ALBERT

Description: A diverse crinoid fauna is described from the Upper Ordovician (Katian) Fombuena Formation from the eastern Iberian Chains of Spain. New crinoids include the diplobathrid camerates Fombuenacrinus nodulus n. gen. n. sp., Goyacrinus gutierrezi n. gen. n. sp., Dalicrinus hammanni n. gen. n. sp., and Ambonacrinus decorus n. gen. n. sp.; the monobathrid camerate Eopatelliocrinus hispaniensis n. sp.; and the cladid Picassocrinus villasi n. gen. n. sp. A new occurrence of Heviacrinus melendezi Gil Cid, Domínguez Alonso, and Silván Pobes, 1996 is also documented from the Castillejo Formation (Darriwilian, Middle Ordovician) from the eastern Iberian Chains of Spain. The Fombuena Formation comprises a Gondwanan crinoid assemblage from a high paleolatitude and has the highest crinoid diversity of any currently known Katian Gondwanan fauna. This assemblage is compared to other Katian age faunas around the globe, and its paleobiogeographic implications are discussed.

Description: The subclass Camerata (Crinoidea, Echinodermata) is a major group of Paleozoic crinoids that represents an early divergence in the evolutionary history and morphologic diversification of class Crinoidea, yet phylogenetic relationships among early camerates remain unresolved. This study conducted a series of quantitative phylogenetic analyses using parsimony methods to infer relationships of all well-preserved Ordovician camerate genera (52 taxa), establish the branching sequence of early camerates, and test the monophyly of traditionally recognized higher taxa, including orders Monobathrida and Diplobathrida. The first phylogenetic analysis identified a suitable outroup for rooting the Ordovician camerate tree and assessed affinities of the atypical dicyclic family Reteocrinidae. The second analysis inferred the phylogeny of all well-preserved Ordovician camerate genera. Inferred phylogenies confirm: (1) the Tremadocian genera Cnemecrinus and Eknomocrinus are sister to the Camerata; (2) as historically defined, orders Monobathrida and Diplobathrida do not represent monophyletic groups; (3) with minimal revision, Monobathrida and Diplobathrida can be re-diagnosed to represent monophyletic clades; (4) family Reteocrinidae is more closely related to camerates than to other crinoid groups currently recognized at the subclass level; and (5) several genera in subclass Camerata represent stem taxa that cannot be classified as either true monobathrids or true diplobathrids. The clade containing Monobathrida and Diplobathrida, as recognized herein, is termed Eucamerata to distinguish its constituent taxa from more basally positioned taxa, termed stem eucamerates. The results of this study provide a phylogenetic framework for revising camerate classification, elucidating patterns of morphologic evolution, and informing outgroup selection for future phylogenetic analyses of post-Ordovician camerates.

Description: A major goal of biological classification is to provide a system that conveys phylogenetic relationships while facilitating lucid communication among researchers. Phylogenetic taxonomy is a useful framework for defining clades and delineating their taxonomic content according to well-supported phylogenetic hypotheses. The Crinoidea (Echinodermata) is one of the five major clades of living echinoderms and has a rich fossil record spanning nearly a half billion years. Using principles of phylogenetic taxonomy and recent phylogenetic analyses, we provide the first phylogeny-based definition for the Clade Crinoidea and its constituent subclades. A series of stem- and node-based definitions are provided for all major taxa traditionally recognized within the Crinoidea, including the Camerata, Disparida, Hybocrinida, Cladida, Flexibilia, and Articulata. Following recommendations proposed in recent revisions, we recognize several new clades, including the Eucamerata Cole 2017, Porocrinoidea Wright 2017 , and Eucladida Wright 2017 . In addition, recent phylogenetic analyses support the resurrection of two names previously abandoned in the crinoid taxonomic literature: the Pentacrinoidea Jaekel, 1918 and Inadunata Wachsmuth and Springer, 1885. Last, a phylogenetic perspective is used to inform a comprehensive revision of the traditional rank-based classification. Although an attempt was made to minimize changes to the rank-based system, numerous changes were necessary in some cases to achieve monophyly. These phylogeny-based classifications provide a useful template for paleontologists, biologists, and non-experts alike to better explore evolutionary patterns and processes with fossil and living crinoids.

Description: A program is being conducted for testing of slip rings for synchronous orbit application. Instrumentation systems necessary for monitoring electrical noise, friction, and brush wear at atmospheric pressure and at less than 50 nanotorr have been developed. A multiplex scheme necessary for the simultaneous recording of brush displacement, friction, and electrical noise has also been developed. Composite brushes consisting of silver-molybdenum disulfide-graphite and silver-niobium diselenide-graphite have been employed on rings of coin silver and rhodium plate. Brush property measurements made included measurement of density, electrical resistivity, shear strength, and microstructure.

Description: A study has been conducted in the NASA-Langley Transonic Dynamics wind tunnel to determine the divergence characteristics of a high aspect ratio forward swept wing of rectangular planform, for sweep angles of zero, -15, -30, -45, and -60 deg. In addition to a rectangular wingtip, a tip whose geometry lay parallel with the freestream flow was tested at a sweep angle of -45 deg. The primary objective was to obtain data that could be used to verify the divergence prediction capabilities of an aeroelastic analysis code employing kernel function aerodynamics. The analytical predictions of convergence were found to be conservative for all forward sweep angles, and the effect of the two tip shapes on divergence dynamic pressure were accurately predicted.

Description: A broad base of thermocouple and phase change paint data was assembled and correlated to the nominal design 14414.1 and proposed STS-1 (first flight of the space transportation system) entry trajectories. Averaged data from phase change paint tests compared favorably with thermocouple data for predicting heating rates. Laminar and turbulent radiation equilibrium heating rates were computed on the lower surface of the Shuttle orbiter for both trajectories, and the lower surface center line results were compared both with aerodynamic heating design data and with flight values from the STS-1 and STS-2 trajectories. The peak laminar heating values from the aerodynamic heating design data book were generally 40 to 60 percent higher than the laminar estimates of this study, except at the 55 percent location of maximum span where the design data book values were less than 10 percent higher. Estimates of both laminar and turbulent heating rates compared favorably with flight data.

Description: Prototypes of slip rings have been fabricated from ceramic glass, a material which is highly resistant to deterioration due to high temperature. Slip ring assemblies were not structurally damaged by mechanical tests and performed statisfactorily for 200 hours.

Description: The design, fabrication, and subsequent testing of four power slip rings for synchronous orbit application are described. The synergistic effects of contact materials and slip ring-brush design are studied by means of frequent and simultaneous recording of friction, wear, and electrical noise. Data generated during the test period are presented along with post test analysis data.