3,064 research outputs found
Pulse-to-pulse intensity modulation and drifting subpulses in recycled pulsars
We report the detection of pulse-to-pulse periodic intensity modulations, in
observations of recycled pulsars. Even though the detection of individual
pulses was generally not possible due to their low flux density and short
duration, through the accumulation of statistics over sequences of 10^5--10^6
pulses we were able to determine the presence and properties of the
pulse-to-pulse intensity variations of six pulsars. In most cases we found that
the modulation included a weak, broadly quasi-periodic component. For two
pulsars the sensitivity was high enough to ascertain that the modulation phase
apparently varies systematically across the profile, indicating that the
modulation appears as drifting subpulses. We detected brighter than average
individual pulses in several pulsars, with energies up to 2--7 times higher
than the mean, similar to results from normal pulsars. We were sensitive to
giant pulses of a rate of occurrence equal to (and in many instances much lower
than) that of PSR B1937+21 at 1400 MHz (~30 times lower than at 430 MHz), but
none were detected, indicating that the phenomenon is rare in recycled pulsars.Comment: 15 pages, 17 figures, accepted to A&
Astronomy using basic Mark 2 very long baseline interferometry
Two experiments were performed in April and September 1976 to determine precise positions of radio sources using conventional Mark 2 VLBI techniques. Four stations in the continental United States observed at a wavelength of 18 cm. The recording bandwidth was 2 MHz. The preliminary results using analyses of fringe rate and delay are discussed and the source positions compared with the results of other measurements
Gravitational Waves Probe the Coalescence Rate of Massive Black Hole Binaries
We calculate the expected nHz--Hz gravitational wave (GW) spectrum from
coalescing Massive Black Hole (MBH) binaries resulting from mergers of their
host galaxies. We consider detection of this spectrum by precision pulsar
timing and a future Pulsar Timing Array. The spectrum depends on the merger
rate of massive galaxies, the demographics of MBHs at low and high redshift,
and the dynamics of MBH binaries. We apply recent theoretical and observational
work on all of these fronts. The spectrum has a characteristic strain
, just below the detection limit from
recent analysis of precision pulsar timing measurements. However, the amplitude
of the spectrum is still very uncertain owing to approximations in the
theoretical formulation of the model, to our lack of knowledge of the merger
rate and MBH population at high redshift, and to the dynamical problem of
removing enough angular momentum from the MBH binary to reach a GW-dominated
regime.Comment: 31 Pages, 8 Figures, small changes to match the published versio
Settlement of Macoma balthica larvae in response to benthic diatom films
The role of multi-species benthic diatom films (BDF) in the settlement of late pediveliger larvae of the bivalve Macoma balthica was investigated in still-water bioassays and multiple choice flume experiments. Axenic diatom cultures that were isolated from a tidal mudflat inhabited by M. balthica were selected to develop BDF sediment treatments characterized by a different community structure, biomass, and amount of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). Control sediments had no added diatoms. Although all larvae settled and initiated burrowing within the first minute after their addition in still water, regardless of treatment, only 48-52% had completely penetrated the high diatom biomass treatments after 5 min, while on average 80 and 69% of the larvae had settled and burrowed into the control sediments and BDF with a low diatom biomass (<3.5 mu g Chl a g(-1) dry sediment), respectively. The percentage of larvae settling and burrowing into the sediment was negatively correlated with the concentration of Chl a and EPS of the BDF. This suggests higher physical resistance to bivalve penetration by the BDF with higher diatom biomass and more associated sugar and protein compounds. The larval settlement rate in annular flume experiments at flow velocities of 5 and 15 cm s(-1) was distinctly lower compared to the still-water assays. Only 4.6-5.8% of the larvae were recovered from BDF and control sediments after 3 h. Nonetheless, a clear settlement preference was observed for BDF in the flume experiments; i.e., larvae settled significantly more in BDF compared to control sediments irrespective of flow speed. Comparison with the settlement of polystyrene mimics and freeze-killed larvae led to the conclusion that active selection, active secondary dispersal and, at low flow velocities (5 cm s(-1)), passive adhesion to the sediment are important mechanisms determining the settlement of M. balthica larvae in estuarine biofilms
Radio-wave propagation through a medium containing electron-density fluctuations described by an anisotropic Goldreich-Sridhar spectrum
We study the propagation of radio waves through a medium possessing density
fluctuations that are elongated along the ambient magnetic field and described
by an anisotropic Goldreich-Sridhar power spectrum. We derive general formulas
for the wave phase structure function, visibility, angular broadening,
diffraction-pattern length scales, and scintillation time scale for arbitrary
distributions of turbulence along the line of sight, and specialize these
formulas to idealized cases.Comment: 25 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Ap
S2DFS: Analysis of temporal changes of drifting subpulses
We introduce a new technique, called the Sliding Two-Dimensional Fluctuation
Spectrum, used for detecting and characterising the temporal changes of
drifting subpulses from radio pulsars. The method was tested using simulated
data as well as archived observations made with the WSRT at wavelengths of 92
and 21 cm. The drifting subpulse phenomenon is a well known property of radio
pulsars. However the properties of the temporal behaviour of drifting subpulses
are not fully explored. The drifting can also be non-coherent and the presence
of effects like nulling or drift rate changing can mask the drifting behaviour
of the pulsar. The S2DFS is a robust method for investigating this phenomenon
and by introducing it we aim to expand our knowledge of the temporal drifting
subpulse properties. Our new analysis method uses horizonally collapsed
fluctuation spectra obtained with the Two-Dimensional Fluctuation Spectrum
method. Stacking the collapsed spectra obtained in a 256 pulse window which
slides by a pulse at a time produces a map of the collapsed fluctuation
spectrum. By analysing the maps one can easily determine the presence of any
temporal drift changes. Simulated data showed that the technique can reveal the
presence of any temporal changes in drift behaviour like mode changing or
nulling. We have also analysed data of three pulsars, PSRs B0031-07, B1819-22
and B1944+17, which were selected based on the quality of the data and their
known drift properties. All three sources are known to exhibit mode changes
which could easily be seen in the S2DFS. The results from the analysis of the
data sets used in this paper have shown that the S2DFS method is robust and
complimentary to the 2DFS method in detecting and characterising the temporal
changes in drifting subpulses from radio pulsars.Comment: accepted for publication in A&A, 10 pages, 7 figures, 1 tabl
Ellipticity and Deviations from Orthogonality in the Polarization Modes of PSR B0329+54
We report on an analysis of the polarization of single pulses of PSR B0329+54
at 328 MHz. We find that the distribution of polarization orientations in the
central component diverges strongly from the standard picture of orthogonal
polarization modes (OPMs), making a remarkable partial annulus on the Poincare
sphere. A second, tightly clustered region of density appears in the opposite
hemisphere, at a point antipodal to the centre of the annulus. We argue that
this can be understood in terms of birefringent alterations in the relative
phase of two elliptically polarized propagation modes in the pulsar
magnetosphere (i.e. generalised Faraday rotation). The ellipticity of the modes
implies a significant charge density in the plasma, while the presence of both
senses of circular polarization, and the fact that only one mode shows the
effect, supports the view that refracted ordinary-mode rays are involved in the
production of the annulus. At other pulse longitudes the polarization
(including the circular component) is broadly consistent with an origin in
elliptical OPMs, shown here quantitatively for the first time, however
considerable non-orthogonal contributions serve to broaden the orientation
distribution in an isotropic manner.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, to appear in A&
Nitrates in drinking water and methemoglobin levels in pregnancy: a longitudinal study
This is the final version of the article. Available from BioMed Central via the DOI in this record.BACKGROUND: Private water systems are more likely to have nitrate levels above the maximum contaminant level (MCL). Pregnant women are considered vulnerable to the effects of exposure to high levels of nitrates in drinking water due to their altered physiological states. The level of methemoglobin in the blood is the biomarker often used in research for assessing exposure to nitrates. The objective of this study was to assess methemoglobin levels and examine how various factors affected methemoglobin levels during pregnancy. We also examined whether differences in water use practices existed among pregnant women based on household drinking water source of private vs. public supply. METHODS: A longitudinal study of 357 pregnant women was conducted. Longitudinal regression models were used to examine changes and predictors of the change in methemoglobin levels over the period of gestation. RESULTS: Pregnant women showed a decrease in methemoglobin levels with increasing gestation although <1% had levels above the physiologic normal of 2% methemoglobin, regardless of the source of their drinking water. The multivariable analyses did not show a statistically significant association between methemoglobin levels and the estimated nitrate intake from tap water among pregnant women around 36 weeks gestation (β = 0.046, p = 0.986). Four women had tap water nitrate levels above the MCL of 10 mg/L. At enrollment, a greater proportion of women who reported using water treatment devices were private wells users (66%) compared to public system users (46%) (p < 0.0001). Also, a greater proportion of private well users (27%) compared to public system users (13%) were using devices capable of removing nitrate from water (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Pregnant women potentially exposed to nitrate levels primarily below the MCL for drinking water were unlikely to show methemoglobin levels above the physiologic normal. Water use practices such as the use of treatment devices to remove nitrates varied according to water source and should be considered in the assessment of exposure to nitrates in future studies
Low Speed Estimation of Sensorless DTC Induction Motor Drive Using MRAS with Neuro Fuzzy Adaptive Controller
This paper presents a closed loop Model Reference Adaptive system (MRAS) observer with artificial intelligent Nuero fuzzy controller (NFC) as the adaptation technique to mitigate the low speed estimation issues and to improvise the performance of the Sensorless Direct Torque Controlled (DTC) Induction Motor Drives (IMD). Rotor flux MRAS and reactive power MRAS with NFC is explored and detailed analysis is carried out for low speed estimation. Comparative analysis between rotor flux MRAS and reactive power MRAS with PI as well as NFC as adaptive controller is performed and results are presented in this paper. The comparative analysis among these four speed estimation methods shows that reactive power MRAS with NFC as adaptation mechanism shows reduced speed estimation error and actual speed error at steady state operating conditions when the drive is subjected to low speed operation. Simulation carried out using MATLAB-Simulink software to validate the performance of the drive especially at low speeds with rated and variable load conditions
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