Nigel Bannister - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Uploads

Papers by Nigel Bannister

Online collaborative learning environments (OCLEs) can elicit from students different emotions, w... more Online collaborative learning environments (OCLEs) can elicit from students different emotions, which affect their learning experience. Our work aimed to study whether emotions expressed by students with different cultural backgrounds when working in an OCLE were similar. In our empirical study, students from a UK university and a Malaysian university were grouped to solve tasks in an OCLE. We proposed a methodological approach for analysing the multimodal data (text, voice, image) captured, outlining a process for evaluating cross-cultural differences in emotional expressions in OCLEs.

The principal scientific objectives of the LunarNet penetrator mission are as follows:  Constrai... more The principal scientific objectives of the LunarNet penetrator mission are as follows:  Constraining the origin, differentiation, internal structure and early geological evolution of the Moon.  Develop a better understanding of the origin and history of the volatile flux in the Earth-Moon system.  Collect 'ground truth' geochemical data to calibrate orbiting remote-sensing instruments.  Collect in situ surface data that will help in the planning of future lunar exploration.

GRB Coordinates Network, 2008

Astrophysical X-ray polarimetry remains as unexplored now as it was 30 years ago. Narrow bandwidt... more Astrophysical X-ray polarimetry remains as unexplored now as it was 30 years ago. Narrow bandwidth or low scattering efficiency in current technologies have rendered polarisation observations insensitive to all but the brightest sources. Consequently only one unambiguous measurement of polarisation in a cosmic X-ray source has been made to date: that of 19% linear polarisation at 2.6 keV for the Crab nebula. The very large effective area of the International X-ray Observatory compared to that of previous observatories opens the possibility of the first new results in astronomical X-ray polarimetry for over three decades. We describe a simple, low-mass X-ray filter technology which can add polarimetry capability to the existing Narrow Field Imager. We summarise results from our current laboratory proof-of-concept studies, provide estimates of the minimum detectable polarisation for a selection of sources and discuss the astrophysical observations that could be made by IXO using this device.

The SEEDS (SpacE Exploration Development Systems) initiative was initially conceived and promoted... more The SEEDS (SpacE Exploration Development Systems) initiative was initially conceived and promoted by Politecnico di Torino and Thales Alenia Space-Italy in 2005. It aimed at establishing a post-graduate International Master Program in space exploration to offer an opportunity to young engineers to get prepared for the future of Europe in space and specifically in human space exploration. ISAE-Supaero in France and University of Leicester in UK participate to SEEDS together with Politecnico di Torino (Italy). Turin, Toulouse and Leicester have a long common tradition of space activities at both the industrial and academic level and within the SEEDS initiative they represent three poles of European cooperation in space programs. The Master course comprises two different steps in sequence: an initial learning phase and a Project Work phase. Both phases pursue a multidisciplinary approach, where all specialized disciplines are integrated to make the students able to acquire the system v...

In this paper, we report our experience in using an interactive applet during an astronomy course... more In this paper, we report our experience in using an interactive applet during an astronomy course at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) as part of the Astronomy Online Labs (AOL) activity. This activity is driven by an interdisciplinary project called Cross-cultural Computer-supported Collaborative Learning for Student Capacity Building in Multifaceted Competencies through Astronomy Online Labs (C3AOL) which involved cross-cultural collaborative learning sessions between undergraduates from Malaysia and the United Kingdom. We found that the students welcomed the use of the applet mainly because its multiple representations of a single phenomenon coupled with its interactive flexibility enabled them to gradually draw and develop connections between previously unrelated astronomical concepts into a coherent whole. We also highlighted the potential risk of a “fragmented attention” scenario that may hamper the applet's effectiveness in enhancing the student's learning experien...

There is enormous potential for more mobile planetary surface science. This is especially true in... more There is enormous potential for more mobile planetary surface science. This is especially true in the case of Mars because the ability to cross challenge terrain, access areas of higher elevation, visit diverse geological features and perform long traverses of up to 200km supports the search for past water and life. Vehicles capable of a ballistic ‘hop’ have been proposed

Journal of Nuclear …, 2008

Several isotopes are examined as alternatives to 238 Pu that is traditionally used in radioisotop... more Several isotopes are examined as alternatives to 238 Pu that is traditionally used in radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) and heating units (RHUs). The radioisotopes discussed include 241 Am, 208 Po, 210 Po, and 90 Sr. The aim of this study is to facilitate the design of an RTG with a minimal radiation dose rate and mass including any required shielding. Applications of interest are primarily space and planetary exploration. In order to evaluate the properties of the alternative radioisotopes a Monte Carlo model was developed to examine the radiation protection aspect of the study. The thermodynamics of the power generation process is examined and possible materials for the housing and encapsulation of the radioisotopes are proposed. In this study we also present a historical review of radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) and the thermoelectric conversion mechanism in order to provide a direct comparison with the performance of our proposed alternative isotope systems.

Space Science Reviews

The Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer is a highly novel instrument that is designed to map Mercu... more The Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer is a highly novel instrument that is designed to map Mercury’s elemental composition from orbit at two angular resolutions. By observing the fluorescence X-rays generated when solar-coronal X-rays and charged particles interact with the surface regolith, MIXS will be able to measure the atomic composition of the upper ∼10-20 μm of Mercury’s surface on the day-side. Through precipitating particles on the night-side, MIXS will also determine the dynamic interaction of the planet’s surface with the surrounding space environment.MIXS is composed of two complementary elements: MIXS-C is a collimated instrument which will achieve global coverage at a similar spatial resolution to that achieved (in the northern hemisphere only – i.e. ∼ 50 – 100 km) by MESSENGER; MIXS-T is the first ever X-ray telescope to be sent to another planet and will, during periods of high solar activity (or intense precipitation of charged particles), reveal the X-ray flux fro...

Universal Journal of Educational Research

Communication poses several problems, particularly to English second language (ESL) learners. In ... more Communication poses several problems, particularly to English second language (ESL) learners. In overcoming these problems, some ESL learners employ communicative strategies. This study reports the efforts undertaken by Malaysian ESL learners in enhancing their communication with the native speakers during collaborative cross-cultural online activities through Astronomy Online Lab (AOL). This AOL module was utilized to achieve twofold objectives namely enhancing students' communication skills and promoting knowledge exchange during the live discussions. 29 undergraduate students from a Malaysian public university and a UK university explored the Astronomy topics online and experienced the simulation during the two live sessions conducted for one month. Data were collected from a face-to-face interview with all the Malaysian students. The students' expectations before the live sessions, difficulties confronted when communicating with the native speakers, the communicative strategies and experience during the interactive activities were explored. The findings revealed that conversational issues such as the native's accent and the challenge in formulating strategies for solving communication problems during the conversations posed difficulties to the students. A general pattern of indirect and interactional communicative strategies as promoted by Dörnyei and Scott (1997) was evident during the interactions.

Journal of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

Astrodynamics is the study of the motion of artificial satellites and spacecraft, subject to both... more Astrodynamics is the study of the motion of artificial satellites and spacecraft, subject to both natural and artificially induced forces. It combines celestial mechanics, attitude dynamics and aspects of positional astronomy to describe spacecraft motion and enable the planning and analysis of missions. It is of significant interdisciplinary interest with relevance to physics, astronomy and spaceflight engineering, but can be challenging to deliver in an effective, engaging manner because of the often abstract nature of some concepts, the four-dimensional nature of the problems, and the computation required to explore realistic astrodynamics behaviour. The University of Leicester has adopted NASA’s General Mission Analysis Tool as a core resource to support active learning in this subject for students at Level 6 (BSc) and Level 7 (MSc). This paper describes our approach to the implementation of GMAT as an essential element of teaching and learning in the subject.

Space Science Reviews

Radioisotope power systems utilising americium-241 as a source of heat have been under developmen... more Radioisotope power systems utilising americium-241 as a source of heat have been under development in Europe as part of a European Space Agency funded programme since 2009. The aim is to develop all of the building blocks that would enable Europe to launch and operate deep space and planetary missions in environments where use of solar power or alternative power generation technologies is challenging. Although some technical and policy work activity predate the ESA programme, the maturity of the technology has now reached a level that it can be incorporated in mission studies and roadmaps targeting the period from the mid 2020s onwards. This paper describes the state of the art in European radioisotope thermoelectric generators and radioisotope heater units. This paper includes: the evolution of the technical programme in detail; descriptions of the design; evolution of RTG and RHU devices from laboratory prototypes to more advanced fully functional systems; and experimental data ob...

Online collaborative learning environments (OCLEs) can elicit from students different emotions, w... more Online collaborative learning environments (OCLEs) can elicit from students different emotions, which affect their learning experience. Our work aimed to study whether emotions expressed by students with different cultural backgrounds when working in an OCLE were similar. In our empirical study, students from a UK university and a Malaysian university were grouped to solve tasks in an OCLE. We proposed a methodological approach for analysing the multimodal data (text, voice, image) captured, outlining a process for evaluating cross-cultural differences in emotional expressions in OCLEs.

The principal scientific objectives of the LunarNet penetrator mission are as follows:  Constrai... more The principal scientific objectives of the LunarNet penetrator mission are as follows:  Constraining the origin, differentiation, internal structure and early geological evolution of the Moon.  Develop a better understanding of the origin and history of the volatile flux in the Earth-Moon system.  Collect 'ground truth' geochemical data to calibrate orbiting remote-sensing instruments.  Collect in situ surface data that will help in the planning of future lunar exploration.

GRB Coordinates Network, 2008

Astrophysical X-ray polarimetry remains as unexplored now as it was 30 years ago. Narrow bandwidt... more Astrophysical X-ray polarimetry remains as unexplored now as it was 30 years ago. Narrow bandwidth or low scattering efficiency in current technologies have rendered polarisation observations insensitive to all but the brightest sources. Consequently only one unambiguous measurement of polarisation in a cosmic X-ray source has been made to date: that of 19% linear polarisation at 2.6 keV for the Crab nebula. The very large effective area of the International X-ray Observatory compared to that of previous observatories opens the possibility of the first new results in astronomical X-ray polarimetry for over three decades. We describe a simple, low-mass X-ray filter technology which can add polarimetry capability to the existing Narrow Field Imager. We summarise results from our current laboratory proof-of-concept studies, provide estimates of the minimum detectable polarisation for a selection of sources and discuss the astrophysical observations that could be made by IXO using this device.

The SEEDS (SpacE Exploration Development Systems) initiative was initially conceived and promoted... more The SEEDS (SpacE Exploration Development Systems) initiative was initially conceived and promoted by Politecnico di Torino and Thales Alenia Space-Italy in 2005. It aimed at establishing a post-graduate International Master Program in space exploration to offer an opportunity to young engineers to get prepared for the future of Europe in space and specifically in human space exploration. ISAE-Supaero in France and University of Leicester in UK participate to SEEDS together with Politecnico di Torino (Italy). Turin, Toulouse and Leicester have a long common tradition of space activities at both the industrial and academic level and within the SEEDS initiative they represent three poles of European cooperation in space programs. The Master course comprises two different steps in sequence: an initial learning phase and a Project Work phase. Both phases pursue a multidisciplinary approach, where all specialized disciplines are integrated to make the students able to acquire the system v...

In this paper, we report our experience in using an interactive applet during an astronomy course... more In this paper, we report our experience in using an interactive applet during an astronomy course at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) as part of the Astronomy Online Labs (AOL) activity. This activity is driven by an interdisciplinary project called Cross-cultural Computer-supported Collaborative Learning for Student Capacity Building in Multifaceted Competencies through Astronomy Online Labs (C3AOL) which involved cross-cultural collaborative learning sessions between undergraduates from Malaysia and the United Kingdom. We found that the students welcomed the use of the applet mainly because its multiple representations of a single phenomenon coupled with its interactive flexibility enabled them to gradually draw and develop connections between previously unrelated astronomical concepts into a coherent whole. We also highlighted the potential risk of a “fragmented attention” scenario that may hamper the applet's effectiveness in enhancing the student's learning experien...

There is enormous potential for more mobile planetary surface science. This is especially true in... more There is enormous potential for more mobile planetary surface science. This is especially true in the case of Mars because the ability to cross challenge terrain, access areas of higher elevation, visit diverse geological features and perform long traverses of up to 200km supports the search for past water and life. Vehicles capable of a ballistic ‘hop’ have been proposed

Journal of Nuclear …, 2008

Several isotopes are examined as alternatives to 238 Pu that is traditionally used in radioisotop... more Several isotopes are examined as alternatives to 238 Pu that is traditionally used in radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) and heating units (RHUs). The radioisotopes discussed include 241 Am, 208 Po, 210 Po, and 90 Sr. The aim of this study is to facilitate the design of an RTG with a minimal radiation dose rate and mass including any required shielding. Applications of interest are primarily space and planetary exploration. In order to evaluate the properties of the alternative radioisotopes a Monte Carlo model was developed to examine the radiation protection aspect of the study. The thermodynamics of the power generation process is examined and possible materials for the housing and encapsulation of the radioisotopes are proposed. In this study we also present a historical review of radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) and the thermoelectric conversion mechanism in order to provide a direct comparison with the performance of our proposed alternative isotope systems.

Space Science Reviews

The Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer is a highly novel instrument that is designed to map Mercu... more The Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer is a highly novel instrument that is designed to map Mercury’s elemental composition from orbit at two angular resolutions. By observing the fluorescence X-rays generated when solar-coronal X-rays and charged particles interact with the surface regolith, MIXS will be able to measure the atomic composition of the upper ∼10-20 μm of Mercury’s surface on the day-side. Through precipitating particles on the night-side, MIXS will also determine the dynamic interaction of the planet’s surface with the surrounding space environment.MIXS is composed of two complementary elements: MIXS-C is a collimated instrument which will achieve global coverage at a similar spatial resolution to that achieved (in the northern hemisphere only – i.e. ∼ 50 – 100 km) by MESSENGER; MIXS-T is the first ever X-ray telescope to be sent to another planet and will, during periods of high solar activity (or intense precipitation of charged particles), reveal the X-ray flux fro...

Universal Journal of Educational Research

Communication poses several problems, particularly to English second language (ESL) learners. In ... more Communication poses several problems, particularly to English second language (ESL) learners. In overcoming these problems, some ESL learners employ communicative strategies. This study reports the efforts undertaken by Malaysian ESL learners in enhancing their communication with the native speakers during collaborative cross-cultural online activities through Astronomy Online Lab (AOL). This AOL module was utilized to achieve twofold objectives namely enhancing students' communication skills and promoting knowledge exchange during the live discussions. 29 undergraduate students from a Malaysian public university and a UK university explored the Astronomy topics online and experienced the simulation during the two live sessions conducted for one month. Data were collected from a face-to-face interview with all the Malaysian students. The students' expectations before the live sessions, difficulties confronted when communicating with the native speakers, the communicative strategies and experience during the interactive activities were explored. The findings revealed that conversational issues such as the native's accent and the challenge in formulating strategies for solving communication problems during the conversations posed difficulties to the students. A general pattern of indirect and interactional communicative strategies as promoted by Dörnyei and Scott (1997) was evident during the interactions.

Journal of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

Astrodynamics is the study of the motion of artificial satellites and spacecraft, subject to both... more Astrodynamics is the study of the motion of artificial satellites and spacecraft, subject to both natural and artificially induced forces. It combines celestial mechanics, attitude dynamics and aspects of positional astronomy to describe spacecraft motion and enable the planning and analysis of missions. It is of significant interdisciplinary interest with relevance to physics, astronomy and spaceflight engineering, but can be challenging to deliver in an effective, engaging manner because of the often abstract nature of some concepts, the four-dimensional nature of the problems, and the computation required to explore realistic astrodynamics behaviour. The University of Leicester has adopted NASA’s General Mission Analysis Tool as a core resource to support active learning in this subject for students at Level 6 (BSc) and Level 7 (MSc). This paper describes our approach to the implementation of GMAT as an essential element of teaching and learning in the subject.

Space Science Reviews

Radioisotope power systems utilising americium-241 as a source of heat have been under developmen... more Radioisotope power systems utilising americium-241 as a source of heat have been under development in Europe as part of a European Space Agency funded programme since 2009. The aim is to develop all of the building blocks that would enable Europe to launch and operate deep space and planetary missions in environments where use of solar power or alternative power generation technologies is challenging. Although some technical and policy work activity predate the ESA programme, the maturity of the technology has now reached a level that it can be incorporated in mission studies and roadmaps targeting the period from the mid 2020s onwards. This paper describes the state of the art in European radioisotope thermoelectric generators and radioisotope heater units. This paper includes: the evolution of the technical programme in detail; descriptions of the design; evolution of RTG and RHU devices from laboratory prototypes to more advanced fully functional systems; and experimental data ob...