Afghanistan: Politics, Elections, and Government Performance (open access)

Afghanistan: Politics, Elections, and Government Performance

This report discusses the current political state of Afghanistan, as well as the Afghan government. This report also discusses Afghanistan's relationship with the United States, particularly U.S. efforts to urge President Hamid Karzai to address corruption within the Afghan government.
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: Katzman, Kenneth
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Air Force C-17 Aircraft Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Air Force C-17 Aircraft Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information on the C-17 Aircraft program, including previous appropriations, related programs, and issues for Congress. The primary issue for Congress in FY2010 is whether to procure additional C-17s. An additional issue is whether to pass legislation relating to the airlift aircraft force structure. Congress's decisions on these issues could affect DOD capabilities and funding requirements and the U.S. military aircraft industrial base.
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: Gertler, Jeremiah
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Air Force F-22 Fighter Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Air Force F-22 Fighter Program: Background and Issues for Congress

This report discusses the Air Force F-22 fighter, also known as the Raptor, which is the world's most capable air-to-air combat aircraft.
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: Gertler, Jeremiah
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Air Force KC-X Tanker Aircraft Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Air Force KC-X Tanker Aircraft Program: Background and Issues for Congress

This report discusses issues for Congress in FY2011, which are whether to approve, reject, or modify DOD's new KC-X competition strategy, and whether to approve, reject, or modify the Air Force's request for FY2011 research and development funding for the new KC-X program.
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: Gertler, Jeremiah
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Air Force Next-Generation Bomber: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Air Force Next-Generation Bomber: Background and Issues for Congress

This report discusses key issues regarding funding for a next-generation bomber (NGB) program. Congress's decisions on these issues could affect Air Force capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. aircraft manufacturing industrial base.
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: Gertler, Jeremiah
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Apple Strength Issues (open access)

Apple Strength Issues

Strength of the apple parts has been noticed to decrease, especially those installed by the new induction heating system since the LEP campaign started. Fig. 1 shows the ultimate tensile strength (UTS), yield strength (YS), and elongation of the installed or installation-simulated apples on various systems. One can clearly see the mean values of UTS and YS of the post-LEP parts decreased by about 8 ksi and 6 ksi respectively from those of the pre-LEP parts. The slight increase in elongation seen in Fig.1 can be understood from the weak inverse relationship between the strength and elongation in metals. Fig.2 shows the weak correlation between the YS and elongation of the parts listed in Fig. 1. Strength data listed in Figure 1 were re-plotted as histograms in Figs. 3 and 4. Figs. 3a and 4a show histograms of all UTS and YS data. Figs. 3b and 4b shows histograms of pre-LEP data and Figs. 3c and 4c of post-LEP data. Data on statistical scatter of tensile strengths have been rarely published by material suppliers. Instead, only the minimum 'guaranteed' strength data are typically presented. An example of strength distribution of aluminum 7075-T6 sheet material, listed in Fig. 5, show that …
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: Syn, C.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
ATLAS Note ATL-COM-PHYS-2009. (open access)

ATLAS Note ATL-COM-PHYS-2009.

The program InvMass has been developed to perform a general model-independent search for new particles using the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), a proton-proton collider at CERN. The search is performed by examining statistically significant variations from the Standard Model predictions in exclusive event classes classified according to the number of identified objects. The program, called InvMass, finds all relevant particle groups identified with the ATLAS detector and analyzes their production rates, invariant masses and the total transverse momenta. The generic code of InvMass can easily be adapted for any particle types identified with the ATLAS detector. Several benchmark tests are presented.
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: Chekanov, S. & Boomsma, J.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Brand-Name Prescription Drug Pricing: Lack of Therapeutically Equivalent Drugs and Limited Competition May Contribute to Extraordinary Price Increases (open access)

Brand-Name Prescription Drug Pricing: Lack of Therapeutically Equivalent Drugs and Limited Competition May Contribute to Extraordinary Price Increases

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The growing cost of brand-name prescription drugs--FDA-approved drug products that typically have patent protection--is a concern for patients, payers, and providers of health care--particularly when price increases are large and occur suddenly. A 2008 congressional hearing by the Joint Economic Committee drew attention to some small market prescription drugs that had an extraordinary price increase--a price increase of 100 percent or more at a single point in time. GAO was asked to examine extraordinary price increases for brand-name prescription drugs. Specifically, GAO examined the: (1) frequency of extraordinary price increases for brand-name prescription drugs from 2000 to 2008, (2) characteristics of the brand-name prescription drugs that had extraordinary price increases, and (3) factors that contributed to the extraordinary price increases experienced by these brand-name prescription drugs. To determine the frequency and characteristics of the brand-name prescription drugs that experienced an extraordinary price increase, GAO reviewed drug pricing and other data from a pharmaceutical industry compendium. To illustrate the factors that may contribute to extraordinary price increases, GAO developed case studies of six brand-name prescription drugs identified from the analysis of drug pricing data. These brand-name prescription …
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Cluster Munitions: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Cluster Munitions: Background and Issues for Congress

This report discusses the two major international initiatives that address cluster munitions: the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) and negotiations under the UN Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW). This report also provides a brief historical overview of cluster munitions.
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: Feickert, Andrew & Kerr, Paul K.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Development of Polarized Photocathodes for the Linear Collider (open access)

Development of Polarized Photocathodes for the Linear Collider

In prior years a Wisconsin-SLAC collaboration developed polarized photocathodes which were used for the SLAC SLD and fixed target programs. Currently, the R&D program goal is the development of a polarized electron source (PES) which meets the ILC requirements for polarization, charge, lifetime, and pulse structure. There are two parts to this program. One part is the continued improvement of photocathode structures with higher polarization. The second part is the design and development of the laser system used to drive the photocathode. The long pulse train for the ILC introduces new challenges for the PES. More reliable and stable operation of the PES may be achievable if appropriate R&D is carried out for higher voltage operation and for a simpler photocathode load-lock system. The collaboration with SLAC is through the Polarized Photocathode Research Collaboration (PPRC). Senior SLAC personnel include T. Maruyama, J. Clendenin, R. Kirby, and A. Brachmann.
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: Prepost, Richard
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
DOD Leases of Foreign-Built Ships: Background for Congress (open access)

DOD Leases of Foreign-Built Ships: Background for Congress

This report briefly discusses the Department of Defense leasing foreign-built ships, the opponents of this practice, and related legislation.
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Extreme Scaling of Production Visualization Software on Diverse Architectures (open access)

Extreme Scaling of Production Visualization Software on Diverse Architectures

We present the results of a series of experiments studying how visualization software scales to massive data sets. Although several paradigms exist for processing large data, we focus on pure parallelism, the dominant approach for production software. These experiments utilized multiple visualization algorithms and were run on multiple architectures. Two types of experiments were performed. For the first, we examined performance at massive scale: 16,000 or more cores and one trillion or more cells. For the second, we studied weak scaling performance. These experiments were performed on the largest data set sizes published to date in visualization literature, and the findings on scaling characteristics and bottlenecks contribute to understanding of how pure parallelism will perform at high levels of concurrency and with very large data sets.
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: Childs, Henry; Pugmire, David; Ahern, Sean; Whitlock, Brad; Howison, Mark; Weber, Gunther et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program: Background and Issues for Congress

This report details the Obama Administration's proposed FY2010 defense budget requests for F-35 program funding and outlines the issues that Congress must consider when deciding whether to approve, reject, or modify the administration's funding requests.
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: Gertler, Jeremiah
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Financial Management: Improvements Needed in National Flood Insurance Program's Financial Controls and Oversight (open access)

Financial Management: Improvements Needed in National Flood Insurance Program's Financial Controls and Oversight

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Due to the federal government's role as guarantor, floods impose an enormous potential financial burden on the federal government. Consequently, decision makers at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Congress need accurate and timely financial information to assess the effectiveness of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This report assesses whether controls in place during the 2005 to 2007 time frame were effective and whether actions to improve controls are likely to address identified weaknesses. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reviewed and analyzed FEMA/NFIP guidance, data, and financial reports, reviewed prior audit reports, interviewed FEMA officials and contractors, and selected a sample of claim losses paid to determine whether claim files contained key documents."
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
International Forestry Issues in Climate Change Bills: Comparison of Provisions of S. 1733 and H.R. 2454 (open access)

International Forestry Issues in Climate Change Bills: Comparison of Provisions of S. 1733 and H.R. 2454

This report discusses the allowances and emissions reductions from reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD).
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: Sheikh, Pervaze A. & Gorte, Ross W.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Investigating the possibility of a human component in various Pacific Decadal Oscillation indices (open access)

Investigating the possibility of a human component in various Pacific Decadal Oscillation indices

None
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: Bonfils, C & Santer, B
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Aegis Cruiser and Destroyer Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Aegis Cruiser and Destroyer Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress

The Navy has begun a multi-billion dollar program to modernize its 84 existing Aegis cruisers and destroyers over a period of more than 20 years. This report explores this program in detail, including the reasons for the program and the oversight issues it poses for Congress.
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy CG(X) Cruiser Program: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress (open access)

Navy CG(X) Cruiser Program: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress

The Navy is currently developing technologies and studying design options for a planned new cruiser called the CG(X). This report explores the reasoning behind the development of these cruisers, the budgetary actions taking place to enable their development, selected technical specifics of their design, and various other information relating to defense procurement costs.
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy F/A-18E/F and EA-18G Aircraft Procurement and Strike Fighter Shortfall: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy F/A-18E/F and EA-18G Aircraft Procurement and Strike Fighter Shortfall: Background and Issues for Congress

This report discusses the Navy's proposed FY2011 budget requests (about $1.8 billion) for the procurement of 22 F/A- 18E/F Super Hornet strike fighters and about $1.0 billion for the procurement of 12 EA-18G Growler electric attack aircraft.
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: Gertler, Jeremiah
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and presents potential issues for Congress concerning the Navy's ship force-structure goals and shipbuilding plans. Decisions that Congress makes on Navy shipbuilding programs can substantially affect Navy capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base.
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Ford (CVN-78) Class Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress

This report provides background information and potential oversight issues for Congress on the CVN-78 program, which includes the CVN-78 and CVN-79 as the first two ships in the Navy's new Gerald R. Ford (CVN- 78) class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers (CVNs).
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress (open access)

Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Program: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress

This report discusses current issues for Congress concerning the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program including the program's mission modules, the combat survivability of the LCS, hull cracking and engine problems on LCS-1, and corrosion on LCS-2. The LCS is a relatively inexpensive Navy surface combatant equipped with modular "plug-and-fight" mission packages.
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy LPD-17 Amphibious Ship Procurement: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress (open access)

Navy LPD-17 Amphibious Ship Procurement: Background, Issues, and Options for Congress

This report discusses the Navy's shipbuilding plan that calls for procuring an 11th and final San Antonio (LPD-17) class amphibious ship in FY2011. This report discusses the procurement cost estimates of this ship, as well as related issues for Congress.
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Navy Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress (open access)

Navy Virginia (SSN-774) Class Attack Submarine Procurement: Background and Issues for Congress

The Navy has been procuring Virginia (SSN-774) class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) at a rate of one per year for the past several years, and a total of 11 boats have been procured through FY2009. This report discusses the Navy's proposed FY2010 budget, which requests $1,964.3 million in procurement funding to complete the procurement cost of a 12th Virginia-class boats.
Date: December 22, 2009
Creator: O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library