HEAPOW: Choosing LISA (2017 Jun 26)

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HEAPOW: Choosing LISA (2017 Jun 26)

The Universe is mostly studied by measuring the amount and type of radiation emitted by massive objects in space. Scientists are now trying to view the universe in a completely new way, by studying "gravitational radiation", or "gravitational waves". Gravitational waves were predicted by Einstein and are caused by the acceleration of massive bodies, similar to the way that electromagnetic waves are produced by the acceleration of electrically charged bodies. But gravitational waves are waves in the ocean of spacetime itself, stretching and compressing both space and time as they pass by. The recent spectacular detections of gravitational waves by LIGO, and the smashing success of the LISA Pathfinder mission have accelerated interest in a space-based gravitational wave detector. The European Space Agency has just selected the Laser Interferometry Space Antenna mission, or LISA, as the third large space mission in ESA's current science program. LISA consists of 3 spacecraft flying in a triangular formation, each separated by 2.5 million kilometers, following the earth in its orbit around the sun. Gravitational waves that pass by will change the distances between the spacecraft, and let astronomers measure the strength and direction of the source of the gravitational radiation. The picture above shows one of the LISA spacecraft, connected to its two partner ships by laser beams which are used to measure precisely the separations of the spaceships. LISA is currently expected to launch in 2034.

ESA: Gravitational wave mission selected, planet-hunting mission moves forward
GSFC: ESA to Develop Gravitational Wave Space Mission with NASA Support
AEI: LISA selected as ESA L3 mission

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Author: Dr. Michael F. Corcoran

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[b][color=#0000FF][size=135]Ralph Wiggum's Valentine’s Day Card for LISA[/size][/color][/b]

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<<Ralph Wiggum is a simple-minded but good-natured 8-year-old boy in Lisa Simpson's second-grade class taught by Ms. Hoover. Ralph is best known as the show's resident oddball, and is noted for his non sequiturs and erratic behavior. His lines range from nonsensical, or bizarre interpretations of a current event, to surprisingly profound statements that go over people's heads; and his behavior varies between blissfully unaware, to dim-witted, to awkwardly spontaneous, even occasionally straightforward. The creator of the show, Matt Groening, has cited Ralph as his favorite character.

Ralph's primary role in the show is to deliver tangent and non-sequitur material, usually with cluelessness and odd behavior often used to perplex or give the audience a quick laugh. He has a very carefree and somewhat "loopy" temperament, as he is often off in his own world. This role has had many variations over the years and as such Ralph often displays inconsistent behavior. In some episodes he may seem quite stupid, verbally challenged, and slow such as proclaiming "I won, I won!" when being told he was failing English, then questioning it and saying, "Me fail English? That's unpossible!", or running on all fours on a hamster wheel.

Ralph has a multitude of surprising, often creativity-based talents as well as his share of flaws and quirks. The most prominent of these talents as displayed in "I Love Lisa" is performing and acting. Playing the role of George Washington in a school play based on his life, he not only recited his lines perfectly but also managed to give such an amazing performance that he brought the audience to tears. He can also tap dance, paint, play the piano and sing among other things. This is probably attributed to the boy's rich imagination, though this quality also leads to some of Ralph's more peculiar characteristics such as his penchant for imaginary friends, including a pyromaniacal leprechaun, and Wiggle-Puppy. The character also seems to have a rather large number of phobias, like being afraid of the vacuum, indulges in many odd habits, and has a knack for landing himself in peculiar situations such as gluing his shoulder to his ear, being profiled by a scary dentist, or even flying with balloons.

As Ralph is often blissfully oblivious to the world around him, he remains a generally cheerful boy. He is a misfit at school due to his unique behavior and poor academic performance, often being the butt of ridicule and occasional bullying. Generally, however, his peers are passive towards him, and Ralph often tags along with Bart, Milhouse, and Martin in particular. Much of the faculty similarly are indifferent to Ralph: Mrs. Hoover in particular treats him with a sort of mild annoyance, and Principal Skinner seems to see him as something of a nuisance due to his poor test results and hijinks.>>