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We study the dynamics of the scalar tensor cosmological model in the presence of tachyon field. In an alternative approach, in two exponential and power law form of the scalar field functions in the model, field equations are solved by simultaneously best fitting the model parameters with the most recent observational data. This approach gives us an observationally verified interpretation of the dynamics of the universe. We then discuss the best fitted of equation of state parameter, the statefinder parameters and the reconstructed scalar field in the model.

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The t<0 branch of pre-big bang cosmological scenarios is subject to a gravitational wave instability. The unstable behaviour of tensor perturbations is derived in a very simple way in Hwang's covariant and gauge-invariant formalism developed for extended theories of gravity. A simple interpretation of this instability as the effect of an ''antifriction'' is given, and it is argued that a universe must eventually enter the expanding phase. (orig.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The energy-momentum tensor of a massless spinor field is constructed and studied based on the previously proposed interpretation of quantum effects of such a field in the anisotropic metric of Bianchi type IX. The characteristic properties of the energy-momentum tensor in the mixed universe model are discussed.

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We investigate the quantum cosmology of spatially homogeneous models with compact spatial sections admitting a u(2) isometry algebra. The metric ansatz in these models is that of Bianchi type IX with two scale factors set to be equal. We apply the Hartle-Hawking no-boundary path integral prescription and find the semi-classical contributions to the wave function. Exact formulae are obtainable for certain contributions and otherwise the limits of large and small anisotropy (for the pure vacuum case) and large spatial volume or small anisotropy (for the case with a positive cosmological constant) are considered. For the pure vacuum case we find no semiclassical components which would correspond to Lorentzian universes. For the case with a cosmological constant the Hartle-Hawking boundary conditions formally constrain one of the parameters in the Lorentzian solutions to be purely imaginary. Possible ...

CERN Document Server

The next decade promises an observational revolution which will change cosmology forever. The precise measurement of the angular anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background should specify to a few percent all of the parameters of the cosmological model which effect astrophysics. The growth of structure will then be determined (but not yet observed) until gravitational collapse becomes highly non-linear and stars, galaxies and active galactic nuclei (AGN) form. These processes are hard to model with basic physics because they are complex and allow a rich variety of expression. Instead observations will determine when the first stars and quasars formed, and how and when galaxies assembled. If we can reconcile the numerous contradictions which characterize the subject today, cosmology will become a mature subject, founded on the agreement between detailed, ...

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The Thomsen and Frandsen (1983) cosmological test employing the observed correlation between elliptical galaxy surface brightness and scale size in order to avoid problems due to dynamical evolution is presently extended to make use of arbitrary galaxy samples. The explicit dependence on stellar evolution is also demonstrated. On the assumption that this evolution is calculable, an equation for the deceleration parameter entirely in terms of observables is derived. The test is applied to two available samples. 25 references.

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The current status of cosmological observations is presented; and the light curves and radiation spectra from supernova SN1987A are used in comparison between expected and observed universal nucleosynthesis and star evolution data./aip/.

CERN Document Server

Warm-intermediate inflationary universe models in the context of braneworld cosmologies, are studied. This study is done in the weak and strong dissipative regimes. We find that, the scalar potentials and dissipation coefficients in terms of the scalar field, evolves as type-power-law and powers of logarithms, respectively. General conditions required for these models to be realizable are derived and discussed. We also study the scalar and tensor perturbations for each regime. We use recent astronomical observations to constraint the parameters appearing in the braneworld models.

CERN Document Server

Gravitational lensing distorts the cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature and polarization fields and encodes valuable information on distances and growth rates at intermediate redshifts into the lensed power spectra. The non-Gaussian bandpower covariance induced by the lenses is negligible to l=2000 for all but the B polarization field where it increases the net variance by up to a factor of 10 and favors an observing strategy with 3 times more area than if it were Gaussian. To quantify the cosmological information, we introduce two lensing observables, characterizing nearly all of the information, which simplify the study of non-Gaussian impact, parameter degeneracies, dark energy models, and complementarity with other cosmological probes. Information on the intermediate redshift parameters rapidly becomes limited by constraints on the cold dark matter density and initial amplitude of ...

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The canonical quantum theory of gravity-quantum geometrodynamics (QG)-is applied to the homogeneous Bianchi type IX cosmological model. As a result, a framework for the quantum theory of homogeneous cosmologies is developed. We show that the theory is internally consistent and prove that it possesses the correct classical limit (the theory of general relativity). To emphasize the special role that the constraints play in this new theory, we compare it to the traditional ADM square-root and Wheeler-DeWitt quantization schemes. We show that, unlike traditional approaches, QG leads to a well-defined Schroedinger equation for the wavefunction of the universe that is inherently coupled to the expectation value of the constraint equations. This coupling to the constraints is responsible for the appearance of a coherent spacetime picture. Thus, the physical meaning of the constraints of the theory is quite different from Dirac's ...

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Ekpyrotic and cyclic cosmologies provide theories of the very early and of the very late universe. In these models, the big bang is described as a collision of branes - and thus the big bang is not the beginning of time. Before the big bang, there is an ekpyrotic phase with equation of state w=P/({rho}) >>1 (where P is the average pressure and {rho} the average energy density) during which the universe slowly contracts. This phase resolves the standard cosmological puzzles and generates a nearly scale-invariant spectrum of cosmological perturbations containing a significant non-Gaussian component. At the same time it produces small-amplitude gravitational waves with a blue spectrum. The dark energy dominating the present-day cosmological evolution is reinterpreted as a small attractive force between our brane and a parallel one. This force eventually induces a new ekpyrotic phase and a new ...

CERN Document Server

The full theory and the semiclassical description of loop quantum cosmology (LQC) have been studied in the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker and Bianchi I models. As an extension to include both anisotropy and intrinsic curvature, this paper investigates the cosmological model of Kantowski-Sachs spacetime with a free massless scalar field at the level of phenomenological dynamics with the LQC discreteness corrections. The LQC corrections are implemented in two different improved quantization schemes. In both schemes, the big bang and big crunch singularities of the classical solution are resolved and replaced by the big bounces when the area or volume scale factor approaches the critical values in the Planck regime measured by the reference of the scalar field momentum. Symmetries of scaling are also noted and suggest that the fundamental spatial scale (area gap) may give rise to a temporal scale. The bouncing scenarios are in an analogous fashion of ...

CERN Document Server

An estimate for the number of ionizing photons per baryon as a function of redshift is computed based on the plausible extrapolation of the observed galaxy UV luminosity function and the latest results on the properties of the escape fraction of ionizing radiation. It is found that, if the escape fraction for low mass galaxies (Mtot<10^{11}Msun) is assumed to be negligibly small, as indicated by numerical simulations, then there are not enough ionizing photons to reionize the universe by z=6 for the cosmology favored by the WMAP 3rd year results, while the WMAP 1st year cosmology is marginally consistent with the reionization requirement. The escape fraction as a function of galaxy mass would have to be constant to within a factor of two for the whole mass range of galaxies for reionization to be possible within the WMAP 3rd year cosmology.

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We compare the existing observational data on type Ia supernovae with the evolutions of the Universe predicted by a one-parameter family of tachyon models which we have introduced recently [Phys. Rev. D 69, 123512 (2004)]. Among the set of the trajectories of the model which are compatible with the data there is a consistent subset for which the Universe ends up in a new type of soft cosmological singularity dubbed big brake. This opens up yet another scenario for the future history of the Universe besides the one predicted by the standard #LAMBDA#CDM model.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The geodesic equation for space-like objects moving along a circular trajectory in the expanding universe is considered. Our analysis leads to the conclusion that ancient cosmological tachyons may exist in the present-day world and may play an important role in (i) the internal structure of hadrons conceived as nonlocal objects called strings, (ii) the T-symmetry violation observed in the weak K-decays, (iii) the multidimensional unified field theories of Kaluza-Klein type, and in (iv) the classical models of charged particles which combine ordinary electromagnetism with a self-interacting version of Newtonian gravity. 18 refs.

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In this paper, the authors use free field techniques in D = 2 string theory t calculate the perturbation of the special state algebras when the cosmological constant is turned on. In particular, the authors find that the 'ground cone' preserved by the ring structure is promoted to a three-dimensional hyperboloid as conjectured by Witten. On the other hand, the perturbed (1,1) current algebra of moduli deformations is computed completely, and no simple geometrical interpretation is found. The authors also quote some facts concerning the Liouville matrix a model dictionary in this class of theories.

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The behaviour of the wave function of the universe under the barrier for the anisotropic cosmological Bianchi type-IX model taking account of the scalar field is explored. In view of the known difficulties with the interpretation of multidimensional ones is offered. For this purpose in the frameworks of the semiclassical approach the system of characteristics equations relative to one variable is written out. This system describes a bundle of the characteristics along which the multidimensional problem is reduced to a one-dimensional one that allows to utilize the standard interpretation of the wave function as well as the usual Schroedinger equation. The obtained results for the Bianchi type-IX model are reduced to the following statement: the universe tunnels through the barrier from an isotropic state with small anisotropy that is necessary for providing a ling-lived inflation to derive the universe.

CERN Document Server

We provide a quantitative assessment of the probability distribution function of the concentration parameter of galaxy clusters. We do so by using the probability distribution function of halo formation times, calculated by means of the excursion set formalism, and a formation redshift-concentration scaling derived from results of N-body simulations. Our results suggest that the observed high concentrations of several clusters are quite unlikely in the standard Lambda CDM cosmological model, but that due to various inherent uncertainties, the statistical range of the predicted distribution may be significantly wider than commonly acknowledged. In addition, the probability distribution function of the Einstein radius of A1689 is evaluated, confirming that the observed value of ~45" +/- 5" is very improbable in the currently favoured cosmological model. If, however, a variance of ~20% in the theoretically ...

CERN Document Server

The detailed formulation for loop quantum cosmology (LQC) in the Bianchi I model with a scalar massless field has been constructed. In this paper, its effective dynamics is studied in two improved strategies for implementing the LQC discreteness corrections. Both schemes show that the big bang is replaced by the big bounces, which take place up to three times, once in each diagonal direction, when the area or volume scale factor approaches the critical values in the Planck regime measured by the reference of the scalar field momentum. These two strategies give different evolutions: In one scheme, the effective dynamics is independent of the choice of the finite sized cell prescribed to make Hamiltonian finite; in the other, the effective dynamics reacts to the macroscopic scales introduced by the boundary conditions. Both schemes reveal interesting symmetries of scaling, which are reminiscent of the relational interpretation of quantum ...

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The relative merits and difficulties of the primary and secondary origin hypotheses for the observed cosmic ray antiprotons, including the low energy measurement of Buffington, were examined. It is concluded that the cosmic ray antiproton data may be strong evidence for antimatter galaxies and baryon symmetric cosmology. The present antiproton data are consistent with a primary extragalactic component having antiproton/proton approximately equal to .0032 + or - 0.7.

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The automatic interpretation of apparent resistivity curves from horizontally layered earth models is carried out by the curve-fitting method in three steps: (1) the observed VES data are interpolated at equidistant points of electrode separations on the logarithmic scale by using the cubic spline function, (2) the layer parameters which are resistivities and depths are predicted from the sampled apparent resistivity values by SALS system program and (3) the theoretical VES curves from the models are calculated by Ghosh's linear filter method using the Zhody's computer program. Two soundings taken over Takenoyu geothermal area were chosen to test the procedures of the automatic interpretation.

CERN Document Server

Some models for quantum gravity (QG) violate Lorentz invariance and predict an energy dependence of the speed of light, leading to a dispersion of high-energy gamma-ray signals that travel over cosmological distances. Limits on the dispersion from short-duration substructures observed in gamma-rays emitted by gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) at cosmological distances have provided interesting bounds on Lorentz invariance violation (LIV). Recent observations of unprecedentedly fast flares in the very-high energy gamma-ray emission of the active galactic nuclei (AGNs) Mkn 501 in 2005 and PKS 2155-304 in 2006 resulted in the most constraining limits on LIV from light-travel observations, approaching the Planck mass scale, at which QG effects are assumed to become important. I review the current status of LIV searches using GRBs and AGN flare events, and discuss limitations of light-travel time ...

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An interpretive theory of trace impurity transport in tokamaks is presented. It is based on an earlier phenomenological approach developed by the authors for describing tokamak plasma transport experiments. The present model is used to explain disparate phenomena observed in ALCATOR C and DITE in a unified phenomenological framework. Predictive numerical calculations are presented for DITE conditions. If experimentally confirmed, the model could be used to correlate plasma properties with trace impurity behaviour. (orig.)

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundIn many of the European countries affected by Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), case clustering patterns have been observed. Most of these patterns have been interpreted...Full Text Available

CERN Document Server

We present a showcase for deriving bounds on the neutrino masses from laboratory experiments and cosmological observations. We compare the frequentist and Bayesian bounds on the effective electron neutrino mass m_beta which the KATRIN neutrino mass experiment is expected to obtain, using both an analytical likelihood function and Monte Carlo simulations of KATRIN. Assuming a uniform prior in m_beta, we find that a null result yields an upper bound of about 0.17 eV at 90% confidence in the Bayesian analysis, to be compared with the frequentist KATRIN reference value of 0.20 eV. This is a significant difference when judged relative to the systematic and statistical uncertainties of the experiment. On the other hand, an input m_beta=0.35 eV, which is the KATRIN 5sigma detection threshold, would be detected at virtually the same level. Finally, we combine the simulated KATRIN results with cosmological data in the form of ...

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The quantum behavior of the vacuum Bianchi type-IX universe with the cosmological constant is investigated in terms of the Ashtekar variables. An exact solution to the quantum Hamiltonian constraint in the holomorphic representation is given. This solution reduces to the Hartle-Hawking wave function in the spatially isotropic sector and extends in the triad representation to the classically forbidden region where the determinant of the spatial metric becomes negative. The analysis of the quantum Robertson-Walker universe indicates that if the superspace is extended to such a classically forbidden region, the holomorphic representation picks up some restricted class of solutions in general. This observation leads to a new ansatz on the boundary condition of the Universe. In particular, the behavior of the Lorentzian and Euclidean WKB orbits corresponding to the solution suggests a new picture on the semiclassical behavior of the quantum ...

CERN Document Server

Dark matter particles form halos that contribute the major part of the mass of galaxy clusters. The formation of these cosmological structures have been investigated both observationally and in numerical simulations, which have confirmed the existence of a universal mass profile. However, the dynamic behaviour of dark matter in halos is not as well understood. We have used observations of 16 equilibrated galaxy clusters to show that the random velocities of dark matter particles are larger on average along the radial direction than along the tangential, and that the magnitude of this velocity anisotropy is radially varying. Our measurement implies that the collective behaviour of dark matter particles is fundamentally different from that of normal particles and the radial variation of the anisotropy velocity agrees with the predictions of numerical simulation.

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We examine the late-time behavior of initially expanding homogeneous cosmological models satisfying Einstein's equation with a positive cosmological constant ..lambda... It is shown that such models of all Bianchi types except IX exponentially evolve toward the de Sitter solution, with time scale (3/..lambda..)/sup 1/2/. The behavior of Bianchi type-IX universes is similar, provided that ..lambda.. is sufficiently large compared with spatial-curvature terms. Thus, a positive cosmological constant provides an effective means of isotropizing homogeneous universes.

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The primary aims of the BESS-Polar program are precise measurements of the low-energy antiproton spectrum and search for cosmologically significant antimatter, which would provide new clues to understand the early Universe. The second flight (BESS-Polar II) over Antarctica was successfully carried out in December 2007 - January 2008. We performed 24.5 days scientific observation just at the solar minimum. The payload worked well during the flight and 4.7 billion cosmic-ray events were collected, which corresponds to 10-20 times statistics of the BESS data taken in the previous solar minimum period (1995 and 1997). Based on the BESS-Polar II data, we will present recent preliminary results of cosmic-ray antiproton measurements and sensitive search for antimatter. (authors)

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

ABSTRACT New observations from the Hubble Ultra Deep Field suggest that the star formation rate at Formula Not Shown drops off faster than previously thought. Using a newly determined star formation rate for the normal mode of Population II/I (PopII/I) stars, including this new constraint, we compute the Thomson scattering optical depth and find a result that is marginally consistent with Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe 5 results. We also reconsider the role of Population III (PopIII) stars in light of cosmological and stellar evolution constraints. While this input may be needed for reionization, we show that it is essential in order to account for cosmic chemical evolution in the early universe. We investigate the consequences of PopIII stars on the local metallicity distribution fu...

CERN Document Server

It is shown that the interpretation of the experimental results reported in the publication "Storage of Light in Atomic Vapor" by D.F.Phillips et al., Phys. Rev.Lett. 86, 783 (2001) [quant-ph/0012138] is incorrect. The experimental observation of this paper can be consistently explained in the framework of standard concepts of the physics of optical pumping and has nothing to do with "storage of light", or "dynamic reduction of the group velocity", or "light pulse compression".

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A 5.76 MeV alpha-particle group has been observed in Am and Bk sources separated from a CERN W target. The data are interpreted due to the production of long-lived isomeric states in /sup 236/Am and /sup 236/Bk which decay to /sup 236/Pu. The possibility of high spin states as well as of shape isomeric states is raised.

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The stability properties of a class of spacetimes with quasiregular singularities is discussed. Quasiregular singularities are the end points of incomplete, inextendible geodesics at which the Riemann tensor and its derivatives remain at least bounded in all parallel-propagated orthonormal (PPON) frames; observers approaching such a singularity would find that their world lines come to an end in a finite proper time. The Taub-NUT (Newman-Unti-Tamburino)-type cosmologies investigated are R/sup 1/ x T/sup 3/ and R/sup 3/ x S/sup 1/ flat Kasner spacetimes, the two-parameter family of spatially homogeneous but anisotropic Bianchi type-IX Taub-NUT spacetimes, and an infinite-dimensional family of Einstein-Rosen-Gowdy spacetimes studied by Moncrief. The behavior of matter near the quasiregular singularity in each of these spacetimes is explored through an examination of the behavior of the stress-energy tensors and scalars for conformally coupled and ...

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Aim: To investigate interpretative accuracy and reporting time for radiologists performing computed tomography (CT) colonography in day-to-day non-academic clinical practice. Materials and methods: Thirteen radiologists from seven centres, who were reporting CT colonography in non-academic daily clinical practice, interpreted a dataset of 15 colonoscopically validated cases in a controlled environment. Ten cases had either a cancer or polyp >10 mm; one case had a medium polyp and four were normal. Correct case categorization and interpretation times were compared using analysis of variance to aggregated results obtained from both experienced observers and observers recently trained using 50 cases, working in an academic environment. The effect of experience was determined using Spearman's rank correlation. Results: Individual accuracy was highly variable, range 53% ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doubly-excited 2s-12p-13pnp autoionizing resonance series of Ne atom as well as autoionizing resonances in the 2s region of Na and Mg atoms have been studied with monochromatized synchrotron radiation. Use of charge-separated photoion-yield method allowed us to detect these weak resonances in a clarified way in the yield curves of doubly-charged ions. The observed resonance states have been interpreted with the help of MCDF calculations, and the decay processes of these resonance states are discussed briefly.

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The paper reports extensive analyses of the fractal geometry of cellular dislocation structures observed in Cu deformed in multiple-slip orientation. Several methods presented for the determination of fractal dimensions are shown to give consistent results. Criteria are formulated which allow the distinguishing of fractal from non-fractal patterns, and implications of fractal dislocation patterning for quantitative metallography are discussed in detail. For an interpretation of the findings a theoretical model is outlined according to which dislocation cell formation is associated to a noise-induced structural transition far from equilibrium. This allows relating the observed fractal dimensions to the stochastic properties of deformation by collective dislocation glide.

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We study the role of rolling tachyons in the cosmological model with dilatonic gravity. In the string frame, flat space solutions of both initial-stage and late-time are obtained in closed form. In the Einstein frame, we show that every expanding solution is decelerating.

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We study the impact of non-Abelian T-duality transformations on a string based cosmological model. The implementation of the pre-big-bang scenario is investigated. We found a region of the dual phase where such a picture is possible.

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In this systematic examination of some of the spectroscopic properties of the f-elements we deal with both the trivalent lanthanides and actinides. We summarize the present status of our energy level calculations in single crystal matrices and in aqueous solution, and compare the predicted crystal-field structure in certain low-symmetry sites with that observed. Some interesting new structural insights are thereby gained. The state eigenvectors from these calculations are then used in part in reassessing and interpreting the intensities of transitions in aqueous solution via the Judd-Ofelt theory. The parameters of this theory derived from fitting experimental data are compared with those computed from model considerations. Finally, we discuss some recent contributions to the interpretation of excited state relaxation processes in aqueous solution. 79 references, 23 figures, 17 tables.

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We discuss the asymptotic dynamical evolution of spatially homogeneous brane-world cosmological models close to the initial singularity. We find that generically the cosmological singularity is isotropic in Bianchi type IX brane-world models and consequently these models do not exhibit Mixmaster or chaotic-like behaviour close to the initial singularity. We argue that this is typical of more general cosmological models in the brane-world scenario. In particular, we show that an isotropic singularity is a past-attractor in all orthogonal Bianchi models and is a local past-attractor in a class of inhomogeneous brane-world models. (letter to the editor)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We discuss various superstring effective actions and, in particular, their common sector which leads to the so-called pre-big-bang cosmology (cosmology in a weak coupling limit of heterotic superstring theory. Using the conformal relationship between these two theories we present Kasner asymptotic solutions of Bianchi type IX geometries within these theories and make predictions about possible emergence of chaos. Finally, we present a possible method of generating Horava-Witten cosmological solutions out of the well-known general relativistic or pre-big-bang solutions.

CERN Document Server

If gamma-ray bursts originate in galaxies at cosmological distances, the host galaxy should be detected if a burst error box is searched deep enough; are the host galaxies present? We present and implement a statistical methodology which evaluates whether the observed galaxy detections in a burst's error box are consistent with the presence of the host galaxy, or whether all the detections can be attributed to unrelated background galaxies. This methodology requires the model-dependent distribution of host galaxy fluxes. While our methodology was derived for galaxies in burst error boxes, it can be applied to other candidate host objects (e.g., active galaxies) and to other types of error boxes. As examples, we apply this methodology to two published studies of burst error boxes. We find that the nine error boxes observed by Larson and McLean (1997) are too large to discriminate between the presence or absence of host ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A Bianchi type-IX cosmological model has been found as a solution of Einstien's vacuum field equations with a cosmological constant. The solution represents a rotating generalziation fo the de Sitter universe. This universe shows a transition to exponential expansion and the vorticity begins to decay exponentially at the grand-unified-theory time. The point of time for this transition is independent of the magnitude of the vorticity. During the Guth inflationary era the vorticity decays by a factor of the order 10"-"1"4"2.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We describe exact cosmological solutions with rotation and expansion in the low-energy effective string theory. These models are spatially homogeneous (closed Bianchi type IX) and they belong to the family of shear-free metrics which are causal (no closed timelike curves are allowed), admit no parallax effects and do not disturb the isotropy of the background radiation. The dilaton and the axion fields are nontrivial, in general, and we consider both cases with and without the central charge (effective cosmological constant).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The propriety of the cosmic no-hair conjecture to the Bianchi-type-IX spacetime is discussed from a quantum cosmological point of view. It is shown that most, but not all, classical universes which are created quantum cosmologically are inflationary. The probability of inflation among such universes is also discussed.

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Nordstroem's first theory of gravitation, which is a Lorentz covariant scalar theory, is discussed, and the cosmological solution to the field equation is derived. It is shown that there are two physically equivalent representations of the theory that differ in the system of units with which measurements are made. The cosmological solution is found to be an infinite, Euclidean universe with a big bang and a big crunch.

CERN Document Server

We consider the simplest scenario when black strings (cigars) penetrate the cosmological brane. As a result, the brane has a Swiss-cheese structure, with Schwarzschild black holes immersed in a Friedmann-Lema\\^{\\i}tre-Robertson-Walker brane. There is no dark radiation in the model, the cosmological regions of the brane are characterized by a cosmological constant $\\Lambda$ and flat spatial sections. Regardless of the value of $\\Lambda$, these brane-world universes forever expand and forever decelerate. The totality of source terms in the modified Einstein equation sum up to a dust, establishing a formal equivalence with the general relativistic Einstein-Straus model. However in this brane-world scenario with black strings the evolution of the cosmological fluid strongly depends on $\\Lambda$. For $\\Lambda$ less or equal to zero it has positive energy density $\\rho$ and negative pressure $p$ and at ...

CERN Document Server

We report novel, high-angular resolution interferometric measurements that imply the near-infrared nuclear emission in NGC 4151 is unexpectedly compact. We have observed the nucleus of NGC 4151 at 2.2 microns using the two 10-meter Keck telescopes as an interferometer and find a marginally resolved source ~0.1 pc in diameter. Our measurements rule out models in which a majority of the K band nuclear emission is produced on scales larger than this size. The interpretation of our measurement most consistent with other observations is that the emission mainly originates directly in the central accretion disk. This implies that AGN unification models invoking hot, optically thick dust may not be applicable to NGC 4151.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

New photometric observations of the variable star FG Sge, a rapidly evolving planetary nebula nucleus, were performed in 2003?2008. On 230 nights, we obtained 86 UBV and 155 BV RI (or R c , I c ) magnitude estimates. The maximum amplitude of the V-band light variations was >8 m . Six deep minima and four high maxima were observed. Analysis of the light curve has shown that the pulsation period of the star remained constant since 1991 and was P = 115 days. We have studied the wavelength dependence of the extinction at various phases of the light curve. The blueing of the B-V color at deep minima is interpreted as the result of light scattering in the circumstellar dust shell of the star formed by preceding dust ejections since 1992. Our spectroscopic observations performed on nine nights in...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

When liquids are confined in nano-scopic dimensions, their properties differ from the corresponding bulk liquid, due to their reduced dimensionality and surface effects. Phase transition temperatures and pressures are often shifted from the bulk values and new phases can appear due to the strong interactions of the molecules with the confining walls. We have studied the structural and dynamical properties of aromatic liquids such as benzene, toluene, and ortho-terphenyl confined in nano-porous materials, MCM-41 and SBA-15, synthesized and characterized in our laboratory. A non-trivial dependence of the glass transition temperature, Tg, on the pore size and surface treatment of nano-porous materials is confirmed and interpreted as resulting from a competition between the fluid-wall and fluid-fluid intermolecular interactions. An increase of Tg is observed for small pore sizes and attractive surface while Tg decreases for non attractive surface, ...

CERN Document Server

Cosmological hydrodynamical simulations as well as observations indicate that spiral galaxies are comprised of five different components: dark matter halo, stellar disc, stellar bulge, gaseous disc and gaseous halo. While the first four components have been extensively considered in numerical simulations of binary galaxy mergers, the effect of a hot gaseous halo has usually been neglected even though it can contain up to 80% of the total gas within the galaxy virial radius. We present a series of hydrodynamic simulations of major mergers of disc galaxies, that for the first time include a diffuse, rotating, hot gaseous halo. Through cooling and accretion, the hot halo can dissipate and refuel the cold gas disc before and after a merger. This cold gas can subsequently form stars, thus impacting the morphology and kinematics of the remnant. Simulations of isolated systems with total mass M~10^12Msun show a nearly constant star formation rate of ...

CERN Document Server

Primordial black holes are unique probes of cosmology, general relativity, quantum gravity and non standard particle physics. They can be considered as the ultimate particle accelerator in their last (explosive) moments since they are supposed to reach, very briefly, the Planck temperature. Upper limits on the primordial black hole number density of mass $M_{\\star} = 5 10^{14}$ g, the Hawking mass (born in the big-bang terminating their life presently), is determined comparing their predicted cumulative $\\gamma$-ray emission, galaxy-wise, to the one observed by the EGRET satellite, once corrected for non thermal $\\gamma$-ray background emission induced by cosmic ray protons and electrons interacting with light and matter in the Milky Way. A model with free gas emissivities is used to map the Galaxy in the 100 MeV photon range, where the peak of the primordial black hole emission is expected. The best gas emissivities and additional model ...

CERN Document Server

Modified gravity theories may provide an alternative to dark energy to explain cosmic acceleration. We argue that the observational program developed to test dark energy needs to be augmented to capture new tests of gravity on astrophysical scales. Several distinct signatures of gravity theories exist outside the linear regime, especially owing to the screening mechanism that operates inside halos like the Milky Way to ensure that gravity tests in the solar system are satisfied. This opens up several decades in length scale and new classes of galaxies at low-redshift that can be exploited by surveys. While theoretical work on models of gravity is in the early stages, we can already identify new regimes which cosmological surveys could target to test gravity. These include: 1. A small scale component that focuses on the interior and vicinity of galaxy and cluster halos. 2. Spectroscopy of low redshift galaxies, especially galaxies smaller than ...

CERN Document Server

The satellite-borne experiment PAMELA has been used to make a new measurement of the cosmic-ray antiproton flux and the antiproton-to-proton flux ratio which extends previously published measurements down to 60 MeV and up to 180 GeV in kinetic energy. During 850 days of data acquisition approximately 1500 antiprotons were observed. The measurements are consistent with purely secondary production of antiprotons in the galaxy. More precise secondary production models are required for a complete interpretation of the results.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Typhoons Aere (2004) and Matsa (2005) caused high nephelometric turbidity in the Shihmen reservoir in northern Taiwan, jeopardizing the operation of the reservoir for several days, and ultimately impacting the living conditions and economy of the downstream residents. The torrential rains caused landslides and debris flows in upland areas, and flowed into riverbeds, likely contributing significantly to the suspended sediment yields in the reservoir. This investigation elucidates how upland landslides affect sediment attributes in the reservoir basin. Study methods including field observations, spatial analysis in GIS and aerial photo interpretation are adopted to trace the sediment sources and contributing factors to the landslide. Torrential rains induced landslides and debris-flows uplan...

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We create realistic, full-sky, half-arcminute resolution simulations of the microwave sky matched to the most recent astrophysical observations. The primary purpose of these simulations is to test the data reduction pipeline for the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) experiment; however, we have widened the frequency coverage beyond the ACT bands and utilized the easily accessible HEALPix map format to make these simulations applicable to other current and near future microwave background experiments. Some of the novel features of these simulations are that the radio and infrared galaxy populations are correlated with the galaxy cluster and group populations, the primordial microwave background is lensed by the dark matter structure in the simulation via a ray-tracing code, the contribution to the thermal and kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) signals from galaxy clusters, groups, and the intergalactic medium has been included, and the gas ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The main goals of nuclear astrophysics have been to probe the interiors of stars, stellar explosions, the early moments of cosmic expansion, and the formation and evolution of galaxies and cosmic structure by measurement and application of the relevant nuclear physics. The approach to these goals have generally been from three directions: 1) Careful measurements of the relevant nuclear reactions; 2) Detailed computer models of the relevant astrophysical environments; and 3) Observations of the relevant terrestrial and extra-terrestrial atomic and isotopic abundances. These approaches provide not only insight into the formation and evolution of the elements, but are also pillars upon which a variety of cosmological models as well as models for physics beyond the standard model of particle physics can stand or fall. At present there is a very exciting frontier on all three of these approaches. The development and applications of ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The evolution of intermediate and high mass stars is reviewed focusing on the interpretation of Pop I Cepheids. First, a summary is given of the classical results of stellar evolution theory for the main evolutionary phases (main sequence and core He-burning) all over the HR diagram, putting into evidence the various points of disagreement with current observational data. Second, models incorporating the effect of convective overshoot, are reviewed, and studies are presented on the rich, young clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud, in which the models are compared with the observational data. Arguments are given to favor the adoption of models with convective overshoot instead of the classical ones. Third, new results are presented for pulsational models of the Cepheid stars, and the shape of the instability strip in the HR diagram, the number frequency-period distribution, and the mass discrepancy are discussed. 81 refs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The morphological evolution of ripples formed on the surface of Cd2Nb2O7 pyrochlore single crystals by focused ion beam (FIB) bombardment was investigated using in situ electron microscopy. At high ion fluences and off-normal bombardment angles, faceted surface ripples with a terrace-like structure were observed. The ripple propagation direction was oriented along the projected ion beam direction at incident angles ranging from 35 to 65 following high-dose ion bombardment. One side of the terrace was found to be perpendicular to the incident ion beam direction, while the other side was parallel to the ion beam. The terrace propagation velocity and direction were determined and interpreted on the basis of this asymmetric structure. A model based on the propagation of a shock wave that effectively self-selects a stable slope, was developed in order to explain the observed faceted ripple formation.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The grain size dependence of the tensile properties and the deformation mechanisms responsible for those properties are examined for Mg alloy, AZ31B, sheet. Specifically, the Hall-Petch effect and strain anisotropy (r-value) are characterized experimentally, and interpreted using polycrystal plasticity modeling. {1 0 . 2} extension twins, {1 0 . 1} contraction twins, and so-called 'double-twins' are observed via microscopy and diffraction-based techniques, and the amount of twinning is found to increase with increasing grain size. For the sheet texture and tensile loading condition examined, {1 0 . 2} extension twinning is not expected, yet the polycrystal plasticity model predicts the observed behavior, including this 'anomalous' tensile twinning. The analysis shows that the Hall-Petch strength dependence, of the polycrystal as a whole, is primarily determined by the grain size dependence of the strength of the prismatic ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Recent work on [ital N]=2 supersymmetric Bianchi type IX cosmologies coupled to a scalar field is extended to a general treatment of homogeneous quantum cosmologies with explicitly solvable momentum constraints, i.e., Bianchi types I, II, VII, VIII in addition to the Bianchi type IX, and special cases, namely, the Freidmann universes, the Kantowski-Sachs space, and Taub-NUT space. In addition to the earlier explicit solution of the Wheeler-DeWitt equation for Bianchi type IX, describing a virtual wormhole fluctuation, an additional explicit solution is given and identified with the no-boundary state.''

CERN Document Server

We perform a detailed phase-space analysis of various phantom cosmological models, where the dark energy sector interacts with the dark matter one. We examine whether there exist late-time scaling attractors, corresponding to an accelerating universe and possessing dark energy and dark matter densities of the same order. We find that all the examined models, although accepting stable late-time accelerated solutions, cannot alleviate the coincidence problem, unless one imposes a form of fine-tuning in the model parameters. It seems that interacting phantom cosmology cannot fulfill the basic requirement that led to its construction.

CERN Document Server

If quantum fields exist in extra compact dimensions, they will give rise to a quantum vacuum or Casimir energy. That vacuum energy will manifest itself as a cosmological constant. The fact that supernova and cosmic microwave background data indicate that the cosmological constant is of the same order as the critical mass density to close the universe supplies a lower bound on the size of the extra dimensions. Recent laboratory constraints on deviations from Newton's law place an upper limit. The allowed region is so small as to suggest that either extra compact dimensions do not exist, or their number is about to be tightly constrained by experimental data.

CERN Document Server

The discovery that the cosmic expansion is accelerating has been followed by an intense theoretical and experimental response in physics and astronomy. The discovery implies that our most basic notions about how gravity work are violated on cosmological distance scales. One simple fix is the introduction of a cosmological constant into the field equations for general relativity. However, the extremely small value of the cosmological constant, relative to theoretical expectations, has led theorists to explore a wide variety of alternative explanations that involve the introduction of an exotic negative-pressure fluid or a modification of general relativity. Here we briefly review the evidence for cosmic acceleration. We then survey some of the theoretical attempts to account for it, including the cosmological constant, quintessence and its variants, mass-varying neutrinos, and modifications of general ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Protocol changes and options contained within US Environmental Protection Agency whole effluent toxicity tests represent variables that have the potential to affect bioassay performance and interpretation of results. Variables evaluated in this study include: the change in allowable age in the Pimephales promelas acute bioassay from up to 90 d to a maximum of 14 d, age-specific acute responses of P. promelas among the allowable ages of 1 to 14 d, change in the chronic growth endpoint definition from final mass to biomass, differences between hemacytometer and fluorometer measurements in the Selenastrum capricornutum protocol, and options for statistical interpretation of species sensitivity in multiple test/species screening bioassays. Clear age-related sensitivity and precision differences were observed in acute responses of P. promelas. Results obtained using the younger age classes were typically more variable in studies ...

Science.gov (United States)

Clinical-HINTS (Health Intelligence System) is a horizontally integrated decision support system (DSS) designed to meet the requirements for intelligent real-time clinical information management in critical care medical environments and to lay the foundation for the development of the next generation of intelligent medical instrumentation. The system presented was developed to refine and complement the information yielded by clinical laboratory investigations, thereby benefiting the management of the intensive care unit (ICU) patient. More specifically, Clinical-HINTS was developed to provide computer-based assistance with the acquisition, organisation and display, storage and retrieval, communication and generation of real-time patient-specific clinical information in an ICU. Clinical-HINTS is an object-oriented system developed in C+2 to run under Microsoft Windows as an embryo intelligent agent. Current generic reasoning skills include perception and reactive cognition of patient ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The possibility of having inflation in a renormalizable cosmological model is investigated. The cosmic no-hair conjecture is proved to hold for all Bianchi types except Bianchi type IX. By the use of a conformal transformation on the metric we show that these models are equivalent to the ones described by the Einstein-Hilbert action for gravity minimally coupled to a set of scalar fields with inflationary potentials. Henceforth, we prove that inflationary solutions behave as attractors in solution space, making it a natural event in the evolution of such models.

CERN Document Server

A consistent combination of quantum geometry effects rules out a large class of models of loop quantum cosmology and their critical densities as they have been used in the recent literature. In particular, the critical density at which an isotropic universe filled with a free, massless scalar field would bounce must be well below the Planck density. In the presence of anisotropy, no model of the Schwarzschild black hole interior analyzed so far is consistent.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The dimensionally reduced effective action of the bosonic sector of the heterotic string in critical dimensions is employed to derive a Wheeler-DeWitt equation for the Bianchi type-IX cosmology. An exact solution is found that becomes strongly peaked around the isotropic limit as the volume of the three-geometry increases. In principle the global O(6,6) symmetry of the effective action can be employed to generate new solutions from the one presented here.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We use deep HST/ACS observations to calculate the star formation history (SFH) of the Cetus dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxy. Our photometry reaches below the oldest main-sequence turnoffs, which allows us to estimate the age and duration of the main episode of star formation in Cetus. This is well approximated by a single episode that peaked roughly 12 #+-# 0.5 Gyr ago and lasted no longer than about 1.9 #+-# 0.5 Gyr (FWHM). Our solution also suggests that essentially no stars formed in Cetus during the past 8 Gyr. This makes Cetus' SFH comparable to that of the oldest Milky Way dSphs. Given the current isolation of Cetus in the outer fringes of the Local Group, the dominant old population implies that Cetus is a clear outlier in the morphology-Galactocentric distance relation that holds for the majority of the Milky Way dwarf satellites. Our results also show that Cetus continued forming stars until z#approx =# 1, long after the universe was reionized, and that ...

CERN Document Server

The data obtained by the recent modern sky surveys enable detailed studies of the stellar distribution in the multi-dimensional space spanned by spatial coordinates, velocity and metallicity, from the solar neighborhood all the way out to the outer Milky Way halo. While these results represent exciting observational breakthroughs, their interpretation is not simple. For example, traditional decomposition of the thin and thick disks predicts a strong correlation in metallicity and kinematics at $\\sim$1 kpc from the Galactic plane; however, recent SDSS--based work has demonstrated an absence of this correlation for disk stars. Instead, the variation of the metallicity and rotational velocity distributions can be modeled using non--Gaussian functions that retain their shapes and only shift as the distance from the mid--plane increases. To fully contextualize these recent observational results, a detailed comparison with ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Proton and neutron transfer populating low-lying states have been studied in the system "1"4"4Sm+"8"8Sr at an energy below the Coulomb barrier. The experimental cross sections for the single proton transfer are well reproduced by DWBA-calculations using spectroscopic information from light ion reactions. The two-proton transfer appears enhanced relative to the uncorrelated sequential transfer of single protons. The same holds for the transfer of proton pairs, the enhancement is kept for the second pair. This is interpreted as a supercurrent between two superfluid nuclear proton-pair wave functions: More mass and charge is transported per time unit in pairs than by single nucleons. Neutron transfer is observed with large cross sections and is found to contribute to the energy loss observed in the transfer reactions. For mixed proton-neutron transfers the sequential nature of the transfer reactions is established in a similar ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

High-spin states (I < or approx. 50(#Planck constant#/2#pi#)) of the odd-odd nucleus "1"7"0Ta have been investigated with the "1"2"4Sn("5"1V,5n) reaction. The resolving power of Gammasphere has allowed for the observation of eleven rotational bands (eight of which are new) and over 430 transitions (#approx#350 of which are new) in this nucleus. Many interband transitions have been observed such that the relative spins and excitation energies of the 11 bands have been established. This is an unusual circumstance in an odd-odd study. Configurations have been assigned to most of these bands based upon features such as alignment properties, band crossings, B(M1)/B(E2) ratios, and the additivity of Routhians. A systematic study of the frequency at which normal signature ordering occurs in the #pi#h_9_/_2#nu#i_1_3_/_2 band has been performed and it is found that its trend is opposite to that observed in the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Radon concentration measurements in atmosphere were taken in years from 1997 to 1999 in Milan and at pre-alpine sites located north of Lombardy. In this paper the results of measuring campaigns and a comparison of radon levels observed in the hilly area north of the town and on the pre-Alps are reported. The general criteria of the measurements and the interpretative models of radon concentration are presented. The Lake Maggiore area shows evidence of a great nocturnal stability and frequent formation of Nocturnal Stable Layer. The peculiar findings in the high altitude stations confirm the use of radon as an indicator of atmospheric dispersion of pollutants in an area with complex orography. The afternoon minimum values are concordant for the different stations: this implies a remixing in afternoon hours over the whole area investigated.

Science.gov (United States)

Apparent evolution of relativistic flows as traced by radio emission results from a combination of several factors related to propagation of relativistic blobs or shocks, velocity, density and pressure stratification of the underlying flow, plasma instability and (possibly also) phase and time travel effect. This combination can create an intricate and chaotic patterns of the observed morphological changes in radio emission, which complicates the analysis and interpretation of kinematic and physical properties of the jet plasma. Recent studies have indicated that slow and quasi-stationary patterns in jets are most likely formed by plasma instabilities while faster, superluminally moving patterns are related to highly relativistic plasma condensations produced by the nuclear flares. Some of the stationary patterns may also be related to recollimation shocks or locations where strong non-thermal continuum is produced in jets. Similarities and ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In this paper a novel method is presented, based on the use of plasma processing, to suppress the transient enhanced diffusion of boron implanted in silicon. We found for silicon samples processed with plasma and subsequently boron implanted that the anomalous diffusion of the dopant atoms at the beginning of the annealing process is almost completely suppressed. This phenomenon is interpreted in terms of capture of the ion beam generated interstitials by the dislocations induced by the plasma processing. At room temperature the dislocations are observed to grow in size after the boron implant, attesting their efficiency as trapping centres for interstitials. Moreover, varying the plasma process conditions we can establish a general relation between the presence of the trapping centres induced by the plasma processing and the suppression of the transient diffusion.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The crystal structure of Ca{sub 2}RuD{sub 6} has been determined by neutron powder diffraction: space group Fm3m, K{sub 2}PtCl{sub 6} structure, as found for other hexahydride salts of group 8 metals with alkaline earth or lanthanide counter ions. No structural phase transition was observed between 340 K and 50 K. The deuterium nuclear quadrupole coupling constant, 54.7 kHz, leads to an ionic character of the Ru-D bond of 76%. The known trends in the behaviour of A{sub 2}MH{sub 6} salts are interpreted in terms of the ionization energies of the cation and the central metal atom.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The effects of spin diffusion on the free induction decay (FID) of protons associated with the noncrystalline domains of two polymers, polyethylene and blended Nylon 66 (ZYTEL-408), have been examined using Goldman--Shen NMR pulse sequence ((1/2)..pi..x-t/sub 0/-(1/2)..pi..x-bar-tau-(1/2)..pi..x-t). At tau< or approx. =100 ..mu..s, the FID is drastically distorted from the exponential form while at longer tau(tau> or approx. =500 ..mu..s) an exponential FID is observed; but its transverse spin relaxation rate is smaller than that of the FID obtained after a single (1/2)..pi..x pulse and approaches this value at the limit of large tau. These findings are interpreted in terms of the theory of rapid spin diffusion. The spatial variation in the spin relaxation rate within the noncrystalline domain is inferred.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isobaric specific heat capacities were measured for {1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (HMIMBF4) + acetonitrile (MeCN)} and {1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (OMIMBF4) + acetonitrile} within the whole range of composition and temperatures from (283.15 to 323.15) K. The excess molar heat capacities were calculated from the experimental results and satisfactorily fitted to Redlich-Kister type polynomials for several selected temperatures. Negative deviations from the additivity of molar heat capacities were observed within the whole composition range of (HMIBMF4 + MeCN) and (OMIMBF4 + MeCN). The results obtained have been interpreted in terms of interactions between ionic liquids and acetonitrile.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The elastic and inelastic scattering of "1"4C at 51 MeV from targets of "4"0Ca, "5"6Fe, "6"0Ni, "6"6Zn and "8"8Sr has been measured using a Q3D spectrometer. The "1"4C-nucleus potentials have been derived by optical-model analysis of the observed elastic scattering; the inelastic scattering differential cross sections were interpreted in the distorted-wave Born approximation and also in the coupled-channels approach. The analysis yields "1"4C-nucleus potentials that closely resemble "1"2sup(,)"1"3C and "1"6O potentials. (orig.).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A detailed chemical kinetic model to describe the autoignition of gasoline surrogate fuels is presented consisting of the fuels iso-octane, n-heptane, toluene, diisobutylene and ethanol. Model predictions have been compared with shock tube ignition delay time data for surrogates of gasoline over practical ranges of temperature and pressure, and the model has been found to be sensitive to both changes in temperature and pressure. Moreover, the model can qualitatively predict the observed synergistic and antagonistic non-linear blending behaviour in motor octane number (MON) for different combinations of primary reference fuels (PRFs) and non-PRFs by correlating calculated autoignition delay times from peak pressures and temperatures in the MON test to experimental MON values. The reasons for the blending behaviour are interpreted in terms autoignition chemistry. 37 refs., 11 figs., 4 tabs.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We study D-branes in a two-dimensional lorentzian orbifold R{sup 1,1}/{gamma} with a discrete boost {gamma}. This space is known as Misner or Milne space, and includes big crunch/big bang singularity. In this space, there are D0-branes in spiral orbits and D1-branes with or without flux on them. In particular, we observe imaginary parts of partition functions, and interpret them as the rates of open string pair creation for D0-branes and emission of winding closed strings for D1-branes. These phenomena occur due to the time-dependence of the background. Open string 2{yields}2 scattering amplitude on a D1-brane is also computed and found to be less singular than closed string case.

CERN Document Server

In order to understand the parameters of the standard model of electroweak and strong interactions (coupling constants, masses, mixing angles) one needs to embed the standard model into some larger theory that accounts for the observed values. This means some additional sector is needed that fixes and stabilizes the values of the fundamental constants of nature. In these lecture notes we describe in nontechnical terms how such a sector can be constructed. Our additional sector is based on rapidly fluctuating scalar fields that, although completely deterministic, evolve in the strongest possible chaotic way and exhibit complex behaviour. These chaotic fields generate potentials for moduli fields, which ultimately fix the fundamental parameters. The chaotic dynamics can be physically interpreted in terms of vacuum fluctuations. These vacuum fluctuations are different from those of QED or QCD but coupled with the same moduli fields as QED and QCD ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The chemical composition and the semiconducting properties of passive films formed on nickel based alloy (Alloy 600) in acidic sulphate solution, pH 2.0 at room temperature were studied using Auger analysis, voltammetric techniques and the Mott-Schottky approach. The results obtained revealed that the presence of both chromium and mixed nickel-iron oxides in the films leads to the development of a p-n heterojunction, which controls their electronic structure, similarly manner to the case of stainless steels and Alloy 600 in borate buffer solution. This behavior has been interpreted as representing of an oxide system, which has a duplex character, with an inner p-type semiconducting region, mainly formed by chromium oxide and an outer n-type semiconducting region, containing iron oxide. It could also be observed that the nickel oxide present in the films acts as a barrier layer conferring improved protection.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The reaction mechanism underlying the 44 MeV/u {sup 40}Ar projectile break-up process has been studied on different targets, by measuring the coincidences between light particles or intermediate mass fragments detected in a large angular range, and projectile fragments or light charged particles. While the experimental data relative to projectile-like fragments (PLF) with charge close to the one of the projectile can be interpreted in the framework of a three source analysis, the anomalous light fragment production with Z {<=} 10 rather suggests `fission` as one of the possible decay mode of the highly excited projectile or PLF. It is also observed that a great amount of the forward detected light charged particles are correlated, and due to the break-up or decay of light excited ions. (author). 9 refs.

CERN Document Server

We study the dynamics of states perturbatively expanded about a harmonic system of loop quantum cosmology, exhibiting a bounce. In particular, the evolution equations for the first and second order moments of the system are analyzed. These moments back-react on the trajectories of the expectation values of the state and hence alter the energy density at the bounce. This analysis is performed for isotropic loop quantum cosmology coupled to a scalar field with a small but non-zero constant potential, hence in a regime in which the kinetic energy of matter dominates. Analytic restrictions on the existence of dynamical coherent states and the meaning of semi-classicality within these systems are discussed. A numerical investigation of the trajectories of states that remain semi-classical across the bounce demonstrates that, at least for such states, the bounce persists and that its properties are similar to the standard case, in which the moments ...

CERN Document Server

General relativity postulates the Minkowski space-time to be the standard flat geometry against which we compare all curved space-times and the gravitational ground state where particles, quantum fields and their vacuum states are primarily conceived. On the other hand, experimental evidences show that there exists a non-zero cosmological constant, which implies in a deSitter space-time, not compatible with the assumed Minkowski structure. Such inconsistency is shown to be a consequence of the lack of a application independent curvature standard in Riemann's geometry, leading eventually to the cosmological constant problem in general relativity. We show how the curvature standard in Riemann's geometry can be fixed by Nash's theorem on locally embedded Riemannian geometries, which imply in the existence of extra dimensions. The resulting gravitational theory is more general than general relativity, similar to brane-world gravity, but where the ...

CERN Document Server

After mathematicians and physicists had learned that the structure of physical space was not necessarily Euclidean, it became conceivable that the global topological structure of space was non-trivial. In the context of the late 19th century debates on physical space this speculation gave rise to the problem of classifying spaces of constant curvature from a topological point of view. William Kingdon Clifford, Felix Klein and Wilhelm Killing, the latter of whom devoted a substantial amount of work to the topic in the early 1890s, clearly perceived this problem as relevant for both mathematics and natural philosophy (i.e., physics or cosmology). To some extent, a cosmological interest may even be found among those authors who restated the space form problem in more modern terms in the early 20th century, such as Heinz Hopf.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The present study has examined for #alpha#/#beta#-Ti alloys the relationship between the morphology and crystallography of Widmanstaetten plates of #alpha#-Ti in colonies within a prior grain of #beta#-Ti. Thus, optical metallography, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy have been used to characterize the morphological features of the microstructure, whereas orientation-imaging microscopy (OM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) have been employed to reveal crystallographic information. It has been discovered that within a prior #beta#-Ti grain, although the growth direction of the Widmanstaetten plates in given colonies may differ by large angles from #alpha#-plates in other colonies, they may exhibit very close crystallographic relationships. For example, inclined #alpha#-plates may share common basal planes and be related by a rotation of #approx#10.5 deg. about the c-axis of the crystals. This phenomenon has been interpreted ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The umbrella magnetic structure of the terbium iron garnet (TbIG) has been studied using neutron diffraction experiments peformed in the 4.2 to 650 K temperature range which covers both the Neel temperature (Tsub(N) = 550 +- 10 K) and the compensation temperature (Tsub(comp) = 244 +- 2 K). When T > Tsub(N), the observed peak intensities originate from nuclear contribution only. When Tsub(comp) < T < Tsub(N), the results have been interpreted in the Neel theory of ferrimagnetism. Below Tsub(comp), three salient features have been observed: there appears superstructure lines forbiden by the cubic space group Ia3d, whereas the other superstructure peaks are found absent contrary to other heavy rare earth garnets; the strongest reflexion (110) vanishes near Tsub(comp). The magnetic modes associated to the rhombohedral symmetry space group R(-3)c have been calculated; the two inequivalent magnetic sites C_1 and C'_1 of ...

CERN Document Server

TIGER integral-field spectrography and HST/WFPC2 imaging of the E3 galaxy NGC 2974 are used to derive the kinematics of the stellar and ionized gas components in its central 500 pc. We derive a numerical two-integral distribution function from a MGE mass model using the HQ formalism. The TIGER as well as published long-slit stellar kinematics are well fitted with this self-consistent model, requiring neither the addition of a significant mass contribution from a hidden disc structure, nor the presence of a central dark mass. The data reveal the presence of a striking, highly contrasted, two-arm gaseous spiral structure within a radius of ~200 pc, corresponding to a total mass of 6.8x10^4 Msun of ionized gas. We use a deconvolved TIGER datacube to probe its kinematics at a resolution of about 0.35 arcsec. Strong departures from circular motions are observed, as well as high velocity dispersion values on the inner side of the arms. We interpret ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

... lifetime lutetium isotopes lutetium 171 lutetium 173 lutetium 175 lutetium 177

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A Monte Carlo simulation of the vacuum Bianchi type-IX (mixmaster) cosmology yields a significant correlation between large universe volume and high anisotropy. An analog of the model's chaotic classical behavior is seen in the break up of the universe wave function at large volume into fingers in the corners of the minisuperspace anisotropy potential.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

It is proven that there do not exist any diagonal Bianchi type-IX universes which expand for an infinite time, provided only that the matter satisfies the dominant energy condition and has non-negative average principal pressures.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We investigate the quantum cosmology of spatially homogeneous models with compact spatial sections admitting a u(2) isometry algebra. The metric ansatz in these models is that of Bianchi type IX with two scale factors set to be equal. We apply the Hartle-Hawking no-boundary path integral prescription and find the semi-classical contributions to the wave function. Exact formulae are obtainable for certain contributions and otherwise the limits of large and small anisotropy (for the pure vacuum case) and large spatial volume or small anisotropy (for the case with a positive cosmological constant) are considered. For the pure vacuum case we find no rapidly oscillating semiclassical components in the wave function, and hence do not recover lorentzian space-time as a prediction of the no-boundary proposal. For the case with a cosmological constant the wave function does contain rapidly oscillating components and thus predicts ...

CERN Document Server

We investigate several varying-mass dark-matter particle models in the framework of phantom cosmology. We examine whether there exist late-time cosmological solutions, corresponding to an accelerating universe and possessing dark energy and dark matter densities of the same order. Imposing exponential or power-law potentials and exponential or power-law mass dependence, we conclude that the coincidence problem cannot be solved or even alleviated. Thus, if dark energy is attributed to the phantom paradigm, varying-mass dark matter models cannot fulfill the basic requirement that led to their construction.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manganese model complexes, relevant to the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) in photosynthesis, were studied with Mn K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES), Mn Kb X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES), and vibrational spectroscopy. A more detailed understanding was obtained of the influence of nuclearity, overall structure, oxidation state, and ligand environment of the Mn atoms on the spectra from these methods. This refined understanding is necessary for improving the interpretation of spectra of the OEC. Mn XANES and Kb XES were used to study a di-(mu)-oxo and a mono-(mu)-oxo di-nuclear Mn compound in the (III,III), (III,IV), and (IV,IV) oxidation states. XANES spectra show energy shifts of 0.8 - 2.2 eV for 1-electron oxidation-state changes and 0.4 - 1.8 eV for ligand-environment changes. The shifts observed for Mn XES spectra were approximately 0.21 eV for oxidation state-changes and only approximately 0.04 eV for ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The grey-black mudstones of the Sonehat Formation form part of the Middle Jurassic fill of the Jameson Land Basin in East Greenland. The formation is exposed in the southernmost part of the north south-trending, Mesozoic rift system in East Greenland that was part of the epeiric seaway betaveen East Greenland and Norway. Sedimentological observations of the Sortehat Formation indicate deposition in an offshore marine setting that was typically low energy and periodically oxygen-deficient but was influenced by storm currents on occasion. Detailed palynological studies of the Sortehat Formation have resulted in the definition of theee palynological assemblage zones recognised at four localities, namely Enhjoerningen Dal and Pelion (north Jameson Land), the type section at Sortehat (central Jameson Land) and Albuen at Neill Klinter along Hurry Inlet (south-east Jameson Land). In stratigraphic order, these zones are termed the Botryococcus Assemblage Zone, the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The temperature dependences of the heat capacity of commercial titanium VT1-0 and alloys on its base, VT5 and VT5-1, have been derived in the temperature range of 4 to 290 K. For comparison, similar measurements have been conducted on pure titanium and specially prepared solid solutions on its base (Ti+3.7 at.% Al and Ti+0.82 at.% Sn). The measurement accuracy has been sufficient for comparing the results with calculation data. The obtained results are interpreted using the known concepts of the role of the mass of interstitial atoms and changes in the interatomic bond forces. It is shown that the phonon components of the molar heat capacities of solid solutions of Al in titanium have lower values in the entire temperature range, as compared to titanium. The corresponding differences are proportional to the Al concentrations. The lower molar heat capacity in the case of dissolution of Al is due to the low mass of the impurity atoms and stronger interatomic bonds in ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Twenty-four patients were studied with both /sup 201/Tl-thallus chloride and /sup 99m/Tc-TBI scintigraphy following exercise. Comparison of the two agents in detecting segmental myocardial ischemia and scar was made in 18 patients with evidence of coronary artery disease on /sup 201/Tl-thallous chloride scintigraphy. Agreement between the two studies was observed in 77% (125 of 162) of left ventricular segments, suggesting that /sup 99m/Tc-TBI can be used as a myocardial perfusion agent. Limitations were related to early high background activity from lungs and liver. The high lung activity and early myocardial redistribution within the 1st hour contributed to the failure of /sup 99m/Tc-TBI to detect 16 segmental defects seen in the immediate post-exercise thallous chloride scan. Persistently high liver activity additionally affected accurate interpretation in the left ventricular segments close to the diaphragm. Improvement in the accuracy of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The effect of ionizing radiation (2, 5, and 10 KGy of gamma rays) on muscle ultrastructure of grass shrimps (Penaeus monodon Fabricius) tails at ambient or frozen (-18{sup 0}C) temperature was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). No significant change was found in muscle ultrastructure of shrimp meat irradiated at doses of 2 or 5 KGy and then stored at 4{sup 0}C for 0 and 8 days. However, in shrimps which were irradiated at ambient temperature at a dose of 10 KGy, the margin of A-band of the myofibrils in longitudinal sections exhibited an irregular zig-zag pattern. In cross section some myosin filaments in the A-band regions were missing. A possible interpretation of these results would be that 10 KGy gamma irradiation dose at ambient temperature depolymerized myosin in the A-band from the tail of thick filament. Actin damage was also observed in some cross sections. Irradiation damage of sarcoplasmic membranes appeared in ...

CERN Document Server

Amperostatic coulometry was applied for the thickness measurement of Sn-Ag hot dip coatings, which comprise an extended Sn-Cu interdiffusion layer. Complementary measurements, notably weight loss, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and dynamic secondary ion mass spectroscopy were performed in order to obtain a better interpretation of the coulometry results. Based on the experimental results presented in this article, the three potential changes observed during coulometry measurements are ascribed to (i) the entire dissolution of pure Sn, (ii) the formation of a CuCl salt layer, and (iii) the surface passivation. The measurement of the pure Sn mass is well reproducible despite strong coating thickness variations detected by XRF. Several experimental problems, in particular, a coating undercutting, hamper the determination of the Sn mass in the intermetallic Sn-Cu layer. (19 refs).

CERN Document Server

We present new 12CO J=3-2 and HCN J=3-2 molecular line maps of the region surrounding the young star AR 6 using the 15 metre James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. AR 6 was previously found to be a double source with both components exhibiting several characteristics of FU Orionis (FUor) eruptive variable stars. Our data indicates that AR 6, like FU Orionis itself, does not possess a CO outflow and likewise, does not show evidence for large amounts of molecular g as in its circumstellar environment. We conclude that from the near-IR to the sub-mm, AR 6 is similar to FU Orionis in several respects. We interpret the lack of significant dust and molecular gas in the circumstellar environment of AR 6, together with the large near-IR thermal excess, as evidence that the sources have exhausted their natal envelopes, that they have at least small hot circumstellar disks, and that they are more evolved than Class I protostars. This, in itself, suggests that, since FUor eruptions ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glasses in the system (95-x) [0.25 Na2O-0.75 B2O3]-x P2O5-5 Fe2O3 (0?x?15 mol%), have been prepared by the melt quenching technique. Elastic properties and FT-IR spectroscopic studies have been employed to study the role of P2O5 on the structure of the glass system. Elastic properties Poisson's ratio, micro-hardness and Debye temperature have been investigated using sound wave velocity measurements at 4 MHz (both longitudinal and shear) at room temperature. The results showed that the density and the molar volume increase as both sound velocities and the determined glass transition temperatures decrease with increasing the contents of P2O5. Infrared spectra of the glasses reveal that the borate network consists of diborate units and is affected by the increase in the concentration of P2O5 content as a second network former. These results are interpreted in terms of the replacement of the diborate units with B-O-B bridges by phosphate units with non-bridging oxygens ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This paper highlights some of the conceptual and methodological problems involved in the compilation of statistics on economic aid to developing countries. Figures from the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) member states are compared to point up problems in the interpretation of the statistics. One area of concern is the listing of funds provided by financial institutions located in the DAC countries. OPEC capital often forms a majority of such institutions; yet the figures do not measure the OPEC share of the capital nor its share of the risk borne in its provision of the loans. Another area of concern is bond purchases and subscriptions to syndicated loans by OPEC financial institutions in the financial markets of DAC countries. The flows in these instances, originating from OPEC sources, are merely channeled through the DAC financial markets. Based on origin and risk (borne exclusively by ...

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The results of the laboratory studies performed by CIEMAT with the FEBEX bentonite in the context of WP3.2 of the NF-PRO Project and of the Agreement ENRESA-CIEMAT Anexo V are presented and analysed in this report. They refer to the effect of the hydraulic gradient on the permeability of bentonite, the effect of the thermal gradient on the hydration kinetics of bentonite, and the repercussion of temperature on the hydro-mechanical properties of bentonite (swelling, permeability and water retention capacity). In all the cases the bentonite has been used compacted to densities expected in the engineered barrier of a high-level radioactive waste repository. The existence of threshold and critical hydraulic gradients has been observed, both of them dependent on bentonite density and water pressures. After more than seven years of hydration, the 40-cm high bentonite columns are far from full saturation, the thermal gradient additionally delaying the process, which is ...

CERN Document Server

For purposes of designing targeted cataclysmic variable (CV) detection surveys and interpreting results of other projects with many CV detections such as the ChaMPlane Survey, we have created a model of the CV distribution in the Galaxy. It is modeled as a warped, flared exponential disk with a gaussian vertical distribution. Extinction is based on a detailed Galactic dust and gas model. A luminosity function for CVs is also incorporated, based on a smoothed version of published data. We calculate predicted field detection rates as a function of the limiting magnitude expected for the detecting system (i.e. WIYN/Hydra or NOAO 4m/Mosaic). Monte-Carlo techniques are used to assess statistical fluctuations in these rates. We have created maps of the expected CV distribution for the full non-bulge Galactic plane (20

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Recent progress in the metallic conducting Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films built from TTF derivative and fatty acids is reported. A simple LB method of transferring the mixed Langmuir (L) film of BEDO-TTF (BO) and stearic acid (SA) onto substrates provided metallic conducting LB films. A homogeneous L film formation on the water surface observed by Brewster angle microscope (BAM) is an essential factor for the well-ordered LB films. In the L film, the carboxylate group of fatty acid forms anion layer bringing about a spontaneous formation of mixed valence state (MVS) of BO layer. Similar spontaneous formation was also found in the molecular combination of nonoxygen-substituted donor of EDT-TTF and octadecanesulfonic acid (OS). This type of reaction would be useful for obtaining conducting LB films. For the LB films of BEDO-TTF and stearic acid, we found a negative transverse magnetoresistance at low temperature that was interpreted in the weak ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We used the recuperation effect (see also 'Recuperation of infrared stimulated luminescence of feldspars' in this issue) for investigating the connection between infrared- and greenlight-stimulated luminescence (IRSL and GLSL) of feldspars by performing a 'double-bleach recuperation' experiment. A diode system was used for infrared (IR) stimulation, and a filtered-light unit for greenlight (GL) stimulation. Powdered feldspar samples (2 mg each) of known chemical characterisation from a mineral collection were used. After beta-irradiation with 180 Gy and storage in the dark for several weeks feldspar aliquots were bleached down to a residual level of {approx}1% of the initial level, first with IR and subsequently with GL. For both stimulations, detection of the stimulated luminescence was carried out in the near ultraviolet region (around 260-360 nm, peaked at 340 nm). Other aliquots were bleached in reverse order (1st GL, 2nd IR). These bleaching ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Theoretical interpretation of fast-charged-particle spectra, observed in the #alpha#-particle-induced reactions on the s-d shell nuclei (A = 24-28), in terms of the Intranuclear Cascade Model and the GDH exciton model (ALICE) is presented. The de-excitation of the excited residual nuclei is accounted for by the evaporation process. The theoretically predicted fast-proton and #alpha#' spectral shapes compare reasonably well with the corresponding measured spectra. However, the magnitude depends critically (as expected) on the reaction cross section employed by the model. As a first step to improve the model predictability of the reaction products, a closer look at the calculation of the #alpha#-particle reaction cross sections was undertaken. A microscopic approach using the optical theorem of Glauber's theory was employed to estimate the #alpha#-induced reaction cross sections for the light target nuclei under consideration. The calculated ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ion implantation of Si (60 keV, 1x10"1"4/cm"2) has been used to introduce excess interstitials into silicon predoped with high background concentrations of B, which were varied between 1x10"1"8 and 1x10"1"9/cm"3. Following post-implantation annealing at 740 degree C for 15 min to allow agglomeration of the available interstitials into elongated #left brace#311#right brace# defects, the density of the agglomerated interstitials was determined by plan-view transmission electron microscopy observation of the defects. We report a significant reduction in the fraction of excess interstitials trapped in #left brace#311#right brace# defects as a function of boron concentration, up to nearly complete disappearance of the #left brace#311#right brace# defects at boron concentrations of 1x10"1"9/cm"3. The reduction of the excess interstitial concentration is interpreted in terms of boron-interstitial clustering, and implications for transient-enhanced ...

CERN Document Server

Aims. We attempt to detect starlight reflected from a hot Jupiter, orbiting the main-sequence star HD 75289Ab. We report a revised analysis of observations of this planetary system presented previously by another research group. Methods. We analyse high-precision, high-resolution spectra, collected over four nights using UVES at the VLT/UT2, by way of data synthesis. We try to interpret our data using different atmospheric models for hot Jupiters. Results. We do not find any evidence for reflected light, and, therefore, establish revised upper limits to the planet-to-star flux ratio at the 99.9% significance level. At high orbital inclinations, where the best sensitivity is attained, we can limit the relative reflected radiation to be less than e = 6.7 x 10-5 assuming a grey albedo, and e = 8.3 x 10-5 assuming an Class IV function, respectively. This implies a geometric albedo smaller than p = 0.46 and p = 0.57, for the grey albedo and the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elastic scattering of 27.2 MeV #alpha# particles on "4"0Ca has been investigated. Differential cross sections have been measured in the angular range from 10 deg to 175 deg in the lab. system. The theoretical analysis has proceeded from the proposition that the results of a calculation based on the optical model in the range of small angles (less than 20 deg for "4"0Ca) are independent of parameters and shape of the potential employed. Elastic scattering of #alpha# particles at angles up to 50 deg has been calculated using three sets of the optical potential parameters in the energy range 23.37-28.92 MeV. In the range of small angles a rather similar behaviour of the calculated curves can be observed whereas in the range of medium and large angles these curves behave very differently. The success in the reproduction of the angular distributions for the entire energy range is indicative of the weak energy dependence of the optical potential parameters for "4"0Ca. It ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The photoelectric absorption index, I/sub Pe/, is accepted as an accurate measurement for the description of formation lithology. The measured I/sub Pe/ has been shown to deviate slightly for a given lithology because of the effects of porosity. Properly calibrated and measured I/sub Pe/'s, however, have been observed to deviate from predicted values in practice, even considering the influence of porosity. Such departures were traced to variations in borehole size and tool standoff. The nature of the physical method of recording an I/sub Pe/ does not ensure independence from the influence of the borehole environment. A series of laboratory experiments has been conducted in test formations to verify and to characterize the influence of borehole size, mudcake, and standoff on I/sub Pe/ measurement. A set of nomographs has been constructed that allows correction of I/sub Pe/ measurements for the influence of the borehole environment. With these nomographs, a ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The /sup 252/Cf-source-driven neutron noise analysis method has been tested in a wide variety of experiments that have indicated the broad range of applicability of the method. The neutron multiplication factor k/sub eff/ has been satisfactorily detemined for a variety of materials including uranium metal, light water reactor fuel pins, fissile solutions, fuel plates in water, and interacting cylinders. For a uranyl nitrate solution tank which is typical of a fuel processing or reprocessing plant, the k/sub eff/ values were satisfactorily determined for values between 0.92 and 0.5 using a simple point kinetics interpretation of the experimental data. The short measurement times, in several cases as low as 1 min, have shown that the development of this method can lead to a practical subcriticality monitor for many in-plant applications. The further development of the method will require experiments oriented toward particular applications including dynamic ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Low temperature Nonphotochemical Hole Burning (NPHB) Spectroscopy of the dye rhodamine 800 (MF680) was applied for the purpose of discerning differences between cultured normal and carcinoma ovarian surface epithelial (OSE) cells. Both the cell lines were developed and characterized at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN), with the normal cell line having been transfected with a strain of temperature sensitive Simian Virus 40 Large T Antigen (SV40) for the purpose of extending the life of the cell culture without inducing permanent changes in the characteristics of the cell line. The cationic lipophilic fluorophore rhodamine 800 preferentially locates in in situ mitochondria due to the high lipid composition of mitochondria and the generation of a large negative membrane potential (relative to the cellular cytoplasm) for oxidative phosphorylation. Results presented for NPHB of MF680 located in the cells show significant differences between the two cell lines. The results are ...

KoreaScience (Korea)

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International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A sum-over-histories generalized quantum theory is developed for homogeneous minisuperspace type A Bianchi cosmological models, focusing on the particular example of the classically recollapsing Bianchi type-IX universe. The decoherence functional for such universes is exhibited. We show how the probabilities of decoherent sets of alternative, coarse-grained histories of these model universes can be calculated. We consider in particular the probabilities for classical evolution defined by a suitable coarse graining. For a restricted class of initial conditions and coarse grainings we exhibit the approximate decoherence of alternative histories in which the universe behaves classically and those in which it does not. For these situations we show that the probability is near unity for the universe to recontract classically if it expands classically. We also determine the relative probabilities of quasiclassical trajectories for initial states of WKB form, recovering ...

CERN Document Server

Some properties of the universe are fixed by physics derived from mathematical symmetries, others may have been selected from an ensemble of possibilities. Some successes and failures of anthropic reasoning in this context are reviewed in the light of recent developments in astrobiology, cosmology and unification physics. Specific issues raised include our spacetime location (including the reason for the present age of the universe), the timescale of biological evolution, the tuning of global cosmological parameters, the origin of the Large Numbers of astrophysics, and the parameters of the Standard Model. Out of the twenty parameters of the Standard Model,the basic behavior and structures of the world (nucleons, nuclei,atoms, molecules, planets, stars, galaxies) depend mainly on five of them: $m_e,m_u,m_d,\\alpha,\\alpha_G$, three of which are independent in the context of Grand Unified Theories (that is, not related by any known symmetry). ...

CERN Document Server

Peculiar velocities induce apparent line of sight displacements of galaxies in redshift space, distorting the pattern of clustering in the radial versus transverse directions. On large scales, the amplitude of the distortion yields a measure of the dimensionless linear growth rate \\ff of fluctuations, which is related to the cosmological density \\Omega and the linear bias factor b in linearly biassed standard cosmology by \\ff \\approx \\Omega^{0.6} /b. To make the maximum statistical use of the data in a wide angle redshift survey, and for the greatest accuracy, the spherical character of the distortion needs to be treated properly, rather than in the simpler plane parallel approximation. In the linear regime, the redshift space correlation function is described by a spherical distortion operator acting on the true correlation function. It is pointed out here that there exists an operator, which is essentially the logarithmic derivative with ...

CERN Document Server

In this work we investigate the multivariate statistical description of the matter distribution in the nonlinear regime. We introduce the multivariate Edgeworth expansion of the lognormal distribution to model the cosmological matter field. Such a technique could be useful to generate and reconstruct three-dimensional nonlinear cosmological density fields with the information of higher order correlation functions. We explicitly calculate the expansion up to third order in perturbation theory making use of the multivariate Hermite polynomials up to sixth order. The probability distribution function for the matter field includes at this level the two-point, the three-point and the four-point correlation functions. We use the hierarchical model to formulate the higher order correlation functions based on combinations of the two-point correlation function. This permits us to find compact expressions for the skewness and kurtosis terms of the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Within the framework of the Bianchi type-IX homogeneous space, we set up a system of coupled equations for the cosmic scale factors, scalar field, and radiative energy density. At the tree level, the equations are written in a self-consistent, Hartree-Fock form. For phi/sup 4/ theory, the system of nine first-order differential equations is solved numerically for a varying ratio of the energy of anisotropy to the vacuum energy. As the vacuum energy increases, there appears to be less reheating, since the energy of anisotropy is more efficiently converted into isotropic expansion. If the energy of anisotropy is large enough, the inflationary phase is prevented. In this case, a series of cosmological phase transitions will take place each time the square of the effective mass changes its sign.

CERN Document Server

A new mathematical framework is formulated to derive the effective equations of motion for the constrained quantum system which possesses an internal clock. In the realm close to classical behavior, the quantum evolution is approximated by a finite system of coupled but ordinary differential equations adhered to the weakly imposed Hamiltonian constraint. For the simplified version of loop quantum cosmology in the Bianchi I model with a free massless scalar filed, the resulting effective equations of motion affirm the bouncing scenario predicted by the previous studies: The big bang singularity is resolved and replaced by the big bounces, which take place up to three times, once in each diagonal direction, whenever the directional density approaches the critical value in the regime of Planckian density. It is also revealed that back-reaction arises from the quantum corrections and modifies the precise value of the directional density at the bouncing epoch. ...

CERN Document Server

In Randall-Sundrum-type brane-world cosmologies, the dynamical equations on the three-brane differ from the general relativity equations by terms that carry the effects of imbedding and of the free gravitational field in the five-dimensional bulk. Instead of starting from an ansatz for the metric, we derive the covariant nonlinear dynamical equations for the gravitational and matter fields on the brane. The local energy-momentum corrections are significant only at very high energies, and in this regime we show that fluid world-lines have a non-gravitational acceleration off the brane. The imprint on the brane of the nonlocal gravitational field in the bulk is more subtle, and we provide a careful decomposition of this effect. The nonlocal energy density determines the tidal acceleration in the off-brane direction, and can oppose singularity formation via the generalized Raychaudhuri equation. Unlike the nonlocal energy density and flux, the nonlocal anisotropic ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We investigate the asymptotic properties of the Bianchi type IX cosmological model in the brane-world scenario. The matter content is assumed to be a combination of a perfect fluid and a minimimally coupled scalar field that is restricted to the brane. A detailed qualitative analysis of the Bianchi type IX brane-world containing a scalar field having an exponential potential is undertaken. It is found that the brane-Robertson-Walker solution is a local source for the expanding Bianchi type IX models, and if k"2<2 the ever-expanding Bianchi IX models asymptote to the power-law inflationary solution. The only other local sink is the contracting brane-Robertson Walker solution. An analysis of the Bianchi type IX models with a scalar field with a general potential is discussed, and it is shown that in the case of expanding models, for physical scalar field potentials close to the initial singularity, the scalar field is effectively massless, and the solution is ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The action of the Virasoro algebra on integrable hierarchies of non-linear equations and on related objects ('Schroedinger' differential operators) is investigated. The method consists in pushing forward the Virasoro action to the wave function of a hierarchy, and then reconstructing its action on the dressing and Lax operators. This formulation allows one to observe a number of suggestive similarities between the structures involved in the description of the Virasoro algebra on the hierarchies and the structure of conformal field theory on the world-sheet. This includes, in particular, an 'off-shell' hierarchy version of operator products and of the Cauchy kernel. In relation to matrix models, which have been observed to be effectively described by integrable hierarchies subjected to Virasoro constraints, I propose to define general Virasoro-constrained hierarchies also in terms of dressing operators, by certain equations which carry the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This thesis presents the study of the slowing down process of fast heavy ions inside matter. In the framework of this research, the influence of the target density on the stopping process is investigated. Experiments on the interaction of {sup 48}Ca{sup 6+}-{sup 48}Ca{sup 10+} and {sup 26}Mg{sup 5+} ion beams with initial energies of 11.4 MeV/u and 5.9 MeV/u with solid and gaseous targets have been carried out. A novel diagnostic method, X-ray spectroscopy of K-shell projectile radiation, is used to determine the ion charge state in relation to its velocity during the penetration of fast heavy ions inside the stopping material. A spatially resolved analysis of the projectile and target radiation in solids is achieved for the first time. The application of low-density silica aerogels as stopping media provided a stretching of the ion stopping length by 20 - 100 times in comparison with solid quartz. The Doppler Effect observed on the projectile K-shell spectra is ...

Science.gov (United States)

The utility of recording Raman spectroscopy under liquid nitrogen, a technique we call Raman Under Nitrogen (RUN), is demonstrated for ferrocene, uranocene and thorocene. Using RUN, low temperature (liquid nitrogen cooled) Raman spectra for these compounds exhibit higher resolution than previous studies and new vibrational features are reported. The first Raman spectra of crystalline uranocene at 77 K are reported using excitation from argon (5145 ) and krypton (6764 ) ion lasers. The spectra obtained showed bands corresponding to vibrational transitions at 212, 236, 259, 379, 753, 897, 1500, and 3042 cm-1 , assigned to ring-metal-ring stretching, ring-metal tilting, out-of-plane CCC bending, in-plane CCC bending, ring-breathing, C-H bending, CC stretching and CH stretching, respectively. The assigned vibrational bands are compared to those of uranocene in THF and thorocene. All vibrational frequencies of the ligands, except the 259 cm-1 out-of-plane CCC bending mode, were found to ...

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When a plasma becomes contaminated by foreign particles, generically referred to as dust, the result is called a dusty plasma. At the present time there is a great deal of interest in dusty plasmas because of their roles in terrestrial and extra-terrestrial processes - semiconductor processing, high temperature fusion experiments, stellar formation and the rings of Saturn. This thesis is concerned with the role of dust in processing type plasmas. In the following experiments, artificial dust is introduced into a parallel electrode plasma chamber. Ions and electrons in the plasma charge the dust particles and they become suspended in the plasma due to the balancing of electric and gravitational forces. By illuminating the suspended dust with laser light and using an extremely high speed camera fitted with a macro lens to look at the scattered light, the dust particles are observed directly. Specially written computer software is then able to track and analyse the ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The transmutation of minor actinides in-reactor is one solution currently being studied for the long time management of nuclear waste. In the heterogeneous concept the radionuclides are incorporating in an inert ceramic matrix. The support material must be insensitive to radiation damage. Fission product damage is the main radiation damage source during the transmutation process and therefore it is of the utmost importance to study their effects. We irradiated spinels MgAl_2O_4 (matrix of reference) and ZnAl_2O_4 by fast ions (by example: (86)Kr of approximately 400 MeV) simulating the fission products. Under these conditions, the damage is primarily due to the electronic energy losses (Se). One of the structural features of spinel AB_2O_4 is that the two cations (A(2+) and B(3+)) can exchange their site. This phenomenon is quantified by the inversion parameter. We highlight by XRD in grazing incidence that the structural changes observed in MgAl_2O_4 correspond to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) was used to probe the existence of induced magnetic moments in yttrium iron garnet (YIG) films in which yttrium is partly substituted with lanthanum, lutetium or bismuth. Spin polarization of the 4d states of yttrium and of the 5d states of lanthanum or lutetium was clearly demonstrated. Angular momentum resolved d-DOS of yttrium and lanthanun was shown to be split by the crystal field, the two resolved substructures having opposite magnetic polarization. The existence of a weak orbital moment involving the 6p states of bismuth was definitely established with the detection of a small XMCD signal at the Bi M{sub 1}-edge. Difference spectra also enhanced the visibility of subtle changes in the Fe K-edge XMCD spectra of YIG and {l_brace}Y, Bi{r_brace}IG films. Weak natural X-ray linear dichroism signatures were systematically observed with all iron garnet films and with a bulk YIG single crystal cut parallel to the (1 1 1) ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The propagation of tachyons in an expanding universe is discussed. It is shown that a primordial tachyon in the big bang universe cannot survive unless it had very large energy initially. In an indefinitely expanding universe the tachyon trajectory turns back in time. This time barrier is found to exist even in the quantum mechanical discussion of tachyons. This property is used to set limits on the mass of a tachyon. The possible astronomical checks on the hypothesis that neutrinos or photons may be tachyonic are also discussed.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The baryogenesis process in the early hot universe is investigated by means of relativistic kinetic theory. An exact solution to the kinetic equations for supermassive bosons serves to refine previous results: the optimum baryon-production domain is now complemented by bosons of low mass, thus removing the cosmological lower bound that had limited the mass of superheavy bosons. 14 references.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

It is proven that there do not exist any Bianchi type-IX universes which expand for an infinite time, provided only that the matter satisfies the dominant energy condition and has non-negative average pressure (i.e., a non-negative trace of the spatial projection of the stress-energy tensor). This generalizes a proof recently given by us for the case of diagonal Bianchi type-IX solutions.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We analyze the behavior of some Bianchi type-IX, mixmaster cosmological models possessing extra dimensions. We find that, unlike the three-dimensional case, they do not exhibit chaotic behavior on approach to their initial singularity. A finite sequence of stochastic mixmaster oscillations is, in general, replaced by monotonic contraction of the three-space scale factors on approach to a singularity whenever additional spatial dimensions exist with the metric form we consider.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We apply Hawking's proposal for the initial state of the Universe to a rotating Bianchi type-IX minisuperspace model in order to examine the problem of rotation in a closed cosmology. Using the Feynman path-integral techniques instead of the Wheeler-DeWitt equation, we are able to say that for a small angular velocity the closed Friedmann-Robertson-Walker model is indeed the most probable initial state for the Universe.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spatially homogeneous space-times of Bianchi type IX are considered. A general scheme for the derivation of exact solutions of Einstein's equations corresponding to perfect fluid plus pure radiation fields is outlined. Some simple rotating Bianchi type IX cosmological models are presented. The details of these solutions are also discussed. 9 refs. (author).

CERN Document Server

We argue that the occurrence of late-time acceleration can conveniently be described by first-order general relativity covariantly coupled to fermions. Dark energy arises as a gravitationally driven BCS condensate of fermions which forms in the early universe. At late times, the gap and chemical potential evolve to have an equation of state with effective negative pressure, thus naturally leading to acceleration.

CERN Document Server

We study the high energy behaviour of Yang-Mills theory under the inclusion of gravity. In the weak-gravity limit, the running gauge coupling receives no contribution from the gravitational sector, if all symmetries are preserved. This holds true with and without cosmological constant. We also show that asymptotic freedom persists in general field-theory-based gravity scenarios including gravitational shielding as well as asymptotically safe gravity.

Science.gov (United States)

Cosmological N-body and hydrodynamic simulations start with a realization of a random density fluctuation field representing a cosmological model at an early epoch. The density field is often replaced by a set of particles whose positions and velocities are set to conform to the desired density field. Each particle represents a cloud of huge number of real particles. Positions and velocities of particles are subsequently integrated by various numerical codes. We have simulated a set of collisionless collapses of Gaussian density peaks by using the PM and P(3) M codes. We find that in cosmological simulations the physics at scales below the mean particle separation(MPS) is dominated by inaccuracies in describing the initial density field, and cannot be studied even by the high force-resolution codes. Since density fluctuations are ill-defined at scales smaller than MPS, it is desirable not to amplify this problem during the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We consider the problem of rotation in a homogeneous Bianchi type IX cosmological model. Studying the Wheeler-De Witt equation corresponding to this minisuperspace, and adopting a particular choice of the factor ordering, we are able to find a particular solution which is strongly peaked about isotropy. This result confirms all the previous investigations in this field, and suggests the conclusion that the machian nature of our universe is the natural, i.e. most likely, outcome of the Planck epoch. (orig.).

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundDiscrepancies between the conclusions of different meta-analyses (quantitative syntheses of systematic reviews) are often ascribed to methodological differences. The objective...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The author discusses the formulation and application of the theory of quasi-catastrophes for the behaviour and properties of tachyons. This approach assists in the interpretation of experiments where tachyons may be involved. (W.D.L.).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The inverse problem of interpreting the SS 433 optical light curves is solved for a geometrically thick model accretion disk around the compact relativistic object: most likely a black hole.

CERN Document Server

This Chapter develops a realist information-theoretic interpretation of the nonclassical features of quantum probabilities. On this view, what is fundamental in the transition from classical to quantum physics is the recognition that \\emph{information in the physical sense has new structural features}, just as the transition from classical to relativistic physics rests on the recognition that space-time is structurally different than we thought. Hilbert space, the event space of quantum systems, is interpreted as a kinematic (i.e., pre-dynamic) framework for an indeterministic physics, in the sense that the geometric structure of Hilbert space imposes objective probabilistic or information-theoretic constraints on correlations between events, just as the geometric structure of Minkowski space in special relativity imposes spatio-temporal kinematic constraints on events. The interpretation of quantum probabilities is more ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

NEWTON's first law prohibits the coupling of free tachyons to ordinary matter, if it is interpreted as selection rule interdicting emission without change of the rest-mass of the emitting system.

Science.gov (United States)

(1989], however, we modeled the phase using a sum of simple power law terms. We. chose to do our work on Triton's atmosphere using the exponential functions ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qualitative interpretation of data of different nature and sources, based on segmentation techniques such as discriminant analysis, is useful to characterize and monitor hydrocarbon reservoirs. In order to make this interpretation more reliable, it is necessary to characterize uncertainties attached to data and then, to propagate them in the interpretation work-flow. In this thesis, uncertainties are represented by intervals, because usually, little is known about input data errors. The uncertainty characterization issue is dealt with specifically for each case study. The uncertainty propagation issue is treated by a new technique, based on interval analysis, which consists in extending to intervals various popular approaches (non parametric, quadratic and linear) to discriminant analysis: Firstly, a learning phase allows calibrating an imprecise classifying model on the basis of pre-interpreted data. ...

Science.gov (United States)

... surveys, and increasing interest in both developing an oyster aquaculture industry and scaling up restoration efforts by federal, ... ...

Science.gov (United States)

Most of the general population is exposed to carbaryl and other contemporary-use insecticides at low levels. Studies of laboratory animals, in addition to limited human data, show an association between carbaryl exposure and decreased semen quality. In the present study we explored whether environmental exposures to 1-naphthol (1N), a metabolite of carbaryl and naphthalene, and 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPY), a metabolite of chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl, are associated with decreased semen quality in humans. Subjects (n=272) were recruited through a Massachusetts infertility clinic. Individual exposures were measured as spot urinary concentrations of 1N and TCPY adjusted using specific gravity. Semen quality was assessed as sperm concentration, percent motile sperm, and percent sperm with normal morphology, along with sperm motion parameters (straight-line velocity, curvilinear velocity, and linearity). Median TCPY and 1N concentrations were 3.22 and 3.19microg/L, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Using discrete air sampling, values of {delta}{sup 13}C and {delta}{sup 18}O in atmospheric CO{sub 2}, as well as its concentration, were measured in a forest in the central part of the main island of Japan during the period from June 1994 to June 1996 to examine the biospheric contribution to their temporal variations. {delta}{sup 13}C shows a prominent diurnal variation with high values in the daytime and low values in the nighttime, especially during the warm season. {delta}{sup 13}C also vary seasonally, showing a maximum in summer and a minimum in spring. The diurnal and seasonal variations of {delta}{sup 13}C are opposite in phase with those of the CO{sub 2} concentration. The rate of change in {delta}{sup 13}C with respect to the CO{sub 2} concentration is found to be approximately -0.005 per mille/ppmv. This suggests that the diurnal and seasonal variations of the CO{sub 2} concentration are produced primarily by diurnally- and seasonally-dependent photosynthetic-respiratory ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Glasses in the system (95-x) [0.25 Na{sub 2}O-0.75 B{sub 2}O{sub 3}]-x P{sub 2}O{sub 5}-5 Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} (0<=x<=15 mol%), have been prepared by the melt quenching technique. Elastic properties and FT-IR spectroscopic studies have been employed to study the role of P{sub 2}O{sub 5} on the structure of the glass system. Elastic properties Poisson's ratio, micro-hardness and Debye temperature have been investigated using sound wave velocity measurements at 4 MHz (both longitudinal and shear) at room temperature. The results showed that the density and the molar volume increase as both sound velocities and the determined glass transition temperatures decrease with increasing the contents of P{sub 2}O{sub 5}. Infrared spectra of the glasses reveal that the borate network consists of diborate units and is affected by the increase in the concentration of P{sub 2}O{sub 5} content as a second network former. These results are interpreted in terms ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This multinational, multi-phase spent fuel sabotage test program is quantifying the aerosol particles produced when the products of a high energy density device (HEDD) interact with and explosively particulate test rodlets that contain pellets of either surrogate materials or actual spent fuel. This program has been underway for several years. This program provides data that are relevant to some sabotage scenarios in relation to spent fuel transport and storage casks, and associated risk assessments. The program also provides significant technical and political benefits in international cooperation. We are quantifying the Spent Fuel Ratio (SFR), the ratio of the aerosol particles released from HEDD-impacted actual spent fuel to the aerosol particles produced from surrogate materials, measured under closely matched test conditions, in a contained test chamber. In addition, we are measuring the amounts, nuclide content, size distribution of the released aerosol materials, and enhanced ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quantitative bone scintigraphy was performed in patients with prostatic carcinoma before orchiectomy as well as two weeks, two and six months after operation. The count rate was recorded as serial gamma camera images over the lower thoracic and all lumbar vertebrae from 1 to 240 min and at 24 h after injection of "9"9"Tc"m-MDP. In almost all abnormal vertebrae an increased count rate was observed within one hour after injection. Most of the vertebrae which were considered normal at 4 h after injection, but had an increased 24h/4h ratio developed into abnormal vertebrae later in the study. The patients with normal bone scintigrams showed no change in "9"9Tc"m-MDP uptake during the study. The reproducibility of quantitative bone scintigraphy was found to be #+-# 7% (1 SD). In response to therapy, most of the patients with abnormal bone scintigrams showed an increase in count rate two weeks after operation followed by a decrease to the pre-operative level after two ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nuclear magnetic resonance is a powerful technique that can be used in a wide range of applications, such as the structural characterization of high molecular weight molecules, conformational studies on enzymes in solution, enzyme-substrate or DNA-protein interactions, monitoring of cell metabolism in vivo, and for diagnostic purposes, employing spectroscopic and imaging techniques. This course was organized in order to introduce the participants to the fundamentals of NMR spectroscopy, and offer practical advice on performing NMR experiments on cell systems, cell and tissue extracts and animal models. The main implications regarding human experiments were also discussed. Finally the quantification of information and the interpretation of data were considered with regard to the main nuclei observed. [Italiano] La risonanza magnetica nucleare e` una delle tecniche spettroscopiche che meglio risponde all`ampio spettro di condizioni imposto dalla ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

For higher U-loading in low-enriched U-10 wt.%Mo fuels, monolithic fuel plate clad in AA6061 is being developed as a part of Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactor (RERTR) program. This paper reports the first characterization results from a monolithic U-10 wt.%Mo fuel plate with a Zr diffusion barrier that was fabricated as part of a plate fabrication campaign for irradiation testing in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). Both scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) were employed for analysis. At the interface between the Zr barrier and U-10 wt.%Mo, going from Zr to U(Mo), UZr_2, #gamma#-UZr, Zr solid-solution and Mo_2Zr phases were observed. The interface between AA6061 cladding and Zr barrier plate consisted of four layers, going from Al to Zr, (Al, Si)_2Zr, (Al, Si)Zr_3 (Al, Si)_3Zr, and AlSi_4Zr_5. Irradiation behavior of these intermetallic phases is discussed based on their constituents. Characterization of as-fabricated phase ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The fine scale mechanical probing capability of NI-AFM was used to examine hydrogen interaction with plasticity. To realize this, an electrochemical three electrode setup was incorporated into the NI-AFM. The developed ECNI-AFM is capable of performing nanoindentation as well as imaging surfaces inside electrolytes. The developed ECNI-AFM setup was used to examine the effect of cathodically charged hydrogen on dislocation nucleation in pure metals and alloys. It was shown that hydrogen reduces the pop-in load in all of the tested materials except Cu. The reduced pop-in load can be interpreted as the HELP mechanism. Classical dislocation theory was used to model the homogeneous dislocation nucleation and it was shown that H reduces the activation energy for dislocation nucleation in H sensitive metals which are not undergoing a phase transformation. The activation energy for dislocation nucleation is related to the material specific parameters; shear modulus {mu}, ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neutron time-of flight spectra were measured from 90 MeV protons and 140 MeV alpha-particle bombardment of Al, Ni, Zr, and Bi at laboratory angles between 20"0 and 130"0. The proton induced neutron spectra reveal three distinct energy regions; a low energy evaporation region, a high-energy region dominated by quasi-free scattering processes and an intermediate-energy region dominated by multi-step, pre-equilibrium processes. In the latter two regions, the spectra show strong angular dependence. The alpha-induced neutron spectra show these same distinct energy regions plus an exponential fall-off above the beam energy per nucleon. The high-energy portions of the forward-angle neutron and proton cross sections are in ratios consistent with the assumption that single nucleon-nucleon scattering dominates. For heavy-mass targets, the low-energy evaporation regions show neutron yields larger than proton yields. The proton-to-neutron ratios observed in the high-energy ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

To assess the contribution of adrenal-derived androgens in women with hirsutism, adrenal scintigrams under dexamethasone suppression (DS) were performed on 35 women with increasing facial or body hair and irregular or absent menses. Based upon the DS regimen chosen (8 mg/d for 2 days or 4 md/d for 7 days before the injection of 6..beta..-(/sup 131/I)iodomethylnorcholesterol), three imaging patterns were identified. The first was the absence of uptake before 3 days (8-mg DS) or before 5 days (4-mg DS) after injection. This imaging pattern was seen in 17 of the 35 patients studied and was considered normal. The second pattern was bilateral uptake earlier than 3 days (8-mg DS regimen) or 5 days (4-mg DS) after injection. This was seen in 13 of the 35 patients and was interpreted as bilateral early visualization. Adrenal-vein catheterization performed on six patients with this pattern showed increased adrenal-vein testosterone. The third pattern, ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The one-particle models of crystal-field theory provide a qualitative interpretation for the observed ground state splitting of four Kramers doublets of the {sup 8}S{sub 7/2} of Bk{sup 4+} doped into CeF{sub 4}. A set of nine nonzero (B{sup k}{sub q}) parameters corresponding a C{sub 2v} point symmetry provide a very good correlation between the experimental data and simulated energy level schemes within a rms deviation of 13.7 cm{sup -1}. The calculated and experimental energy values have the same order-of-magnitude for the ground state and excited components. The total ground state splitting of the S-state ions of f-elements such as Bk{sup 4+} in CeF{sub 4} is larger when compared with Cm{sup 3+} :LaCl{sub 3} and Gd{sup 3+} :La(C{sub 2}H{sub 5}SO{sub 4}){sub 3}-9H{sub 2}O ions. The so-called crystal-field strength parameter, N{sub v}, increases as a function of the increasing maximum splitting of the ground state due to a decrease in the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Personnel from Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. (Energy Systems) manage a closed hazardous waste disposal unit the Chestnut Ridge Security Pits (CRSP), located on the crest of Chestnut Ridge near the Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. To investigate the discharge of groundwater from CRSP to springs and streams located along the flanks and base of Chestnut Ridge, an initial dye-tracer study was conducted during 1990. A hydraulic connection was inferred to exist between the injection well (GW-178) on Chestnut Ridge and several sites to the east-northeast, east, and southeast of CRSP. A second dye-tracer study was conducted in 1992 to verify the results of the initial test and identify additional discharge points that are active during wet-weather conditions. No definitive evidence for the presence of dye was identified at any of the 35 locations monitored during the second dye study. Although interpretations of the initial dye test suggest a hydraulic connection ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The most important factor in assessing radiologic risk is ensuring scientific means for evaluation of the radioactive release impact upon humans and organisms. To evaluate quantitatively this impact not only knowledge of radioactivity distribution in these dynamical systems is necessary but also understanding the transfer mechanisms between ecosystem components is needed. Thus a complete radioecologic study appear to be very complex and needs defining the source term, dynamic description of radionuclides behavior in the ecosystem, estimation of radiation doses in the major components of the ecosystem and finally the effects of radiation doses upon different parts of the systems. A diagram of the steps implied in evaluation of the effects due to radioactive effluent release in the environment is presented and discussed. The following steps are described: - identification of radioactive sources, as well as their input rate. Presence of noxious materials such as heavy metals or some ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Full text of publication follows: Low activation ferritic/martensitic steels are receiving a high priority in the European long term materials research. Although extensively investigated, the available experimental data do not cover all required parameter ranges and cannot unambiguously be used to produce hardening/embrittlement trend curves. Therefore, the main objective of this work is to provide a physically-based engineering model offering a rational to experimental observations. From the literature, experimental data were selected to establish a database that mainly consists of 8 to 9Cr-steels irradiated in the range of 50 to 600 deg. C up to 30 dpa and with a He-content up to 5000 appm. The database includes neutron and proton irradiations, He-implanted as well as B- and Ni-doped steels. Because of the difficulty of interpretation inherent to the Charpy impact test, only tensile data were considered. The difficulty stems from the large ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Here we examine Fe speciation within Fe-encrusted biofilms formed during 2-month seafloor incubations of sulfide mineral assemblages at the Main Endeavor Segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge. The biofilms were distributed heterogeneously across the surface of the incubated sulfide and composed primarily of particles with a twisted stalk morphology resembling those produced by some aerobic Fe-oxidizing microorganisms. Our objectives were to determine the form of biofilm-associated Fe, and identify the sulfide minerals associated with microbial growth. We used micro-focused synchrotron-radiation X-ray fluorescence mapping (mu XRF), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (mu EXAFS), and X-ray diffraction (mu XRD) in conjunction with focused ion beam (FIB) sectioning, and highresolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The chemical and mineralogical composition of an Fe-encrusted biofilm was queried at different spatial scales, and the spatial relationship between primary sulfide and ...

CERN Document Server

In the next decade Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) will be used to test theories predicting changes in the Dark Energy equation of state with time. Ultimately this requires a dedicated space mission like JDEM. SNe Ia are mature cosmological probes --- their limitations are well characterized, and a path to improvement is clear. Dominant systematic errors include photometric calibration, selection effects, reddening, and population-dependent differences. Building on past lessons, well-controlled new surveys are poised to make strides in these areas: the Palomar Transient Factory, Skymapper, La Silla QUEST, Pan-STARRS, the Dark Energy Survey, LSST, and JDEM. They will obviate historical calibrations and selection biases, and allow comparisons via large subsamples. Some systematics follow from our ignorance of SN Ia progenitors, which there is hope of determining with SN Ia rate studies from 0cosmology, SNe Ia regulate galactic ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We consider spatially homogeneous (but generally non-isotropic) cosmologies in the recently proposed Horava-Lifshitz gravity and compare them to those of general relativity using Hamiltonian methods. In all cases, the problem is described by an effective point particle moving in a potential well with exponentially steep walls. Focusing on the closed-space cosmological model (Bianchi type IX), the mixmaster dynamics is now completely dominated by the quadratic Cotton tensor potential term for a very small volume of the universe. Unlike general relativity, where the evolution toward the initial singularity always exhibits chaotic behavior with alternating Kasner epochs, the anisotropic universe in Horava-Lifshitz gravity (with parameter #lambda# > 1/3) is described by a particle moving in a frozen potential well with fixed (but arbitrary) energy E. Alternating Kasner epochs still provide a good description of the early universe for very large ...

CERN Document Server

Weak lensing measurements are entering a precision era to statistically map the distribution of matter in the universe. The most common measurement has been of the variance of the projected surface density of matter, which corresponds to the induced correlation in alignments of background galaxies. This measurement of the fluctuations is insensitive to the total mass content, like using waves on the ocean to measure its depths. But when the depth is shallow as happens near a beach, waves become skewed. Similarly, a measurement of skewness in the projected matter distribution directly measures the total matter content of the universe. While skewness has already been convincingly detected, its constraint on cosmology is still weak. We address optimal analyses for the CFHT Legacy Survey in the presence of noise. We show that a compensated Gaussian filter with a width of 2.5 arc minutes optimizes the cosmological constraint, yielding $\\Delta ...

CERN Document Server

We re-examine the process of loop quantization for flat isotropic models in cosmology. In particular, we contrast different inequivalent `loop quantizations' of these simple models through their respective successes and limitations and assess whether they can lead to any viable physical description. We propose three simple requirements which any such admissible quantum model should satisfy: i) independence from any auxiliary structure, such as a fiducial interval/cell introduced to define the phase space when integrating over non-compact manifolds; ii) existence of a well defined classical limit and iii) provide a sensible "Planck scale" where quantum gravitational effects become manifest. We show that even when it may seem that one can have several possible loop quantizations, these physical requirements considerably narrow down the consistent choices. Apart for the so called improved dynamics of LQC, none of the other available inequivalent loop quantizations ...

CERN Document Server

A diagrammatic approach to calculate n-point correlators of the primordial curvature perturbation \\zeta was developed a few years ago following the spirit of the Feynman rules in Quantum Field Theory. The methodology is very useful and time-saving, as it is for the case of the Feynman rules in the particle physics context, but, unfortunately, is not very well known by the cosmology community. In the present work, we extend such an approach in order to include not only scalar field perturbations as the generators of \\zeta, but also vector field perturbations. The purpose is twofold: first, we would like the diagrammatic approach (which we would call the Feynman-like rules) to become widespread among the cosmology community; second, we intend to give an easy tool to formulate any correlator of \\zeta for those cases that involve vector field perturbations and that, therefore, may generate prolonged stages of anisotropic expansion and/or ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We find instanton/cosmological solutions with biaxial Bianchi-IX symmetry, involving nontrivial spatial dependence of the CP{sup 1}-CP{sup 2}-sigma-models coupled to gravity. Such manifolds arise in N = 1, d 4 supergravity with supermatter actions and hence the solutions can be embedded in supergravity. There is a natural way in which the standard coordinates of these manifolds can be mapped into the four-dimensional physical space. Due to its special symmetry, we start with CP{sup 2} with its corresponding scalar ansatz; this further requires the spacetime to be SU(2) x U(1)-invariant. The problem then reduces to a set of ordinary differential equations whose analytical properties and solutions are discussed. Among the solutions there is a surprising, special family of exact solutions which owe their existence to the nontrivial topology of CP{sup 2} and are in 1-1 correspondence with matter-free Bianchi-IX metrics. These solutions can also be found by coupling ...

CERN Document Server

We propose to use alternative cosmic tracers to measure the dark energy equation of state and the matter content of the Universe [w(z) & \\Omega_m]. Our proposed method consists of two components: (a) tracing the Hubble relation using HII-like starburst galaxies, as an alternative to SNIa, which can be detected up to very large redshifts, z~4, and (b) measuring the clustering pattern of X-ray selected AGN at a median redshift of ~1. Each component of the method can in itself provide interesting constraints on the cosmological parameters, especially under our anticipation that we will reduce the corresponding random and systematic errors significantly. However, by joining their likelihood functions we will be able to put stringent cosmological constraints and break the known degeneracies between the dark energy equation of state (whether it is constant or variable) and the matter content of the universe and provide a powerful and alternative ...

CERN Document Server

A decreasing gravitational constant, G, coupled with angular momentum conservation is expected to increrase a planetary semimajor axis, a, as \\dot a/a=-\\dot G/G. Analysis of lunar laser ranging data strongly limits such temporal variations and constrains a local (~1 AU) scale expansion of the solar system as \\dot a/a=-\\dot G/G =-(4\\pm9)\\times10^{-13} yr^{-1}, including that due to cosmological effects.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We study an analytical solution to the Einstein's equations in 2 + 1-dimensions. The space-time is dynamical and has a line symmetry. The matter content is a minimally coupled, massless, scalar field. Depending on the value of certain parameters, this solution represents three distinct space-times. The first one is at space-time. Then, we have a big bang model with a negative curvature scalar and a real scalar field. The last case is a big bang model with event horizons where the curvature scalar vanishes and the scalar field changes from real to purely imaginary. (author)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The diagonal and symmetric Bianchi type IX models are coupled to a homogeneous spinor field. An action for the combined fields is constructed, where the orthonormal basis used is given explicitly in terms of the metric. This allows one to vary the action with respect to the metric and the spinor fields only. Next, a Hamiltonian formulation is given, and a qualitative solution for the problem is presented. We also show that the k = +1 FRW (Friedmann--Robertson--Walker) model is not compatible with a homogeneous spinor field, while the more complicated models are.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The authors draw the story of the concept of infinity in sciences from the ancient Greek civilization to modern times, from the Greek idea of atom to quantum physics and cosmology. It is shown how what was considered as limits in ancient times, have been progressively seen as unknown worlds, and are now being investigated with the use of big machines like particle accelerators. This book is composed of 3 main chapters: 1) the quest for the infinitely big, 2) the quest for the infinitely small, and 3) the big-bang theory that appears as the meeting point of the 2 infinites. (A.C.)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We investigate the dynamics of an 11-dimensional homogeneous cosmological model. We assume that the t = const hypersurfaces are products of a 3-dimensional Bianchi type-IX space and a 7-dimensional torus. Most results of our investigation hold when the 7-dimensional torus is replaced by an m-dimensional torus T/sup m/. We show that for a large class of vacuum solutions the physical space expands while the microspace contracts providing a natural mechanism of dimensional reduction. Matter satisfying a simple barotropic equation of state always breaks the process of dynamical dimensional reduction. With special attention we study the behavior of our model close to the initial singularity. In contrast with the 4-dimensional Bianchi type-IX cosmological model the Kasner solution always describes an approach to the initial singularity. We study the transition from the Kasner regime to the oscillatory regime. We show that matter does not ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Computer vision imposes unique requirements on the representation and manipulation of image data and knowledge. At a vision system's lowest level are sensors that represent an image with purely numeric image arrays, while at the highest level are semantic world models that provide the final interpretation of the scene. In between are thousands of intermediate descriptions, many of which must be repeatedly accessed and processed during interpretation. In this article, the authors describe a representation and management system for use at the intermediate (symbolic) level of vision. Based on database management methodology, the intermediate symbolic representation (ISR) mediates access to intermediate-level vision data and forms an active interface to the higher-level inference processes that construct an image's interpretation. The system supports important types of data and operations and can be adapted to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We consider the case of a test sphere (ball) of radius a{sub 1} rotating at constant angular velocity {omega} in an otherwise quiescent unbounded suspension of uniformly sized spheres of radii a{sub 2} dispersed in a Newtonian fluid of viscosity {mu}. To the first order in the volume fraction c of suspended spheres it is shown that when the ball is small compared with the suspended spheres the suspension does not behave as regards the hydrodynamic torque L exerted on the ball like a homogeneous Newtonian fluid characterized by the usual Einstein viscosity coefficient {mu}{sub s}={mu}(1+5/2c). Explicitly, the torque on the rotating sphere does not obey Kirchoff{close_quote}s law, L=8{pi}{mu}{sub s}a{sub 1}{sup 3}{omega} for no slip. Rather, a modified form of Kirchoff{close_quote}s law is obtained in which the Einstein coefficient of 5/2 is multiplied by a coefficient which is less than unity in magnitude and is functionally dependent only upon the suspended-sphere/test-sphere size ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The phase space of quantized systems that contain tachyons has been investigated. Interpretation difficulties and unexpected divergences are found when it is considered the volume of Lorentz-invariant phase space. These problems can be overcome, however, at the expense of Lorentz invariance.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The brain maintains internal models of its environment to interpret sensory inputs and prepare actions. While behavioral studies demonstrated that these internal models are optimally adapted...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

We used two high profile articles as cases to demonstrate that use of fishery landings data can lead to faulty interpretations about the condition of fishery ecosystems. One case uses the mean trophic...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We obtain a symmetry algebra for any unitary minimal model by using the representation of conformal field theories. This symmetry algebra can be interpreted as a quantum group. The generalization to non-unitary minimal models is direct. (orig.).

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

How transcription factors interpret the cis-regulatory logic encoded within enhancers to mediate quantitative changes in spatiotemporally restricted expression patterns during animal...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The phase space of quantized systems that contain tachyons has been investigated. Interpretation difficulties and unexpected divergences are found when we consider the volume of Lorentz-invariant phase space. These problems can be overcome, however, at the expense of Lorentz invariance.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundA wide range of techniques is now available for analyzing regulatory networks. Nonetheless, most of these techniques fail to interpret large-scale transcriptional data...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

The definitions provided in this bilingual glossary are intended to serve as indicative explanations of the defined words and phrases, and not for purposes of interpreting any particular contract or international agreement. Approximately 100 terms appear ...

Science.gov (United States)

The definitions provided in this bilingual glossary are intended to serve as indicative explanations of the defined words and phrases, and not for purposes of interpreting any particular contract or international agreement. Approximately 100 terms appear ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Gene expression data has been used in lieu of phenotype in both classical and quantitative genetic settings. These two disciplines have separate approaches to measuring and interpreting epistasis, which...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

Various measurement tools that are used in chaos theory were applied to analyze two-phase pressure signals with the objective of identifying and interpreting flow pattern transitions for two-phase flows in a small, horizontal rectangular channel. These me...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A one-dimensional tachyon Klein-Gordon equation is reduced to a nonrelativistic-tachyon equation of motion. The interpretation of this reduced equation leads to the following conclusions: 1) tachyons can be localized in time instead of in space as compared with bradyons, 2) space representation and momentum representation of bradyonic quantum equation of motion are replaced by time representation and energy representation in tachyon quantum equation of motion and 3) with the aid of these results, it has been found that the solutions of the tachyon Klein-Gordon equation of motion form a complete set. (author).

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The claim that focus evokes a set of alternatives is a central issue in several accounts of the effects of focus on interpretation. This article presents two empirical studies that examine whether this property of focus is independent of contextual conditions. The syntactic operation at issue is object-fronting in German, Spanish, Greek, and Hungarian licensed by contexts involving focus on the object constituent. This operation evokes the intuition that the fronted referent excludes some or all relevant alternatives. The presented experiments deal with the question whether this interpretative property obligatorily accompanies the operation at issue or not. The empirical findings show that in German, Spanish, and Greek this intuition depends on properties of the context and is sensitive to...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We give relations for the embedding of spatially-flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmological models of Einstein's theory in flat manifolds of the type used in Kaluza-Klein theory. We present embedding diagrams that depict different 4D universes as hypersurfaces in a higher-dimensional flat manifold. The morphology of the hypersurfaces is found to depend on the equation of state of the matter. The hypersurfaces possess a line-like curvature singularity infinitesimally close to the t 0{sup +} 3-surface, where t is the time expired since the big bang. The family of timelike comoving geodesics on any given hypersurface is found to have a caustic on the singular line, which we conclude is the 5D position of the point-like big bang.