Fr.: hexafluorure d'uranium
A white solid compound (UF6) of → uranium and → fluorine obtained by chemical treatment of → yellowcake, forming a vapor at temperatures above 56 °C. It contains both of the naturally occurring → isotopes of uranium U-235 and U-238. The isotopes are separated on the basis of differences in their diffusion properties. UF6 is the process medium for all separation processes for → uranium enrichment. It is essential that fluoride be a pure element and therefore solely the mass differences of U-235 and U-238 determine the separation process.
Fr.: oxyde d'uranium
A chemical compound made up of → uranium and → oxygen. The most common forms of uranium oxide are U3O8 and UO2. Both oxide forms are solids that have low solubility in water and are relatively stable over a wide range of environmental conditions. Triuranium octaoxide (U3O8) is the most stable form of uranium and is the form most commonly found in nature. → Uranium dioxide (UO2) is the form in which uranium is most commonly used as a → nuclear reactor fuel. At ambient temperatures, UO2 will gradually convert to U3O8.
The only naturally occurring → fissile isotope. Natural uranium has 0.7 percent of 235U; light water reactors use about 3 percent and weapons materials normally consist of 90 percent of this isotope.
The seventh planet from the Sun and the third largest, discovered by William Herschel in 1781. It has a diameter about 51,100 km, four times that of the Earth, and a mass 14.5 times Earth's mass. Uranus orbits the Sun at a distance over 19 times the Earth-Sun distance. Although it takes about 84 years for Uranus to make a revolution, it completes a fast rotation in only 17 and a half hours. Unlike the other planets, its axis of rotation lies mostly in the plane of the Solar System. Uranus is internally less active than the other giant planets, which added to its larger distance from the Sun, makes it colder. It has a dense atmosphere made of mostly molecular hydrogen (83 percent) and helium (15 percent), with two percent methane and traces of acetylene and other hydrocarbons. The planet's greenish-blue color is due to light scattering as in Earth's sky and the absorption of red light by its small amount of atmospheric methane. Uranus has a ring system and 27 known satellites.
L. Uranus, from Gk. Ouranos "heaven." In Gk. mythology he was the the primeval sky god, and responsible for both the sunshine and the rain. He was the son and husband of Gaia, the goddess of the Earth and the father of Titans.
Fr.: processus Urca
A cycle of nuclear reactions, primarily among the iron group of elements, accompanied by a high rate of neutrino formation. Neutrinos carry away energy quickly leading to the cooling of the stellar core and a dramatic drop in the pressure. Due to this process in pre-supernova stars, the core becomes unable to support the weight of the overlying layers. These layers collapse onto the core and subsequently rebound and escape in the supernova explosion.
Named for the de Urca Casino in Rio de Janeiro, by George Gamow and Mario Schönberg, who first studied this process. Gamow is reported to have pointed to the similarity between the disappearance of money in the crowded gambling rooms of the Casino and the disappearance of electron energy into invisible neutrinos; → process.
1) garžidan; 2) garž
Fr.: 1) pousser, exhorter, presser; 2) désir ardent, forte envie
1a) To push or force along; impel with force or vigor.
From L. urgere "to press hard, push forward, drive, compel,," from PIE root *ureg- "to push, shove, drive;" cf. Lith. verziu "tie, fasten, squeeze," vargas "need, distress;" O.C.S. vragu "enemy;" Gothic wrikan "to persecute;" O.E. wrecan "avenge; drive, hunt, pursue;" E. wreak "to inflict, to cause;" Av. uruuaj- "to walk," see below.
Garžidan, from Proto-Ir. *uraj- "to go forth" (Cheung 2007; on the model of *urad- "to soften," Baluchi grast "to cook in oil or water"); cf. Av. uruuaj- "to go forth, walk;" cf. Kurd. guš, gušin (?) "to press, squeeze, shake;" Skt. vraj- "to stride, walk, proceed;" cognate with L. urgere, as above (Cheung 2007).
The quality or state of being urgent; imperativeness; insistence.
Noun from → urgent.
Compelling or requiring immediate action or attention; imperative; pressing (Dictionary.com).
Adj. from → urge.
Xers-e Bozorg (#)
Fr.: Grande Ourse
The Great Bear. An extensive and prominent constellation in the region of the north celestial pole, at approximately 10h 40m right ascension, +56° declination. The seven brightest stars of Ursa Major are known as the → Big Dipper. The region contains the planetary → Owl Nebula and the spiral galaxies M81 and M82. Abbreviation: UMa, Genitive: Ursae Majoris.
Ursa,from L. ursus "bear," cognate with Pers. xers, as below;
Major irregular comparative adj. of magnus "large, great,"
cognate with Pers. meh "great, large"
(Mid.Pers. meh, mas; Av. maz-, masan-, mazant- "great,
important," mazan- "greatness, majesty," mazišta-
"greatest;" cf. Skt. mah-, mahant-; Gk. megas;
PIE *meg- "great").
Xers "bear," dialectal Tabari aš; Mid.Pers. xirs, Av. arša- "bear;" cf. Skt. rksa- "bear;" Gk. arktos; L. ursus; PIE base *rtko- "bear;" bozorg "large, magnificient, great;" Mid.Pers. vazurg "great, big, high, lofty;" O.Pers. vazarka- "great;" Av. vazra- "club, mace" (Mod.Pers. gorz "mace"); cf. Skt. vájra- "(Indra's) thunderbolt," vaja- "strength, speed;" L. vigere "be lively, thrive," velox "fast, lively," vegere "to enliven," vigil "watchful, awake;" P.Gmc. *waken (Du. waken; O.H.G. wahhen; Ger. wachen "to be awake;" E. wake); PIE base *weg- "to be strong, be lively."
Ursa Major star cluster
xuše-ye Xers-e Bozorg (#)
Fr.: amas de la Grande Ourse
A moving star cluster containing over 100 stars that are scattered over an area of sky more than 1,000 minutes of arc in diameter. The five brightest stars of the → Big Dipper as well as → Sirius belong to this → dynamical stream.
Xers-e Kucak (#)
Fr.: Petite Ourse
The Lesser Bear. A constellation situated in the northern hemisphere, at about 15h right ascension, +79° declination. Its two brightest stars, both of 2nd magnitude, are → Polaris, the present pole star, and → Kochab. Abbreviation: UMi, Genitive: Ursae Minoris.
Ursa,from L. ursus "bear," cognate with Pers. xers, as below; Minor "smaller, less," from minus related to L. minuere "make small;" cf. Gk. meion "less," minuthein "to lessen;" Skt. miyate "diminishes, declines;" O.E. minsian "to diminish;" PIE base *mei- "small."
Xers "bear," dialectal Tabari aš; Mid.Pers. xirs, Av. arša- "bear;" cf. Skt. rksa- "bear;" Gk. arktos; L. ursus; PIE base *rtko- "bear;" kucak "small;" Mid.Pers. kucak "small," related to kutâh "short, small, little," kudak "child, infant," kutulé, → dwarf; Mid.Pers. kôtâh "low," kôtak "small, young; baby;" Av. kutaka- "little, small."
Ursa Minor system
râžmân-e Xers-e Kucak
Fr.: galaxie naine d'Ursa Minor
A dwarf spheroidal galaxy of faint luminosity that is a member of the Local Group.
An → impact cratrer on → Ceres which is the third largest crater on this → dwarf planet. Urvara is located south of → Occator and is about 160 km wide and 6 km deep. It has a prominent central peak that is about 3 km high.
Named for the ancient Indo-Iranian personification of fertility, Av. urvarā- "plant," often defied, Skt. urvárā- "land, soil, fertile field."
A person who uses or exploits something, such as a computer.
From use; M.E. usen from O.Fr. user "to use, employ," from V.L. *usare "to use," from L. uti "to use."
Kârbar "user," from bé kâr bordan "to use."
Fr.: comité des utilisateurs
A committee whose members represent the astronomers who use the facilities of an observatory and which is intended to improve the interaction between the observatory and the users.
Komité, loan from Fr.; kârbarân plural of kârbar→ user.
1) Of, relating to, or in the interests of utility.
Coined by Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) from → utility + -arian.
Philosophy: A doctrine according to which the virtue of a thing or an action is determined by its utility. The goal of utilitarian ethics is to promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. The founders of this philosophical school were Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) and James Mill (1773-1836).