265 research outputs found
Nonlinear ion-acoustic (IA) waves driven in a cylindrically symmetric flow
By employing a self-similar, two-fluid MHD model in a cylindrical geometry,
we study the features of nonlinear ion-acoustic (IA) waves which propagate in
the direction of external magnetic field lines in space plasmas. Numerical
calculations not only expose the well-known three shapes of nonlinear
structures (sinusoidal, sawtooth, and spiky or bipolar) which are observed by
numerous satellites and simulated by models in a Cartesian geometry, but also
illustrate new results, such as, two reversely propagating nonlinear waves,
density dips and humps, diverging and converging electric shocks, etc. A case
study on Cluster satellite data is also introduced.Comment: accepted by AS
Water as a catalytic switch in the oxidation of aryl alcohols by polymer incarcerated rhodium nanoparticles
One of the major goals in the oxidation of organic substrates, and especially for alcohol oxidation, is the use of molecular oxygen as the oxidant under mild conditions. Here we report the synthesis and testing of Rh polymer incarcerated catalysts, using a metal so far not used for alcohol oxidation reactions, in which the catalytic activity towards aryl alcohol oxidation, for substrates like 1-phenylethanol and benzyl alcohol, is switched on by the addition of water as co-solvent in toluene. This is done by using air as oxidant at atmospheric pressure, in one of the mildest reaction conditions reported for this class of reaction. The promoting effect of water to higher conversions was observed also for rhodium over alumina supported catalysts, which were used as a benchmark allowing in all cases high conversion and selectivity to the ketone or the aldehyde within a short reaction time. The effect of water was explained as a medium capable to promote the oxidation of the alcohol to the ketone in a biphasic system assisted by phase transfer catalysis. This is particularly relevant for alcohols like 1-phenylethanol or benzyl alcohol that are not soluble in water at room temperature, and for which alternative oxidation routes are needed, as well as to switch on the catalytic activity of metal nanoparticles in a facile and green manner for the activation of molecular oxygen. Aliphatic alcohols like 1-octanol and 3-octanol were also tested, still showing Rh based catalysts as promising materials for this reaction if toluene only was used as solvent instead
Virtual Compton Scattering and Neutral Pion Electroproduction in the Resonance Region up to the Deep Inelastic Region at Backward Angles
We have made the first measurements of the virtual Compton scattering (VCS)
process via the H exclusive reaction in the nucleon resonance
region, at backward angles. Results are presented for the -dependence at
fixed GeV, and for the -dependence at fixed near 1.5 GeV.
The VCS data show resonant structures in the first and second resonance
regions. The observed -dependence is smooth. The measured ratio of
H to H cross sections emphasizes the different
sensitivity of these two reactions to the various nucleon resonances. Finally,
when compared to Real Compton Scattering (RCS) at high energy and large angles,
our VCS data at the highest (1.8-1.9 GeV) show a striking -
independence, which may suggest a transition to a perturbative scattering
mechanism at the quark level.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figures. To appear in Phys.Rev.
Probing exotic phenomena at the interface of nuclear and particle physics with the electric dipole moments of diamagnetic atoms: A unique window to hadronic and semi-leptonic CP violation
The current status of electric dipole moments of diamagnetic atoms which
involves the synergy between atomic experiments and three different theoretical
areas -- particle, nuclear and atomic is reviewed. Various models of particle
physics that predict CP violation, which is necessary for the existence of such
electric dipole moments, are presented. These include the standard model of
particle physics and various extensions of it. Effective hadron level combined
charge conjugation (C) and parity (P) symmetry violating interactions are
derived taking into consideration different ways in which a nucleon interacts
with other nucleons as well as with electrons. Nuclear structure calculations
of the CP-odd nuclear Schiff moment are discussed using the shell model and
other theoretical approaches. Results of the calculations of atomic electric
dipole moments due to the interaction of the nuclear Schiff moment with the
electrons and the P and time-reversal (T) symmetry violating
tensor-pseudotensor electron-nucleus are elucidated using different
relativistic many-body theories. The principles of the measurement of the
electric dipole moments of diamagnetic atoms are outlined. Upper limits for the
nuclear Schiff moment and tensor-pseudotensor coupling constant are obtained
combining the results of atomic experiments and relativistic many-body
theories. The coefficients for the different sources of CP violation have been
estimated at the elementary particle level for all the diamagnetic atoms of
current experimental interest and their implications for physics beyond the
standard model is discussed. Possible improvements of the current results of
the measurements as well as quantum chromodynamics, nuclear and atomic
calculations are suggested.Comment: 46 pages, 19 tables and 16 figures. A review article accepted for
EPJ
Quasielastic (e,e′p) reaction on 12C,56Fe, and 197Au
We report the results from a systematic study of the quasielastic (e,e′p) reaction on 12C, 56Fe, and 197Au performed at Jefferson Lab. We have measured nuclear transparency and extracted spectral functions (corrected for radiation) over a Q2 range of 0.64–3.25 (GeV∕c)2 for all three nuclei. In addition, we have extracted separated longitudinal and transverse spectral functions at Q2 of 0.64 and 1.8 (GeV∕c)2 for these three nuclei (except for 197Au at the higher Q2). The spectral functions are compared to a number of theoretical calculations. The measured spectral functions differ in detail but not in overall shape from most of the theoretical models. In all three targets the measured spectral functions show considerable excess transverse strength at Q2=0.64 (GeV∕c)2, which is much reduced at 1.8 (GeV∕c)2
Separated spectral functions for the quasifree 12C(e,e′p) reaction
A separation of the longitudinal and transverse 12C(e,e′p) cross sections in the quasifree region has been performed in parallel kinematics at Q2 of 0.64 and 1.8 GeV2 for initial proton momentum <80 MeV. The separated transverse and longitudinal spectral functions at Q2=0.64GeV2 show significant differences for missing energy between 25 and 60 MeV indicating a breakdown in the single nucleon knockout picture. The transverse spectral functions exhibit definite momentum transfer dependence
Developing a predictive modelling capacity for a climate change-vulnerable blanket bog habitat: Assessing 1961-1990 baseline relationships
Aim: Understanding the spatial distribution of high priority habitats and
developing predictive models using climate and environmental variables to
replicate these distributions are desirable conservation goals. The aim of this
study was to model and elucidate the contributions of climate and topography to
the distribution of a priority blanket bog habitat in Ireland, and to examine how
this might inform the development of a climate change predictive capacity for
peat-lands in Ireland.
Methods: Ten climatic and two topographic variables were recorded for grid
cells with a spatial resolution of 1010 km, covering 87% of the mainland
land surface of Ireland. Presence-absence data were matched to these variables
and generalised linear models (GLMs) fitted to identify the main climatic and
terrain predictor variables for occurrence of the habitat. Candidate predictor
variables were screened for collinearity, and the accuracy of the final fitted GLM
was evaluated using fourfold cross-validation based on the area under the curve
(AUC) derived from a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) plot. The GLM
predicted habitat occurrence probability maps were mapped against the actual
distributions using GIS techniques.
Results: Despite the apparent parsimony of the initial GLM using only climatic
variables, further testing indicated collinearity among temperature and precipitation
variables for example. Subsequent elimination of the collinear variables and
inclusion of elevation data produced an excellent performance based on the AUC
scores of the final GLM. Mean annual temperature and total mean annual
precipitation in combination with elevation range were the most powerful
explanatory variable group among those explored for the presence of blanket
bog habitat.
Main conclusions: The results confirm that this habitat distribution in general
can be modelled well using the non-collinear climatic and terrain variables tested
at the grid resolution used. Mapping the GLM-predicted distribution to the
observed distribution produced useful results in replicating the projected
occurrence of the habitat distribution over an extensive area. The methods
developed will usefully inform future climate change predictive modelling for
Irelan
Size Doesn't Matter: Towards a More Inclusive Philosophy of Biology
notes: As the primary author, O’Malley drafted the paper, and gathered and analysed data (scientific papers and talks). Conceptual analysis was conducted by both authors.publication-status: Publishedtypes: ArticlePhilosophers of biology, along with everyone else, generally perceive life to fall into two broad categories, the microbes and macrobes, and then pay most of their attention to the latter. ‘Macrobe’ is the word we propose for larger life forms, and we use it as part of an argument for microbial equality. We suggest that taking more notice of microbes – the dominant life form on the planet, both now and throughout evolutionary history – will transform some of the philosophy of biology’s standard ideas on ontology, evolution, taxonomy and biodiversity. We set out a number of recent developments in microbiology – including biofilm formation, chemotaxis, quorum sensing and gene transfer – that highlight microbial capacities for cooperation and communication and break down conventional thinking that microbes are solely or primarily single-celled organisms. These insights also bring new perspectives to the levels of selection debate, as well as to discussions of the evolution and nature of multicellularity, and to neo-Darwinian understandings of evolutionary mechanisms. We show how these revisions lead to further complications for microbial classification and the philosophies of systematics and biodiversity. Incorporating microbial insights into the philosophy of biology will challenge many of its assumptions, but also give greater scope and depth to its investigations
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