The Earth: Plasma Sources, Losses, and Transport Processes

This paper reviews the state of knowledge concerning the source of magnetospheric plasma at Earth. Source of plasma, its acceleration and transport throughout the system, its consequences on system dynamics, and its loss are all discussed. Both observational and modeling advances since the last time this subject was covered in detail (Hultqvist et al., Magnetospheric Plasma Sources and Losses, 1999) are addressed

Measurement of the correlation between flow harmonics of different order in lead-lead collisions at √sNN = 2.76 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Correlations between the elliptic or triangular flow coefficients vm (m=2 or 3) and other flow harmonics vn (n=2 to 5) are measured using √sNN=2.76 TeV Pb+Pb collision data collected in 2010 by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 7 μb−1. The vm−vn correlations are measured in midrapidity as a function of centrality, and, for events within the same centrality interval, as a function of event ellipticity or triangularity defined in a forward rapidity region. For events within the same centrality interval, v3 is found to be anticorrelated with v2 and this anticorrelation is consistent with similar anticorrelations between the corresponding eccentricities, ε2 and ε3. However, it is observed that v4 increases strongly with v2, and v5 increases strongly with both v2 and v3. The trend and strength of the vm−vn correlations for n=4 and 5 are found to disagree with εm−εn correlations predicted by initial-geometry models. Instead, these correlations are found to be consistent with the combined effects of a linear contribution to vn and a nonlinear term that is a function of v22 or of v2v3, as predicted by hydrodynamic models. A simple two-component fit is used to separate these two contributions. The extracted linear and nonlinear contributions to v4 and v5 are found to be consistent with previously measured event-plane correlations

Planned observations of thermal plasma drifts and solar wind interactions in the Martian ionosphere

The structure and dynamics of the Martian ionosphere are believed to be strongly dependent on the nature, magnitude, and topology of its magnetic field, and whether or not Mars has an intrinsic magnetic field. Due to the weak magnetic field on Mars, the Martian ionosphere interacts directly with the solar wind, resulting in significant outflows of keV ion beams and lower-energy “pick-up ” ions. We discuss the planned study of ion drifts and solar wind interactions in the Martian ionosphere using the Planet-B Thermal Plasma Analyzer. 1

One-step method for separation and identification of n-alkanes/oligomers in HDPE using high-temperature high-performance liquid chromatography

n-ALkanes are often an important ingredient of waxes, oils, gasoline, and a byproduct in polyolefins. Separation and identification of alkanes in commercial high-density polyethylene (HDPE) are of vital importance from various points of view. Currently used chromatographic techniques require extraction and laborious preconcentration. Porous graphite Hypercarb as a stationary phase in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in combination with a mobile phase gradient n-decane -> 1,2-dichlorobenzene (ODCB) enables a selective separation of C-40-C-160 n-alkanes at temperatures between 100 and 160 degrees C. Thus, it is possible to resolve the individual alkanes in HDPE of 1 kg/mol. An unambiguous assignment of the individual homologues in the chromatogram was possible by doping the HDPE with a C60 standard, and the results were also confirmed by MALDI TOF. Using this method, the presence of alkanes in a HDPE sample with a weight-average molar mass of 70 kg/mol could be shown. n-Hexane as isocratic mobile phase enables to separate and identify n-alkanes in the range C-18-C-36 in a mixture at a temperature of 50 degrees C while alkanes with lower carbon numbers are not detected with the evaporative light scattering detector used in this study. The newly developed HPLC system allows separation and identification of alkanes in model blends as well as in high molecular weight HDPE without any prior extraction and work-up. The upper limit of detection with regard to carbon number is superior to the traditionally used gas chromatography