Ma when the region entered a phase of escape tectonics. During this time, the motion of crustal blocks towards NE and E was accommodated along numerous anastomosing shear zones. Syntectonic emplacement of granitoid plutons took place in transtensional domains of the shear zone system. The intrusion of late tectonic granitoids and rapid uplift and cooling of the orogen around 560 Ma as a result of D4 transpressional movements marked the end of the D3 transcurrent regime. These findings show that only the early Paleoproterozoic gneisses in the Médio Coreaú domain are polycyclic in nature. Rather than representing distinct orogenic events, the D2, D3 and D4 tectonic phases are a manifestation of progressive deformational events that developed in response to changes in the regional stress field during convergence and collision between the Borborema Province and its surrounding cratons.

Plantas do cerrado brasileiro com atividade contra Mycobacterium fortuitum

Mycobacterium fortuitum is a rapidly-growing species of bacteria, ubiquitous in the environment and related to important human mycobacterioses. It has been isolated from blood, abscesses, the endocardium and surgical and traumatic wounds. This mycobacterium is hard to treat, being recognized in the literature as resistant even to the drugs used in the treatment of tuberculosis. The objective of this study was to screen extracts prepared from plants of the Brazilian cerrado (extended savanna-like belt) with known activity against M. fortuitum, employing the Microplate Alamar Blue Assay (MABA) as the analytical method. Out of 26 extracts tested against M. fortuitum, the nonpolar extract of Quassia amara (in methylene dichloride) gave the best result (MIC 62.5μg/ mL), followed by the nonpolar extracts of Syngonanthus macrolepsis, Davilla elliptica and Turnera ulmifolia, with equal MICs of 125μg/ml. The polar extracts (in ethanol and methanol) obtained from the same plants were considered inactive, since the MIC values determined were above 500μg/mL and not significantly different from those of extracts from other plants, without known activity.

Effects of the eccentricity on the primames in the gravitational capture phenomenon

Gravitational capture is a characteristic of some dynamical systems in celestial mechanics, as in the elliptic restricted three-body problem that is considered in this paper. The basic idea is that a spacecraft (or any particle with negligible mass) can change a hyperbolic orbit with a small positive energy around a celestial body into an elliptic orbit with a small negative energy without the use of any propulsive system. The force responsible for this modification in the orbit of the spacecraft is the gravitational force of the third body involved in the dynamics. In this way, this force is used as a zero cost control, equivalent to a continuous thrust applied in the spacecraft. One of the most important applications of this property is the construction of trajectories to the Moon. The objective of the present paper is to study in some detail the effects of the eccentricity of the primaries in this maneuver.

Geoquímica de gnaisses do arco magmático de goiás na região sul do estado de goiás

Granitic to trondhjemitic gneisses from the Pontalina region in the southern part of Goiás State, Central Brazil, have calcic to calc-alkaline, metaluminous to peraluminous compositions. They have low concentrations of alkaline elements, and are enriched in Ba, Sr, K, Rb in relation to Nb, Y, Zr and REE, and have negative anomalies of Nb and Ti, features which are similar to those of magmas generated in magmatic arc environments. Those rocks were previously interpreted as part of the basement of the Brasília Belt, attributed to the Archean to Paleoproterozoic, but new Sm - Nd isotopic data indicate a neoproterozoic age (TDM = 0,9 a 1,2 Ga), and the preliminary geochemical data reveal compositions similar to the gneisses of the other regions belonging to the Goiás Magmatic Arc.

Os granitóides brasilianos da faixa de dobramentos paraguai, MS e MT

The Brazilian Granitic Province from southeastern Mato Grosso do Sul and Mato Grosso region, central western Brazil, can be divided into two major groups and/or magmatic events related to the evolution of the Paraguay Fold Belt. The southern portion crops out in Mato Grosso do Sul State and is constituted by the Taboco, Rio Negro, Coxim and Sonora massifs forming NE-SW oriented, elongated small intrusions. The north portion crops out in Mato Grosso State and is constituted by the São Vicente, Araguaiana and Lajinha batholiths. Lithogeochemical aspects of the northern granites point to Type-I granites ranging from K calc-alkaline to high-K, peraluminous to metaluminous in composition, generated in an environment of continental collision and/or post- collision decompression. The southern granites are Type-I, from K calc-alkaline to high-K, peraluminous to subordinate metalummous, in a syn-collision continental arc environment with the exception of some pre-collisional facies from the Rio Negro Massif. The southern granites have less SiO 2 and K 2O, and are less differentiated and evolved than granites from the northern region. The four southern granites can be grouped into two subordinate sets with the degree of differentiation increasing from South (Taboco and Rio Negro) to North (Coxim and Sonora). The granitic rocks are characterized by a magmatism generated by melting of material from the lower crust which suggests that in this province the formation from non-cogenetic magmas with diversified compositions and distinct degrees of fractioning reaching more steady consolidated environments at the end of the collisional event in the southeastern Amazonian Craton.

Facies sedimentares e ambientes deposicionais da Formação Barbalha no vale do cariri, bacia do araripe, nordeste do Brasil

The Aptian Barbalha Formation represents the first unit of the post-rift sequence of the Araripe Basin and crops out at the slopes of the Aranpe plateau in the eastern part ot Aranpe Basin. The unit has also been named Kio da Batateira Formation, but this name is here used in its original definition as Batateira Beds, an interval of great lateral continuity and characterized by the presence of bituminous shales of the Alagoas Stage (P-270 palynological biozone). This paper presents the results of a stratigraphic analysis carried out along the outcrop belt in order to establish the facies architecture and to interpret deposicional environments of the siliciclastic Barbalha Formation. Detailed stratigraphic vertical sections were measured and correlated. They allowed the recognition of two depositional sequences characterized by fining upward arrangement of facies, beginning with fluvial deposits and ending with lacustrine deposits at their tops. The end of the first cycle is represented by black shales and brecciated limestones of the Batateira Beds that record a geologic event of regional magnitude and serve as meaningful long-distance stratigraphic mark. The second deposicional sequence overlies disconformably the Batateira Beds and begins with clast-supported conglomerates, which are covered by a succession of fluvial sandstones and minor intervals of pelitic rocks. The sandstone content diminishes towards the top and the upper part of the unit is characterized by the presence of ostracode-rich green shales. The Barbalha Formation is conformably overlaid by Late Aptian lacustrine limestones belonging to the Crato Member of the Santana Formation.

Variable speed refrigeration system with HPF input rectifier stage

This paper is based on the analysis and implementation of a new drive system applied to refrigeration systems, complying with the restrictions imposed by the IEC standards (Harmonic/Flicker/EMI-Electromagnetic Interference restrictions), in order to obtain high efficiency, high power factor, reduced harmonic distortion in the input current and reduced electromagnetic interference, with excellent performance in temperature control of a refrigeration prototype system (automatic control, precision and high dynamic response). The proposal is replace the single-phase motor by a three-phase motor, in the conventional refrigeration system. In this way, a proper control technique can be applied, using a closed-loop (feedback control), that will allow an accurate adjustment of the desirable temperature. The proposed refrigeration prototype uses a 0.5Hp three-phase motor and an open (Belt-Drive) Bitzer IY type compressor. The input rectifier stage's features include the reduction in the input current ripple, the reduction in the output voltage ripple, the use of low stress devices, low volume for the EMI input filter, high input power factor (PF), and low total harmonic distortion (THD) in the input current, in compliance with the IEC61000-3-2 standards. The digital controller for the output three-phase inverter stage has been developed using a conventional voltage-frequency control (scalar V/f control), and a simplified stator oriented Vector control, in order to verify the feasibility and performance of the proposed digital controls for continuous temperature control applied at the refrigerator prototype. ©2008 IEEE.

Permanent Magnet Hall Thruster for satellite orbit raising with low power energy consumption

Electric propulsion is now a succeful method for primary propulsion of deep space long duration missions and for geosyncronous satellite attitude control. Closed Drift Thruster, so called Hall Thruster or SPT (Stationary Plasma Thruster), was primarily conceived in USSR (the ancient Soviet Union) and, since then, it has been developed by space agencies, space research institutes and industries in several countries such as France, USA, Israel, Russian Federation and Brazil. In this work we present the main features of the Permanent Magnet Hall Thruster (PMHT) developed at the Plasma Laboratory of the University of Brasilia. The idea of using an array of permanent magnets, instead of an electromagnet, to produce a radial magnetic field inside the plasma channel of the thruster is very significant. It allows the development of a Hall Thruster with power consumption low enough to be used in small and medium size satellites. Description of a new vacuum chamber used to test the second prototype of the PMHT (PHALL II) will be given. PHALL II has an aluminum plasma chamber and is smaller with 15 cm diameter and will contain rare earth magnets. We will show plasma density and temperature space profiles inside and outside the thruster channel. Ion temperature measurements based on Doppler broadening of spectral lines and ion energy measurements are also shown. Based on the measured plasma parameters we constructed an aptitude figure of the PMHT. It contains the specific impulse, total thrust, propellant flow rate and power consumption necessary for orbit raising of satellites. Based on previous studies of geosyncronous satellite orbit positioning we perform numerical simulations of satellite orbit raising from an altitude of 700 km to 36000 km using a PMHT operating in the 100 mN - 500 mN thrust range. In order to perform these calculations integration techniques were used. The main simulation paraters were orbit raising time, fuel mass, total satellite mass, thrust and exaust velocity. We conclude comparing our results with results obtainned with known space missions performed with Hall Thrusters. © 2008 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc.

Contexto tectônico dos granitóides neoproterozóicos da faixa de dobramentos paraguai, MS e MT

The Neoproterozoic Granitic Province from the southeast of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul region is constituted by seven distinctive granitic bodies, emplaced in the epimetamorphic rocks of the Cuiabá Group and related to the evolution of Paraguai Folded Belt. The Northern portion crops out in Mato Grosso State and is constituted by São Vicente, Araguaiana and Lajinha batholiths; the Southern portion crops out in the Mato Grosso do Sul State and is represented the Sonora, Coxim Rio Negro and Taboco massifs. The structural evolution is evidenced by the presence of three deformational phases, the first one is characterized by axial planar foliation (S 1), parallel or sub parallel to S 0, with attitude N60E/70NW; the second constitutes the most important phase for the tectonic arrangement and is defined by a slaty and/or crenulation cleavages (S 2), with attitude N10W/30SW and contact metamorphism associated to the emplacement of granitic bodies, the third phase is characterized by a weak retrometamorphic cleavage (S 3) with attitude N10E/ 80NW, that evolves local and gradually to strike-slip shear zones. The geological data suggest that this province was formed syn- to post tectonic to the D2 deformational set associated to the end of the collisional event in the Southeastern of the Amazonian Craton.

Contexto geológico e estrutural do Maciço Rio Apa, sul do Cráton amazônico - MS

Rio Apa Massif crops out in the Mato Grosso do Sul state and corresponds to the southeastern portion of the Amazonian Craton dominantly Paleoproterozoic in age. Rio Apa Complex is oldest and it is composed mainly by migmatitic orthogneisses, beyond amphybolites, tonalities and granodiorite. Alto Tererê Group is composed by schists, biotitemuscovite gneisses and micaceous quartzites generally rich in garnets, beyond metabasic rocks of low amphibolite facies. The Amoguijá Group is constituted by Alumiador Intrusive Suite, which is represented by a sieno to monzogranitic batholith and Serra da Bocaina Volcanic Suite composed of volcanoclastic rocks of alkali riolites to monzoriolites compositions and pyroclastic products. Overlaying towards East and South occurs Neoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks from the Paraguai Folded Belt (Cuiabá, Corumbá and Jacadigo Groups - Urucum Formation). Structural-metamorphic framewok is identified by five deformational phases but the actual tectonic and metamorphic structure shows the superposed tectonic array of the Paraguai Folded Belt. Rocks from Rio Apa Complex, Alto Tererê Group and Amoguijá Group record an older structural evolution defined by (Dn-1 and Dn). The deformational phases (Dn+1 and Dn+2) are visible mainly in rocks of Paraguai Folded Belt beyond the last deformation (Dn+3) that imprints all sequences.

Caracterização química de cromitas nos maciços de cromínia e mairipotaba, goiás, Brasil

Metaultramafic bodies tectonically emplaced within the metasedimentary sequence of the Araxá Group are associated with an ophiolitic melange in southeast Goiás. In the region of Crominia - Mairipotaba, they occur as lenticular bodies aligned E-W. Cumulate textures and geochemical data indicate that the parent rocks had harzburgitic to dunitic compositions. Relicts of primary crystals of olivine and orthopyroxene are suggestive of amphibolite facies metamorphic re-equilibration fabrics, even though the paragenesis and mineral associations of these metaultramafic rocks are typical of greenschist facies (T < 550°C and P = 5.5 kbar). The chromitites exhibit massive to breccioid structure and pull-apart texture, with chromite crystals around 0.5 mm in size. Chromite concentrations in the chromitite levels reach 70 to 85% by volume of the rock. The crystals are dispersed in the matrix, which is composed essentially of serpentine, and subordinately of chlorite and talc. The textures and geochemical data (Cr 2O 3 x TiO 2 and Mg x Cr ratios present in the chromitite) are similar to those observed in ophiolitic complexes. Hence, they correspond to allochthonous bodies (Alpine type) associated with an ophiolitic mélange.

Caracterização geotermobarométrica dos metabasitos de Cajamar (SP), Grupo São Roque, Cinturão Ribeira

Metamafic orthoderivate rocks, characterized by MORB signatures and paleoproterozoic ages occur in Cajamar region central east part of São Paulo State, Brazil. They are associated to philites, metasandstones and metalimestones of São Roque Group volcanosedimentary sequence, Southeastern portion of the Ribeira Belt. For the metamafic rocks the assemblage of metamorphic peak is represented by actinolitealbite- epidote-chlorite typical of regional metamorphism, greenschist facies. For a good characterization of P and T parameters of metamorphism microprobe analyses of main minerals were performed. Metamorphism did not destroy completely the primary mineralogy of original basalt and microgabbro, and augite crystals are registered in many samples, preserved together with metamorphic assemblage, and possibly indicate that the igneous temperatures of crystallization are between 900 and 1.100°C. Textures of mineral equilibrium for the peak paragenesis are not always present in the studied samples. It may be partially caused by the superposition of retrometamorphic events that is a consequence of regional shearing process. Where the equilibrium is reached, chiefly in the occurrences in the south of the area temperature and pressure determinations indicate values close to 487 ± 42°C and 8,2 ± 2.0 kbar, respectively. Other values for P and T lower than that of the peak were also obtained in central and north portion of the area and they are: 450 ± 68°C for T e 4.7 kbar for P and 315 ± 26°C for T and 3.0 kbar for P and may indicate that the mineral equilibrium was not reached in these samples or that they represent the retrometamorphic event. As a concluding remark considering the metamorphic P-T path now obtained one can say that the exhumation process in this area occurred by isothermal decompression.

Virtual instrumentation: A practical approach to control and supervision process

This work describes a control and supervision application takes into account the virtual instrumentation advantages to control and supervision industrial manufacturing stations belonging to the modular production system MPS® by Festo. These stations integrate sensors, actuators, conveyor belt and other industrial elements. The focus in this approach was to replace the use of programmable logic controllers by a computer equipped with a software application based on Labview and, together, performs the functions of traditional instruments and PLCs. The manufacturing stations had their processes modeled and simulated in Petri nets. After the models were implemented in Labview environment. Tests and previous similar works in MPS® installed in Automation Laboratory, at UNESP Sorocaba campus, showed the materials and methods used in this work allow the successful use of virtual instrumentation. The results indicate the technology as an advantageous approach for the automation of industrial processes, with gains in flexibility and reduction in project cost. © 2011 IEEE.

O rio Paraguai no megaleque do Nabileque, sudoeste do Pantanal mato-grossense, MS

The Nabileque fluvial fan is a Quaternary depositional system located along the southwestern border of the Pantanal, covering an area of approximately 9,100 km 2. It is a peculiar alluvial system because it is not associated with inflow from adjacent plateaus. The Nabileque megafan is formed by the Paraguay River at the exit of the Pantanal wetland, coalescing with the Pilcomayo megafan of the Chaco basin. A geomorphological zonation analysis was performed making use of remote sensing data with field verification. Most of the area is a vast alluvial plain made of Pleistocene deposits, whose surface is marked by the presence of an intricate network of distributary paleochannels. Areas blanketed by Pleistocene deposits are dissected by erosional streams and subject to frequent flooding events. The Paraguay River flows in a meander belt constrained by NE fractures associated with the Transbrasiliano Lineament, but deflects towards the SSE after the Negro River confluence composing the system's peripheral drainage. An abandoned meander belt is preserved within a remarkable N-S incised-valley that is interpreted as the ancient Paraguay River course. Processes of avulsion and river capture are suggested to explain the observed changes of the river course. The Nabileque River is an underfit stream within the incised-valley, cutting paleomeanders and point bars of the previous Paraguay River course.