12,978 research outputs found
Large scale distribution of total mass versus luminous matter from Baryon Acoustic Oscillations: First search in the SDSS-III BOSS Data Release 10
Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAOs) in the early Universe are predicted to
leave an as yet undetected signature on the relative clustering of total mass
versus luminous matter. A detection of this effect would provide an important
confirmation of the standard cosmological paradigm and constrain alternatives
to dark matter as well as non-standard fluctuations such as Compensated
Isocurvature Perturbations (CIPs). We conduct the first observational search
for this effect, by comparing the number-weighted and luminosity-weighted
correlation functions, using the SDSS-III BOSS Data Release 10 CMASS sample.
When including CIPs in our model, we formally obtain evidence at of
the relative clustering signature and a limit that matches the existing upper
limits on the amplitude of CIPs. However, various tests suggest that these
results are not yet robust, perhaps due to systematic biases in the data. The
method developed in this Letter, used with more accurate future data such as
that from DESI, is likely to confirm or disprove our preliminary evidence.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in PR
Global turbulence simulations of the tokamak edge region with GRILLIX
Turbulent dynamics in the scrape-off layer (SOL) of magnetic fusion devices
is intermittent with large fluctuations in density and pressure. Therefore, a
model is required that allows perturbations of similar or even larger magnitude
to the time-averaged background value. The fluid-turbulence code GRILLIX is
extended to such a global model, which consistently accounts for large
variation in plasma parameters. Derived from the drift reduced Braginskii
equations, the new GRILLIX model includes electromagnetic and electron-thermal
dynamics, retains global parametric dependencies and the Boussinesq
approximation is not applied. The penalisation technique is combined with the
flux-coordinate independent (FCI) approach [F. Hariri and M. Ottaviani,
Comput.Phys.Commun. 184:2419, (2013); A. Stegmeir et al., Comput.Phys.Commun.
198:139, (2016)], which allows to study realistic diverted geometries with
X-point(s) and general boundary contours. We characterise results from
turbulence simulations and investigate the effect of geometry by comparing
simulations in circular geometry with toroidal limiter against realistic
diverted geometry at otherwise comparable parameters. Turbulence is found to be
intermittent with relative fluctuation levels of up to 40% showing that a
global description is indeed important. At the same time via direct comparison,
we find that the Boussinesq approximation has only a small quantitative impact
in a turbulent environment. In comparison to circular geometry the fluctuations
are reduced in diverted geometry, which is related to a different zonal flow
structure. Moreover, the fluctuation level has a more complex spatial
distribution in diverted geometry. Due to local magnetic shear, which differs
fundamentally in circular and diverted geometry, turbulent structures become
strongly distorted in the perpendicular direction and are eventually damped
away towards the X-point
Analysis of variation in distance, number, and distribution of spotting in southeast Australian wildfires
Spotting during wildfires can significantly influence the way wildfires spread and reduce the chances of successful containment by fire crews. However, there is little published empirical evidence of the phenomenon. In this study, we have analysed spotting patterns observed from 251 wildfires from a database of over 8000 aerial line scan images capturing active wildfire across mainland southeast Australia between 2002 and 2018. The images were used to measure spot fire numbers, number of âlong-distanceâ spot fires (> 500 m), and maximum spotting distance. We describe three types of spotting distance distributions, compare patterns among different regions of southeast Australia, and associate these with broad measures of rainfall, elevation, and fuel type. We found a relatively high correlation between spotting distance and numbers; however, there were also several cases of wildfires with low spot fire numbers producing very long-distance spot fires. Most long-distance spotting was associated with a âmulti-modalâ distribution type, where high numbers of spot fires ignite close to the source fire and isolated or small clumps of spot fires ignite at longer distances. The multi-modal distribution suggests that current models of spotting distance, which typically follow an exponential-shaped distribution, could underestimate long-distance spotting. We also found considerable regional variation in spotting phenomena that may be associated with significant variation in rainfall, topographic ruggedness, and fuel descriptors. East Victoria was the most spot-fire-prone of the regions, particularly in terms of long-distance spotting
Vector bundles on the projective line and finite domination of chain complexes
Finitely dominated chain complexes over a Laurent polynomial ring in one
indeterminate are characterised by vanishing of their Novikov homology. We
present an algebro-geometric approach to this result, based on extension of
chain complexes to sheaves on the projective line. We also discuss the
K-theoretical obstruction to extension.Comment: v1: 11 page
Prewetting transitions of Ar and Ne on alkali metal surfaces
We have studied by means of Density-Functional calculations the wetting
properties of Ar and Ne adsorbed on a plane whose adsorption properties
simulate the Li and Na surfaces. We use reliable ab-initio potentials to model
the gas-substrate interactions. Evidence for prewetting transitions is found
for all the systems investigated and their wetting phase diagrams are
calculated.Comment: 6 pages, 8 figures, submitted for publication in Phys. Rev.
Gas-induced segregation in Pt-Rh alloy nanoparticles observed by in-situ Bragg coherent diffraction imaging
Bimetallic catalysts can undergo segregation or redistribution of the metals
driven by oxidizing and reducing environments. Bragg coherent diffraction
imaging (BCDI) was used to relate displacement fields to compositional
distributions in crystalline Pt-Rh alloy nanoparticles. 3D images of internal
composition showed that the radial distribution of compositions reverses
partially between the surface shell and the core when gas flow changes between
O2 and H2. Our observation suggests that the elemental segregation of
nanoparticle catalysts should be highly active during heterogeneous catalysis
and can be a controlling factor in synthesis of electrocatalysts. In addition,
our study exemplifies applications of BCDI for in situ 3D imaging of internal
equilibrium compositions in other bimetallic alloy nanoparticles
Banking from Leeds, not London: regional strategy and structure at the Yorkshire Bank, 1859â1952
Industrial philanthropist Edward Akroyd created the Yorkshire Penny Savings Bank in 1859. Despite competition from the Post Office Savings Bank after 1861 and a serious reserve problem in 1911, it sustained his overall strategy to become a successful regional bank. Using archival and contemporary sources to build on recent scholarship illustrating how savings banks were integrated into local economies and the complementary roles of philanthropy and paternalism, we analyse an English regional bank's strategy, including an assessment of strategic innovation, ownership changes and management structure. This will demonstrate that the founder's vision continued, even though the 1911 crisis radically altered both strategy and structure
Effect of vessel wettability on the foamability of "ideal" surfactants and "real-world" beer heads
The ability to tailor the foaming properties of a solution by controlling its chemical composition is highly desirable and has been the subject of extensive research driven by a range of applications. However, the control of foams by varying the wettability of the foaming vessel has been less widely reported. This work investigates the effect of the wettability of the side walls of vessels used for the in situ generation of foam by shaking aqueous solutions of three different types of model surfactant systems (non-ionic, anionic and cationic surfactants) along with four different beers (Guinness Original, Banksâs Bitter, Bass No 1 and Harvest Pale). We found that hydrophilic vials increased the foamability only for the three model systems but increased foam stability for all foams except the model cationic system. We then compared stability of beer foams produced by shaking and pouring and demonstrated weak qualitative agreement between both foam methods. We also showed how wettability of the glass controls bubble nucleation for beers and champagne and used this effect to control exactly where bubbles form using simple wettability patterns
Large-Mass Ultra-Low Noise Germanium Detectors: Performance and Applications in Neutrino and Astroparticle Physics
A new type of radiation detector, a p-type modified electrode germanium
diode, is presented. The prototype displays, for the first time, a combination
of features (mass, energy threshold and background expectation) required for a
measurement of coherent neutrino-nucleus scattering in a nuclear reactor
experiment. The device hybridizes the mass and energy resolution of a
conventional HPGe coaxial gamma spectrometer with the low electronic noise and
threshold of a small x-ray semiconductor detector, also displaying an intrinsic
ability to distinguish multiple from single-site particle interactions. The
present performance of the prototype and possible further improvements are
discussed, as well as other applications for this new type of device in
neutrino and astroparticle physics (double-beta decay, neutrino magnetic moment
and WIMP searches).Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev.
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