''Superluminal'' phenomena can be attributed to instantaneous tunneling of excitations in near field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perel'man, M.

2004-01-01

Full Text:Recent new observations of superluminal transmission of photons afresh raised the discussions of problem of their reality and significance. The possibilities and conditions of such transferring are examined by the covariant theory of dispersion relations and are resulted into the THEOREM: Superluminal transfer of excitations (jumps) through the linear passive substance can been elected nothing but by the instantaneous tunneling of virtual particles on distances of order of half wavelength corresponding to energy, which is lacking to the nearest stable (resonance) state. The nonlocality of electromagnetic field must be describable via the 4-potential A m u, whereas electric and magnetic fields remain unconnected in the near zone. (The proof or its preliminary version in: M.E.Perel'man: gen-physics/ 0309123.) The experimental data can be interpreted on this base as the sequential processes of scattering of single photons. Their temporal distributions are estimated with taking into account durations of scattering: in optically thin media the usual statistical description is invalid and interpretation via the theory of scattering is required. So in the most known experiments of M.D.Stenner, D.L.Gauthier, M.A.Neifeld. Nature, 425, 696 (2003) the pulse (389 THz) on the entrance of gas cell of L = 40 cm length is J(t, x = 0; w) = J o I(t)I(w). The measured group refraction index n g = -19 and the duration of formation tau = -27 as, therefore the free path length is of order l = 40 cm and the probability of single scattering p(w) = exp(-L/l) = 0.37. Thereby for photons, which undergo not more than one scattering the intensity on the outlet J(t,x = L;wω) Jω(w){pI(L/c-(t,x=0;wI(L/c - |tau| +(1-p)I(L/c), i.e. the outlet must be represented by the sum of two Gaussians, initial and advanced. As the non-shifted peak must be twice bigger than advanced, the center of their envelope will be displaced into the side of speed c or even to c/n. And it possibly predefined

Neutrino superluminality without Cherenkov-like processes in Finslerian special relativity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang Zhe; Li Xin; Wang Sai

2012-01-01

Recently, Cohen and Glashow [A.G. Cohen, S.L. Glashow, Phys. Rev. Lett. 107 (2011) 181803] pointed out that the superluminal neutrinos reported by the OPERA would lose their energy rapidly via the Cherenkov-like process. The Cherenkov-like process for the superluminal particles would be forbidden if the principle of special relativity holds in any frame instead violated with a preferred frame. We have proposed that the Finslerian special relativity could account for the data of the neutrino superluminality ( (arXiv:1110.6673 [hep-ph])). The Finslerian special relativity preserves the principle of special relativity and involves a preferred direction while consists with the causality. In this Letter, we prove that the energy-momentum conservation is preserved and the energy-momentum is well defined in Finslerian special relativity. The Cherenkov-like process is forbidden in the Finslerian special relativity. Thus, the superluminal neutrinos would not lose energy in their distant propagation.

Considerations about the apparent 'superluminal expansions' in astrophysics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Recami, E.; Castellino, A.; Maccarrone, G.D.; Rodono, M.

1984-01-01

The orthodox models devised to explain the apparent 'superluminal expansions' observed in astrophysics - and here briefly summarized and discussed together with the experimental data - do not seem to be too much succesful. Especially when confronted with the most recent observations, suggesting complicated expansion patterns, even with possible accelerations. At this point it may be, therefore, of some interest to explore the possible alternative models in which actual Superluminal motions take place. The ground is prepared starting from a variational principle, introducing the elements of a tachyon mechanics within special relativity, and arguing about the expected behaviour of tachyonic objects when interacting (gravitationally, for instance) among themselves or with ordinary matter. Then the simplest 'Superluminal models' are reviewed and developed, paying particular attention to the observations which they would give rise to. Itis concluded that some of them appear to be physically acceptable and are statistically favoured with respect to the orthodox ones. (Author) [pt

Considerations about the apparent superluminal expansions in astrophysics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Recami, E.; Castellino, A.; Maccarrone, G. D.; Rodono, M.

1985-01-01

The ortodox models devised to explain the apparent ''superluminal expansions'' observed in astrophysics, and here briefly summarized and discussed together with th experimental data, do not seem to be to much successful. Especially when confronted with the most recent observations, suggesting complicated expansion patterns, even with possible accelerations. At this point it may be, therefore, of some interest to explore the possible alternative models in which actual superluminal motion take place. To prepare the ground one starts from a variational principle, introduces the elements of a tachyon mechanics within special relativity, and argues about the expected behaviour of tachyonic objects when interacting (gravitationally, for instance) among themselves or with ordinary matter. Then the simplest ''superluminal models'', paying particular attention to the observations which they would give rise to are revie wed and developed. It is concluded that some of them appear to be physically acceptable and are statistically favoured with respect to the ortodox ones

Invisibility cloaking without superluminal propagation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perczel, Janos; Leonhardt, Ulf [School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9SS (United Kingdom); Tyc, Tomas, E-mail: jp394@st-andrews.ac.uk, E-mail: tomtyc@physics.muni.cz, E-mail: ulf@st-andrews.ac.uk [Faculty of Science, Kotlarska 2 and Faculty of Informatics, Botanicka 68a, Masaryk University, 61137 Brno (Czech Republic)

2011-08-15

Conventional cloaking based on Euclidean transformation optics requires that the speed of light should tend to infinity on the inner surface of the cloak. Non-Euclidean cloaking still needs media with superluminal propagation. Here we show by giving an example that this is no longer necessary.

Superluminal Kinematics in the Milne Universe Causality in the Cosmic Time Order

CERN Document Server

Tomaschitz, R

2000-01-01

The causality of superluminal signal transfer in the galaxy background is scrutinized. The cosmic time of the comoving galaxy frame determines a distinguished time order for events connected by superluminal signals. Every observer can relate his rest frame to the galaxy frame, and compare so the time order of events in his proper time to the cosmic time order. In this way all observers arrive at identical conclusions on the causality of events connected by superluminal signals. The energy of tachyons (superluminal particles) is defined in the comoving galaxy frame analogous to the energy of subluminal particles. It is positive in the galaxy frame and bounded from below in the rest frames of geodesically moving observers, so that particle-tachyon interactions can be based on energy-momentum conservation. We study tachyons in a Robertson-Walker cosmology with linear expansion factor and open, negatively curved 3-space (Milne universe). This cosmology admits globally geodesic rest frames for uniformly moving obs...

Light propagation from subluminal to superluminal in a three-level Λ-type system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Hui; Guo Hong; Bai, Yanfeng; Han Dingan; Fan Shuangli; Chen Xuzong

2005-01-01

We show that the group velocity of a weak electromagnetic pulse can be manipulated by adjusting the relative phase of the probing and the pumping fields applied to a Λ-type three-level system, whose two lower states are coupled by an external control magnetic field. Such control field can, in principle, cause the light propagation to be changed from subluminal to superluminal by modulating the relative phase. The same effect can be obtained by varying the intensities of the pumping and the control magnetic fields, but it is different with Agarwal's [Phys. Rev. A 64 (2001) 053809]. The effect of Doppler broadening on the dispersion is also investigated

Subluminal and superluminal pulse propagation in inhomogeneous media of nonspherical particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Yu; Gao Lei

2006-01-01

We study the pulse propagation through a metal/dielectric composites of nonspherical particles enclosed by two gold mirrors. To account for the shape effect, we first adopt Maxwell-Garnett type approximation to obtain the effective dielectric function of composites. Based on the group index, phase time and pulse shape calculations, we find that the particles' shape (characterized by the depolarization factor) plays an important role in determining the subluminal and superluminal pulse propagations through the system. When the inclusions' shape is not spherical, it is possible to observe significant superluminal behavior of the pulse propagation, although the volume fraction is the same. The shape-dependent critical volume fraction is predicted, above which superluminal propagation appears. Furthermore, the Hartman effect in such a system is also investigated

Superluminal velocities. Illusion or reality?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pereyra, P.; Simanjuntak, H.P.

2005-10-01

We study the time-evolution of electromagnetic wave packets through optical superlattices. We follow the time evolution (described by Maxwell equations) of Gaussian packets with centroid in different energy regions. The time spent by the wave packet inside an optical structure agrees extremely well with the superluminal experimental results and the phase time predictions. (author)

Related Progenitor Models for Long-duration Gamma-Ray Bursts and Type Ic Superluminous Supernovae

Science.gov (United States)

Aguilera-Dena, David R.; Langer, Norbert; Moriya, Takashi J.; Schootemeijer, Abel

2018-05-01

We model the late evolution and mass loss history of rapidly rotating Wolf–Rayet stars in the mass range 5 M ⊙…100 M ⊙). We find that quasi-chemically homogeneously evolving single stars computed with enhanced mixing retain very little or no helium and are compatible with Type Ic supernovae. The more efficient removal of core angular momentum and the expected smaller compact object mass in our lower-mass models lead to core spins in the range suggested for magnetar-driven superluminous supernovae. Our higher-mass models retain larger specific core angular momenta, expected for long-duration gamma-ray bursts in the collapsar scenario. Due to the absence of a significant He envelope, the rapidly increasing neutrino emission after core helium exhaustion leads to an accelerated contraction of the whole star, inducing a strong spin-up and centrifugally driven mass loss at rates of up to {10}-2 {M}ȯ {yr}}-1 in the last years to decades before core collapse. Because the angular momentum transport in our lower-mass models enhances the envelope spin-up, they show the largest relative amounts of centrifugally enforced mass loss, i.e., up to 25% of the expected ejecta mass. Our most massive models evolve into the pulsational pair-instability regime. We would thus expect signatures of interaction with a C/O-rich circumstellar medium for Type Ic superluminous supernovae with ejecta masses below ∼10 M ⊙ as well as for the most massive engine-driven explosions with ejecta masses above ∼30 M ⊙. Signs of such interaction should be observable at early epochs of the supernova explosion; they may be related to bumps observed in the light curves of superluminous supernovae, or to the massive circumstellar CO-shell proposed for Type Ic superluminous supernova Gaia16apd.

A Blind Pilot: Who is a Super-Luminal Observer?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rabounski D.

2008-04-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the nature of a hypothetical super-luminal observer who, as well as a real (sub-light speed observer, perceives the world by light waves. This consideration is due to that fact that the theory of relativity permits different frames of reference, including light-like and super-luminal reference frames. In analogy with a blind pilot on board a supersonic jet aeroplane (or missile, perceived by blind people, it is concluded that the light barrier is observed in the framework of only the light signal exchange experiment.

Superluminal censorship

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Visser, Matt; Bassett, B.A.; Liberati, S

2000-06-01

We argue that 'effective' superluminal travel, potentially caused by the tipping over of light cones in Einstein gravity, is always associated with violations of the null energy condition (NEC). This is most easily seen by working perturbatively around Minkowski spacetime, where we use linearized Einstein gravity to show that the NEC forces the light cones to contract (narrow). Given the NEC, the Shapiro time delay in any weak gravitational field is always a delay relative to the Minkowski background, and never an advance. Furthermore, any object travelling within the lightcones of the weak gravitational field is similarly delayed with respect to the minimum traversal time possible in the background Minkowski geometry.

Superluminal phenomena can be attributed to instantaneous tunneling of excitations in near field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perelman, M.

2004-01-01

Full Text:Recent new observations of superluminal transmission of photons afresh raised the discussions of problem of their reality and significance. The possibilities aitd conditions of such transferring are examined by the covariant theory of dispersion relations and are resulted into the THEOREM: Superluminal transfer of excitations (jumps) through the linear passive substance can been elected nothing but by the instantaneous tunneling of virtual particles on distances of order of half wavelength corresponding to energy, which is lacking to the nearest stable (resonance) state. The nonlocality of electromagnetic field must be describable via the 4-potential A μ , whereas electric and magnetic fields remain unconnected in the near zone. (The proof of its preliminary version in: M.E.Perefman: gen-physics/ 0309123.) The experimental data can be interpreted on this base as the sequential processes of scattering of single photons. Their temporal distributions are estimated with taking into account durations of scattering: in optically thin media the usual statistical description is invalid and interpretation via the theory of scattering is required. So in the most known experiments of M.D.Stenner, D.L.Gauthier, M.A.Neifeld. Nature, 425, 695 (2003) the pulse (389 THz) on the entrance of gas cell of l = 40 cm length is J(t,x = O;ω) = ,J o I(t)I(ω). .The measured group refraction index ng = -19 and the duration of formation τ = -27 as, therefore the free path length is of order l= 40 cm and the probability of single scattering p(?) =exp(-L/l) 0.37. Thereby for photons, which undergo not more than one scattering the intensity on the outlet J(t,x = Lω) = JtI(τ){pI(L/c - |τ|) + (1- p)I(L/c)], i.e. the outlet must be represented by the sum of two Gaussians, initial and advanced. As the non-shifted peak must be twice bigger than advanced, the center of their envelope will be displaced into the side of speed c or even to c/n. And it possibly predefined the conclusions

Time-resolved Polarimetry of the Superluminous SN 2015bn with the Nordic Optical Telescope

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leloudas, Giorgos; Maund, Justyn R.; Gal-Yam, Avishay

2017-01-01

We present imaging polarimetry of the superluminous supernova SN 2015bn, obtained over nine epochs between -20 and +46 days with the Nordic Optical Telescope. This was a nearby, slowly evolving Type I superluminous supernova that has been studied extensively and for which two epochs of spectropol......We present imaging polarimetry of the superluminous supernova SN 2015bn, obtained over nine epochs between -20 and +46 days with the Nordic Optical Telescope. This was a nearby, slowly evolving Type I superluminous supernova that has been studied extensively and for which two epochs...... of spectropolarimetry are also available. Based on field stars, we determine the interstellar polarization in the Galaxy to be negligible. The polarization of SN 2015bn shows a statistically significant increase during the last epochs, confirming previous findings. Our well-sampled imaging polarimetry series allows us...

Superluminal warp drives are semiclassically unstable

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Finazzi, S; Liberati, S [SISSA, via Beirut 2-4, Trieste 34151, Italy and INFN sezione di Trieste (Italy); Barcelo, C, E-mail: finazzi@sissa.i, E-mail: liberati@sissa.i, E-mail: carlos@iaa.e [Instituto de Astrofisica de AndalucIa, CSIC, Camino Bajo de Huetor 50, 18008 Granada (Spain)

2010-04-01

Warp drives are very interesting configurations of General Relativity: they provide a way to travel at superluminal speeds, albeit at the cost of requiring exotic matter to build them. Even if one succeeded in providing the necessary exotic matter, it would still be necessary to check whether they would survive to the switching on of quantum effects. Semiclassical corrections to warp-drive geometries created out of an initially flat spacetime have been analyzed in a previous work by the present authors in special locations, close to the wall of the bubble and in its center. Here, we present an exact numerical analysis of the renormalized stress-energy tensor (RSET) in the whole bubble. We find that the the RSET will exponentially grow in time close to the front wall of the superluminal bubble, after some transient terms have disappeared, hence strongly supporting our previous conclusion that the warp-drive geometries are unstable against semiclassical back-reaction. This result seems to implement the chronology protection conjecture, forbiddig the set up of a structure potentially dangerous for causality.

Measurements of entanglement over a kilometric distance to test superluminal models of Quantum Mechanics: preliminary results.

Science.gov (United States)

Cocciaro, B.; Faetti, S.; Fronzoni, L.

2017-08-01

As shown in the EPR paper (Einstein, Podolsky e Rosen, 1935), Quantum Mechanics is a non-local Theory. The Bell theorem and the successive experiments ruled out the possibility of explaining quantum correlations using only local hidden variables models. Some authors suggested that quantum correlations could be due to superluminal communications that propagate isotropically with velocity vt > c in a preferred reference frame. For finite values of vt and in some special cases, Quantum Mechanics and superluminal models lead to different predictions. So far, no deviations from the predictions of Quantum Mechanics have been detected and only lower bounds for the superluminal velocities vt have been established. Here we describe a new experiment that increases the maximum detectable superluminal velocities and we give some preliminary results.

Superluminal and negative delay times in isotropic-anisotropic one-dimensional photonic crystal

Science.gov (United States)

Ouchani, N.; El Moussaouy, A.; Aynaou, H.; El Hassouani, Y.; El Boudouti, E. H.; Djafari-Rouhani, B.

2017-11-01

In this work, we investigate the possibility of superluminal and negative delay times for electromagnetic wave propagation in a linear and passive periodic structure consisting of alternating isotropic and anisotropic media. This phenomenon is due to the birefringence of the anisotropic layers of the structure. By adjusting the orientations of these layers, the delay times of transmitted waves can be controlled from subluminality to superluminality and vice versa. Numerical results indicate that the apparent superluminal propagation of light occurs inside the photonic band-gaps when the principal axes of the anisotropic layers are parallel or perpendicular to the fixed axes. For other orientations of these layers, tunneling and superluminal regimes appear inside the photonic bandgaps and in the allowed bands for frequencies close to the transmission minima. The effect of the number of unit cells of the photonic crystal structure on the propagation of light with superluminal and negative delay times is also investigated. We show that the structure exhibits the Hartman effect in which the tunneling delay time of the electromagnetic wave through the photonic band-gap of the structure converges asymptotically to a finite value with increasing the number of layers. The Green's function approach has been used to derive the transmission and reflection coefficients, the density of states, and the delay times of electromagnetic waves propagating through the structure. The control of the magnitude and the sign of the delay time of light propagation represent a key point in slow and fast light technologies. The proposed structure in this study represents a new system for controlling the delay times of wave propagation without a need of active or non-linear media as well as lossy or asymmetric periodic structures.

Causality and superluminal behavior in classical field theories: Applications to k-essence theories and modified-Newtonian-dynamics-like theories of gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruneton, Jean-Philippe

2007-01-01

Field theories with Lorentz (or diffeomorphism invariant) action can exhibit superluminal behavior through the breaking of local Lorentz invariance. Quantum induced superluminal velocities are well-known examples of this effect. The issue of the causal behavior of such propagation is somewhat controversial in the literature and we intend to clarify it. We provide a careful analysis of the meaning of causality in classical relativistic field theories and stress the role played by the Cauchy problem and the notion of chronology. We show that, in general, superluminal behavior threatens causality only if one assumes that a prior chronology in spacetime exists. In the case where superluminal propagation occurs, however, there are at least two nonconformally related metrics in spacetime and thus two available notions of chronology. These two chronologies are on equal footing, and it would thus be misleading to choose ab initio one of them to define causality. Rather, we provide a formulation of causality in which no prior chronology is assumed. We argue that this is the only way to deal with the issue of causality in the case where some degrees of freedom propagate faster than others. In that framework, then, it is shown that superluminal propagation is not necessarily noncausal, the final answer depending on the existence of an initial data formulation. This also depends on global properties of spacetime that we discuss in detail. As an illustration of these conceptual issues, we consider two field theories, namely, k-essence scalar fields and bimetric theories of gravity, and we derive the conditions imposed by causality. We discuss various applications such as the dark energy problem, modified-Newtonian-dynamics-like theories of gravity, and varying speed of light theories

Tachyons, Lamb Shifts and Superluminal Chaos

CERN Document Server

Tomaschitz, R

2000-01-01

An elementary account on the origins of cosmic chaos in an open and multiply connected universe is given; there is a finite region in the open 3-space in which the world-lines of galaxies are chaotic, and the mixing taking place in this chaotic nucleus of the universe provides a mechanism to create equidistribution. The galaxy background defines a distinguished frame of reference and a unique cosmic time order; in this context superluminal signal transfer is studied. Tachyons are described by a real Proca field with negative mass square, coupled to a current of subluminal matter. Estimates on tachyon mixing in the geometric optics limit are derived. The potential of a static point source in this field theory is a damped periodic function. We treat this tachyon potential as a perturbation of the Coulomb potential, and study its effects on energy levels in hydrogenic systems. By comparing the induced level shifts to high-precision Lamb shift measurements and QED calculations, we suggest a tachyon mass of 2.1 ke...

On a proposal of superluminal communication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghirardi, GianCarlo; Romano, Raffaele

2012-01-01

Recently, various new proposals of superluminal transmission of information have been suggested in the literature. Since the proposals make systematic use of recent formal and practical improvements in quantum mechanics, the old theorems proving the impossibility of such a performance must be adapted to the new scenario. In this communication, we consider some of the most challenging proposals of this kind and we show why they cannot work. (fast track communication)

A Non-Mainstream Viewpoint on Apparent Superluminal ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Abstract. The group velocity of light in material around the AGN jet is acquiescently one (c as a unit), but this is only a hypothesis. Here, we re-derive apparent superluminal and Doppler formulas for the general case (it is assumed that the group velocity of light in the uniform and isotropic medium around a jet (a beaming ...

Superluminal tunneling of a relativistic half-integer spin particle through a potential barrier

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nanni Luca

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the problem of a relativistic Dirac half-integer spin free particle tunneling through a rectangular quantum-mechanical barrier. If the energy difference between the barrier and the particle is positive, and the barrier width is large enough, there is proof that the tunneling may be superluminal. For first spinor components of particle and antiparticle states, the tunneling is always superluminal regardless the barrier width. Conversely, the second spinor components of particle and antiparticle states may be either subluminal or superluminal depending on the barrier width. These results derive from studying the tunneling time in terms of phase time. For the first spinor components of particle and antiparticle states, it is always negative while for the second spinor components of particle and antiparticle states, it is always positive, whatever the height and width of the barrier. In total, the tunneling time always remains positive for particle states while it becomes negative for antiparticle ones. Furthermore, the phase time tends to zero, increasing the potential barrier both for particle and antiparticle states. This agrees with the interpretation of quantum tunneling that the Heisenberg uncertainty principle provides. This study’s results are innovative with respect to those available in the literature. Moreover, they show that the superluminal behaviour of particles occurs in those processes with high-energy confinement.

Inverse Doppler shift and control field as coherence generators for the stability in superluminal light

Science.gov (United States)

Ghafoor, Fazal; Bacha, Bakht Amin; Khan, Salman

2015-05-01

A gain-based four-level atomic medium for the stability in superluminal light propagation using control field and inverse Doppler shift as coherence generators is studied. In regimes of weak and strong control field, a broadband and multiple controllable transparency windows are, respectively, identified with significantly enhanced group indices. The observed Doppler effect for the class of high atomic velocity of the medium is counterintuitive in comparison to the effect of the class of low atomic velocity. The intensity of each of the two pump fields is kept less than the optimum limit reported in [M. D. Stenner and D. J. Gauthier, Phys. Rev. A 67, 063801 (2003), 10.1103/PhysRevA.67.063801] for stability in the superluminal light pulse. Consequently, superluminal stable domains with the generated coherence are explored.

Investigation on dispersion in the active optical waveguide resonator

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, Zihan; Gao, Yining; Xie, Wei

2018-03-01

Introducing active gain in the optical waveguide resonator not only compensates the loss, but also can change the dispersion relationship in the ring resonator. It is demonstrated that the group delay time is negative when the resonator is in the undercoupled condition, which also means the resonator exhibits the fast light effect. Theoretical analysis indicates that fast light effect due to anomalous dispersion, would be manipulated by the gain coefficient controlled by the input pump light power and that fast light would enhance scale factor of the optical resonant gyroscope. Resonance optical gyroscope (ROG)'s scale factor for measuring rotation rate is enhanced by anomalous dispersion with superluminal light propagation. The sensitivity of ROG could be enhanced by anomalous dispersion by coupled resonators even considering the effect of anomalous dispersion and propagation gain on broadened linewidth, and this could result in at least two orders of magnitude enhancement in sensitivity.

The principle of relativity, superluminality and EPR experiments. "Riserratevi sotto coverta ..."

Science.gov (United States)

Cocciaro, B.

2015-07-01

The principle of relativity claims the invariance of the results for experiments carried out in inertial reference frames if the system under examination is not in interaction with the outside world. In this paper it is analysed a model suggested by J. S. Bell, and later developed by P. H. Eberhard, D. Bohm and B. Hiley on the basis of which the EPR correlations would be due to superluminal exchanges between the various parts of the entangled system under examination. In the model the existence of a privileged reference frame (PF) for the propagation of superluminal signals is hypothesized so that these superluminal signals may not give rise to causal paradoxes. According to this model, in an EPR experiment, the entangled system interacts with the outer world since the result of the experiment depends on an entity (the reference frame PF) that is not prepared by the experimenter. The existence of this privileged reference frame makes the model non invariant for Lorentz transformations. In this paper, in opposition to what claimed by the authors mentioned above, the perfect compatibility of the model with the theory of relativity is strongly maintained since, as already said, the principle of relativity does not require that the results of experiments carried out on systems interacting with the outside world should be invariant.

Continuous control of light group velocity from subluminal to superluminal propagation with a standing-wave coupling field in a Rb vapor cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bae, In-Ho; Moon, Han Seb

2011-01-01

We present the continuous control of the light group velocity from subluminal to superluminal propagation with an on-resonant standing-wave coupling field in the 5S 1/2 -5P 1/2 transition of the Λ-type system of 87 Rb atoms. When a coupling field was changed from a traveling-wave to a standing-wave field by adjusting the power of a counterpropagating coupling field, the probe pulse propagation continuously transformed from subluminal propagation, due to electromagnetically induced transparency with the traveling-wave coupling field, to superluminal propagation, due to narrow enhanced absorption with the standing-wave coupling field. The group velocity of the probe pulse was measured to be approximately 0.004c to -0.002c as a function of the disparity between the powers of the copropagating and the counterpropagating coupling fields.

Testing the magnetar scenario for superluminous supernovae with circular polarimetry

Science.gov (United States)

Cikota, Aleksandar; Leloudas, Giorgos; Bulla, Mattia; Inserra, Cosimo; Chen, Ting-Wan; Spyromilio, Jason; Patat, Ferdinando; Cano, Zach; Cikota, Stefan; Coughlin, Michael W.; Kankare, Erkki; Lowe, Thomas B.; Maund, Justyn R.; Rest, Armin; Smartt, Stephen J.; Smith, Ken W.; Wainscoat, Richard J.; Young, David R.

2018-05-01

Superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) are at least ˜5 times more luminous than common supernovae (SNe). Especially hydrogen-poor SLSN-I are difficult to explain with conventional powering mechanisms. One possible scenario that might explain such luminosities is that SLSNe-I are powered by an internal engine, such as a magnetar or an accreting black hole. Strong magnetic fields or collimated jets can circularly polarize light. In this work, we measured circular polarization of two SLSNe-I with the FOcal Reducer and low dispersion Spectrograph (FORS2) mounted at the ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT). PS17bek, a fast evolving SLSN-I, was observed around peak, while OGLE16dmu, a slowly evolving SLSN-I, was observed 100 days after maximum. Neither SLSN shows evidence of circularly polarized light, however, these non-detections do not rule out the magnetar scenario as the powering engine for SLSNe-I. We calculate the strength of the magnetic field and the expected circular polarization as a function of distance from the magnetar, which decreases very fast. Additionally, we observed no significant linear polarization for PS17bek at four epochs, suggesting that the photosphere near peak is close to spherical symmetry.

Time-resolved Polarimetry of the Superluminous SN 2015bn with the Nordic Optical Telescope

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leloudas, Giorgos; Gal-Yam, Avishay [Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001 (Israel); Maund, Justyn R. [The Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Hicks Building, Hounsfield Road, Sheffield S3 7RH (United Kingdom); Pursimo, Tapio [Nordic Optical Telescope, Apartado 474, E-38700 Santa Cruz de La Palma, Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Spain); Hsiao, Eric [Department of Physics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306 (United States); Malesani, Daniele; De Ugarte Postigo, Antonio [Dark Cosmology Centre, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries vej 30, DK-2100 Copenhagen (Denmark); Patat, Ferdinando [European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Sollerman, Jesper [The Oskar Klein Centre, Department of Astronomy, Stockholm University, AlbaNova, SE-10691 Stockholm (Sweden); Stritzinger, Maximilian D. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 120, DK-8000 Aarhus C (Denmark); Wheeler, J. Craig [Department of Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (United States)

2017-03-01

We present imaging polarimetry of the superluminous supernova SN 2015bn, obtained over nine epochs between −20 and +46 days with the Nordic Optical Telescope. This was a nearby, slowly evolving Type I superluminous supernova that has been studied extensively and for which two epochs of spectropolarimetry are also available. Based on field stars, we determine the interstellar polarization in the Galaxy to be negligible. The polarization of SN 2015bn shows a statistically significant increase during the last epochs, confirming previous findings. Our well-sampled imaging polarimetry series allows us to determine that this increase (from ∼0.54% to ≳1.10%) coincides in time with rapid changes that took place in the optical spectrum. We conclude that the supernova underwent a “phase transition” at around +20 days, when the photospheric emission shifted from an outer layer, dominated by natal C and O, to a more aspherical inner core, dominated by freshly nucleosynthesized material. This two-layered model might account for the characteristic appearance and properties of Type I superluminous supernovae.

Conditions for Lorentz-invariant superluminal information transfer without signaling

Science.gov (United States)

Grössing, G.; Fussy, S.; Mesa Pascasio, J.; Schwabl, H.

2016-03-01

We understand emergent quantum mechanics in the sense that quantum mechanics describes processes of physical emergence relating an assumed sub-quantum physics to macroscopic boundary conditions. The latter can be shown to entail top-down causation, in addition to usual bottom-up scenarios. With this example it is demonstrated that definitions of “realism” in the literature are simply too restrictive. A prevailing manner to define realism in quantum mechanics is in terms of pre-determination independent of the measurement. With our counter-example, which actually is ubiquitous in emergent, or self-organizing, systems, we argue for realism without pre-determination. We refer to earlier results of our group showing how the guiding equation of the de Broglie-Bohm interpretation can be derived from a theory with classical ingredients only. Essentially, this corresponds to a “quantum mechanics without wave functions” in ordinary 3-space, albeit with nonlocal correlations. This, then, leads to the central question of how to deal with the nonlocality problem in a relativistic setting. We here show that a basic argument discussing the allegedly paradox time ordering of events in EPR-type two-particle experiments falls short of taking into account the contextuality of the experimental setup. Consequently, we then discuss under which circumstances (i.e. physical premises) superluminal information transfer (but not signaling) may be compatible with a Lorentz-invariant theory. Finally, we argue that the impossibility of superluminal signaling - despite the presence of superluminal information transfer - is not the result of some sort of conspiracy (á la “Nature likes to hide”), but the consequence of the impossibility to exactly reproduce in repeated experimental runs a state's preparation, or of the no-cloning theorem, respectively.

Conditions for Lorentz-invariant superluminal information transfer without signaling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grössing, G; Fussy, S; Pascasio, J Mesa; Schwabl, H

2016-01-01

We understand emergent quantum mechanics in the sense that quantum mechanics describes processes of physical emergence relating an assumed sub-quantum physics to macroscopic boundary conditions. The latter can be shown to entail top-down causation, in addition to usual bottom-up scenarios. With this example it is demonstrated that definitions of “realism” in the literature are simply too restrictive. A prevailing manner to define realism in quantum mechanics is in terms of pre-determination independent of the measurement. With our counter-example, which actually is ubiquitous in emergent, or self-organizing, systems, we argue for realism without pre-determination. We refer to earlier results of our group showing how the guiding equation of the de Broglie-Bohm interpretation can be derived from a theory with classical ingredients only. Essentially, this corresponds to a “quantum mechanics without wave functions” in ordinary 3-space, albeit with nonlocal correlations. This, then, leads to the central question of how to deal with the nonlocality problem in a relativistic setting. We here show that a basic argument discussing the allegedly paradox time ordering of events in EPR-type two-particle experiments falls short of taking into account the contextuality of the experimental setup. Consequently, we then discuss under which circumstances (i.e. physical premises) superluminal information transfer (but not signaling) may be compatible with a Lorentz-invariant theory. Finally, we argue that the impossibility of superluminal signaling - despite the presence of superluminal information transfer - is not the result of some sort of conspiracy (á la “Nature likes to hide”), but the consequence of the impossibility to exactly reproduce in repeated experimental runs a state's preparation, or of the no-cloning theorem, respectively. (paper)

Causal ubiquity in quantum physics. A superluminal and local-causal physical ontology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neelamkavil, Raphael

2014-01-01

A fixed highest criterial velocity (of light) in STR (special theory of relativity) is a convention for a layer of physical inquiry. QM (Quantum Mechanics) avoids action-at-a-distance using this concept, but accepts non-causality and action-at-a-distance in EPR (Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen-Paradox) entanglement experiments. Even in such allegedly [non-causal] processes, something exists processually in extension-motion, between the causal and the [non-causal]. If STR theoretically allows real-valued superluminal communication between EPR entangled particles, quantum processes become fully causal. That is, the QM world is sub-luminally, luminally and superluminally local-causal throughout, and the Law of Causality is ubiquitous in the micro-world. Thus, ''probabilistic causality'' is a merely epistemic term.

Causal ubiquity in quantum physics. A superluminal and local-causal physical ontology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neelamkavil, Raphael

2014-07-01

A fixed highest criterial velocity (of light) in STR (special theory of relativity) is a convention for a layer of physical inquiry. QM (Quantum Mechanics) avoids action-at-a-distance using this concept, but accepts non-causality and action-at-a-distance in EPR (Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen-Paradox) entanglement experiments. Even in such allegedly [non-causal] processes, something exists processually in extension-motion, between the causal and the [non-causal]. If STR theoretically allows real-valued superluminal communication between EPR entangled particles, quantum processes become fully causal. That is, the QM world is sub-luminally, luminally and superluminally local-causal throughout, and the Law of Causality is ubiquitous in the micro-world. Thus, ''probabilistic causality'' is a merely epistemic term.

Spectroscopy of superluminous supernova host galaxies. A preference of hydrogen-poor events for extreme emission line galaxies

OpenAIRE

Leloudas, G.; Schulze, S.; Kruehler, T.; Gorosabel, J.; Christensen, L.; Mehner, A.; Postigo, A. de Ugarte; Amorin, R.; Thoene, C. C.; Anderson, J. P.; Bauer, F. E.; Gallazzi, A.; Helminiak, K. G.; Hjorth, J.; Ibar, E.

2014-01-01

Superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) are very bright explosions that were only discovered recently and that show a preference for occurring in faint dwarf galaxies. Understanding why stellar evolution yields different types of stellar explosions in these environments is fundamental in order to both uncover the elusive progenitors of SLSNe and to study star formation in dwarf galaxies. In this paper, we present the first results of our project to study SUperluminous Supernova Host galaxIES, focusi...

Black/white hole radiation from dispersive theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macher, Jean; Parentani, Renaud

2009-01-01

We study the fluxes emitted by black holes when using dispersive field theories. We work with stationary one-dimensional backgrounds which are asymptotically flat on both sides of the horizon. The asymptotic fluxes are governed by a 3x3 Bogoliubov transformation. The fluxes emitted by the corresponding white holes are regular and governed by the inverse transformation. We numerically compute the spectral properties of these fluxes for both sub- and superluminal quartic dispersion. The leading deviations with respect to the dispersionless flux are computed and shown to be governed by a critical frequency above which there is no radiation. Unlike the UV scale governing dispersion, its value critically depends on the asymptotic properties of the background. We also study the flux outside the robust regime. In particular we show that its low-frequency part remains almost thermal but with a temperature which significantly differs from the standard one. Applications to four-dimensional black holes and Bose-Einstein condensates are in preparation.

Superluminal motion of extragalactic objects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matveenko, L.I. (AN SSSR, Moscow. Inst. Kosmicheskikh Issledovanij)

1983-07-01

Extragalactic objects with active nuclei are reviewed. Experimental data are obtained with the method of superfar radiointerferometry. The main peculiarities of the complex structure of Seyfert galaxies, quasars and lacertae objects are considered: the distribution of radiobrightness, spectra, alteration of the density of radiation flux and the distance between the components of sources. The superluminal velocities of component divergence observed are explained by different reasons: fast motion of components considerable difference of the Hubble component or non-cosmologic nature of the red shift of objects, effect of echoreflection of radiation, gravitation lens, systematic alteration of the optical thickness of the object, synchronouys radiation of electrons in the dipole magnetic field, as well as different kinematic illusions connected with the final time of signal propagation.

Superluminal motion of extragalactic objects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matveenko, L.I.

1983-01-01

Extragalactic objects with active nuclei are reviewed. Experimental data are obtained with the method of superfar radiointerferometry. The main peculiarities of the complex strUcture of Seyfert galaxies quasars and lacertae ob ects are considered: the distribution of radiobrightness, spectra, alteration of the density of radiation flux and the distance between the components of sources. The superluminal velocities of component divergence observed are explained by different reasons: fast motion of components considerable difference of the Hubble component or non-cosmologic nature of the red shift of objects, effect of echoreflection of radiation, gravitation lens, systematic alteration of the optical thickness of the object, synchronoUs radiation of electrons in the dipole magnetic field, as well as different kinematic illusions connected with the final time of signal propagation

Enhanced index and negative dispersion without absorption in driven cascade media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Xiangming; Xu Jun

2004-01-01

In this paper we investigate the dispersive and absorptive properties of a system of three-level cascade atoms driven by a strong coherent field. Three characteristic features are found. First, for the same set of atom-light interaction parameters, the indices of refraction are large at three different frequencies where the absorption vanishes. These three frequencies are determined by the resonance transition frequencies between dressed states produced by the strong driving field. Second, negative dispersion without absorption, which leads to superluminal light propagation, is achievable in the central resonance structure of the dispersion spectrum. Third, the whole absorption spectrum displays, in general, three pairs of absorption peaks and three pairs of gain (negative absorption) peaks. The minimal spacing between dressed states determines whether the outer adjacent gain peaks are separated from each other

Noise-induced perturbations of dispersion-managed solitons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Jinglai; Spiller, Elaine; Biondini, Gino

2007-01-01

We study noise-induced perturbations of dispersion-managed solitons. We do so by first developing soliton perturbation theory for the dispersion-managed nonlinear Schroedinger (DMNLS) equation, which governs the long-term behavior of optical fiber transmission systems and certain kinds of femtosecond lasers. We show that the eigenmodes and generalized eigenmodes of the linearized DMNLS equation around traveling-wave solutions can be generated from the invariances of the DMNLS equations, we quantify the perturbation-induced parameter changes of the solution in terms of the eigenmodes and the adjoint eigenmodes, and we obtain evolution equations for the solution parameters. We then apply these results to guide importance-sampled Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and reconstruct the probability density functions of the solution parameters under the effect of noise, and we compare with standard MC simulations of the unaveraged system. The comparison further validates the use of the DMNLS equation as a model for dispersion-managed systems

Ultraviolet radiation induces dose-dependent pigment dispersion in crustacean chromatophores.

Science.gov (United States)

Gouveia, Glauce Ribeiro; Lopes, Thaís Martins; Neves, Carla Amorim; Nery, Luiz Eduardo Maia; Trindade, Gilma Santos

2004-10-01

Pigment dispersion in chromatophores as a response to UV radiation was investigated in two species of crustaceans, the crab Chasmagnathus granulata and the shrimp Palaemonetes argentinus. Eyestalkless crabs and shrimps maintained on either a black or a white background were irradiated with different UV bands. In eyestalkless crabs the significant minimal effective dose inducing pigment dispersion was 0.42 J/cm(2) for UVA and 2.15 J/cm(2) for UVB. Maximal response was achieved with 10.0 J/cm(2) UVA and 8.6 J/cm(2) UVB. UVA was more effective than UVB in inducing pigment dispersion. Soon after UV exposure, melanophores once again reached the initial stage of pigment aggregation after 45 min. Aggregated erythrophores of shrimps adapted to a white background showed significant pigment dispersion with 2.5 J/cm(2) UVA and 0.29 J/cm(2) UVC. Dispersed erythrophores of shrimps adapted to a black background did not show any significant response to UVA, UVB or UVC radiation. UVB did not induce any significant pigment dispersion in shrimps adapted to either a white or a black background. As opposed to the tanning response, which only protects against future UV exposure, the pigment dispersion response could be an important agent protecting against the harmful effects of UV radiation exposure.

In search of superluminal quantum communications: recent experiments and possible improvements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cocciaro, B; Faetti, S; Fronzoni, L

2013-01-01

As shown in the famous EPR paper (Einstein, Podolsky e Rosen, 1935), Quantum Mechanics is non-local. The Bell theorem and the experiments by Aspect and many others, ruled out the possibility of explaining quantum correlations between entangled particles using local hidden variables models (except for implausible combinations of loopholes). Some authors (Bell, Eberhard, Bohm and Hiley) suggested that quantum correlations could be due to superluminal communications (tachyons) that propagate isotropically with velocity v t > c in a preferred reference frame. For finite values of v t , Quantum Mechanics and superluminal models lead to different predictions. Some years ago a Geneva group and our group did experiments on entangled photons to evidence possible discrepancies between experimental results and quantum predictions. Since no discrepancy was found, these experiments established only lower bounds for the possible tachyon velocities v t . Here we propose an improved experiment that should lead us to explore a much larger range of possible tachyon velocities V t for any possible direction of velocity V-vector of the tachyons preferred frame.

In search of superluminal quantum communications: recent experiments and possible improvements

Science.gov (United States)

Cocciaro, B.; Faetti, S.; Fronzoni, L.

2013-06-01

As shown in the famous EPR paper (Einstein, Podolsky e Rosen, 1935), Quantum Mechanics is non-local. The Bell theorem and the experiments by Aspect and many others, ruled out the possibility of explaining quantum correlations between entangled particles using local hidden variables models (except for implausible combinations of loopholes). Some authors (Bell, Eberhard, Bohm and Hiley) suggested that quantum correlations could be due to superluminal communications (tachyons) that propagate isotropically with velocity vt > c in a preferred reference frame. For finite values of vt, Quantum Mechanics and superluminal models lead to different predictions. Some years ago a Geneva group and our group did experiments on entangled photons to evidence possible discrepancies between experimental results and quantum predictions. Since no discrepancy was found, these experiments established only lower bounds for the possible tachyon velocities vt. Here we propose an improved experiment that should lead us to explore a much larger range of possible tachyon velocities Vt for any possible direction of velocity vec V of the tachyons preferred frame.

Low threshold optical bistability and superluminal light propagation using a dielectric slab via inter-dot tunneling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taherzadeh, S; Nasehi, R; Mahmoudi, Mohammad

2015-01-01

The optical bistability (OB) behavior of a dielectric slab doped with quantum dot (QD) molecules is investigated in the presence of the inter-dot tunneling effect. It is shown that the threshold point of OB reduces by increasing inter-dot tunneling as well as by reducing the slab thickness. It is worth noting that the threshold of OB in a slab doped with QD molecules is smaller, by at least one order of magnitude, in respect to free QD molecules. We find that the inter-dot tunneling induces a negative group delay to the reflected pulse and it propagates in the superluminal region. Such simple control can be used in all optical switching. (paper)

Superluminal plasmons with resonant gain in population inverted bilayer graphene

KAUST Repository

Low, Tony

2017-12-28

AB-stacked bilayer graphene with a tunable electronic bandgap in excess of the optical phonon energy presents an interesting active medium, and we consider such theoretical possibility in this work. We argue the possibility of a highly resonant optical gain in the vicinity of the asymmetry gap. Associated with this resonant gain are strongly amplified plasmons, plasmons with negative group velocity and superluminal effects, as well as directional leaky modes.

Superluminal plasmons with resonant gain in population inverted bilayer graphene

KAUST Repository

Low, Tony; Chen, Pai-Yen; Basov, D. N.

2017-01-01

AB-stacked bilayer graphene with a tunable electronic bandgap in excess of the optical phonon energy presents an interesting active medium, and we consider such theoretical possibility in this work. We argue the possibility of a highly resonant optical gain in the vicinity of the asymmetry gap. Associated with this resonant gain are strongly amplified plasmons, plasmons with negative group velocity and superluminal effects, as well as directional leaky modes.

The superluminal radio source 4c 39. 25 as relativistic jet prototype. El cuasar superluminal 4C 93. 25 como prototipo de jet relativistia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alberdi, A.; Gomez, J.L.; Marcaide, J.M.

1993-01-01

We have developed a numerical code which solves the synchrotron radiation transfer equations to compute the total and polarized emission of bent shocked relativistic jets, and we have applied it to reproduce the compact structure, kinematic evolution of the superluminal radio source 4C 39.25 contains a bent relativistic jet which is misaligned relative to the observer near the core region, leading to a relatively low core brightness. (Author) 12 refs.

Limiting Superluminal Electron and Neutrino Velocities Using the 2010 Crab Nebula Flare and the IceCube PeV Neutrino Events

Science.gov (United States)

Stecker, Floyd W.

2014-01-01

The observation of two PetaelectronVolt (PeV)-scale neutrino events reported by Ice Cube allows one to place constraints on Lorentz invariance violation (LIV) in the neutrino sector. After first arguing that at least one of the PetaelectronVolt IceCube events was of extragalactic origin, I derive an upper limit for the difference between putative superluminal neutrino and electron velocities of less than or equal to approximately 5.6 x 10(exp -19) in units where c = 1, confirming that the observed PetaelectronVolt neutrinos could have reached Earth from extragalactic sources. I further derive a new constraint on the superluminal electron velocity, obtained from the observation of synchrotron radiation from the Crab Nebula flare of September, 2010. The inference that the greater than 1 GigaelectronVolt gamma-rays from synchrotron emission in the flare were produced by electrons of energy up to approx. 5.1 PetaelectronVolt indicates the nonoccurrence of vacuum Cerenkov radiation by these electrons. This implies a new, strong constraint on superluminal electron velocities delta(sub e) less than or equal to approximately 5 x 10(exp -21). It immediately follows that one then obtains an upper limit on the superluminal neutrino velocity alone of delta(sub v) less than or equal to approximately 5.6 x 10(exp -19), many orders of magnitude better than the time-of-flight constraint from the SN1987A neutrino burst. However, if the electrons are subluminal the constraint on the absolute value of delta(sub e) less than or equal to approximately 8 x 10(exp -17), obtained from the Crab Nebula gamma-ray spectrum, places a weaker constraint on superluminal neutrino velocity of delta(sub v) less than or equal to approximately 8 x 10(exp -17).

Superluminal Velocities in the Synchronized Space-Time

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Medvedev S. Yu.

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Within the framework of the non-gravitational generalization of the special relativity, a problem of possible superluminal motion of particles and signals is considered. It has been proven that for the particles with non-zero mass the existence of anisotropic light barrier with the shape dependent on the reference frame velocity results from the Tangherlini transformations. The maximal possible excess of neutrino velocity over the absolute velocity of light related to the Earth (using th e clock with instantaneous synchronization has been estimated. The illusoriness of t he acausality problem has been illustrated and conclusion is made on the lack of the upper limit of velocities of signals of informational nature.

On the Superluminal Motion of Radio-Loud AGNs Zhi-Bin Zhang1,2 ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

xies—radiation mechanisms: non-thermal—quasars: general. 1. Introduction. Rees (1966) predicted that the transverse velocity of an object moving relativistically in some special directions may appear to exceed the speed of light. The apparent superluminal motion (SM) is essentially a geometric effect or a light travel-time.

Superluminous Devices Versus Low-Level Laser for Temporomandibular Disorders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sveshtarov Vasil

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to compare the pain intensity reduction between the mean radiation doses per session of gallium-aluminum-arsenide (GaAIAs laser with superluminous diodes (SLD in four of the most common pain-related chronic temporomandibular disorders (TMD - local myalgia, myofascial pain, myofascial pain with a referral, and arthralgia. This study was implemented on 124 patients with pain-related temporomandibular disorders according to the DC/TMD criteria. We applied trigger point oriented near-infrared laser (785 nm, 100 s, 8 J/cm2 and SLD cluster sessions (the cluster is composed of 49 SLDs with a combination of visible red (633 nm and infrared (880 nm diodes, 200 mW, 300 s, 8 J/cm2 for the temporomandibular joints and the affected muscles. Patients were evaluated at the start of the treatment, and after the 6th session of combined phototherapy. The pain intensity scores were measured according to the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS. Our results show that the most statistically manifested pain reduction is found for the SLD dose, р = 0,000118, followed by the overall dose (laser plus SLD; р = 0,001031, and the laser dose; р = 0,030942 (ANOVA dispersion analyses. Consequently, it can be concluded that myalgia is better treated through lower doses of red light compared to infrared laser doses because SLDs combine the prooxidative effect of photons with 633 nm wavelength, a large area of exposure, sufficient tissue penetration, and some positive warming thermal impact of the SLD clusters.

Statistical separability and the impossibility of the superluminal quantum communication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Qiren

2004-01-01

The authors analyse the relation and the difference between the quantum correlation of two points in space and the communication between them. The statistical separability of two points in the space is defined and proven. From this statistical separability, authors prove that the superluminal quantum communication between different points is impossible. To emphasis the compatibility between the quantum theory and the relativity, authors write the von Neumann equation of density operator evolution in the multi-time form. (author)

A novel method for combating dispersion induced power fading in dispersion compensating fiber

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lebedev, Alexander; Vegas Olmos, Juan José; Iglesias Olmedo, Miguel

2013-01-01

We experimentally investigate the performance of 60 GHz double sideband (DSB) radio over fiber (RoF) links that employ dispersion compensating fiber (DCF). Error free transmission of 3 Gbps signals over 1 m of wireless distance is reported. In order to overcome experimentally observed chromatic...... dispersion (CD) induced power fading of radio frequency (RF) signal, we propose a method for improvement of RF carrier-to-noise (C/N) ratio through introduction of a degree of RF frequency tunability. Overall results improve important aspects of directly modulated RoF systems and demonstrate the feasibility...

Special relativity and superluminal motions: a discussion of some recent experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Recami, E. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Milan (Italy)]|[Bergamo Univ., Bergamo (Italy). Fac. di Ingegneria]|[State Univ. of Campinas, Campinas (Brazil); Fontana, F. [Pirelli Cavi, Milan (Italy). R and D sector; Garavaglia, R. [Milan Univ., Milan (Italy). Dipt. di Scienze dell' Informazione

2000-03-01

Some experiments, performed at Berkeley, Cologne, Florence, Vienna, Orsay and Rennes led to the claim that something seems to travel with a group velocity larger than the speed c of light in vacuum. Various other experimental results seem to point in the same direction. For instance, localized wavelet-type solutions of Maxwell equations have been found, both theoretically and experimentally, that travel with superluminal speed. Even mounic and electronic neutrinos - it has been proposed - might be tachyons, since their square mass appears to be negative. With regard to the first mentioned experiments, it was very recently claimed by Guenter Nimtz that those results with evanescent waves or tunnelling photons - implying superluminal signal and impulse transmission - violate Einstein causality. This note, on the contrary, discusses that all such results do not place relativistic causality in jeopardy, even if they refer to actual tachyonic motions. In fact, special relativity can cope even with also the known paradoxes , devised for faster than light motion, even if this is not widely recognized. Here the paper shows, in detail and rigorously, how to solve the oldest casual paradox. originally proposed by Tolman, which is the kernel of many further tachyon paradoxes. The key to the solution is a careful application of tachyon mechanics, as it unambiguously follows from special relativity.

Special relativity and superluminal motions: a discussion of some recent experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Recami, E.; Fontana, F.; Garavaglia, R.

2000-03-01

Some experiments, performed at Berkeley, Cologne, Florence, Vienna, Orsay and Rennes led to the claim that something seems to travel with a group velocity larger than the speed c of light in vacuum. Various other experimental results seem to point in the same direction. For instance, localized wavelet-type solutions of Maxwell equations have been found, both theoretically and experimentally, that travel with superluminal speed. Even muonic and electronic neutrinos - it has been proposed - might be tachyons, since their square mass appears to be negative. With regard to the first mentioned experiments, it was very recently claimed by Guenter Nimtz that those results with evanescent waves or tunnelling photons - implying superluminal signal and impulse transmission - violate Einstein causality. This note, on the contrary, discusses that all such results do not place relativistic causality in jeopardy, even if they refer to actual tachyonic motions. In fact, special relativity can cope even with also the known paradoxes , devised for faster than light motion, even if this is not widely recognized. Here the paper shows, in detail and rigorously, how to solve the oldest casual paradox. originally proposed by Tolman, which is the kernel of many further tachyon paradoxes. The key to the solution is a careful application of tachyon mechanics, as it unambiguously follows from special relativity

Fission induced swelling of U–Mo/Al dispersion fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Yeon Soo, E-mail: yskim@anl.gov [Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439 (United States); Jeong, G.Y. [Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, 50 UNIST-gil, Eonyang-eup, Uljoo-gun, Ulsan 689-798 (Korea, Republic of); Park, J.M. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, 989-111 Daedeok-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-353 (Korea, Republic of); Robinson, A.B. [Idaho National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-6188 (United States)

2015-10-15

Fission-induced swelling of U–Mo/Al dispersion fuel meat was measured using microscopy images obtained from post-irradiation examination. The data of reduced-size plate-type test samples and rod-type test samples were employed for this work. A model to predict the meat swelling of U–Mo/Al dispersion fuel was developed. This model is composed of several submodels including a model for interaction layer (IL) growth between U–Mo and Al matrix, a model for IL thickness to IL volume conversion, a correlation for the fission-induced swelling of U–Mo alloy particles, a correlation for the fission-induced swelling of IL, and models of U–Mo and Al consumption by IL growth. The model was validated using full-size plate data that were not included in the model development.

On some recent suggestions of superluminal communication through the collapse of the wave function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghirardi, G.C.; Weber, T.

1979-01-01

With reference to some recent suggestions of superluminal communication through the collapse of the wave function, it is proved that the suggested effects are derived using contradictory assumptions. Since the proof is based only on non-relativistic arguments, it is concluded that the difficulties connected with quantum measurement theory are only of conceptual nature. (author)

Diffraction effects in microwave propagation at the origin of superluminal behaviors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ranfagni, A. [Istituto di Fisica Applicata ' Nello Carrara' , Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy); Ricci, A.M. [Istituto per le Telecomunicazioni e l' Elettronica della Marina Militare ' Giancarlo Vallauri' (Mariteleradar), Viale Italia 72, 57100 Livorno (Italy); Ruggeri, R. [Istituto dei Sistemi Complessi, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Sezione di Firenze, Firenze (Italy)], E-mail: rocco.ruggeri@isc.cnr.it; Agresti, A. [Dipartimento di Fisica dell' Universita di Firenze, Firenze (Italy)

2008-10-27

Superluminal behaviors, as evidenced by the presence of forerunners, in advanced position with respect to the main luminal peak, have been revealed in microwave propagation experiments by using a radar technique. The results are interpreted on the basis of (fast) complex waves, usually considered only in the near-field region, but still surviving beyond this limit. Consideration of further diffraction effects, as due to geometrical limitations of the experimental set-up, allows for the obtainment of a plausible description of the results.

Analytical Characterization of SPM Impact on XPM-Induced Degradation in Dispersion-Compensated WDM Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Luís, Ruben S.; Cartaxo, Adolfo V. T.

2005-03-01

This paper proposes the definition of a cross-phase modulation (XPM)-induced power penalty for intensity modulation/direct detection (IM-DD) systems as a function of the normalized variance of the XPM-induced IM. This allows the definition of 1-dB power penalty reference values. New expressions of the equivalent linear model transfer functions for the XPM-induced IM and phase modulation (PM) that include the influence of self-phase modulation (SPM) as well as group-velocity dispersion are derived. The new expressions allow a significant extension for higher powers and dispersion parameters of expressions derived in previous papers for single-segment and multisegment fiber systems with dispersion compensation. Good agreement between analytical results and numerical simulations is obtained. Consistency with work performed numerically and experimentally by other authors is shown, validating the proposed model. Using the proposed model, the influence of residual dispersion and SPM on the limitations imposed by XPM on the performance of dispersion-compensated systems is assessed. It is shown that inline residual dispersion may lead to performance improvement for a properly tuned total residual dispersion. The influence of SPM is shown to degrade the system performance when nonzero-dispersion-shifted fiber is used. However, systems using standard single-mode fiber may benefit from the presence of SPM.

Super-luminous Type II supernovae powered by magnetars

Science.gov (United States)

Dessart, Luc; Audit, Edouard

2018-05-01

Magnetar power is believed to be at the origin of numerous super-luminous supernovae (SNe) of Type Ic, arising from compact, hydrogen-deficient, Wolf-Rayet type stars. Here, we investigate the properties that magnetar power would have on standard-energy SNe associated with 15-20 M⊙ supergiant stars, either red (RSG; extended) or blue (BSG; more compact). We have used a combination of Eulerian gray radiation-hydrodynamics and non-LTE steady-state radiative transfer to study their dynamical, photometric, and spectroscopic properties. Adopting magnetar fields of 1, 3.5, 7 × 1014 G and rotational energies of 0.4, 1, and 3 × 1051 erg, we produce bolometric light curves with a broad maximum covering 50-150 d and a magnitude of 1043-1044 erg s-1. The spectra at maximum light are analogous to those of standard SNe II-P but bluer. Although the magnetar energy is channelled in equal proportion between SN kinetic energy and SN luminosity, the latter may be boosted by a factor of 10-100 compared to a standard SN II. This influence breaks the observed relation between brightness and ejecta expansion rate of standard Type II SNe. Magnetar energy injection also delays recombination and may even cause re-ionization, with a reversal in photospheric temperature and velocity. Depositing the magnetar energy in a narrow mass shell at the ejecta base leads to the formation of a dense shell at a few 1000 km s-1, which causes a light-curve bump at the end of the photospheric phase. Depositing this energy over a broad range of mass in the inner ejecta, to mimic the effect of multi-dimensional fluid instabilities, prevents the formation of a dense shell and produces an earlier-rising and smoother light curve. The magnetar influence on the SN radiation is generally not visible prior to 20-30 d, during which one may discern a BSG from a RSG progenitor. We propose a magnetar model for the super-luminous Type II SN OGLE-SN14-073.

Dispersive waves induced by self-defocusing temporal solitons in a beta-barium-borate crystal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhou, Binbin; Bache, Morten

2015-01-01

We experimentally observe dispersive waves in the anomalous dispersion regime of a beta-barium-borate (BBO) crystal, induced by a self-defocusing few-cycle temporal soliton. Together the soliton and dispersive waves form an energetic octave-spanning supercontinuum. The soliton was excited...

Nanoparticle dispersion in liquid metals by electromagnetically induced acoustic cavitation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaldre, Imants; Bojarevičs, Andris; Grants, Ilmārs; Beinerts, Toms; Kalvāns, Matīss; Milgrāvis, Mikus; Gerbeth, Gunter

2016-01-01

Aim of this study is to investigate experimentally the effect of magnetically induced cavitation applied for the purpose of nanoparticle dispersion in liquid metals. The oscillating magnetic force due to the azimuthal induction currents and the axial magnetic field excites power ultrasound in the sample. If the fields are sufficiently high then it is possible to achieve the acoustic cavitation threshold in liquid metals. Cavitation bubble collapses are known to create microscale jets with a potential to break nanoparticle agglomerates and disperse them. The samples are solidified under the contactless ultrasonic treatment and later analyzed by electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). It is observed that SiC nanoparticles are dispersed in an aluminum magnesium alloy, whereas in tin the same particles remain agglomerated in micron-sized clusters despite a more intense cavitation.

THE HOST GALAXY OF THE SUPER-LUMINOUS SN 2010gx AND LIMITS ON EXPLOSIVE 56Ni PRODUCTION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Ting-Wan; Smartt, Stephen J.; Kotak, Rubina; McCrum, Matt; Fraser, Morgan; Bresolin, Fabio; Kudritzki, Rolf-Peter; Pastorello, Andrea; Valenti, Stefano

2013-01-01

Super-luminous supernovae have a tendency to occur in faint host galaxies which are likely to have low mass and low metallicity. While these extremely luminous explosions have been observed from z = 0.1 to 1.55, the closest explosions allow more detailed investigations of their host galaxies. We present a detailed analysis of the host galaxy of SN 2010gx (z = 0.23), one of the best studied super-luminous type Ic supernovae. The host is a dwarf galaxy (M g = –17.42 ± 0.17) with a high specific star formation rate. It has a remarkably low metallicity of 12 + log (O/H) = 7.5 ± 0.1 dex as determined from the detection of the [O III] λ4363 line. This is the first reliable metallicity determination of a super-luminous stripped-envelope supernova host. We collected deep multi-epoch imaging with Gemini + GMOS between 240 and 560 days after explosion to search for any sign of radioactive 56 Ni, which might provide further insights on the explosion mechanism and the progenitor's nature. We reach griz magnitudes of m AB ∼ 26, but do not detect SN 2010gx at these epochs. The limit implies that any 56 Ni production was similar to or below that of SN 1998bw (a luminous type Ic SN that produced around 0.4 M ☉ of 56 Ni). The low volumetric rates of these supernovae (∼10 –4 of the core-collapse population) could be qualitatively matched if the explosion mechanism requires a combination of low-metallicity (below 0.2 Z ☉ ), high progenitor mass (>60 M ☉ ) and high rotation rate (fastest 10% of rotators).

FM-AM Conversion Induced by Polarization Mode Dispersion in Fiber Systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao-Dong, Huang; Sheng-Zhi, Zhao; Jian-Jun, Wang; Ming-Zhong, Li; Dang-Peng, Xu; Hong-Huan, Lin; Rui, Zhang; Ying, Deng; Xiao-Min, Zhang

2010-01-01

The conversion of the frequency modulated pulse induced from frequency modulation (FM) to amplitude modulation (AM) by the polarization mode dispersion (PMD) is theoretically and experimentally investigated. When there is no polarizer at the output end of a fiber system, the amplitude modulation depth is stable by 8%. Random amplitude modulation is observed when a polarizer is placed at the output end of the fiber system. The observed minimum and maximum modulation depths in our experiment are 5% and 80%, respectively. Simulation results show that the amplitude modulation is stable by 4% induced mainly by group velocity dispersion (GVD) when there is no polarizer, and the amplitude modulation depth displays the random variation character induced by the GVD and PMD. Lastly, a new fiber system scheme is proposed and little amplitude modulation is observed at the top of the output pulse

Light-pressure-induced nonlinear dispersion of a laser field interacting with an atomic gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grimm, R.; Mlynek, J.

1990-01-01

We report on detailed studies of the effect of resonant light pressure on the optical response of an atomic gas to a single monochromatic laser field. In this very elementary situation of laser spectroscopy, the redistribution of atomic velocities that is induced by spontaneous light pressure leads to a novel contribution to the optical dispersion curve of the medium. This light-pressure-induced dispersion phenomenon displays a pronounced nonlinear dependence on the laser intensity. Moreover, for a given intensity, its strength is closely related to the laser beam diameter. As most important feature, this light-pressure-induced dispersion displays an even symmetry with respect to the optical detuning from line center. As a result, the total Doppler-broadened dispersion curve of the gas can become asymmetric, and a significant shift of the dispersion line center can occur. In addition to a detailed theoretical description of the phenomenon, we report on its experimental investigation on the λ=555.6 nm 1 S 0 - 3 P 1 transition in atomic ytterbium vapor with the use of frequency-modulation spectroscopy. The experimental findings are in good quantitative agreement with theoretical predictions

Ultraviolet Radiation Induces Dose-Dependent Pigment Dispersion in Crustacean Chromatophores

OpenAIRE

Gouveia, Glauce Ribeiro; Lopes, Thaís Martins; Neves, Carla Amorim; Nery, Luiz Eduardo Maia; Trindade, Gilma Santos

2004-01-01

Pigment dispersion in chromatophores as a response to UV radiation was investigated in two species of crustaceans, the crab Chasmagnathus granulata and the shrimp Palaemonetes argentinus. Eyestalkless crabs and shrimps maintained on either a black or a white background were irradiated with different UV bands. In eyestalkless crabs the significant minimal effective dose inducing pigment dispersion was 0.42 J/cm2 for UVA and 2.15 J/cm2 for UVB. Maximal response was achieved with 10.0 J/cm...

Superluminal Emission Processes as a Key to Understanding Pulsar Radiation

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Andrea; Ardavan, H.; Fasel, J., III; Perez, M.; Singleton, J.

2007-12-01

Theoretical and experimental work has established that polarization currents can be animated to travel faster than the speed of light in vacuo and that these superluminal distribution patterns emit tightly focused packets of electromagnetic radiation that differ fundamentally from the emission generated by any other known radiation source. Since 2004, a small team at Los Alamos National Laboratory has, in collaboration with UK universities, conducted analytical, computational and practical studies of radiation sources that exceed the speed of light. Numerical evaluations of the Liénard-Wiechert field generated by such sources show that superluminal emission has the following intrinsic characteristics: (i) It is sharply focused along a rigidly rotating spiral-shaped beam that embodies the cusp of the envelope of the emitted wave fronts. (ii) It consists of either one or three concurrent polarization modes that constitute contributions to the field from differing retarded times. (iii) Two of the modes are comparable in strength at both edges of the signal and dominate over the third everywhere except in the middle of the pulse. (iv) The position angles of each of its dominant modes, as well as that of the total field, swing across the beam by as much as 180 degrees and remain approximately orthogonal throughout their excursion across the beam. (v) One of the three modes is highly circularly polarized and differs in its sense of polarization from the other two. (vi) Two of the modes have a very high degree of linear polarization across the entire pulse. Given the fundamental nature of the Liénard-Wiechert field, the coincidence of these characteristics with those of the radio emission received from pulsars is striking, especially coupled with the experimentally demonstrated fact that the radiation intensity on the cusp decays as 1/R instead of 1/R^2 and is therefore intrinsically bright.

Causal ubiquity in quantum physics a superluminal and local-causal physical ontology

CERN Document Server

Neelamkavil, Raphael

2014-01-01

A fixed highest criterial velocity (of light) in STR (special theory of relativity) is a convention for a layer of physical inquiry. QM (Quantum Mechanics) avoids action-at-a-distance using this concept, but accepts non-causality and action-at-a-distance in EPR (Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen-Paradox) entanglement experiments. Even in such allegedly non-causal processes, something exists processually in extension-motion, between the causal and the non-causal. If STR theoretically allows real-valued superluminal communication between EPR entangled particles, quantum processes become fully causal. That

Tunneling time, the Hartman effect, and superluminality: A proposed resolution of an old paradox

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winful, Herbert G.

2006-01-01

The issue of tunneling time is replete with controversy and paradoxes. The controversy stems from the fact that many tunneling time definitions seem to predict superluminal tunneling velocities. One prediction, termed the Hartman effect, states that the tunneling time becomes independent of barrier length for thick enough barriers, ultimately resulting in unbounded tunneling velocities. Experiments done with 'single photons', classical light waves, and microwaves all show this apparent superluminality. The origin of these paradoxical effects has been a mystery for decades. In this article, we review the history of tunneling times starting with the early work of MacColl, Hartman, and Wigner. We discuss some of the tunneling time definitions, with particular emphasis on the phase time (also known as the group delay or Wigner time) and the dwell time. The key experiments are reviewed. We then discuss our recent work, which suggests that the group delay in tunneling is not a transit time as has been assumed for decades. It is, in reality, a lifetime and hence should not be used to assign a speed of barrier traversal. We show how this new understanding along with the concept of energy storage and release resolves all the outstanding tunneling time paradoxes

Climate induced changes in the circulation and dispersal patterns of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Climate induced changes in the circulation and dispersal patterns of the fluvial sources during late Quaternary in the middle Bengal Fan ... in 14C dated box cores from the eastern, the central and the western regions were studied to determine ...

Higher Dimensional Spacetimes for Visualizing and Modeling Subluminal, Luminal and Superluminal Flight

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Froning, H. David; Meholic, Gregory V.

2010-01-01

This paper briefly explores higher dimensional spacetimes that extend Meholic's visualizable, fluidic views of: subluminal-luminal-superluminal flight; gravity, inertia, light quanta, and electromagnetism from 2-D to 3-D representations. Although 3-D representations have the potential to better model features of Meholic's most fundamental entities (Transluminal Energy Quantum) and of the zero-point quantum vacuum that pervades all space, the more complex 3-D representations loose some of the clarity of Meholic's 2-D representations of subluminal and superlumimal realms. So, much new work would be needed to replace Meholic's 2-D views of reality with 3-D ones.

The effect of broadened linewidth induced by dispersion on the performance of resonant optical gyroscope

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hao; Li, Wenxiu; Han, Peng; Chang, Xiaoyang; Liu, Jiaming; Lin, Jian; Xue, Xia; Zhu, Fang; Yang, Yang; Liu, Xiaojing; Zhang, Xiaofu; Huang, Anping; Xiao, Zhisong; Fang, Jiancheng

2018-01-01

Anomalous dispersion enhancement physical mechanism for Sagnac effect is described by special relativity derivation, and three kinds of definitions of minimum detectable angular rate of resonance optical gyroscope (ROG) are compared and the relations among them are investigated. The effect of linewidth broadening induced by anomalous dispersion on the sensitivity of ROG is discussed in this paper. Material dispersion-broadened resonance linewidth deteriorates the performance of a passive ROG and dispersion enhancement effect, while the sensitivity of a structural dispersion ROG is enhanced by two orders of magnitude even considering the dispersion-broadened resonance linewidth.

QPO detection in superluminal black hole GRS 1915+105

Science.gov (United States)

Bhulla, Yashpal; Jaaffrey, S. N. A.

2018-05-01

We report on the first superluminal Black Hole GRS 1915+105 observed by the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer - Proportion Counter Array (RXTE/PCA). We detect the Quasi Periodic Oscillations (QPOs) in the Power Density Spectrum (PDS) of source which have luminosity very near to Eddington limit and long variability in X-ray light curve. In power density spectrum, we deal with the study of highly variability amplitude, time evolution of the characteristic timescale, Quality Factor and Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM). We find significant QPOs in 15 different observation IDs with frequency around 67 Hz although quality factor nearly 20 but in two IDs frequency is found just double. Typical fractional rms for GRS 1915+105 is dominating the hard band increasing steeply with energy more than 13% at 20-40 keV band.

The danger signal extracellular ATP is an inducer of Fusobacterium nucleatum biofilm dispersal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qinfeng Ding

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Plaque biofilm is the primary etiological agent of periodontal disease. Biofilm formation progresses through multiple developmental stages beginning with bacterial attachment to a surface, followed by development of microcolonies and finally detachment and dispersal from a mature biofilm as free planktonic bacteria. Tissue damage arising from inflammatory response to biofilm is one of the hallmark features of periodontal disease. A consequence of tissue damage is the release of ATP from within the cell into the extracellular space. Extracellular ATP (eATP is an example of a danger associated molecular pattern (DAMP employed by mammalian cells to elicit inflammatory and damage healing responses. Although the roles of eATP as a signaling molecule in multi-cellular organisms have been relatively well studied, exogenous ATP also influences bacteria biofilm formation. Since plaque biofilms are continuously exposed to various stresses including exposure to the host damage factors eATP, we hypothesized that eATP, in addition to eliciting inflammation could potentially influence the biofilm lifecycle of periodontal associated bacteria. We found that eATP rather than nutritional factors or oxidative stress induced dispersal of Fusobacterium nucleatum, an organism associated with periodontal disease. eATP induced biofilm dispersal through chelating metal ions present in biofilm. Dispersed F. nucleatum biofilm, regardless of natural or induced dispersal by exogenous ATP, were significantly more adhesive and invasive compared to planktonic or biofilm counterparts, and correspondingly activated significantly more pro-inflammatory cytokine production in infected periodontal fibroblasts. Dispersed F. nucleatum also exhibited significantly higher expression of fadA, a virulence factor implicated in adhesion and invasion, compared to planktonic or biofilm bacteria. This study revealed for the first time that periodontal bacterium is capable of co-opting eATP, a

Radio emission from embryonic superluminous supernova remnants

Science.gov (United States)

Omand, Conor M. B.; Kashiyama, Kazumi; Murase, Kohta

2018-02-01

It has been widely argued that Type-I superluminous supernovae (SLSNe-I) are driven by powerful central engines with a long-lasting energy injection after the core-collapse of massive progenitors. One of the popular hypotheses is that the hidden engines are fast-rotating pulsars with a magnetic field of B ˜ 1013-1015 G. Murase, Kashiyama & Mészáros proposed that quasi-steady radio/submm emission from non-thermal electron-positron pairs in nascent pulsar wind nebulae can be used as a relevant counterpart of such pulsar-driven supernovae (SNe). In this work, focusing on the nascent SLSN-I remnants, we examine constraints that can be placed by radio emission. We show that the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimetre Array can detect the radio nebula from SNe at DL ˜ 1 Gpc in a few years after the explosion, while the Jansky Very Large Array can also detect the counterpart in a few decades. The proposed radio follow-up observation could solve the parameter degeneracy in the pulsar-driven SN model for optical/UV light curves, and could also give us clues to young neutron star scenarios for SLSNe-I and fast radio bursts.

Ultraviolet Light Curves of Gaia16apd in Superluminous Supernova Models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tolstov, Alexey; Zhiglo, Andrey; Nomoto, Ken’ichi; Blinnikov, Sergei [Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (WPI), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8583 (Japan); Sorokina, Elena [Sternberg Astronomical Institute, M.V.Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow (Russian Federation); Kozyreva, Alexandra, E-mail: alexey.tolstov@ipmu.jp [The Raymond and Beverly Sackler School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978 (Israel)

2017-08-10

Observations of Gaia16apd revealed extremely luminous ultraviolet emission among superluminous supernovae (SLSNe). Using radiation hydrodynamics simulations, we perform a comparison of UV light curves, color temperatures, and photospheric velocities between the most popular SLSN models: pair-instability supernova, magnetar, and interaction with circumstellar medium. We find that the interaction model is the most promising to explain the extreme UV luminosity of Gaia16apd. The differences in late-time UV emission and in color evolution found between the models can be used to link an observed SLSN event to the most appropriate model. Observations at UV wavelengths can be used to clarify the nature of SLSNe and more attention should be paid to them in future follow-up observations.

The control of superluminal group velocity in a system equivalent to the Y-type four-level atomic system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Luming; Guo Hong; Xiao Feng; Peng Xiang; Chen Xuzong

2005-01-01

We study a new way to control the superluminal group velocity of light pulse in hot atomic gases with the five-level atomic configuration. The model of an equivalent Y-type four-level is applied and shows that the light goes faster by using an additional incoherent pumping field. The experiment is performed and shows in good agreement with our theoretical predictions

Astronomy. ASASSN-15lh: A highly super-luminous supernova.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Subo; Shappee, B J; Prieto, J L; Jha, S W; Stanek, K Z; Holoien, T W-S; Kochanek, C S; Thompson, T A; Morrell, N; Thompson, I B; Basu, U; Beacom, J F; Bersier, D; Brimacombe, J; Brown, J S; Bufano, F; Chen, Ping; Conseil, E; Danilet, A B; Falco, E; Grupe, D; Kiyota, S; Masi, G; Nicholls, B; Olivares E, F; Pignata, G; Pojmanski, G; Simonian, G V; Szczygiel, D M; Woźniak, P R

2016-01-15

We report the discovery of ASASSN-15lh (SN 2015L), which we interpret as the most luminous supernova yet found. At redshift z = 0.2326, ASASSN-15lh reached an absolute magnitude of Mu ,AB = -23.5 ± 0.1 and bolometric luminosity Lbol = (2.2 ± 0.2) × 10(45) ergs s(-1), which is more than twice as luminous as any previously known supernova. It has several major features characteristic of the hydrogen-poor super-luminous supernovae (SLSNe-I), whose energy sources and progenitors are currently poorly understood. In contrast to most previously known SLSNe-I that reside in star-forming dwarf galaxies, ASASSN-15lh appears to be hosted by a luminous galaxy (MK ≈ -25.5) with little star formation. In the 4 months since first detection, ASASSN-15lh radiated (1.1 ± 0.2) × 10(52) ergs, challenging the magnetar model for its engine. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

A cannonball model of gamma-ray bursts superluminal signatures

CERN Document Server

Dar, Arnon; Dar, Arnon; Rujula, Alvaro De

2000-01-01

Recent observations suggest that the long-duration gamma ray bursts (GRBs) and their afterglows are produced by highly relativistic jets emitted in supernova explosions. We propose that the result of the event is not just a compact object plus the ejecta: within a day, a fraction of the parent star falls back to produce a thick accretion disk. The subsequent accretion generates jets and constitutes the GRB ``engine'', as in the observed ejection of relativistic ``cannonballs'' of plasma by microquasars and active galactic nuclei. The GRB is produced as the jetted cannonballs exit the supernova shell reheated by the collision, re-emitting their own radiation and boosting the light of the shell. They decelerate by sweeping up interstellar matter, which is accelerated to cosmic-ray energies and emits synchrotron radiation: the afterglow. We emphasize here a smoking-gun signature of this model of GRBs: the superluminal motion of the afterglow, that can be searched for ---the sooner the better--- in the particular...

A plausible (overlooked) super-luminous supernova in the Sloan digital sky survey stripe 82 data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kostrzewa-Rutkowska, Zuzanna; Kozłowski, Szymon; Wyrzykowski, Łukasz; Djorgovski, S. George; Mahabal, Ashish A.; Glikman, Eilat; Koposov, Sergey

2013-01-01

We present the discovery of a plausible super-luminous supernova (SLSN), found in the archival data of Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Stripe 82, called PSN 000123+000504. The supernova (SN) peaked at m g < 19.4 mag in the second half of 2005 September, but was missed by the real-time SN hunt. The observed part of the light curve (17 epochs) showed that the rise to the maximum took over 30 days, while the decline time lasted at least 70 days (observed frame), closely resembling other SLSNe of SN 2007bi type. The spectrum of the host galaxy reveals a redshift of z = 0.281 and the distance modulus of μ = 40.77 mag. Combining this information with the SDSS photometry, we found the host galaxy to be an LMC-like irregular dwarf galaxy with an absolute magnitude of M B = –18.2 ± 0.2 mag and an oxygen abundance of 12+log [O/H]=8.3±0.2; hence, the SN peaked at M g < –21.3 mag. Our SLSN follows the relation for the most energetic/super-luminous SNe exploding in low-metallicity environments, but we found no clear evidence for SLSNe to explode in low-luminosity (dwarf) galaxies only. The available information on the PSN 000123+000504 light curve suggests the magnetar-powered model as a likely scenario of this event. This SLSN is a new addition to a quickly growing family of super-luminous SNe.

Suppressing self-induced frequency scanning of a phase conjugate diode laser array with using counterbalance dispersion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Løbel, M.; Petersen, P.M.; Johansen, P.M.

1998-01-01

Experimental results show that angular dispersion strongly influences the self-induced frequency scanning of a multimode broad-area diode laser array coupled to a photorefractive self-pumped phase conjugate mirror. Prisms or a dispersive grating placed in the external cavity opposing the material...

Elastic-resilience-induced dispersion of carbon nanotubes: a novel way of fabricating high performance elastomer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Siwu; Lin, Tengfei; Guo, Baochun

2013-01-01

State-of-the-art processes cannot achieve rubber/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites with satisfactory performance by using pristine MWCNTs and conventional processing equipment. In this work, high performance rubber/MWCNT composites featuring a combination of good mechanical properties, electrical and thermal conductivities and damping capacity over a wide temperature range are fabricated based on a well-developed master batch process. It is demonstrated that the MWCNTs are dispersed homogeneously due to the disentanglement induced by well-wetting and shearing, and the elastic-resilience-induced dispersion of the MWCNTs by rubber chains via the novel processing method. To further enhance the efficacy of elastic-resilience-induced dispersion for MWCNTs, a slightly pre-crosslinked network is constructed in the master batch. Consequently, we obtain rubber/MWCNT composites with unprecedented performance by amplifying the reinforcing effect of relatively low MWCNT loading. This work provides a novel insight into the fabrication of high performance functional elastomeric composites with pristine CNTs by taking advantage of the unique elastic resilience of rubber chains as the driving force for the disentanglement of CNTs. (paper)

On excitation and radiation of detector moving in vacuum with acceleration or moving rectilinearly with superluminal velocity in a medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ginzburg, V.L.; Frolov, V.P.

1986-01-01

The problem of excitation of a detector moving in vacuum with constant acceleration is being discussed in recent years. It is noted in the paper that this excitation and radiation associated with it are similar to those taking place in the range of anomalous Doppler effect occurring during motion of the detector with constant superluminal velocity in medium

Thermally induced dispersion mechanisms for aluminum-based plate-type fuels under rapid transient energy deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Georgevich, V.; Taleyarkham, R.P.; Navarro-Valenti, S.; Kim, S.H.

1995-01-01

A thermally induced dispersion model was developed to analyze for dispersive potential and determine onset of fuel plate dispersion for Al-based research and test reactor fuels. Effect of rapid energy deposition in a fuel plate was simulated. Several data types for Al-based fuels tested in the Nuclear Safety Research Reactor in Japan and in the Transient Reactor Test in Idaho were reviewed. Analyses of experiments show that onset of fuel dispersion is linked to a sharp rise in predicted strain rate, which futher coincides with onset of Al vaporization. Analysis also shows that Al oxidation and exothermal chemical reaction between the fuel and Al can significantly affect the energy deposition characteristics, and therefore dispersion onset connected with Al vaporization, and affect onset of vaporization

Dispersion-induced nonlinearities in semiconductors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mørk, Jesper; Mecozzi, A.

2002-01-01

A dispersive and saturable medium is shown, under very general conditions, to possess ultrafast dynamic behaviour due to non-adiabatic polarisation dynamics. Simple analytical expressions relating the effect to the refractive index dispersion of a semiconductor ire derived and the magnitude...... of the equivalent Kerr coefficient is shown to be in qualitative agreement with measurements on active semiconductor waveguides....

SN 2012au: A GOLDEN LINK BETWEEN SUPERLUMINOUS SUPERNOVAE AND THEIR LOWER-LUMINOSITY COUNTERPARTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milisavljevic, Dan; Soderberg, Alicia M.; Margutti, Raffaella; Drout, Maria R.; Marion, G. Howie; Sanders, Nathan E.; Lunnan, Ragnhild; Chornock, Ryan; Berger, Edo; Foley, Ryan J.; Challis, Pete; Kirshner, Robert P.; Dittmann, Jason; Bieryla, Allyson; Kamble, Atish; Chakraborti, Sayan; Hsiao, Eric Y.; Fesen, Robert A.; Parrent, Jerod T.; Levesque, Emily M.

2013-01-01

We present optical and near-infrared observations of SN 2012au, a slow-evolving supernova (SN) with properties that suggest a link between subsets of energetic and H-poor SNe and superluminous SNe. SN 2012au exhibited conspicuous Type-Ib-like He I lines and other absorption features at velocities reaching ≈2 × 10 4 km s –1 in its early spectra, and a broad light curve that peaked at M B = –18.1 mag. Models of these data indicate a large explosion kinetic energy of ∼10 52 erg and 56 Ni mass ejection of M Ni ≈ 0.3 M ☉ on par with SN 1998bw. SN 2012au's spectra almost one year after explosion show a blend of persistent Fe II P-Cyg absorptions and nebular emissions originating from two distinct velocity regions. These late-time emissions include strong [Fe II], [Ca II], [O I], Mg I], and Na I lines at velocities ∼> 4500 km s –1 , as well as O I and Mg I lines at noticeably smaller velocities ∼ –1 . Many of the late-time properties of SN 2012au are similar to the slow-evolving hypernovae SN 1997dq and SN 1997ef, and the superluminous SN 2007bi. Our observations suggest that a single explosion mechanism may unify all of these events that span –21 ∼ B ∼< –17 mag. The aspherical and possibly jetted explosion was most likely initiated by the core collapse of a massive progenitor star and created substantial high-density, low-velocity Ni-rich material.

Highly-dispersive electromagnetic induced transparency in planar symmetric metamaterials.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Xiqun; Shi, Jinhui; Liu, Ran; Guan, Chunying

2012-07-30

We propose, design and experimentally demonstrate highly-dispersive electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in planar symmetric metamaterials actively switched and controlled by angles of incidence. Full-wave simulation and measurement results show EIT phenomena, trapped-mode excitations and the associated local field enhancement of two symmetric metamaterials consisting of symmetrically split rings (SSR) and a fishscale (FS) metamaterial pattern, respectively, strongly depend on angles of incidence. The FS metamaterial shows much broader spectral splitting than the SSR metamaterial due to the surface current distribution variation.

Surface-induced patterns from evaporating droplets of aqueous carbon nanotube dispersions

KAUST Repository

Zeng, Hongbo; Kristiansen, Kai De Lange; Wang, Peng; Bergli, Joakim; Israelachvili, Jacob N.

2011-01-01

Evaporation of aqueous droplets of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) coated with a physisorbed layer of humic acid (HA) on a partially hydrophilic substrate induces the formation of a film of CNTs. Here, we investigate the role that the global geometry of the substrate surfaces has on the structure of the CNT film. On a flat mica or silica surface, the evaporation of a convex droplet of the CNT dispersion induces the well-known "coffee ring", while evaporation of a concave droplet (capillary meniscus) of the CNT dispersion in a wedge of two planar mica sheets or between two crossed-cylinder sheets induces a large area (>mm 2) of textured or patterned films characterized by different short- and long-range orientational and positional ordering of the CNTs. The resulting patterns appear to be determined by two competing or cooperative sedimentation mechanisms: (1) capillary forces between CNTs giving micrometer-sized filaments parallel to the boundary line of the evaporating droplet and (2) fingering instability at the boundary line of the evaporating droplet and subsequent pinning of CNTs on the surface giving micrometer-sized filaments of CNTs perpendicular to this boundary line. The interplay between substrate surface geometry and sedimentation mechanisms gives an extra control parameter for manipulating patterns of self-assembling nanoparticles at substrate surfaces. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

Surface-induced patterns from evaporating droplets of aqueous carbon nanotube dispersions

KAUST Repository

Zeng, Hongbo

2011-06-07

Evaporation of aqueous droplets of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) coated with a physisorbed layer of humic acid (HA) on a partially hydrophilic substrate induces the formation of a film of CNTs. Here, we investigate the role that the global geometry of the substrate surfaces has on the structure of the CNT film. On a flat mica or silica surface, the evaporation of a convex droplet of the CNT dispersion induces the well-known "coffee ring", while evaporation of a concave droplet (capillary meniscus) of the CNT dispersion in a wedge of two planar mica sheets or between two crossed-cylinder sheets induces a large area (>mm 2) of textured or patterned films characterized by different short- and long-range orientational and positional ordering of the CNTs. The resulting patterns appear to be determined by two competing or cooperative sedimentation mechanisms: (1) capillary forces between CNTs giving micrometer-sized filaments parallel to the boundary line of the evaporating droplet and (2) fingering instability at the boundary line of the evaporating droplet and subsequent pinning of CNTs on the surface giving micrometer-sized filaments of CNTs perpendicular to this boundary line. The interplay between substrate surface geometry and sedimentation mechanisms gives an extra control parameter for manipulating patterns of self-assembling nanoparticles at substrate surfaces. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

Not nanocarbon but dispersant induced abnormality in lysosome in macrophages in vivo

Science.gov (United States)

Yudasaka, Masako; Zhang, Minfang; Matsumura, Sachiko; Yuge, Ryota; Ichihashi, Toshinari; Irie, Hiroshi; Shiba, Kiyotaka; Iijima, Sumio

2015-05-01

The properties of nanocarbons change from hydrophobic to hydrophilic as a result of coating them with dispersants, typically phospholipid polyethylene glycols, for biological studies. It has been shown that the dispersants remain attached to the nanocarbons when they are injected in mice and influence the nanocarbons’ biodistribution in vivo. We show in this report that the effects of dispersants also appear at the subcellular level in vivo. Carbon nanohorns (CNHs), a type of nanocarbon, were dispersed with ceramide polyethylene glycol (CPEG) and intravenously injected in mice. Histological observations and electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray analysis revealed that, in liver and spleen, the lysosome membranes were damaged, and the nanohorns formed a complex with hemosiderin in the lysosomes of the macrophages. It is inferred that the lysosomal membrane was damaged by sphigosine generated as a result of CPEG decomposition, which changed the intra lysosomal conditions, inducing the formation of the CPEG-CNH and hemosiderin complex. For comparison, when glucose was used instead of CPEG, neither the nanohorn-hemosiderin complex nor lysosomal membrane damage was found. Our results suggest that surface functionalization can control the behavior of nancarbons in cells in vivo and thereby improve their suitability for medical applications.

Not nanocarbon but dispersant induced abnormality in lysosome in macrophages in vivo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yudasaka, Masako; Zhang, Minfang; Iijima, Sumio; Matsumura, Sachiko; Shiba, Kiyotaka; Yuge, Ryota; Ichihashi, Toshinari; Irie, Hiroshi

2015-01-01

The properties of nanocarbons change from hydrophobic to hydrophilic as a result of coating them with dispersants, typically phospholipid polyethylene glycols, for biological studies. It has been shown that the dispersants remain attached to the nanocarbons when they are injected in mice and influence the nanocarbons’ biodistribution in vivo. We show in this report that the effects of dispersants also appear at the subcellular level in vivo. Carbon nanohorns (CNHs), a type of nanocarbon, were dispersed with ceramide polyethylene glycol (CPEG) and intravenously injected in mice. Histological observations and electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray analysis revealed that, in liver and spleen, the lysosome membranes were damaged, and the nanohorns formed a complex with hemosiderin in the lysosomes of the macrophages. It is inferred that the lysosomal membrane was damaged by sphigosine generated as a result of CPEG decomposition, which changed the intra lysosomal conditions, inducing the formation of the CPEG-CNH and hemosiderin complex. For comparison, when glucose was used instead of CPEG, neither the nanohorn–hemosiderin complex nor lysosomal membrane damage was found. Our results suggest that surface functionalization can control the behavior of nancarbons in cells in vivo and thereby improve their suitability for medical applications. (paper)

Holographic View of the Brain Memory Mechanism Based on Evanescent Superluminal Photons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takaaki Musha

2012-08-01

Full Text Available D. Pollen and M. Trachtenberg proposed the holographic brain theory to help explain the existence of photographic memories in some people. They suggested that such individuals had more vivid memories because they somehow could access a very large region of their memory holograms. Hameroff suggested in his paper that cylindrical neuronal microtubule cavities, or centrioles, function as waveguides for the evanescent photons for quantum signal processing. The supposition is that microtubular structures of the brain function as a coherent fiber bundle set used to store holographic images, as would a fiber-optic holographic system. In this paper, the author proposes that superluminal photons propagating inside the microtubules via evanescent waves could provide the access needed to record or retrieve a quantum coherent entangled holographic memory.

Improving the biogas production performance of municipal waste activated sludge via disperser induced microwave disintegration.

Science.gov (United States)

Kavitha, S; Rajesh Banu, J; Vinoth Kumar, J; Rajkumar, M

2016-10-01

In this study, the influence of disperser induced microwave pretreatment was investigated to analyze the proficiency of floc disruption on subsequent disintegration and biodegradability process. Initially, the flocs in the sludge was disrupted through disperser at a specific energy input of 25.3kJ/kgTS. The upshot of the microwave disintegration presents that the solids reduction and solubilization of floc disrupted (disperser induced microwave pretreated) sludge was found to be 17.33% and 22% relatively greater than that achieved in microwave pretreated (9.3% and 16%) sludge alone. The biodegradability analysis, affords an evaluation of parameter confidence and correlation determination. The eventual biodegradability of microwave pretreated, and floc disrupted sludges were computed to be 0.15(gCOD/gCOD) and 0.28(gCOD/gCOD), respectively. An economic assessment of this study offers a positive net profit of about 104.8USD/ton of sludge in floc disrupted sample. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SN 2012au: A GOLDEN LINK BETWEEN SUPERLUMINOUS SUPERNOVAE AND THEIR LOWER-LUMINOSITY COUNTERPARTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Milisavljevic, Dan; Soderberg, Alicia M.; Margutti, Raffaella; Drout, Maria R.; Marion, G. Howie; Sanders, Nathan E.; Lunnan, Ragnhild; Chornock, Ryan; Berger, Edo; Foley, Ryan J.; Challis, Pete; Kirshner, Robert P.; Dittmann, Jason; Bieryla, Allyson; Kamble, Atish; Chakraborti, Sayan [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Hsiao, Eric Y. [Carnegie Observatories, Las Campanas Observatory, Colina El Pino, Casilla 601 (Chile); Fesen, Robert A.; Parrent, Jerod T. [6127 Wilder Lab, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755 (United States); Levesque, Emily M., E-mail: dmilisav@cfa.harvard.edu [CASA, Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado, 389-UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 (United States); and others

2013-06-20

We present optical and near-infrared observations of SN 2012au, a slow-evolving supernova (SN) with properties that suggest a link between subsets of energetic and H-poor SNe and superluminous SNe. SN 2012au exhibited conspicuous Type-Ib-like He I lines and other absorption features at velocities reaching Almost-Equal-To 2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 4} km s{sup -1} in its early spectra, and a broad light curve that peaked at M{sub B} = -18.1 mag. Models of these data indicate a large explosion kinetic energy of {approx}10{sup 52} erg and {sup 56}Ni mass ejection of M{sub Ni} Almost-Equal-To 0.3 M{sub Sun} on par with SN 1998bw. SN 2012au's spectra almost one year after explosion show a blend of persistent Fe II P-Cyg absorptions and nebular emissions originating from two distinct velocity regions. These late-time emissions include strong [Fe II], [Ca II], [O I], Mg I], and Na I lines at velocities {approx}> 4500 km s{sup -1}, as well as O I and Mg I lines at noticeably smaller velocities {approx}< 2000 km s{sup -1}. Many of the late-time properties of SN 2012au are similar to the slow-evolving hypernovae SN 1997dq and SN 1997ef, and the superluminous SN 2007bi. Our observations suggest that a single explosion mechanism may unify all of these events that span -21 {approx}< M{sub B} {approx}< -17 mag. The aspherical and possibly jetted explosion was most likely initiated by the core collapse of a massive progenitor star and created substantial high-density, low-velocity Ni-rich material.

Oil spill dispersants induce formation of marine snow by phytoplankton-associated bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

van Eenennaam, Justine S; Wei, Yuzhu; Grolle, Katja C F; Foekema, Edwin M; Murk, AlberTinka J

2016-03-15

Unusually large amounts of marine snow, including Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS), were formed during the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The marine snow settled with oil and clay minerals as an oily sludge layer on the deep sea floor. This study tested the hypothesis that the unprecedented amount of chemical dispersants applied during high phytoplankton densities in the Gulf of Mexico induced high EPS formation. Two marine phytoplankton species (Dunaliella tertiolecta and Phaeodactylum tricornutum) produced EPS within days when exposed to the dispersant Corexit 9500. Phytoplankton-associated bacteria were shown to be responsible for the formation. The EPS consisted of proteins and to lesser extent polysaccharides. This study reveals an unexpected consequence of the presence of phytoplankton. This emphasizes the need to test the action of dispersants under realistic field conditions, which may seriously alter the fate of oil in the environment via increased marine snow formation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tidally induced lateral dispersion of the Storfjorden overflow plume

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Wobus

2013-10-01

Full Text Available We investigate the flow of brine-enriched shelf water from Storfjorden (Svalbard into Fram Strait and onto the western Svalbard Shelf using a regional set-up of NEMO-SHELF, a 3-D numerical ocean circulation model. The model is set up with realistic bathymetry, atmospheric forcing, open boundary conditions and tides. The model has 3 km horizontal resolution and 50 vertical levels in the sh-coordinate system which is specially designed to resolve bottom boundary layer processes. In a series of modelling experiments we focus on the influence of tides on the propagation of the dense water plume by comparing results from tidal and non-tidal model runs. Comparisons of non-tidal to tidal simulations reveal a hotspot of tidally induced horizontal diffusion leading to the lateral dispersion of the plume at the southernmost headland of Spitsbergen which is in close proximity to the plume path. As a result the lighter fractions in the diluted upper layer of the plume are drawn into the shallow coastal current that carries Storfjorden water onto the western Svalbard Shelf, while the dense bottom layer continues to sink down the slope. This bifurcation of the plume into a diluted shelf branch and a dense downslope branch is enhanced by tidally induced shear dispersion at the headland. Tidal effects at the headland are shown to cause a net reduction in the downslope flux of Storfjorden water into the deep Fram Strait. This finding contrasts previous results from observations of a dense plume on a different shelf without abrupt topography.

The general dispersion relation of induced streaming instabilities in quantum outflow systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mehdian, H., E-mail: mehdian@khu.ac.ir; Hajisharifi, K.; Hasanbeigi, A. [Department of Physics and Institute for Plasma Research, Kharazmi University, 49 Dr Mofatteh Avenue, Tehran 15614 (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2015-11-15

In this manuscript the dispersion relations of streaming instabilities, by using the unique property (neutralized in charge and current by default) of plasma shells colliding, have been generalized and studied. This interesting property for interpenetrating beams enables one to find the general dispersion relations without any restrictions used in the previous works in this area. In our previous work [H. Mehdian et al., ApJ. 801, 89 (2015)], employing the plasma shell concept and boost frame method, the general dispersion relation for filamentation instability has been derived in the relativistic classical regime. But in this paper, using the above mentioned concepts, the general dispersion relations (for each of streaming instabilities, filamentation, two-stream and multi-stream) in the non-relativistic quantum regime have been derived by employing the quantum fluid equations together with Maxwell equations. The derived dispersion relations enable to describe any arbitrary system of interacting two and three beams, justified neutralization condition, by choosing the inertial reference frame embedded on the one of the beams. Furthermore, by the numerical and analytical study of these dispersion relations, many new features of streaming instabilities (E.g. their cut-off wave numbers and growth rates) in terms of all involved parameters have been illustrated. The obtained results in this paper can be used to describe many astrophysical systems and laboratory astrophysics setting, such as collision of non-parallel plasma shells over a background plasma or the collision of three neutralized plasma slabs, and justifying the many plasma phenomena such as particle accelerations and induced fields.

Fast Preparation of Critical Ground States Using Superluminal Fronts

Science.gov (United States)

Agarwal, Kartiek; Bhatt, R. N.; Sondhi, S. L.

2018-05-01

We propose a spatiotemporal quench protocol that allows for the fast preparation of ground states of gapless models with Lorentz invariance. Assuming the system initially resides in the ground state of a corresponding massive model, we show that a superluminally moving "front" that locally quenches the mass, leaves behind it (in space) a state arbitrarily close to the ground state of the gapless model. Importantly, our protocol takes time O (L ) to produce the ground state of a system of size ˜Ld (d spatial dimensions), while a fully adiabatic protocol requires time ˜O (L2) to produce a state with exponential accuracy in L . The physics of the dynamical problem can be understood in terms of relativistic rarefaction of excitations generated by the mass front. We provide proof of concept by solving the proposed quench exactly for a system of free bosons in arbitrary dimensions, and for free fermions in d =1 . We discuss the role of interactions and UV effects on the free-theory idealization, before numerically illustrating the usefulness of the approach via simulations on the quantum Heisenberg spin chain.

DART model for irradiation-induced swelling of dispersion fuel elements including aluminum-fuel interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rest, J.; Hofman, G.L.

1997-01-01

The Dispersion Analysis Research Tool (DART) contains models for fission-gas-induced fuel swelling, interaction of fuel with the matrix aluminum, for the resultant reaction-product swelling, and for the calculation of the stress gradient within the fuel particle. The effects of an aluminide shell on fuel particle swelling are evaluated. Validation of the model is demonstrated by a comparison of DART calculations of fuel swelling of U 3 SiAl-Al and U 3 Si 2 -Al for various dispersion fuel element designs with the data

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Absorption velocities for 21 super-luminous SNe Ic (Liu+, 2017)

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Y.-Q.; Modjaz, M.; Bianco, F. B.

2018-04-01

We have collected the spectra of all available super-luminous supernovae (SLSNe) Ic that have a date of maximum light published before April of 2016. These SLSNe Ic were mainly discovered and observed by the All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN), the Catalina Real-Time Transient Survey, the Dark Energy Survey (DES), the Hubble Space Telescope Cluster Supernova Survey, the Pan-STARRS1 Medium Deep Survey (PS1), the Public ESO Spectroscopic Survey of Transient Objects (PESSTO), the Intermediate Palomar Transient Factory (iPTF) as well as the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF), and the Supernova Legacy Survey (SNLS). See table 1. (2 data files).

Millisecond Magnetar Birth Connects FRB 121102 to Superluminous Supernovae and Long-duration Gamma-Ray Bursts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Metzger, Brian D.; Margalit, Ben [Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory, New York, NY 10027 (United States); Berger, Edo [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

2017-05-20

Subarcsecond localization of the repeating fast radio burst FRB 121102 revealed its coincidence with a dwarf host galaxy and a steady (“quiescent”) nonthermal radio source. We show that the properties of the host galaxy are consistent with those of long-duration gamma-ray bursts (LGRB) and hydrogen-poor superluminous supernovae (SLSNe-I). Both LGRBs and SLSNe-I were previously hypothesized to be powered by the electromagnetic spin-down of newly formed, strongly magnetized neutron stars with millisecond birth rotation periods (“millisecond magnetars”). This motivates considering a scenario whereby the repeated bursts from FRB 121102 originate from a young magnetar remnant embedded within a young hydrogen-poor supernova (SN) remnant. Requirements on the gigahertz free–free optical depth through the expanding SN ejecta (accounting for photoionization by the rotationally powered magnetar nebula), energetic constraints on the bursts, and constraints on the size of the quiescent source all point to an age of less than a few decades. The quiescent radio source can be attributed to synchrotron emission from the shock interaction between the fast outer layer of the supernova ejecta with the surrounding wind of the progenitor star, or the radio source can from deeper within the magnetar wind nebula as outlined in Metzger et al. Alternatively, the radio emission could be an orphan afterglow from an initially off-axis LGRB jet, though this might require the source to be too young. The young age of the source can be tested by searching for a time derivative of the dispersion measure and the predicted fading of the quiescent radio source. We propose future tests of the SLSNe-I/LGRB/FRB connection, such as searches for FRBs from nearby SLSNe-I/LGRBs on timescales of decades after their explosions.

Millisecond Magnetar Birth Connects FRB 121102 to Superluminous Supernovae and Long-duration Gamma-Ray Bursts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metzger, Brian D.; Margalit, Ben; Berger, Edo

2017-01-01

Subarcsecond localization of the repeating fast radio burst FRB 121102 revealed its coincidence with a dwarf host galaxy and a steady (“quiescent”) nonthermal radio source. We show that the properties of the host galaxy are consistent with those of long-duration gamma-ray bursts (LGRB) and hydrogen-poor superluminous supernovae (SLSNe-I). Both LGRBs and SLSNe-I were previously hypothesized to be powered by the electromagnetic spin-down of newly formed, strongly magnetized neutron stars with millisecond birth rotation periods (“millisecond magnetars”). This motivates considering a scenario whereby the repeated bursts from FRB 121102 originate from a young magnetar remnant embedded within a young hydrogen-poor supernova (SN) remnant. Requirements on the gigahertz free–free optical depth through the expanding SN ejecta (accounting for photoionization by the rotationally powered magnetar nebula), energetic constraints on the bursts, and constraints on the size of the quiescent source all point to an age of less than a few decades. The quiescent radio source can be attributed to synchrotron emission from the shock interaction between the fast outer layer of the supernova ejecta with the surrounding wind of the progenitor star, or the radio source can from deeper within the magnetar wind nebula as outlined in Metzger et al. Alternatively, the radio emission could be an orphan afterglow from an initially off-axis LGRB jet, though this might require the source to be too young. The young age of the source can be tested by searching for a time derivative of the dispersion measure and the predicted fading of the quiescent radio source. We propose future tests of the SLSNe-I/LGRB/FRB connection, such as searches for FRBs from nearby SLSNe-I/LGRBs on timescales of decades after their explosions.

Relaxation dispersion in MRI induced by fictitious magnetic fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Liimatainen, Timo; Mangia, Silvia; Ling, Wen; Ellermann, Jutta; Sorce, Dennis J; Garwood, Michael; Michaeli, Shalom

2011-04-01

A new method entitled Relaxation Along a Fictitious Field (RAFF) was recently introduced for investigating relaxations in rotating frames of rank ≥ 2. RAFF generates a fictitious field (E) by applying frequency-swept pulses with sine and cosine amplitude and frequency modulation operating in a sub-adiabatic regime. In the present work, MRI contrast is created by varying the orientation of E, i.e. the angle ε between E and the z″ axis of the second rotating frame. When ε > 45°, the amplitude of the fictitious field E generated during RAFF is significantly larger than the RF field amplitude used for transmitting the sine/cosine pulses. Relaxation during RAFF was investigated using an invariant-trajectory approach and the Bloch-McConnell formalism. Dipole-dipole interactions between identical (like) spins and anisochronous exchange (e.g., exchange between spins with different chemical shifts) in the fast exchange regime were considered. Experimental verifications were performed in vivo in human and mouse brain. Theoretical and experimental results demonstrated that changes in ε induced a dispersion of the relaxation rate constants. The fastest relaxation was achieved at ε ≈ 56°, where the averaged contributions from transverse components during the pulse are maximal and the contribution from longitudinal components are minimal. RAFF relaxation dispersion was compared with the relaxation dispersion achieved with off-resonance spin lock T(₁ρ) experiments. As compared with the off-resonance spin lock T(₁ρ) method, a slower rotating frame relaxation rate was observed with RAFF, which under certain experimental conditions is desirable. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SPECTROPOLARIMETRY OF SUPERLUMINOUS SUPERNOVAE: INSIGHT INTO THEIR GEOMETRY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inserra, C.; Bulla, M.; Sim, S. A.; Smartt, S. J., E-mail: c.inserra@qub.ac.uk [Astrophysics Research Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queens University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom)

2016-11-01

We present the first spectropolarimetric observations of a hydrogen-free superluminous supernova (SLSN) at z = 0.1136, namely SN 2015bn. The transient shows significant polarization at both of the observed epochs: one 24 days before maximum light in the rest-frame, and the other at 27 days after peak luminosity. Analysis of the Q – U plane suggests the presence of a dominant axis and no physical departure from the main axis at either epoch. The polarization spectrum along the dominant axis is characterized by a strong wavelength dependence and an increase in the signal from the first to the second epoch. We use a Monte Carlo code to demonstrate that these properties are consistent with a simple toy model that adopts an axisymmetric ellipsoidal configuration for the ejecta. We find that the wavelength dependence of the polarization is possibly due to a strong wavelength dependence in the line opacity, while the higher level of polarization at the second epoch is a consequence of the increase in the asphericity of the inner layers of the ejecta or the fact that the photosphere recedes into less spherical layers. The geometry of the SLSN is similar to that of stripped-envelope core-collapse SNe connected to GRB, while the overall evolution of the ejecta shape could be consistent with a central engine.

Superluminous Transients at AGN Centers from Interaction between Black Hole Disk Winds and Broad-line Region Clouds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moriya, Takashi J.; Tanaka, Masaomi; Ohsuga, Ken [Division of Theoretical Astronomy, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan); Morokuma, Tomoki, E-mail: takashi.moriya@nao.ac.jp [Institute of Astronomy, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-0015 (Japan)

2017-07-10

We propose that superluminous transients that appear at central regions of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) such as CSS100217:102913+404220 (CSS100217) and PS16dtm, which reach near- or super-Eddington luminosities of the central black holes, are powered by the interaction between accretion-disk winds and clouds in broad-line regions (BLRs) surrounding them. If the disk luminosity temporarily increases by, e.g., limit–cycle oscillations, leading to a powerful radiatively driven wind, strong shock waves propagate in the BLR. Because the dense clouds in the AGN BLRs typically have similar densities to those found in SNe IIn, strong radiative shocks emerge and efficiently convert the ejecta kinetic energy to radiation. As a result, transients similar to SNe IIn can be observed at AGN central regions. Since a typical black hole disk-wind velocity is ≃0.1 c , where c is the speed of light, the ejecta kinetic energy is expected to be ≃10{sup 52} erg when ≃1 M {sub ⊙} is ejected. This kinetic energy is transformed to radiation energy in a timescale for the wind to sweep up a similar mass to itself in the BLR, which is a few hundred days. Therefore, both luminosities (∼10{sup 44} erg s{sup −1}) and timescales (∼100 days) of the superluminous transients from AGN central regions match those expected in our interaction model. If CSS100217 and PS16dtm are related to the AGN activities triggered by limit–cycle oscillations, they become bright again in coming years or decades.

Taurine zinc solid dispersions attenuate doxorubicin-induced hepatotoxicity and cardiotoxicity in rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Yu; Mei, Xueting; Yuan, Jingquan; Lu, Wenping; Li, Binglong; Xu, Donghui

2015-01-01

The clinical efficacy of anthracycline anti-neoplastic agents is limited by cardiac and hepatic toxicities. The aim of this study was to assess the hepatoprotective and cardioprotective effects of taurine zinc solid dispersions, which is a newly-synthesized taurine zinc compound, against doxorubicin-induced toxicity in Sprague–Dawley rats intraperitoneally injected with doxorubicin hydrochloride (3 mg/kg) three times a week (seven injections) over 28 days. Hemodynamic parameters, levels of liver toxicity markers and oxidative stress were assessed. Taurine zinc significantly attenuated the reductions in blood pressure, left ventricular pressure and ± dp/dtmax, increases in serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities, and reductions in serum Zn 2+ and albumin levels (P < 0.05 or 0.01) induced by doxorubicin. In rats treated with doxorubicin, taurine zinc dose-dependently increased liver superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione concentration, and decreased malondialdehyde level (P < 0.01). qBase + was used to evaluate the stability of eight candidate reference genes for real-time quantitative reverse-transcription PCR. Taurine zinc dose-dependently increased liver heme oxygenase-1 and UDP-glucuronyl transferase mRNA and protein expression (P < 0.01). Western blotting demonstrated that taurine zinc inhibited c-Jun N-terminal kinase phosphorylation by upregulating dual-specificity phosphoprotein phosphatase-1. Additionally, taurine zinc inhibited cardiomyocyte apoptosis as there was decreased TUNEL/DAPI positivity and protein expression of caspase-3. These results indicate that taurine zinc solid dispersions prevent the side-effects of anthracycline-based anticancer therapy. The mechanisms might be associated with the enhancement of antioxidant defense system partly through activating transcription to synthesize endogenous phase II medicine enzymes and anti-apoptosis through inhibiting JNK phosphorylation. - Highlights: �

Taurine zinc solid dispersions attenuate doxorubicin-induced hepatotoxicity and cardiotoxicity in rats

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Yu; Mei, Xueting; Yuan, Jingquan; Lu, Wenping; Li, Binglong; Xu, Donghui, E-mail: Donghuixu007@163.com

2015-11-15

The clinical efficacy of anthracycline anti-neoplastic agents is limited by cardiac and hepatic toxicities. The aim of this study was to assess the hepatoprotective and cardioprotective effects of taurine zinc solid dispersions, which is a newly-synthesized taurine zinc compound, against doxorubicin-induced toxicity in Sprague–Dawley rats intraperitoneally injected with doxorubicin hydrochloride (3 mg/kg) three times a week (seven injections) over 28 days. Hemodynamic parameters, levels of liver toxicity markers and oxidative stress were assessed. Taurine zinc significantly attenuated the reductions in blood pressure, left ventricular pressure and ± dp/dtmax, increases in serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities, and reductions in serum Zn{sup 2+} and albumin levels (P < 0.05 or 0.01) induced by doxorubicin. In rats treated with doxorubicin, taurine zinc dose-dependently increased liver superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione concentration, and decreased malondialdehyde level (P < 0.01). qBase{sup +} was used to evaluate the stability of eight candidate reference genes for real-time quantitative reverse-transcription PCR. Taurine zinc dose-dependently increased liver heme oxygenase-1 and UDP-glucuronyl transferase mRNA and protein expression (P < 0.01). Western blotting demonstrated that taurine zinc inhibited c-Jun N-terminal kinase phosphorylation by upregulating dual-specificity phosphoprotein phosphatase-1. Additionally, taurine zinc inhibited cardiomyocyte apoptosis as there was decreased TUNEL/DAPI positivity and protein expression of caspase-3. These results indicate that taurine zinc solid dispersions prevent the side-effects of anthracycline-based anticancer therapy. The mechanisms might be associated with the enhancement of antioxidant defense system partly through activating transcription to synthesize endogenous phase II medicine enzymes and anti-apoptosis through inhibiting JNK phosphorylation. - Highlights: �

Dispersal limitation induces long-term biomass collapse in overhunted Amazonian forests.

Science.gov (United States)

Peres, Carlos A; Emilio, Thaise; Schietti, Juliana; Desmoulière, Sylvain J M; Levi, Taal

2016-01-26

Tropical forests are the global cornerstone of biological diversity, and store 55% of the forest carbon stock globally, yet sustained provisioning of these forest ecosystem services may be threatened by hunting-induced extinctions of plant-animal mutualisms that maintain long-term forest dynamics. Large-bodied Atelinae primates and tapirs in particular offer nonredundant seed-dispersal services for many large-seeded Neotropical tree species, which on average have higher wood density than smaller-seeded and wind-dispersed trees. We used field data and models to project the spatial impact of hunting on large primates by ∼ 1 million rural households throughout the Brazilian Amazon. We then used a unique baseline dataset on 2,345 1-ha tree plots arrayed across the Brazilian Amazon to model changes in aboveground forest biomass under different scenarios of hunting-induced large-bodied frugivore extirpation. We project that defaunation of the most harvest-sensitive species will lead to losses in aboveground biomass of between 2.5-5.8% on average, with some losses as high as 26.5-37.8%. These findings highlight an urgent need to manage the sustainability of game hunting in both protected and unprotected tropical forests, and place full biodiversity integrity, including populations of large frugivorous vertebrates, firmly in the agenda of reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) programs.

Double cascade turbulence and Richardson dispersion in a horizontal fluid flow induced by Faraday waves.

Science.gov (United States)

von Kameke, A; Huhn, F; Fernández-García, G; Muñuzuri, A P; Pérez-Muñuzuri, V

2011-08-12

We report the experimental observation of Richardson dispersion and a double cascade in a thin horizontal fluid flow induced by Faraday waves. The energy spectra and the mean spectral energy flux obtained from particle image velocimetry data suggest an inverse energy cascade with Kolmogorov type scaling E(k) ∝ k(γ), γ ≈ -5/3 and an E(k) ∝ k(γ), γ ≈ -3 enstrophy cascade. Particle transport is studied analyzing absolute and relative dispersion as well as the finite size Lyapunov exponent (FSLE) via the direct tracking of real particles and numerical advection of virtual particles. Richardson dispersion with ∝ t(3) is observed and is also reflected in the slopes of the FSLE (Λ ∝ ΔR(-2/3)) for virtual and real particles.

DES13S2cmm: the first superluminous supernova from the Dark Energy Survey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Papadopoulos, A.; D' Andrea, C. B.; Sullivan, M.; Nichol, R. C.; Barbary, K.; Biswas, R.; Brown, P. J.; Covarrubias, R. A.; Finley, D. A.; Fischer, J. A.; Foley, R. J.; Goldstein, D.; Gupta, R. R.; Kessler, R.; Kovacs, E.; Kuhlmann, S. E.; Lidman, C.; March, M.; Nugent, P. E.; Sako, M.; Smith, R. C.; Spinka, H.; Wester, W.; Abbott, T. M. C.; Abdalla, F.; Allam, S. S.; Banerji, M.; Bernstein, J. P.; Bernstein, R. A.; Carnero, A.; da Costa, L. N.; DePoy, D. L.; Desai, S.; Diehl, H. T.; Eifler, T.; Evrard, A. E.; Flaugher, B.; Frieman, J. A.; Gerdes, D.; Gruen, D.; Honscheid, K.; James, D.; Kuehn, K.; Kuropatkin, N.; Lahav, O.; Maia, M. A. G.; Makler, M.; Marshall, J. L.; Merritt, K. W.; Miller, C. J.; Miquel, R.; Ogando, R.; Plazas, A. A.; Roe, N. A.; Romer, A. K.; Rykoff, E.; Sanchez, E.; Santiago, B. X.; Scarpine, V.; Schubnell, M.; Sevilla, I.; Soares-Santos, M.; Suchyta, E.; Swanson, M.; Tarle, G.; Thaler, J.; Tucker, L. D.; Wechsler, R. H.; Zuntz, J.

2015-03-20

We present DES13S2cmm, the first spectroscopically-confirmed superluminous supernova (SLSN) from the Dark Energy Survey (DES). We briefly discuss the data and search algorithm used to find this event in the first year of DES operations, and outline the spectroscopic data obtained from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) Very Large Telescope to confirm its redshift (z = 0.663 +/- 0.001 based on the host-galaxy emission lines) and likely spectral type (Type I). Using this redshift, we find M-U(peak) = -21.05(-0.09)(+0.10) for the peak, rest-frame U-band absolute magnitude, and find DES13S2cmm to be located in a faint, low-metallicity (subsolar), low stellar-mass host galaxy (log (M/M-circle dot) = 9.3 +/- 0.3), consistent with what is seen for other SLSNe-I. We compare the bolometric light curve of DES13S2cmm to 14 similarly well-observed SLSNe-I in the literature and find that it possesses one of the slowest declining tails (beyond +30 d rest-frame past peak), and is the faintest at peak. Moreover, we find the bolometric light curves of all SLSNe-I studied herein possess a dispersion of only 0.2-0.3 mag between +25 and +30 d after peak (rest frame) depending on redshift range studied; this could be important for 'standardizing' such supernovae, as is done with the more common Type Ia. We fit the bolometric light curve of DES13S2cmm with two competing models for SLSNe-I-the radioactive decay of Ni-56, and a magnetar - and find that while the magnetar is formally a better fit, neither model provides a compelling match to the data. Although we are unable to conclusively differentiate between these two physical models for this particular SLSN-I, further DES observations of more SLSNe-I should break this degeneracy, especially if the light curves of SLSNe-I can be observed beyond 100 d in the rest frame of the supernova.

Dispersion induced penalty for a 1xN passive interferometric optical MUX/DEMUX and its reduction using all-pass filters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leick, Lasse; Peucheret, Christophe

2002-01-01

The cascadability of 1timesN passband flattened interferometer DEMUX is investigated numerically. The passband flattening process results in detrimental dispersion induced penalty at 10 Gbit/s which can be significantly reduced with all-pass filters on the input arm......The cascadability of 1timesN passband flattened interferometer DEMUX is investigated numerically. The passband flattening process results in detrimental dispersion induced penalty at 10 Gbit/s which can be significantly reduced with all-pass filters on the input arm...

Production and measurement of dispersion aerosols; application to the transport of deuteron-induced and 84Kr-induced reaction recoils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt-Ott, W.-D.; Dincklage, R.-D. von

1977-01-01

Dispersion aerosols were produced from various fluids and mixed with helium, nitrogen, and air. The diameter of the aerosols was estimated from their deflection in a low density micro-jet. These two-phase flows were tested for their transport performance for recoils of deuteron-induced reactions at the Goettingen cyclotron. Transport yields of 70%, 90% and 86% were measured when using n-decane with helium, nitrogen, and air, respectively. In comparison to the earlier use of ethylene the amount of disturbing activity induced on the gases was much smaller. The effect of aerosol formation by condensation is discussed. The system was applied in electron- and γ-ray spectroscopy of deuteron-induced reaction recoils. The mixture of n-decane and helium was used for the transport of 84 Kr-induced reaction recoils at the Darmstadt UNILAC. (Auth.)

Quantum effects in warp drives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Finazzi Stefano

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Warp drives are interesting configurations that, at least theoretically, provide a way to travel at superluminal speed. Unfortunately, several issues seem to forbid their realization. First, a huge amount of exotic matter is required to build them. Second, the presence of quantum fields propagating in superluminal warp-drive geometries makes them semiclassically unstable. Indeed, a Hawking-like high-temperature flux of particles is generated inside the warp-drive bubble, which causes an exponential growth of the energy density measured at the front wall of the bubble by freely falling observers. Moreover, superluminal warp drives remain unstable even if the Lorentz symmetry is broken by the introduction of regulating higher order terms in the Lagrangian of the quantum field. If the dispersion relation of the quantum field is subluminal, a black-hole laser phenomenon yields an exponential amplification of the emitted flux. If it is superluminal, infrared effects cause a linear growth of this flux.

Phase noise of dispersion-managed solitons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spiller, Elaine T.; Biondini, Gino

2009-01-01

We quantify noise-induced phase deviations of dispersion-managed solitons (DMS) in optical fiber communications and femtosecond lasers. We first develop a perturbation theory for the dispersion-managed nonlinear Schroedinger equation (DMNLSE) in order to compute the noise-induced mean and variance of the soliton parameters. We then use the analytical results to guide importance-sampled Monte Carlo simulations of the noise-driven DMNLSE. Comparison of these results with those from the original unaveraged governing equations confirms the validity of the DMNLSE as a model for many dispersion-managed systems and quantify the increased robustness of DMS with respect to noise-induced phase jitter.

RAPIDLY RISING TRANSIENTS IN THE SUPERNOVA—SUPERLUMINOUS SUPERNOVA GAP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arcavi, Iair; Howell, D. Andrew [Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope, 6740 Cortona Dr., Suite 102, Goleta, CA 93111 (United States); Wolf, William M. [Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States); Bildsten, Lars; McCully, Curtis; Valenti, Stefano [Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States); Leloudas, Giorgos; Gal-Yam, Avishay; Katz, Boaz [Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100 (Israel); Hardin, Delphine; Astier, Pierre; Balland, Cristophe [LPNHE, CNRS-IN2P3 and University of Paris VI and VII, F-75005 Paris (France); Prajs, Szymon; Sullivan, Mark [School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom); Perley, Daniel A. [Dark Cosmology Centre, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej 30, DK-2100 Copenhagen (Denmark); Svirski, Gilad [Racah Institute for Physics, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904 (Israel); Cenko, S. Bradley [Astrophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Mail Code 661, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Lidman, Chris [Australian Astronomical Observatory, P.O. Box 915, North Ryde, NSW 1670 (Australia); Carlberg, Ray G. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, 50 St. George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3H8 (Canada); Conley, Alex, E-mail: iarcavi@lcogt.net [Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy, University of Colorado, 389 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-389 (United States); and others

2016-03-01

We present observations of four rapidly rising (t{sub rise} ≈ 10 days) transients with peak luminosities between those of supernovae (SNe) and superluminous SNe (M{sub peak} ≈ −20)—one discovered and followed by the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) and three by the Supernova Legacy Survey. The light curves resemble those of SN 2011kl, recently shown to be associated with an ultra-long-duration gamma-ray burst (GRB), though no GRB was seen to accompany our SNe. The rapid rise to a luminous peak places these events in a unique part of SN phase space, challenging standard SN emission mechanisms. Spectra of the PTF event formally classify it as an SN II due to broad Hα emission, but an unusual absorption feature, which can be interpreted as either high velocity Hα (though deeper than in previously known cases) or Si ii (as seen in SNe Ia), is also observed. We find that existing models of white dwarf detonations, CSM interaction, shock breakout in a wind (or steeper CSM), and magnetar spin down cannot readily explain the observations. We consider the possibility that a “Type 1.5 SN” scenario could be the origin of our events. More detailed models for these kinds of transients and more constraining observations of future such events should help to better determine their nature.

Modelling of U-Mo/Al Dispersion fuel fission induced swelling and creep

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, Gwan Yoon; Sohn, Dong Seong [Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Yeon Soo [Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne (United States)

2014-05-15

In a Dispersion fuel which U-Mo particles are dispersed in Al metal matrix, a similar phenomenon forming a bulge region was observed but it is difficult to quantify and construct a model for explaining creep and swelling because of its complex microstructure change during irradiation including interaction layer (IL) and porosity formation. In a Dispersion fuel meat, fission product induces fuel particles swelling and it has to be accommodated by the deformation of the Al matrix and newly formed IL during irradiation. Then, it is reasonable that stress from fuel swelling in the complex structure should be relaxed by local adjustments of particles, Al matrix, and IL. For analysis of U-Mo/Al Dispersion fuel creep, the creep of U-Mo particle, Al matrix, and IL should be considered. Moreover, not only fuel particle swelling and IL growth, but also fuel and Al matrix consumptions due to IL formation are accounted in terms of their volume fraction changes during irradiation. In this work, fuel particles, Al matrix and IL are treated in a way of homogenized constituents: Fuel particles, Al matrix and IL consist of an equivalent meat during irradiation. Meat volume swelling of two representative plates was measured: One (Plate A) was a pure Al matrix with 6g/cc uranium loading, the other (Plate B) a silicon added Al matrix with 8g/cc uranium loading. The meat swelling of calculated as a function of burnup. The meat swelling of calculation and measurement was compared and the creep rate coefficients for Al and IL were estimated by repetitions. Based on assumption that only the continuous phase of Al-IL combined matrix accommodated the stress from fuel particle swelling and it was allowed to have creep deformation, the homogenization modeling was performed. The meat swelling of two U-Mo/Al Dispersion fuel plates was modeled by using homogenization model.

Modelling of U-Mo/Al Dispersion fuel fission induced swelling and creep

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Gwan Yoon; Sohn, Dong Seong; Kim, Yeon Soo

2014-01-01

In a Dispersion fuel which U-Mo particles are dispersed in Al metal matrix, a similar phenomenon forming a bulge region was observed but it is difficult to quantify and construct a model for explaining creep and swelling because of its complex microstructure change during irradiation including interaction layer (IL) and porosity formation. In a Dispersion fuel meat, fission product induces fuel particles swelling and it has to be accommodated by the deformation of the Al matrix and newly formed IL during irradiation. Then, it is reasonable that stress from fuel swelling in the complex structure should be relaxed by local adjustments of particles, Al matrix, and IL. For analysis of U-Mo/Al Dispersion fuel creep, the creep of U-Mo particle, Al matrix, and IL should be considered. Moreover, not only fuel particle swelling and IL growth, but also fuel and Al matrix consumptions due to IL formation are accounted in terms of their volume fraction changes during irradiation. In this work, fuel particles, Al matrix and IL are treated in a way of homogenized constituents: Fuel particles, Al matrix and IL consist of an equivalent meat during irradiation. Meat volume swelling of two representative plates was measured: One (Plate A) was a pure Al matrix with 6g/cc uranium loading, the other (Plate B) a silicon added Al matrix with 8g/cc uranium loading. The meat swelling of calculated as a function of burnup. The meat swelling of calculation and measurement was compared and the creep rate coefficients for Al and IL were estimated by repetitions. Based on assumption that only the continuous phase of Al-IL combined matrix accommodated the stress from fuel particle swelling and it was allowed to have creep deformation, the homogenization modeling was performed. The meat swelling of two U-Mo/Al Dispersion fuel plates was modeled by using homogenization model

Thermally induced all-optical inverter and dynamic hysteresis loops in graphene oxide dispersions.

Science.gov (United States)

Melle, Sonia; Calderón, Oscar G; Egatz-Gómez, Ana; Cabrera-Granado, E; Carreño, F; Antón, M A

2015-11-01

We experimentally study the temporal dynamics of amplitude-modulated laser beams propagating through a water dispersion of graphene oxide sheets in a fiber-to-fiber U-bench. Nonlinear refraction induced in the sample by thermal effects leads to both phase reversing of the transmitted signals and dynamic hysteresis in the input-output power curves. A theoretical model including beam propagation and thermal lensing dynamics reproduces the experimental findings.

Multifrequency radio VLBI observations of the superluminal low-frequency variable quasar NRAO 140

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marscher, A.P.; Broderick, J.J.

1985-01-01

VLBI maps of the quasar NRAO 140 at three wavelengths: 18, 6, and 2.8 cm are presented. The source consists of a jetlike structure delineated by a nearly colinear series of components which are progressively more compact toward the northwestern end of the source. The multifrequency observations make it possible to dissect accurately the spectrum of the source, which leads to an affirmation of the previously reported Compton problem and superluminal motion. The Compton problem requires relativistic motion with Doppler factor delta greater than 3.7. One of the components is separating from the core at a rate of 0.15 milliarcsec/yr, which translates to an apparent velocity between 4c and 13c, depending on the values of H(0) and q(0). The energy in relativistic electrons in one of the components far exceeds the energy in magnetic field, but the total energy requirement need not exceed approximately 10 to the 54th ergs. 27 references

Dispersion of gold nanoclusters in TMBPA-polycarbonate by a combination of thermal embedding and vapour-induced crystallization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kruse, J; Dolgner, K; Greve, H; Zaporojtchenko, V; Faupel, F

2006-01-01

Gold nanoclusters can be dispersed into the surface of a bisphenol-A polycarbonate film by acetone vapour induced crystallization, an effect which has been demonstrated in a previous publication of our group. Gold nanoclusters were deposited by physical vapour deposition on an amorphous thin film of polycarbonate. After vapour induced crystallization these clusters were detected by depth profiling to be embedded into the surface, with a concentration maximum in a depth of approximately 100 nm. In this work, we replaced the BPA by the modified tetramethyl bisphenol-A polycarbonate, which shows a slower crystallization kinetics. A strong enhancement of the dispersion depth has been achieved by thermal pre-embedding of the clusters into the surface. Surface analysis by means of atomic force microscopy reflects the rearrangement of polymer material in the course of crystallization

DNase I and proteinase K impair Listeria monocytogenes biofilm formation and induce dispersal of pre-existing biofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Uyen T; Burrows, Lori L

2014-09-18

Current sanitation methods in the food industry are not always sufficient for prevention or dispersal of Listeria monocytogenes biofilms. Here, we determined if prevention of adherence or dispersal of existing biofilms could occur if biofilm matrix components were disrupted enzymatically. Addition of DNase during biofilm formation reduced attachment (biofilms with 100μg/ml of DNase for 24h induced incomplete biofilm dispersal, with biofilm remaining compared to control. In contrast, addition of proteinase K completely inhibited biofilm formation, and 72h biofilms-including those grown under stimulatory conditions-were completely dispersed with 100μg/ml proteinase K. Generally-regarded-as-safe proteases bromelain and papain were less effective dispersants than proteinase K. In a time course assay, complete dispersal of L. monocytogenes biofilms from both polystyrene and type 304H food-grade stainless steel occurred within 5min at proteinase K concentrations above 25μg/ml. These data confirm that both DNA and proteins are required for L. monocytogenes biofilm development and maintenance, and that these components of the biofilm matrix can be targeted for effective prevention and removal of biofilms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interventricular dispersion in repolarization causes bifid T waves in dogs with dofetilide-induced long QT syndrome

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijborg, Veronique M F; Chauveau, Samuel; Janse, Michiel J; Anyukhovsky, Evgeny P; Danilo, Peter R; Rosen, Michael R; Opthof, Tobias; Coronel, Ruben

BACKGROUND: Long QT2 (LQT2) syndrome is characterized by bifid (or notched) T waves, whose mechanism is not understood. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to test whether increased interventricular dispersion of repolarization induces bifid T waves. METHODS: We simultaneously recorded surface

MOJAVE. X. PARSEC-SCALE JET ORIENTATION VARIATIONS AND SUPERLUMINAL MOTION IN ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lister, M. L.; Richards, J. L. [Department of Physics, Purdue University, 525 Northwestern Avenue, West Lafayette, IN 47907 (United States); Aller, M. F.; Aller, H. D. [Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 817 Dennison Building, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Homan, D. C. [Department of Physics, Denison University, Granville, OH 43023 (United States); Kellermann, K. I. [National Radio Astronomy Observatory, 520 Edgemont Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903 (United States); Kovalev, Y. Y. [Astro Space Center of Lebedev Physical Institute, Profsoyuznaya 84/32, 117997 Moscow (Russian Federation); Pushkarev, A. B.; Ros, E.; Savolainen, T., E-mail: mlister@purdue.edu [Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn (Germany)

2013-11-01

We describe the parsec-scale kinematics of 200 active galactic nucleus (AGN) jets based on 15 GHz Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) data obtained between 1994 August 31 and 2011 May 1. We present new VLBA 15 GHz images of these and 59 additional AGNs from the MOJAVE and 2 cm Survey programs. Nearly all of the 60 most heavily observed jets show significant changes in their innermost position angle over a 12-16 yr interval, ranging from 10° to 150° on the sky, corresponding to intrinsic variations of ∼0.°5 to ∼2°. The BL Lac jets show smaller variations than quasars. Roughly half of the heavily observed jets show systematic position angle trends with time, and 20 show indications of oscillatory behavior. The time spans of the data sets are too short compared to the fitted periods (5-12 yr), however, to reliably establish periodicity. The rapid changes and large jumps in position angle seen in many cases suggest that the superluminal AGN jet features occupy only a portion of the entire jet cross section and may be energized portions of thin instability structures within the jet. We have derived vector proper motions for 887 moving features in 200 jets having at least five VLBA epochs. For 557 well-sampled features, there are sufficient data to additionally study possible accelerations. We find that the moving features are generally non-ballistic, with 70% of the well-sampled features showing either significant accelerations or non-radial motions. Inward motions are rare (2% of all features), are slow (<0.1 mas yr{sup –1}), are more prevalent in BL Lac jets, and are typically found within 1 mas of the unresolved core feature. There is a general trend of increasing apparent speed with distance down the jet for both radio galaxies and BL Lac objects. In most jets, the speeds of the features cluster around a characteristic value, yet there is a considerable dispersion in the distribution. Orientation variations within the jet cannot fully account for the

Interventricular dispersion in repolarization causes bifid T waves in dogs with dofetilide-induced long QT syndrome

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijborg, Veronique M. F.; Chauveau, Samuel; Janse, Michiel J.; Anyukhovsky, Evgeny P.; Danilo, Peter R.; Rosen, Michael R.; Opthof, Tobias; Coronel, Ruben

2015-01-01

Long QT2 (LQT2) syndrome is characterized by bifid (or notched) T waves, whose mechanism is not understood. The purpose of this study was to test whether increased interventricular dispersion of repolarization induces bifid T waves. We simultaneously recorded surface ECG and unipolar electrograms at

Use of ultrafast dispersed pump-dump-probe and pump-repump-probe spectroscopies to explore the light-induced dynamics of peridinin in solution

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Papagiannakis, E.; Vengris, M.; Larsen, D.S.; van Stokkum, I.H.M.; Hiller, R.G.; van Grondelle, R.

2006-01-01

Optical pump-induced dynamics of the highly asymmetric carotenoid peridinin in methanol was studied by dispersed pump-probe, pump-dump-probe, and pump-repump-probe transient absorption spectroscopy in the visible region. Dispersed pump-probe measurements show that the decay of the initially excited

Possible involvement of α- and β-receptors in the natural colour change and the MSH-induced dispersion in Xenopus laevis in vivo

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brouwer, E.; Veerdonk, F.C.G. van de

Participation of adrenergic receptors in the darkening reaction has been demonstrated in Xenopus laevis in vivo. Blockade of the β-receptors inhibited adaptation to a black background as well as the artificially MSH-induced dispersion. α-Receptors could not be proved to be involved in the dispersion

The Trails of Superluminal Jet Components in 3C 111

Science.gov (United States)

Kadler, M.; Ros, E.; Perucho, M.; Kovalev, Y. Y.; Homan, D. C.; Agudo, I.; Kellermann, K. I.; Aller, M. F.; Aller, H. D.; Lister, M. L.;

Involvement of UL24 in herpes-simplex-virus-1-induced dispersal of nucleolin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lymberopoulos, Maria H.; Pearson, Angela

2007-01-01

UL24 of herpes simplex virus 1 is important for efficient viral replication, but its function is unknown. We generated a recombinant virus, vHA-UL24, encoding UL24 with an N-terminal hemagglutinin tag. By indirect immunofluorescence at 9 h post-infection (hpi), we detected HA-UL24 in nuclear foci and in cytoplasmic speckles. HA-UL24 partially co-localized with nucleolin, but not with ICP8 or coilin, markers for nucleoli, viral replication compartments, and Cajal bodies respectively. HA-UL24 staining was often juxtaposed to that of another nucleolar protein, fibrillarin. Analysis of HSV-1-induced nucleolar modifications revealed that by 18 hpi, nucleolin staining had dispersed, and fibrillarin staining went from clusters of small spots to a few separate but prominent spots. Fibrillarin redistribution appeared to be independent of UL24. In contrast, cells infected with a UL24-deficient virus retained foci of nucleolin staining. Our results demonstrate involvement of UL24 in dispersal of nucleolin during infection

H i Absorption in the Steep-Spectrum Superluminal Quasar 3C 216.

Science.gov (United States)

Pihlström; Vermeulen; Taylor; Conway

1999-11-01

The search for H i absorption in strong compact steep-spectrum sources is a natural way to probe the neutral gas contents in young radio sources. In turn, this may provide information about the evolution of powerful radio sources. The recently improved capabilities of the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope have made it possible to detect a 0.31% (19 mJy) deep neutral atomic hydrogen absorption line associated with the steep-spectrum superluminal quasar 3C 216. The redshift (z=0.67) of the source shifts the frequency of the 21 cm line down to the ultra-high-frequency (UHF) band (850 MHz). The exact location of the H i-absorbing gas remains to be determined by spectral line VLBI observations at 850 MHz. We cannot exclude that the gas might be extended on galactic scales, but we think it is more likely to be located in the central kiloparsec. Constraints from the lack of X-ray absorption probably rule out obscuration of the core region, and we argue that the most plausible site for the H i absorption is in the jet-cloud interaction observed in this source.

Fitness declines towards range limits and local adaptation to climate affect dispersal evolution during climate‐induced range shifts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hargreaves, Anna; Bailey, Susan; Laird, Robert

2015-01-01

Dispersal ability will largely determine whether species track their climatic niches during climate change, a process especially important for populations at contracting (low-latitude/low-elevation) range limits that otherwise risk extinction. We investigate whether dispersal evolution....... We simulate a species distributed continuously along a temperature gradient using a spatially explicit, individual-based model. We compare range-wide dispersal evolution during climate stability vs. directional climate change, with uniform fitness vs. fitness that declines towards range limits (RLs...... at contracting range limits is facilitated by two processes that potentially enable edge populations to experience and adjust to the effects of climate deterioration before they cause extinction: (i) climate-induced fitness declines towards range limits and (ii) local adaptation to a shifting climate gradient...

Strongly coupled dispersed two-phase flows; Ecoulements diphasiques disperses fortement couples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zun, I.; Lance, M.; Ekiel-Jezewska, M.L.; Petrosyan, A.; Lecoq, N.; Anthore, R.; Bostel, F.; Feuillebois, F.; Nott, P.; Zenit, R.; Hunt, M.L.; Brennen, C.E.; Campbell, C.S.; Tong, P.; Lei, X.; Ackerson, B.J.; Asmolov, E.S.; Abade, G.; da Cunha, F.R.; Lhuillier, D.; Cartellier, A.; Ruzicka, M.C.; Drahos, J.; Thomas, N.H.; Talini, L.; Leblond, J.; Leshansky, A.M.; Lavrenteva, O.M.; Nir, A.; Teshukov, V.; Risso, F.; Ellinsen, K.; Crispel, S.; Dahlkild, A.; Vynnycky, M.; Davila, J.; Matas, J.P.; Guazelli, L.; Morris, J.; Ooms, G.; Poelma, C.; van Wijngaarden, L.; de Vries, A.; Elghobashi, S.; Huilier, D.; Peirano, E.; Minier, J.P.; Gavrilyuk, S.; Saurel, R.; Kashinsky, O.; Randin, V.; Colin, C.; Larue de Tournemine, A.; Roig, V.; Suzanne, C.; Bounhoure, C.; Brunet, Y.; Tanaka, A.T.; Noma, K.; Tsuji, Y.; Pascal-Ribot, S.; Le Gall, F.; Aliseda, A.; Hainaux, F.; Lasheras, J.; Didwania, A.; Costa, A.; Vallerin, W.; Mudde, R.F.; Van Den Akker, H.E.A.; Jaumouillie, P.; Larrarte, F.; Burgisser, A.; Bergantz, G.; Necker, F.; Hartel, C.; Kleiser, L.; Meiburg, E.; Michallet, H.; Mory, M.; Hutter, M.; Markov, A.A.; Dumoulin, F.X.; Suard, S.; Borghi, R.; Hong, M.; Hopfinger, E.; Laforgia, A.; Lawrence, C.J.; Hewitt, G.F.; Osiptsov, A.N.; Tsirkunov, Yu. M.; Volkov, A.N.

2003-07-01

This document gathers the abstracts of the Euromech 421 colloquium about strongly coupled dispersed two-phase flows. Behaviors specifically due to the two-phase character of the flow have been categorized as: suspensions, particle-induced agitation, microstructure and screening mechanisms; hydrodynamic interactions, dispersion and phase distribution; turbulence modulation by particles, droplets or bubbles in dense systems; collective effects in dispersed two-phase flows, clustering and phase distribution; large-scale instabilities and gravity driven dispersed flows; strongly coupled two-phase flows involving reacting flows or phase change. Topic l: suspensions particle-induced agitation microstructure and screening mechanisms hydrodynamic interactions between two very close spheres; normal stresses in sheared suspensions; a critical look at the rheological experiments of R.A. Bagnold; non-equilibrium particle configuration in sedimentation; unsteady screening of the long-range hydrodynamic interactions of settling particles; computer simulations of hydrodynamic interactions among a large collection of sedimenting poly-disperse particles; velocity fluctuations in a dilute suspension of rigid spheres sedimenting between vertical plates: the role of boundaries; screening and induced-agitation in dilute uniform bubbly flows at small and moderate particle Reynolds numbers: some experimental results. Topic 2: hydrodynamic interactions, dispersion and phase distribution: hydrodynamic interactions in a bubble array; A 'NMR scattering technique' for the determination of the structure in a dispersion of non-brownian settling particles; segregation and clustering during thermo-capillary migration of bubbles; kinetic modelling of bubbly flows; velocity fluctuations in a homogeneous dilute dispersion of high-Reynolds-number rising bubbles; an attempt to simulate screening effects at moderate particle Reynolds numbers using an hybrid formulation; modelling the two

Accumulation capacitance frequency dispersion of III-V metal-insulator-semiconductor devices due to disorder induced gap states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galatage, R. V.; Zhernokletov, D. M.; Dong, H.; Brennan, B.; Hinkle, C. L.; Wallace, R. M.; Vogel, E. M.

2014-01-01

The origin of the anomalous frequency dispersion in accumulation capacitance of metal-insulator-semiconductor devices on InGaAs and InP substrates is investigated using modeling, electrical characterization, and chemical characterization. A comparison of the border trap model and the disorder induced gap state model for frequency dispersion is performed. The fitting of both models to experimental data indicate that the defects responsible for the measured dispersion are within approximately 0.8 nm of the surface of the crystalline semiconductor. The correlation between the spectroscopically detected bonding states at the dielectric/III-V interface, the interfacial defect density determined using capacitance-voltage, and modeled capacitance-voltage response strongly suggests that these defects are associated with the disruption of the III-V atomic bonding and not border traps associated with bonding defects within the high-k dielectric.

Anomalous behavior in the third harmonic generation z response through dispersion induced shape changes and matching χ(3)

Science.gov (United States)

Pillai, Rajesh S.; Brakenhoff, G. J.; Müller, M.

2006-09-01

The third harmonic generation (THG) axial response in the vicinity of an interface formed by two isotropic materials of normal dispersion is typically single peaked, with the maximum intensity at the interface position. Here it is shown experimentally that this THG z response may show anomalous behavior—being double peaked with a dip coinciding with the interface position—when the THG contributions from both materials are of similar magnitude. The observed anomalous behavior is explained, using paraxial Gaussian theory, by considering dispersion induced shape changes in the THG z response.

Accretion Disk Spectra of the Ultra-Luminous X-Ray Sources in Nearby Spiral Galaxies and Galactic Superluminal Jet Sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mizuno, T

2003-12-11

Ultra-luminous Compact X-ray Sources (ULXs) in nearby spiral galaxies and Galactic superluminal jet sources share the common spectral characteristic that they have unusually high disk temperatures which cannot be explained in the framework of the standard optically thick accretion disk in the Schwarzschild metric. On the other hand, the standard accretion disk around the Kerr black hole might explain the observed high disk temperature, as the inner radius of the Kerr disk gets smaller and the disk temperature can be consequently higher. However, we point out that the observable Kerr disk spectra becomes significantly harder than Schwarzschild disk spectra only when the disk is highly inclined. This is because the emission from the innermost part of the accretion disk is Doppler-boosted for an edge-on Kerr disk, while hardly seen for a face-on disk. The Galactic superluminal jet sources are known to be highly inclined systems, thus their energy spectra may be explained with the standard Kerr disk with known black hole masses. For ULXs, on the other hand, the standard Kerr disk model seems implausible, since it is highly unlikely that their accretion disks are preferentially inclined, and, if edge-on Kerr disk model is applied, the black hole mass becomes unreasonably large (> 300 M{sub solar}). Instead, the slim disk (advection dominated optically thick disk) model is likely to explain the observed super-Eddington luminosities, hard energy spectra, and spectral variations of ULXs. We suggest that ULXs are accreting black holes with a few tens of solar mass, which is not unexpected from the standard stellar evolution scenario, and that their X-ray emission is from the slim disk shining at super-Eddington luminosities.

Dispersion-induced non-linearities in semiconductors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mørk, Jesper; Mecozzi, A.

1999-01-01

We show that index dispersion in connection with the standard (slow) saturation of the medium due to carrier density changes, lead to ultrafast gain and index dynamics. Analytical formulas are derived, and it is shown that these new contributions may dominate experimentally observed results....

Correction of vertical crossing induced dispersion in LHC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meot, F.

1997-11-01

Beam crossing schemes in the LHC interaction regions impose non-zero vertical closed orbit in the low-β triplets, which excite a perturbative periodic dispersion; the phenomenon is described and quantified in detail. It is shown that this dispersion reaches values at the limit of tolerances in the nominal optics of Version 5.0 of the LHC ring, and prohibitively large values in particular in the low- β quadrupoles and interaction regions in the foreseen extreme β-squeeze case (β * = 0.25 m). Such behaviour justifies including a local correction in the LHC design, in order to damp the effect and confine it as much as possible in the vicinity of the excitation sources (the low-β triplets). An optical compensation scheme based on the use of skew quadrupoles is described in detail, as well as the entailed residual dispersion

Correction of vertical crossing induced dispersion in LHC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meot, F.

1997-11-01

Beam crossing schemes in the LHC interaction regions impose non-zero vertical closed orbit in the low-β triplets, which excite a perturbative periodic dispersion; the phenomenon is described and quantified in detail. It is shown that this dispersion reaches values at the limit of tolerances in the nominal optics of Version 5.0 of the LHC ring, and prohibitively large values in particular in the low-β quadrupoles and interaction regions in the foreseen extreme β-squeeze case (β * = 0.25 m). Such behavior justifies including a local correction in the LHC design, in order to damp the effect and confine it has such as possible in the vicinity of the excitation sources (the low-β triplets). An optical compensation scheme based on the use of skew quadrupoles is described in detail, as well as entailed residual dispersion. (author)

Pulsational Pair-instability Model for Superluminous Supernova PTF12dam:Interaction and Radioactive Decay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tolstov, Alexey; Nomoto, Ken’ichi; Blinnikov, Sergei; Quimby, Robert [Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (WPI), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8583 (Japan); Sorokina, Elena [Sternberg Astronomical Institute, M.V.Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow (Russian Federation); Baklanov, Petr, E-mail: alexey.tolstov@ipmu.jp [Institute for Theoretical and Experimental Physics (ITEP), 117218 Moscow (Russian Federation)

2017-02-01

Being a superluminous supernova, PTF12dam can be explained by a {sup 56}Ni-powered model, a magnetar-powered model, or an interaction model. We propose that PTF12dam is a pulsational pair-instability supernova, where the outer envelope of a progenitor is ejected during the pulsations. Thus, it is powered by a double energy source: radioactive decay of {sup 56}Ni and a radiative shock in a dense circumstellar medium. To describe multicolor light curves and spectra, we use radiation-hydrodynamics calculations of the STELLA code. We found that light curves are well described in the model with 40 M {sub ⊙} ejecta and 20–40 M {sub ⊙} circumstellar medium. The ejected {sup 56}Ni mass is about 6 M {sub ⊙}, which results from explosive nucleosynthesis with large explosion energy (2–3)×10{sup 52} erg. In comparison with alternative scenarios of pair-instability supernova and magnetar-powered supernova, in the interaction model, all the observed main photometric characteristics are well reproduced: multicolor light curves, color temperatures, and photospheric velocities.

Particle dispersion and mixing induced by breaking internal gravity waves

Science.gov (United States)

Bouruet-Aubertot, Pascale; Koudella, C.; Staquet, C.; Winters, K. B.

2001-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to analyze diapycnal mixing induced by the breaking of an internal gravity wave — the primary wave — either standing or propagating. To achieve this aim we apply two different methods. The first method consists of a direct estimate of vertical eddy diffusion from particle dispersion while the second method relies upon potential energy budgets [Winters, K.B., Lombard, P.N., Riley, J.J., D'Asaro, E.A., 1995. J. Fluid Mech. 289, 115-128; Winters, K.B., D'Asaro, E.A., 1996. J. Fluid Mech. 317, 179-193]. The primary wave we consider is of small amplitude and is statically stable, a case for which the breaking process involves two-dimensional instabilities. The dynamics of the waves have been previously analyzed by means of two-dimensional direct numerical simulations [Bouruet-Aubertot, P., Sommeria, J., Staquet, C., 1995. J. Fluid Mech. 285, 265-301; Bouruet-Aubertot, P., Sommeria, J., Staquet, C., 1996. Dyn. Atmos. Oceans 29, 41-63; Koudella, C., Staquet, C., 1998. In: Davis, P. (Ed.), Proceedings of the IMA Conference on Mixing and Dispersion on Stably-stratified Flows, Dundee, September 1996. IMA Publication]. High resolution three-dimensional calculations of the same wave are also reported here [Koudella, C., 1999]. A local estimate of mixing is first inferred from the time evolution of sets of particles released in the flow during the breaking regime. We show that, after an early evolution dominated by shear effects, a diffusion law is reached and the dispersion coefficient is fairly independent of the initial seeding location of the particles in the flow. The eddy diffusion coefficient, K, is then estimated from the diapycnal diffusive flux. A good agreement with the value inferred from particle dispersion is obtained. This finding is of particular interest regarding the interpretation of in situ estimates of K inferred either from tracer dispersion or from microstructure measurements. Computation of the Cox number, equal to the

Axial dispersion via shear-enhanced diffusion in colloidal suspensions

KAUST Repository

Griffiths, I. M.

2012-03-01

The familiar example of Taylor dispersion of molecular solutes is extended to describe colloidal suspensions, where the fluctuations that contribute to dispersion arise from hydrodynamic interactions. The generic scheme is illustrated for a suspension of particles in a pressure-driven pipe flow, with a concentration-dependent diffusivity that captures both the shear-induced and Brownian contributions. The effect of the cross-stream migration via shear-induced diffusion is shown to dramatically reduce the axial dispersion predicted by classical Taylor dispersion for a molecular solute. Analytic and numerical solutions are presented that illustrate the effect of the concentration dependence of this nonlinear hydrodynamic mechanism. Copyright © EPLA, 2012.

Clay-Alcohol-Water Dispersions: Anomalous Viscosity Changes Due to Network Formation of Clay Nanosheets Induced by Alcohol Clustering.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimura, Yuji; Haraguchi, Kazutoshi

2017-05-16

Clay-alcohol-water ternary dispersions were compared with alcohol-water binary mixtures in terms of viscosity and optical absorbance. Aqueous clay dispersions to which lower alcohols (ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, and tert-butanol) were added exhibited significant viscosity anomalies (maxima) when the alcohol content was 30-55 wt %, as well as optical absorbance anomalies (maxima). The maximum viscosity (η max ) depended strongly on the clay content and varied between 300 and 8000 mPa·s, making it remarkably high compared with the viscosity anomalies (2 mPa·s) observed in alcohol-water binary mixtures. The alcohol content at η max decreased as the hydrophobicity of the alcohol increased. The ternary dispersions with viscosity anomalies exhibited thixotropic behaviors. The effects of other hydrophilic solvents (glycols) and other kinds of clays were also clarified. Based on these findings and the average particle size changes, the viscosity anomalies in the ternary dispersions were explained by alcohol-clustering-induced network formation of the clay nanosheets. It was estimated that 0.9, 1.7, and 2.5 H 2 O molecules per alcohol molecule were required to stabilize the ethanol, 2-propanol, and tert-butanol, respectively, in the clay-alcohol-water dispersions.

Involvement of the UL24 protein in herpes simplex virus 1-induced dispersal of B23 and in nuclear egress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lymberopoulos, Maria H.; Bourget, Amelie; Abdeljelil, Nawel Ben; Pearson, Angela

2011-01-01

UL24 of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is widely conserved within the Herpesviridae family. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that UL24, which we have previously shown to induce the redistribution of nucleolin, also affects the localization of the nucleolar protein B23. We found that HSV-1-induced dispersal of B23 was dependent on UL24. The conserved N-terminal portion of UL24 was sufficient to induce the redistribution of B23 in transient transfection assays. Mutational analysis revealed that the endonuclease motif of UL24 was important for B23 dispersal in both transfected and infected cells. Nucleolar protein relocalization during HSV-1 infection was also observed in non-immortalized cells. Analysis of infected cells by electron microscopy revealed a decrease in the ratio of cytoplasmic versus nuclear viral particles in cells infected with a UL24-deficient strain compared to KOS-infected cells. Our results suggest that UL24 promotes nuclear egress of nucleocapsids during HSV-1 infection, possibly though effects on nucleoli.

Spectral phase shift and residual angular dispersion of an accousto-optic programme dispersive filter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boerzsoenyi, A.; Meroe, M.

2010-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. There is an increasing demand for active and precise dispersion control of ultrashort laser pulses. In chirped pulse amplification (CPA) laser systems, the dispersion of the optical elements of the laser has to be compensated at least to the fourth order to obtain high temporal contrast compressed pulses. Nowadays the most convenient device for active and programmable control of spectral phase and amplitude of broadband laser pulses is the acousto-optic programmable dispersive filter (AOPDF), claimed to be able to adjust the spectral phase up to the fourth order. Although it has been widely used, surprisingly enough there has been only a single, low resolution measurement reported on the accuracy of the induced spectral phase shift of the device. In our paper we report on the first systematic experiment aiming at the precise characterization of an AOPDF device. In the experiment the spectral phase shift of the AOPDF device was measured by spectrally and spatially resolved interferometry, which is especially powerful tool to determine small dispersion values with high accuracy. Besides the spectral phase dispersion, we measured both the propagation direction angular dispersion (PDAD) and the phase front angular dispersion (PhFAD). Although the two quantities are equal for plane waves, there may be noticeable difference for Gaussian pulses. PDAD was determined simply by focusing the beam on the slit of an imaging spectrograph, while PhFAD was measured by the use of an inverted Mach-Zehnder interferometer and an imaging spectrograph. In the measurements, the spectral phase shift and both types of angular dispersion have been recorded upon the systematic change of all the accessible functions of the acousto-optic programmable dispersive filter. The measured values of group delay dispersion (GDD) and third order dispersion (TOD) have been found to agree with the preset values within the error of the measurement (1 fs 2 and 10 fs 3

Optically induced anisotropy in photo responsive sol-gel matrix bearing a silylated disperse red 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Dong Hoon; Cho, Kang Jin; Cha, Young Kwan; Oh, Sang Joon

2000-01-01

We synthesized the simple triethoxysilanes (SGDR1) bearing a disperse red 1 for thin film fabrication. The thin films were prepared using the solution of SGDR1 after hydrolysis and condensation. The films were annealed at two different temperatures such as 150.deg.C and 200.deg.C. Trans-to-cis photoisomerization was observed under the exposure of 532 nm light with UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. The kinetic study of photoisomerization was performed in the film. Reorientation of the polar azobenzene molecules induced optical anisotropy under a linearly polarized light at 532 nm. The effect of aggregation of the chromophores and annealing of the silicon oxide in the matrix were studied on the dynamic properties of isomerization and induced birefringence

Birefringent dispersive FDTD subgridding scheme

OpenAIRE

De Deckere, B; Van Londersele, Arne; De Zutter, Daniël; Vande Ginste, Dries

2016-01-01

A novel 2D finite difference time domain (FDTD) subgridding method is proposed, only subject to the Courant limit of the coarse grid. By making mu or epsilon inside the subgrid dispersive, unconditional stability is induced at the cost of a sparse, implicit set of update equations. By only adding dispersion along preferential directions, it is possible to dramatically reduce the rank of the matrix equation that needs to be solved.

Coherent hole burning and Mollow absorption effects in the cycling transition Fe=0↔Fg=1 subject to a magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gu Ying; Sun Qingqing; Gong Qihuang

2004-01-01

With saturation and probing by circularly polarized fields, quantum coherence effects are investigated for the cycling transition F e =0↔F g =1, which is subject to a linearly polarized field and a magnetic field. The saturation field is applied to the case of maximum coherence between the drive Rabi frequency and magnetic field, corresponding to the electromagnetically induced absorption (EIA) with negative dispersion found by Gu et al. For a small saturation Rabi frequency, holes are burned in two Autler-Towns peaks outside two symmetric electromagnetically induced transparency windows due to the two-photon resonance. However, when the saturation Rabi frequency is comparable with the drive Rabi frequency, holes caused by the coherent population oscillation appear in the EIA spectrum. Finally, when the saturation Rabi frequency is large enough, several emission peaks are observed due to the Mollow absorption effects. Furthermore, the dispersion at the pump-probe detuning center is kept negative with an increase in saturation field, which is a precursor of superluminal light propagation

Inducing Strong Density Modulation with Small Energy Dispersion in Particle Beams and the Harmonic Amplifier Free Electron Laser

CERN Document Server

McNeil, Brian W J; Robb, Gordon

2005-01-01

We present a possible method of inducing a periodic density modulation in a particle beam with little increase in the energy dispersion of the particles. The flow of particles in phase space does not obey Liouville's Theorem. The method relies upon the Kuramoto-like model of collective synchronism found in free electron generators of radiation, such as Cyclotron Resonance Masers and the Free Electron Laser. For the case of an FEL interaction, electrons initially begin to bunch and emit radiation energy with a correlated energy dispersion which is periodic with the FEL ponderomotive potential. The relative phase between potential and particles is then changed by approximately 180 degrees. The particles continue to bunch, however, there is now a correlated re-absorption of energy from the field. We show that, by repeating this relative phase change many times, a significant density modulation of the particles may be achieved with only relatively small energy dispersion. A similar method of repeated relative ele...

Time-Shift in the OPERA set-up: proof against superluminal neutrinos without the need of knowing the CERN-LNGS distance and Reminiscences on the origin of the Gran Sasso Lab, of the 3rd neutrino and of the "Teramo Anomaly"

CERN Document Server

Zichichi, Antonino

2012-01-01

The LVD time stability allows to establish a time-shift in the OPERA experiment, thus providing the first proof against Superluminal neutrinos, using the horizontal muons of the "Teramo Anomaly". This proof is particularly interesting since does not need the knowledge of the distance between the place where the neutrinos are produced (CERN) and the place where they are detected (LNGS). Since the Superluminal neutrinos generated in the physics community a vivid interest in good and bad behaviour in physics research, the author thought it was appropriate to recall the origin of the Gran Sasso Lab, of the 3rd neutrino, of the horizontal muons due to the "Teramo Anomaly" and of the oscillation between leptonic flavours, when the CERN-Gran Sasso neutrino beam was included in the project for the most powerful underground Laboratory in the world.

Jets in Hydrogen-poor Superluminous Supernovae: Constraints from a Comprehensive Analysis of Radio Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Coppejans, D. L.; Margutti, R.; Guidorzi, C.; Chomiuk, L.; Alexander, K. D.; Berger, E.; Bietenholz, M. F.; Blanchard, P. K.; Challis, P.; Chornock, R.; Drout, M.; Fong, W.; MacFadyen, A.; Migliori, G.; Milisavljevic, D.; Nicholl, M.; Parrent, J. T.; Terreran, G.; Zauderer, B. A.

2018-03-01

The energy source powering the extreme optical luminosity of hydrogen-stripped superluminous supernovae (SLSNe-I) is not known, but recent studies have highlighted the case for a central engine. Radio and/or X-ray observations are best placed to track the fastest ejecta and probe the presence of outflows from a central engine. We compile all the published radio observations of SLSNe-I to date and present three new observations of two new SLSNe-I. None were detected. Through modeling the radio emission, we constrain the subparsec environments and possible outflows in SLSNe-I. In this sample, we rule out on-axis collimated relativistic jets of the kind detected in gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). We constrain off-axis jets with opening angles of 5° (30°) to energies of {E}{{k}}values {ε }e=0.1 and {ε }B=0.01. The deepest limits rule out emission of the kind seen in faint uncollimated GRBs (with the exception of GRB 060218) and from relativistic SNe. Finally, for the closest SLSN-I, SN 2017egm, we constrain the energy of an uncollimated nonrelativistic outflow like those observed in normal SNe to {E}{{k}}≲ {10}48 erg.

Key factors for UV curable pigment dispersions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magny, B.; Pezron, E.; Ciceron, P.H.; Askienazy, A.

1999-01-01

UV oligomers with good pigment dispersion are needed to allow good formulation flexibility and possibility to apply thinner films. Pigment dispersion mainly depends on three phenomena: the wetting of agglomerates, the breakage of agglomerates by mechanical stress and the stabilization of smaller agglomerates and primary particles against flocculation. It has been shown that oligomers with low viscosity and low surface tension induce a good pigment wetting. Examples of monomers and oligomers for good pigment dispersion are given

Trapped Bose-Einstein condensates with Planck-scale induced deformation of the energy-momentum dispersion relation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Briscese, F.

2012-01-01

We show that harmonically trapped Bose-Einstein condensates can be used to constrain Planck-scale physics. In particular we prove that a Planck-scale induced deformation of the Minkowski energy-momentum dispersion relation δE≃ξ 1 mcp/2M p produces a shift in the condensation temperature T c of about ΔT c /T c 0 ≃10 -6 ξ 1 for typical laboratory conditions. Such a shift allows to bound the deformation parameter up to |ξ 1 |≤10 4 . Moreover we show that it is possible to enlarge ΔT c /T c 0 and improve the bound on ξ 1 lowering the frequency of the harmonic trap. Finally we compare the Planck-scale induced shift in T c with similar effects due to interboson interactions and finite size effects.

Dispersive FDTD analysis of induced electric field in human models due to electrostatic discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirata, Akimasa; Nagai, Toshihiro; Koyama, Teruyoshi; Hattori, Junya; Chan, Kwok Hung; Kavet, Robert

2012-01-01

Contact currents flow from/into a charged human body when touching a grounded conductive object. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) or spark may occur just before contact or upon release. The current may stimulate muscles and peripheral nerves. In order to clarify the difference in the induced electric field between different sized human models, the in-situ electric fields were computed in anatomically based models of adults and a child for a contact current in a human body following ESD. A dispersive finite-difference time-domain method was used, in which biological tissue is assumed to obey a four-pole Debye model. From our computational results, the first peak of the discharge current was almost identical across adult and child models. The decay of the induced current in the child was also faster due mainly to its smaller body capacitance compared to the adult models. The induced electric fields in the forefingers were comparable across different models. However, the electric field induced in the arm of the child model was found to be greater than that in the adult models primarily because of its smaller cross-sectional area. The tendency for greater doses in the child has also been reported for power frequency sinusoidal contact current exposures as reported by other investigators. (paper)

Dispersive FDTD analysis of induced electric field in human models due to electrostatic discharge.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirata, Akimasa; Nagai, Toshihiro; Koyama, Teruyoshi; Hattori, Junya; Chan, Kwok Hung; Kavet, Robert

2012-07-07

Contact currents flow from/into a charged human body when touching a grounded conductive object. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) or spark may occur just before contact or upon release. The current may stimulate muscles and peripheral nerves. In order to clarify the difference in the induced electric field between different sized human models, the in-situ electric fields were computed in anatomically based models of adults and a child for a contact current in a human body following ESD. A dispersive finite-difference time-domain method was used, in which biological tissue is assumed to obey a four-pole Debye model. From our computational results, the first peak of the discharge current was almost identical across adult and child models. The decay of the induced current in the child was also faster due mainly to its smaller body capacitance compared to the adult models. The induced electric fields in the forefingers were comparable across different models. However, the electric field induced in the arm of the child model was found to be greater than that in the adult models primarily because of its smaller cross-sectional area. The tendency for greater doses in the child has also been reported for power frequency sinusoidal contact current exposures as reported by other investigators.

Experimentally generated randomness certified by the impossibility of superluminal signals.

Science.gov (United States)

Bierhorst, Peter; Knill, Emanuel; Glancy, Scott; Zhang, Yanbao; Mink, Alan; Jordan, Stephen; Rommal, Andrea; Liu, Yi-Kai; Christensen, Bradley; Nam, Sae Woo; Stevens, Martin J; Shalm, Lynden K

2018-04-01

From dice to modern electronic circuits, there have been many attempts to build better devices to generate random numbers. Randomness is fundamental to security and cryptographic systems and to safeguarding privacy. A key challenge with random-number generators is that it is hard to ensure that their outputs are unpredictable 1-3 . For a random-number generator based on a physical process, such as a noisy classical system or an elementary quantum measurement, a detailed model that describes the underlying physics is necessary to assert unpredictability. Imperfections in the model compromise the integrity of the device. However, it is possible to exploit the phenomenon of quantum non-locality with a loophole-free Bell test to build a random-number generator that can produce output that is unpredictable to any adversary that is limited only by general physical principles, such as special relativity 1-11 . With recent technological developments, it is now possible to carry out such a loophole-free Bell test 12-14,22 . Here we present certified randomness obtained from a photonic Bell experiment and extract 1,024 random bits that are uniformly distributed to within 10 -12 . These random bits could not have been predicted according to any physical theory that prohibits faster-than-light (superluminal) signalling and that allows independent measurement choices. To certify and quantify the randomness, we describe a protocol that is optimized for devices that are characterized by a low per-trial violation of Bell inequalities. Future random-number generators based on loophole-free Bell tests may have a role in increasing the security and trust of our cryptographic systems and infrastructure.

Control of Wave Propagation and Effect of Kerr Nonlinearity on Group Index

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hazrat, Ali; Iftikhar, Ahmed; Ziauddin

2013-01-01

We use four-level atomic system and control the wave propagation via forbidden decay rate. The Raman gain process becomes dominant on electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) medium by increasing the forbidden decay rate via increasing the number of atoms [G.S. Agarwal and T.N. Dey, Phys. Rev. A 74 (2006) 043805 and K. Harada, T. Kanbashi, and M. Mitsunaga, Phys. Rev. A 73 (2006) 013803]. The behavior of wave propagation is dramatically changed from normal (subluminal) to anomalous (superluminal) dispersion by increasing the forbidden decay rate. The system can also give a control over the group velocity of the light propagating through the medium via Kerr field. (electromagnetism, optics, acoustics, heat transfer, classical mechanics, and fluid dynamics)

Carbachol-mediated pigment granule dispersion in retinal pigment epithelium requires Ca2+ and calcineurin.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Adam S; García, Dana M

2007-12-19

Inside bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) retinal pigment epithelial cells, pigment granules move in response to extracellular signals. During the process of aggregation, pigment motility is directed toward the cell nucleus; in dispersion, pigment is directed away from the nucleus and into long apical processes. A number of different chemicals have been found to initiate dispersion, and carbachol (an acetylcholine analog) is one example. Previous research indicates that the carbachol-receptor interaction activates a Gq-mediated pathway which is commonly linked to Ca2+ mobilization. The purpose of the present study was to test for involvement of calcium and to probe calcium-dependent mediators to reveal their role in carbachol-mediated dispersion. Carbachol-induced pigment granule dispersion was blocked by the calcium chelator BAPTA. In contrast, the calcium channel antagonist verapamil, and incubation in Ca2+-free medium failed to block carbachol-induced dispersion. The calcineurin inhibitor cypermethrin blocked carbachol-induced dispersion; whereas, two protein kinase C inhibitors (staurosporine and bisindolylmaleimide II) failed to block carbachol-induced dispersion, and the protein kinase C activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate failed to elicit dispersion. A rise in intracellular calcium is necessary for carbachol-induced dispersion; however, the Ca2+ requirement is not dependent on extracellular sources, implying that intracellular stores are sufficient to enable pigment granule dispersion to occur. Calcineurin is a likely Ca2+-dependent mediator involved in the signal cascade. Although the pathway leads to the generation of diacylglycerol and calcium (both required for the activation of certain PKC isoforms), our evidence does not support a significant role for PKC.

Relativistic jet with shock waves like model of superluminal radio source. Jet relativista con ondas de choque como modelo de radio fuentes superluminales

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alberdi, A.; Gomez, J.L.; Marcaide, J.M.

1993-01-01

The structure of the compact radio sources at milliarcsecond angular resolution can be explained in terms of shock waves propagating along bent jets. These jets consist of narrow-angle cones of plasma flowing at bulk relativistic velocities, within tangled magnetic fields, emitting synchrotron radiation. We have developed a numerical code which solves the synchrotron radiation transfer equations to compute the total and polarized emission of bent shocked relativistic jets, and we have applied it to reproduce the compact structure, kenimatic evolution and time flux density evolution of the superluminal radio source 4C 39.25 and to obtain its jet physical parameters. (Author) 23 ref.

Speciation of chromium by dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction followed by laser-induced breakdown spectrometry detection (DLLME–LIBS)

OpenAIRE

Gaubeur, Ivanise; Aguirre Pastor, Miguel Ángel; Kovachev, Nikolay; Hidalgo Núñez, Montserrat; Canals Hernández, Antonio

2015-01-01

In this study, an analytical methodology based on a combination of dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction with laser-induced breakdown spectrometry was evaluated for simultaneous pre-concentration, speciation and detection of Cr. The microextraction procedure was based on the injection of appropriated quantities of 1-undecanol and ethanol into a sample solution containing the complexes formed between Cr(VI) and diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC). The main experimental factors affecting the compl...

Carbachol-mediated pigment granule dispersion in retinal pigment epithelium requires Ca2+ and calcineurin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

García Dana M

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Inside bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus retinal pigment epithelial cells, pigment granules move in response to extracellular signals. During the process of aggregation, pigment motility is directed toward the cell nucleus; in dispersion, pigment is directed away from the nucleus and into long apical processes. A number of different chemicals have been found to initiate dispersion, and carbachol (an acetylcholine analog is one example. Previous research indicates that the carbachol-receptor interaction activates a Gq-mediated pathway which is commonly linked to Ca2+ mobilization. The purpose of the present study was to test for involvement of calcium and to probe calcium-dependent mediators to reveal their role in carbachol-mediated dispersion. Results Carbachol-induced pigment granule dispersion was blocked by the calcium chelator BAPTA. In contrast, the calcium channel antagonist verapamil, and incubation in Ca2+-free medium failed to block carbachol-induced dispersion. The calcineurin inhibitor cypermethrin blocked carbachol-induced dispersion; whereas, two protein kinase C inhibitors (staurosporine and bisindolylmaleimide II failed to block carbachol-induced dispersion, and the protein kinase C activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate failed to elicit dispersion. Conclusion A rise in intracellular calcium is necessary for carbachol-induced dispersion; however, the Ca2+ requirement is not dependent on extracellular sources, implying that intracellular stores are sufficient to enable pigment granule dispersion to occur. Calcineurin is a likely Ca2+-dependent mediator involved in the signal cascade. Although the pathway leads to the generation of diacylglycerol and calcium (both required for the activation of certain PKC isoforms, our evidence does not support a significant role for PKC.

Field induced spontaneous quasiparticle decay and renormalization of quasiparticle dispersion in a quantum antiferromagnet.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Tao; Qiu, Y; Matsumoto, M; Tennant, D A; Coester, K; Schmidt, K P; Awwadi, F F; Turnbull, M M; Agrawal, H; Chernyshev, A L

2017-05-05

The notion of a quasiparticle, such as a phonon, a roton or a magnon, is used in modern condensed matter physics to describe an elementary collective excitation. The intrinsic zero-temperature magnon damping in quantum spin systems can be driven by the interaction of the one-magnon states and multi-magnon continuum. However, detailed experimental studies on this quantum many-body effect induced by an applied magnetic field are rare. Here we present a high-resolution neutron scattering study in high fields on an S=1/2 antiferromagnet C 9 H 18 N 2 CuBr 4 . Compared with the non-interacting linear spin-wave theory, our results demonstrate a variety of phenomena including field-induced renormalization of one-magnon dispersion, spontaneous magnon decay observed via intrinsic linewidth broadening, unusual non-Lorentzian two-peak structure in the excitation spectra and a dramatic shift of spectral weight from one-magnon state to the two-magnon continuum.

Laboratory Study of Dispersion of Buoyant Surface Plumes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Ole; Larsen, Torben

1990-01-01

-differences. Other methods as infra-red sensing are used for visualizing purpose. The results are used to calibrate an integral model of the dispersion. Conclusions are that the dispersion of a buoyant surface plume can be treated the superposition of a buoyancy induced stretching and turbulent diffusion, reduced...

Taurine zinc solid dispersions attenuate doxorubicin-induced hepatotoxicity and cardiotoxicity in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yu; Mei, Xueting; Yuan, Jingquan; Lu, Wenping; Li, Binglong; Xu, Donghui

2015-11-15

The clinical efficacy of anthracycline anti-neoplastic agents is limited by cardiac and hepatic toxicities. The aim of this study was to assess the hepatoprotective and cardioprotective effects of taurine zinc solid dispersions, which is a newly-synthesized taurine zinc compound, against doxorubicin-induced toxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats intraperitoneally injected with doxorubicin hydrochloride (3mg/kg) three times a week (seven injections) over 28 days. Hemodynamic parameters, levels of liver toxicity markers and oxidative stress were assessed. Taurine zinc significantly attenuated the reductions in blood pressure, left ventricular pressure and ± dp/dtmax, increases in serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities, and reductions in serum Zn(2+) and albumin levels (Ptaurine zinc dose-dependently increased liver superoxide dismutase activity and glutathione concentration, and decreased malondialdehyde level (PTaurine zinc dose-dependently increased liver heme oxygenase-1 and UDP-glucuronyl transferase mRNA and protein expression (Ptaurine zinc inhibited c-Jun N-terminal kinase phosphorylation by upregulating dual-specificity phosphoprotein phosphatase-1. Additionally, taurine zinc inhibited cardiomyocyte apoptosis as there was decreased TUNEL/DAPI positivity and protein expression of caspase-3. These results indicate that taurine zinc solid dispersions prevent the side-effects of anthracycline-based anticancer therapy. The mechanisms might be associated with the enhancement of antioxidant defense system partly through activating transcription to synthesize endogenous phase II medicine enzymes and anti-apoptosis through inhibiting JNK phosphorylation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Generalised Einstein mass-variation formulae: II Superluminal relative frame velocities

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James M. Hill

Full Text Available In part I of this paper we have deduced generalised Einstein mass variation formulae assuming relative frame velocities vc. We again use the notion of the residual mass m0(v which for v>c is defined by the equation m(v=m0(v[(v/c2-1]-1/2 for the actual mass m(v. The residual mass is essentially the actual mass with the Einstein factor removed, and we emphasise that we make no restrictions on m0(v. Using this formal device we deduce corresponding new mass variation formulae applicable to superluminal relative frame velocities, assuming only the extended Lorentz transformations and their consequences, and two invariants that are known to apply in special relativity. The present authors have previously speculated a dual framework such that both the rest mass m0∗ and the residual mass at infinite velocity m∞∗ (by which we mean p∞∗/c, assuming finite momentum at infinity are equally important parameters in the specification of mass as a function of its velocity, and the two arbitrary constants can be so determined. The new formulae involving two arbitrary constants may also be exploited so that the mass remains finite at the speed of light, and two distinct mass profiles are determined as functions of their velocity with the rest mass assumed to be alternatively prescribed at the origin of either frame. The two profiles so obtained (M(U,m(u and (M∗(U,m∗(u although distinct have a common ratio M(U/M∗(U=m(u/m∗(u that is a function of v>c, indicating that observable mass depends upon the frame in which the rest mass is prescribed. Keywords: Special relativity, Einstein mass variation, New formulae

Spatially Resolved MaNGA Observations of the Host Galaxy of Superluminous Supernova 2017egm

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ting-Wan; Schady, Patricia; Xiao, Lin; Eldridge, J. J.; Schweyer, Tassilo; Lee, Chien-Hsiu; Yu, Po-Chieh; Smartt, Stephen J.; Inserra, Cosimo

2017-11-01

Superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) are found predominantly in dwarf galaxies, indicating that their progenitors have a low metallicity. However, the most nearby SLSN to date, SN 2017egm, occurred in the spiral galaxy NGC 3191, which has a relatively high stellar mass and correspondingly high metallicity. In this Letter, we present detailed analysis of the nearby environment of SN 2017egm using MaNGA IFU data, which provides spectral data on kiloparsec scales. From the velocity map we find no evidence that SN 2017egm occurred within some intervening satellite galaxy, and at the SN position most metallicity diagnostics yield a solar and above solar metallicity (12+{log}({{O}}/{{H}})∼ 8.8{--}9.1). Additionally, we measure a small Hα equivalent width (EW) at the SN position of just 34 Å, which is one of the lowest EWs measured at any SLSN or gamma-ray burst position, and indicative of the progenitor star being comparatively old. We also compare the observed properties of NGC 3191 with other SLSN host galaxies. The solar-metallicity environment at the position of SN 2017egm presents a challenge to our theoretical understanding, and our spatially resolved spectral analysis provides further constraints on the progenitors of SLSNe.

Phage-mediated dispersal of biofilm and distribution of bacterial virulence genes is induced by quorum sensing.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Friederike S Rossmann

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The microbiome and the phage meta-genome within the human gut are influenced by antibiotic treatments. Identifying a novel mechanism, here we demonstrate that bacteria use the universal communication molecule AI-2 to induce virulence genes and transfer them via phage release. High concentrations (i.e. 100 μM of AI-2 promote dispersal of bacteria from already established biofilms, and is associated with release of phages capable of infecting other bacteria. Enterococcus faecalis V583ΔABC harbours 7 prophages in its genome, and a mutant deficient in one of these prophages (i.e. prophage 5 showed a greatly reduced dispersal of biofilm. Infection of a probiotic E. faecalis strain without lytic prophages with prophage 5 resulted in increased biofilm formation and also in biofilm dispersal upon induction with AI-2. Infection of the probiotic E. faecalis strain with phage-containing supernatants released through AI-2 from E. faecalis V583ΔABC resulted in a strong increase in pathogenicity of this strain. The polylysogenic probiotic strain was also more virulent in a mouse sepsis model and a rat endocarditis model. Both AI-2 and ciprofloxacin lead to phage release, indicating that conditions in the gastrointestinal tract of hospitalized patients treated with antibiotics might lead to distribution of virulence genes to apathogenic enterococci and possibly also to other commensals or even to beneficial probiotic strains.

Shear- and magnetic-field-induced ordering in magnetic nanoparticle dispersion from small-angle neutron scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krishnamurthy, V.V.; Bhandar, A.S.; Piao, M.; Zoto, I.; Lane, A.M.; Nikles, D.E.; Wiest, J.M.; Mankey, G.J.; Porcar, L.; Glinka, C.J.

2003-01-01

Small-angle neutron scattering experiments have been performed to investigate orientational ordering of a dispersion of rod-shaped ferromagnetic nanoparticles under the influence of shear flow and static magnetic field. In this experiment, the flow and flow gradient directions are perpendicular to the direction of the applied magnetic field. The scattering intensity is isotropic in zero-shear-rate or zero-applied-field conditions, indicating that the particles are randomly oriented. Anisotropic scattering is observed both in a shear flow and in a static magnetic field, showing that both flow and field induce orientational order in the dispersion. The anisotropy increases with the increase of field and with the increase of shear rate. Three states of order have been observed with the application of both shear flow and magnetic field. At low shear rates, the particles are aligned in the field direction. When increasing shear rate is applied, the particles revert to random orientations at a characteristic shear rate that depends on the strength of the applied magnetic field. Above the characteristic shear rate, the particles align along the flow direction. The experimental results agree qualitatively with the predictions of a mean field model

‘Superluminal paradox’ in wave packet propagation and its quantum mechanical resolution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sokolovski, D., E-mail: dgsokol15@gmail.com [Department of Physical Chemistry, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Bizkaia (Spain); IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011, Bilbao (Spain); Akhmatskaya, E. [Basque Center for Applied Mathematics (BCAM), Alameda de Mazarredo, 14 48009, Bilbao Bizkaia (Spain)

2013-12-15

We analyse in detail the reshaping mechanism leading to apparently ‘superluminal’ advancement of a wave packet traversing a classically forbidden region. In the coordinate representation, a barrier is shown to act as an effective beamsplitter, recombining envelopes of the freely propagating pulse with various spacial shifts. Causality ensures that none of the constituent envelopes are advanced with respect to free propagation, yet the resulting pulse is advanced due to a peculiar interference effect, similar to the one responsible for ‘anomalous’ values which occur in Aharonov’s ‘weak measurements’. In the momentum space, the effect is understood as a bandwidth phenomenon, where the incident pulse probes local, rather than global, analytical properties of the transmission amplitude T(p). The advancement is achieved when T(p) mimics locally an exponential behaviour, similar to the one occurring in Berry’s ‘superoscillations’. Seen in a broader quantum mechanical context, the ‘paradox’ is but a consequence of an attempt to obtain ‘which way?’ information without destroying the interference between the pathways of interest. This explains, to a large extent, the failure to adequately describe tunnelling in terms of a single ‘tunnelling time’. -- Highlights: •Apparent superluminality is described in the language of quantum measurements. •A barrier acts as a beamsplitter delaying copies of the initial pulse. •In the coordinate space the effect is similar to what occurs in ‘weak measurements’. •In the momentum space it relies on superoscillations in the transmission amplitude. •It is an interference effect, unlikely to be explained in simpler physical terms.

Dispersant affects the cellular influences of single-wall carbon nanotube: the role of CNT as carrier of dispersants.

Science.gov (United States)

Horie, Masanori; Stowe, Mayumi; Tabei, Miki; Kato, Haruhisa; Nakamura, Ayako; Endoh, Shigehisa; Morimoto, Yasuo; Fujita, Katsuhide

2013-06-01

The application of carbon nanotube (CNT) as a functional material to engineering and life sciences is advanced. In order to evaluate the cytotoxicity of CNT in vitro, some chemical and biological reagents are used for dispersants. In the present study, the cellular influences of six kinds of chemical or biological reagents used as dispersants were examined. Pluronic F-127, Pluronic F-68, 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC), pulmonary surfactant preparation Surfacten®, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and Tween 80 were used in the preparation of CNT-medium dispersants. The influences of each reagent on cell viability in human lung carcinoma A549 cells were small. However, Pluronic F-127, DPPC, Surfacten® and Tween 80 induced an increase of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level. Next, CNT-medium dispersions were prepared, using each reagent as a dispersant and applied to A549 cells. The cellular influences depended on the kind of dispersant. Cells exposed to CNT dispersion including Pluronic® F-127, Surfacten®, DPPC and Tween 80 showed LDH release to the culture supernatant. Induction of intracellular ROS level was observed in cells exposed to CNT dispersion including each reagent except BSA. These results suggest that the adsorbed dispersant reagents on the surface of the CNT affect its cellular influences, particularly the induction of oxidative stress.

Dynamics and molecular determinants of cytoplasmic lipid droplet clustering and dispersion.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David J Orlicky

Full Text Available Perilipin-1 (Plin1, a prominent cytoplasmic lipid droplet (CLD binding phosphoprotein and key physiological regulator of triglyceride storage and lipolysis in adipocytes, is thought to regulate the fragmentation and dispersion of CLD that occurs in response to β-adrenergic activation of adenylate cyclase. Here we investigate the dynamics and molecular determinants of these processes using cell lines stably expressing recombinant forms of Plin1 and/or other members of the perilipin family. Plin1 and a C-terminal CLD-binding fragment of Plin1 (Plin1CT induced formation of single dense CLD clusters near the microtubule organizing center, whereas neither an N-terminal CLD-binding fragment of Plin1, nor Plin2 or Plin3 induced clustering. Clustered CLD coated by Plin1, or Plin1CT, dispersed in response to isoproterenol, or other agents that activate adenylate cyclase, in a process inhibited by the protein kinase A inhibitor, H89, and blocked by microtubule disruption. Isoproterenol-stimulated phosphorylation of CLD-associated Plin1 on serine 492 preceded their dispersion, and live cell imaging showed that cluster dispersion involved initial fragmentation of tight clusters into multiple smaller clusters, which then fragmented into well-dispersed individual CLD. siRNA knockdown of the cortical actin binding protein, moesin, induced disaggregation of tight clusters into multiple smaller clusters, and inhibited the reaggregation of dispersed CLD into tight clusters. Together these data suggest that the clustering and dispersion processes involve a complex orchestration of phosphorylation-dependent, microtubule-dependent and independent, and microfilament dependent steps.

Dynamics and molecular determinants of cytoplasmic lipid droplet clustering and dispersion.

Science.gov (United States)

Orlicky, David J; Monks, Jenifer; Stefanski, Adrianne L; McManaman, James L

2013-01-01

Perilipin-1 (Plin1), a prominent cytoplasmic lipid droplet (CLD) binding phosphoprotein and key physiological regulator of triglyceride storage and lipolysis in adipocytes, is thought to regulate the fragmentation and dispersion of CLD that occurs in response to β-adrenergic activation of adenylate cyclase. Here we investigate the dynamics and molecular determinants of these processes using cell lines stably expressing recombinant forms of Plin1 and/or other members of the perilipin family. Plin1 and a C-terminal CLD-binding fragment of Plin1 (Plin1CT) induced formation of single dense CLD clusters near the microtubule organizing center, whereas neither an N-terminal CLD-binding fragment of Plin1, nor Plin2 or Plin3 induced clustering. Clustered CLD coated by Plin1, or Plin1CT, dispersed in response to isoproterenol, or other agents that activate adenylate cyclase, in a process inhibited by the protein kinase A inhibitor, H89, and blocked by microtubule disruption. Isoproterenol-stimulated phosphorylation of CLD-associated Plin1 on serine 492 preceded their dispersion, and live cell imaging showed that cluster dispersion involved initial fragmentation of tight clusters into multiple smaller clusters, which then fragmented into well-dispersed individual CLD. siRNA knockdown of the cortical actin binding protein, moesin, induced disaggregation of tight clusters into multiple smaller clusters, and inhibited the reaggregation of dispersed CLD into tight clusters. Together these data suggest that the clustering and dispersion processes involve a complex orchestration of phosphorylation-dependent, microtubule-dependent and independent, and microfilament dependent steps.

SUPERLUMINOUS SUPERNOVAE POWERED BY MAGNETARS: LATE-TIME LIGHT CURVES AND HARD EMISSION LEAKAGE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, S. Q.; Wang, L. J.; Dai, Z. G.; Wu, X. F.

2015-01-01

Recently, research performed by two groups has revealed that the magnetar spin-down energy injection model with full energy trapping can explain the early-time light curves of SN 2010gx, SN 2013dg, LSQ12dlf, SSS120810, and CSS121015 but fails to fit the late-time light curves of these superluminous supernovae (SLSNe). These results imply that the original magnetar-powered model is challenged in explaining these SLSNe. Our paper aims to simultaneously explain both the early- and late-time data/upper limits by considering the leakage of hard emissions. We incorporate quantitatively the leakage effect into the original magnetar-powered model and derive a new semianalytical equation. Comparing the light curves reproduced by our revised magnetar-powered model with the observed data and/or upper limits of these five SLSNe, we found that the late-time light curves reproduced by our semianalytical equation are in good agreement with the late-time observed data and/or upper limits of SN 2010gx, CSS121015, SN 2013dg, and LSQ12dlf and the late-time excess of SSS120810, indicating that the magnetar-powered model might be responsible for these SLSNe and that the gamma-ray and X-ray leakages are unavoidable when the hard photons were down-Comptonized to softer photons. To determine the details of the leakage effect and unveil the nature of SLSNe, more high-quality bolometric light curves and spectra of SLSNe are required

Dispersability of Carbon Nanotubes in Biopolymer-Based Fluids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Franco Tardani

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In this review the dispersability of carbon nanotubes in aqueous solutions containing proteins, or nucleic acids, is discussed. Data reported previously are complemented by unpublished ones. In the mentioned nanotube-based systems several different phases are observed, depending on the type and concentration of biopolymer, as well as the amount of dispersed nanotubes. The phase behavior depends on how much biopolymers are adsorbing, and, naturally, on the molecular details of the adsorbents. Proper modulation of nanotube/biopolymer interactions helps switching between repulsive and attractive regimes. Dispersion or phase separation take place, respectively, and the formation of liquid crystalline phases or gels may prevail with respect to dispersions. We report on systems containing ss-DNA- and lysozyme-stabilized nanotubes, representative of different organization modes. In the former case, ss-DNA rolls around CNTs and ensures complete coverage. Conversely, proteins randomly and non-cooperatively adsorb onto nanotubes. The two functionalization mechanisms are significantly different. A fine-tuning of temperature, added polymer, pH, and/or ionic strength conditions induces the formation of a given supra-molecular organization mode. The biopolymer physico-chemical properties are relevant to induce the formation of different phases made of carbon nanotubes.

Activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors elicits pigment granule dispersion in retinal pigment epithelium isolated from bluegill.

Science.gov (United States)

González, Alfredo; Crittenden, Elizabeth L; García, Dana M

2004-07-13

In fish, melanin pigment granules in the retinal pigment epithelium disperse into apical projections as part of the suite of responses the eye makes to bright light conditions. This pigment granule dispersion serves to reduce photobleaching and occurs in response to neurochemicals secreted by the retina. Previous work has shown that acetylcholine may be involved in inducing light-adaptive pigment dispersion. Acetylcholine receptors are of two main types, nicotinic and muscarinic. Muscarinic receptors are in the G-protein coupled receptor superfamily, and five different muscarinic receptors have been molecularly cloned in human. These receptors are coupled to adenylyl cyclase, calcium mobilization and ion channel activation. To determine the receptor pathway involved in eliciting pigment granule migration, we isolated retinal pigment epithelium from bluegill and subjected it to a battery of cholinergic agents. The general cholinergic agonist carbachol induces pigment granule dispersion in isolated retinal pigment epithelium. Carbachol-induced pigment granule dispersion is blocked by the muscarinic antagonist atropine, by the M1 antagonist pirenzepine, and by the M3 antagonist 4-DAMP. Pigment granule dispersion was also induced by the M1 agonist 4-[N-(4-chlorophenyl) carbamoyloxy]-4-pent-2-ammonium iodide. In contrast the M2 antagonist AF-DX 116 and the M4 antagonist tropicamide failed to block carbachol-induced dispersion, and the M2 agonist arecaidine but-2-ynyl ester tosylate failed to elicit dispersion. Our results suggest that carbachol-mediated pigment granule dispersion occurs through the activation of Modd muscarinic receptors, which in other systems couple to phosphoinositide hydrolysis and elevation of intracellular calcium. This conclusion must be corroborated by molecular studies, but suggests Ca2+-dependent pathways may be involved in light-adaptive pigment dispersion.

Activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors elicits pigment granule dispersion in retinal pigment epithelium isolated from bluegill

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Crittenden Elizabeth L

2004-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In fish, melanin pigment granules in the retinal pigment epithelium disperse into apical projections as part of the suite of responses the eye makes to bright light conditions. This pigment granule dispersion serves to reduce photobleaching and occurs in response to neurochemicals secreted by the retina. Previous work has shown that acetylcholine may be involved in inducing light-adaptive pigment dispersion. Acetylcholine receptors are of two main types, nicotinic and muscarinic. Muscarinic receptors are in the G-protein coupled receptor superfamily, and five different muscarinic receptors have been molecularly cloned in human. These receptors are coupled to adenylyl cyclase, calcium mobilization and ion channel activation. To determine the receptor pathway involved in eliciting pigment granule migration, we isolated retinal pigment epithelium from bluegill and subjected it to a battery of cholinergic agents. Results The general cholinergic agonist carbachol induces pigment granule dispersion in isolated retinal pigment epithelium. Carbachol-induced pigment granule dispersion is blocked by the muscarinic antagonist atropine, by the M1 antagonist pirenzepine, and by the M3 antagonist 4-DAMP. Pigment granule dispersion was also induced by the M1 agonist 4-[N-(4-chlorophenyl carbamoyloxy]-4-pent-2-ammonium iodide. In contrast the M2 antagonist AF-DX 116 and the M4 antagonist tropicamide failed to block carbachol-induced dispersion, and the M2 agonist arecaidine but-2-ynyl ester tosylate failed to elicit dispersion. Conclusions Our results suggest that carbachol-mediated pigment granule dispersion occurs through the activation of Modd muscarinic receptors, which in other systems couple to phosphoinositide hydrolysis and elevation of intracellular calcium. This conclusion must be corroborated by molecular studies, but suggests Ca2+-dependent pathways may be involved in light-adaptive pigment dispersion.

SUPER-LUMINOUS TYPE Ic SUPERNOVAE: CATCHING A MAGNETAR BY THE TAIL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inserra, C.; Smartt, S. J.; Jerkstrand, A.; Fraser, M.; Wright, D.; Smith, K.; Chen, T.-W.; Kotak, R.; Nicholl, M.; Valenti, S.; Pastorello, A.; Benetti, S.; Bresolin, F.; Kudritzki, R. P.; Burgett, W. S.; Chambers, K. C.; Flewelling, H.; Botticella, M. T.; Ergon, M.; Fynbo, J. P. U.

2013-01-01

We report extensive observational data for five of the lowest redshift Super-Luminous Type Ic Supernovae (SL-SNe Ic) discovered to date, namely, PTF10hgi, SN2011ke, PTF11rks, SN2011kf, and SN2012il. Photometric imaging of the transients at +50 to +230 days after peak combined with host galaxy subtraction reveals a luminous tail phase for four of these SL-SNe. A high-resolution, optical, and near-infrared spectrum from xshooter provides detection of a broad He I λ10830 emission line in the spectrum (+50 days) of SN2012il, revealing that at least some SL-SNe Ic are not completely helium-free. At first sight, the tail luminosity decline rates that we measure are consistent with the radioactive decay of 56 Co, and would require 1-4 M ☉ of 56 Ni to produce the luminosity. These 56 Ni masses cannot be made consistent with the short diffusion times at peak, and indeed are insufficient to power the peak luminosity. We instead favor energy deposition by newborn magnetars as the power source for these objects. A semi-analytical diffusion model with energy input from the spin-down of a magnetar reproduces the extensive light curve data well. The model predictions of ejecta velocities and temperatures which are required are in reasonable agreement with those determined from our observations. We derive magnetar energies of 0.4 ∼ 51 erg) ∼ ej (M ☉ ) ∼< 8.6. The sample of five SL-SNe Ic presented here, combined with SN 2010gx—the best sampled SL-SNe Ic so far—points toward an explosion driven by a magnetar as a viable explanation for all SL-SNe Ic.

ON THE EARLY-TIME EXCESS EMISSION IN HYDROGEN-POOR SUPERLUMINOUS SUPERNOVAE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vreeswijk, Paul M.; Leloudas, Giorgos; Gal-Yam, Avishay; De Cia, Annalisa; Waldman, Roni; Ofek, Eran O.; Yaron, Ofer [Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001 (Israel); Perley, Daniel A. [Dark Cosmology Centre, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej 30, DK-2100 København Ø (Denmark); Quimby, Robert M. [Department of Astronomy, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182 (United States); Sullivan, Mark [School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom); Yan, Lin [Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Fremling, Christoffer; Taddia, Francesco; Sollerman, Jesper [The Oskar Klein Centre, Department of Astronomy, Stockholm University, AlbaNova, SE-10691 Stockholm (Sweden); Valenti, Stefano [Department of Physics, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 (United States); Arcavi, Iair; Howell, D. Andrew [Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (United States); Filippenko, Alexei V. [Department of Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3411 (United States); Cenko, S. Bradley [Astrophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Mail Code 661, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Kasliwal, Mansi M., E-mail: paul.vreeswijk@weizmann.ac.il [Cahill Center for Astrophysics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); and others

2017-01-20

We present the light curves of the hydrogen-poor superluminous supernovae (SLSNe I) PTF 12dam and iPTF 13dcc, discovered by the (intermediate) Palomar Transient Factory. Both show excess emission at early times and a slowly declining light curve at late times. The early bump in PTF 12dam is very similar in duration (∼10 days) and brightness relative to the main peak (2–3 mag fainter) compared to that observed in other SLSNe I. In contrast, the long-duration (>30 days) early excess emission in iPTF 13dcc, whose brightness competes with that of the main peak, appears to be of a different nature. We construct bolometric light curves for both targets, and fit a variety of light-curve models to both the early bump and main peak in an attempt to understand the nature of these explosions. Even though the slope of the late-time decline in the light curves of both SLSNe is suggestively close to that expected from the radioactive decay of {sup 56}Ni and {sup 56}Co, the amount of nickel required to power the full light curves is too large considering the estimated ejecta mass. The magnetar model including an increasing escape fraction provides a reasonable description of the PTF 12dam observations. However, neither the basic nor the double-peaked magnetar model is capable of reproducing the light curve of iPTF 13dcc. A model combining a shock breakout in an extended envelope with late-time magnetar energy injection provides a reasonable fit to the iPTF 13dcc observations. Finally, we find that the light curves of both PTF 12dam and iPTF 13dcc can be adequately fit with the model involving interaction with the circumstellar medium.

LNG vapor dispersion prediction with the DEGADIS dense-gas dispersion model. Topical report, April 1988-July 1990. Documentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Havens, J.; Spicer, T.

1990-09-01

The topical report is one of a series on the development of methods for LNG vapor dispersion prediction for regulatory application. The results indicate that the DEGADIS model is superior both phenomenologically and in performance to the Gaussian line source model promulgated in 49 CFR 193 for LNG vapor dispersion simulation. Availability of the DEGADIS model for VAX and IBM-PC formats provides for wider use of the model and greater potential for industry and regulatory acceptance. The acceptance is seen as an important interim objective while research continues on vapor dispersion estimation methods which provide for effects of vapor detention systems, turbulence induced by plant structure, and plant/area topographical features

Superluminous supernovae as standardizable candles and high-redshift distance probes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inserra, C.; Smartt, S. J., E-mail: c.inserra@qub.ac.uk [Astrophysics Research Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queens University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom)

2014-12-01

We investigate the use of type Ic superluminous supernovae (SLSN Ic) as standardizable candles and distance indicators. Their appeal as cosmological probes stems from their remarkable peak luminosities, hot blackbody temperatures, and bright rest-frame ultraviolet emission. We present a sample of 16 published SLSN, from redshifts 0.1 to 1.2, and calculate accurate K corrections to determine uniform magnitudes in 2 synthetic rest-frame filter bandpasses with central wavelengths at 400 nm and 520 nm. At 400 nm, we find an encouragingly low scatter in their uncorrected, raw mean magnitudes with M(400) = –21.86 ± 0.35 mag for the full sample of 16 objects. We investigate the correlation between their decline rates and peak magnitude and find that the brighter events appear to decline more slowly. In a manner similar to the Phillips relation for type Ia SNe (SNe Ia), we define a ΔM {sub 20} decline relation. This correlates peak magnitude and decline over 20 days and can reduce the scatter in standardized peak magnitudes to ±0.22 mag. We further show that M(400) appears to have a strong color dependence. Redder objects are fainter and also become redder faster. Using this peak magnitudecolor evolution relation, a surprisingly low scatter of between ±0.08 mag and ±0.13 mag can be found in peak magnitudes, depending on sample selection. However, we caution that only 8 to 10 objects currently have enough data to test this peak magnitudecolor evolution relation. We conclude that SLSN Ic are promising distance indicators in the high-redshift universe in regimes beyond those possible with SNe Ia. Although the empirical relationships are encouraging, the unknown progenitor systems, how they may evolve with redshift, and the uncertain explosion physics are of some concern. The two major measurement uncertainties are the limited numbers of low-redshift, well-studied objects available to test these relationships and internal dust extinction in the host galaxies.

The concave iris in pigment dispersion syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Lance; Ong, Ee Lin; Crowston, Jonathan

2011-01-01

To visualize the changes of the iris contour in patients with pigment dispersion syndrome after blinking, accommodation, and pharmacologic miosis using anterior segment optical coherence tomography. Observational case series. A total of 33 eyes of 20 patients with pigment dispersion syndrome. Each eye was imaged along the horizontal 0- to 180-degree meridian using the Visante Anterior Segment Imaging System (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA). Scans were performed at baseline and after focusing on an internal fixation target for 5 minutes, forced blinking, accommodation, and pharmacologic miosis with pilocarpine 2%. Quantitative analysis of the changes in the iris configuration. After 5 minutes of continual fixation, the iris became planar with the mean ± standard deviation curvature decreasing from 214 ± 74 μm to 67 ± 76 μm (P pigment dispersion syndrome after forced blinking, but the iris concavity recovered to 227 ± 113 μm (P = 0.34) and 238 ± 119 μm (P = 0.19) with the -3.0 and -6.0 diopter lenses, respectively. Pilocarpine-induced miosis caused the iris to assume a planar configuration in all subjects. This study shows that the iris in pigment dispersion syndrome assumes a planar configuration when fixating and that the concavity of the iris surface is not restored by blinking. Accommodation restored the iris concavity, suggesting that the posterior curvature of the iris in pigment dispersion syndrome is induced and probably maintained, at least in part, by accommodation. Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ASASSN-15LH: A SUPERLUMINOUS ULTRAVIOLET REBRIGHTENING OBSERVED BY SWIFT AND HUBBLE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, Peter J.; Yang, Yi; Wang, Lifan [George P. and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy, Texas A. and M. University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 4242 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843 (United States); Cooke, Jeff; Mould, Jeremy [Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University, Hawthorn VIC 3122 (Australia); Olaes, Melanie; Quimby, Robert M. [Department of Astronomy, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182 (United States); Baade, Dietrich [European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere (ESO), Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, D-85748 Garching b. München (Germany); Gehrels, Neil [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Hoeflich, Peter [Department of Physics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306 (United States); Maund, Justyn [Department of Physics and Astronomy F39 Hicks Building, Hounsfield Road Sheffield, S3 7RH (United Kingdom); Wheeler, J. Craig [Department of Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712 (United States)

2016-09-01

We present and discuss ultraviolet and optical photometry from the Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope, X-ray limits from the X-Ray Telescope on Swift, and imaging polarimetry and ultraviolet/optical spectroscopy with the Hubble Space Telescope , all from observations of ASASSN-15lh. It has been classified as a hydrogen-poor superluminous supernova (SLSN I), making it more luminous than any other supernova observed. ASASSN-15lh is not detected in the X-rays in individual or co-added observations. From the polarimetry we determine that the explosion was only mildly asymmetric. We find the flux of ASASSN-15lh to increase strongly into the ultraviolet, with an ultraviolet luminosity 100 times greater than the hydrogen-rich, ultraviolet-bright SLSN II SN 2008es. We find that objects as bright as ASASSN-15lh are easily detectable beyond redshifts of ∼4 with the single-visit depths planned for the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope. Deep near-infrared surveys could detect such objects past a redshift of ∼20, enabling a probe of the earliest star formation. A late rebrightening—most prominent at shorter wavelengths—is seen about two months after the peak brightness, which is itself as bright as an SLSN. The ultraviolet spectra during the rebrightening are dominated by the continuum without the broad absorption or emission lines seen in SLSNe or tidal disruption events (TDEs) and the early optical spectra of ASASSN-15lh. Our spectra show no strong hydrogen emission, showing only Ly α absorption near the redshift previously found by optical absorption lines of the presumed host. The properties of ASASSN-15lh are extreme when compared to either SLSNe or TDEs.

Rogue wave train generation in a metamaterial induced by cubic-quintic nonlinearities and second-order dispersion

Science.gov (United States)

Essama, Bedel Giscard Onana; Atangana, Jacques; Frederick, Biya Motto; Mokhtari, Bouchra; Eddeqaqi, Noureddine Cherkaoui; Kofane, Timoleon Crepin

2014-09-01

We investigate the behavior of the electromagnetic wave that propagates in a metamaterial for negative index regime. Second-order dispersion and cubic-quintic nonlinearities are taken into account. The behavior obtained for negative index regime is compared to that observed for absorption regime. The collective coordinates technique is used to characterize the light pulse intensity profile at some frequency ranges. Five frequency ranges have been pointed out. The perfect combination of second-order dispersion and cubic nonlinearity leads to a robust soliton at each frequency range for negative index regime. The soliton peak power progressively decreases for absorption regime. Further, this peak power also decreases with frequency. We show that absorption regime can induce rogue wave trains generation at a specific frequency range. However, this rogue wave trains generation is maintained when the quintic nonlinearity comes into play for negative index regime and amplified for absorption regime at a specific frequency range. It clearly appears that rogue wave behavior strongly depends on the frequency and the regime considered. Furthermore, the stability conditions of the electromagnetic wave have also been discussed at frequency ranges considered for both negative index and absorption regimes.

Influence of Basalt Mesh Induced Increase of Heterogeneity of Cement Composites with Dispersed Fibers on Its Resistance under Near-Field Blast

Science.gov (United States)

Zíma, J.; Foglar, M.

2017-09-01

This paper describes the influence of multiple basalt meshes in the cement composite specimens on the damage induced by near-field blast. Experimental measurements performed in the Boletice military area in 2014 and 2015 are evaluated by numerical simulations. The evaluation of the results is mainly focused on the stress propagation in the cement composite with dispersed fibers, the propagation of the overpressure caused by the blast and velocity of the ejected parts from the specimen. The influence of the presence and position of the basalt meshes in the specimen on its damage induced by delamination is also examined.

Determination of the Flux-distance Relationship for Pulsars in the Parkes Multibeam Survey: Violation of the Inverse Square Law Gives Support for a New Model of Pulsar Emission

Science.gov (United States)

Singleton, John; Sengupta, P.; Middleditch, J.; Graves, T.; Schmidt, A.; Perez, M.; Ardavan, H.; Ardavan, A.; Fasel, J.

2010-01-01

Soon after the discovery of pulsars, it was realized that their unique periodic emissions must be associated with a source that rotates. Despite this insight and forty one years of subsequent effort, a detailed understanding of the pulsar emission mechanism has proved elusive. Here, using data for 983 pulsars taken from the Parkes Multibeam Survey, we show that their fluxes at 1400 MHz (S(1400)) decay with distance d according to a non-standard power-law; we suggest that S(1400) is proportional to 1/d. This distance dependence is revealed by two independent statistical techniques, (i) the Maximum Likelihood Method and (ii) analysis of the distance evolution of the cumulative distribution functions of pulsar flux. Moreover, the derived power law is valid for both millisecond and longer-period pulsars, and is robust against possible errors in the NE2001 method for obtaining pulsar distances from dispersion measure. This observation provides strong support for a mechanism of pulsar emission due to superluminal (faster than light in vacuo) polarization currents. Such superluminal polarization currents have been extensively studied by Bolotovskii, Ginzburg and others, who showed both that they do not violate Special Relativity (since the oppositely-charged particles that make them move relatively slowly) and that they form a bona-fide source term in Maxwell's equations. Subsequently, emission of radiation by superluminal polarization currents was demonstrated in laboratory experiments. By extending these ideas to a superluminal polarization current whose distribution pattern follows a circular orbit, we can explain the 1/d dependence of the flux suggested by our analyses of the observational data. In addition, we show that a model of pulsar emission due to such a rotating superluminal polarization current can predict the the frequency spectrum of nine pulsars over 16 orders of magnitude of frequency quantitatively. This work is supported by the DoE LDRD program at Los

Large eddy simulation of fire-induced buoyancy driven plume dispersion in an urban street canyon under perpendicular wind flow

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, L.H., E-mail: hlh@ustc.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Fire Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Huo, R.; Yang, D. [State Key Laboratory of Fire Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China)

2009-07-15

The dispersion of fire-induced buoyancy driven plume in and above an idealized street canyon of 18 m (width) x 18 m (height) x 40 m (length) with a wind flow perpendicular to its axis was investigated by Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS), Large Eddy Simulation (LES). Former studies, such as that by Oka [T.R. Oke, Street design and urban canopy layer climate, Energy Build. 11 (1988) 103-113], Gayev and Savory [Y.A. Gayev, E. Savory, Influence of street obstructions on flow processes within street canyons. J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn. 82 (1999) 89-103], Xie et al. [S. Xie, Y. Zhang, L. Qi, X. Tang, Spatial distribution of traffic-related pollutant concentrations in street canyons. Atmos. Environ. 37 (2003) 3213-3224], Baker et al. [J. Baker, H. L. Walker, X. M. Cai, A study of the dispersion and transport of reactive pollutants in and above street canyons-a large eddy simulation, Atmos. Environ. 38 (2004) 6883-6892] and Baik et al. [J.-J. Baik, Y.-S. Kang, J.-J. Kim, Modeling reactive pollutant dispersion in an urban street canyon, Atmos. Environ. 41 (2007) 934-949], focus on the flow pattern and pollutant dispersion in the street canyon with no buoyancy effect. Results showed that with the increase of the wind flow velocity, the dispersion pattern of a buoyant plume fell into four regimes. When the wind flow velocity increased up to a certain critical level, the buoyancy driven upward rising plume was re-entrained back into the street canyon. This is a dangerous situation as the harmful fire smoke will accumulate to pollute the environment and thus threaten the safety of the people in the street canyon. This critical re-entrainment wind velocity, as an important parameter to be concerned, was further revealed to increase asymptotically with the heat/buoyancy release rate of the fire.

Large eddy simulation of fire-induced buoyancy driven plume dispersion in an urban street canyon under perpendicular wind flow.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, L H; Huo, R; Yang, D

2009-07-15

The dispersion of fire-induced buoyancy driven plume in and above an idealized street canyon of 18 m (width) x 18 m (height) x 40 m (length) with a wind flow perpendicular to its axis was investigated by Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS), Large Eddy Simulation (LES). Former studies, such as that by Oka [T.R. Oke, Street design and urban canopy layer climate, Energy Build. 11 (1988) 103-113], Gayev and Savory [Y.A. Gayev, E. Savory, Influence of street obstructions on flow processes within street canyons. J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn. 82 (1999) 89-103], Xie et al. [S. Xie, Y. Zhang, L. Qi, X. Tang, Spatial distribution of traffic-related pollutant concentrations in street canyons. Atmos. Environ. 37 (2003) 3213-3224], Baker et al. [J. Baker, H. L. Walker, X. M. Cai, A study of the dispersion and transport of reactive pollutants in and above street canyons--a large eddy simulation, Atmos. Environ. 38 (2004) 6883-6892] and Baik et al. [J.-J. Baik, Y.-S. Kang, J.-J. Kim, Modeling reactive pollutant dispersion in an urban street canyon, Atmos. Environ. 41 (2007) 934-949], focus on the flow pattern and pollutant dispersion in the street canyon with no buoyancy effect. Results showed that with the increase of the wind flow velocity, the dispersion pattern of a buoyant plume fell into four regimes. When the wind flow velocity increased up to a certain critical level, the buoyancy driven upward rising plume was re-entrained back into the street canyon. This is a dangerous situation as the harmful fire smoke will accumulate to pollute the environment and thus threaten the safety of the people in the street canyon. This critical re-entrainment wind velocity, as an important parameter to be concerned, was further revealed to increase asymptotically with the heat/buoyancy release rate of the fire.

Large eddy simulation of fire-induced buoyancy driven plume dispersion in an urban street canyon under perpendicular wind flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, L.H.; Huo, R.; Yang, D.

2009-01-01

The dispersion of fire-induced buoyancy driven plume in and above an idealized street canyon of 18 m (width) x 18 m (height) x 40 m (length) with a wind flow perpendicular to its axis was investigated by Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS), Large Eddy Simulation (LES). Former studies, such as that by Oka [T.R. Oke, Street design and urban canopy layer climate, Energy Build. 11 (1988) 103-113], Gayev and Savory [Y.A. Gayev, E. Savory, Influence of street obstructions on flow processes within street canyons. J. Wind Eng. Ind. Aerodyn. 82 (1999) 89-103], Xie et al. [S. Xie, Y. Zhang, L. Qi, X. Tang, Spatial distribution of traffic-related pollutant concentrations in street canyons. Atmos. Environ. 37 (2003) 3213-3224], Baker et al. [J. Baker, H. L. Walker, X. M. Cai, A study of the dispersion and transport of reactive pollutants in and above street canyons-a large eddy simulation, Atmos. Environ. 38 (2004) 6883-6892] and Baik et al. [J.-J. Baik, Y.-S. Kang, J.-J. Kim, Modeling reactive pollutant dispersion in an urban street canyon, Atmos. Environ. 41 (2007) 934-949], focus on the flow pattern and pollutant dispersion in the street canyon with no buoyancy effect. Results showed that with the increase of the wind flow velocity, the dispersion pattern of a buoyant plume fell into four regimes. When the wind flow velocity increased up to a certain critical level, the buoyancy driven upward rising plume was re-entrained back into the street canyon. This is a dangerous situation as the harmful fire smoke will accumulate to pollute the environment and thus threaten the safety of the people in the street canyon. This critical re-entrainment wind velocity, as an important parameter to be concerned, was further revealed to increase asymptotically with the heat/buoyancy release rate of the fire.

Ultrahigh enhancement in absolute and relative rotation sensing using fast and slow light

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shahriar, M. S.; Pati, G. S.; Tripathi, R.; Gopal, V.; Messall, M.; Salit, K.

2007-01-01

We describe a resonator-based optical gyroscope whose sensitivity for measuring absolute rotation is enhanced via use of the anomalous dispersion characteristic of superluminal light propagation. The enhancement is given by the inverse of the group index, saturating to a bound determined by the group velocity dispersion. We also show how the offsetting effect of the concomitant broadening of the resonator linewidth may be circumvented by using an active cavity. For realistic conditions, the enhancement factor is as high as 10 6 . We also show how normal dispersion used for slow light can enhance relative rotation sensing in a specially designed Sagnac interferometer, with the enhancement given by the slowing factor

Dispersion relations in loop calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kniehl, B.A.

1996-01-01

These lecture notes give a pedagogical introduction to the use of dispersion relations in loop calculations. We first derive dispersion relations which allow us to recover the real part of a physical amplitude from the knowledge of its absorptive part along the branch cut. In perturbative calculations, the latter may be constructed by means of Cutkosky's rule, which is briefly discussed. For illustration, we apply this procedure at one loop to the photon vacuum-polarization function induced by leptons as well as to the γf anti-f vertex form factor generated by the exchange of a massive vector boson between the two fermion legs. We also show how the hadronic contribution to the photon vacuum polarization may be extracted from the total cross section of hadron production in e + e - annihilation measured as a function of energy. Finally, we outline the application of dispersive techniques at the two-loop level, considering as an example the bosonic decay width of a high-mass Higgs boson. (author)

Saturable absorption in detonation nanodiamond dispersions

Science.gov (United States)

Vanyukov, Viatcheslav; Mikheev, Gennady; Mogileva, Tatyana; Puzyr, Alexey; Bondar, Vladimir; Lyashenko, Dmitry; Chuvilin, Andrey

2017-07-01

We report on a saturable absorption in aqueous dispersions of nanodiamonds with femtosecond laser pulse excitation at a wavelength of 795 nm. The open aperture Z-scan experiments reveal that in a wide range of nanodiamond particle sizes and concentrations, a light-induced increase of transmittance occurs. The transmittance increase originates from the saturation of light absorption and is associated with a light absorption at 1.5 eV by graphite and dimer chains (Pandey dimer chains). The obtained key nonlinear parameters of nanodiamond dispersions are compared with those of graphene and carbon nanotubes, which are widely used for the mode-locking.

Resolving precipitation-induced water content profiles through inversion of dispersive GPR data

Science.gov (United States)

Mangel, A. R.; Moysey, S. M.; Van Der Kruk, J.

2015-12-01

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has become a popular tool for monitoring hydrologic processes. When monitoring infiltration, the thin wetted zone that occurs near the ground surface at early times may act as a dispersive waveguide. This low-velocity layer traps the GPR waves, causing specific frequencies of the signal to travel at different phase velocities, confounding standard traveltime analysis. In a previous numerical study we demonstrated the potential of dispersion analysis for estimating the depth distribution of waveguide water contents. Here, we evaluate the effectiveness of the methodology when applying it to experimental time-lapse dispersive GPR data collected during a laboratory infiltration experiment in a relatively homogenous soil. A large sand-filled tank is equipped with an automated gantry to independently control the position of 1000 MHz source and receiver antennas. The system was programmed to repeatedly collect a common mid-point (CMP) profile at the center of the tank followed by two constant offset profiles (COP) in the x and y direction. Each collection was completed in 30 s and repeated 50 times during a 28 min experiment. Two minutes after the start of measurements, the surface of the sand was irrigated at a constant flux rate of 0.006 cm/sec for 23 minutes. Time-lapse COPs show increases in traveltime to reflectors in the tank associated with increasing water content, as well as the development of a wetting front reflection. From 4-10 min, the CMPs show a distinct shingling characteristic that is indicative of waveguide dispersion. Forward models where the waveguide is conceptualized as discrete layers and a piece-wise linear function were used to invert picked dispersion curves for waveguide properties. We show the results from both inversion approaches for multiple dispersive CMPs and show how the single layer model fails to represent the gradational nature of the wetting front.

The rheology of concentrated dispersions: structure changes and shear thickening in experiments and computer simulations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boersma, W.H.; Laven, J.; Stein, H.N.; Moldenaers, P.; Keunings, R.

1992-01-01

The flow-induced changes in the microstructure and rheol. of very concd., shear thickening dispersions are studied. Results obtained for polystyrene sphere dispersions are compared with previous data and computer simulations to give better insight into the processes occurring in the dispersions. [on

Preparation and application of conducting polymer/Ag/clay composite nanoparticles formed by in situ UV-induced dispersion polymerization

Science.gov (United States)

Zang, Limin; Qiu, Jianhui; Yang, Chao; Sakai, Eiichi

2016-02-01

In this work, composite nanoparticles containing polypyrrole, silver and attapulgite (PPy/Ag/ATP) were prepared via UV-induced dispersion polymerization of pyrrole using ATP clay as a templet and silver nitrate as photoinitiator. The effects of ATP concentration on morphology, structure and electrical conductivity were studied. The obtained composite nanoparticles with an interesting beads-on-a-string morphology can be obtained in a short time (10 min), which indicates the preparation method is facile and feasible. To explore the potential applications of the prepared PPy/Ag/ATP composite nanoparticles, they were served as multifunctional filler and blended with poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) matrix to prepare biodegradable composite material. The distribution of fillers in polymer matrix and the interfacial interaction between fillers and PBS were confirmed by scanning electron microscope, elemental mapping and dynamic mechanical analysis. The well dispersed fillers in PBS matrix impart outstanding antibacterial property to the biodegradable composite material as well as enhanced storage modulus due to Ag nanoparticles and ATP clay. The biodegradable composite material also possesses modest surface resistivity (106 ~ 109 Ω/◻).

Preparation and application of conducting polymer/Ag/clay composite nanoparticles formed by in situ UV-induced dispersion polymerization.

Science.gov (United States)

Zang, Limin; Qiu, Jianhui; Yang, Chao; Sakai, Eiichi

2016-02-03

In this work, composite nanoparticles containing polypyrrole, silver and attapulgite (PPy/Ag/ATP) were prepared via UV-induced dispersion polymerization of pyrrole using ATP clay as a templet and silver nitrate as photoinitiator. The effects of ATP concentration on morphology, structure and electrical conductivity were studied. The obtained composite nanoparticles with an interesting beads-on-a-string morphology can be obtained in a short time (10 min), which indicates the preparation method is facile and feasible. To explore the potential applications of the prepared PPy/Ag/ATP composite nanoparticles, they were served as multifunctional filler and blended with poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) matrix to prepare biodegradable composite material. The distribution of fillers in polymer matrix and the interfacial interaction between fillers and PBS were confirmed by scanning electron microscope, elemental mapping and dynamic mechanical analysis. The well dispersed fillers in PBS matrix impart outstanding antibacterial property to the biodegradable composite material as well as enhanced storage modulus due to Ag nanoparticles and ATP clay. The biodegradable composite material also possesses modest surface resistivity (10(6)~ 10(9) Ω/◻).

Vertical dispersion produced by random closed orbit distortions and sextupoles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Toshio.

1977-01-01

Vertical dispersion appears even in a machine designed with plane symmetry because of vertical closed orbit distortions, linear coupling and coupling due to sextupoles. This gives rise to several undesirable effects in an electron-positron storage ring such as PEP. Vertical dispersion at the interaction point will increase beam height and reduce luminosity. Vertical dispersion around the ring will modify vertical emittance and partition numbers for synchrotron radiation damping. It will also induce betatron-synchrotron resonance and affect chromaticity correction. Vertical dispersion due to random closed orbit distortions and sextupoles has been studied by Piwinski, and he has indicated that correction of chromaticity and chromatic change of β-function is important. However, he has assumed one error element and evaluated the dispersion at the position of the element. We generalize his argument to a more realistic case and derive more precise criteria for the correction of vertical dispersion. Horizontal dispersion due to perturbations is also studied. Vertical dispersion due to linear coupling is neglected in this note, since it has been studied by other authors. 7 refs

A correction technique for the dispersive effects of mass lumping for transport problems

KAUST Repository

Guermond, Jean-Luc; Pasquetti, Richard

2013-01-01

This paper addresses the well-known dispersion effect that mass lumping induces when solving transport-like equations. A simple anti-dispersion technique based on the lumped mass matrix is proposed. The method does not require any non-trivial matrix

Effects of oil dispersant on solubilization, sorption and desorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediment–seawater systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Xiao; Gong, Yanyan; O’Reilly, S.E.; Zhao, Dongye

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Oil dispersant enhances solubilization of PAHs more effectively than surfactants. • Dispersant and dispersed oil enhance sediment sorption of PAHs and induce hysteresis. • Partitioning to sediment-sorbed dispersant is the mechanism for enhanced PAH uptake. • Dual-mode models well simulate dispersant-facilitated sorption of PAHs on sediment. • Deepwater conditions reduce solubilization of PAHs and lessen dispersant effects. - Abstract: This work investigated effects of a prototype oil dispersant on solubilization, sorption and desorption of three model PAHs in sediment–seawater systems. Increasing dispersant dosage linearly enhanced solubility for all PAHs. Conversely, the dispersant enhanced the sediment uptake of the PAHs, and induced significant desorption hysteresis. Such contrasting effects (adsolubilization vs. solubilization) of dispersant were found dependent of the dispersant concentration and PAH hydrophobicity. The dual-mode models adequately simulated the sorption kinetics and isotherms, and quantified dispersant-enhanced PAH uptake. Sorption of naphthalene and 1-methylnaphthalene by sediment positively correlated with uptake of the dispersant, while sorption of pyrene dropped sharply when the dispersant exceeded its critical micelle concentration (CMC). The deepwater conditions diminished the dispersant effects on solubilization, but enhanced uptake of the PAHs, albeit sorption of the dispersant was lowered. The information may aid in understanding roles of dispersants on distribution, fate and transport of petroleum PAHs in marine systems

The Dispersion of Employees' Wage Increases and Firm Performance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grund, Christian; Westergård-Nielsen, Niels Chr.

does not induce any monetary incentives. Evidence from unique Danish linked employer employee data shows that large dispersion of wage growth within firms is generally connected with low firm performance. The results are mainly driven by white collar rather than blue collar workers.......In this contribution, we examine the interrelation between intra-firm wage increases and firm performance. Previous studies have focused on the dispersion of wages in order to examine for the empirical dominance of positive monetary incentives effects compared to adverse effects due to fairness...... considerations. We argue that the dispersion of wage increases rather than wage levels is a crucial measure for monetary incentives in firms. The larger the dispersion of wage increases the higher the amount of monetary incentives in firms. In contrast, huge wage inequality without any promotion possibilities...

Transient Taylor-Aris dispersion for time-dependent flows in straight channels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vedel, Søren; Bruus, Henrik

2012-01-01

Taylor–Aris dispersion, the shear-induced enhancement of solute diffusion in the flow direction of the solvent, has been studied intensely in the past half century for the case of steady flow and single-frequency pulsating flows. Here, combining Aris’s method of moments with Dirac’s bra–ket forma......Taylor–Aris dispersion, the shear-induced enhancement of solute diffusion in the flow direction of the solvent, has been studied intensely in the past half century for the case of steady flow and single-frequency pulsating flows. Here, combining Aris’s method of moments with Dirac’s bra...

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction for metals enrichment: a useful strategy for improving sensitivity of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy in liquid samples analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Aguirre, M A; Selva, E J; Hidalgo, M; Canals, A

2015-01-01

A rapid and efficient Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction (DLLME) followed by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy detection (LIBS) was evaluated for simultaneous determination of Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni and Zn in water samples. Metals in the samples were extracted with tetrachloromethane as pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (APDC) complexes, using vortex agitation to achieve dispersion of the extractant solvent. Several DLLME experimental factors affecting extraction efficiency were optimized with a multivariate approach. Under optimum DLLME conditions, DLLME-LIBS method was found to be of about 4.0-5.5 times more sensitive than LIBS, achieving limits of detection of about 3.7-5.6 times lower. To assess accuracy of the proposed DLLME-LIBS procedure, a certified reference material of estuarine water was analyzed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rupture of Al matrix in U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel by fission induced creep

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, Gwan Yoon; Sohn, Dong Seong [UNIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Yeon Soo [Argonne National Laboratory, Argonnge (United States); Lee, Kyu Hong [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

This phenomenon was found specifically in the dispersion fuel plate with Si addition in the Al matrix to suppress interaction layer (IL) formation between UMo and Al. It is known that the stresses induced by fission induced swelling in U-Mo fuel particles are relieved by creep deformation of the IL, surrounding the fuel particles, that has a much higher creep rate than the Al matrix. Thus, when IL growth is suppressed, the stress is instead exerted on the Al matrix. The observed rupture in the Al matrix is believed to be caused when the stress exceeded the rupture strength of the Al matrix. In this study, the possibility of creep rupture of the Al matrix between the neighboring U-Mo fuel particles was examined using the ABAQUS finite element analysis (FEA) tool. The predicted rupture time for a plate was much shorter than its irradiation life indicating a rupture during the irradiation. The higher stress leads Al matrix to early creep rupture in this plate for which the Al matrix with lower creep strain rate does not effectively relieve the stress caused by the swelling of the U-Mo fuel particles. For the other plate, no rupture was predicted for the given irradiation condition. The effect of creeping of the continuous phase on the state of stress is significant.

Dispersion of pollutants in a street canyon and street intersection under traffic-induced flow and turbulence using a low Re k-{epsilon} model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jicha, M.; Katolicky, J.; Pospisil, J. [Brno University of Technology (Czech Republic). Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

2002-07-01

A 3-D Eulerian-Lagrangian approach to moving vehicles is presented that takes into account the traffic-induced flow rate and turbulence. The method is applied to pollutant dispersion in an individual street canyon and a system of two street canyons forming a perpendicular intersection. The approach is based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations using a Eulerian approach for continuous phase and a Lagrangian approach for moving vehicles. The wind speed was assigned values of 4, 7 and 12 m/s. One-way and two-way traffic with different traffic rates per lane is considered. In the case of the intersection, a longitudinal wind direction was assumed. Predictions show differences in the pollutant dispersion in the case of one-way and two-way traffic. (author)

Trajectory and Relative Dispersion Case Studies and Statistics from the Green River Mesoscale Deformation, Dispersion, and Dissipation Program

Science.gov (United States)

Niemann, Brand Lee

induced dispersion" to become effective horizontal dispersion by vertical mixing over the shear layer. The statistics of relative particle dispersion in the three component directions have been summarized and stratified by flow parameters for use in practical prediction problems.

Cluster observations of ion dispersion discontinuities in the polar cusp

Science.gov (United States)

Escoubet, C. P.; Berchem, J.; Pitout, F.; Richard, R. L.; Trattner, K. J.; Grison, B.; Taylor, M. G.; Masson, A.; Dunlop, M. W.; Dandouras, I. S.; Reme, H.; Fazakerley, A. N.

2009-12-01

The reconnection between the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and the Earth’s magnetic field is taking place at the magnetopause on magnetic field lines threading through the polar cusp. When the IMF is southward, reconnection occurs near the subsolar point, which is magnetically connected to the equatorward boundary of the polar cusp. Subsequently the ions injected through the reconnection point precipitate in the cusp and are dispersed poleward. If reconnection is continuous and operates at constant rate, the ion dispersion is smooth and continuous. On the other hand if the reconnection rate varies, we expect interruption in the dispersion forming energy steps or staircase. Similarly, multiple entries near the magnetopause could also produce steps at low or mid-altitude when a spacecraft is crossing subsequently the field lines originating from these multiple sources. In addition, motion of the magnetopause induced by solar wind pressure changes or erosion due to reconnection can also induce a motion of the polar cusp and a disruption of the ions dispersion observed by a spacecraft. Cluster with four spacecraft following each other in the mid-altitude cusp can be used to distinguish between these “temporal” and “spatial” effects. We will present a cusp crossing with two spacecraft, separated by around two minutes. The two spacecraft observed a very similar dispersion with a step in energy in its centre and two other dispersions poleward. We will show that the steps could be temporal (assuming that the time between two reconnection bursts corresponds to the time delay between the two spacecraft) but it would be a fortuitous coincidence. On the other hand the steps and the two poleward dispersions could be explained by spatial effects if we take into account the motion of the open-closed boundary between the two spacecraft crossings.

Formation of fibrous materials from dense caseinate dispersions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Manski, J.M.; Goot, van der A.J.; Boom, R.M.

2007-01-01

Application of shear and cross-linking enzyme transglutaminase (Tgase) induced fibrous hierarchical structures in dense (30% w/w) calcium caseinate (Ca-caseinate) dispersions. Using Tgase was essential for the anisotropic structure formation. The fibrous materials showed anisotropy on both micro-

Quantum cascade laser combs: effects of modulation and dispersion.

Science.gov (United States)

Villares, Gustavo; Faist, Jérôme

2015-01-26

Frequency comb formation in quantum cascade lasers is studied theoretically using a Maxwell-Bloch formalism based on a modal decomposition, where dispersion is considered. In the mid-infrared, comb formation persists in the presence of weak cavity dispersion (500 fs2 mm-1) but disappears when much larger values are used (30'000 fs2 mm-1). Active modulation at the round-trip frequency is found to induce mode-locking in THz devices, where the upper state lifetime is in the tens of picoseconds. Our results show that mode-locking based on four-wave mixing in broadband gain, low dispersion cavities is the most promising way of achieving broadband quantum cascade laser frequency combs.

What Is the Mechanism Behind Increased Permeation Rate of a Poorly Soluble Drug from Aqueous Dispersions of an Amorphous Solid Dispersion?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frank, K. J.; Westedt, U.; Rosenblatt, K. M.

2014-01-01

of amorphous microparticles present in aqueous dispersions induces lasting supersaturation maintaining enhanced permeation. The hypothesis is supported by a slower drug permeation when the microparticles were removed. (c) 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci...

High resolution electromagnetic methods and low frequency dispersion of rock conductivity

OpenAIRE

Svetov, B. S.; Ageev, V. V.

1999-01-01

The influence of frequency dispersion of conductivity (induced polarization) of rocks on the results of electromagnetic (EM) sounding was studied on the basis of calculation of electric field of vertical magnetic dipole above horizontally layered polarizable sections. Frequency dispersion was approximated by the Debye formula. Polarizable homogeneous halfspace, two, three and multilayered sections were analyzed in frequency and time domains. The calculations for different values of chargeabil...

More rapid climate change promotes evolutionary rescue through selection for increased dispersal distance.

Science.gov (United States)

Boeye, Jeroen; Travis, Justin M J; Stoks, Robby; Bonte, Dries

2013-02-01

Species can either adapt to new conditions induced by climate change or shift their range in an attempt to track optimal environmental conditions. During current range shifts, species are simultaneously confronted with a second major anthropogenic disturbance, landscape fragmentation. Using individual-based models with a shifting climate window, we examine the effect of different rates of climate change on the evolution of dispersal distances through changes in the genetically determined dispersal kernel. Our results demonstrate that the rate of climate change is positively correlated to the evolved dispersal distances although too fast climate change causes the population to crash. When faced with realistic rates of climate change, greater dispersal distances evolve than those required for the population to keep track of the climate, thereby maximizing population size. Importantly, the greater dispersal distances that evolve when climate change is more rapid, induce evolutionary rescue by facilitating the population in crossing large gaps in the landscape. This could ensure population persistence in case of range shifting in fragmented landscapes. Furthermore, we highlight problems in using invasion speed as a proxy for potential range shifting abilities under climate change.

Effects of Fallback Accretion on Protomagnetar Outflows in Gamma-Ray Bursts and Superluminous Supernovae

Science.gov (United States)

Metzger, Brian D.; Beniamini, Paz; Giannios, Dimitrios

2018-04-01

Rapidly spinning, strongly magnetized protoneutron stars (“millisecond protomagnetars”) are candidate central engines of long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), superluminous supernovae (SLSNe), and binary neutron star mergers. Magnetar birth may be accompanied by the fallback of stellar debris, lasting for seconds or longer following the explosion. Accretion alters the magnetar evolution by (1) providing an additional source of rotational energy (or a potential sink, if the propeller mechanism operates), (2) enhancing the spin-down luminosity above the dipole rate by compressing the magnetosphere and expanding the polar cap region of open magnetic field lines, and (3) supplying an additional accretion-powered neutrino luminosity that sustains the wind baryon loading, even after the magnetar’s internal neutrino luminosity has subsided. The more complex evolution of the jet power and magnetization of an accreting magnetar more readily accounts for the high 56Ni yields of GRB SNe and the irregular time evolution of some GRB light curves (e.g., bursts with precursors followed by a long quiescent interval before the main emission episode). Additional baryon loading from accretion-powered neutrino irradiation of the polar cap lengthens the time frame over which the jet magnetization is in the requisite range σ ≲ 103 for efficient gamma-ray emission, thereby accommodating GRBs with ultralong durations. Though accretion does not significantly raise the maximum energy budget from the limit of ≲ few × 1052 erg for an isolated magnetar, it greatly expands the range of magnetic field strengths and birth spin periods capable of powering GRB jets, reducing the differences between the magnetar properties normally invoked to explain GRBs versus SLSNe.

Analyzing the Largest Spectroscopic Data Set of Hydrogen-poor Super-luminous Supernovae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Yu-Qian; Modjaz, Maryam; Bianco, Federica B., E-mail: YL1260@nyu.edu, E-mail: mmodjaz@nyu.edu [Center for Cosmology and Particle Physics, New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003 (United States)

2017-08-10

Super-luminous supernovae (SLSNe) are tremendously luminous explosions whose power sources and progenitors are highly debated. Broad-lined SNe Ic (SNe Ic-bl) are the only type of SNe that are connected with long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Studying the spectral similarity and difference between the populations of hydrogen-poor SLSNe (SLSNe Ic) and of hydrogen-poor stripped-envelope core-collapse SNe, in particular SNe Ic and SNe Ic-bl, can provide crucial observations to test predictions of theories based on various power source models and progenitor models. In this paper, we collected all of the published optical spectra of 32 SLSNe Ic, 21 SNe Ic-bl, as well as 17 SNe Ic, quantified their spectral features, constructed average spectra, and compared them in a systematic way using new tools we have developed. We find that SLSNe Ic and SNe Ic-bl, including those connected with GRBs, have comparable widths for their spectral features and average absorption velocities at all phases. Thus, our findings strengthen the connection between SLSNe Ic and GRBs. In particular, SLSNe Ic have average Fe ii λ 5169 absorption velocities of −15,000 ± 2600 km s{sup −1} at 10 days after peak, which are higher than those of SNe Ic by ∼7000 km s{sup −1} on average. SLSNe Ic also have significantly broader Fe ii λ 5169 lines than SNe Ic. Moreover, we find that such high absorption and width velocities of SLSNe Ic may be hard to explain with the interaction model, and none of the 13 SLSNe Ic with measured absorption velocities spanning over 10 days has a convincing flat velocity evolution, which is inconsistent with the magnetar model in one dimension. Lastly, we compare SN 2011kl, the first SN connected with an ultra-long GRB, with the mean spectrum of SLSNe Ic and of SNe Ic-bl.

A correction technique for the dispersive effects of mass lumping for transport problems

KAUST Repository

Guermond, Jean-Luc

2013-01-01

This paper addresses the well-known dispersion effect that mass lumping induces when solving transport-like equations. A simple anti-dispersion technique based on the lumped mass matrix is proposed. The method does not require any non-trivial matrix inversion and has the same anti-dispersive effects as the consistent mass matrix. A novel quasi-lumping technique for P2 finite elements is introduced. Higher-order extensions of the method are also discussed. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Lipopeptide biosurfactant viscosin enhances dispersal of Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 biofilms.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnichsen, Lise; Bygvraa Svenningsen, Nanna; Rybtke, Morten; de Bruijn, Irene; Raaijmakers, Jos M; Tolker-Nielsen, Tim; Nybroe, Ole

2015-12-01

Pseudomonads produce several lipopeptide biosurfactants that have antimicrobial properties but that also facilitate surface motility and influence biofilm formation. Detailed studies addressing the significance of lipopeptides for biofilm formation and architecture are rare. Hence, the present study sets out to determine the specific role of the lipopeptide viscosin in Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 biofilm formation, architecture and dispersal, and to relate viscA gene expression to viscosin production and effect. Initially, we compared biofilm formation of SBW25 and the viscosin-deficient mutant strain SBW25ΔviscA in static microtitre assays. These experiments demonstrated that viscosin had little influence on the amount of biofilm formed by SBW25 during the early stages of biofilm development. Later, however, SBW25 formed significantly less biofilm than SBW25ΔviscA. The indication that viscosin is involved in biofilm dispersal was confirmed by chemical complementation of the mutant biofilm. Furthermore, a fluorescent bioreporter showed that viscA expression was induced in biofilms 4 h prior to dispersal. Subsequent detailed studies of biofilms formed in flow cells for up to 5 days revealed that SBW25 and SBW25ΔviscA developed comparable biofilms dominated by well-defined, mushroom-shaped structures. Carbon starvation was required to obtain biofilm dispersal in this system. Dispersal of SBW25 biofilms was significantly greater than of SBW25ΔviscA biofilms after 3 h and, importantly, carbon starvation strongly induced viscA expression, in particular for cells that were apparently leaving the biofilm. Thus, the present study points to a role for viscosin-facilitated motility in dispersal of SBW25 biofilms.

Development of photopolymerizable clay nanocomposites utilizing reactive dispersants

Science.gov (United States)

Owusu-Adom, Kwame

Nanocomposites hold tremendous promise for expanding the utility of polymeric materials. However, accessing particulate sizes in the nanoscale domain continues to be a scientific challenge, especially in highly cross-linked photopolymerizable systems. In this study, photopolymerizable nanocomposites utilizing clay nanoparticles and reactive dispersants have been developed. The influence of particle size, dispersant-clay interactions, and surfactant concentration on photopolymerization behavior and nanoparticle dispersion has been elucidated. Clay particles serve as templates upon which surfactants aggregate during photopolymerization. This results in higher photopolymerization rates with addition of increasing concentrations of polymerizable surfactants. Furthermore, polymerizable surfactants induce faster photopolymerization rates compared to non-polymerizable analogues in systems that have ionically-bound dispersants on the particle surface. Utilizing reactive organoclays induces significant changes to the photopolymerization behavior depending on the choice of reactive functionality employed. Faster acrylate photopolymerization rates occur in photopolymer systems containing thiol-modified clays, while much slower rates occur for nonpolymerizable organoclay systems. In addition, chemical compatibility between monomer and clay dispersant (based on chemical similarity or polarity) allows enhancement of exfoliation in photopolymerizable formulations. With polymerizable dispersants, exfoliation is readily achieved in various multifunctional acrylate systems. The degree of exfoliation depends on the position of the reactive group relative to the surfactant's cationic site and the type of functionality. Thiolated organoclays exfoliate during polymerization, while methacrylated clays show substantially less dependence on polymerization behavior. Interestingly, changes in the physical properties of the resulting nanocomposite are independent of the degree of exfoliation

Adsorption of dispersing polyelectrolytes: stabilization of drilling fluids; Adsorption de polyelectrolytes dispersants: stabilisation des fluides de forage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balastre, M.

1999-11-10

Instabilities of concentrated colloidal suspensions are a source of many industrial problems, as in drilling fluid formulations where aggregation and severe settling phenomena can occur. Low molecular weight polyelectrolyte dispersants are used to solve these problems, but their optimal use requires a better understanding of the phenomena that are involved. After materials characterization, adsorption mechanisms of two anionic polyelectrolytes (PANa, PSSNa) on a soluble substrate model, barium sulfate powder are studied. Barium sulfate is the principal additive used to adapt the density of drilling fluids. A simple model allows us to propose a distribution of the microscopic species at the interface. Presence of divalent ions induces the formation of a strong complex with the polyelectrolyte. Adsorption and electro-kinetic data are presented and exchange equilibrium are examined in relation with the surface uptake. The binding mechanism and the surface speciation of the polymer groups are deduced from the ion exchange analysis. The macroscopic behavior of suspensions on different conditions (volume fraction, ionic strength, dispersant concentration) is studied by settling and rheological measurements. The macroscopic properties are connected to structural aspects, and we show that dispersing effects are mostly related to electro-steric repulsion. The dispersion state depends on two principal factors adsorbed amounts and adsorbed layer properties, especially the excess charge, and the molecules conformation. (author)

Constraints on small-scale cosmological fluctuations from SNe lensing dispersion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ben-Dayan, Ido; Takahashi, Ryuichi

2015-04-01

We provide predictions on small-scale cosmological density power spectrum from supernova lensing dispersion. Parameterizing the primordial power spectrum with running α and running of running β of the spectral index, we exclude large positive α and β parameters which induce too large lensing dispersions over current observational upper bound. We ran cosmological N-body simulations of collisionless dark matter particles to investigate non-linear evolution of the primordial power spectrum with positive running parameters. The initial small-scale enhancement of the power spectrum is largely erased when entering into the non-linear regime. For example, even if the linear power spectrum at k>10 hMpc -1 is enhanced by 1-2 orders of magnitude, the enhancement much decreases to a factor of 2-3 at late time (z≤1.5). Therefore, the lensing dispersion induced by the dark matter fluctuations weakly constrains the running parameters. When including baryon-cooling effects (which strongly enhance the small-scale clustering), the constraint is comparable or tighter than the PLANCK constraint, depending on the UV cut-off. Further investigations of the non-linear matter spectrum with baryonic processes is needed to reach a firm constraint.

A laboratory dispersant effectiveness test which reflects dispersant efficiency in the field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lunel, T.; Wood, P.

1996-01-01

Oil dispersion efficiencies of surfactants, from laboratory dispersion tests and field data were compared and calibrated. Data from an oil spill, where dispersants were used as a major part of the response, was analysed. The data was accumulated through the monitoring of the dispersant operation of the Sea Empress spill incident, in which Forties Blend oil was spilled at sea. This detailed data set was used to calibrate existing laboratory dispersant tests, and to devise a new International Dispersant Effectiveness Test. The objective was to create a comprehensive guide to decision making on whether and when to start a dispersant spraying operation. The dispersion efficiencies obtained from the laboratory dispersant tests were compared with field data. Flume tests produced the highest percentage of dispersed oil for all the dispersal tests. However, it was emphasised that the total percentage of oil dispersed should not be the only measure of dispersant effectiveness, since it does not distinguish between the contribution of natural and chemically enhanced dispersion. 9 refs., 1 tab., 9 figs

Berberine-induced pigment dispersion in Bufo melanostictus melanophores by stimulation of beta-2 adrenergic receptors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Sharique A; Naaz, Ishrat; Choudhary, Ram Kumar

2014-02-01

Reduced production of melanin by decreased or the absence of melanocytes leads to various hypopigmentation disorders, and the development of melanogenetic agents for photoprotection and hypopigmentation disorders is one of the top priority areas of research. Hence, the present study was carried out to elucidate the ability of berberine, a principal active ingredient present in the roots of the herb Berberis vulgaris to stimulate pigment dispersion in the isolated skin melanophores of the toad Bufo melanostictus. In the present study, mean melanophore size index of the isolated skin melanophores of B. melanostictus was assayed after treating with various concentrations of berberine. A marked melanin dispersion response leading to skin darkening was observed in the isolated melanophores of toad in response to berberine, which was found to be mediated through beta-2 adrenergic receptors. The physiologically significant dose-related melanin dispersion effects of berberine per se were found to be completely abolished by propranolol, which is a specific beta-2 adrenergic receptor blocker. These per se melanin dispersal effects were also found to be markedly potentiated by isoprenaline, which is a specific beta-adrenoceptor agonist. The results indicate that berberine causes a tremendous, dose-dependent, physiologically significant pigment dispersing in the isolated skin melanophores of B. melanostictus.

Solid KHT tumor dispersal for flow cytometric cell kinetic analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pallavicini, M.G.; Folstad, L.J.; Dunbar, C.

1981-01-01

A bacterial neutral protease was used to disperse KHT solid tumors into single cell suspensions suitable for routine cell kinetic analysis by flow cytometry and for clonogenic cell survival. Neutral protease disaggregation under conditions which would be suitable for routine tumor dispersal was compared with a trypsin/DNase procedure. Cell yield, clonogenic cell survival, DNA distributions of untreated and drug-perturbed tumors, rates of radioactive precursor incorporation during the cell cycle, and preferential cell cycle phase-specific cell loss were investigated. Tumors dispersed with neutral protease yielded approximately four times more cells than those dispersed with trypsin/DNase and approximately a 1.5-fold higher plating efficiency in a semisolid agar system. Quantitative analysis of DNA distributions obtained from untreated and cytosine-arabinoside-perturbed tumors produced similar results with both dispersal procedures. The rates of incorporation of tritiated thymidine during the cell cycle were also similar with neutral protease and trypsin/DNase dispersal. Preferential phase-specific cell loss was not obseved with either technique. We find that neutral protease provides good single cell suspensions of the KHT tumor for cell survival measurements and for cell kinetic analysis of drug-induced perturbations by flow cytometry. In addition, the high cell yields facilitate electronic cell sorting where large numbers of cells are often required

Citric acid induced promoted dispersion of Pt on the support and enhanced catalytic activities for a Pt-based catalyst

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Tianqiong; Wang, Jianli; Wang, Suning; Cui, Yajuan; Zhang, Hailong; Yan, Shuang; Yuan, Shandong; Chen, Yaoqiang

2017-12-01

Citric acid (CA), as the chelating agent, was introduced to obtain the enhanced Pt dispersion and catalytic activities for the Pt-based catalysts supported on oxygen-storage material. The role and content of CA were investigated systematically. It was found that the citric acid-assisted catalysts showed better Pt dispersion and smaller nanoparticle size of Pt. Thus, the catalyst had lower reduction temperature, preferable thermostability and possessed more oxidation state of Pt species under the oxidation atmosphere. The citric acid-induced fresh catalysts were excellent to convert CO and the corresponding aged ones exhibited higher activities for the elimination of all the target pollutants. Among the aged catalysts, P2-a (the mole ratio of Pt/CA is 2:1) presented the best performance. Particularly, compared with the reference sample (Pc-a), the light-off temperatures (T50) of NO, HC and CO for P2-a decreased by 39 °C, 42 °C and 72 °C, respectively, and the full-conversion temperatures (T90) of NO, HC and CO for P2-a decreased by 44 °C, 44 °C and 48 °C, respectively. Therefore, this work provides a facile and valid method to manufacture advanced catalysts for purification of the vehicle exhaust in the future.

Dispersal and noise: Various modes of synchrony in ecological oscillators

KAUST Repository

Bressloff, Paul C.

2012-10-21

We use the theory of noise-induced phase synchronization to analyze the effects of dispersal on the synchronization of a pair of predator-prey systems within a fluctuating environment (Moran effect). Assuming that each isolated local population acts as a limit cycle oscillator in the deterministic limit, we use phase reduction and averaging methods to derive a Fokker-Planck equation describing the evolution of the probability density for pairwise phase differences between the oscillators. In the case of common environmental noise, the oscillators ultimately synchronize. However the approach to synchrony depends on whether or not dispersal in the absence of noise supports any stable asynchronous states. We also show how the combination of partially correlated noise with dispersal can lead to a multistable steady-state probability density. © 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Dispersal and noise: Various modes of synchrony in ecological oscillators

KAUST Repository

Bressloff, Paul C.; Lai, Yi Ming

2012-01-01

We use the theory of noise-induced phase synchronization to analyze the effects of dispersal on the synchronization of a pair of predator-prey systems within a fluctuating environment (Moran effect). Assuming that each isolated local population acts as a limit cycle oscillator in the deterministic limit, we use phase reduction and averaging methods to derive a Fokker-Planck equation describing the evolution of the probability density for pairwise phase differences between the oscillators. In the case of common environmental noise, the oscillators ultimately synchronize. However the approach to synchrony depends on whether or not dispersal in the absence of noise supports any stable asynchronous states. We also show how the combination of partially correlated noise with dispersal can lead to a multistable steady-state probability density. © 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Energy-latitude dispersion patterns near the isotropy boundaries of energetic protons

Science.gov (United States)

Sergeev, V. A.; Chernyaeva, S. A.; Apatenkov, S. V.; Ganushkina, N. Y.; Dubyagin, S. V.

2015-08-01

Non-adiabatic motion of plasma sheet protons causes pitch-angle scattering and isotropic precipitation to the ionosphere, which forms the proton auroral oval. This mechanism related to current sheet scattering (CSS) provides a specific energy-latitude dispersion pattern near the equatorward boundary of proton isotropic precipitation (isotropy boundary, IB), with precipitation sharply decreasing at higher (lower) latitude for protons with lower (higher) energy. However, this boundary maps to the inner magnetosphere, where wave-induced scattering may provide different dispersion patterns as recently demonstrated by Liang et al. (2014). Motivated by the potential usage of the IBs for the magnetotail monitoring as well as by the need to better understand the mechanisms forming the proton IB, we investigate statistically the details of particle flux patterns near the proton IB using NOAA-POES polar spacecraft observations made during September 2009. By comparing precipitated-to-trapped flux ratio (J0/J90) at >30 and >80 keV proton energies, we found a relatively small number of simple CSS-type dispersion events (only 31 %). The clear reversed (wave-induced) dispersion patterns were very rare (5 %). The most frequent pattern had nearly coinciding IBs at two energies (63 %). The structured precipitation with multiple IBs was very frequent (60 %), that is, with two or more significant J0/J90 dropouts. The average latitudinal width of multiple IB structures was about 1°. Investigation of dozens of paired auroral zone crossings of POES satellites showed that the IB pattern is stable on a timescale of less than 2 min (a few proton bounce periods) but can evolve on a longer (several minutes) scale, suggesting temporal changes in some mesoscale structures in the equatorial magnetosphere. We discuss the possible role of CSS-related and wave-induced mechanisms and their possible coupling to interpret the emerging complicated patterns of proton isotropy boundaries.

Dispersion induced power fading for radio frequency signals and its application for fast online PMD and CD monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Ning, G.; Shum, P.

2007-06-01

We derive the expressions for the power fading including first-order polarization mode dispersion (PMD), chromatic dispersion, chirp parameter as well as polarization-dependent chromatic dispersion (PCD), which is dependent on the angle of precession of output state of polarization around the PMD vector. From the expression for radio frequency (RF) signals power fading, we get the average power fading for chromatic dispersion, chirp parameter, first-order PMD and PCD for both double sideband (DSB) modulation and single sideband (SSB) modulation. We also demonstrate a fast PMD and chromatic dispersion monitoring technology with reduced polarization-dependent gain. The measured results agree well with theoretical analysis.

Activation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors elicits pigment granule dispersion in retinal pigment epithelium isolated from bluegill

OpenAIRE

González, Alfredo; Crittenden, Elizabeth L; García, Dana M

2004-01-01

Abstract Background In fish, melanin pigment granules in the retinal pigment epithelium disperse into apical projections as part of the suite of responses the eye makes to bright light conditions. This pigment granule dispersion serves to reduce photobleaching and occurs in response to neurochemicals secreted by the retina. Previous work has shown that acetylcholine may be involved in inducing light-adaptive pigment dispersion. Acetylcholine receptors are of two main types, nicotinic and musc...

Turbulence modification due to bubbles and particles in dispersed two-phase upflows in a vertical pipe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hosokawa, Shigeo; Tomiyama, Akio

1999-01-01

One of the key issues in two-phase turbulence modeling is the turbulence modification due to the momentum exchange between the dispersed and continuous phases. As for the gas-liquid two-phase flows in vertical pipes, Serizawa and Kataoka carried out detailed measurement of turbulence intensity and detected the turbulence modification. Gore and Crowe pointed out that the modification is well correlated with the ratio of a particle diameter to a turbulence length scale (d/l t ). However the modification may depend on not only the length scales but also the eddy viscosities of shear-induced and particle-induced turbulence. Hosokawa et al. proposed the ratio φ of the eddy viscosity induced by a dispersed phase to the shear-induced eddy viscosity and confirmed that measured turbulence modification was well correlated with φ for a gas-solid two-phase flow. In this study, we examine whether or not φ is also applicable to gas-liquid and solid-liquid two-phase dispersed upflows in vertical pipes. Using the eddy viscosity ratio instead of d/l t , we could obtain much better correlation. The critical point at which no modification occurred was close to φ = 1, irrespective of a type of a two-phase dispersed flow. Consequently, we could confirm that the eddy viscosity ratio is a more appropriate parameter for correlating the turbulent modification than the conventional critical parameter d/l t . (author)

Dispersion bias, dispersion effect, and the aerosol-cloud conundrum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Yangang; Daum, Peter H; Guo Huan; Peng Yiran

2008-01-01

This work examines the influences of relative dispersion (the ratio of the standard deviation to the mean radius of the cloud droplet size distribution) on cloud albedo and cloud radiative forcing, derives an analytical formulation that accounts explicitly for the contribution from droplet concentration and relative dispersion, and presents a new approach to parameterize relative dispersion in climate models. It is shown that inadequate representation of relative dispersion in climate models leads to an overestimation of cloud albedo, resulting in a negative bias of global mean shortwave cloud radiative forcing that can be comparable to the warming caused by doubling CO 2 in magnitude, and that this dispersion bias is likely near its maximum for ambient clouds. Relative dispersion is empirically expressed as a function of the quotient between cloud liquid water content and droplet concentration (i.e., water per droplet), yielding an analytical formulation for the first aerosol indirect effect. Further analysis of the new expression reveals that the dispersion effect not only offsets the cooling from the Twomey effect, but is also proportional to the Twomey effect in magnitude. These results suggest that unrealistic representation of relative dispersion in cloud parameterization in general, and evaluation of aerosol indirect effects in particular, is at least in part responsible for several outstanding puzzles of the aerosol-cloud conundrum: for example, overestimation of cloud radiative cooling by climate models compared to satellite observations; large uncertainty and discrepancy in estimates of the aerosol indirect effect; and the lack of interhemispheric difference in cloud albedo.

Importance of intrinsic properties of dense caseinate dispersions for structure formation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Manski, J.M.; Riemsdijk, van L.E.; Goot, van der A.J.; Boom, R.M.

2007-01-01

Rheological measurements of dense calcium caseinate and sodium caseinate dispersions (15%) provided insight into the factors determining shear-induced structure formation in caseinates. Calcium caseinate at a sufficiently high concentration (30%) was shown to form highly anisotropic structures

An Ultraviolet Excess in the Superluminous Supernova Gaia16apd Reveals a Powerful Central Engine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nicholl, M.; Berger, E.; Blanchard, P. K.; Milisavljevic, D.; Challis, P. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 (United States); Margutti, R. [Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208 (United States); Metzger, B. D. [Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 (United States); Chornock, R., E-mail: matt.nicholl@cfa.harvard.edu [Astrophysical Institute, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 251B Clippinger Lab, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701 (United States)

2017-01-20

Since the discovery of superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) in the last decade, it has been known that these events exhibit bluer spectral energy distributions than other supernova subtypes, with significant output in the ultraviolet. However, the event Gaia16apd seems to outshine even the other SLSNe at rest-frame wavelengths below ∼3000 Å. Yan et al. have recently presented HST UV spectra and attributed the UV flux to low iron-group abundance in the outer ejecta, and hence reduced line blanketing. Here, we present UV and optical light curves over a longer baseline in time, revealing a rapid decline at UV wavelengths despite a typical optical evolution. Combining the published UV spectra with our own optical data, we demonstrate that Gaia16apd has a much hotter continuum than virtually any SLSN at maximum light, but it cools rapidly thereafter and is indistinguishable from the others by ∼10–15 days after peak. Comparing the equivalent widths of UV absorption lines with those of other events, we show that the excess UV continuum is a result of a more powerful central power source, rather than a lack of UV absorption relative to other SLSNe or an additional component from interaction with the surrounding medium. These findings strongly support the central-engine hypothesis for hydrogen-poor SLSNe. An explosion ejecting M {sub ej} = 4.8(0.2/ κ ) M {sub ⊙}, where κ is the opacity in cm{sup 2} g{sup −1}, and forming a magnetar with spin period P = 2 ms, and B = 2 × 10{sup 14} G (lower than other SLSNe with comparable rise times) can consistently explain the light curve evolution and high temperature at peak. The host metallicity, Z = 0.18 Z {sub ⊙}, is comparable to other SLSNe.

Splash-cup plants accelerate raindrops to disperse seeds

Science.gov (United States)

Amador, Guillermo J.; Yamada, Yasukuni; McCurley, Matthew; Hu, David L.

2013-01-01

The conical flowers of splash-cup plants Chrysosplenium and Mazus catch raindrops opportunistically, exploiting the subsequent splash to disperse their seeds. In this combined experimental and theoretical study, we elucidate their mechanism for maximizing dispersal distance. We fabricate conical plant mimics using three-dimensional printing, and use high-speed video to visualize splash profiles and seed travel distance. Drop impacts that strike the cup off-centre achieve the largest dispersal distances of up to 1 m. Such distances are achieved because splash speeds are three to five times faster than incoming drop speeds, and so faster than the traditionally studied splashes occurring upon horizontal surfaces. This anomalous splash speed is because of the superposition of two components of momentum, one associated with a component of the drop's motion parallel to the splash-cup surface, and the other associated with film spreading induced by impact with the splash-cup. Our model incorporating these effects predicts the observed dispersal distance within 6–18% error. According to our experiments, the optimal cone angle for the splash-cup is 40°, a value consistent with the average of five species of splash-cup plants. This optimal angle arises from the competing effects of velocity amplification and projectile launching angle. PMID:23235266

Magnetic stirrer induced dispersive ionic-liquid microextraction for the determination of vanadium in water and food samples prior to graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Naeemullah; Kazi, Tasneem Gul; Tuzen, Mustafa

2015-04-01

A new dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction, magnetic stirrer induced dispersive ionic-liquid microextraction (MS-IL-DLLME) was developed to quantify the trace level of vanadium in real water and food samples by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). In this extraction method magnetic stirrer was applied to obtained a dispersive medium of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [C4MIM][PF6] in aqueous solution of (real water samples and digested food samples) to increase phase transfer ratio, which significantly enhance the recovery of vanadium - 4-(2-pyridylazo) resorcinol (PAR) chelate. Variables having vital role on desired microextraction methods were optimised to obtain the maximum recovery of study analyte. Under the optimised experimental variables, enhancement factor (EF) and limit of detection (LOD) were achieved to be 125 and 18 ng L(-1), respectively. Validity and accuracy of the desired method was checked by analysis of certified reference materials (SLRS-4 Riverine water and NIST SRM 1515 Apple leaves). The relative standard deviation (RSD) for 10 replicate determinations at 0.5 μg L(-1) of vanadium level was found to be <5.0%. This method was successfully applied to real water and acid digested food samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dispersion, sorption and photodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in dispersant-seawater-sediment systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Xiao; Liu, Wen; Fu, Jie; Cai, Zhengqing; O'Reilly, S E; Zhao, Dongye

2016-08-15

This work examined effects of model oil dispersants on dispersion, sorption and photodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in simulated marine systems. Three dispersants (Corexit 9500A, Corexit 9527A and SPC 1000) were used to prepare dispersed water accommodated oil (DWAO). While higher doses of dispersants dispersed more n-alkanes and PAHs, Corexit 9500A preferentially dispersed C11-C20 n-alkanes, whereas Corexit 9527A was more favorable for smaller alkanes (C10-C16), and SPC 1000 for C12-C28 n-alkanes. Sorption of petroleum hydrocarbons on sediment was proportional to TPH types/fractions in the DWAOs. Addition of 18mg/L of Corexit 9500A increased sediment uptake of 2-3 ring PAHs, while higher dispersant doses reduced the uptake, due to micelle-enhanced solubilization effects. Both dispersed n-alkanes and PAHs were susceptible to photodegradation under simulated sunlight. For PAHs, both photodegradation and photo-facilitated alkylation were concurrently taking place. The information can facilitate sounder assessment of fate and distribution of dispersed oil hydrocarbons in marine systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toxicity of dispersant application: Biomarkers responses in gills of juvenile golden grey mullet (Liza aurata)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milinkovitch, Thomas; Godefroy, Joachim; Theron, Michael; Thomas-Guyon, Helene

2011-01-01

Dispersant use in nearshore areas is likely to increase the exposure of aquatic organisms to petroleum. To measure the toxicity of this controversial response technique, golden grey mullets (Liza aurata) were exposed to mechanically dispersed oil, chemically dispersed oil, dispersant alone in seawater, water-soluble fraction of oil and to seawater as a control treatment. Several biomarkers were assessed in the gills (enzymatic antioxidant activities, glutathione content, lipid peroxidation) and in the gallbladder (polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons metabolites). The significant differences between chemically dispersed oil and water soluble fraction of oil highlight the environmental risk to disperse an oil slick when containment and recovery can be conducted. The lack of significance between chemically and mechanically dispersed oil suggests that dispersant application is no more toxic than the natural dispersion of the oil slick. The results of this study are of interest in order to establish dispersant use policies in nearshore areas. - Highlights: → This study simulates and evaluates the toxicity of dispersant use in nearshore area. → Dispersant use toxicity is assessed through biomarkers measurement in a fish species. → Chemical dispersion of an oil slick increases the petroleum toxicity. → Dispersant use does not enhance the toxicity of a mechanically dispersed oil slick. → This work leads to conclusions concerning dispersant use policies in nearshore area. - When the meteorological conditions induce the dispersion of the oil slick (e.g. wave), the application of dispersant does not increase the toxicity of petroleum.

PS1-10bzj: A FAST, HYDROGEN-POOR SUPERLUMINOUS SUPERNOVA IN A METAL-POOR HOST GALAXY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lunnan, R.; Chornock, R.; Berger, E.; Milisavljevic, D.; Drout, M.; Sanders, N. E.; Challis, P. M.; Czekala, I.; Foley, R. J.; Fong, W.; Kirshner, R. P.; Leibler, C.; Marion, G. H.; Narayan, G. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Huber, M. E. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); McCrum, M.; Smartt, S. J. [Astrophysics Research Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen' s University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Rest, A. [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Dr., Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Roth, K. C. [Gemini Observatory, 670 N. Aohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Scolnic, D., E-mail: rlunnan@cfa.harvard.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); and others

2013-07-10

We present observations and analysis of PS1-10bzj, a superluminous supernova (SLSN) discovered in the Pan-STARRS Medium Deep Survey at a redshift z = 0.650. Spectroscopically, PS1-10bzj is similar to the hydrogen-poor SLSNe 2005ap and SCP 06F6, though with a steeper rise and lower peak luminosity (M{sub bol} {approx_equal} -21.4 mag) than previous events. We construct a bolometric light curve, and show that while PS1-10bzj's energetics were less extreme than previous events, its luminosity still cannot be explained by radioactive nickel decay alone. We explore both a magnetar spin-down and circumstellar interaction scenario and find that either can fit the data. PS1-10bzj is located in the Extended Chandra Deep Field South and the host galaxy is imaged in a number of surveys, including with the Hubble Space Telescope. The host is a compact dwarf galaxy (M{sub B} Almost-Equal-To -18 mag, diameter {approx}< 800 pc), with a low stellar mass (M{sub *} Almost-Equal-To 2.4 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 7} M{sub Sun }), young stellar population ({tau}{sub *} Almost-Equal-To 5 Myr), and a star formation rate of {approx}2-3 M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1}. The specific star formation rate is the highest seen in an SLSN host so far ({approx}100 Gyr{sup -1}). We detect the [O III] {lambda}4363 line, and find a low metallicity: 12 + (O/H) = 7.8 {+-} 0.2 ({approx_equal} 0.1 Z{sub Sun }). Together, this indicates that at least some of the progenitors of SLSNe come from young, low-metallicity populations.

Traffic dispersion through a series of signals with irregular split

Science.gov (United States)

Nagatani, Takashi

2016-01-01

We study the traffic behavior of a group of vehicles moving through a sequence of signals with irregular splits on a roadway. We present the stochastic model of vehicular traffic controlled by signals. The dynamic behavior of vehicular traffic is clarified by analyzing traffic pattern and travel time numerically. The group of vehicles breaks up more and more by the irregularity of signal's split. The traffic dispersion is induced by the irregular split. We show that the traffic dispersion depends highly on the cycle time and the strength of split's irregularity. Also, we study the traffic behavior through the series of signals at the green-wave strategy. The dependence of the travel time on offset time is derived for various values of cycle time. The region map of the traffic dispersion is shown in (cycle time, offset time)-space.

A necessary condition for dispersal driven growth of populations with discrete patch dynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Guiver, Chris; Packman, David; Townley, Stuart

2017-07-07

We revisit the question of when can dispersal-induced coupling between discrete sink populations cause overall population growth? Such a phenomenon is called dispersal driven growth and provides a simple explanation of how dispersal can allow populations to persist across discrete, spatially heterogeneous, environments even when individual patches are adverse or unfavourable. For two classes of mathematical models, one linear and one non-linear, we provide necessary conditions for dispersal driven growth in terms of the non-existence of a common linear Lyapunov function, which we describe. Our approach draws heavily upon the underlying positive dynamical systems structure. Our results apply to both discrete- and continuous-time models. The theory is illustrated with examples and both biological and mathematical conclusions are drawn. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Effects of chemical dispersants on oil physical properties and dispersion. Volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khelifa, A.; Fingas, M.; Hollebone, B.P.; Brown, C.E.; Pjontek, D.

2007-01-01

Laboratory and field testing have shown that the dispersion of oil spilled in water is influenced by chemical dispersants via the modification of the interfacial properties of the oil, such as oil-brine interfacial tension (IFT). This study focused on new laboratory experiments that measured the effects on the physical properties and dispersion of oil, with particular reference to the effects of chemical dispersants on IFT and oil viscosity and the subsequent effects on oil droplet formation. Experiments were conducted at 15 degrees C using Arabian Medium, Alaska North Slope and South Louisiana crude and Corexit 9500 and Corexit 9527 chemical dispersants. The dispersants were denser than the 3 oils. The effect of IFT reduction on oil dispersion was measured and showed substantial reduction in the size and enhancement of the concentration of oil droplets in the water column. It was shown that the brine-oil IFT associated with the 3 crudes reduced to less than 3.6 mN/m with the application of the chemical dispersants, even at a low dispersant-to-oil ratio (DOR) value of 1:200. The use of chemical dispersants increased the viscosity of the dispersant-oil mixture up to 40 per cent over the neat crude oil. It was shown that for each mixing condition, an optimum value of DOR exists that provides for maximal dispersant effectiveness. The IFT reaches maximum reduction at optimum DOR. It was suggested that oil spill modelling can be improved with further study of IFT reduction with DOR and variations of critical micelle concentration with the type and solubility of chemical dispersant, oil type and oil to water ratio. 13 refs., 3 tabs., 7 figs

Removal of Disperse Blue 56 and Disperse Red 135 dyes from aqueous dispersions by modified montmorillonite nanoclay

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmadishoar Javad

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this study modified montmorillonite was used as an adsorbent for the removal of two selected disperse dyes i.e., Disperse Blue 56 (DB and Disperse Red 135 (DR from dye dispersions. The adsorption equilibrium data of dyes adsorption were investigated by using Nernst, Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models. The adsorption kinetics was analyzed by using different models including pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Elovich and Intraparticle diffusion model. The Freundlich isotherm was found to be the most appropriate model for describing the sorption of the dyes on modified nanoclay. The best fit to the experimental results was obtained by using the pseudo-second-order kinetic equation, which satisfactorily described the process of dye adsorption. Although different kinetic models may control the rate of the adsorption process, the results indicated that the main rate limiting step was the intraparticle diffusion. The results showed that the proposed modified montmorillonite could be used as an effective adsorbent for the removal of disperse dyes even from highly concentrated dispersions.

Environmental impacts of dispersed development from federal infrastructure projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Southerland, Mark T

2004-06-01

Dispersed development, also referred to as urban growth or sprawl, is a pattern of low-density development spread over previously rural landscapes. Such growth can result in adverse impacts to air quality, water quality, human health, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, agricultural land, military training areas, water supply and wastewater treatment, recreational resources, viewscapes, and cultural resources. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is charged with protecting public health and the environment, which includes consideration of impacts from dispersed development. Specifically, because federal infrastructure projects can affect the progress of dispersed development, the secondary impacts resulting from it must be assessed in documents prepared under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has oversight for NEPA and Section 309 of the Clean Air Act requires that U.S. EPA review and comment on federal agency NEPA documents. The adverse effects of dispersed development can be induced by federal infrastructure projects including transportation, built infrastructure, modifications in natural infrastructure, public land conversion and redevelopment of properties, construction of federal facilities, and large traffic or major growth generation developments requiring federal permits. This paper presents an approach that U.S. EPA reviewers and NEPA practitioners can use to provide accurate, realistic, and consistent analysis of secondary impacts of dispersed development resulting from federal infrastructure projects. It also presents 24 measures that can be used to mitigate adverse impacts from dispersed development by modifying project location and design, participating in preservation or restoration activities, or informing and supporting local communities in planning.

Elemental profiling of laser cladded multilayer coatings by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Lednev, V. N.; Sdvizhenskii, P. A.; Filippov, M. N.; Grishin, M. Ya.; Filichkina, V. A.; Stavertiy, A. Ya.; Tretyakov, R. S.; Bunkin, A. F.; Pershin, S. M.

2017-09-01

Multilayer tungsten carbide wear resistant coatings were analyzed by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. Coaxial laser cladding technique was utilized to produce tungsten carbide coating deposited on low alloy steel substrate with additional inconel 625 interlayer. EDX and LIBS techniques were used for elemental profiling of major components (Ni, W, C, Fe, etc.) in the coating. A good correlation between EDX and LIBS data was observed while LIBS provided additional information on light element distribution (carbon). A non-uniform distribution of tungsten carbide grains along coating depth was detected by both LIBS and EDX. In contrast, horizontal elemental profiling showed a uniform tungsten carbide particles distribution. Depth elemental profiling by layer-by-layer LIBS analysis was demonstrated to be an effective method for studying tungsten carbide grains distribution in wear resistant coating without any sample preparation.

Nanospikes functionalization as a universal strategy to disperse hydrophilic particles in non-polar media

Science.gov (United States)

Hang, Tian; Chen, Hui-Jiuan; Wang, Ji; Lin, Di-an; Wu, Jiangming; Liu, Di; Cao, Yuhong; Yang, Chengduan; Liu, Chenglin; Xiao, Shuai; Gu, Meilin; Pan, Shuolin; Wu, Mei X.; Xie, Xi

2018-05-01

Dispersion of hydrophilic particles in non-polar media has many important applications yet remains difficult. Surfactant or amphiphilic functionalization was conventionally applied to disperse particles but is highly dependent on the particle/solvent system and may induce unfavorable effects and impact particle hydrophilic nature. Recently 2 μm size polystyrene microbeads coated with ZnO nanospikes have been reported to display anomalous dispersity in phobic media without using surfactant or amphiphilic functionalization. However, due to the lack of understanding whether this phenomenon was applicable to a wider range of conditions, little application has been derived from it. Here the anomalous dispersity phenomenons of hydrophilic microparticles covered with nanospikes were systematically assessed at various conditions including different particle sizes, material compositions, particle morphologies, solvent hydrophobicities, and surface polar groups. Microparticles were functionalized with nanospikes through hydrothermal route, followed by dispersity test in hydrophobic media. The results suggest nanospikes consistently prevent particle aggregation in various particle or solvent conditions, indicating the universal applicability of the anomalous dispersion phenomenons. This work provides insight on the anomalous dispersity of hydrophilic particles in various systems and offers potential application to use this method for surfactant-free dispersions.

Nanostructured aqueous dispersions of citrem interacting with lipids and PEGylated lipids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hedegaard, S.F.; Nilsson, Christa; Laurinmäki, P.

2013-01-01

We report on the formation of nanostructured aqueous dispersions based on the negatively charged food-grade emulsifier citrem (citric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides). To our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature on the spontaneous formation of aqueous PEGylated and non-PEGy...... ) phase. Based on the SAXS results, the partial replacement of citrem by high amount of MO or PHYT induced the formation of hexosomes. The investigated dispersions of citrem could be attractive as nanocarriers of poorly water-soluble drugs and functional foods.......We report on the formation of nanostructured aqueous dispersions based on the negatively charged food-grade emulsifier citrem (citric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides). To our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature on the spontaneous formation of aqueous PEGylated and non...

DEM analysis of the effect of particle-wall impact on the dispersion performance in carrier-based dry powder inhalers.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jiecheng; Wu, Chuan-Yu; Adams, Michael

2015-06-20

The impact between particles or agglomerates and a device wall is considered as an important mechanism controlling the dispersion of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) particles in dry powder inhalers (DPIs). In order to characterise the influencing factors and better understand the impact induced dispersion process for carrier-based DPIs, the impact behaviour between an agglomerate and a wall is systematically investigated using the discrete element method. In this study, a carrier-based agglomerate is initially formed and then allowed to impact with a target wall. The effects of impact velocity, impact angle and work of adhesion on the dispersion performance are analysed. It is shown that API particles in the near-wall regions are more likely to be dispersed due to the deceleration of the carrier particle resulted from the impact with the wall. It is also revealed that the dispersion ratio increases with increasing impact velocity and impact angle, indicating that the normal component of the impact velocity plays a dominant role on the dispersion. Furthermore, the impact induced dispersion performance for carrier-based DPI formulations can be well approximated using a cumulative Weibull distribution function that is governed by the ratio of overall impact energy and adhesion energy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermal behavior analysis of U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ryu, Ho Jin; Park, Jong Mang; Lee, Yoon Sang; Kim, Chang Kyu [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

2004-07-01

According to the non-proliferation policy under the reduced enrichment for research and test reactors (RERTR) program, low enriched uranium(LEU) fuel such as uranium silicide dispersion fuels are being used in research reactors. Because of a lower enrichment higher uranium density fuels are required for some high performance research reactors. Some uranium alloys with a high uranium density such as U-Mo alloys have been considered as one of the most promising candidates for a dispersion fuel due to the good irradiation performance. An international qualification program to replace the uranium silicide dispersion fuel with U-Mo dispersion fuel is being carried out under the RERTR program. Although U-Mo powders are conventionally supplied by the mechanical comminuting of as-cast U-Mo alloys, KAERI developed a centrifugal atomization method in order to simplify the preparation process and improve the properties. The centrifugally atomized powders have a rapidly solidified gamma uranium structure and a spherical shape. During the in-reactor operation of a dispersion fuel, interdiffusion or chemical reactions between the fuel particles and the matrix occurr. Intermetallic compounds in the form of UAlx are formed as a result of the diffusional reaction. Because the intermetallic compounds are less dense than the combined reactants, the volume of the fuel element increases after the reaction. In addition to the effect on the swelling performance, the reaction layers between the U-Mo and the Al matrix induces a degradation of the thermal properties of the U-Mo/Al dispersion fuels. It is important to investigate the thermal behavior of U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel according to reaction between the fuel particles and the matrix with the burnup and linear power. In this study, a finite element analysis was used for the calculation of the temperature distribution of the U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel with a burnup and linear power. Kinetics data of the reaction layers such as the growth

Thermal behavior analysis of U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryu, Ho Jin; Park, Jong Mang; Lee, Yoon Sang; Kim, Chang Kyu

2004-01-01

According to the non-proliferation policy under the reduced enrichment for research and test reactors (RERTR) program, low enriched uranium(LEU) fuel such as uranium silicide dispersion fuels are being used in research reactors. Because of a lower enrichment higher uranium density fuels are required for some high performance research reactors. Some uranium alloys with a high uranium density such as U-Mo alloys have been considered as one of the most promising candidates for a dispersion fuel due to the good irradiation performance. An international qualification program to replace the uranium silicide dispersion fuel with U-Mo dispersion fuel is being carried out under the RERTR program. Although U-Mo powders are conventionally supplied by the mechanical comminuting of as-cast U-Mo alloys, KAERI developed a centrifugal atomization method in order to simplify the preparation process and improve the properties. The centrifugally atomized powders have a rapidly solidified gamma uranium structure and a spherical shape. During the in-reactor operation of a dispersion fuel, interdiffusion or chemical reactions between the fuel particles and the matrix occurr. Intermetallic compounds in the form of UAlx are formed as a result of the diffusional reaction. Because the intermetallic compounds are less dense than the combined reactants, the volume of the fuel element increases after the reaction. In addition to the effect on the swelling performance, the reaction layers between the U-Mo and the Al matrix induces a degradation of the thermal properties of the U-Mo/Al dispersion fuels. It is important to investigate the thermal behavior of U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel according to reaction between the fuel particles and the matrix with the burnup and linear power. In this study, a finite element analysis was used for the calculation of the temperature distribution of the U-Mo/Al dispersion fuel with a burnup and linear power. Kinetics data of the reaction layers such as the growth

Interphase and particle dispersion correlations in polymer nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Senses, Erkan

Particle dispersion in polymer matrices is a major parameter governing the mechanical performance of polymer nanocomposites. Controlling particle dispersion and understanding aging of composites under large shear and temperature variations determine the processing conditions and lifetime of composites which are very important for diverse applications in biomedicine, highly reinforced materials and more importantly for the polymer composites with adaptive mechanical responses. This thesis investigates the role of interphase layers between particles and polymer matrices in two bulk systems where particle dispersion is altered upon deformation in repulsive composites, and good-dispersion of particles is retained after multiple oscillatory shearing and aging cycles in attractive composites. We demonstrate that chain desorption and re-adsorption processes in attractive composites under shear can effectively enhance the bulk microscopic mechanical properties, and long chains of adsorbed layers lead to a denser entangled interphase layer. We further designed experiments where particles are physically adsorbed with bimodal lengths of homopolymer chains to underpin the entanglement effect in interphases. Bimodal adsorbed chains are shown to improve the interfacial strength and used to modulate the elastic properties of composites without changing the particle loading, dispersion state or polymer conformation. Finally, the role of dynamic asymmetry (different mobilities in polymer blends) and chemical heterogeneity in the interphase layer are explored in systems of poly(methyl methacrylate) adsorbed silica nanoparticles dispersed in poly(ethylene oxide) matrix. Such nanocomposites are shown to exhibit unique thermal-stiffening behavior at temperatures above glass transitions of both polymers. These interesting findings suggest that the mobility of the surface-bound polymer is essential for reinforcement in polymer nanocomposites, contrary to existing glassy layer theories

Characterization of starvation-induced dispersion in Pseudomonas putida biofilms: genetic elements and molecular mechanisms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gjermansen, M.; Nilsson, M.; Yang, Liang

2010-01-01

P>Pseudomonas putida OUS82 biofilm dispersal was previously shown to be dependent on the gene PP0164 (here designated lapG). Sequence and structural analysis has suggested that the LapG geneproduct belongs to a family of cysteine proteinases that function in the modification of bacterial surface...... proteins. We provide evidence that LapG is involved in P. putida OUS82 biofilm dispersal through modification of the outer membrane-associated protein LapA. While the P. putida lapG mutant formed more biofilm than the wild-type, P. putida lapA and P. putida lapAG mutants displayed decreased surface...

Microstructure of Pharmaceutical Semicrystalline Dispersions: The Significance of Polymer Conformation.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Duong, Tu; Goderis, Bart; Van Humbeeck, Jan; Van den Mooter, Guy

2018-02-05

The microstructure of pharmaceutical semicrystalline solid dispersions has attracted extensive attention due to its complexity that might result in the diversity in physical stability, dissolution behavior, and pharmaceutical performance of the systems. Numerous factors have been reported that dictate the microstructure of semicrystalline dispersions. Nevertheless, the importance of the complicated conformation of the polymer has never been elucidated. In this study, we investigate the microstructure of dispersions of polyethylene glycol and active pharmaceutical ingredients by small-angle X-ray scattering and high performance differential scanning calorimetry. Polyethylene glycol with molecular weight of 2000 g/mol (PEG2000) and 6000 g/mol (PEG6000) exhibited remarkable discrepancy in the lamellar periodicity in dispersions with APIs which was attributed to the differences in their folding behavior. The long period of PEG2000 always decreased upon aging-induced exclusion of APIs from the interlamellar region of extended chain crystals whereas the periodicity of PEG6000 may decrease or increase during storage as a consequence of the competition between the drug segregation and the lamellar thickening from nonintegral-folded into integral-folded chain crystals. These processes were in turn significantly influenced by the crystallization tendency of the pharmaceutical compounds, drug-polymer interactions, as well as the dispersion composition and crystallization temperature. This study highlights the significance of the polymer conformation on the microstructure of semicrystalline systems that is critical for the preparation of solid dispersions with consistent and reproducible quality.

Nanocomposites from Stable Dispersions of Carbon Nanotubes in Polymeric Matrices Using Dispersion Interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Wise, Kristopher Eric (Inventor); Park, Cheol (Inventor); Kang, Jin Ho (Inventor); Siochi, Emilie J. (Inventor); Harrison, Joycelyn S. (Inventor)

2016-01-01

Stable dispersions of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in polymeric matrices include CNTs dispersed in a host polymer or copolymer whose monomers have delocalized electron orbitals, so that a dispersion interaction results between the host polymer or copolymer and the CNTs dispersed therein. Nanocomposite products, which are presented in bulk, or when fabricated as a film, fiber, foam, coating, adhesive, paste, or molding, are prepared by standard means from the present stable dispersions of CNTs in polymeric matrices, employing dispersion interactions, as presented hereinabove.

Are superluminous supernovae and long GRBs the products of dynamical processes in young dense star clusters?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van den Heuvel, E. P. J. [Astronomical Institute Anton Pannekoek, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94249, 1090 GE Amsterdam (Netherlands); Portegies Zwart, S. F. [Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden (Netherlands)

2013-12-20

Superluminous supernovae (SLSNe) occur almost exclusively in small galaxies (Small/Large Magellanic Cloud (SMC/LMC)-like or smaller), and the few SLSNe observed in larger star-forming galaxies always occur close to the nuclei of their hosts. Another type of peculiar and highly energetic supernovae are the broad-line Type Ic SNe (SN Ic-BL) that are associated with long-duration gamma-ray bursts (LGRBs). Also these have a strong preference for occurring in small (SMC/LMC-like or smaller) star-forming galaxies, and in these galaxies LGRBs always occur in the brightest spots. Studies of nearby star-forming galaxies that are similar to the hosts of LGRBs show that these brightest spots are giant H II regions produced by massive dense young star clusters with many hundreds of O- and Wolf-Rayet-type stars. Such dense young clusters are also found in abundance within a few hundred parsecs from the nucleus of larger galaxies like our own. We argue that the SLSNe and the SNe Ic-BL/LGRBs are exclusive products of two types of dynamical interactions in dense young star clusters. In our model the high angular momentum of the collapsing stellar cores required for the engines of an SN Ic-BL results from the post-main-sequence mergers of dynamically produced cluster binaries with almost equal-mass components. The merger produces a critically rotating single helium star with sufficient angular momentum to produce an LGRB; the observed 'metal aversion' of LGRBs is a natural consequence of the model. We argue that, on the other hand, SLSNe could be the products of runaway multiple collisions in dense clusters, and we present (and quantize) plausible scenarios of how the different types of SLSNe can be produced.

Dissolution and precipitation behavior of ternary solid dispersions of ezetimibe in biorelevant media.

Science.gov (United States)

Alhayali, Amani; Tavellin, Staffan; Velaga, Sitaram

2017-01-01

The effects of different formulations and processes on inducing and maintaining the supersaturation of ternary solid dispersions of ezetimibe (EZ) in two biorelevant media fasted-state simulated intestinal fluid (FaSSIF) and fasted-state simulated gastric fluid (FaSSGF) at different temperatures (25 °C and 37 °C) were investigated in this work. Ternary solid dispersions of EZ were prepared by adding polymer PVP-K30 and surfactant poloxamer 188 using melt-quenching and spray-drying methods. The resulting solid dispersions were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), modulated DSC, powder X-ray diffraction and Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy. The dissolution of all the ternary solid dispersions was tested in vitro under non-sink conditions. All the prepared solid dispersions were amorphous in nature. In FaSSIF at 25 °C, the melt-quenched (MQ) solid dispersions of EZ were more soluble than the spray-dried (SD) solid dispersions and supersaturation was maintained. However, at 37 °C, rapid and variable precipitation behavior was observed for all the MQ and SD formulations. In FaSSGF, the melting method resulted in better solubility than the spray-drying method at both temperatures. Ternary solid dispersions show potential for improving solubility and supersaturation. However, powder dissolution experiments of these solid dispersions of EZ at 25 °C may not predict the supersaturation behavior at physiologically relevant temperatures.

The influence of second-phase dispersion on environmental embrittlement of Ni3(Si,Ti) alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takasugi, T.; Hanada, S.

1999-01-01

Some quaternary Ni 3 (Si,Ti) alloyed with transition elements V, Nb, Zr and Hf was prepared beyond their maximum solubility limits to investigate the effect of second-phase dispersion on moisture-induced embrittlement. V-added Ni 3 (Si,Ti) alloy contained ductile fcc-type Ni solid solution as the second-phase, while Nb-, Zr- and Hf-added Ni 3 (Si,Ti) alloys contained hard dispersion compounds as the second-phase. V- and Nb-added Ni 3 (Si,Ti) alloys did not display reduced tensile elongation in air, indicating that their second phases have the effect of suppressing the moisture-induced embrittlement. Possible mechanisms for the beneficial effect by the second phase on the moisture-induced embrittlement of V- and Nb-added Ni 3 (Si,Ti) alloys are discussed in association with hydrogen behavior and deformation property in the constituent phases or at matrix/second-phase interface

Dispersion Forces

CERN Document Server

Buhmann, Stefan Yoshi

2012-01-01

In this book, a modern unified theory of dispersion forces on atoms and bodies is presented which covers a broad range of advanced aspects and scenarios. Macroscopic quantum electrodynamics is shown to provide a powerful framework for dispersion forces which allows for discussing general properties like their non-additivity and the relation between microscopic and macroscopic interactions. It is demonstrated how the general results can be used to obtain dispersion forces on atoms in the presence of bodies of various shapes and materials. Starting with a brief recapitulation of volume I, this volume II deals especially with bodies of irregular shapes, universal scaling laws, dynamical forces on excited atoms, enhanced forces in cavity quantum electrodynamics, non-equilibrium forces in thermal environments and quantum friction. The book gives both the specialist and those new to the field a thorough overview over recent results in the field. It provides a toolbox for studying dispersion forces in various contex...

Impact of local diffusion on macroscopic dispersion in three-dimensional porous media

Science.gov (United States)

Dartois, Arthur; Beaudoin, Anthony; Huberson, Serge

2018-02-01

While macroscopic longitudinal and transverse dispersion in three-dimensional porous media has been simulated previously mostly under purely advective conditions, the impact of diffusion on macroscopic dispersion in 3D remains an open question. Furthermore, both in 2D and 3D, recurring difficulties have been encountered due to computer limitation or analytical approximation. In this work, we use the Lagrangian velocity covariance function and the temporal derivative of second-order moments to study the influence of diffusion on dispersion in highly heterogeneous 2D and 3D porous media. The first approach characterizes the correlation between the values of Eulerian velocity components sampled by particles undergoing diffusion at two times. The second approach allows the estimation of dispersion coefficients and the analysis of their behaviours as functions of diffusion. These two approaches allowed us to reach new results. The influence of diffusion on dispersion seems to be globally similar between highly heterogeneous 2D and 3D porous media. Diffusion induces a decrease in the dispersion in the direction parallel to the flow direction and an increase in the dispersion in the direction perpendicular to the flow direction. However, the amplification of these two effects with the permeability variance is clearly different between 2D and 3D. For the direction parallel to the flow direction, the amplification is more important in 3D than in 2D. It is reversed in the direction perpendicular to the flow direction.

Dispersion analysis and measurement of circular cylindrical wedge-like acoustic waveguides.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Tai-Ho

2015-09-01

This study investigated the propagation of flexural waves along the outer edge of a circular cylindrical wedge, the phase velocities, and the corresponding mode displacements. Thus far, only approximate solutions have been derived because the corresponding boundary-value problems are complex. In this study, dispersion curves were determined using the bi-dimensional finite element method and derived through the separation of variables and the Hamilton principle. Modal displacement calculations clarified that the maximal deformations appeared at the outer edge of the wedge tip. Numerical examples indicated how distinct thin-film materials deposited on the outer surface of the circular cylindrical wedge influenced the dispersion curves. Additionally, dispersion curves were measured using a laser-induced guided wave, a knife-edge measurement scheme, and a two-dimensional fast Fourier transform method. Both the numerical and experimental results correlated closely, thus validating the numerical solution. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Blackbody emission from light interacting with an effective moving dispersive medium.

Science.gov (United States)

Petev, M; Westerberg, N; Moss, D; Rubino, E; Rimoldi, C; Cacciatori, S L; Belgiorno, F; Faccio, D

2013-07-26

Intense laser pulses excite a nonlinear polarization response that may create an effective flowing medium and, under appropriate conditions, a blocking horizon for light. Here, we analyze in detail the interaction of light with such laser-induced flowing media, fully accounting for the medium dispersion properties. An analytical model based on a first Born approximation is found to be in excellent agreement with numerical simulations based on Maxwell's equations and shows that when a blocking horizon is formed, the stimulated medium scatters light with a blackbody emission spectrum. Based on these results, diamond is proposed as a promising candidate medium for future studies of Hawking emission from artificial, dispersive horizons.

Optimizing sonication parameters for dispersion of single-walled carbon nanotubes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Haibo [Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano Systems (Fraunhofer ENAS), 09126 Chemnitz (Germany); Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China); State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 110016 Shenyang (China); Hermann, Sascha, E-mail: sascha.hermann@zfm.tu-chemnitz.de [Center for Microtechnologies (ZfM), Chemnitz University of Technology, 09126 Chemnitz (Germany); Schulz, Stefan E.; Gessner, Thomas [Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano Systems (Fraunhofer ENAS), 09126 Chemnitz (Germany); Center for Microtechnologies (ZfM), Chemnitz University of Technology, 09126 Chemnitz (Germany); Dong, Zaili [State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 110016 Shenyang (China); Li, Wen J., E-mail: wenjungli@gmail.com [State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 110016 Shenyang (China); Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR (China)

2012-10-26

Graphical abstract: We study the dispersing behavior of SWCNTs based on the surfactant and the optimization of sonication parameters including the sonication power and running time. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We study the optimization of sonication for the surfactant-based dispersion of SWCNTs. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The absorption spectrum of SWCNT solution strongly depend on the sonication conditions. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The sonication process has an important influence on the average length and diameters of SWCNTs in solution. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Centrifugation mainly contributes to the decrease of nonresonant absorption background. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Under the same sonication parameters, the large-diameter tip performs dispersion of SWCNTs better than the small-diameter tip. -- Abstract: Non-covalent functionalization based on surfactants has become one of the most common methods for dispersing of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Previously, efforts have mainly been focused on experimenting with different surfactant systems, varying their concentrations and solvents. However sonication plays a very important role during the surfactant-based dispersion process for SWCNTs. The sonication treatment enables the surfactant molecules to adsorb onto the surface of SWCNTs by overcoming the interactions induced by the hydrophobic, electrostatic and van der Waals forces. This work describes a systematic study of the influence of the sonication power and time on the dispersion of SWCNTs. UV-vis-NIR absorption spectra is used to analyze and to evaluate the dispersion of SWCNTs in an aqueous solution of 1 w/v% sodium deoxycholate (DOC) showing that the resonant and nonresonant background absorption strongly depends on the sonication conditions. Furthermore, the diameter and length of SWCNTs under different sonication parameters are investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM).

Induction of hsp60 in the rotifer, Brachionus plicatilis exposed to dispersed and undispersed crude oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wheelock, C.; Tjeerdema, R.; Wolfe, M.

1995-01-01

The use of chemical dispersants to treat oil spills remains a controversial area. Questions arise as to whether the dispersed oil is in fact more toxic than the original spill, potentially increasing the exposure of organisms in the water column to the dispersed components. Stress proteins, including hsp60, are a group of highly conserved proteins that are induced in response to a wide variety of environmental agents, including UV light, heavy metals, and xenobiotics. They are constitutively expressed, but Brachionus plicatilis has been used to document increased hsp60 levels in response to different environmental stresses. Hsp60 was therefore selected as a sublethal endpoint for B. plicatilis exposed to a range of concentrations of a water accommodated fraction (WAF) of Prudhoe Bay Crude Oil (PBCO), a PCBO/dispersant (Corexit 9527) fraction and a mixture of Corexit 9527 alone. All exposures were done at concentrations below the no observable effect level (NOEL) and at two different salinities, 22 ppt and 34 ppt. Laemmli SDS-PAGE techniques followed by Western Blotting using hsp60 specific antibodies and chemiluminescent detection were used to isolate, identify and measure induced hsp60 as a percentage of control values. Hsp60 induction exhibited a biphasic response with maximal induction occurring at lower concentrations of all three different mixtures, WAF, PBCO/Corexit 9527, and Corexit 9527 alone. Preliminary data found that the dispersed oil is indeed more toxic in terms of hsp60 induction than both the undispersed oil and the dispersing agent alone

Induction of hsp60 in the rotifer, Brachionus plicatilis exposed to dispersed and undispersed crude oil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wheelock, C.; Tjeerdema, R.; Wolfe, M. [Univ. of California, Santa Cruz, CA (United States). Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry

1995-12-31

The use of chemical dispersants to treat oil spills remains a controversial area. Questions arise as to whether the dispersed oil is in fact more toxic than the original spill, potentially increasing the exposure of organisms in the water column to the dispersed components. Stress proteins, including hsp60, are a group of highly conserved proteins that are induced in response to a wide variety of environmental agents, including UV light, heavy metals, and xenobiotics. They are constitutively expressed, but Brachionus plicatilis has been used to document increased hsp60 levels in response to different environmental stresses. Hsp60 was therefore selected as a sublethal endpoint for B. plicatilis exposed to a range of concentrations of a water accommodated fraction (WAF) of Prudhoe Bay Crude Oil (PBCO), a PCBO/dispersant (Corexit 9527) fraction and a mixture of Corexit 9527 alone. All exposures were done at concentrations below the no observable effect level (NOEL) and at two different salinities, 22 ppt and 34 ppt. Laemmli SDS-PAGE techniques followed by Western Blotting using hsp60 specific antibodies and chemiluminescent detection were used to isolate, identify and measure induced hsp60 as a percentage of control values. Hsp60 induction exhibited a biphasic response with maximal induction occurring at lower concentrations of all three different mixtures, WAF, PBCO/Corexit 9527, and Corexit 9527 alone. Preliminary data found that the dispersed oil is indeed more toxic in terms of hsp60 induction than both the undispersed oil and the dispersing agent alone.

Strengthened currents override the effect of warming on lobster larval dispersal and survival

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cetina-Heredia, Paulina; Roughan, Moninya; van Sebille, Erik; Feng, Ming; Coleman, Melinda A.

2015-01-01

Human-induced climate change is projected to increase ocean temperature and modify circulation patterns, with potential widespread implications for the transport and survival of planktonic larvae of marine organisms. Circulation affects the dispersal of larvae, whereas temperature impacts larval

Anomalous, extreme weather disrupts obligate seed dispersal mutualism: snow in a subtropical forest ecosystem.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Youbing; Newman, Chris; Chen, Jin; Xie, Zongqiang; Macdonald, David W

2013-09-01

Ongoing global climate change is predicted to increase the frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events, impacting population dynamics and community structure. There is, however, a critical lack of case studies considering how climatic perturbations affect biotic interactions. Here, we document how an obligate seed dispersal mutualism was disrupted by a temporally anomalous and meteorologically extreme interlude of unseasonably frigid weather, with accompanying snowstorms, in subtropical China, during January-February 2008. Based on the analysis of 5892 fecal samples (representing six mammalian seed dispersers), this event caused a substantial disruption to the relative seed dispersal function for the raisin tree Hovenia dulcis from prestorm 6.29 (2006) and 11.47 (2007), down to 0.35 during the storm (2008). Crucially, this was due to impacts on mammalian seed dispersers and not due to a paucity of fruit, where 4.63 fruit per branch were available in January 2008, vs. 3.73 in 2006 and 3.58 in 2007. An induced dietary shift occurred among omnivorous carnivores during this event, from the consumption fruit to small mammals and birds, reducing their role in seed dispersal substantially. Induced range shift extinguished the functionality of herbivorous mammals completely, however, seed dispersal function was compensated in part by three omnivorous carnivores during poststorm years, and thus while the mutualism remained intact it was enacted by a narrower assemblage of species, rendering the system more vulnerable to extrinsic perturbations. The storm's extended effects also had anthropogenic corollaries - migrating ungulates becoming exposed to heightened levels of illegal hunting - causing long-term modification to the seed dispersal community and mutualism dynamics. Furthermore, degraded forests proved especially vulnerable to the storm's effects. Considering increasing climate variability and anthropogenic disturbance, the impacts of such massive, aberrant

Theory of dispersive microlenses

Science.gov (United States)

Herman, B.; Gal, George

1993-01-01

A dispersive microlens is a miniature optical element which simultaneously focuses and disperses light. Arrays of dispersive mircolenses have potential applications in multicolor focal planes. They have a 100 percent optical fill factor and can focus light down to detectors of diffraction spot size, freeing up areas on the focal plane for on-chip analog signal processing. Use of dispersive microlenses allows inband color separation within a pixel and perfect scene registration. A dual-color separation has the potential for temperature discrimination. We discuss the design of dispersive microlenses and present sample results for efficient designs.

Cefuroxime axetil solid dispersions prepared using solution enhanced dispersion by supercritical fluids.

Science.gov (United States)

Jun, Seoung Wook; Kim, Min-Soo; Jo, Guk Hyun; Lee, Sibeum; Woo, Jong Soo; Park, Jeong-Sook; Hwang, Sung-Joo

2005-12-01

Cefuroxime axetil (CA) solid dispersions with HPMC 2910/PVP K-30 were prepared using solution enhanced dispersion by supercritical fluids (SEDS) in an effort to increase the dissolution rate of poorly water-soluble drugs. Their physicochemical properties in solid state were characterized by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy. No endothermic and characteristic diffraction peaks corresponding to CA were observed for the solid dispersions in DSC and PXRD. FTIR analysis demonstrated the presence of intermolecular hydrogen bonds between CA and HPMC 2910/PVP K-30 in solid dispersions, resulting in the formation of amorphous or non-crystalline CA. Dissolution studies indicated that the dissolution rates were remarkably increased in solid dispersions compared with those in the physical mixture and drug alone. In conclusion, an amorphous or non-crystalline CA solid dispersion prepared using SEDS could be very useful for the formulation of solid dosage forms.

Wave-equation dispersion inversion

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing; Feng, Zongcai; Schuster, Gerard T.

2016-01-01

We present the theory for wave-equation inversion of dispersion curves, where the misfit function is the sum of the squared differences between the wavenumbers along the predicted and observed dispersion curves. The dispersion curves are obtained

Seed dispersal in fens

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Middleton, Beth; van Diggelen, Rudy; Jensen, Kai

Question: How does seed dispersal reduce fen isolation and contribute to biodiversity? Location: European and North American fens. Methods: This paper reviews the literature on seed dispersal to fens. Results: Landscape fragmentation may reduce dispersal opportunities thereby isolating fens and

Systematic study on intermolecular valence-band dispersion in molecular crystalline films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamane, Hiroyuki; Kosugi, Nobuhiro

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Intermolecular valence-band dispersion of crystalline films of phthalocyanines. • Intermolecular transfer integral versus lattice constant. • Site-specific intermolecular interaction and resultant valence-band dispersion. • Band narrowing effect induced by elevated temperature. - Abstract: Functionalities of organic semiconductors are governed not only by individual properties of constituent molecules but also by solid-state electronic states near the Fermi level such as frontier molecular orbitals, depending on weak intermolecular interactions in various conformations. The individual molecular property has been widely investigated in detail; on the other hand, the weak intermolecular interaction is difficult to investigate precisely due to the presence of the structural and thermal energy broadenings in organic solids. Here we show quite small but essential intermolecular valence band dispersions and their temperature dependence of sub-0.1-eV scale in crystalline films of metal phthalocyanines (H_2Pc, ZnPc, CoPc, MnPc, and F_1_6ZnPc) by using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) with synchrotron radiation. The observed bands show intermolecular and site dependent dispersion widths, phases, and periodicities, for different chemical substitution of terminal groups and central metals in the phthalocyanine molecule. The precise and systematic band-dispersion measurement would be a credible approach toward the comprehensive understanding of intermolecular interactions and resultant charge transport properties as well as their tuning by substituents in organic molecular systems.

Polymer-Particle Nanocomposites: Size and Dispersion Effects

Science.gov (United States)

Moll, Joseph

Polymer-particle nanocomposites are used in industrial processes to enhance a broad range of material properties (e.g. mechanical, optical, electrical and gas permeability properties). This dissertation will focus on explanation and quantification of mechanical property improvements upon the addition of nanoparticles to polymeric materials. Nanoparticles, as enhancers of mechanical properties, are ubiquitous in synthetic and natural materials (e.g. automobile tires, packaging, bone), however, to date, there is no thorough understanding of the mechanism of their action. In this dissertation, silica (SiO2) nanoparticles, both bare and grafted with polystyrene (PS), are studied in polymeric matrices. Several variables of interest are considered, including particle dispersion state, particle size, length and density of grafted polymer chains, and volume fraction of SiO2. Polymer grafted nanoparticles behave akin to block copolymers, and this is critically leveraged to systematically vary nanoparticle dispersion and examine its role on the mechanical reinforcement in polymer based nanocomposites in the melt state. Rheology unequivocally shows that reinforcement is maximized by the formation of a transient, but long-lived, percolating polymer-particle network with the particles serving as the network junctions. The effects of dispersion and weight fraction of filler on nanocomposite mechanical properties are also studied in a bare particle system. Due to the interest in directional properties for many different materials, different means of inducing directional ordering of particle structures are also studied. Using a combination of electron microscopy and x-ray scattering, it is shown that shearing anisotropic NP assemblies (sheets or strings) causes them to orient, one in front of the other, into macroscopic two-dimensional structures along the flow direction. In contrast, no such flow-induced ordering occurs for well dispersed NPs or spherical NP aggregates! This work

Importance of intrinsic properties of dense caseinate dispersions for structure formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Manski, Julita M; van Riemsdijk, Lieke E; van der Goot, Atze J; Boom, Remko M

2007-11-01

Rheological measurements of dense calcium caseinate and sodium caseinate dispersions (> or =15%) provided insight into the factors determining shear-induced structure formation in caseinates. Calcium caseinate at a sufficiently high concentration (30%) was shown to form highly anisotropic structures during shearing and concurrent enzymatic cross-linking. In contrast, sodium caseinate formed isotropic structures using similar processing conditions. The main difference between the two types of caseinates is the counterion present, and as a consequence, the size of structural elements and their interactions. The rheological behavior of calcium caseinate and sodium caseinate reflected these differences, yielding non-monotonic and shear thinning flow behavior for calcium caseinate whereas sodium caseinate behaved only slightly shear thinning. It appears that the intrinsic properties of the dense caseinate dispersions, which are reflected in their rheological behavior, affect the structure formation that was found after applying shear. Therefore, rheological measurements are useful to obtain an indication of the structure formation potential of caseinate dispersions.

DART model for thermal conductivity of U3Si2 aluminum dispersion fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rest, J.; Snelgrove, J.L.; Hofman, G.L.

1995-09-01

This paper describes the primary physical models that form the basis of the DART model for calculating irradiation-induced changes in the thermal conductivity of aluminium dispersion fuel. DART calculations of fuel swelling, pore closure, and thermal conductivity are compared with measured values

Chemical countermeasures: Dispersants overview of dispersant use (including application) and research issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butler, J.N.

1992-01-01

I will attempt in twenty minutes to summarize the state of research on oil spill dispersants as I perceive it. The expertise I bring to this task includes 20 years of experience with the fate and effects of petroleum in the marine environment, including participation in the 1973 and 1981 NRC studies and three years as chairman of the NRC committee on oil spill dispersants. I More recently I served on a committee of the International Maritime Organization which reviewed the open-quotes Impact of oil and related chemicals and wastes on the marine environment.close quotes That report will be published this year. However, my statements in this paper are not made as a representative of either NRC or IMO. They are my own interpretation of scientific literature cited in the above reviews. Dispersants are chemical formulations, which include surface active agents, designed to decrease the interfacial tension between oil and water. Because the first attempts to disperse oil on a large scale, at the Torrey Canyon spill of 1967, used highly toxic degreasing agents, dispersants have an undeserved reputation for toxicity. In fact, for twenty years dispersant formulations have been developed with an emphasis on reducing their toxicity to marine life. The dispersal of oil in water has been documented in the laboratory by dozens of papers (see references in NRC 1989, pp 70-79), and in the field by dozens of studies (NRC 1989, pp 165- 193). The toxicity of commercial dispersant formulations (NRC 1989, pp 81-123) and dispersed oil (NRC 1989, pp 123-147) has been tested on a wide variety of marine organisms ranging from algae to salmonid fishes. The NRC review has been updated by the IMO/GESAMP (1992) study, but the conclusions remain unchanged

Dispersing powders in liquids

CERN Document Server

Nelson, RD

1988-01-01

This book provides powder technologists with laboratory procedures for selecting dispersing agents and preparing stable dispersions that can then be used in particle size characterization instruments. Its broader goal is to introduce industrial chemists and engineers to the phenomena, terminology, physical principles, and chemical considerations involved in preparing and handling dispersions on a commercial scale. The book introduces novices to: - industrial problems due to improper degree of dispersion; - the nomenclature used in describing particles; - the basic physica

Seed dispersal in fens

Science.gov (United States)

Middleton, B.; Van Diggelen, R.; Jensen, K.

2006-01-01

Question: How does seed dispersal reduce fen isolation and contribute to biodiversity? Location: European and North American fens. Methods: This paper reviews the literature on seed dispersal to fens. Results: Landscape fragmentation may reduce dispersal opportunities thereby isolating fens and reducing genetic exchange. Species in fragmented wetlands may have lower reproductive success, which can lead to biodiversity loss. While fens may have always been relatively isolated from each other, they have become increasingly fragmented in modern times within agricultural and urban landscapes in both Europe and North America. Dispersal by water, animals and wind has been hampered by changes related to development in landscapes surrounding fens. Because the seeds of certain species are long-lived in the seed bank, frequent episodes of dispersal are not always necessary to maintain the biodiversity of fens. However, of particular concern to restoration is that some dominant species, such as the tussock sedge Carex stricta, may not disperse readily between fens. Conclusions: Knowledge of seed dispersal can be used to maintain and restore the biodiversity of fens in fragmented landscapes. Given that development has fragmented landscapes and that this situation is not likely to change, the dispersal of seeds might be enhanced by moving hay or cattle from fens to damaged sites, or by reestablishing lost hydrological connections. ?? IAVS; Opulus Press.

Wave-equation dispersion inversion

KAUST Repository

Li, Jing

2016-12-08

We present the theory for wave-equation inversion of dispersion curves, where the misfit function is the sum of the squared differences between the wavenumbers along the predicted and observed dispersion curves. The dispersion curves are obtained from Rayleigh waves recorded by vertical-component geophones. Similar to wave-equation traveltime tomography, the complicated surface wave arrivals in traces are skeletonized as simpler data, namely the picked dispersion curves in the phase-velocity and frequency domains. Solutions to the elastic wave equation and an iterative optimization method are then used to invert these curves for 2-D or 3-D S-wave velocity models. This procedure, denoted as wave-equation dispersion inversion (WD), does not require the assumption of a layered model and is significantly less prone to the cycle-skipping problems of full waveform inversion. The synthetic and field data examples demonstrate that WD can approximately reconstruct the S-wave velocity distributions in laterally heterogeneous media if the dispersion curves can be identified and picked. The WD method is easily extended to anisotropic data and the inversion of dispersion curves associated with Love waves.

Spurious dispersion effects at FLASH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prat, Eduard

2009-07-01

The performance of the Free-Electron Laser (FEL) process imposes stringent demands on the transverse trajectory and size of the electron beam. Since transverse dispersion changes off-energy particle trajectories and increases the effective beam size, dispersion must be controlled. This thesis treats the concept of dispersion in linacs, and analyses the impact of dispersion on the electron beam and on the FEL process. It presents generation mechanisms for spurious dispersion, quantifying its importance for FLASH (Free-electron Laser in Hamburg) and the XFEL (European X-ray Free-Electron Laser). A method for measuring and correcting dispersion and its implementation in FLASH is described. Experiments of dispersion e ects on the transverse beam quality and on the FEL performance are presented. (orig.)

Spurious dispersion effects at FLASH

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prat, Eduard

2009-07-15

The performance of the Free-Electron Laser (FEL) process imposes stringent demands on the transverse trajectory and size of the electron beam. Since transverse dispersion changes off-energy particle trajectories and increases the effective beam size, dispersion must be controlled. This thesis treats the concept of dispersion in linacs, and analyses the impact of dispersion on the electron beam and on the FEL process. It presents generation mechanisms for spurious dispersion, quantifying its importance for FLASH (Free-electron Laser in Hamburg) and the XFEL (European X-ray Free-Electron Laser). A method for measuring and correcting dispersion and its implementation in FLASH is described. Experiments of dispersion e ects on the transverse beam quality and on the FEL performance are presented. (orig.)

Lysophosphatidic Acid Upregulates Laminin-332 Expression during A431 Cell Colony Dispersal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hironobu Yamashita

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA is a bioactive phospholipid that affects various biological functions, such as cell proliferation, migration, survival, wound healing, and tumor invasion through LPA receptors. Previously, we reported that LPA induces A431 colony dispersal, accompanied by disruption of cell-cell contacts and cell migration. However, it remains unclear how LPA affects cell migration and gene expression during A431 colony dispersal. In this paper, we performed cDNA microarray analysis to investigate this question by comparing gene expression between untreated and LPA-treated A431 cells. Interestingly, these results revealed that LPA treatment upregulates several TGF-β1 target genes, including laminin-332 (Ln-332 components (α3, β3, and γ2 chains. Western blot analysis also showed that LPA increased phosphorylation of Smad2, an event that is carried out by TGF-β1 interactions. Among the genes upregulated, we further addressed the role of Ln-332. Real-time PCR analysis confirmed the transcriptional upregulation of all α3, β3, and γ2 chains of Ln-332 by LPA, corresponding to the protein level increases revealed by western blot. Further, the addition of anti-Ln-332 antibody prevented LPA-treated A431 colonies from dispersing. Taken together, our results suggest that LPA-induced Ln-332 plays a significant role in migration of individual cells from A431 colonies.

Metapopulation extinction risk: dispersal's duplicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Higgins, Kevin

2009-09-01

Metapopulation extinction risk is the probability that all local populations are simultaneously extinct during a fixed time frame. Dispersal may reduce a metapopulation's extinction risk by raising its average per-capita growth rate. By contrast, dispersal may raise a metapopulation's extinction risk by reducing its average population density. Which effect prevails is controlled by habitat fragmentation. Dispersal in mildly fragmented habitat reduces a metapopulation's extinction risk by raising its average per-capita growth rate without causing any appreciable drop in its average population density. By contrast, dispersal in severely fragmented habitat raises a metapopulation's extinction risk because the rise in its average per-capita growth rate is more than offset by the decline in its average population density. The metapopulation model used here shows several other interesting phenomena. Dispersal in sufficiently fragmented habitat reduces a metapopulation's extinction risk to that of a constant environment. Dispersal between habitat fragments reduces a metapopulation's extinction risk insofar as local environments are asynchronous. Grouped dispersal raises the effective habitat fragmentation level. Dispersal search barriers raise metapopulation extinction risk. Nonuniform dispersal may reduce the effective fraction of suitable habitat fragments below the extinction threshold. Nonuniform dispersal may make demographic stochasticity a more potent metapopulation extinction force than environmental stochasticity.

DART model for thermal conductivity of U3Si2 Aluminum dispersion fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rest, J.; Snelgrove, J.L.; Hofman, G.L.

2004-01-01

This paper describes the primary physical models that form the basis of the DART model for calculating irradiation-induced changes in the thermal conductivity of aluminum dispersion fuel. DART calculations of fuel swelling, pore closure, and thermal conductivity are compared with measured values. (author)

Water-induced phase separation of miconazole-poly (vinylpyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate) amorphous solid dispersions: Insights with confocal fluorescence microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Saboo, Sugandha; Taylor, Lynne S

2017-08-30

The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of confocal fluorescence microscopy (CFM) to study the water-induced phase separation of miconazole-poly (vinylpyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate) (mico-PVPVA) amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs), induced during preparation, upon storage at high relative humidity (RH) and during dissolution. Different fluorescent dyes were added to drug-polymer films and the location of the dyes was evaluated using CFM. Orthogonal techniques, in particular atomic force microscopy (AFM) coupled with nanoscale infrared spectroscopy (AFM-nanoIR), were used to provide additional analysis of the drug-polymer blends. The initial miscibility of mico-PVPVA ASDs prepared under low humidity conditions was confirmed by AFM-nanoIR. CFM enabled rapid identification of drug-rich and polymer-rich phases in phase separated films prepared under high humidity conditions. The identity of drug- and polymer-rich domains was confirmed using AFM-nanoIR imaging and localized IR spectroscopy, together with Lorentz contact resonance (LCR) measurements. The CFM technique was then utilized successfully to further investigate phase separation in mico-PVPVA films exposed to high RH storage and to visualize phase separation dynamics following film immersion in buffer. CFM is thus a promising new approach to study the phase behavior of ASDs, utilizing drug and polymer specific dyes to visualize the evolution of heterogeneity in films exposed to water. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Highly Anisotropic Magnon Dispersion in Ca_{2}RuO_{4}: Evidence for Strong Spin Orbit Coupling.

Science.gov (United States)

Kunkemöller, S; Khomskii, D; Steffens, P; Piovano, A; Nugroho, A A; Braden, M

2015-12-11

The magnon dispersion in Ca_{2}RuO_{4} has been determined by inelastic neutron scattering on single crytals containing 1% of Ti. The dispersion is well described by a conventional Heisenberg model suggesting a local moment model with nearest neighbor interaction of J=8  meV. Nearest and next-nearest neighbor interaction as well as interlayer coupling parameters are required to properly describe the entire dispersion. Spin-orbit coupling induces a very large anisotropy gap in the magnetic excitations in apparent contrast with a simple planar magnetic model. Orbital ordering breaking tetragonal symmetry, and strong spin-orbit coupling can thus be identified as important factors in this system.

Sensitivity of the deep-sea amphipod Eurythenes gryllus to chemically dispersed oil.

Science.gov (United States)

Olsen, Gro Harlaug; Coquillé, Nathalie; Le Floch, Stephane; Geraudie, Perrine; Dussauze, Matthieu; Lemaire, Philippe; Camus, Lionel

2016-04-01

In the context of an oil spill accident and the following oil spill response, much attention is given to the use of dispersants. Dispersants are used to disperse an oil slick from the sea surface into the water column generating a cloud of dispersed oil droplets. The main consequence is an increasing of the sea water-oil interface which induces an increase of the oil biodegradation. Hence, the use of dispersants can be effective in preventing oiling of sensitive coastal environments. Also, in case of an oil blowout from the seabed, subsea injection of dispersants may offer some benefits compared to containment and recovery of the oil or in situ burning operation at the sea surface. However, biological effects of dispersed oil are poorly understood for deep-sea species. Most effects studies on dispersed oil and also other oil-related compounds have been focusing on more shallow water species. This is the first approach to assess the sensitivity of a macro-benthic deep-sea organism to dispersed oil. This paper describes a toxicity test which was performed on the macro-benthic deep-sea amphipod (Eurythenes gryllus) to determine the concentration causing lethality to 50% of test individuals (LC50) after an exposure to dispersed Brut Arabian Light (BAL) oil. The LC50 (24 h) was 101 and 24 mg L(-1) after 72 h and 12 mg L(-1) at 96 h. Based on EPA scale of toxicity categories to aquatic organisms, an LC50 (96 h) of 12 mg L(-1) indicates that the dispersed oil was slightly to moderately toxic to E. gryllus. As an attempt to compare our results to others, a literature study was performed. Due to limited amount of data available for dispersed oil and amphipods, information on other crustacean species and other oil-related compounds was also collected. Only one study on dispersed oil and amphipods was found, the LC50 value in this study was similar to the LC50 value of E. gryllus in our study. Since toxicity data are important input to risk assessment and net environmental

Oil Spills and Dispersants Can Cause the Initiation of Potentially Harmful Dinoflagellate Blooms ("Red Tides").

Science.gov (United States)

Almeda, Rodrigo; Cosgrove, Sarah; Buskey, Edward J

2018-04-25

After oil spills and dispersant applications the formation of red tides or harmful algal blooms (HABs) has been observed, which can cause additional negative impacts in areas affected by oil spills. However, the link between oil spills and HABs is still unknown. Here, we present experimental evidence that demonstrates a connection between oil spills and HABs. We determined the effects of oil, dispersant-treated oil, and dispersant alone on the structure of natural plankton assemblages in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. In coastal waters, large tintinnids and oligotrich ciliates, major grazers of phytoplankton, were negatively affected by the exposure to oil and dispersant, whereas bloom-forming dinoflagellates ( Prorocentrum texanum, P. triestinum, and Scrippsiella trochoidea) notably increased their concentration. The removal of key grazers due to oil and dispersant disrupts the predator-prey controls ("top-down controls") that normally function in plankton food webs. This disruption of grazing pressure opens a "loophole" that allows certain dinoflagellates with higher tolerance to oil and dispersants than their grazers to grow and form blooms when there are no growth limiting factors (e.g., nutrients). Therefore, oil spills and dispersants can act as disrupters of predator-prey controls in plankton food webs and as indirect inducers of potentially harmful dinoflagellate blooms.

Dispersion stability of thermal nanofluids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fan Yu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Thermal nanofluids, the engineered fluids with dispersed functional nanoparticles, have exhibited extraordinary thermophysical properties and added functionalities, and thus have enabled a broad range of important applications. The poor dispersion stability of thermal nanofluids, however, has been considered as a long-existing issue that limits their further development and practical application. This review overviews the recent efforts and progresses in improving the dispersion stability of thermal nanofluids such as mechanistic understanding of dispersion behavior of nanofluids, examples of both water-based and oil-based nanofluids, strategies to stabilize nanofluids, and characterization techniques for dispersion behavior of nanofluids. Finally, on-going research needs, and possible solutions to research challenges and future research directions in exploring stably dispersed thermal nanofluids are discussed. Keywords: Thermal nanofluids, Dispersion, Aggregation, Electrostatic stabilization, Steric stabilization

Hydrodynamic disperser

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bulatov, A.I.; Chernov, V.S.; Prokopov, L.I.; Proselkov, Yu.M.; Tikhonov, Yu.P.

1980-01-15

A hydrodynamic disperser is suggested which contains a housing, slit nozzles installed on a circular base arranged opposite from each other, resonators secured opposite the nozzle and outlet sleeve. In order to improve the effectiveness of dispersion by throttling the flow, each resonator is made in the form of a crimped plate with crimpings that decrease in height in a direction towards the nozzle.

Epizoochorous dispersal by ungulates depends on fur, grooming and social interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Liehrmann, Océane; Jégoux, Flore; Guilbert, Marie-Alice; Isselin-Nondedeu, Francis; Saïd, Sonia; Locatelli, Yann; Baltzinger, Christophe

2018-02-01

The transport phase of the animal-mediated plant dispersal process is critical to dispersal effectiveness as it determines the spatial distribution of the diaspores released and their chance for further recruitment. Assessing this specific phase of the dispersal process generally requires combining diaspore retention times with the associated distances covered. Here, we specifically tested the effect of grooming behavior, interindividual contacts and ungulate fur on diaspore retention times and associated dispersal distances for the hooked diaspores of Xanthium strumarium L. experimentally attached to tamed individuals of three ungulate species. We used a comparative approach based on differing fur quality on different body zones of these three ungulates. During 6-hr sessions, we monitored for grooming and social interactions that may induce intended or inadvertent diaspore detachment. Additionally, we proposed innovative approaches to directly assessing diaspore dispersal distances by red deer in situ. Fat-tailed functions fitted diaspore retention time, highlighting the potential for long-distance dispersal events. The longer the hair, the higher the retention capacity of diaspores in the animal's fur. As predicted, donkey retained diaspores longer than red deer and dwarf goat; and we also confirmed that diaspores attached to the short hair of the head fell off more quickly than did those on the other body zones. Dwarf goat groomed more often than both red deer and donkey, but also when it carried diaspores. Up to 14% of the diaspores detached from animal fur after specific grooming behavior. We observed, in controlled conditions, for the first time and for each ungulate species, interindividual transfers of diaspores, representing 5% of the diaspores attached to animals' fur. Our results militate for incorporating animal behavior into plant dispersal modeling approaches.

Plasticity of oxide dispersion strengthened ferritic alloys; Plasticite des alliages ferritiques renforces par dispersion d`oxydes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zakine, C

1994-07-05

The object of this work is to study the plasticity mechanisms of two oxide dispersion strengthened ferritic alloys, DT and DY. Microstructural characterisation has been performed on DT and DY alloys by optical, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. These materials, strengthened by an oxide dispersion, contain an intermetallic {chi} phase precipitated on grain boundaries. The {chi} phase, stable up to 900 deg, can be dissolved into the matrix by heat treatment beyond 1 000 deg. Between 20 and 700 deg, according to tensile tests, the DY alloy which is strengthened by a fine dispersion of yttria particles is more resistant and less ductile than DT alloy, strengthened by titanium oxides. Tensile tests performed at room temperature, in the chamber of a SEM, have shown that micro-cracking of the {chi} phase coincides with the first stage of the macroscopic yielding. The cavities initiated by the {chi} phase micro-cracking induce a ductile fracture of the matrix. A dynamic strain ageing mechanism has been observed around 400 deg, which is attributed to the Mo contribution. Between 20 and 700 deg, comparison of tensile properties of alloys with or without {chi} phase has shown that the intermetallic phase has a detrimental effect on the ductility, but has no influence on the mechanical strength. Creep tests have been performed between 500 and 700 deg. Thermally activated plasticity mechanisms are observed in this temperature range. The {chi} phase, which is always micro-cracked after tensile testing, is not damaged after creep testing below a critical stress. This behaviour is explained by the influence of strain rate through the competition between strain hardening and relaxation of the matrix. (author).

A correlative approach to segmenting phases and ferrite morphologies in transformation-induced plasticity steel using electron back-scattering diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Gazder, Azdiar A; Al-Harbi, Fayez; Spanke, Hendrik Th; Mitchell, David R G; Pereloma, Elena V

2014-12-01

Using a combination of electron back-scattering diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy data, a segmentation procedure was developed to comprehensively distinguish austenite, martensite, polygonal ferrite, ferrite in granular bainite and bainitic ferrite laths in a thermo-mechanically processed low-Si, high-Al transformation-induced plasticity steel. The efficacy of the ferrite morphologies segmentation procedure was verified by transmission electron microscopy. The variation in carbon content between the ferrite in granular bainite and bainitic ferrite laths was explained on the basis of carbon partitioning during their growth. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dispersal and metapopulation stability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shaopeng Wang

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Metapopulation dynamics are jointly regulated by local and spatial factors. These factors may affect the dynamics of local populations and of the entire metapopulation differently. Previous studies have shown that dispersal can stabilize local populations; however, as dispersal also tends to increase spatial synchrony, its net effect on metapopulation stability has been controversial. Here we present a simple metapopulation model to study how dispersal, in interaction with other spatial and local processes, affects the temporal variability of metapopulations in a stochastic environment. Our results show that in homogeneous metapopulations, the local stabilizing and spatial synchronizing effects of dispersal cancel each other out, such that dispersal has no effect on metapopulation variability. This result is robust to moderate heterogeneities in local and spatial parameters. When local and spatial dynamics exhibit high heterogeneities, however, dispersal can either stabilize or destabilize metapopulation dynamics through various mechanisms. Our findings have important theoretical and practical implications. We show that dispersal functions as a form of spatial intraspecific mutualism in metapopulation dynamics and that its effect on metapopulation stability is opposite to that of interspecific competition on local community stability. Our results also suggest that conservation corridors should be designed with appreciation of spatial heterogeneities in population dynamics in order to maximize metapopulation stability.

Dispersion of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in biocompatible dispersants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piret, J.-P.; Detriche, S.; Vigneron, R.; Vankoningsloo, S.; Rolin, S.; Mejia Mendoza, J. H.; Masereel, B.; Lucas, S.; Delhalle, J.; Luizi, F.; Saout, C.; Toussaint, O.

2010-01-01

Owing to their phenomenal electrical and mechanical properties, carbon nanotubes (CNT) have been an area of intense research since their discovery in 1991. Different applications for these nanoparticles have been proposed, among others, in electronics and optics but also in the medical field. In parallel, emerging studies have suggested potential toxic effects of CNT while others did not, generating some conflicting outcomes. These discrepancies could be, in part, due to different suspension approaches used and to the agglomeration state of CNT in solution. In this study, we described a standardized protocol to obtain stable CNT suspensions, using two biocompatible dispersants (Pluronic F108 and hydroxypropylcellulose) and to estimate the concentration of CNT in solution. CNT appear to be greatly individualized in these two dispersants with no detection of remaining bundles or agglomerates after sonication and centrifugation. Moreover, CNT remained perfectly dispersed when added to culture medium used for in vitro cell experiments. We also showed that Pluronic F108 is a better dispersant than hydroxypropylcellulose. In conclusion, we have developed a standardized protocol using biocompatible surfactants to obtain reproducible and stable multi-walled carbon nanotubes suspensions which can be used for in vitro or in vivo toxicological studies.

Pigment dispersion glaucoma induced by the chafing effect of intraocular lens haptics in Asian eyes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Ying; Sun, Yan-Xiu; Qi, Hong; Zhou, Ji-Chao; Hao, Yan-Sheng

2013-03-01

To study the possible mechanism and treatment for pigment dispersion glaucoma (PDG) caused by single-piece acrylic (SPA) intraocular lens (IOL) ciliary sulcus fixation in Asian eyes. Patients referred for PDG caused by SPA IOL ciliary sulcus fixation to our hospital from April 2005 to June 2011 were included. The patients' general information, IOL type, interval between initial surgery and PDG occurrence, examination findings, antiglaucoma medicine regimen and surgical interventions were recorded. In total, six eyes from five Chinese patients were included in this study. The intraocular pressure (IOP) increased 19-30 days after cataract surgery and was not satisfactorily controlled with antiglaucoma medication. Dense pigmentation was deposited on the IOLs and on the anterior chamber angle. IOL haptic chafing was noted on the rear iris surface. IOL repositioning in the capsular bag was performed in three eyes and was combined with trabeculectomy in two eyes with progressive glaucoma. An IOL exchange with three-piece IOL ciliary sulcus fixation was performed in the other three eyes. Scanning electron microscopy of the explanted IOLs demonstrated a rough edge on the IOL haptics. SPA IOLs were not suitable for ciliary sulcus fixation. The chafing effect of the IOL haptics on the posterior iris pigment epithelium could induce PDG in Asian eyes. IOLs should be positioned in the capsular bag or a three-piece IOL should be used instead.

Influence of vertical dispersion and crossing angle on the performance of the LHC

CERN Document Server

Leunissen, L H A

1999-01-01

Misalignments, magnetic field deviations and the beam crossing angle induce closed orbit deviations and residual dispersions at the interaction points (IPs) of the LHC. At IP1 and IP5, the horizontal and vertical dispersion functions are approximately ±2 cm while at IP2 and IP8 they can reach values up to 50 cm. A numerical study of the excitation of synchro-betatron resonances by crossing angles and dispersions shows that the beam size changes by less than 5% and has corresponding effects on the luminosity. Since the effects of bunch length are important in this context we have used the numerical code BBC for the study. When the betatron tunes are close to a synchro-betatron resonance excited by the crossing angle the amplitude of particle oscillations increases. The superposition of vertical dispersion modifies the strength of the resonance. For example, sidebands of the resonance 13Qx = 4 yield an increase of the amplitude of the betatron oscillation by less than 10 % at an initial amplitude of 5s. Includ...

Photon induced x-ray fluorescence analysis using energy dispersive detector and dichotomous sampler

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaklevic, J.M.; Loo, B.W.; Goulding, F.S.

1976-01-01

Operating experience in using the photon-excited energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence analysis system has demonstrated the applicability of this technique to large-scale air-sampling networks. This experience has shown that it is possible to perform automatic sampling and analysis of aerosol particulates at a sensitivity and accuracy more than adequate for most air pollution studies

Artificial induction of third-stage dispersal juveniles of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus using newly established inbred lines.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suguru E Tanaka

Full Text Available The pine wood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, is the causal agent of pine wilt disease. This nematode has two developmental forms in its life cycle; i.e., the propagative and dispersal forms. The former is the form that builds up its population inside the host pine. The latter is specialized for transport by the vector. This form is separated into two dispersal stages (third and fourth; the third-stage dispersal juvenile (JIII is specialized for survival under unfavorable conditions, whereas the fourth-stage juvenile (JIV, which is induced by a chemical signal from the carrier Monochamus beetle, is transported to new host pines and invades them. Because of its importance in the disease cycle, molecular and chemical aspects of the JIV have been investigated, while the mechanism of JIII induction has not been sufficiently investigated. In an effort to clarify the JIII induction process, we established inbred lines of B. xylophilus and compared their biological features. We found that the total number of nematodes (propagation proportion was negatively correlated with the JIII emergence proportion, likely because nematode development was arrested at JIII; i.e., they could not develop to adults via the reproductive stage. In addition, JIII induction seemed to be regulated by a small number of genes because the JIII induction proportion varied among inbred lines despite the high homozygosity of the parental line. We also demonstrated that JIII can be artificially induced by the nematode's secreted substances. This is the first report of artificial induction of JIII in B. xylophilus. The dauer (dispersal juvenile of the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans corresponds functionally to JIII of B. xylophilus, and this stage is known to be induced by a chemical signal referred to as daumone, derived from the nematodes' secretion. The artificial induction of JIII suggests the presence of daumone-like material in B. xylophilus.

Frozen dispersions of nanomaterials are a useful operational procedure in nanotoxicology.

Science.gov (United States)

Vila, Laura; Rubio, Laura; Annangi, Balasubramanyam; García-Rodríguez, Alba; Marcos, Ricard; Hernández, Alba

2017-02-01

The variability observed in nanoparticle (NP) dispersions can affect the reliability of the results obtained in short-term tests, and mainly in long-term experiments. In addition, obtaining a good dispersion is time-consuming and acts as a bottleneck in the development of high-throughput screening methodologies. The freezing of different aliquots from a stock dispersion would overcome such limitations, but no studies have explored the impact of freezing thawing the samples on the physico-chemical and biological properties of the nanomaterial (NM). This work aims to compare fresh-prepared and frozen MWCNT, ZnO-, Ag-, TiO 2- and CeO 2 -NP dispersions, used as models. NP characterization (size and morphology by TEM), hydrodynamic size and zeta potential were performed. Viability comparisons were determined in BEAS-2B cells. Cellular NP uptake and induced ROS production was assessed by TEM and flow cytometry, respectively. The obtained results show no important differences between frozen and fresh NP in their physico-chemical characteristics or their biological effects. This study is the first to demonstrate that there is no scientific evidence to dismiss the use of frozen NP, opening the door to the development of short- and long-term experiments with higher consistency, accuracy and reproducibility in a much shorter time and using a simplified procedure.

Use of ultrafast dispersed pump-dump-probe and pump-repump-probe spectroscopies to explore the light-induced dynamics of peridinin in solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Papagiannakis, Emmanouil; Vengris, Mikas; Larsen, Delmar S; van Stokkum, Ivo H M; Hiller, Roger G; van Grondelle, Rienk

2006-01-12

Optical pump-induced dynamics of the highly asymmetric carotenoid peridinin in methanol was studied by dispersed pump-probe, pump-dump-probe, and pump-repump-probe transient absorption spectroscopy in the visible region. Dispersed pump-probe measurements show that the decay of the initially excited S2 state populates two excited states, the S1 and the intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) state, at a ratio determined by the excitation wavelength. The ensuing spectral evolution occurs on the time scale of a few picoseconds and suggests the equilibration of these states. Dumping the stimulated emission of the ICT state with an additional 800-nm pulse after 400- and 530-nm excitation preferentially removes the ICT state contribution from the broad excited-state absorption, allowing for its spectral characterization. At the same time, an unrelaxed ground-state species, which has a subpicosecond lifetime, is populated. The application of the 800-nm pulse at early times, when the S2 state is still populated, led to direct generation of the peridinin cation, observed for the first time in a transient absorption experiment. The excited and ground electronic states manifold of peridinin has been reconstructed using target analysis; this approach combined with the measured multipulse spectroscopic data allows us to estimate the spectra and time scales of the corresponding transient states.

Measuring the Dispersion in Laser Cavity Mirrors using White-Light Interferometry

Science.gov (United States)

2008-03-01

mirrors. Two AlGaInP (aluminum gallium indium phosphide ) diode lasers are aligned such that one is polarized vertically while one is polarized...linear crystals, where the index of refraction depends on beam intensity. Short pulses with high peak intensities are well 14 suited to induce the...MEASURING THE DISPERSION OF LASER CAVITY MIRRORS USING WHITE-LIGHT INTERFEROMETRY THESIS Allison S

Tracer dispersion - experiment and CFD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zitny, R.

2004-01-01

Description of tracer distribution by means of dispersion models is a method successfully used in process engineering for fifty years. Application of dispersion models in reactor engineering for characterization of flows in column apparatus, heat exchangers, etc. is summarized and experimental tracer techniques as well as CFD methods for dispersion coefficients evaluation are discussed. Possible extensions of thermal axial dispersion model (ADM) and a core-wall ADM model suitable for description of tracer dispersion in laminar flows are suggested as well as CFD implementation as 1D finite elements. (author)

Self-assembly in monoelaidin aqueous dispersions: direct vesicles to cubosomes transition.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anan Yaghmur

Full Text Available In the present study, synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS and Cryo-TEM were used to characterize the temperature-induced structural transitions of monoelaidin (ME aqueous dispersion in the presence of the polymeric stabilizer F127. We prove that the direct transition from vesicles to cubosomes by heating this dispersion is possible. The obtained results were compared with the fully hydrated bulk ME phase.Our results indicate the formation of ME dispersion, which is less stable than that based on the congener monoolein (MO. In addition, the temperature-dependence behavior significantly differs from the fully hydrated bulk phase. SAXS findings indicate a direct L(alpha-V(2 internal transition in the dispersion. While the transition temperature is conserved in the dispersion, the formed cubosomes with internal Im3m symmetry clearly contain more water and this ordered interior is retained over a wider temperature range as compared to its fully hydrated bulk system. At 25 degrees C, Cryo-TEM observations reveal the formation of most likely closely packed onion-like vesicles. Above the lamellar to non-lamellar phase transition at 65 degrees C, flattened cubosomes with an internal nanostructure are observed. However, they have only arbitrary shapes and thus, their morphology is significantly different from that of the well-shaped analogous MO cubosome and hexosome particles.Our study reveals a direct liposomes-cubosomes transition in ME dispersion. The obtained results suggest that the polymeric stabilizer F127 especially plays a significant role in the membrane fusion processes. F127 incorporates in considerable amount into the internal nanostructure and leads to the formation of a highly swollen Im3m phase.

High-accuracy alignment based on atmospherical dispersion - technological approaches and solutions for the dual-wavelength transmitter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burkhard, Boeckem

1999-01-01

In the course of the progressive developments of sophisticated geodetic systems utilizing electromagnetic waves in the visible or near IR-range a more detailed knowledge of the propagation medium and coevally solutions of atmospherically induced limitations will become important. An alignment system based on atmospherical dispersion, called a dispersometer, is a metrological solution to the atmospherically induced limitations, in optical alignment and direction observations of high accuracy. In the dispersometer we are using the dual-wavelength method for dispersive air to obtain refraction compensated angle measurements, the detrimental impact of atmospheric turbulence notwithstanding. The principle of the dual-wavelength method utilizes atmospherical dispersion, i.e. the wavelength dependence of the refractive index. The difference angle between two light beams of different wavelengths, which is called the dispersion angle Δβ, is to first approximation proportional to the refraction angle: β IR ν(β blue - β IR ) = ν Δβ, this equation implies that the dispersion angle has to be measured at least 42 times more accurate than the desired accuracy of the refraction angle for the wavelengths used in the present dispersometer. This required accuracy constitutes one major difficulty for the instrumental performance in applying the dispersion effect. However, the dual-wavelength method can only be successfully used in an optimized transmitter-receiver combination. Beyond the above mentioned resolution requirement for the detector, major difficulties in instrumental realization arise in the availability of a suitable dual-wavelength laser light source, laser light modulation with a very high extinction ratio and coaxial emittance of mono-mode radiation at both wavelengths. Therefore, this paper focuses on the solutions of the dual-wavelength transmitter introducing a new hardware approach and a complete re-design of the in [1] proposed conception of the dual

The mean energy loss by neutrino with magnetic moment in strong magnetic field with consideration of positronium contribution to photon dispersion

Science.gov (United States)

Mosichkin, A. F.

2017-11-01

The process of radiative decay of the neutrino with a magnetic moment in a strong magnetic field with consideration of positronium influence on photon dispersion has been studied. Positronium contribution to the photon polarization operator induces significant modifications of the photon dispersion law and neutrino radiative decay amplitude. It has been shown that the mean energy loss of a neutrino with magnetic a moment significantly increases, when the positronium contribution to photon dispersion is taken into account.

SUPERLUMINOUS SUPERNOVA SN 2015bn IN THE NEBULAR PHASE: EVIDENCE FOR THE ENGINE-POWERED EXPLOSION OF A STRIPPED MASSIVE STAR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nicholl, M.; Berger, E.; Blanchard, P. K.; Challis, P.; Cowperthwaite, P. S. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Margutti, R. [Center for Cosmology and Particle Physics, New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003 (United States); Chornock, R. [Astrophysical Institute, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 251B Clippinger Lab, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701 (United States); Jerkstrand, A.; Smartt, S. J.; Inserra, C.; Kankare, E.; Maguire, K. [Astrophysics Research Centre, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queens University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Arcavi, I.; Hosseinzadeh, G.; Howell, D. A. [Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope, 6740 Cortona Drive, Suite 102, Goleta, CA 93111 (United States); Chambers, K. C.; Magnier, E. A. [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Chen, T.-W. [Max-Planck-Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik, Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748, Garching (Germany); Gal-Yam, A. [Benoziyo Center for Astrophysics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100 (Israel); Mazzali, P. A., E-mail: matt.nicholl@cfa.harvard.edu [Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, IC2, Liverpool Science Park, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF (United Kingdom); and others

2016-09-10

We present nebular-phase imaging and spectroscopy for the hydrogen-poor superluminous supernova (SLSN) SN 2015bn, at redshift z = 0.1136, spanning +250–400 days after maximum light. The light curve exhibits a steepening in the decline rate from 1.4 mag (100 days){sup −1} to 1.7 mag (100 days){sup −1}, suggestive of a significant decrease in the opacity. This change is accompanied by a transition from a blue continuum superposed with photospheric absorption lines to a nebular spectrum dominated by emission lines of oxygen, calcium, and magnesium. There are no obvious signatures of circumstellar interaction or large {sup 56}Ni mass. We show that the spectrum at +400 days is virtually identical to a number of energetic SNe Ic such as SN 1997dq, SN 2012au, and SN 1998bw, indicating similar core conditions and strengthening the link between “hypernovae”/long gamma-ray bursts and SLSNe. A single explosion mechanism may unify these events that span absolute magnitudes of −22 < M {sub B} < −17. Both the light curve and spectrum of SN 2015bn are consistent with an engine-driven explosion ejecting 7–30 M {sub ⊙} of oxygen-dominated ejecta (for reasonable choices in temperature and opacity). A strong and relatively narrow O i λ 7774 line, seen in a number of these energetic events but not in normal supernovae, may point to an inner shell that is the signature of a central engine.

Gas production potential of disperse low-saturation hydrate accumulations in oceanic sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moridis, George J.; Sloan, E. Dendy

2007-01-01

In this paper, we evaluate the gas production potential of disperse, low-saturation (S H H hydrate-bearing sediments subject to depressurization-induced dissociation over a 10-year production period. We investigate the sensitivity of items (a)-(c) to the following hydraulic properties, reservoir conditions, and operational parameters: intrinsic permeability, porosity, pressure, temperature, hydrate saturation, and constant pressure at which the production well is kept. The results of this study indicate that, despite wide variations in the aforementioned parameters (covering the entire spectrum of such deposits), gas production is very limited, never exceeding a few thousand cubic meters of gas during the 10-year production period. Such low production volumes are orders of magnitude below commonly accepted standards of economic viability, and are further burdened with very unfavorable gas-to-water ratios. The unequivocal conclusion from this study is that disperse, low-S H hydrate accumulations in oceanic sediments are not promising targets for gas production by means of depressurization-induced dissociation, and resources for early hydrate exploitation should be focused elsewhere

Dichroic dye-dependent studies in guest-host polymer-dispersed liquid crystal films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malik, Praveen, E-mail: pmalik100@yahoo.co [Department of Physics, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar 144011, Punjab (India); Raina, K.K. [Liquid Crystal Group, Materials Research Laboratory, School of Physics and Materials Science, Thapar University, Patiala 147004, Punjab (India)

2010-01-01

Guest-host polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (GHPDLC) films were prepared using a nematic liquid crystal, photo-curable polymer and dichroic dye (anthraquinone blue) by polymerization-induced phase separation (PIPS) technique. Non-ionic dichroic dye (1%, 2% and 4% wt./wt. ratio) was taken as guest in PDLC host. Polarizing microscopy shows that in the absence of electric field, liquid crystal (LC) droplets in polymer matrix mainly exhibit bipolar configuration, however, relatively at higher field, maltese-type crosses were observed. Our results show that approx1% dye-doped PDLC film shows better transmission and faster response times over pure polymer-dispersed nematic liquid crystal (PDNLC) and higher concentrated (2% and 4%) GHPDLC films.

Dichroic dye-dependent studies in guest-host polymer-dispersed liquid crystal films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malik, Praveen; Raina, K.K.

2010-01-01

Guest-host polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (GHPDLC) films were prepared using a nematic liquid crystal, photo-curable polymer and dichroic dye (anthraquinone blue) by polymerization-induced phase separation (PIPS) technique. Non-ionic dichroic dye (1%, 2% and 4% wt./wt. ratio) was taken as guest in PDLC host. Polarizing microscopy shows that in the absence of electric field, liquid crystal (LC) droplets in polymer matrix mainly exhibit bipolar configuration, however, relatively at higher field, maltese-type crosses were observed. Our results show that ∼1% dye-doped PDLC film shows better transmission and faster response times over pure polymer-dispersed nematic liquid crystal (PDNLC) and higher concentrated (2% and 4%) GHPDLC films.

Modified ionic liquid cold-induced aggregation dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction followed by atomic absorption spectrometry for trace determination of zinc in water and food samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeeb, M.; Sadeghi, M.

2011-01-01

We report on a new method for the microextraction and determination of zinc (II). The ion is accumulated via ionic-liquid cold-induced aggregation dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (IL-CIA-DLLME) followed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The ionic liquid (IL) 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate is dispersed into a heated sample solution containing sodium hexafluorophosphate as a common ion source. The solution is then placed in an ice-water bath upon which a cloudy solution forms due to the decrease of the solubility of the IL. Zinc is complexed with 8-hydroxyquinoline and extracted into the IL. The enriched phase is dissolved in a diluting agent and introduced to the FAAS. The method is not influenced by variations in the ionic strength of the sample solution. Factors affecting the performance were evaluated and optimized. At optimum conditions, the limit of detection is 0.18 μg L -1 , and the relative standard deviation is 3.0% (at n=5). The method was validated by recovery experiments and by analyzing a certified reference material and successfully applied to the determination of Zn (II) in water and food samples. (author)

More about tunnelling times and superluminal tunnelling (Hartmann effect)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olkhovsky, V.S.; Recami, E.; Raciti, F.; Zaichenko, A.

1995-05-01

Aims of the present paper are: i) presenting and analysing the results of various numerical calculations on the penetration and return times Pen >, Ret >, during tunnelling inside a rectangular potential barrier, for various penetration depths x f ; ii) putting forth and discussing suitable definitions, besides of the mean values, also of the variances (or dispersions) D τT and D τR for the time durations of transmission and reflection processes; iii)mentioning, moreover, that our definition T > for the average transmission time results to constitute an improvement of the ordinary dwell- time formula; iv) commenting, at last, on the basis of the new numerical results, upon some recent criticism by C.R. Leavens. The paper stresses that numerical evaluations confirm that the approach implied, and implies, the existence of the Hartmann effect: an effect that in these days (due to the theoretical connections between tunnelling and evanescent-wave propagation) is receiving - at Cologne, Berkeley, Florence and Vienna - indirect, but quite interesting, experimental verification

Allergic Contact Dermatitis Induced by Textile Necklace

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Uffe Nygaard

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Allergic contact dermatitis to textile dyes is considered to be a rare phenomenon. A recent review reported a prevalence of contact allergy to disperse dyes between 0.4 and 6.7%. The relevance of positive patch testing was not reported in all studies. Textile dye allergy is easily overlooked and is furthermore challenging to investigate as textile dyes are not labelled on clothing. In this report, we present a case of allergic contact dermatitis to a textile necklace. The patch test showed strong reactions to the necklace and the azo dyes Disperse Orange 1 and Disperse Yellow 3. Despite the European legislation and the reduced use of disperse dyes in Third World countries, disperse azo dyes still induce new cases of allergic contact dermatitis.

The rheology of oxide dispersions and the role of concentrated electrolyte solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biggs, Simon; Tindley, Amy

2007-01-01

Stability control of particulate dispersions is critical to a wide range of industrial processes. In the UK nuclear industry, significant volumes of waste materials arising from the corrosion products of Magnox fuel rods currently require treatment and storage. The majority of this waste is present as aqueous dispersions of oxide particulates. Treatment of these dispersions will require a variety of unit operations including mobilisation, transport and solid- liquid separation. Typically these processes must operate across a narrow optimal range of pH and the dispersions are, almost without exception, found in complex electrolyte conditions of high overall concentration. Knowledge of the behaviour of oxides in various electrolyte conditions and over a large pH range is essential for the efficient design and control of any waste processing approach. The transport properties of particle dispersions are characterised by the rheological properties. It is well known that particle dispersion rheology is strongly influenced by particle-particle interaction forces, and that particle-particle interactions are strongly influenced by adsorbed ions on the particle surfaces. Here we correlate measurements of the shear yield stress and the particle zeta potentials to provide insight as to the role of ions in moderating particle interactions. The zeta potential of model TiO 2 suspensions were determined (Colloidal Dynamics Zeta Probe) over a range of pH for a series of alkali metal halides and quaternary ammonium halides at a range of solution concentrations (0.001 M - 1 M). The results show some surprising co-ion effects at high electrolyte concentrations (>0.5 M) and indicate that even ions generally considered to be indifferent induce a shift in iso-electric point (i.e.p.) which is inferred as being due to specific adsorption of ions. The shear yield stress values of concentrated titania dispersions were measured using a Bohlin C-VOR stress controlled rheometer. The shear

Multipole electromagnetic moments of neutrino in dispersive medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Semikov, V.B.; Smorodinskij, Ya.A.; Gosudarstvennyj Komitet po Ispol'zovaniyu Atomnoj Ehnergii SSSR, Moscow

1989-01-01

Four multipole moments for a Dirac and Majorana neutrino in a dispersive medium are calculated viz., the electric monopole (charge), electric dipole, magnetic dipole and anapole dipole moment. For comparison the same quantities are presented in the case of vacuum. The neutrino does not possess an (induced) anapole moment in an isotropic medium; however, in a ferromagnetic such a moment exists and for the Majorana neutrino it is the only electromagnetic cjaracteristic. As an example the cross section for elastic scattering of a Majorana neutrino by nuclei in an isotropic plasma is calculated

Design and development of a dust dispersion chamber to quantify the dispersibility of rock dust.

Science.gov (United States)

Perera, Inoka E; Sapko, Michael J; Harris, Marcia L; Zlochower, Isaac A; Weiss, Eric S

2016-01-01

Dispersible rock dust must be applied to the surfaces of entries in underground coal mines in order to inert the coal dust entrained or made airborne during an explosion and prevent propagating explosions. 30 CFR. 75.2 states that "… [rock dust particles] when wetted and dried will not cohere to form a cake which will not be dispersed into separate particles by a light blast of air …" However, a proper definition or quantification of "light blast of air" is not provided. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has, consequently, designed a dust dispersion chamber to conduct quantitative laboratory-scale dispersibility experiments as a screening tool for candidate rock dusts. A reproducible pulse of air is injected into the chamber and across a shallow tray of rock dust. The dust dispersed and carried downwind is monitored. The mass loss of the dust tray and the airborne dust measurements determine the relative dispersibility of the dust with respect to a Reference rock dust. This report describes the design and the methodology to evaluate the relative dispersibility of rock dusts with and without anti-caking agents. Further, the results of this study indicate that the dispersibility of rock dusts varies with particle size, type of anti-caking agent used, and with the untapped bulk density. Untreated rock dusts, when wetted and dried forming a cake that was much less dispersible than the reference rock dust used in supporting the 80% total incombustible content rule.

Dispersal kernel estimation: A comparison of empirical and modelled particle dispersion in a coastal marine system

Science.gov (United States)

Hrycik, Janelle M.; Chassé, Joël; Ruddick, Barry R.; Taggart, Christopher T.

2013-11-01

Early life-stage dispersal influences recruitment and is of significance in explaining the distribution and connectivity of marine species. Motivations for quantifying dispersal range from biodiversity conservation to the design of marine reserves and the mitigation of species invasions. Here we compare estimates of real particle dispersion in a coastal marine environment with similar estimates provided by hydrodynamic modelling. We do so by using a system of magnetically attractive particles (MAPs) and a magnetic-collector array that provides measures of Lagrangian dispersion based on the time-integration of MAPs dispersing through the array. MAPs released as a point source in a coastal marine location dispersed through the collector array over a 5-7 d period. A virtual release and observed (real-time) environmental conditions were used in a high-resolution three-dimensional hydrodynamic model to estimate the dispersal of virtual particles (VPs). The number of MAPs captured throughout the collector array and the number of VPs that passed through each corresponding model location were enumerated and compared. Although VP dispersal reflected several aspects of the observed MAP dispersal, the comparisons demonstrated model sensitivity to the small-scale (random-walk) particle diffusivity parameter (Kp). The one-dimensional dispersal kernel for the MAPs had an e-folding scale estimate in the range of 5.19-11.44 km, while those from the model simulations were comparable at 1.89-6.52 km, and also demonstrated sensitivity to Kp. Variations among comparisons are related to the value of Kp used in modelling and are postulated to be related to MAP losses from the water column and (or) shear dispersion acting on the MAPs; a process that is constrained in the model. Our demonstration indicates a promising new way of 1) quantitatively and empirically estimating the dispersal kernel in aquatic systems, and 2) quantitatively assessing and (or) improving regional hydrodynamic

Laser control of natural disperse systems

Science.gov (United States)

Vlasova, Olga L.; Bezrukova, Alexandra G.

2003-10-01

Different water disperse systems were studied by integral (spectroturbidemetry) and differential light scattering method with a laser as a source of light. The investigation done concerns the state of kaolin dispersions at storage and under dilution as an example of mineral dispersion systems such as natural water. The role of some light scattering parameters for an optical analysis of water dispersions, like the dispersion of erythrocytes and bacterial cells -Escherichia coli is discussed. The results obtained can help to elaborate the methods for on-line optical control fo natural disperse systems (water, air) with mineral and biological particles.

Surfactant-assisted dispersion of carbon nanotubes: mechanism of stabilization and biocompatibility of the surfactant

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Raman Preet; Jain, Sanyog; Ramarao, Poduri

2013-10-01

Nanoparticles (NPs) are thermodynamically unstable system and tend to aggregate to reduce free energy. The aggregation property of NPs results in inhomogeneous exposure of cells to NPs resulting in variable cellular responses. Several types of surfactants are used to stabilize NP dispersions and obtain homogenous dispersions. However, the effects of these surfactants, per se, on cellular responses are not completely known. The present study investigated the application of Pluronic F68 (PF68) for obtaining stable dispersion of NPs using carbon nanotubes as model NPs. PF68-stabilized NP suspensions are stable for long durations and do not show signs of aggregation or settling during storage or after autoclaving. The polyethylene oxide blocks in PF68 provide steric hindrance between adjacent NPs leading to stable NP dispersions. Further, PF68 is biocompatible in nature and does not affect integrity of mitochondria, lysosomes, DNA, and nuclei. Also, PF68 neither induce free radical or cytokine production nor does it interfere with cellular uptake mechanisms. The results of the present study suggest that PF68-assisted dispersion of NPs produced suspensions, which are stable after autoclaving. Further, PF68 does not interfere with normal physiological functions suggesting its application in nanomedicine and nanotoxicity evaluation.

Surfactant-assisted dispersion of carbon nanotubes: mechanism of stabilization and biocompatibility of the surfactant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Raman Preet; Jain, Sanyog; Ramarao, Poduri

2013-01-01

Nanoparticles (NPs) are thermodynamically unstable system and tend to aggregate to reduce free energy. The aggregation property of NPs results in inhomogeneous exposure of cells to NPs resulting in variable cellular responses. Several types of surfactants are used to stabilize NP dispersions and obtain homogenous dispersions. However, the effects of these surfactants, per se, on cellular responses are not completely known. The present study investigated the application of Pluronic F68 (PF68) for obtaining stable dispersion of NPs using carbon nanotubes as model NPs. PF68-stabilized NP suspensions are stable for long durations and do not show signs of aggregation or settling during storage or after autoclaving. The polyethylene oxide blocks in PF68 provide steric hindrance between adjacent NPs leading to stable NP dispersions. Further, PF68 is biocompatible in nature and does not affect integrity of mitochondria, lysosomes, DNA, and nuclei. Also, PF68 neither induce free radical or cytokine production nor does it interfere with cellular uptake mechanisms. The results of the present study suggest that PF68-assisted dispersion of NPs produced suspensions, which are stable after autoclaving. Further, PF68 does not interfere with normal physiological functions suggesting its application in nanomedicine and nanotoxicity evaluation

Monolayer dispersion of CoO on Al2O3 probed by positronium atom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Z.W.; Zhang, H.J.; Chen, Z.Q.

2014-01-01

CoO/Al 2 O 3 catalysts were prepared by wet impregnation method with CoO contents ranging from 0 wt% to 24 wt%. X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements suggest formation of CoO after calcined in N 2 . Quantitative X-ray diffraction analysis indicates monolayer dispersion capacity of CoO in CoO/Al 2 O 3 catalysts to be about 3 wt%. Positron annihilation lifetime and coincidence Doppler broadening measurements were performed to study the dispersion state of CoO on Al 2 O 3 . The positron lifetime measurements reveal two long lifetime components τ 3 and τ 4 , which correspond to ortho-positronium annihilation lifetime in microvoids and large pores, respectively. It was found that the positronium atom is very sensitive to the dispersion state of CoO on Al 2 O 3 . The presence of CoO significantly decreases both the lifetime and the intensity of τ 4 . Detailed analysis of the coincidence Doppler broadening measurements suggests that with the CoO content lower than the monolayer dispersion, spin conversion reaction of positronium is induced by CoO. When the cobalt content is higher than the monolayer dispersion capacity, inhibition of positronium formation becomes the dominate effect.

Surfactant-assisted dispersion of carbon nanotubes: mechanism of stabilization and biocompatibility of the surfactant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Raman Preet, E-mail: ramanpreetsingh@hotmail.com [Evalueserve SEZ (Gurgaon) Pvt. Ltd. (India); Jain, Sanyog [National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Centre for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, Department of Pharmaceutics (India); Ramarao, Poduri, E-mail: ramaraop@yahoo.com [Central University of Punjab, School of Basic and Applied Sciences (India)

2013-10-15

Nanoparticles (NPs) are thermodynamically unstable system and tend to aggregate to reduce free energy. The aggregation property of NPs results in inhomogeneous exposure of cells to NPs resulting in variable cellular responses. Several types of surfactants are used to stabilize NP dispersions and obtain homogenous dispersions. However, the effects of these surfactants, per se, on cellular responses are not completely known. The present study investigated the application of Pluronic F68 (PF68) for obtaining stable dispersion of NPs using carbon nanotubes as model NPs. PF68-stabilized NP suspensions are stable for long durations and do not show signs of aggregation or settling during storage or after autoclaving. The polyethylene oxide blocks in PF68 provide steric hindrance between adjacent NPs leading to stable NP dispersions. Further, PF68 is biocompatible in nature and does not affect integrity of mitochondria, lysosomes, DNA, and nuclei. Also, PF68 neither induce free radical or cytokine production nor does it interfere with cellular uptake mechanisms. The results of the present study suggest that PF68-assisted dispersion of NPs produced suspensions, which are stable after autoclaving. Further, PF68 does not interfere with normal physiological functions suggesting its application in nanomedicine and nanotoxicity evaluation.

Influence of shape and dispersion media of titanium dioxide nanostructures on microvessel network and ossification.

Science.gov (United States)

Freyre-Fonseca, Verónica; Medina-Reyes, Estefany I; Téllez-Medina, Darío I; Paniagua-Contreras, Gloria L; Monroy-Pérez, Eric; Vaca-Paniagua, Felipe; Delgado-Buenrostro, Norma L; Flores-Flores, José O; López-Villegas, Edgar O; Gutiérrez-López, Gustavo F; Chirino, Yolanda I

2018-02-01

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO 2 NPs) production has been used for pigment, food and cosmetic industry and more recently, shaped as belts for treatment of contaminated water, self-cleaning windows and biomedical applications. However, the toxicological data have demonstrated that TiO 2 NPs inhalation induce inflammation in in vivo models and in vitro exposure leads to cytotoxicity and DNA damage. Dermal exposure has limited adverse effects and the possible risks for implants used for tissue regeneration is still under research. Then, it has been difficult to establish a straight statement about TiO 2 NPs toxicity since route of exposure and shapes of nanoparticles play an important role in the effects. In this study we aimed to investigate the effect of three different types of TiO 2 NPs (industrial, food-grade and belts) dispersed in fetal bovine serum (FBS) and saline solution (SS) on microvessel network, angiogenesis gene expression and femur ossification using a chick embryo model after an acute exposure of NPs on the day 7 after eggs fertilization. Microvascular density of chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) was analyzed after 7days of NPs injection and vehicles induced biological effects per se. NPs dispersed in FBS or SS have slight differences in microvascular density, mainly opposite effect on angiogenesis gene expression and no effects on femur ossification for NPs dispersed in SS. Interestingly, NPs shaped as belts dramatically prevented the alterations in ossification induced by FBS used as vehicle. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modelling airborne dispersion for disaster management

Science.gov (United States)

Musliman, I. A.; Yohnny, L.

2017-05-01

Industrial disasters, like any other disasters, can happen anytime, anywhere and in any form. Airborne industrial disaster is a kind of catastrophic event involving the release of particles such as chemicals and industrial wastes into environment in gaseous form, for instance gas leakages. Unlike solid and liquid materials, gases are often colourless and odourless, the particles are too tiny to be visible to the naked eyes; hence it is difficult to identify the presence of the gases and to tell the dispersion and location of the substance. This study is to develop an application prototype to perform simulation modelling on the gas particles to determine the dispersion of the gas particles and to identify the coverage of the affected area. The prototype adopted Lagrangian Particle Dispersion (LPD) model to calculate the position of the gas particles under the influence of wind and turbulent velocity components, which are the induced wind due to the rotation of the Earth, and Convex Hull algorithm to identify the convex points of the gas cloud to form the polygon of the coverage area. The application performs intersection and overlay analysis over a set of landuse data at Pasir Gudang, Johor industrial and residential area. Results from the analysis would be useful to tell the percentage and extent of the affected area, and are useful for the disaster management to evacuate people from the affected area. The developed application can significantly increase efficiency of emergency handling during a crisis. For example, by using a simulation model, the emergency handling can predict what is going to happen next, so people can be well informed and preparations works can be done earlier and better. Subsequently, this application helps a lot in the decision making process.

Modelling airborne dispersion for disaster management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Musliman, I A; Yohnny, L

2017-01-01

Industrial disasters, like any other disasters, can happen anytime, anywhere and in any form. Airborne industrial disaster is a kind of catastrophic event involving the release of particles such as chemicals and industrial wastes into environment in gaseous form, for instance gas leakages. Unlike solid and liquid materials, gases are often colourless and odourless, the particles are too tiny to be visible to the naked eyes; hence it is difficult to identify the presence of the gases and to tell the dispersion and location of the substance. This study is to develop an application prototype to perform simulation modelling on the gas particles to determine the dispersion of the gas particles and to identify the coverage of the affected area. The prototype adopted Lagrangian Particle Dispersion (LPD) model to calculate the position of the gas particles under the influence of wind and turbulent velocity components, which are the induced wind due to the rotation of the Earth, and Convex Hull algorithm to identify the convex points of the gas cloud to form the polygon of the coverage area. The application performs intersection and overlay analysis over a set of landuse data at Pasir Gudang, Johor industrial and residential area. Results from the analysis would be useful to tell the percentage and extent of the affected area, and are useful for the disaster management to evacuate people from the affected area. The developed application can significantly increase efficiency of emergency handling during a crisis. For example, by using a simulation model, the emergency handling can predict what is going to happen next, so people can be well informed and preparations works can be done earlier and better. Subsequently, this application helps a lot in the decision making process. (paper)

UV stabilization of wood by nano metal oxides dispersed in propylene glycol.

Science.gov (United States)

Nair, Sreeja; Nagarajappa, Giridhar B; Pandey, Krishna K

2018-06-01

Nanoparticles of some of the metal oxides are known to have high UV protective efficiency. The UV filtering efficiency of nanoparticles invariably depends on their size and stability in the dispersion. In the present work, a stable dispersion of nanoparticles of three metal oxides, zinc oxide (ZnO), cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) and titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), was prepared in propylene glycol (PG) using ultrasonication. The method is easy and useful as no additional surfactant or dispersant is needed. The particle size and its distribution was confirmed by Scanning Electron Microscopy and Dynamic Light Scattering. The stability of dispersion was assessed by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. The UV stability of wood surfaces of Wrightia tinctoria coated with nanodispersions of ZnO, CeO 2 and TiO 2 was evaluated under laboratory conditions in an accelerated weathering tester. Changes in the colour and FTIR spectra of exposed specimens were measured periodically. Rapid colour darkening (yellowing) was observed in uncoated and PG coated specimens. In contrast, nanodispersion coated specimens prevented photo-yellowing considerably with significant reduction in colour changes examined by CIE L*, a*, b* and ΔE*. Increase in concentration of nanoparticles in the dispersion imparted higher resistance to UV induced degradation. However, increased concentration of nanoparticles reduced the transparency of the coating. FTIR analysis indicated rapid degradation of lignin in uncoated and PG coated specimens due to UV exposure. Coating of wood surfaces with nanodispersions restricted lignin degradation. The study also demonstrates the potential of propylene glycol as a dispersant for developing stable and efficient UV protective nanodispersions for wood coating. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fickian dispersion is anomalous

Science.gov (United States)

Cushman, John H.; O'Malley, Dan

2015-12-01

The thesis put forward here is that the occurrence of Fickian dispersion in geophysical settings is a rare event and consequently should be labeled as anomalous. What people classically call anomalous is really the norm. In a Lagrangian setting, a process with mean square displacement which is proportional to time is generally labeled as Fickian dispersion. With a number of counter examples we show why this definition is fraught with difficulty. In a related discussion, we show an infinite second moment does not necessarily imply the process is super dispersive. By employing a rigorous mathematical definition of Fickian dispersion we illustrate why it is so hard to find a Fickian process. We go on to employ a number of renormalization group approaches to classify non-Fickian dispersive behavior. Scaling laws for the probability density function for a dispersive process, the distribution for the first passage times, the mean first passage time, and the finite-size Lyapunov exponent are presented for fixed points of both deterministic and stochastic renormalization group operators. The fixed points of the renormalization group operators are p-self-similar processes. A generalized renormalization group operator is introduced whose fixed points form a set of generalized self-similar processes. Power-law clocks are introduced to examine multi-scaling behavior. Several examples of these ideas are presented and discussed.

Does an ant-dispersed plant, Viola reichenbachiana, suffer from reduced seed dispersal under inundation disturbances?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Prinzing, A.; Dauber, J.; Hammer, E.; Hammouti, N.; Bohning-Gaese, K.

2008-01-01

Many plant species use ants as seed dispersers. This dispersal mode is considered to be susceptible to disturbances, but the effect of natural, small-scale disturbances is still unknown. We investigated how small-scale disturbances due to inundation affect seed dispersal in Viola reichenbachiana, a

Clock synchronization and dispersion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giovannetti, Vittorio; Lloyd, Seth; Maccone, Lorenzo; Wong, Franco N C

2002-01-01

We present a method to defeat effects of dispersion of timing signals when synchronizing clocks. It is based on the recently proposed 'conveyor belt synchronization' scheme and on the quantum dispersion cancellation effect

Nozzle for electric dispersion reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Sisson, W.G.; Basaran, O.A.; Harris, M.T.

1995-11-07

A nozzle for an electric dispersion reactor includes two concentric electrodes, the inner one of the two delivering disperse phase fluid into a continuous phase fluid. A potential difference generated by a voltage source creates a dispersing electric field at the end of the inner electrode. 4 figs.

Experimental Measurements of Temporal Dispersion for Underwater Laser Communications and Imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Cochenour, Brandon Michael

) at which multiple scattering and temporal dispersion are observed, while finer details of the scattering phase function shape are related to the amount of temporal dispersion that occurs. 3. Consistent with intuition, temporal dispersion is increased while increasing the receiver field-of-view when observing the light field at the beam axis. This is due to the collection of non-scattered, minimally scattered, and multiply scattered light. Observation of the light field far from the beam axis also results in increased temporal dispersion relative to on-axis observation, as only multiply scattered light is collected. However, no additional temporal dispersion is induced by widening the receiver field-of-view at these off-axis locations. This is contrary to the current conventional understanding, and illustrates the interdependence of geometry, system configuration, and environmental characteristics. 4. The experimental results are used to establish operational limits for underwater optical communication links with regard to sensitivity, dynamic range, and bandwidth. Establishing these bounds, particularly as they relate to channel bandwidth, have typically not be possible due to the previous lack of experimental evidence. 5. The intensity distribution of high frequency modulated light exhibits an effective 'angular narrowing' relative to non-modulated light. This result was theoretically predicted over 40 years ago, and experimentally verified for the first time in this work. This phenomenon is then exploited as a method to improve the resolution of underwater laser imaging systems. These results provide an improved understanding of temporal and spatial dispersion, as well as their relationship to each other. Understanding how both environmental and sensor properties effect spatial and temporal impairments are essential for optimizing the operating range and bandwidth of underwater laser communication links, or the range, resolution, and reliability of underwater laser

Energetic mid-IR femtosecond pulse generation by self-defocusing soliton-induced dispersive waves in a bulk quadratic nonlinear crystal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhou, Binbin; Guo, Hairun; Bache, Morten

2015-01-01

Generating energetic femtosecond mid-IR pulses is crucial for ultrafast spectroscopy, and currently relies on parametric processes that, while efficient, are also complex. Here we experimentally show a simple alternative that uses a single pump wavelength without any pump synchronization and with...... by using large-aperture crystals. The technique can readily be implemented with other crystals and laser wavelengths, and can therefore potentially replace current ultrafast frequency-conversion processes to the mid-IR....... and without critical phase-matching requirements. Pumping a bulk quadratic nonlinear crystal (unpoled LiNbO3 cut for noncritical phase-mismatched interaction) with sub-mJ near-IR 50-fs pulses, tunable and broadband (∼ 1,000 cm−1) mid-IR pulses around 3.0 μm are generated with excellent spatio-temporal pulse...... quality, having up to 10.5 μJ energy (6.3% conversion). The mid-IR pulses are dispersive waves phase-matched to near-IR self-defocusing solitons created by the induced self-defocusing cascaded nonlinearity. This process is filament-free and the input pulse energy can therefore be scaled arbitrarily...

A dispersive optical model potential for nucleon induced reactions on 238U and 232Th nuclei with full coupling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chiba Satoshi

2013-03-01

Full Text Available A dispersive coupled-channel optical model potential (DCCOMP that couples the ground-state rotational and low-lying vibrational bands of 238U and 232Th nuclei is studied. The derived DCCOMP couples almost all excited levels below 1 MeV of excitation energy of the corresponding even-even actinides. The ground state, octupole, beta, gamma, and non-axial bands are coupled. The first two isobar analogue states (IAS populated in the quasi-elastic (p,n reaction are also coupled in the proton induced calculation, making the potential approximately Lane consistent. The coupled-channel potential is based on a soft-rotor description of the target nucleus structure, where dynamic vibrations are considered as perturbations of the rigid rotor underlying structure. Matrix elements required to use the proposed structure model in Tamura coupled-channel scheme are derived. Calculated ratio R(U238/Th232 of the total cross-section difference to the averaged σT for 238U and 232Th nuclei is shown to be in excellent agreement with measured data.

Analysis of heterogeneous gallstones using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WD-XRF).

Science.gov (United States)

Jaswal, Brij Bir S; Kumar, Vinay; Sharma, Jitendra; Rai, Pradeep K; Gondal, Mohammed A; Gondal, Bilal; Singh, Vivek K

2016-04-01

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is an emerging analytical technique with numerous advantages such as rapidity, multi-elemental analysis, no specific sample preparation requirements, non-destructiveness, and versatility. It has been proven to be a robust elemental analysis tool attracting interest because of being applied to a wide range of materials including biomaterials. In this paper, we have performed spectroscopic studies on gallstones which are heterogeneous in nature using LIBS and wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WD-XRF) techniques. It has been observed that the presence and relative concentrations of trace elements in different kind of gallstones (cholesterol and pigment gallstones) can easily be determined using LIBS technique. From the experiments carried out on gallstones for trace elemental mapping and detection, it was found that LIBS is a robust tool for such biomedical applications. The stone samples studied in the present paper were classified using the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. WD-XRF spectroscopy has been applied for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of major and trace elements present in the gallstone which was compared with the LIBS data. The results obtained in the present paper show interesting prospects for LIBS and WD-XRF to study cholelithiasis better.

Statistical Thermodynamics of Disperse Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shapiro, Alexander

1996-01-01

Principles of statistical physics are applied for the description of thermodynamic equilibrium in disperse systems. The cells of disperse systems are shown to possess a number of non-standard thermodynamic parameters. A random distribution of these parameters in the system is determined....... On the basis of this distribution, it is established that the disperse system has an additional degree of freedom called the macro-entropy. A large set of bounded ideal disperse systems allows exact evaluation of thermodynamic characteristics. The theory developed is applied to the description of equilibrium...

Geometry of physical dispersion relations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raetzel, Dennis; Rivera, Sergio; Schuller, Frederic P.

2011-01-01

To serve as a dispersion relation, a cotangent bundle function must satisfy three simple algebraic properties. These conditions are derived from the inescapable physical requirements that local matter field dynamics must be predictive and allow for an observer-independent notion of positive energy. Possible modifications of the standard relativistic dispersion relation are thereby severely restricted. For instance, the dispersion relations associated with popular deformations of Maxwell theory by Gambini-Pullin or Myers-Pospelov are not admissible. Dispersion relations passing the simple algebraic checks derived here correspond to physically admissible Finslerian refinements of Lorentzian geometry.

Low Frequency Dispersion Mechanism of Dielectric Response for Oil-paper Insulation Diagnosis

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

ZHOU Lijun; LI Xianlang; WU Guangning

2013-01-01

Both the real part and imaginary part of complex permittivity approximately have a log-linear frequency dependency at low frequencies,especially at ultra-low frequencies under conditions of different moisture concentrations and temperatures,which is recognized as the low frequency dispersion (LFD).In order to explain this dispersion,a new mechanism of dielectric response of LFD of oil-paper insulation is proposed.A simplified one-dimensional mathematical model of concentration polarization carrier caused by slow migration is developed and solved,which indicates that ion mobility is closely related to the size of gap and the adsorption capacity of cellulose molecular chains to ions.A stochastic statistical model of the carrier mobility induced LFD is also developed.Moreover,actual tests under 50 ℃and 2％ moisture content were put forward,as well as simulations with according current waveforms.The simulation results agreed well with the experimental data in that concentration polarization of carriers caused by slow migration is the probable cause of low frequency dispersion ofdielectric response for oil-paper insulation diagnosis.

Determination of dispersity of crushed granite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Dejun; Fan Xianhua; Zhang Yingjie; Yao Jun; Zhou Duo; Wang Yong

2004-01-01

The experimental crushed granite column breakthrough curves, using 99 Tc as spike tracer and 3 H as invariant tracer, are analyzed by different linear regression techniques. Dispersity of crushed granite and retardation factor of 99 TcO 4 - on the crushed granite are determined simultaneously by one linear regression technique. Dispersity of crushed granite is also obtained with 3 H as invariant tracer by the other linear regression technique. The dispersities found by spike source and invariant source methods are compared. The experimental results show that the dispersity found by spike source method is close to that found by invariant source method. It indicates that dispersity is only the characteristic of dispersion medium

Determination of dispersity of crushed granite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, D.J.; Fan, X.H.

2005-01-01

Experimental crushed granite column breakthrough curves, using 99 Tc as spike tracer and 3 H as invariant tracer, were analyzed by different linear regression techniques. Dispersity of crushed granite and the retardation factor of 99 TcO 4 - on the crushed granite were determined simultaneously by one linear regression. Dispersity of crushed granite was also obtained with 3 H as invariant tracer by the other linear regression. The dispersities found by spike source and invariant source methods are compared. Experimental results show that the dispersity found by the spike source method is close to that found by the invariant source method. This indicates that dispersity is only a characteristic of the dispersion medium. (author)

Dispersive shock waves in systems with nonlocal dispersion of Benjamin-Ono type

Science.gov (United States)

El, G. A.; Nguyen, L. T. K.; Smyth, N. F.

2018-04-01

We develop a general approach to the description of dispersive shock waves (DSWs) for a class of nonlinear wave equations with a nonlocal Benjamin-Ono type dispersion term involving the Hilbert transform. Integrability of the governing equation is not a pre-requisite for the application of this method which represents a modification of the DSW fitting method previously developed for dispersive-hydrodynamic systems of Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) type (i.e. reducible to the KdV equation in the weakly nonlinear, long wave, unidirectional approximation). The developed method is applied to the Calogero-Sutherland dispersive hydrodynamics for which the classification of all solution types arising from the Riemann step problem is constructed and the key physical parameters (DSW edge speeds, lead soliton amplitude, intermediate shelf level) of all but one solution type are obtained in terms of the initial step data. The analytical results are shown to be in excellent agreement with results of direct numerical simulations.

Study of the dispersion phenomena connected with the absorption by recoilless nuclear resonance fluorescence; Etude des phenomenes de dispersion lies a l'absorption resonnante sans recul des noyaux atomiques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Imbert, P [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1965-12-01

In nuclear resonance fluorescence as in the optical field abnormal dispersion curves are related to the absorption lines. It is possible, by using quadrupolar or magnetic splitting of the line in the case of recoilless resonance fluorescence (Moessbauer effect) to obtain differential dispersion effects between the two orthogonal linear or the two inverse circular components of the incident gamma radiation. These effects induce bi-refraction phenomena or Faraday rotation on the gamma beam, which have been studied on Fe-57 enriched absorbers. (author) [French] Comme dans le domaine optique, aux raies d'absorption de fluorescence resonnante des noyaux atomiques sont associees des courbes de dispersion anormale. Les decompositions des raies d'absorption de fluorescence resonnante sans recul (raies Moessbauer) par couplage quadrupolaire ou effet Zeeman permettent d'obtenir des effets dispersifs differentiels entre composantes lineaires orthogonales ou circulaires inverses du rayonnement gamma incident. Ces effets se traduisent par des phenomenes de birefringence ou de rotation Faraday, qui ont pu etre etudies sur des milieux enrichis en fer-57. (auteur)

Optimizing optical pre-dispersion using transmit DSP for mitigation of Kerr nonlinearities in dispersion managed cables

Science.gov (United States)

Hopkins, James; Gaudette, Jamie; Mehta, Priyanth

2013-10-01

With the advent of digital signal processing (DSP) in optical transmitters and receivers, the ability to finely tune the ratio of pre and post dispersion compensation can be exploited to best mitigate the nonlinear penalties caused by the Kerr effect. A portion of the nonlinear penalty in optical communication channels has been explained by an increase in peak to average power ratio (PAPR) inherent in highly dispersed signals. The standard approach for minimizing these impairments applies 50% pre dispersion compensation and 50% post dispersion compensation, thereby decreasing average PAPR along the length of the cable, as compared with either 100% pre or post dispersion compensation. In this paper we demonstrate that simply considering the net accumulated dispersion, and applying 50/50 pre/post dispersion is not necessarily the best way to minimize PAPR and subsequent Kerr nonlinearities. Instead, we consider the cumulative dispersion along the entire length of the cable, and, taking into account this additional information, derive an analytic formula for the minimization of PAPR. Alignment with simulation and experimental measurements is presented using a commercially available 100Gb/s dual-polarization binary phase-shift-keying (DP-BPSK) coherent modem, with transmitter and receiver DSP. Measurements are provided from two different 5000km dispersion managed Submarine test-beds, as well as a 3800km terrestrial test-bed with a mixture of SMF-28 and TWRS optical fiber. This method is shown to deviate significantly from the conventional 50/50 method described above, in dispersion managed communications systems, and more closely aligns with results obtained from simulation and data collected from laboratory test-beds.

Time delay signature elimination of chaos in a semiconductor laser by dispersive feedback from a chirped FBG.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Daming; Wang, Longsheng; Zhao, Tong; Gao, Hua; Wang, Yuncai; Chen, Xianfeng; Wang, Anbang

2017-05-15

Time delay signature (TDS) of a semiconductor laser subject to dispersive optical feedback from a chirped fibre Bragg grating (CFBG) is investigated experimentally and numerically. Different from mirror, CFBG provides additional frequency-dependent delay caused by dispersion, and thus induces external-cavity modes with irregular mode separation rather than a fixed separation induced by mirror feedback. Compared with mirror feedback, the CFBG feedback can greatly depress and even eliminate the TDS, although it leads to a similar quasi-period route to chaos with increases of feedback. In experiments, by using a CFBG with dispersion of 2000ps/nm, the TDS is decreased by 90% to about 0.04 compared with mirror feedback. Furthermore, both numerical and experimental results show that the TDS evolution is quite different: the TDS decreases more quickly down to a lower plateau (even background noise level of autocorrelation function) and never rises again. This evolution tendency is also different from that of FBG feedback, of which the TDS first decreases to a minimal value and then increases again as feedback strength increases. In addition, the CFBG feedback has no filtering effects and does not require amplification for feedback light.

Increases of QT dispersion, corrected QT dispersion and QT interval in young healthy individuals during Ramadan fasting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moradmand S

2003-06-01

Full Text Available Ramadan fasting is one of the most important religious duties of Muslims, that its effect on the heart has not been determined yet. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of Ramadan fasting on ventricular repolarization as assessed by QT interval, corrected QT interval, QT dispersion or corrected QT dispersion. Sixthy healthy subjects aged 20 to 35 years were dispersion included in this study. QT interval, corrected QT interval (QTc QT dispersion QTc dispersion, RR interval and QRS axis were measured in 12-lead surface electrocardiogram, once during fasting (10 to 11.5 hours of absolute fasting from food and liquid and another time, 15 tp 60 minutes after eating food at sunset, All of the subjects had been fasting 11 to 12 hours each day at least for 25 days during Ramadan. The study was performed at Amir Alam hospital in the year 2000. Maximal QT interval, mean QT interval and RR-interval, were longer during fasting (P<0.05, and both QT dispersion and QTc dispersion were increased (P<0.05. (QT dispersion: mean ±SD= 57.2±20.1 ms during fasting Vs 41.6±15.1 ms after meal, QTc dispersion=75.4±24.6 ms during fasting Vs 64.1±22.8 ms after meal. But mean QTc interval maximal QTc interval and QRS axis showed no significant difference. Prolongation of QT interval and RR interval during fasting, instead of no significant changes in corrected QT interval may primarily suggest that prolongation of RR-interval causes QTc interval not to have significant difference. But increases of QT dispersion and corrected QT dispersion (QTc dispersion during fasting -that are more reliable indicators of ventricular repolarization-support the idea that ventricular repolarization may be changed during Ramadan fasting. QT dispersion in cardiac patients is showed to increase from normal values of 30-40 to 64-138 ms, but in our study their increases did not reach critical value.

Nanostructures in a ferritic and an oxide dispersion strengthened steel induced by dynamic plastic deformation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Zhenbo

fission and fusion reactors. In this study, two candidate steels for nuclear reactors, namely a ferritic/martensitic steel (modified 9Cr-1Mo steel) and an oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) ferritic steel (PM2000), were nanostructured by dynamic plastic deformation (DPD). The resulting microstructure...

Ductility Enhancement of Molybdenum Phase by Nano-sizedd Oxide Dispersions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruce Kang

2008-07-31

The present research is focused on ductility enhancement of molybdenum (Mo) alloys by adding nano-sized oxide particles to the alloy system. The research approach includes: (1) determination of microscopic mechanisms responsible for the macroscopic ductility enhancement effects through atomistic modeling of the metal-ceramic interface; (2) subsequent computer simulation-aided optimization of composition and nanoparticle size of the dispersion for improved performance; (3) synthesis and characterization of nanoparticle dispersion following the guidance from atomistic computational modeling analyses (e.g., by processing a small sample of Mo alloy for evaluation); and (4) experimental testing of the mechanical properties to determine optimal ductility enhancement.Through atomistic modeling and electronic structure analysis using full-potential linearized muffin-tin orbital (FP-LMTO) techniques, research to date has been performed on a number of selected chromium (Cr) systems containing nitrogen (N) and/or magnesium oxide (MgO) impurities. The emphasis has been on determining the properties of the valence electrons and the characteristics of the chemical bonds they formed. It was found that the brittle/ductile behavior of this transitional metal system is controlled by the relative population of valence charges: bonds formed by s valence electrons yield metallic, ductile behavior, whereas bonds formed by d valence electrons lead to covalent, brittle behavior. The presence of valence bands from impurities also affects the metal bonding, thereby explaining the detrimental and beneficial effects induced by the inclusion of N impurities and MgO dispersions. These understandings are useful for optimizing ductility enhancement effects on the dispersion materials.

Blackbody Emission from Light Interacting with an Effective Moving Dispersive Medium

OpenAIRE

Petev, M.; Westerberg, N.; Moss, D.; Rubino, E.; Rimoldi, C.; Cacciatori, S. L.; Belgiorno, F.; Faccio, D.

2013-01-01

Intense laser pulses excite a nonlinear polarisation response that may create an effective flowing medium and, under appropriate conditions, a blocking horizon for light. Here we analyse in detail the interaction of light with such laser-induced flowing media, fully accounting for the medium dispersion properties. An analytical model based on a first Born-approximation is found to be in excellent agreement with numerical simulations based on Maxwell's equations and shows that when a blocking ...

Dispersion Distance and the Matter Distribution of the Universe in Dispersion Space.

Science.gov (United States)

Masui, Kiyoshi Wesley; Sigurdson, Kris

2015-09-18

We propose that "standard pings," brief broadband radio impulses, can be used to study the three-dimensional clustering of matter in the Universe even in the absence of redshift information. The dispersion of radio waves as they travel through the intervening plasma can, like redshift, be used as a cosmological distance measure. Because of inhomogeneities in the electron density along the line of sight, dispersion is an imperfect proxy for radial distance and we show that this leads to calculable dispersion-space distortions in the apparent clustering of sources. Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are a new class of radio transients that are the prototypical standard ping and, due to their high observed dispersion, have been interpreted as originating at cosmological distances. The rate of fast radio bursts has been estimated to be several thousand over the whole sky per day and, if cosmological, the sources of these events should trace the large-scale structure of the Universe. We calculate the dispersion-space power spectra for a simple model where electrons and FRBs are biased tracers of the large-scale structure of the Universe, and we show that the clustering signal could be measured using as few as 10 000 events. Such a survey is in line with what may be achieved with upcoming wide-field radio telescopes.

Reactive dispersive contaminant transport in coastal aquifers: Numerical simulation of a reactive Henry problem

KAUST Repository

Nick, H.M.

2013-02-01

The reactive mixing between seawater and terrestrial water in coastal aquifers influences the water quality of submarine groundwater discharge. While these waters come into contact at the seawater groundwater interface by density driven flow, their chemical components dilute and react through dispersion. A larger interface and wider mixing zone may provide favorable conditions for the natural attenuation of contaminant plumes. It has been claimed that the extent of this mixing is controlled by both, porous media properties and flow conditions. In this study, the interplay between dispersion and reactive processes in coastal aquifers is investigated by means of numerical experiments. Particularly, the impact of dispersion coefficients, the velocity field induced by density driven flow and chemical component reactivities on reactive transport in such aquifers is studied. To do this, a hybrid finite-element finite-volume method and a reactive simulator are coupled, and model accuracy and applicability are assessed. A simple redox reaction is considered to describe the degradation of a contaminant which requires mixing of the contaminated groundwater and the seawater containing the terminal electron acceptor. The resulting degradation is observed for different scenarios considering different magnitudes of dispersion and chemical reactivity. Three reactive transport regimes are found: reaction controlled, reaction-dispersion controlled and dispersion controlled. Computational results suggest that the chemical components\\' reactivity as well as dispersion coefficients play a significant role on controlling reactive mixing zones and extent of contaminant removal in coastal aquifers. Further, our results confirm that the dilution index is a better alternative to the second central spatial moment of a plume to describe the mixing of reactive solutes in coastal aquifers. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Cascaded interactions between Raman induced solitons and dispersive waves in photonic crystal fibers at the advanced stage of supercontinuum generation.

Science.gov (United States)

Driben, Rodislav; Mitschke, Fedor; Zhavoronkov, Nickolai

2010-12-06

The complex mechanism of multiple interactions between solitary and dispersive waves at the advanced stage of supercontinuum generation in photonic crystal fiber is studied in experiment and numerical simulations. Injection of high power negatively chirped pulses near zero dispersion frequency results in an effective soliton fission process with multiple interactions between red shifted Raman solitons and dispersive waves. These interactions may result in relative acceleration of solitons with further collisions between them of quasi-elastic or quasi-plastic kinds. In the spectral domain these processes result in enhancement of certain wavelength regions within the spectrum or development of a new significant band at the long wavelength side of the spectrum.

Hierarchical structures and phase nucleation and growth during pressure-induced crystallization of polypropylene containing dispersion of nanoclay: The impact on physical and mechanical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Misra, R.D.K.; Yuan, Q.; Chen, J.; Yang, Y.

2010-01-01

The objective of this study is to describe the evolution of structure and phases during pressure-induced crystallization of polymers containing dispersion of nanoparticles, in the pressure range of 0.1-200 MPa. The model material for nanoparticles is nanoclay and the model polymer is polypropylene, which can potentially form several crystalline phases. While the phase selection in polypropylene is dictated by pressure and temperature, however, the introduction of nanoparticles alters the nucleation and growth of phases via nanoparticle interface driven evolution. To delineate and separate the effects of applied crystallization pressure from nanoparticle effects, a relative comparison is made between neat polypropylene and polypropylene containing dispersion of nanoclay under similar experimental conditions. The significant finding is that nanoclay interacts with the host polypropylene in a manner such that it alters the structural morphology of α- and γ-crystals of polypropylene. Furthermore, nanoclay promotes the formation of γ-phase at ambient pressure suggesting its role as structure and morphology director in the stabilization of the less accessible γ-phase, and with the possibility of epitaxial growth that enhances toughness. The equilibrium melting point measurements point to thermodynamic interaction between nanoclay and polypropylene, which is supported by the change in glass transition temperature. Thus, the two components, nanoclay and pressure, together provide a unique opportunity to tune hierarchical structures and phase evolution, which has significant implication on physico-chemical and mechanical properties.

Dispersed oil decreases the ability of a model fish (Dicentrarchus labrax) to cope with hydrostatic pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Dussauze, Matthieu; Pichavant-Rafini, Karine; Belhomme, Marc; Buzzacott, Peter; Privat, Killian; Le Floch, Stéphane; Lemaire, Philippe; Theron, Michaël

2017-01-01

Data on the biological impact of oil dispersion in deep-sea environment are scarce. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate the potential interest of a pressure challenge as a new experimental approach for the assessment of consequences of chemically dispersed oil, followed by a high hydrostatic pressure challenge. This work was conducted on a model fish: juvenile Dicentrarchus labrax. Seabass were exposed for 48 h to dispersant alone (nominal concentration (NC) = 4 mg L -1 ), mechanically dispersed oil (NC = 80 mg L -1 ), two chemically dispersed types of oil (NC = 50 and 80 mg L -1 with a dispersant/oil ratio of 1/20), or kept in clean seawater. Fish were then exposed for 30 min at a simulated depth of 1350 m, corresponding to pressure of 136 absolute atmospheres (ATA). The probability of fish exhibiting normal activity after the pressure challenge significantly increased from 0.40 to 0.55 when they were exposed to the dispersant but decreased to 0.26 and 0.11 in the case of chemical dispersion of oil (at 50 and 80 mg L -1 , respectively). The chemical dispersion at 80 mg L -1 also induced an increase in probability of death after the pressure challenge (from 0.08 to 0.26). This study clearly demonstrates the ability of a pressure challenge test to give evidence of the effects of a contaminant on the capacity of fish to face hydrostatic pressure. It opens new perspectives on the analysis of the biological impact of chemical dispersion of oil at depth, especially on marine species performing vertical migrations.

Normal-dispersion microresonator Kerr frequency combs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xue Xiaoxiao

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Optical microresonator-based Kerr frequency comb generation has developed into a hot research area in the past decade. Microresonator combs are promising for portable applications due to their potential for chip-level integration and low power consumption. According to the group velocity dispersion of the microresonator employed, research in this field may be classified into two categories: the anomalous dispersion regime and the normal dispersion regime. In this paper, we discuss the physics of Kerr comb generation in the normal dispersion regime and review recent experimental advances. The potential advantages and future directions of normal dispersion combs are also discussed.

Dispersion modeling by kinematic simulation: Cloud dispersion model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fung, J C H; Perkins, R J

2008-01-01

A new technique has been developed to compute mean and fluctuating concentrations in complex turbulent flows (tidal current near a coast and deep ocean). An initial distribution of material is discretized into any small clouds which are advected by a combination of the mean flow and large scale turbulence. The turbulence can be simulated either by kinematic simulation (KS) or direct numerical simulation. The clouds also diffuse relative to their centroids; the statistics for this are obtained from a separate calculation of the growth of individual clouds in small scale turbulence, generated by KS. The ensemble of discrete clouds is periodically re-discretized, to limit the size of the small clouds and prevent overlapping. The model is illustrated with simulations of dispersion in uniform flow, and the results are compared with analytic, steady state solutions. The aim of this study is to understand how pollutants disperses in a turbulent flow through a numerical simulation of fluid particle motion in a random flow field generated by Fourier modes. Although this homogeneous turbulent is rather a 'simple' flow, it represents a building block toward understanding pollutant dispersion in more complex flow. The results presented here are preliminary in nature, but we expect that similar qualitative results should be observed in a genuine turbulent flow.

UV curable aqueous dispersions for wood coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peeters, S.; Bleus, J.P.; Wang, Z.J.; Arceneaux, J. A.; Hall, J.

1999-01-01

In this paper the characterisation of aqueous dispersions of UV curable resins is described. Two types of dispersions were used: dispersions that are tacky after water evaporation and tack - free before cure dispersions. The physical and rheological properties of these products have been determined and the performance of these dispersions in various formulations, especially for wood applications has been studied. With these dispersions, it is possible to produce coatings having a good cure speed, good surface hardness and good solvent -, chemical - and water resistance

Evolution of carbon nanotube dispersion in preparation of epoxy-based composites: From a masterbatch to a nanocomposite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Aravand

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The state of carbon nanotube (CNT dispersion in epoxy is likely to change in the process of composite production. In the present work CNT dispersion is characterized at different stages of nanocomposite preparation: in the original masterbatch with high CNT concentration, after masterbatch dilution, in the process of curing and in the final nanocomposite. The evaluation techniques included dynamic rheological analysis of the liquid phases, optical, environmental and charge contrast scanning electron microscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and dynamic mechanical analysis. The evolution of the CNT dispersion was assessed for two CNT/epoxy systems with distinctly different dispersion states induced by different storage time. Strong interactions between CNT clusters were revealed in the masterbatch with a longer storage time. Upon curing CNT clusters in this material formed a network-like structure. This network enhanced the elastic behaviour and specific conductivity of the resulting nanocomposite, leading to a partial electrical percolation after curing.

Catchment Dispersion Mechanisms in an Urban Context

Science.gov (United States)

Gironas, J. A.; Mejia, A.; Rossel, F.; Rinaldo, A.; Rodriguez, F.

2014-12-01

Dispersion mechanisms have been examined in-depth in natural catchments in previous studies. However, these dispersion mechanisms have been studied little in urban catchments, where artificial transport elements and morphological arrangements are expected to modify travel times and mobilize excess rainfall from spatially distributed impervious sites. Thus, these features can modify the variance of the catchment's travel times and hence the total dispersion. This work quantifies the dispersion mechanisms in an urban catchment using the theory of transport by travel times as represented by the Urban Morpho-climatic Instantaneous Unit Hydrograph (U-McIUH) model. This model computes travel times based on kinematic wave theory and accounts explicitly for the path heterogeneities and altered connectivity patterns characteristic of an urban drainage network. The analysis is illustrated using the Aubinière urban catchment (France) as a case study. We found that kinematic dispersion is dominant for small rainfall intensities, whereas geomorphologic dispersion becomes more dominant for larger intensities. The total dispersion scales with the drainage area in a power law fashion. The kinematic dispersion is dominant across spatial scales up to a threshold of approximately 2-3 km2, after which the geomorphologic dispersion becomes more dominant. Overall, overland flow is responsible for most of the dispersion, while conduits tend to counteract the increase of the geomorphologic dispersion with a negative kinematic dispersion. Further studies with other catchments are needed to assess whether the latter is a general feature of urban drainage networks.

Reactimeter dispersion equation

OpenAIRE

A.G. Yuferov

2016-01-01

The aim of this work is to derive and analyze a reactimeter metrological model in the form of the dispersion equation which connects reactimeter input/output signal dispersions with superimposed random noise at the inlet. It is proposed to standardize the reactimeter equation form, presenting the main reactimeter computing unit by a convolution equation. Hence, the reactimeter metrological characteristics are completely determined by this unit hardware function which represents a transient re...

Dispersal and biogeography of silica-scaled chrysophytes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristiansen, Jørgen

2008-01-01

The silica-scaled chrysophytes—here mainly represented by the freshwater genera Mallomonas and Synura—have special problems in dispersal from one habitat to another because they cannot tolerate desiccation. Their dispersal is limited by the fragile construction and aquatic habit. Dispersal from one...... water body to another involves dangerous changes of the environment, and the ability to avoid desiccation during transport is crucial. So, air-borne and ectozoic dispersal by birds or mammals can only work at short distances. This danger may be avoided by endozoic dispersal of thick-walled cysts; as far....... The distribution of a species at a given time depends on several factors: dispersal capacity—available vectors—suitable available habitats—and most important: sufficient time for dispersal. It is remarkable that the chrysophytes—in spite of their fragile cell construction and apparently low dispersal capacity...

Geometrically induced surface polaritons in planar nanostructured metallic cavities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davids, P. S. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Intravia, F [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Dalvit, Diego A. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2014-01-14

We examine the modal structure and dispersion of periodically nanostructured planar metallic cavities within the scattering matrix formulation. By nanostructuring a metallic grating in a planar cavity, artificial surface excitations or spoof plasmon modes are induced with dispersion determined by the periodicity and geometric characteristics of the grating. These spoof surface plasmon modes are shown to give rise to new cavity polaritonic modes at short mirror separations that modify the density of modes in nanostructured cavities. The increased modal density of states form cavity polarirons have a large impact on the fluctuation induced electromagnetic forces and enhanced hear transfer at short separations.

Dynamics of Dispersive Wave Generation in Gas-Filled Photonic Crystal Fiber with the Normal Dispersion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhixiang Deng

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The absence of Raman and unique pressure-tunable dispersion is the characteristic feature of gas-filled photonic crystal fiber (PCF, and its zero dispersion points can be extended to the near-infrared by increasing gas pressure. The generation of dispersive wave (DW in the normal group velocity dispersion (GVD region of PCF is investigated. It is demonstrated that considering the self-steepening (SS and introducing the chirp of the initial input pulse are two suitable means to control the DW generation. The SS enhances the relative average intensity of blue-shift DW while weakening that of red-shift DW. The required propagation distance of DW emission is markedly varied by introducing the frequency chirp. Manipulating DW generation in gas-filled PCF by the combined effects of either SS or chirp and three-order dispersion (TOD provides a method for a concentrated transfer of energy into the targeted wavelengths.

Tunable dispersion compensator based on uniform fiber Bragg grating and its application to tunable pulse repetition-rate multiplication.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Young-Geun; Lee, Sang

2005-11-14

A new technique to control the chromatic dispersion of a uniform fiber Bragg grating based on the symmetrical bending is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The specially designed two translation stages with gears and a sawtooth wheel can simultaneously induce the tension and compression strain corresponding to the bending direction. The tension and compression strain can effectively control the chirp ratio along the fiber grating attached on a flexible cantilever beam and consequently the dispersion value without the center wavelength shift. We successfully achieve the wide tuning range of chromatic dispersion without the center wavelength shift, which is less than 0.02 nm. We also reduce the group delay ripple as low as ~+/-5 ps. And we also demonstrate the application of the proposed tunable dispersion compensation technique to the tunable pulse repetition-rate multiplication and obtain high-quality pulses at repetition rates of 20 ~ 40 GHz.

Oak Dispersal Syndromes: Do Red and White Oaks Exhibit Different Dispersal Srategies?

Science.gov (United States)

Michael Steele; Peter Smallwood; William B. Terzaghi; John E. Carlson; Thomas conteras; Amy McEuen

2004-01-01

We provide an overview of the ecological and evolutionary interactions between oaks and several of their dispersal agents, and review a series of studies that demonstrate how various acorn characteristics affect feeding and caching decisions of these animals, which in turn may influence oak dispersal and establishment. We demonstrate that acorns of red oak species show...

The dispersion of SWCNTs treated by coupling and dispersing agents in fiber reinforced polymer composities

Science.gov (United States)

Duan, Yuexin; Yuan, Lu; Zhao, Yan; Guan, Fengxia

2007-07-01

It is an obstacle issue for Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) applied in fiber reinforced polymer composites that CNTs is dispersed in nano-level, particularly for single-wall Carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). In this paper, SWCNTs were treated by the coupling agent like volan and dispersing agent as BYK to improve the dispersion in the Glass Fiber/Epoxy composites. The result of dispersion of SWCNTs in composites was observed by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Then the Glass Transition Temperature (Tg) of these kinds of composites with treated and untreated SWCNTs were obtained by Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA). Moreover, the bending properties of these composites were tested.

Non-invasive analysis of swelling in polymer dispersions by means of time-domain(TD)-NMR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nestle, Nikolaus, E-mail: nikolaus.nestle@basf.com [BASF SE, GKP/R - G 201, D-67056 Ludwigshafen (Germany); Haeberle, Karl [BASF SE, GKP/R - G 201, D-67056 Ludwigshafen (Germany)

2009-11-03

In this contribution, we discuss the potential of low-field time-domain(TD)-NMR to study the swelling of (aqueous) polymer dispersions by a volatile solvent. Due to the sensitivity of transverse relaxation times (T{sub 2}) to swelling-induced changes in the molecular dynamics of the polymer component, the effects of swelling can be measured without spectral resolution. The measurement is performed on polymer dispersions in native state with solids contents around 50% in a non-invasive way without separating the polymeric phase and the water phase from each other. Using acetone in two polyurethane (PU) dispersions with different hard phase contents, we explore the sensitivity of the method and present a data evaluation strategy based on multicomponent fitting and proton balancing. Furthermore, we report exchange continualization as a further effect that needs to be taken into account for correct interpretation of the data.

Non-invasive analysis of swelling in polymer dispersions by means of time-domain(TD)-NMR.

Science.gov (United States)

Nestle, Nikolaus; Häberle, Karl

2009-11-03

In this contribution, we discuss the potential of low-field time-domain(TD)-NMR to study the swelling of (aqueous) polymer dispersions by a volatile solvent. Due to the sensitivity of transverse relaxation times (T2) to swelling-induced changes in the molecular dynamics of the polymer component, the effects of swelling can be measured without spectral resolution. The measurement is performed on polymer dispersions in native state with solids contents around 50% in a non-invasive way without separating the polymeric phase and the water phase from each other. Using acetone in two polyurethane (PU) dispersions with different hard phase contents, we explore the sensitivity of the method and present a data evaluation strategy based on multicomponent fitting and proton balancing. Furthermore, we report exchange continualization as a further effect that needs to be taken into account for correct interpretation of the data.

Extragalactic dispersion measures of fast radio bursts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Jun; Han, J. L.

2015-01-01

Fast radio bursts show large dispersion measures, much larger than the Galactic dispersion measure foreground. Therefore, they evidently have an extragalactic origin. We investigate possible contributions to the dispersion measure from host galaxies. We simulate the spatial distribution of fast radio bursts and calculate the dispersion measures along the sightlines from fast radio bursts to the edge of host galaxies by using the scaled NE2001 model for thermal electron density distributions. We find that contributions to the dispersion measure of fast radio bursts from the host galaxy follow a skew Gaussian distribution. The peak and the width at half maximum of the dispersion measure distribution increase with the inclination angle of a spiral galaxy, to large values when the inclination angle is over 70°. The largest dispersion measure produced by an edge-on spiral galaxy can reach a few thousand pc cm −3 , while the dispersion measures from dwarf galaxies and elliptical galaxies have a maximum of only a few tens of pc cm −3 . Notice, however, that additional dispersion measures of tens to hundreds of pc cm −3 can be produced by high density clumps in host galaxies. Simulations that include dispersion measure contributions from the Large Magellanic Cloud and the Andromeda Galaxy are shown as examples to demonstrate how to extract the dispersion measure from the intergalactic medium. (paper)

A Nuclease from Streptococcus mutans Facilitates Biofilm Dispersal and Escape from Killing by Neutrophil Extracellular Traps.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jia; Sun, Luping; Liu, Wei; Guo, Lihong; Liu, Zhaohui; Wei, Xi; Ling, Junqi

2017-01-01

Streptococcus mutans is the primary etiologic agent of dental caries and occasionally infective endocarditis, with the ability to form biofilms and disperse cells into distal sites to exacerbate and spread infection. In this study, we identified a nuclease (DeoC) as a S. mutans biofilm dispersal modulating factor through microarray analysis. In vitro assays revealed a dispersal defect of a deoC deletion mutant, and functional studies with purified protein were indicative of the biofilm dispersal activity of DeoC. Neutrophils are a key host response factor restraining bacterial spreading through the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which consist of a nuclear DNA backbone associated with antimicrobial peptides. Therefore, we hypothesized that the dispersed S. mutans might utilize DeoC to degrade NETs and escape killing by the immune system. It was found that S. mutans induced NET formation upon contact with neutrophils, while the presence of NETs in turn enhanced the deoC expression of S. mutans . Fluorescence microscopy inspection showed that deoC deletion resulted in a decreased NET degradation ability of S. mutans and enhanced susceptibility to neutrophil killing. Data obtained from this study assigned two important roles for DeoC in S. mutans : contributing to the spread of infection through mediating biofilm dispersal, and facilitating the escape of S. mutans from neutrophil killing through NET degradation.

Biological assay of chromatin dispersal simplified for determining absorbed dose of ionizing radiation; Ensayo biologico simplificado de dispersion de cromatina para la determinacion de dosis de radiacion ionizante

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Galaz, S.; Perez, G.; Stockert, J. C.; Blazquez-Castro, A.

2011-07-01

Currently, the production of nuclear halos chromatin dispersion methods is a good procedure for nuclear analysis by in situ hybridization (Wiegant et al., 1992, Gerdes et al. 1994), to detect apoptosis, DNA fragmentation and cell death rates in cell cultures (Fernandez et al., 2005, Enciso et al. 2006). It is customary to display the nuclear halos by fluorescence microscopy using propidium iodide, ethidium bromide or DAPI (Gerdes et al., 1994, Sestili et al. 2006). Using this technique based on a modified protocol of fast halo assay [FHA],(Sestili et al. 2006), has developed a simplified method to quantify the cytogenetic damage induced by ionizing radiation (dispersion test chromatin in agarose thin smear), which allows visualization of halos after staining for light microscopy or fluorescence and correlating the ratio: total area occuped by the halo nucleus / nucleus (halo-core index [IHN] ) with radiation dose.

Tachyonic ionization cross sections of hydrogenic systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tomaschitz, Roman [Department of Physics, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagami-yama, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8526 (Japan)

2005-03-11

Transition rates for induced and spontaneous tachyon radiation in hydrogenic systems as well as the transversal and longitudinal ionization cross sections are derived. We investigate the interaction of the superluminal radiation field with matter in atomic bound-bound and bound-free transitions. Estimates are given for Ly-{alpha} transitions effected by superluminal quanta in hydrogen-like ions. The tachyonic photoelectric effect is scrutinized, in the Born approximation and at the ionization threshold. The angular maxima occur at different scattering angles in the transversal and longitudinal cross sections, which can be used to sift out longitudinal tachyonic quanta in a photon flux. We calculate the tachyonic ionization and recombination cross sections for Rydberg states and study their asymptotic scaling with respect to the principal quantum number. At the ionization threshold of highly excited states of order n {approx} 10{sup 4}, the longitudinal cross section starts to compete with photoionization, in recombination even at lower levels.

Tsunami-driven rafting: Transoceanic species dispersal and implications for marine biogeography.

Science.gov (United States)

Carlton, James T; Chapman, John W; Geller, Jonathan B; Miller, Jessica A; Carlton, Deborah A; McCuller, Megan I; Treneman, Nancy C; Steves, Brian P; Ruiz, Gregory M

2017-09-29

The 2011 East Japan earthquake generated a massive tsunami that launched an extraordinary transoceanic biological rafting event with no known historical precedent. We document 289 living Japanese coastal marine species from 16 phyla transported over 6 years on objects that traveled thousands of kilometers across the Pacific Ocean to the shores of North America and Hawai'i. Most of this dispersal occurred on nonbiodegradable objects, resulting in the longest documented transoceanic survival and dispersal of coastal species by rafting. Expanding shoreline infrastructure has increased global sources of plastic materials available for biotic colonization and also interacts with climate change-induced storms of increasing severity to eject debris into the oceans. In turn, increased ocean rafting may intensify species invasions. Copyright © 2017 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

In Vivo Imaging of Local Gene Expression Induced by Magnetic Hyperthermia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olivier Sandre

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The present work aims to demonstrate that colloidal dispersions of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles stabilized with dextran macromolecules placed in an alternating magnetic field can not only produce heat, but also that these particles could be used in vivo for local and noninvasive deposition of a thermal dose sufficient to trigger thermo-induced gene expression. Iron oxide nanoparticles were first characterized in vitro on a bio-inspired setup, and then they were assayed in vivo using a transgenic mouse strain expressing the luciferase reporter gene under transcriptional control of a thermosensitive promoter. Iron oxide nanoparticles dispersions were applied topically on the mouse skin or injected subcutaneously with Matrigel™ to generate so-called pseudotumors. Temperature was monitored continuously with a feedback loop to control the power of the magnetic field generator and to avoid overheating. Thermo-induced luciferase expression was followed by bioluminescence imaging 6 h after heating. We showed that dextran-coated magnetic iron oxide nanoparticle dispersions were able to induce in vivo mild hyperthermia compatible with thermo-induced gene expression in surrounding tissues and without impairing cell viability. These data open new therapeutic perspectives for using mild magnetic hyperthermia as noninvasive modulation of tumor microenvironment by local thermo-induced gene expression or drug release.

Dynamic Dispersal of Surface Layer Biofilm Induced by Nanosized TiO2 Based on Surface Plasmon Resonance and Waveguide.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Peng; Guo, Jin-Song; Yan, Peng; Chen, You-Peng; Wang, Wei; Dai, You-Zhi; Fang, Fang; Wang, Gui-Xue; Shen, Yu

2018-05-01

Pollutant degradation is present mainly in the surface layer of biofilms, and the surface layer is the most vulnerable to impairment by toxic pollutants. In this work, the effects of nanosized TiO 2 (n-TiO 2 ) on the average thicknesses of Bacillus subtilis biofilm and on bacterial attachment on different surfaces were investigated. The binding mechanism of n-TiO 2 to the cell surface was also probed. The results revealed that n-TiO 2 caused biofilm dispersal and the thicknesses decreased by 2.0 to 2.6 μm after several hours of exposure. The attachment abilities of bacteria with extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on hydrophilic surfaces were significantly reduced by 31% and 81% under 10 and 100 mg/liter of n-TiO 2 , respectively, whereas those of bacteria without EPS were significantly reduced by 43% and 87%, respectively. The attachment abilities of bacteria with and without EPS on hydrophobic surfaces were significantly reduced by 50% and 56%, respectively, under 100 mg/liter of n-TiO 2 The results demonstrated that biofilm dispersal can be attributed to the changes in the cell surface structure and the reduction of microbial attachment ability. IMPORTANCE Nanoparticles can penetrate into the outer layer of biofilm in a relatively short period and can bind onto EPS and bacterial surfaces. The current work probed the effects of nanosized TiO 2 (n-TiO 2 ) on biofilm thickness, bacterial migration, and surface properties of the cell in the early stage using the surface plasmon resonance waveguide mode. The results demonstrated that n-TiO 2 decreased the adhesive ability of both cell and EPS and induced bacterial migration and biofilm detachment in several hours. The decreased adhesive ability of microbes and EPS worked against microbial aggregation, reducing the effluent quality in the biological wastewater treatment process. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

Dispersion of coupled mode-gap cavities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lian, Jin; Sokolov, Sergei; Yuce, E.; Combrie, S.; de Rossi, A.; Mosk, Allard

2015-01-01

The dispersion of a coupled resonator optical waveguide made of photonic crystal mode-gap cavities is pronouncedly asymmetric. This asymmetry cannot be explained by the standard tight binding model. We show that the fundamental cause of the asymmetric dispersion is the inherent dispersive cavity

Discrete dispersion models and their Tweedie asymptotics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Bent; Kokonendji, Célestin C.

2016-01-01

The paper introduce a class of two-parameter discrete dispersion models, obtained by combining convolution with a factorial tilting operation, similar to exponential dispersion models which combine convolution and exponential tilting. The equidispersed Poisson model has a special place in this ap......The paper introduce a class of two-parameter discrete dispersion models, obtained by combining convolution with a factorial tilting operation, similar to exponential dispersion models which combine convolution and exponential tilting. The equidispersed Poisson model has a special place...... in this approach, whereas several overdispersed discrete distributions, such as the Neyman Type A, Pólya-Aeppli, negative binomial and Poisson-inverse Gaussian, turn out to be Poisson-Tweedie factorial dispersion models with power dispersion functions, analogous to ordinary Tweedie exponential dispersion models...... with power variance functions. Using the factorial cumulant generating function as tool, we introduce a dilation operation as a discrete analogue of scaling, generalizing binomial thinning. The Poisson-Tweedie factorial dispersion models are closed under dilation, which in turn leads to a Poisson...

Flow induced dispersion analysis rapidly quantifies proteins in human plasma samples

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Nicklas N; Andersen, Nina Z; Østergaard, Jesper

2015-01-01

Rapid and sensitive quantification of protein based biomarkers and drugs is a substantial challenge in diagnostics and biopharmaceutical drug development. Current technologies, such as ELISA, are characterized by being slow (hours), requiring relatively large amounts of sample and being subject...... to cumbersome and expensive assay development. In this work a new approach for quantification based on changes in diffusivity is presented. The apparent diffusivity of an indicator molecule interacting with the protein of interest is determined by Taylor Dispersion Analysis (TDA) in a hydrodynamic flow system...... in a blood plasma matrix), fully automated, and being subject to a simple assay development. FIDA is demonstrated for quantification of the protein Human Serum Albumin (HSA) in human plasma as well as for quantification of an antibody against HSA. The sensitivity of the FIDA assay depends on the indicator...

Analytic description of Raman-induced frequency shift in the case of non-soliton ultrashort pulses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bugay, Aleksandr N., E-mail: bugay_aleksandr@mail.ru [Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Joliot-Curie 6, 141980, Dubna, Moscow Region (Russian Federation); Khalyapin, Vyacheslav A., E-mail: slavasxi@gmail.com [Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad, 236041 (Russian Federation); Kaliningrad State Technical University, Kaliningrad, 236000 (Russian Federation)

2017-01-30

Raman-induced frequency shift of ultrashort pulses have been studied extensively for the soliton propagation regime. Here we derive explicit analytic expressions for the evolution of Raman-induced frequency shift in much less studied case of non-soliton ultrashort pulses. Pulse spectra may belong to any region of group velocity dispersion including zero group dispersion point. The analysis is based on the moment method. Obtained expressions fit well to the numerical solution of the nonlinear wave equation. - Highlights: • Explicit analytic formulas for the evolution of Raman-induced frequency shift are derived in the case of non-soliton pulses. • Dynamics of non-soliton ultrashort pulses in the cases of positive and zero group dispersion is considered. • The deceleration and the saturation of Raman-induced frequency shift are analyzed. • The calculation relies on the moment method and fit well to the numerical solution of the nonlinear wave equation.

Analytic description of Raman-induced frequency shift in the case of non-soliton ultrashort pulses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bugay, Aleksandr N.; Khalyapin, Vyacheslav A.

2017-01-01

Raman-induced frequency shift of ultrashort pulses have been studied extensively for the soliton propagation regime. Here we derive explicit analytic expressions for the evolution of Raman-induced frequency shift in much less studied case of non-soliton ultrashort pulses. Pulse spectra may belong to any region of group velocity dispersion including zero group dispersion point. The analysis is based on the moment method. Obtained expressions fit well to the numerical solution of the nonlinear wave equation. - Highlights: • Explicit analytic formulas for the evolution of Raman-induced frequency shift are derived in the case of non-soliton pulses. • Dynamics of non-soliton ultrashort pulses in the cases of positive and zero group dispersion is considered. • The deceleration and the saturation of Raman-induced frequency shift are analyzed. • The calculation relies on the moment method and fit well to the numerical solution of the nonlinear wave equation.

Single-particle dispersion in compressible turbulence

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qingqing; Xiao, Zuoli

2018-04-01

Single-particle dispersion statistics in compressible box turbulence are studied using direct numerical simulation. Focus is placed on the detailed discussion of effects of the particle Stokes number and turbulent Mach number, as well as the forcing type. When solenoidal forcing is adopted, it is found that the single-particle dispersion undergoes a transition from the ballistic regime at short times to the diffusive regime at long times, in agreement with Taylor's particle dispersion argument. The strongest dispersion of heavy particles is announced when the Stokes number is of order 1, which is similar to the scenario in incompressible turbulence. The dispersion tends to be suppressed as the Mach number increases. When hybrid solenoidal and compressive forcing at a ratio of 1/2 is employed, the flow field shows apparent anisotropic property, characterized by the appearance of large shock wave structures. Accordingly, the single-particle dispersion shows extremely different behavior from the solenoidal forcing case.

Charged particle induced energy dispersive X-ray analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johansson, S.A.E.

1979-01-01

This review article deals with the X-ray emission induced by heavy, charged particles and the use of this process as an analytical method (PIXE). The physical processes involved, X-ray emission and the various reactions contributing to the background, are described in some detail. The sensitivity is calculated theoretically and the results compared with practical experience. A discussion is given on how the sensitivity can be optimized. The experimental arrangements are described and the various technical problems discussed. The analytical procedure, especially the sample preparation, is described in considerable detail. A number of typical practical applications are discussed. (author)

Nest-mediated seed dispersal

Science.gov (United States)

Robert J. Warren; Jason P. Love; Mark A. Bradford

2017-01-01

Many plant seeds travel on the wind and through animal ingestion or adhesion; however, an overlooked dispersal mode may lurk within those dispersal modes. Viable seeds may remain attached or embedded within materials birds gather for nest building. Our objective was to determine if birds inadvertently transport seeds when they forage for plant materials to...

Atmospheric dispersion of radioactive materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chino, Masamichi

1988-01-01

The report describes currently available techniques for predicting the dispersion of accidentally released radioactive materials and techniques for visualization using computer graphics. A simulation study is also made on the dispersion of radioactive materials released from the Chernobyl plant. The simplest models include the Gauss plume model and the puff model, which cannot serve to analyze the effects of the topography, vertical wind shear, temperature inversion layer, etc. Numerical analysis methods using advection and dispersion equations are widely adopted for detailed evaluation of dispersion in an emergency. An objective analysis model or a hydrodynamical model is often used to calculate the air currents which are required to determine the advection. A small system based on the puff model is widely adopted in Europe, where the topography is considered to have only simple effects. A more sophisticated large-sized system is required in nuclear facilities located in an area with more complex topographic features. An emergency system for dispersion calculation should be equipped with a graphic display to serve for quick understanding of the radioactivity distribution. (Nogami, K.)

Quasi-gedanken experiment challenging the no-signalling theorem

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Keywords. Quantum information; quantum entanglement; no-signalling theorem ... the construction of empirically testable schemes wherein superluminal exchange of information can occur. In light of this thesis,we present a potentially feasible quantum-optical scheme that purports to enable superluminal signalling.

On the use of numerical modelling for near-field pollutant dispersion in urban environments − A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lateb, M.; Meroney, R.N.; Yataghene, M.; Fellouah, H.; Saleh, F.; Boufadel, M.C.

2016-01-01

This article deals with the state-of-the-art of experimental and numerical studies carried out regarding air pollutant dispersion in urban environments. Since the simulation of the dispersion field around buildings depends strongly on the correct simulation of the wind-flow structure, the studies performed during the past years on the wind-flow field around buildings are reviewed. This work also identifies errors that can produce poor results when numerically modelling wind flow and dispersion fields around buildings in urban environments. Finally, particular attention is paid to the practical guidelines developed by researchers to establish a common methodology for verification and validation of numerical simulations and/or to assist and support the users for a better implementation of the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach. - This review article enlightens the reader on the use of CFD for pollutant dispersion. Errors that induce poor results and critical parameters that compromise significantly the accuracy and reliability are identified.

Seed dispersal of Diospyros virginiana in the past and the present: Evidence for a generalist evolutionary strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Rebein, Mimi; Davis, Charli N; Abad, Helena; Stone, Taylor; Del Sol, Jillian; Skinner, Natalie; Moran, Matthew D

2017-06-01

Several North American trees are hypothesized to have lost their co-evolved seed disperser during the late-Pleistocene extinction and are therefore considered anachronistic. We tested this hypothesis for the American persimmon ( Diospyros virginiana ) by studying the effects of gut passage of proposed seed dispersers on seedling survival and growth, natural fruiting characteristics, and modern animal consumption patterns. We tested gut passage effects on persimmon seeds using three native living species, the raccoon ( Procyon lotor ), Virginia opossum ( Didelphis virginiana ), and coyote ( Canis latrans ), and two Pleistocene analogs; the Asian elephant ( Elephas maximus ) and alpaca ( Vicugna pacos ). Persimmon seeds excreted by raccoons, coyotes, and elephants survived gut transit. Gut passage did not affect sprouting success, but did tend to decrease time to sprout and increase seedling quality. Under field conditions, persimmon fruits were palatable on the parent tree and on the ground for an equal duration, but most fruits were consumed on the ground. Seven vertebrate species fed upon persimmon fruits, with the white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus )-a species not capable of dispersing persimmon seeds-comprising over 90% of detections. Conversely, potential living seed dispersers were rarely detected. Our results suggest the American persimmon evolved to attract a variety of seed dispersers and thus is not anachronistic. However, human-induced changes in mammal communities could be affecting successful seed dispersal. We argue that changes in the relative abundance of mammals during the Anthropocene may be modifying seed dispersal patterns, leading to potential changes in forest community composition.

Simple approach to detection and estimation of photoactivity of silver particles on graphene oxide in aqueous-organic dispersion

Science.gov (United States)

Vlasov, D. V.; Vlasova, T. D.; Apresyan, L. A.; Krasovskiy, V. I.; Feofanov, I. N.; Kazaryan, M. A.

2015-12-01

The effect of sediment flotation was observed in dispersion of graphene oxide flakes with Ag-particles deposited thereon in the aqueous-organic (containing dimethylformamide) under the visible light action, with subsequent stabilization of the dispersion, which does not occur in the absence of Ag-particles. The main reason for this laser light induced movement of sediment graphene oxide flakes may be associated with the appearance of small bubbles. The further development of this approach seem to be able to estimate the of graphene flakes photoactivity with different activating particles.

Calculation of the dispersion-dipole coefficients for interactions between H, He, and H2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bishop, D.M.; Pipin, J.

1993-01-01

Collisions between atoms and molecules create an induced dipole moment which, at long range separations, stems, in part, from the van der Waals interactions between the colliding species. This contribution is known as the dispersion dipole moment and is of the order R -7 , where R is the separation between particles. Although there have been several approximate calculations of the dispersion-dipole coefficients which govern this contribution, and are the counterparts to the van der Waals dispersion-energy coefficients, there have been few ab initio calculations. In this article we present highly accurate results, based on explicitly electron-correlated wave functions, for the dispersion-dipole coefficients pertaining to interactions between pairs chosen from H, He, and H 2 . We also obtain values with some of the currently used approximate formulas. A comparison shows that these values differ, in general, by a significant amount (∼20--∼40 %) from the accurate ones. We also tabulate values of the dipole--dipole-quadrupole polarizability tensor (B) for imaginary frequency (iω) for a range of frequencies appropriate to a 64-point Gauss--Legendre quadrature for H, He, and H 2 . These values were used in certain numerical integrations we made to verify our original results which had been obtained by analytic integration---they may, however, be useful in other contexts. For H--H 2 and H 2 --H 2 , these are the only ab initio calculations of the dispersion-dipole coefficients of which we are aware

The Spread of a Noise Field in a Dispersive Medium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cohen Leon

2010-01-01

Full Text Available We discuss the production of induced noise by a pulse and the propagation of the noise in a dispersive medium. We present a simple model where the noise is the sum of pulses and where the mean of each pulse is random. We obtain explicit expressions for the standard deviation of the spatial noise as a function of time. We also formulate the problem in terms of a time-frequency phase space approach and in particular we use the Wigner distribution to define the spatial/spatial-frequency distribution.

Transition from condensation-induced counter-current flow to dispersed flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gale, J.; Tiselj, I.

2004-01-01

Model of transition from the horizontally stratified condensation-induced counter-current flow to slug flow has been analyzed with computer code WAHA and compared to the experimental data obtained in the steamline of the PMK2 test facility of Hungarian Atomic Energy Institute. The experiment was performed in the steamline initially filled with hot vapor that was gradually flooded with cold liquid. Successful simulation of the condensation-induced water hammer that follows the transition, requires accurate description of the horizontally stratified and slug flow regimes and criteria for transition between both flow regimes. Current version of the WAHA code, not verified for the condensation induced type of the water hammer, predicts the water-hammer pressure peak that exceeds 600 bar, while the measured pressure is p m = 170 ± 50 bar. Sensitivity analysis of the inter-phase exchange terms and transition conditions, pointed to the most important closure relations for heat, mass and momentum transfer. The main conclusion of the analysis is large uncertainty of the simulations: minor modification of the crucial correlations can lead to a severe water-hammer in one case, or to the 'calm' transient without pressure peaks in the other case. Large uncertainty is observed in experiments. The same simulation was performed also with RELAP5 code. However, no water hammer was predicted. (author)

The hydrogen-poor superluminous supernova iPTF 13ajg and its host galaxy in absorption and emission

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vreeswijk, Paul M.; Gal-Yam, Avishay; De Cia, Annalisa; Rubin, Adam; Yaron, Ofer; Tal, David; Ofek, Eran O. [Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001 (Israel); Savaglio, Sandra [Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, D-85748 Garching bei München (Germany); Quimby, Robert M. [Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (WPI), Todai Institutes for Advanced Study, The University of Tokyo 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba 277-8583 (Japan); Sullivan, Mark [School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom); Cenko, S. Bradley; Filippenko, Alexei V.; Clubb, Kelsey I. [Department of Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3411 (United States); Perley, Daniel A.; Cao, Yi [Astronomy Department, California Institute of Technology, MC 249-17, 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Taddia, Francesco; Sollerman, Jesper; Leloudas, Giorgos [Department of Astronomy, The Oskar Klein Center, Stockholm University, AlbaNova 10691 Stockholm (Sweden); Arcavi, Iair [Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network, 6740 Cortona Drive, Suite 102, Goleta, CA 93117 (United States); Kasliwal, Mansi M., E-mail: paul.vreeswijk@weizmann.ac.il [The Observatories, Carnegie Institution for Science, 813 Santa Barbara Street, Pasadena, CA 91101 (United States); and others

2014-12-10

We present imaging and spectroscopy of a hydrogen-poor superluminous supernova (SLSN) discovered by the intermediate Palomar Transient Factory, iPTF 13ajg. At a redshift of z = 0.7403, derived from narrow absorption lines, iPTF 13ajg peaked at an absolute magnitude of M {sub u,} {sub AB} = –22.5, one of the most luminous supernovae to date. The observed bolometric peak luminosity of iPTF 13ajg is 3.2 × 10{sup 44} erg s{sup –1}, while the estimated total radiated energy is 1.3 × 10{sup 51} erg. We detect narrow absorption lines of Mg I, Mg II, and Fe II, associated with the cold interstellar medium in the host galaxy, at two different epochs with X-shooter at the Very Large Telescope. From Voigt profile fitting, we derive the column densities log N(Mg I) =11.94 ± 0.06, log N(Mg II) =14.7 ± 0.3, and log N(Fe II) =14.25 ± 0.10. These column densities, as well as the Mg I and Mg II equivalent widths of a sample of hydrogen-poor SLSNe taken from the literature, are at the low end of those derived for gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) whose progenitors are also thought to be massive stars. This suggests that the environments of hydrogen-poor SLSNe and GRBs are different. From the nondetection of Fe II fine-structure absorption lines, we derive a lower limit on the distance between the supernova and the narrow-line absorbing gas of 50 pc. The neutral gas responsible for the absorption in iPTF 13ajg exhibits a single narrow component with a low velocity width, ΔV = 76 km s{sup –1}, indicating a low-mass host galaxy. No host galaxy emission lines are detected, leading to an upper limit on the unobscured star formation rate (SFR) of SFR{sub [O} {sub II]}<0.07M{sub ⊙}yr{sup −1}. Late-time imaging shows the iPTF 13ajg host galaxy to be faint, with g {sub AB} ≈ 27.0 and R {sub AB} ≥ 26.0 mag, corresponding to M {sub B,} {sub Vega} ≳ –17.7 mag.

DETECTION OF BROAD Hα EMISSION LINES IN THE LATE-TIME SPECTRA OF A HYDROGEN-POOR SUPERLUMINOUS SUPERNOVA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yan, Lin; Masci, F. [Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Quimby, R. [Department of Astronomy, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182 (United States); Ofek, E.; Gal-Yam, A.; Vreeswijk, P. M.; Leloudas, G.; Cia, A. de; Yaron, O. [Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Faculty of Physics, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100 (Israel); Mazzali, P. [Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, IC2, Liverpool Science Park, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF (United Kingdom); Perley, D. [Department of Astronomy, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Cenko, S. B. [Astrophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Mail Code 661, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Cao, Y.; Kulkarni, S. R. [Astronomy Department, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Nugent, P. E. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Rebbapragada, Umaa D. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Woźniak, P. R., E-mail: lyan@ipac.caltech.edu [Space and Remote Sensing, ISR-2, MS-B244 Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States)

2015-12-01

iPTF13ehe is a hydrogen-poor superluminous supernova (SLSN) at z = 0.3434, with a slow-evolving light curve and spectral features similar to SN2007bi. It rises in 83–148 days to reach a peak bolometric luminosity of ∼1.3 × 10{sup 44} erg s{sup −1}, then decays slowly at 0.015 mag day{sup −1}. The measured ejecta velocity is ∼ 13,000 km s{sup −1}. The inferred explosion characteristics, such as the ejecta mass (70–220 M{sub ⊙}), and the total radiative and kinetic energy (E{sub rad} ∼ 10{sup 51} erg, E{sub kin} ∼ 2 × 10{sup 53} erg), are typical of slow-evolving H-poor SLSN events. However, the late-time spectrum taken at +251 days (rest, post-peak) reveals a Balmer Hα emission feature with broad and narrow components, which has never been detected before among other H-poor SLSNe. The broad component has a velocity width of ∼4500 km s{sup −1} and a ∼300 km s{sup −1} blueward shift relative to the narrow component. We interpret this broad Hα emission with a luminosity of ∼2 × 10{sup 41} erg s{sup −1} as resulting from the interaction between the supernova ejecta and a discrete H-rich shell, located at a distance of ∼4 × 10{sup 16} cm from the explosion site. This interaction causes the rest-frame r-band LC to brighten at late times. The fact that the late-time spectra are not completely absorbed by the shock-ionized H-shell implies that its Thomson scattering optical depth is likely ≤1, thus setting upper limits on the shell mass ≤30 M{sub ⊙}. Of the existing models, a Pulsational Pair Instability supernova model can naturally explain the observed 30 M{sub ⊙} H-shell, ejected from a progenitor star with an initial mass of (95–150) M{sub ⊙} about 40 years ago. We estimate that at least ∼15% of all SLSNe-I may have late-time Balmer emission lines.

Effectiveness of dispersants on thick oil slicks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ross, S.; Belore, R.

1993-01-01

Experiments were conducted to determine the relationship between dispersant effectiveness and oil slick thickness, and thereby determine the optimum time for applying dispersant onto spilled oil at sea. Tests were completed at a lab-scale level by varying the three parameters of oil type, dispersant application, and oil thickness. The tests were intended to be comparative only. The primary oils used were Alberta sweet mix blend and Hibernia B-27 crude. The dispersant, Corexit 9527, was applied either premixed with the oil, dropwise in one application, or dropwise in multiple applications to simulate a multi-hit aircraft operation. The apparatus used in the experiment was an oscillating hoop tank, with oil-containing rings used to obtain and maintain uniform slick thickness. The results indicate that the effectiveness potential of a chemical dispersant does not decrease as slick thickness increases. In fact, results of the tests involving Hibernia oil suggest that oils that tend to herd easily would be treated more effectively if dispersant were applied when the oil was relatively thick (1 mm or greater) to avoid herding problems. The oil slicks premixed with dispersant did not disperse well in the thick oil tests, not because of dispersant-oil interaction problems but because of reduced mixing energy. 6 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab

Dispersal Timing: Emigration of Insects Living in Patchy Environments.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milica Lakovic

Full Text Available Dispersal is a life-history trait affecting dynamics and persistence of populations; it evolves under various known selective pressures. Theoretical studies on dispersal typically assume 'natal dispersal', where individuals emigrate right after birth. But emigration may also occur during a later moment within a reproductive season ('breeding dispersal'. For example, some female butterflies first deposit eggs in their natal patch before migrating to other site(s to continue egg-laying there. How breeding compared to natal dispersal influences the evolution of dispersal has not been explored. To close this gap we used an individual-based simulation approach to analyze (i the evolution of timing of breeding dispersal in annual organisms, (ii its influence on dispersal (compared to natal dispersal. Furthermore, we tested (iii its performance in direct evolutionary contest with individuals following a natal dispersal strategy. Our results show that evolution should typically result in lower dispersal under breeding dispersal, especially when costs of dispersal are low and population size is small. By distributing offspring evenly across two patches, breeding dispersal allows reducing direct sibling competition in the next generation whereas natal dispersal can only reduce trans-generational kin competition by producing highly dispersive offspring in each generation. The added benefit of breeding dispersal is most prominent in patches with small population sizes. Finally, the evolutionary contests show that a breeding dispersal strategy would universally out-compete natal dispersal.

Partitioning of fresh crude oil between floating, dispersed and sediment phases: Effect of exposure order to dispersant and granular materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Boglaienko, Daria; Tansel, Berrin

2016-06-15

When three or more high and low energy substrates are mixed, wetting order can significantly affect the behavior of the mixture. We analyzed the phase distribution of fresh floating Louisiana crude oil into dispersed, settled and floating phases depending on the exposure sequence to Corexit 9500A (dispersant) and granular materials. In the experiments artificial sea water at salinity 34‰ was used. Limestone (2.00-0.300 mm) and quartz sand (0.300-0.075 mm) were used as the natural granular materials. Dispersant Corexit 9500A increased the amount of dispersed oil up to 33.76 ± 7.04%. Addition of granular materials after the dispersant increased dispersion of oil to 47.96 ± 1.96%. When solid particles were applied on the floating oil before the dispersant, oil was captured as oil-particle aggregates and removed from the floating layer. However, dispersant addition led to partial release of the captured oil, removing it from the aggregated form to the dispersed and floating phases. There was no visible oil aggregation with the granular materials when quartz or limestone was at the bottom of the flask before the addition of oil and dispersant. The results show that granular materials can be effective when applied from the surface for aggregating or dispersing oil. However, the granular materials in the sediments are not effective neither for aggregating nor dispersing floating oil. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Solitonic Dispersive Hydrodynamics: Theory and Observation

Science.gov (United States)

Maiden, Michelle D.; Anderson, Dalton V.; Franco, Nevil A.; El, Gennady A.; Hoefer, Mark A.

2018-04-01

Ubiquitous nonlinear waves in dispersive media include localized solitons and extended hydrodynamic states such as dispersive shock waves. Despite their physical prominence and the development of thorough theoretical and experimental investigations of each separately, experiments and a unified theory of solitons and dispersive hydrodynamics are lacking. Here, a general soliton-mean field theory is introduced and used to describe the propagation of solitons in macroscopic hydrodynamic flows. Two universal adiabatic invariants of motion are identified that predict trapping or transmission of solitons by hydrodynamic states. The result of solitons incident upon smooth expansion waves or compressive, rapidly oscillating dispersive shock waves is the same, an effect termed hydrodynamic reciprocity. Experiments on viscous fluid conduits quantitatively confirm the soliton-mean field theory with broader implications for nonlinear optics, superfluids, geophysical fluids, and other dispersive hydrodynamic media.

Measuring short distance dispersal of Alliaria petiolata and determining potential long distance dispersal mechanisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher A. Loebach

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction Alliaria petiolata, an herbaceous plant, has invaded woodlands in North America. Its ecology has been thoroughly studied, but an overlooked aspect of its biology is seed dispersal distances and mechanisms. We measured seed dispersal distances in the field and tested if epizoochory is a potential mechanism for long-distance seed dispersal. Methods Dispersal distances were measured by placing seed traps in a sector design around three seed point sources, which consisted of 15 second-year plants transplanted within a 0.25 m radius circle. Traps were placed at intervals ranging from 0.25–3.25 m from the point source. Traps remained in the field until a majority of seeds were dispersed. Eight probability density functions were fitted to seed trap counts via maximum likelihood. Epizoochory was tested as a potential seed dispersal mechanism for A. petiolata through a combination of field and laboratory experiments. To test if small mammals transport A. petiolata seeds in their fur, experimental blocks were placed around dense A. petiolata patches. Each block contained a mammal inclusion treatment (MIT and control. The MIT consisted of a wood-frame (31 × 61× 31 cm covered in wire mesh, except for the two 31 × 31 cm ends, placed over a germination tray filled with potting soil. A pan filled with bait was placed in the center of the tray. The control frame (11 × 31 × 61 cm was placed over a germination tray and completely covered in wire mesh to exclude animal activity. Treatments were in the field for peak seed dispersal. In March, trays were moved to a greenhouse and A. petiolata seedlings were counted and then compared between treatments. To determine if A. petiolata seeds attach to raccoon (Procyon lotor and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus fur, wet and dry seeds were dropped onto wet and dry fur. Furs were rotated 180 degrees and the seeds that remained attached were counted. To measure seed retention, seeds

Observation and measurement of interaction-induced dispersive optical nonlinearities in an ensemble of cold rydberg atoms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Parigi, V.; Bimbard, E.; Stanojevic, J.

2012-01-01

We observe and measure dispersive optical nonlinearities in an ensemble of cold Rydberg atoms placed inside an optical cavity. The experimental results are in agreement with a simple model where the optical nonlinearities are due to the progressive appearance of a Rydberg blockaded volume within...

Fundamentals of energy dispersive X-ray analysis

CERN Document Server

Russ, John C; Kiessling, R; Charles, J

1984-01-01

Fundamentals of Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis provides an introduction to the fundamental principles of dispersive X-ray analysis. It presents descriptions, equations, and graphs to enable the users of these techniques to develop an intuitive and conceptual image of the physical processes involved in the generation and detection of X-rays. The book begins with a discussion of X-ray detection and measurement, which is accomplished by one of two types of X-ray spectrometer: energy dispersive or wavelength dispersive. The emphasis is on energy dispersive spectrometers, given their rather wid

Dispersed-phase catalysis in coal liquefaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Utz, B.R.; Cugini, A.V.; Frommell, E.A.

1990-01-01

This paper reports that the specific reaction (activation) conditions for the conversion of catalyst precursors to unsupported catalyst have a direct effect on the catalytic activity and dispersion. The importance of reaction intermediates in decomposition of ammonium heptamolybdate and ammonium tetrathiomolybdate, and the sensitivity of these intermediates to reaction conditions, were studied in coal liquefaction systems. Recent results indicate that optimization of activation conditions facilitates the formation of a highly dispersed and active form of molybdenum disulfide for coal liquefaction. The use of the catalyst precursors ammonium heptamolybdate, ammonium tetrathiomolybdate, and molybdenum trisulfide for the conversion of coal to soluble products will be discussed. The use of an unsupported dispersed-phase catalyst for direct coal liquefaction is not a novel concept and has been employed in may studies with varying success. Dispersed-phase catalysts soluble and oil-soluble salts, and as finely divided powders. While some methods of catalyst introduction give higher dispersion of the catalyst and greater activity for the liquefaction of coal, all of the techniques allow the formation of a finely dispersed inorganic phase

Magnon dispersion in thin magnetic films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balashov, T; Wulfhekel, W; Buczek, P; Sandratskii, L; Ernst, A

2014-01-01

Although the dispersion of magnons has been measured in many bulk materials, few studies deal with the changes in the dispersion when the material is in the form of a thin film, a system that is of interest for applications. Here we review inelastic tunneling spectroscopy studies of magnon dispersion in Mn/Cu 3 Au(1 0 0) and present new studies on Co and Ni thin films on Cu(1 0 0). The dispersion in Mn and Co films closely follows the dispersion of bulk samples with negligible dependence on thickness. The lifetime of magnons depends slightly on film thickness, and decreases considerably as the magnon energy increases. In Ni/Cu(1 0 0) films the thickness dependence of dispersion is much more pronounced. The measurements indicate a considerable mode softening for thinner films. Magnon lifetimes decrease dramatically near the edge of the Brillouin zone due to a close proximity of the Stoner continuum. The experimental study is supported by first-principles calculations. (paper)

Magnon dispersion in thin magnetic films.

Science.gov (United States)

Balashov, T; Buczek, P; Sandratskii, L; Ernst, A; Wulfhekel, W

2014-10-01

Although the dispersion of magnons has been measured in many bulk materials, few studies deal with the changes in the dispersion when the material is in the form of a thin film, a system that is of interest for applications. Here we review inelastic tunneling spectroscopy studies of magnon dispersion in Mn/Cu3Au(1 0 0) and present new studies on Co and Ni thin films on Cu(1 0 0). The dispersion in Mn and Co films closely follows the dispersion of bulk samples with negligible dependence on thickness. The lifetime of magnons depends slightly on film thickness, and decreases considerably as the magnon energy increases. In Ni/Cu(1 0 0) films the thickness dependence of dispersion is much more pronounced. The measurements indicate a considerable mode softening for thinner films. Magnon lifetimes decrease dramatically near the edge of the Brillouin zone due to a close proximity of the Stoner continuum. The experimental study is supported by first-principles calculations.

Generalized dispersive wave emission in nonlinear fiber optics.

Science.gov (United States)

Webb, K E; Xu, Y Q; Erkintalo, M; Murdoch, S G

2013-01-15

We show that the emission of dispersive waves in nonlinear fiber optics is not limited to soliton-like pulses propagating in the anomalous dispersion regime. We demonstrate, both numerically and experimentally, that pulses propagating in the normal dispersion regime can excite resonant dispersive radiation across the zero-dispersion wavelength into the anomalous regime.

Dispersion Decay and Scattering Theory

CERN Document Server

Komech, Alexander

2012-01-01

A simplified, yet rigorous treatment of scattering theory methods and their applications Dispersion Decay and Scattering Theory provides thorough, easy-to-understand guidance on the application of scattering theory methods to modern problems in mathematics, quantum physics, and mathematical physics. Introducing spectral methods with applications to dispersion time-decay and scattering theory, this book presents, for the first time, the Agmon-Jensen-Kato spectral theory for the Schr?dinger equation, extending the theory to the Klein-Gordon equation. The dispersion decay plays a crucial role i

Improved new generation dispersants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

The use of dispersants to combat oil spills has attracted controversy over the years, and there has been a number of accusations of the chemicals involved doing more harm than good. A new study by the International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association discusses the positive and the negatives of dispersant use to be considered when drawing up spill contingency plans. (author)

Dispersal of forest insects

Science.gov (United States)

Mcmanus, M. L.

1979-01-01

Dispersal flights of selected species of forest insects which are associated with periodic outbreaks of pests that occur over large contiguous forested areas are discussed. Gypsy moths, spruce budworms, and forest tent caterpillars were studied for their massive migrations in forested areas. Results indicate that large dispersals into forested areas are due to the females, except in the case of the gypsy moth.

Interspecific nematode signals regulate dispersal behavior.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatma Kaplan

Full Text Available Dispersal is an important nematode behavior. Upon crowding or food depletion, the free living bacteriovorus nematode Caenorhabditis elegans produces stress resistant dispersal larvae, called dauer, which are analogous to second stage juveniles (J2 of plant parasitic Meloidogyne spp. and infective juveniles (IJs of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN, e.g., Steinernema feltiae. Regulation of dispersal behavior has not been thoroughly investigated for C. elegans or any other nematode species. Based on the fact that ascarosides regulate entry in dauer stage as well as multiple behaviors in C. elegans adults including mating, avoidance and aggregation, we hypothesized that ascarosides might also be involved in regulation of dispersal behavior in C. elegans and for other nematodes such as IJ of phylogenetically related EPNs.Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of C. elegans dauer conditioned media, which shows strong dispersing activity, revealed four known ascarosides (ascr#2, ascr#3, ascr#8, icas#9. A synthetic blend of these ascarosides at physiologically relevant concentrations dispersed C. elegans dauer in the presence of food and also caused dispersion of IJs of S. feltiae and J2s of plant parasitic Meloidogyne spp. Assay guided fractionation revealed structural analogs as major active components of the S. feltiae (ascr#9 and C. elegans (ascr#2 dispersal blends. Further analysis revealed ascr#9 in all Steinernema spp. and Heterorhabditis spp. infected insect host cadavers.Ascaroside blends represent evolutionarily conserved, fundamentally important communication systems for nematodes from diverse habitats, and thus may provide sustainable means for control of parasitic nematodes.

Broadband plasmon induced transparency in terahertz metamaterials

KAUST Repository

Zhu, Zhihua; Yang, Xu; Gu, Jianqiang; Jiang, Jun; Yue, Weisheng; Tian, Zhen; Tonouchi, Masayoshi; Han, Jiaguang; Zhang, Weili

2013-01-01

Plasmon induced transparency (PIT) could be realized in metamaterials via interference between different resonance modes. Within the sharp transparency window, the high dispersion of the medium may lead to remarkable slow light phenomena

Analytical formulation of directly modulated OOFDM signals transmitted over an IM/DD dispersive link.

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez, C; Ortega, B; Wei, J L; Tang, J; Capmany, J

2013-03-25

We provide an analytical study on the propagation effects of a directly modulated OOFDM signal through a dispersive fiber and subsequent photo-detection. The analysis includes the effects of the laser operation point and the interplay between chromatic dispersion and laser chirp. The final expression allows to understand the physics behind the transmission of a multi-carrier signal in the presence of residual frequency modulation and the description of the induced intermodulation distortion gives us a detailed insight into the diferent intermodulation products which impair the recovered signal at the receiver-end side. Numerical comparisons between transmission simulations results and those provided by evaluating the expression obtained are carried out for different laser operation points. Results obtained by changing the fiber length, laser parameters and using single mode fiber with negative and positive dispersion are calculated in order to demonstrate the validity and versatility of the theory provided in this paper. Therefore, a novel analytical formulation is presented as a versatile tool for the description and study of IM/DD OOFDM systems with variable design parameters.

Dispersal of Engineered Male Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes.

Science.gov (United States)

Winskill, Peter; Carvalho, Danilo O; Capurro, Margareth L; Alphey, Luke; Donnelly, Christl A; McKemey, Andrew R

2015-11-01

Aedes aegypti, the principal vector of dengue fever, have been genetically engineered for use in a sterile insect control programme. To improve our understanding of the dispersal ecology of mosquitoes and to inform appropriate release strategies of 'genetically sterile' male Aedes aegypti detailed knowledge of the dispersal ability of the released insects is needed. The dispersal ability of released 'genetically sterile' male Aedes aegypti at a field site in Brazil has been estimated. Dispersal kernels embedded within a generalized linear model framework were used to analyse data collected from three large scale mark release recapture studies. The methodology has been applied to previously published dispersal data to compare the dispersal ability of 'genetically sterile' male Aedes aegypti in contrasting environments. We parameterised dispersal kernels and estimated the mean distance travelled for insects in Brazil: 52.8 m (95% CI: 49.9 m, 56.8 m) and Malaysia: 58.0 m (95% CI: 51.1 m, 71.0 m). Our results provide specific, detailed estimates of the dispersal characteristics of released 'genetically sterile' male Aedes aegypti in the field. The comparative analysis indicates that despite differing environments and recapture rates, key features of the insects' dispersal kernels are conserved across the two studies. The results can be used to inform both risk assessments and release programmes using 'genetically sterile' male Aedes aegypti.

Dispersant effectiveness: Studies into the causes of effectiveness variations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fingas, M.F.; Kyle, D.; Tennyson, E.

1995-01-01

Effectiveness, a key issue of using dispersants, is affected by many interrelated factors. The principal factors involved are the oil composition, dispersant formulation, sea surface turbulence and dispersant quantity. Oil composition is a very strong determinant. Current dispersant formulation effectiveness correlates strongly with the amount of saturate component in the oil. The other components of the oil, the asphaltenes, resins or polars and aromatic fractions show a negative correlation with the dispersant effectiveness. Viscosity is also a predictor of dispersant effectiveness and may have an effect because it is in turn determined by oil composition. Dispersant composition is significant and interacts with oil composition. Dispersants show high effectiveness at HLB values near 10. Sea turbulence strongly affects dispersant effectiveness.Effectiveness rises with increasing turbulence to a maximum value. Effectiveness for current commercial dispersants is gaussian around a peak salinity value. Peak effectiveness is achieved at very high dispersant quantities--at a ratio of 1:5, dispersant-to-oil volume. Dispersant effectiveness for those oils tested and under the conditions measured, is approximately logarithmic with dispersant quantity and will reach about 50% of its peak value at a dispersant to oil ratio of about 1:20 and near zero at a ratio of about 1:50

Dispersion properties of photonic crystal fibres

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjarklev, Anders Overgaard; Broeng, Jes; Dridi, Kim

1998-01-01

Approximate dispersion and bending properties of all-silica two-dimensional photonic crystal fibres are characterised by the combination of an effective-index model and classical analysis tools for optical fibres. We believe for the first time to have predicted the dispersion properties of photonic...... crystal fibres. The results strongly indicate that these fibres have potential applications as dispersion managing components...

Dispersion-engineered and highly-nonlinear microstructured polymer optical fibres

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frosz, Michael Henoch; Nielsen, Kristian; Hlubina, Petr

2009-01-01

We demonstrate dispersion-engineering of microstructured polymer optical fibres (mPOFs) made of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). A significant shift of the total dispersion from the material dispersion is confirmed through measurement of the mPOF dispersion using white-light spectral interferome......We demonstrate dispersion-engineering of microstructured polymer optical fibres (mPOFs) made of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). A significant shift of the total dispersion from the material dispersion is confirmed through measurement of the mPOF dispersion using white-light spectral...

Shellac/nanoparticles dispersions as protective materials for wood

Science.gov (United States)

Weththimuni, Maduka L.; Capsoni, Doretta; Malagodi, Marco; Milanese, Chiara; Licchelli, Maurizio

2016-12-01

Wood is a natural material that finds numerous and widespread applications, but is subject to different decay processes. Surface coating is the most common method used to protect wood against deterioration and to improve and stabilize its distinctive appearance. Shellac is a natural resin that has been widely used as a protective material for wooden artefacts (e.g. furniture, musical instruments), due to its excellent properties. Nevertheless, diffusion of shellac-based varnishes has significantly declined during the last decades, because of some limitations such as the softness of the coating, photo-degradation, and sensitivity to alcoholic solvents and to pH variations. In the present study, different inorganic nanoparticles were dispersed into dewaxed natural shellac and the resulting materials were investigated even after application on wood specimens in order to assess variations of the coating properties. Analyses performed by a variety of experimental techniques have shown that dispersed nanoparticles do not significantly affect some distinctive and desirable features of the shellac varnish such as chromatic aspect, film-forming ability, water repellence, and adhesion. On the other hand, the obtained results suggested that some weak points of the coating, such as low hardness and poor resistance to UV-induced ageing, can be improved by adding ZrO2 and ZnO nanoparticles, respectively.

Effect of Side Chains on Molecular Conformation of Anthracene-Ethynylene-Phenylene-Vinylene Oligomers: A Comparative Density Functional Study With and Without Dispersion Interaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Chuanding; Hoppe, Harald; Beenken, Wichard J D

2016-06-02

Using density functional calculations with and without dispersion interaction, we studied the effects of linear octyl and branched 2-ethylhexyl side chains on the oligomer conformation of the conjugated copolymer poly(p-anthracene-ethynylene)-alt-poly(p-phenylene-vinylene). With dispersion included, the branched side chains can cause significant bending of the oligomer backbone, while without dispersion they induce mainly torsional disorder. The oligomers with mainly linear side chains keep good planarity when optimized with and without dispersion. Despite their dramatically different conformations, the calculated absorption spectra of the oligomers with various side chain combinations are very similar, indicating that the conformation of the copolymer is not the main reason for the experimentally observed different spectra of ordered and disordered phases.

Increased mineral oil bioavailability in slurries by monovalent cation-induced dispersion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jonge, H. de; Verstraten, J.M.

1995-01-01

Bioavailability of apolar contaminants is an important limiting factor for microbial reclamation of polluted soils. This paper describes a laboratory study of the relation between microaggregate stability and bioavailability of mineral oil in soil-water slurries. The stability of microaggregates in slurries is regulated by the valence and surface affinity of the cations in the system, and by the complexing anion P 2 O 7 4- (metaphosphate). A silt loam, contaminated with a weathered gas oil, was collected from an oil refinery site. Degradation rates were monitored in small-scale incubations at solid:liquid ratios of 1:5 (w/w). The solution contained Ca, Na, or K as the dominant cation. The levels of nutrients and metaphosphate were varied. Biodegradation rates increased with the sequence Ca 2 treatment. Measurements of the particle size distribution the slurry showed that an increase in the finer fractions qualitatively correlated with enhanced biodegradation. This is a strong indication that dispersion of the microaggregates increased bioavailability of the contaminant

The physiological effects of oil, dispersant and dispersed oil on the bay mussel, Mytilus trossulus, in Arctic/Subarctic conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Counihan, Katrina L

2018-06-01

Increasing oil development around Alaska and other Arctic regions elevates the risk for another oil spill. Dispersants are used to mitigate the impact of an oil spill by accelerating natural degradation processes, but the reduced hydrophobicity of dispersed oil may increase its bioavailability to marine organisms. There is limited research on the effect of dispersed oil on cold water species and ecosystems. Therefore, spiked exposure tests were conducted with bay mussels (Mytilus trossulus) in seawater with non-dispersed oil, Corexit 9500 and oil dispersed with different concentrations of Corexit 9500. After three weeks of exposure, acute and chronic physiological impacts were determined. The majority of physiological responses occurred during the first seven days of exposure, with mussels exhibiting significant cytochrome P450 activity, superoxide dismutase activity and heat shock protein levels. Mussels exposed to non-dispersed oil also experienced immune suppression, reduced transcription and higher levels of mortality. After 21 days, mussels in all treatments exhibited evidence of genetic damage, tissue loss and a continued stress response. Bay mussels are useful as indicators of ecosystem health and recovery, and this study was an important step in understanding how non-dispersed oil, dispersant and dispersed oil affect the physiology of this sentinel species in Arctic/subarctic conditions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mechanical analysis of UMo/Al dispersion fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Gwan Yoon; Kim, Yeon Soo; Sohn, Dong-Seong

2015-01-01

Deformation of fuel particles and mass transfer from the transverse end of fuel meat toward the meat center was observed. This caused plate thickness peaking at a location between the meat edge and the meat center. The underlying mechanism for this fuel volume transport is believed to be fission induced creep of the U–Mo/Al meat. Fuel meat swelling was measured using optical microscopy images of the cross sections of the irradiated test plates. The time-dependent meat swelling was modeled for use in numerical simulation. A distinctive discrepancy between the predicted and measured meat thickness was found at the meat ends, which was assumed to be due to creep-induced mass relocation from the meat end to the meat center region that was not considered in the meat swelling model. ABAQUS FEA simulation was performed to reproduce the observed phenomenon at the meat ends. Through the simulation, we obtained the effective creep rate constants for the interaction layers (IL) and aluminum matrix. In addition, we obtained the corresponding stress and strain analysis results that can be used to understand mechanical behavior of U–Mo/Al dispersion fuel.

Mechanical analysis of UMo/Al dispersion fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, Gwan Yoon [Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Department of Nuclear Engineering, 50 UNIST-gil, Eonyang-eup, Ulju-gun, Ulsan, 689-798 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Yeon Soo [Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439 (United States); Sohn, Dong-Seong, E-mail: dssohn@unist.ac.kr [Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Department of Nuclear Engineering, 50 UNIST-gil, Eonyang-eup, Ulju-gun, Ulsan, 689-798 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-11-15

Deformation of fuel particles and mass transfer from the transverse end of fuel meat toward the meat center was observed. This caused plate thickness peaking at a location between the meat edge and the meat center. The underlying mechanism for this fuel volume transport is believed to be fission induced creep of the U–Mo/Al meat. Fuel meat swelling was measured using optical microscopy images of the cross sections of the irradiated test plates. The time-dependent meat swelling was modeled for use in numerical simulation. A distinctive discrepancy between the predicted and measured meat thickness was found at the meat ends, which was assumed to be due to creep-induced mass relocation from the meat end to the meat center region that was not considered in the meat swelling model. ABAQUS FEA simulation was performed to reproduce the observed phenomenon at the meat ends. Through the simulation, we obtained the effective creep rate constants for the interaction layers (IL) and aluminum matrix. In addition, we obtained the corresponding stress and strain analysis results that can be used to understand mechanical behavior of U–Mo/Al dispersion fuel.

Semiconductor nanocrystals dispersed in imidazolium-based ionic liquids: a spectroscopic and morphological investigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Panniello, Annamaria; Binetti, Enrico; Ingrosso, Chiara; Curri, M. Lucia; Agostiano, Angela; Tommasi, Raffaele; Striccoli, Marinella

2013-01-01

A growing interest is devoted to the study of imidazolium-based ionic liquids as innovative materials to combine with functional elements for advanced technological applications. Materials based on semiconductor and oxide nanocrystals in ionic liquids can be promising for their integration in lithium batteries, as well as in innovative solar cells. Although the physical chemical properties and the solvation dynamics of bare ionic liquids have been extensively studied, their combination with colloidal nanocrystals still remains almost unexplored. Here, the optical properties of organic-capped luminescent cadmium selenide nanocrystals coated by a shell of zinc sulfide (CdSe(ZnS)) dispersed in 1,3-dialkyl imidazolium ionic liquids have been investigated, also in dependence of the alkyl chain length on the imidazolium ring and of the anion nature, by using both time-integrated and time-resolved optical spectroscopy. The observed variations in decay profiles of the ionic liquid in presence of colloidal nanocrystals suggest that the dispersion of the nanostructures induces modifications in the ionic liquid structural order. Finally, atomic force microscopy analysis has provided insight into the topography of the investigated dispersions deposited as film, confirming the organization of the ionic liquids in super-structures, also upon nanocrystal incorporation.

Progress in urban dispersion studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Batchvarova, E.; Gryning, Sven-Erik

2006-01-01

The present Study addresses recent achievements in better representation Of the urban area structure in meteorology and dispersion parameterisations. The setup and Main Outcome of several recent dispersion experiments in Urban areas and their use in model validation are discussed. The maximum con...

Coping with power dispersion?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2014-01-01

The last decades have witnessed a significant shift in policy competences away from central governments in Europe. The reallocation of competences spans over three dimensions: upwards; sideways; and downwards. This collection takes the dispersion of powers as a starting point and seeks to assess...... how the actors involved cope with the new configurations. In this introduction, we discuss the conceptualization of power dispersion and highlight the ways in which the contributions add to this research agenda. We then outline some general conclusions and end by indicating future avenues of research....... Taken together, the collection contributes some answers to the challenge of defining and measuring – in a comparative way – the control and co-ordination mechanisms which power dispersion generates. It also explores the tension between political actors' quest for autonomy and the acknowledgement...

Pay Dispersion and Performance in Teams

Science.gov (United States)

Bucciol, Alessandro; Foss, Nicolai J.; Piovesan, Marco

2014-01-01

Extant research offers conflicting predictions about the effect of pay dispersion on team performance. We collected a unique dataset from the Italian soccer league to study the effect of intra-firm pay dispersion on team performance, under different definitions of what constitutes a “team”. This peculiarity of our dataset can explain the conflicting evidence. Indeed, we also find positive, null, and negative effects of pay dispersion on team performance, using the same data but different definitions of team. Our results show that when the team is considered to consist of only the members who directly contribute to the outcome, high pay dispersion has a detrimental impact on team performance. Enlarging the definition of the team causes this effect to disappear or even change direction. Finally, we find that the detrimental effect of pay dispersion is due to worse individual performance, rather than a reduction of team cooperation. PMID:25397615

Serum Proteins Enhance Dispersion Stability and Influence the Cytotoxicity and Dosimetry of ZnO Nanoparticles in Suspension and Adherent Cancer Cell Models

Science.gov (United States)

Anders, Catherine B.; Chess, Jordan J.; Wingett, Denise G.; Punnoose, Alex

2015-11-01

Agglomeration and sedimentation of nanoparticles (NPs) within biological solutions is a major limitation in their use in many downstream applications. It has been proposed that serum proteins associate with the NP surface to form a protein corona that limits agglomeration and sedimentation. Here, we investigate the effect of fetal bovine serum (FBS) proteins on the dispersion stability, dosimetry, and NP-induced cytotoxicity of cationic zinc oxide nanoparticles (nZnO) synthesized via forced hydrolysis with a core size of 10 nm. Two different in vitro cell culture models, suspension and adherent, were evaluated by comparing a phosphate buffered saline (PBS) nZnO dispersion (nZnO/PBS) and an FBS-stabilized PBS nZnO dispersion (nZnO - FBS/PBS). Surface interactions of FBS on nZnO were analyzed via spectroscopic and optical techniques. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the adsorption of negatively charged protein components on the cationic nZnO surface through the disappearance of surfaced-adsorbed carboxyl functional groups and the subsequent detection of vibrational modes associated with the protein backbone of FBS-associated proteins. Further confirmation of these interactions was noted in the isoelectric point shift of the nZnO from the characteristic pH of 9.5 to a pH of 6.1. In nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersions, the FBS reduced agglomeration and sedimentation behaviors to impart long-term improvements (>24 h) to the nZnO dispersion stability. Furthermore, mathematical dosimetry models indicate that nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersions had consistent NP deposition patterns over time unlike unstable nZnO/PBS dispersions. In suspension cell models, the stable nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersion resulted in a ~33 % increase in the NP-induced cytotoxicity for both Jurkat leukemic and Hut-78 lymphoma cancer cells. In contrast, the nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersion resulted in 49 and 71 % reductions in the cytotoxicity observed towards the adherent breast (T-47D) and prostate

Serum Proteins Enhance Dispersion Stability and Influence the Cytotoxicity and Dosimetry of ZnO Nanoparticles in Suspension and Adherent Cancer Cell Models.

Science.gov (United States)

Anders, Catherine B; Chess, Jordan J; Wingett, Denise G; Punnoose, Alex

2015-12-01

Agglomeration and sedimentation of nanoparticles (NPs) within biological solutions is a major limitation in their use in many downstream applications. It has been proposed that serum proteins associate with the NP surface to form a protein corona that limits agglomeration and sedimentation. Here, we investigate the effect of fetal bovine serum (FBS) proteins on the dispersion stability, dosimetry, and NP-induced cytotoxicity of cationic zinc oxide nanoparticles (nZnO) synthesized via forced hydrolysis with a core size of 10 nm. Two different in vitro cell culture models, suspension and adherent, were evaluated by comparing a phosphate buffered saline (PBS) nZnO dispersion (nZnO/PBS) and an FBS-stabilized PBS nZnO dispersion (nZnO - FBS/PBS). Surface interactions of FBS on nZnO were analyzed via spectroscopic and optical techniques. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the adsorption of negatively charged protein components on the cationic nZnO surface through the disappearance of surfaced-adsorbed carboxyl functional groups and the subsequent detection of vibrational modes associated with the protein backbone of FBS-associated proteins. Further confirmation of these interactions was noted in the isoelectric point shift of the nZnO from the characteristic pH of 9.5 to a pH of 6.1. In nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersions, the FBS reduced agglomeration and sedimentation behaviors to impart long-term improvements (>24 h) to the nZnO dispersion stability. Furthermore, mathematical dosimetry models indicate that nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersions had consistent NP deposition patterns over time unlike unstable nZnO/PBS dispersions. In suspension cell models, the stable nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersion resulted in a ~33 % increase in the NP-induced cytotoxicity for both Jurkat leukemic and Hut-78 lymphoma cancer cells. In contrast, the nZnO - FBS/PBS dispersion resulted in 49 and 71 % reductions in the cytotoxicity observed towards the adherent breast (T-47D) and prostate

Pollutant dispersion in boundary layers exposed to rural-to-urban transitions : Varying the spanwise length scale of the roughness

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tomas, J.M.; Eisma, H.E.; Pourquie, M.J.B.M.; Elsinga, G.E.; Jonker, H.J.J.; Westerweel, J.

2017-01-01

Both large-eddy simulations (LES) and water-tunnel experiments, using simultaneous stereoscopic particle image velocimetry and laser-induced fluorescence, have been used to investigate pollutant dispersion mechanisms in regions where the surface changes from rural to urban roughness. The urban

Flow-Induced Dispersion Analysis for Probing Anti-dsDNA Antibody Binding Heterogeneity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients: Toward a New Approach for Diagnosis and Patient Stratification.

Science.gov (United States)

Poulsen, Nicklas N; Pedersen, Morten E; Østergaard, Jesper; Petersen, Nickolaj J; Nielsen, Christoffer T; Heegaard, Niels H H; Jensen, Henrik

2016-09-20

Detection of immune responses is important in the diagnosis of many diseases. For example, the detection of circulating autoantibodies against double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) is used in the diagnosis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). It is, however, difficult to reach satisfactory sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy with established assays. Also, existing methodologies for quantification of autoantibodies are challenging to transfer to a point-of-care setting. Here we present the use of flow-induced dispersion analysis (FIDA) for rapid (minutes) measurement of autoantibodies against dsDNA. The assay is based on Taylor dispersion analysis (TDA) and is fully automated with the use of standard capillary electrophoresis (CE) based equipment employing fluorescence detection. It is robust toward matrix effects as demonstrated by the direct analysis of samples composed of up to 85% plasma derived from human blood samples, and it allows for flexible exchange of the DNA sequences used to probe for the autoantibodies. Plasma samples from SLE positive patients were analyzed using the new FIDA methodology as well as by standard indirect immunofluorescence and solid-phase immunoassays. Interestingly, the patient antibodies bound DNA sequences with different affinities, suggesting pronounced heterogeneity among autoantibodies produced in SLE. The FIDA based methodology is a new approach for autoantibody detection and holds promise for being used for patient stratification and monitoring of disease activity.

Axial dispersion, holdup and slip velocity of dispersed phase in a pulsed sieve plate extraction column by radiotracer residence time distribution analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Din, Ghiyas Ud; Chughtai, Imran Rafiq; Inayat, Mansoor Hameed; Khan, Iqbal Hussain

2008-12-01

Axial dispersion, holdup and slip velocity of dispersed phase have been investigated for a range of dispersed and continuous phase superficial velocities in a pulsed sieve plate extraction column using radiotracer residence time distribution (RTD) analysis. Axial dispersion model (ADM) was used to simulate the hydrodynamics of the system. It has been observed that increase in dispersed phase superficial velocity results in a decrease in its axial dispersion and increase in its slip velocity while its holdup increases till a maximum asymptotic value is achieved. An increase in superficial velocity of continuous phase increases the axial dispersion and holdup of dispersed phase until a maximum value is obtained, while slip velocity of dispersed phase is found to decrease in the beginning and then it increases with increase in superficial velocity of continuous phase.

Larval fish dispersal in a coral-reef seascape

KAUST Repository

Almany, Glenn R.; Planes, Serge; Thorrold, Simon R.; Berumen, Michael L.; Bode, Michael; Saenz Agudelo, Pablo; Bonin, Mary C.; Frisch, Ashley J.; Harrison, Hugo B.; Messmer, Vanessa; Nanninga, Gerrit B.; Priest, Mark; Srinivasan, Maya; Sinclair-Taylor, Tane; Williamson, David H.; Jones, Geoffrey P.

2017-01-01

Larval dispersal is a critical yet enigmatic process in the persistence and productivity of marine metapopulations. Empirical data on larval dispersal remain scarce, hindering the use of spatial management tools in efforts to sustain ocean biodiversity and fisheries. Here we document dispersal among subpopulations of clownfish (Amphiprion percula) and butterflyfish (Chaetodon vagabundus) from eight sites across a large seascape (10,000 km2) in Papua New Guinea across 2 years. Dispersal of clownfish was consistent between years, with mean observed dispersal distances of 15 km and 10 km in 2009 and 2011, respectively. A Laplacian statistical distribution (the dispersal kernel) predicted a mean dispersal distance of 13–19 km, with 90% of settlement occurring within 31–43 km. Mean dispersal distances were considerably greater (43–64 km) for butterflyfish, with kernels declining only gradually from spawning locations. We demonstrate that dispersal can be measured on spatial scales sufficient to inform the design of and test the performance of marine reserve networks.

Larval fish dispersal in a coral-reef seascape

KAUST Repository

Almany, Glenn R.

2017-05-23

Larval dispersal is a critical yet enigmatic process in the persistence and productivity of marine metapopulations. Empirical data on larval dispersal remain scarce, hindering the use of spatial management tools in efforts to sustain ocean biodiversity and fisheries. Here we document dispersal among subpopulations of clownfish (Amphiprion percula) and butterflyfish (Chaetodon vagabundus) from eight sites across a large seascape (10,000 km2) in Papua New Guinea across 2 years. Dispersal of clownfish was consistent between years, with mean observed dispersal distances of 15 km and 10 km in 2009 and 2011, respectively. A Laplacian statistical distribution (the dispersal kernel) predicted a mean dispersal distance of 13–19 km, with 90% of settlement occurring within 31–43 km. Mean dispersal distances were considerably greater (43–64 km) for butterflyfish, with kernels declining only gradually from spawning locations. We demonstrate that dispersal can be measured on spatial scales sufficient to inform the design of and test the performance of marine reserve networks.

High resolution electromagnetic methods and low frequency dispersion of rock conductivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. V. Ageev

1999-06-01

Full Text Available The influence of frequency dispersion of conductivity (induced polarization of rocks on the results of electromagnetic (EM sounding was studied on the basis of calculation of electric field of vertical magnetic dipole above horizontally layered polarizable sections. Frequency dispersion was approximated by the Debye formula. Polarizable homogeneous halfspace, two, three and multilayered sections were analyzed in frequency and time domains. The calculations for different values of chargeability and time constants of polarization were performed. In the far zone of a source, the IP of rocks led to quasi-wave phenomena. They produced rapid fluctuations of frequency and transient sounding curves (interference phenomena, multireflections in polarizable layers. In the case of transient sounding in the near zone of a source quasistatic distortions prevailed, caused by the counter electromotive force arising in polarizable layers which may lead to strong changes in transient curves. In some cases quasiwave and quasistatic phenomena made EM sounding curves non-interpretable in the class of quasistationary curves over non-dispersive sections. On the other hand, they could increase the resolution and depth of investigation of EM sounding. This was confirmed by an experience of "high-resolution" electroprospecting in Russia. The problem of interpretation of EM sounding data in polarizable sections is nonunique. To achieve uniqueness it is probably necessary to complement them by soundings of other type.

High resolution electromagnetic methods and low frequency dispersion of rock conductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Svetov, B.S.; Ageev, V.V.

1999-01-01

The influence of frequency dispersion of conductivity (induced polarization) of rocks on the results of electromagnetic (EM) sounding was studied on the basis of calculation of electric field of vertical magnetic dipole above horizontally layered polarizable sections. Frequency dispersion was approximated by the Debye formula. Polarizable homogeneous half space, two, three and multilayered section were analyzed in frequency and tim domains. The calculations for different values of charge ability and time constants of polarization were performed. In the far zone of a source, the IP of rocks led to quasi-wave phenomena. They produced rapid fluctuations of frequency and transient sounding curves (interference phenomena, multireflections in polarizable layers). In the case of transient sounding in the near zone of a source quasistatic distortions prevailed, caused by the counter electromotive force arising in polarizable layers which may lead to strong change in transient curves. In same case in quasiwave and quasistatic phenomena made EM sounding curves non-interpretable in the class of quasistationary curves over non-dispersive sections. On the other hand, they could increase the resolution and depth of investigation of EM sounding. This was confirmed by an experience of 'high-resolution' electroprospectring in Russia. The problem of interpretation of EM sounding data in polarizable sections is non unique. To achieve uniqueness it is probably to complement them by sounding of other type

High resolution electromagnetic methods and low frequency dispersion of rock conductivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Svetov, B.S.; Ageev, V.V. [Geoelectromagnetic Research Institute, Institute of Physics of the Earth, RAS, Moscow (Russian Federation)

1999-08-01

The influence of frequency dispersion of conductivity (induced polarization) of rocks on the results of electromagnetic (EM) sounding was studied on the basis of calculation of electric field of vertical magnetic dipole above horizontally layered polarizable sections. Frequency dispersion was approximated by the Debye formula. Polarizable homogeneous half space, two, three and multilayered section were analyzed in frequency and tim domains. The calculations for different values of charge ability and time constants of polarization were performed. In the far zone of a source, the IP of rocks led to quasi-wave phenomena. They produced rapid fluctuations of frequency and transient sounding curves (interference phenomena, multireflections in polarizable layers). In the case of transient sounding in the near zone of a source quasistatic distortions prevailed, caused by the counter electromotive force arising in polarizable layers which may lead to strong change in transient curves. In same case in quasi wave and quasistatic phenomena made Em sounding curves non-interpretable in the class of quasistationary curves over non-dispersive sections. On the other hand, they could increase the resolution and depth of investigation of Em sounding. This was confirmed by an experience of 'high-resolution' electroprospectring in Russia. The problem of interpretation of EM sounding data in polarizable sections is non unique. To achieve uniqueness it is probably to complement them by sounding of other type.

Contributions of chemical and diffusive exchange to T1ρ dispersion.

Science.gov (United States)

Cobb, Jared Guthrie; Xie, Jingping; Gore, John C

2013-05-01

Variations in local magnetic susceptibility may induce magnetic field gradients that affect the signals acquired for MR imaging. Under appropriate diffusion conditions, such fields produce effects similar to slow chemical exchange. These effects may also be found in combination with other chemical exchange processes at multiple time scales. We investigate these effects with simulations and measurements to determine their contributions to rotating frame (R1ρ ) relaxation in model systems. Simulations of diffusive and chemical exchange effects on R1ρ dispersion were performed using the Bloch equations. Additionally, R1ρ dispersion was measured in suspensions of Sephadex and latex beads with varying spin locking fields at 9.4 T. A novel analysis method was used to iteratively fit for apparent chemical and diffusive exchange rates with a model by Chopra et al. Single- and double-inflection points in R1ρ dispersion profiles were observed, respectively, in simulations of slow diffusive exchange alone and when combined with rapid chemical exchange. These simulations were consistent with measurements of R1ρ in latex bead suspensions and small-diameter Sephadex beads that showed single- and double-inflection points, respectively. These observations, along with measurements following changes in temperature and pH, are consistent with the combined effects of slow diffusion and rapid -OH exchange processes. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Velocity Dispersions Across Bulge Types

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fabricius, Maximilian; Bender, Ralf; Hopp, Ulrich; Saglia, Roberto; Drory, Niv; Fisher, David

2010-01-01

We present first results from a long-slit spectroscopic survey of bulge kinematics in local spiral galaxies. Our optical spectra were obtained at the Hobby-Eberly Telescope with the LRS spectrograph and have a velocity resolution of 45 km/s (σ*), which allows us to resolve the velocity dispersions in the bulge regions of most objects in our sample. We find that the velocity dispersion profiles in morphological classical bulge galaxies are always centrally peaked while the velocity dispersion of morphologically disk-like bulges stays relatively flat towards the center--once strongly barred galaxies are discarded.

Combining dispersal, landscape connectivity and habitat suitability to assess climate-induced changes in the distribution of Cunningham's skink, Egernia cunninghami.

Science.gov (United States)

Ofori, Benjamin Y; Stow, Adam J; Baumgartner, John B; Beaumont, Linda J

2017-01-01

The ability of species to track their climate niche is dependent on their dispersal potential and the connectivity of the landscape matrix linking current and future suitable habitat. However, studies modeling climate-driven range shifts rarely address the movement of species across landscapes realistically, often assuming "unlimited" or "no" dispersal. Here, we incorporate dispersal rate and landscape connectivity with a species distribution model (Maxent) to assess the extent to which the Cunningham's skink (Egernia cunninghami) may be capable of tracking spatial shifts in suitable habitat as climate changes. Our model was projected onto four contrasting, but equally plausible, scenarios describing futures that are (relative to now) hot/wet, warm/dry, hot/with similar precipitation and warm/wet, at six time horizons with decadal intervals (2020-2070) and at two spatial resolutions: 1 km and 250 m. The size of suitable habitat was projected to decline 23-63% at 1 km and 26-64% at 250 m, by 2070. Combining Maxent output with the dispersal rate of the species and connectivity of the intervening landscape matrix showed that most current populations in regions projected to become unsuitable in the medium to long term, will be unable to shift the distance necessary to reach suitable habitat. In particular, numerous populations currently inhabiting the trailing edge of the species' range are highly unlikely to be able to disperse fast enough to track climate change. Unless these populations are capable of adaptation they are likely to be extirpated. We note, however, that the core of the species distribution remains suitable across the broad spectrum of climate scenarios considered. Our findings highlight challenges faced by philopatric species and the importance of adaptation for the persistence of peripheral populations under climate change.

Combining dispersal, landscape connectivity and habitat suitability to assess climate-induced changes in the distribution of Cunningham's skink, Egernia cunninghami.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin Y Ofori

Full Text Available The ability of species to track their climate niche is dependent on their dispersal potential and the connectivity of the landscape matrix linking current and future suitable habitat. However, studies modeling climate-driven range shifts rarely address the movement of species across landscapes realistically, often assuming "unlimited" or "no" dispersal. Here, we incorporate dispersal rate and landscape connectivity with a species distribution model (Maxent to assess the extent to which the Cunningham's skink (Egernia cunninghami may be capable of tracking spatial shifts in suitable habitat as climate changes. Our model was projected onto four contrasting, but equally plausible, scenarios describing futures that are (relative to now hot/wet, warm/dry, hot/with similar precipitation and warm/wet, at six time horizons with decadal intervals (2020-2070 and at two spatial resolutions: 1 km and 250 m. The size of suitable habitat was projected to decline 23-63% at 1 km and 26-64% at 250 m, by 2070. Combining Maxent output with the dispersal rate of the species and connectivity of the intervening landscape matrix showed that most current populations in regions projected to become unsuitable in the medium to long term, will be unable to shift the distance necessary to reach suitable habitat. In particular, numerous populations currently inhabiting the trailing edge of the species' range are highly unlikely to be able to disperse fast enough to track climate change. Unless these populations are capable of adaptation they are likely to be extirpated. We note, however, that the core of the species distribution remains suitable across the broad spectrum of climate scenarios considered. Our findings highlight challenges faced by philopatric species and the importance of adaptation for the persistence of peripheral populations under climate change.

Inhibition and dispersal of Agrobacterium tumefaciens biofilms by a small diffusible Pseudomonas aeruginosa exoproduct(s).

Science.gov (United States)

Hibbing, Michael E; Fuqua, Clay

2012-06-01

Environmental biofilms often contain mixed populations of different species. In these dense communities, competition between biofilm residents for limited nutrients such as iron can be fierce, leading to the evolution of competitive factors that affect the ability of competitors to grow or form biofilms. We have discovered a compound(s) present in the conditioned culture fluids of Pseudomonas aeruginosa that disperses and inhibits the formation of biofilms produced by the facultative plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The inhibitory activity is strongly induced when P. aeruginosa is cultivated in iron-limited conditions, but it does not function through iron sequestration. In addition, the production of the biofilm inhibitory activity is not regulated by the global iron regulatory protein Fur, the iron-responsive extracytoplasmic function σ factor PvdS, or three of the recognized P. aeruginosa quorum-sensing systems. In addition, the compound(s) responsible for the inhibition and dispersal of A. tumefaciens biofilm formation is likely distinct from the recently identified P. aeruginosa dispersal factor, cis-2-decenoic acid (CDA), as dialysis of the culture fluids showed that the inhibitory compound was larger than CDA and culture fluids that dispersed and inhibited biofilm formation by A. tumefaciens had no effect on biofilm formation by P. aeruginosa.

Measurement of small dispersion values in optical components

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Peucheret, Christophe; Liu, Fenghai; Pedersen, Rune Johan Skullerud

1999-01-01

It is reported that small dispersion values in optical components can be measured using the RF modulation method originally restricted to large dispersions. Using a constant dispersion offset, arbitrarily small dispersion values can be measured with a resolution as good as 1.2 ps/nm....

Mesoscopic dispersion of colloidal agglomerate in a complex fluid modelled by a hybrid fluid-particle model.

Science.gov (United States)

Dzwinel, Witold; Yuen, David A

2002-03-15

The dispersion of the agglomerating fluid process involving colloids has been investigated at the mesoscale level by a discrete particle approach--the hybrid fluid-particle model (FPM). Dynamical processes occurring in the granulation of colloidal agglomerate in solvents are severely influenced by coupling between the dispersed microstructures and the global flow. On the mesoscale this coupling is further exacerbated by thermal fluctuations, particle-particle interactions between colloidal beds, and hydrodynamic interactions between colloidal beds and the solvent. Using the method of FPM, we have tackled the problem of dispersion of a colloidal slab being accelerated in a long box filled with a fluid. Our results show that the average size of the agglomerated fragments decreases with increasing shearing rate gamma, according to the power law A x gamma(k), where k is around 2. For larger values of gamma, the mean size of the agglomerate S(avg) increases slowly with gamma from the collisions between the aggregates and the longitudinal stretching induced by the flow. The proportionality constant A increases exponentially with the scaling factor of the attractive forces acting between the colloidal particles. The value of A shows a rather weak dependence on the solvent viscosity. But A increases proportionally with the scaling factor of the colloid-solvent dissipative interactions. Similar type of dependence can be found for the mixing induced by Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities involving the colloidal agglomerate and the solvent. Three types of fragmentation structures can be identified, which are called rupture, erosion, and shatter. They generate very complex structures with multiresolution character. The aggregation of colloidal beds is formed by the collisions between aggregates, which are influenced by the flow or by the cohesive forces for small dispersion energies. These results may be applied to enhance our understanding concerning the nonlinear complex

Conformal Tachyons

CERN Document Server

Tomaschitz, R

2000-01-01

We study tachyons conformally coupled to the background geometry of a Milne universe. The causality of superluminal signal transfer is scrutinized in this context. The cosmic time of the comoving frame determines a distinguished time order for events connected by superluminal signals. An observer can relate his rest frame to the galaxy frame, and compare so the time order of events in his proper time to the cosmic time order. All observers can in this way arrive at identical conclusions on the causality of events connected by superluminal signals. An unambiguous energy concept for tachyonic rays is defined by means of the cosmic time of the comoving reference frame, without resorting to an antiparticle interpretation. On that basis we give an explicit proof that no signals can be sent into the past of observers. Causality violating signals are energetically forbidden, as they would have negative energy in the rest frame of the emitting observer. If an observer emits a superluminal signal, the tachyonic respon...

Analysis of site-specific dispersion conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paesler-Sauer, J.

1989-03-01

This report presents an analysis of atmospheric dispersion conditions in the environs of nuclear power stations in the Federal Republic of Germany. The analysis is based on meteorological data measured on the power station sites (KFUe = nuclear reactor remote control records) and by neighbouring stations operated by the German Weather Service. The data are series of hourly mean values of wind and temperature gradient or stability class over the period of one or more years. The aim of the data analysis is to find types of dispersion conditions characterized by the flow field and stratification, and to assess the feasibility of calculating these quantities in the case of an emergency. Influences of terrain structures in the environs of the site are considered. The annual frequencies of types of dispersion situations are assessed, the capability to recognize the dispersion situation from meteorological data measured on the site and the applicability of dispersion models are discussed. (orig.) [de

Generalization of the dispersion relations demonstration; Generalisation de la demonstration des relations de dispersion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Omnes, Roland [Commissariat a l' energie atomique et aux energies alternatives - CEA (France)

1960-07-01

A modification of the dispersion relations demonstration for two-particle collisions in field theory is indicated. The direct study of the holomorphy domain of the reaction amplitude, without any reference to a particular coordinate system, allows to demonstrate the dispersion relations with fixed pulse transfer for any input and output particle mass. Reprint of a paper published in Comptes rendus des seances de l'Academie des Sciences, t. 250, p. 1203-1205, sitting of 15 February 1960 [French] On indique une modification de la demonstration des relations de dispersion pour les collisions a deux particules en theorie des champs. En etudiant directement le domaine d'holomorphie de l'amplitude de reaction sans se referer a un systeme de coordonnees particulier, on demontre les relations de dispersion a transfert d'impulsion fixe dans le cas ou les masses des particules entrantes et sortantes sont quelconques. Reproduction d'un article publie dans les Comptes rendus des seances de l'Academie des Sciences, t. 250, p. 1203-1205, seance du 15 fevrier 1960.

An explicit MOT scheme for solving the TD-EFVIE on nonlinear and dispersive scatterers

KAUST Repository

Sayed, Sadeed Bin; Ulku, H. Arda; Bagci, Hakan

2017-01-01

An explicit marching-on-in-time (MOT) scheme for solving the time domain electric field volume integral equation (TD-EFVIE) on nonlinear and dispersive scatterers is described. The unknown electric field intensity, electric flux density, and polarization densities representing Kerr nonlinearity along with Lorentz dispersion relation, all of which are induced inside the scatterer upon excitation, are expanded using half and full Schaubert-Wilton-Glisson functions in space. The TD-EFVIE and the constitutive relations between polarization, field, and flux terms are cast in the form of a first-order ordinary differential equation. The resulting matrix system is integrated in time using a predictor-corrector scheme to obtain the time dependent unknown expansion coefficients. The resulting MOT scheme is explicit and accounts for nonlinearity by simple function evaluations.

An explicit MOT scheme for solving the TD-EFVIE on nonlinear and dispersive scatterers

KAUST Repository

Sayed, Sadeed Bin

2017-10-25

An explicit marching-on-in-time (MOT) scheme for solving the time domain electric field volume integral equation (TD-EFVIE) on nonlinear and dispersive scatterers is described. The unknown electric field intensity, electric flux density, and polarization densities representing Kerr nonlinearity along with Lorentz dispersion relation, all of which are induced inside the scatterer upon excitation, are expanded using half and full Schaubert-Wilton-Glisson functions in space. The TD-EFVIE and the constitutive relations between polarization, field, and flux terms are cast in the form of a first-order ordinary differential equation. The resulting matrix system is integrated in time using a predictor-corrector scheme to obtain the time dependent unknown expansion coefficients. The resulting MOT scheme is explicit and accounts for nonlinearity by simple function evaluations.

Dispersal of sticky particles

Science.gov (United States)

Reddy, Ramana; Kumar, Sanjeev

2007-12-01

In this paper, we show through simulations that when sticky particles are broken continually, particles are dispersed into fine dust only if they are present in a narrow range of volume fractions. The upper limit of this range is 0.20 in the 2D and 0.10 in the 3D space. An increase in the dimensionality of space reduces the upper limit nearly by a factor of two. This scaling holds for dispersal of particles in hyperdimensional space of dimensions up to ten, the maximum dimension studied in this work. The maximum values of volume fractions obtained are significantly lower than those required for close packing and random packing of discs in 2D and spheres in 3D space. These values are also smaller than those required for critical phenomena of cluster percolation. The results obtained are attributed to merger cascades of sticky particles, triggered by breakup events. A simple theory that incorporates this cascade is developed to quantitatively explain the observed scaling of the upper limit with the dimensionality of space. The theory also captures the dynamics of the dispersal process in the corresponding range of particle volume fractions. The theory suggests that cascades of order one and two predominantly decide the upper limit for complete dispersal of particles.

Fast light in atomic media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akulshin, Alexander M; McLean, Russell J

2010-01-01

Atomic media have played a major role in studies of fast light. One of their attractive features is the ability to manipulate experimental parameters to control the dispersive properties that determine the group velocity of a propagating light pulse. We give an overview of the experimental methods, based on both linear and nonlinear atom–light interaction, that have produced superluminal propagation in atomic media, and discuss some of the significant theoretical contributions to the issues of pulse preservation and reconciling faster-than-light propagation and the principle of causality. The comparison of storage of light, enhanced Kerr nonlinearity and efficient wave mixing processes in slow and fast light atomic media illustrates their common and distinct features. (review article)

Rheological Behavior of Bentonite-Polyester Dispersions

Science.gov (United States)

Abu-Jdayil, Basim; Al-Omari, Salah Addin

2013-07-01

The rheological behavior of a bentonite clay dispersed in unsaturated polyester was investigated. The effects of the solid content and particle size on the steady and transient rheological properties of the dispersions were studied. In addition, two types of bentonite with different Na+/Ca+2 ratio were used in this study. The Herschel-Bulkley and the Weltman models were used to describe the apparent viscosity of the bentonite-polyester composite in relation to the shear rate and shearing time. The bentonite-polyester dispersions were found to exhibit both Newtonian and non-Newtonian behavior. The transition from a Newtonian to a Bingham plastic and then to a shear-thinning material with a yield stress was found to depend on the solid concentration, the particle size, and the type of bentonite. At a low solid content, the apparent viscosity of the bentonite dispersion increased linearly with solid concentration. But a dramatic increase in the apparent viscosity beyond a solid content of 20 wt.% was observed. On the other hand, a thixotropic behavior was detected in bentonite-polyester dispersions with a high solid content and a low particle size. However, this behavior was more pronounced in dispersions with a high Na+/Ca+2 ratio.

Quantum cloning and signaling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simon, C.; Weihs, G.; Zeilinger, A.

1999-01-01

We discuss the close connections between cloning of quantum states and superluminal signaling. We present an optimal universal cloning machine based on stimulated emission recently proposed by the authors. As an instructive example, we show how a scheme for superluminal communication based on this cloning machine fails. (Authors)

An isomerization-induced cage-breaking process in a molecular glass former below Tg

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teboul, V.; Saiddine, M.; Accary, J.-B.; Nunzi, J.-M.

2011-01-01

A recent experimental [P. Karageorgiev, D. Neher, B. Schulz, B. Stiller, U. Pietsch, M. Giersig, L. Brehmer, Nature Mater. 4, 699 (2005)] study has found liquidlike diffusion below the glass-transition temperature in azobenzene-containing materials under irradiation. This result suggests that the isomerization-induced massive mass transport that leads to surface relief gratings formation in these materials, is induced by this huge increase of the matrix diffusion coefficient around the probe. In order to investigate the microscopic origin of the increase of the diffusion, we use molecular dynamics simulations of the photoisomerization of probe dispersed red 1 molecules dispersed inside a glassy molecular matrix. Results show that the increased diffusion is due to an isomerization-induced cage-breaking process. A process that explains the induced cooperative motions recently observed in these photoactive materials.

The Braer incident: Dispersion in action

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, D.

1993-01-01

In January 1993, the tanker Braer foundered in the Shetland Islands and pollution from the cargo of 85,000 tonnes of Gullfaks crude oil was reported almost immediately. The tanker was battered by storm winds and finally broke up, spilling the remainder of its cargo into the bay at Garth's Ness. Dispersants were applied to the oil plumes, assisting the significant natural dispersion. Shoreline protection and cleanup activities included construction of spade dams and sorbent barriers. Oil concentrations in water, air, sediment, and fish were monitored. The sampling program undertaken during the spill period is described. Measured hydrocarbon concentrations in salmon farm areas were not observed to rise above 4 ppM. The high rates of dispersion make the Braer incident worthy of detailed study both in terms of understanding the mechanism of the dispersion process and also in assessing the environmental effects following high dispersed oil concentrations. Estimates of the spill's mass balance are provided for the bay at Garth's Ness, where the highest oil concentrations were observed, and along the 26 km of coastline which received the most significant concentrations of dispersed oil. Contrary to laboratory experiments which showed that the Gullfaks crude would emulsify at the high sea states prevailing at the time, the Braer spill did not emulsify and most of the oil released was dispersed naturally into the water column. It appears that it is most appropriate to model the Braer spill as a spillage of floating or dissolved chemical. 4 refs., 4 figs., 6 tabs

The comparative effects of oil dispersants and oil/dispersant conjugates on germination of the marine macroalga Phyllospora comosa (Fucales: Phaeophyta)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burridge, T.R.; Shir, M.-A.

1995-01-01

Germination inhibition of the marine macrophyte Phyllospora comosa was utilized as a sub-lethal end-point to assess and compare the effects of four oil dispersants and dispersed diesel fuel and crude oil combinations. Inhibition of germination by the water-soluble fraction of diesel fuel increased following the addition of each of the dispersants; the nominal 48-h EC 50 concentration of diesel fuel declined from 6800 to approximately 400 μl 1 -1 nominal for each dispersed combination. This contrasted with crude oil, where the addition of two dispersants resulted in an enhanced germination rate and an increase in nominal EC 50 concentrations from 130 μl 1 -1 for the undispersed crude to 4000 and 2500 μl 1 -1 . The results indicate that, while germination inhibition of P. comosa may be enhanced by the chemical dispersal of oil response varies with type of both oil and oil dispersant. (author)

Integrating individual movement behaviour into dispersal functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Heinz, Simone K; Wissel, Christian; Conradt, Larissa; Frank, Karin

2007-04-21

Dispersal functions are an important tool for integrating dispersal into complex models of population and metapopulation dynamics. Most approaches in the literature are very simple, with the dispersal functions containing only one or two parameters which summarise all the effects of movement behaviour as for example different movement patterns or different perceptual abilities. The summarising nature of these parameters makes assessing the effect of one particular behavioural aspect difficult. We present a way of integrating movement behavioural parameters into a particular dispersal function in a simple way. Using a spatial individual-based simulation model for simulating different movement behaviours, we derive fitting functions for the functional relationship between the parameters of the dispersal function and several details of movement behaviour. This is done for three different movement patterns (loops, Archimedean spirals, random walk). Additionally, we provide measures which characterise the shape of the dispersal function and are interpretable in terms of landscape connectivity. This allows an ecological interpretation of the relationships found.

Flow-Cell-Induced Dispersion in Flow-through Absorbance Detection Systems: True Column Effluent Peak Variance.

Science.gov (United States)

Dasgupta, Purnendu K; Shelor, Charles Phillip; Kadjo, Akinde Florence; Kraiczek, Karsten G

2018-02-06

Following a brief overview of the emergence of absorbance detection in liquid chromatography, we focus on the dispersion caused by the absorbance measurement cell and its inlet. A simple experiment is proposed wherein chromatographic flow and conditions are held constant but a variable portion of the column effluent is directed into the detector. The temporal peak variance (σ t,obs 2 ), which increases as the flow rate (F) through the detector decreases, is found to be well-described as a quadratic function of 1 / F . This allows the extrapolation of the results to zero residence time in the detector and thence the determination of the true variance of the peak prior to the detector (this includes contribution of all preceding components). This general approach should be equally applicable to detection systems other than absorbance. We also experiment where the inlet/outlet system remains the same but the path length is varied. This allows one to assess the individual contributions of the cell itself and the inlet/outlet system.to the total observed peak. The dispersion in the cell itself has often been modeled as a flow-independent parameter, dependent only on the cell volume. Except for very long path/large volume cells, this paradigm is simply incorrect.

Broadening our approaches to studying dispersal in raptors

Science.gov (United States)

Morrison, J.L.; Wood, P.B.

2009-01-01

Dispersal is a behavioral process having consequences for individual fitness and population dynamics. Recent advances in technology have spawned new theoretical examinations and empirical studies of the dispersal process in birds, providing opportunities for examining how this information may be applied to studies of the dispersal process in raptors. Many raptors are the focus of conservation efforts; thus, reliable data on all aspects of a species' population dynamics, including dispersal distances, movement rates, and mortality rates of dispersers, are required for population viability analyses that are increasingly used to inform management. Here, we address emerging issues and novel approaches used in the study of avian dispersal, and provide suggestions to consider when developing and implementing studies of dispersal in raptors. Clarifying study objectives is essential for selection of an appropriate methodology and sample size needed to obtain accurate estimates of movement distances and rates. Identifying an appropriate study-area size will allow investigators to avoid underestimating population connectivity and important population parameters. Because nomadic individuals of some species use temporary settling areas or home ranges before breeding, identification of these areas is critical for conservation efforts focusing on habitats other than breeding sites. Study designs for investigating raptor dispersal also should include analysis of environmental and social factors influencing dispersal, to improve our understanding of condition-dependent dispersal strategies. Finally, we propose a terminology for use in describing the variety of movements associated with dispersal behavior in raptors, and we suggest this terminology could be used consistently to facilitate comparisons among studies. ?? 2009 The Raptor Research Foundation, Inc.

How disturbance, competition, and dispersal interact to prevent tree range boundaries from keeping pace with climate change

Science.gov (United States)

Yu Liang; Matthew J. Duveneck; Eric J. Gustafson; Josep M. Serra-Diaz; Jonathan R. Thompson

2018-01-01

Climate change is expected to cause geographic shifts in tree species' ranges, but such shifts may not keep pace with climate changes because seed dispersal distances are often limited and competition-induced changes in community composition can be relatively slow. Disturbances may speed changes in community composition, but the interactions among climate change,...

Dispersion engineering in metamaterials and metasurfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiong; Pu, Mingbo; Ma, Xiaoliang; Guo, Yinghui; Gao, Ping; Luo, Xiangang

2018-02-01

Dispersion engineering is essential for spectral utilization in electromagnetic systems. However, it is difficult to manage the dispersions in both natural materials and traditional electromagnetic waveguides since they are tightly related to fine structures of atoms, molecules and causality. The emergence of metamaterials and metasurfaces, which are made of subwavelength inclusions offers tremendous freedom to manipulate the electromagnetic parameters of materials and modes. Here, we review the basic principles, practical applications and recent advancements of the dispersion engineering in metadevices. The contributions of dispersion management in metadevice-based super-resolution imaging/nanolithography systems, planar functional devices, as well as the broadband perfect absorbers/polarization converters are discussed in depth. The challenges faced by this field as well as future developing trends are also presented in the conclusions.

Nitric oxide-dependent pigment migration induced by ultraviolet radiation in retinal pigment cells of the crab Neohelice granulata.

Science.gov (United States)

Filgueira, Daza de Moraes Vaz Batista; Guterres, Laís Pereira; Votto, Ana Paula de Souza; Vargas, Marcelo Alves; Boyle, Robert Tew; Trindade, Gilma Santos; Nery, Luiz Eduardo Maia

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to verify the occurrence of pigment dispersion in retinal pigment cells exposed to UVA and UVB radiation, and to investigate the possible participation of a nitric oxide (NO) pathway. Retinal pigment cells from Neohelice granulata were obtained by cellular dissociation. Cells were analyzed for 30 min in the dark (control) and then exposed to 1.1 and 3.3 J cm(-2) UVA, 0.07 and 0.9 J cm(-2) UVB, 20 nmβ-PDH (pigment dispersing hormone) or 10 μm SIN-1 (NO donor). Histological analyses were performed to verify the UV effect in vivo. Cultured cells were exposed to 250 μm L-NAME (NO synthase blocker) and afterwards were treated with UVA, UVB or β-PDH. The retinal cells in culture displayed significant pigment dispersion in response to UVA, UVB and β-PDH. The same responses to UVA and UVB were observed in vivo. SIN-1 did not induce pigment dispersion in the cell cultures. L-NAME significantly decreased the pigment dispersion induced by UVA and UVB but not by β-PDH. All retinal cells showed an immunopositive reaction against neuronal nitric oxide synthases. Therefore, UVA and UVB radiation are capable of inducing pigment dispersion in retinal pigment cells of Neohelice granulata and this dispersion may be nitric oxide synthase dependent. © 2010 The Authors. Journal Compilation. The American Society of Photobiology.

Climate induced changes in the circulation and dispersal patterns of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

C dated box cores from the eastern, the central and the western regions were studied to determine climate induced changes in the hydrography. Clay assemblages have spatial and temporal changes and are markedly different in the eastern and the western bay. From a high abundance of the clay smectite, which has its ...

Semiclassical instability of warp drives

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barcelo, C [Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia, IAA-CSIC, Glorieta de la Astronomia s/n, 18008 Granada (Spain); Finazzi, S; Liberati, S, E-mail: carlos@iaa.e, E-mail: finazzi@sissa.i, E-mail: liberati@sissa.i

2010-05-01

Warp drives, at least theoretically, provide a way to travel at superluminal speeds. However, even if one succeeded in providing the necessary exotic matter to construct them, it would still be necessary to check whether they would survive to the switching on of quantum effects. In this contribution we will report on the behaviour of the Renormalized Stress-Energy Tensor (RSET) in the spacetimes associated with superluminal warp drives. We find that the RSET will exponentially grow in time close to the front wall of the superluminal bubble, hence strongly supporting the conclusion that the warp-drive geometries are unstable against semiclassical back-reaction.

Dispersion of deep-sea hydrothermal vent effluents and larvae by submesoscale and tidal currents

Science.gov (United States)

Vic, Clément; Gula, Jonathan; Roullet, Guillaume; Pradillon, Florence

2018-03-01

Deep-sea hydrothermal vents provide sources of geochemical materials that impact the global ocean heat and chemical budgets, and support complex biological communities. Vent effluents and larvae are dispersed and transported long distances by deep ocean currents, but these currents are largely undersampled and little is known about their variability. Submesoscale (0.1-10 km) currents are known to play an important role for the dispersion of biogeochemical materials in the ocean surface layer, but their impact for the dispersion in the deep ocean is unknown. Here, we use a series of nested regional oceanic numerical simulations with increasing resolution (from δx = 6 km to δx = 0.75 km) to investigate the structure and variability of highly-resolved deep currents over the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) and their role on the dispersion of the Lucky Strike hydrothermal vent effluents and larvae. We shed light on a submesoscale regime of oceanic turbulence over the MAR at 1500 m depth, contrasting with open-ocean - i.e., far from topographic features - regimes of turbulence, dominated by mesoscales. Impacts of submesoscale and tidal currents on larval dispersion and connectivity among vent populations are investigated by releasing neutrally buoyant Lagrangian particles at the Lucky Strike hydrothermal vent. Although the absolute dispersion is overall not sensitive to the model resolution, submesoscale currents are found to significantly increase both the horizontal and vertical relative dispersion of particles at O(1-10) km and O(1-10) days, resulting in an increased mixing of the cloud of particles. A fraction of particles are trapped in submesoscale coherent vortices, which enable transport over long time and distances. Tidal currents and internal tides do not significantly impact the horizontal relative dispersion. However, they roughly double the vertical dispersion. Specifically, particles undergo strong tidally-induced mixing close to rough topographic features

Seed-dispersal distributions by trumpeter hornbills in fragmented landscapes

Science.gov (United States)

Lenz, Johanna; Fiedler, Wolfgang; Caprano, Tanja; Friedrichs, Wolfgang; Gaese, Bernhard H.; Wikelski, Martin; Böhning-Gaese, Katrin

2011-01-01

Frugivorous birds provide important ecosystem services by transporting seeds of fleshy fruited plants. It has been assumed that seed-dispersal kernels generated by these animals are generally leptokurtic, resulting in little dispersal among habitat fragments. However, little is known about the seed-dispersal distribution generated by large frugivorous birds in fragmented landscapes. We investigated movement and seed-dispersal patterns of trumpeter hornbills (Bycanistes bucinator) in a fragmented landscape in South Africa. Novel GPS loggers provide high-quality location data without bias against recording long-distance movements. We found a very weakly bimodal seed-dispersal distribution with potential dispersal distances up to 14.5 km. Within forest, the seed-dispersal distribution was unimodal with an expected dispersal distance of 86 m. In the fragmented agricultural landscape, the distribution was strongly bimodal with peaks at 18 and 512 m. Our results demonstrate that seed-dispersal distributions differed when birds moved in different habitat types. Seed-dispersal distances in fragmented landscapes show that transport among habitat patches is more frequent than previously assumed, allowing plants to disperse among habitat patches and to track the changing climatic conditions. PMID:21177686

Modelling airborne dispersion of coarse particulate material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Apsley, D.D.

1989-03-01

Methods of modelling the airborne dispersion and deposition of coarse particulates are presented, with the emphasis on the heavy particles identified as possible constituents of releases from damaged AGR fuel. The first part of this report establishes the physical characteristics of the irradiated particulate in airborne emissions from AGR stations. The second part is less specific and describes procedures for extending current dispersion/deposition models to incorporate a coarse particulate component: the adjustment to plume spread parameters, dispersion from elevated sources and dispersion in conjunction with building effects and plume rise. (author)

Thieving rodents as substitute dispersers of megafaunal seeds

Science.gov (United States)

Jansen, Patrick A.; Hirsch, Ben T.; Emsens, Willem-Jan; Zamora-Gutierrez, Veronica; Wikelski, Martin; Kays, Roland

2012-01-01

The Neotropics have many plant species that seem to be adapted for seed dispersal by megafauna that went extinct in the late Pleistocene. Given the crucial importance of seed dispersal for plant persistence, it remains a mystery how these plants have survived more than 10,000 y without their mutualist dispersers. Here we present support for the hypothesis that secondary seed dispersal by scatter-hoarding rodents has facilitated the persistence of these large-seeded species. We used miniature radio transmitters to track the dispersal of reputedly megafaunal seeds by Central American agoutis, which scatter-hoard seeds in shallow caches in the soil throughout the forest. We found that seeds were initially cached at mostly short distances and then quickly dug up again. However, rather than eating the recovered seeds, agoutis continued to move and recache the seeds, up to 36 times. Agoutis dispersed an estimated 35% of seeds for >100 m. An estimated 14% of the cached seeds survived to the next year, when a new fruit crop became available to the rodents. Serial video-monitoring of cached seeds revealed that the stepwise dispersal was caused by agoutis repeatedly stealing and recaching each other’s buried seeds. Although previous studies suggest that rodents are poor dispersers, we demonstrate that communities of rodents can in fact provide highly effective long-distance seed dispersal. Our findings suggest that thieving scatter-hoarding rodents could substitute for extinct megafaunal seed dispersers of tropical large-seeded trees. PMID:22802644

The QT dispersion and QTc dispersion in patients presenting with acute neurological events and its impact on early prognosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kailash Kumar Rahar

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Aims: To find out and investigate whether the QT dispersion and QTc dispersion is related to type and prognosis of the acute stroke in patients presenting within 24 h of the onset of stroke. Settings and Design: This was a observational study conducted at Mahatma Gandhi Hospital, Dr. SN. Medical College, Jodhpur, during January 2014 to January 2015. Subjects and Methods: The patients presented within 24 h of onset of acute stroke (hemorrhagic, infarction, or transient ischemic event were included in the study. The stroke was confirmed by computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging. Patients with (i altered sensorium because of metabolic, infective, seizures, trauma, or tumor; (ii prior history of cardiovascular disease, electrocardiographic abnormalities' because of dyselectrolytemia; and (iii and patients who were on drugs (antiarrhythmic drugs, antipsychotic drugs, erythromycin, theophylline, etc., which known to cause electrocardiogram changes, were excluded from the study. National Institute of Health Stroke Score (NIHSS was calculated at the time of admission and Modified Rankin Scale (MRS at the time of discharge. Fifty age- and sex-matched healthy controls included. Statistical Analysis Used: Student's t-test, ANOVA, and area under curve for sensitivity and specificity for the test. Results: We included 52 patients (male/female: 27/25 and 50 controls (26/24. The mean age of patients was 63.17 ± 08.90 years. Of total patients, infarct was found in 32 (61.53%, hemorrhage in 18 (34.61%, transient ischemic attack (TIA in 1 (1.9%, and subarachnoid hemorrhage in 1 (1.9% patient. The QT dispersion and QTc dispersion were significantly higher in cases as compare to controls. (87.30 ± 24.42 vs. 49.60 ± 08.79 ms; P < 0.001 and (97.53 ± 27.36 vs. 56.28 ± 09.86 ms; P < 0.001. Among various types of stroke, the mean QT dispersion and QTc dispersion were maximum and significantly higher in hemorrhagic stroke as compared to infarct and

STELLAR MASS DEPENDENT DISK DISPERSAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennedy, Grant M.; Kenyon, Scott J.

2009-01-01

We use published optical spectral and infrared (IR) excess data from nine young clusters and associations to study the stellar mass dependent dispersal of circumstellar disks. All clusters older than ∼3 Myr show a decrease in disk fraction with increasing stellar mass for solar to higher mass stars. This result is significant at about the 1σ level in each cluster. For the complete set of clusters we reject the null hypothesis-that solar and intermediate-mass stars lose their disks at the same rate-with 95%-99.9% confidence. To interpret this behavior, we investigate the impact of grain growth, binary companions, and photoevaporation on the evolution of disk signatures. Changes in grain growth timescales at fixed disk temperature may explain why early-type stars with IR excesses appear to evolve faster than their later-type counterparts. Little evidence that binary companions affect disk evolution suggests that photoevaporation is the more likely mechanism for disk dispersal. A simple photoevaporation model provides a good fit to the observed disk fractions for solar and intermediate-mass stars. Although the current mass-dependent disk dispersal signal is not strong, larger and more complete samples of clusters with ages of 3-5 Myr can improve the significance and provide better tests of theoretical models. In addition, the orbits of extra-solar planets can constrain models of disk dispersal and migration. We suggest that the signature of stellar mass dependent disk dispersal due to photoevaporation may be present in the orbits of observed extra-solar planets. Planets orbiting hosts more massive than ∼1.6 M sun may have larger orbits because the disks in which they formed were dispersed before they could migrate.

Estimating plume dispersion: a comparison of several sigma schemes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Irwin, J.S.

1983-01-01

The lateral and vertical Gaussian plume dispersion parameters are estimated and compared with field tracer data collected at 11 sites. The dispersion parameter schemes used in this analysis include Cramer's scheme, suggested for tall stack dispersion estimates, Draxler's scheme, suggested for elevated and surface releases, Pasquill's scheme, suggested for interim use in dispersion estimates, and the Pasquill--Gifford scheme using Turner's technique for assigning stability categories. The schemes suggested by Cramer, Draxler and Pasquill estimate the dispersion parameters using onsite measurements of the vertical and lateral wind-velocity variances at the effective release height. The performances of these schemes in estimating the dispersion parameters are compared with that of the Pasquill--Gifford scheme, using the Prairie Grass and Karlsruhe data. For these two experiments, the estimates of the dispersion parameters using Draxler's scheme correlate better with the measurements than did estimates using the Pasquill--Gifford scheme. Comparison of the dispersion parameter estimates with the measurement suggests that Draxler's scheme for characterizing the dispersion results in the smallest mean fractional error in the estimated dispersion parameters and the smallest variance of the fractional errors