26,792 research outputs found
Utilizing Colored Dissolved Organic Matter to Derive Dissolved Black Carbon Export by Arctic Rivers
Wildfires have produced black carbon (BC) since land plants emerged. Condensed aromatic compounds, a form of BC, have accumulated to become a major component of the soil carbon pool. Condensed aromatics leach from soils into rivers, where they are termed dissolved black carbon (DBC). The transport of DBC by rivers to the sea is a major term in the global carbon and BC cycles. To estimate Arctic river DBC export, 25 samples collected from the six largest Arctic rivers (Kolyma, Lena, Mackenzie, Obâ, Yenisey and Yukon) were analyzed for dissolved organic carbon (DOC), colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), and DBC. A simple, linear regression between DOC and DBC indicated that DBC accounted for 8.9 ± 0.3% DOC exported by Arctic rivers. To improve upon this estimate, an optical proxy for DBC was developed based upon the linear correlation between DBC concentrations and CDOM light absorption coefficients at 254 nm (a254). Relatively easy to measure a254 values were determined for 410 Arctic river samples between 2004 and 2010. Each of these a254 values was converted to a DBC concentration based upon the linear correlation, providing an extended record of DBC concentration. The extended DBC record was coupled with daily discharge data from the six rivers to estimate riverine DBC loads using the LOADEST modeling program. The six rivers studied cover 53% of the pan-Arctic watershed and exported 1.5 ± 0.1 million tons of DBC per year. Scaling up to the full area of the pan-Arctic watershed, we estimate that Arctic rivers carry 2.8 ± 0.3 million tons of DBC from land to the Arctic Ocean each year. This equates to ~8% of Arctic river DOC export, slightly less than indicated by the simpler DBC vs DOC correlation-based estimate. Riverine discharge is predicted to increase in a warmer Arctic. DBC export was positively correlated with river runoff, suggesting that the export of soil BC to the Arctic Ocean is likely to increase as the Arctic warms
Atom chips on direct bonded copper substrates
We present the use of direct bonded copper (DBC) for the straightforward
fabrication of high power atom chips. Atom chips using DBC have several
benefits: excellent copper/substrate adhesion, high purity, thick (> 100
microns) copper layers, high substrate thermal conductivity, high aspect ratio
wires, the potential for rapid (< 8 hr) fabrication, and three dimensional atom
chip structures. Two mask options for DBC atom chip fabrication are presented,
as well as two methods for etching wire patterns into the copper layer. The
wire aspect ratio that optimizes the magnetic field gradient as a function of
power dissipation is determined to be 0.84:1 (height:width). The optimal wire
thickness as a function of magnetic trapping height is also determined. A test
chip, able to support 100 A of current for 2 s without failing, is used to
determine the thermal impedance of the DBC. An assembly using two DBC atom
chips to provide magnetic confinement is also shown.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure
Ultralow phase noise microwave generation with an Er:fiber-based optical frequency divider
We present an optical frequency divider based on a 200 MHz repetition rate
Er:fiber mode-locked laser that, when locked to a stable optical frequency
reference, generates microwave signals with absolute phase noise that is equal
to or better than cryogenic microwave oscillators. At 1 Hz offset from a 10 GHz
carrier, the phase noise is below -100 dBc/Hz, limited by the optical
reference. For offset frequencies > 10 kHz, the phase noise is shot noise
limited at -145 dBc/Hz. An analysis of the contribution of the residual noise
from the Er:fiber optical frequency divider is also presented.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
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