1,325 research outputs found
Predicting seawater intrusion in coastal groundwater boreholes using self-potential data
Many coastal groundwater abstraction wells are under threat from seawater intrusion: this is exacerbated in summer by low water tables and increased abstraction. Existing hydrochemistry or geophysical techniques often fail to predict the timing of intrusion events. We investigate whether the presence and transport of seawater can influence self-potentials (SPs) measured within groundwater boreholes, with the aim of using SP monitoring to provide early warning of saline intrusion.
SP data collection: SP data were collected from a coastal groundwater borehole and an inland borehole (> 60 km from the coast) in the Seaford Chalk of southern England. The SP gradient in the inland borehole was approximately 0.05 mV/m, while that in the coastal borehole varied from 0.16-0.26 mV/m throughout the monitoring period. Spectral analysis showed that semi-diurnal fluctuations in the SP gradient were several orders of magnitude higher at the coast than inland, indicating a strong influence from oceanic tides. A characteristic decrease in the gradient, or precursor, was observed in the coastal borehole several days prior to seawater intrusion.
Modelling results: Hydrodynamic transport and geoelectric modelling suggest that observed pressure changes (associated with the streaming potential) are insufficient to explain either the magnitude of the coastal SP gradient or the semi-diurnal SP fluctuations. By contrast, a model of the exclusion-diffusion potential closely matches these observations and produces a precursor similar to that observed in the field. Sensitivity analysis suggests that both a sharp saline front and spatial variations in the exclusion efficiency arising from aquifer heterogeneities are necessary to explain the SP gradient observed in the coastal borehole. The presence of the precursor in the model depends also on the presence and depth of fractures near the base of the borehole.
Conclusions: Our results indicate that SP monitoring, combined with hydrodynamic transport and geoelectric modelling, holds considerable promise as an early warning device for seawater intrusion. We now aim to refine our understanding of the technique by applying it to a range of aquifer types
Effect of magnetic and non-magnetic impurities on highly anisotropic superconductivity
We generalize Abrikosov-Gor'kov solution of the problem of weakly coupled
superconductor with impurities on the case of a multiband superconductor with
arbitrary interband order parameter anisotropy, including interband sign
reversal of the order parameter. The solution is given in terms of the
effective (renormalized) coupling matrix and describes not only
suppression but also renormalization of the superconducting gap basically at
all temperatures. In many limiting cases we find analytical solutions for the
critical temperature suppression. We illustrate our results by numerical
calculations for two-band model systems.Comment: 18 pages (12pt) RevTeX, 4 postscript figure
Muon Capture on the Proton and Deuteron
By measuring the lifetime of the negative muon in pure protium (hydrogen-1),
the MuCap experiment determines the rate of muon capture on the proton, from
which the proton's pseudoscalar coupling g_p may be inferred. A precision of
15% for g_p has been published; this is a step along the way to a goal of 7%.
This coupling can be calculated precisely from heavy baryon chiral perturbation
theory and therefore permits a test of QCD's chiral symmetry. Meanwhile, the
MuSun experiment is in its final design stage; it will measure the rate of muon
capture on the deuteron using a similar technique. This process can be related
through pionless effective field theory and chiral perturbation theory to other
two-nucleon reactions of astrophysical interest, including proton-proton fusion
and deuteron breakup.Comment: Submitted to the proceedings of the 2007 Advanced Studies Institute
on Symmetries and Spin (SPIN-Praha-2007
Sign reversal of the order parameter in s-wave superconductors
We show that in a superconductor where two or more bands cross the Fermi
level it is possible, in the framework of the conventional (s-wave) BCS theory,
that the sign of the superconducting gap is different on the different sheets
of the Fermi surface. At least one of two conditions has to be satisfied: (1)
The interband pairing interaction is weaker than the Coulomb pseudopotential,
while the intraband one is stronger, or (2) there is strong interband
scattering by magnetic impurities. In the case of YBa% CuO we shall
argue that the first condition is possibly satisfied, and the second one very
likely satisfied. In many aspects such a sign-reversal wave superconductor
is similar to a d-wave superconductor, and thus demands revising recent
experiments aimed to distinguish between the and wave
superconductivity in this compound.Comment: RevTex; Physica C, in pres
X-ray structure of a putative reaction intermediate of 5-aminolaevulinic acid dehydratase
The X-ray structure of yeast 5-aminolaevulinic acid dehydratase, in which the catalytic site of the enzyme is complexed with a putative cyclic intermediate composed of both substrate moieties, has been solved at 0.16 nm (1.6 Å) resolution. The cyclic intermediate is bound covalently to Lys(263) with the amino group of the aminomethyl side chain ligated to the active-site zinc ion in a position normally occupied by a catalytic hydroxide ion. The cyclic intermediate is catalytically competent, as shown by its turnover in the presence of added substrate to form porphobilinogen. The findings, combined with those of previous studies, are consistent with a catalytic mechanism in which the C–C bond linking both substrates in the intermediate is formed before the C–N bond
Development of a Momentum Determined Electron Beam in the 1 -45 GeV Range
A beam line for electrons with energies in the range of 1 to 45 GeV, low
contamination of hadrons and muons and high intensity up to 10^6 per
accelerator spill at 27 GeV was setup at U70 accelerator in Protvino, Russia. A
beam tagging system based on drift chambers with 160 micron resolution was able
to measure relative electron beam momentum precisely. The resolution sigma_p p
was 0.13% at 45 GeV where multiple scattering is negligible. This test beam
setup provided the possibility to study properties of lead tungstate crystals
(PbWO_4) for the BTeV experiment at Fermilab.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures; work done by the BTeV Electromagnetic
Calorimeter grou
Comparison of Radiation Damage in Lead Tungstate Crystals under Pion and Gamma Irradiation
Studies of the radiation hardness of lead tungstate crystals produced by the
Bogoroditsk Techno-Chemical Plant in Russia and the Shanghai Institute of
Ceramics in China have been carried out at IHEP, Protvino. The crystals were
irradiated by a 40-GeV pion beam. After full recovery, the same crystals were
irradiated using a -ray source. The dose rate profiles along
the crystal length were observed to be quite similar. We compare the effects of
the two types of radiation on the crystals light output.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, Latex 2e, 28.04.04 - minor grammatical change
Correlation of Beam Electron and LED Signal Losses under Irradiation and Long-term Recovery of Lead Tungstate Crystals
Radiation damage in lead tungstate crystals reduces their transparency. The
calibration that relates the amount of light detected in such crystals to
incident energy of photons or electrons is of paramount importance to
maintaining the energy resolution the detection system. We report on tests of
lead tungstate crystals, read out by photomultiplier tubes, exposed to
irradiation by monoenergetic electron or pion beams. The beam electrons
themselves were used to measure the scintillation light output, and a blue
light emitting diode (LED) was used to track variations of crystals
transparency. We report on the correlation of the LED measurement with
radiation damage by the beams and also show that it can accurately monitor the
crystals recovery from such damage.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, LaTeX2
LED Monitoring System for the BTeV Lead Tungstate Crystal Calorimeter Prototype
We report on the performance of a monitoring system for a prototype
calorimeter for the BTeV experiment that uses Lead Tungstate crystals coupled
with photomultiplier tubes. The tests were carried out at the 70 GeV
accelerator complex at Protvino, Russia.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, LaTeX2e, revised versio
Design and performance of LED calibration system prototype for the lead tungstate crystal calorimeter
A highly stable monitoring system based on blue and red light emitting diodes
coupled to a distribution network comprised of optical fibers has been
developed for an electromagnetic calorimeter that uses lead tungstate crystals
readout with photomultiplier tubes. We report of the system prototype design
and on the results of laboratory tests. Stability better than 0.1% (r.m.s.) has
been achieved during one week of prototype operation.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, LaTeX2
- …