Characteristics and energy dependence of recurrent galactic cosmic-ray flux depressions and of a forbush decrease with LISA Pathfinder

The final publication is available at IOS Press through http://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aaa774Galactic cosmic-ray (GCR) energy spectra observed in the inner heliosphere are modulated by the solar activity, the solar polarity and structures of solar and interplanetary origin. A high counting rate particle detector (PD) aboard LISA Pathfinder, meant for subsystems diagnostics, was devoted to the measurement of GCR and solar energetic particle integral fluxes above 70 MeV n-1 up to 6500 counts s-1. PD data were gathered with a sampling time of 15 s. Characteristics and energy dependence of GCR flux recurrent depressions and of a Forbush decrease dated 2016 August 2 are reported here. The capability of interplanetary missions, carrying PDs for instrument performance purposes, in monitoring the passage of interplanetary coronal mass ejections is also discussed.Peer ReviewedPreprin

Optimizing the Earth-LISA "rendez-vous"

We present a general survey of heliocentric LISA orbits, hoping it might help in the exercise of rescoping the mission. We try to semi-analytically optimize the orbital parameters in order to minimize the disturbances coming from the Earth-LISA interaction. In a set of numerical simulations we include nonautonomous perturbations and provide an estimate of Doppler shift and breathing as a function of the trailing angle.Comment: 18 pages, 16 figures. Submitted on CQ

An investigation of the RWPE prostate derived family of cell lines using FTIR spectroscopy

Interest in developing robust, quicker and easier diagnostic tests for cancer has lead to an increased use of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to meet that need. In this study we present the use of different experimental modes of infrared spectroscopy to investigate the RWPE human prostate epithelial cell line family which are derived from the same source but differ in their mode of transformation and their mode of invasive phenotype. Importantly, analysis of the infrared spectra obtained using different experimental modes of infrared spectroscopy produces similar results. The RWPE family of cell lines can be separated into groups based upon the method of cell transformation rather than the resulting invasiveness/aggressiveness of the cell line. The study also demonstrates the possibility of using a genetic algorithm as a possible standardised pre-processing step and raises the important question of the usefulness of cell lines to create a biochemical model of prostate cancer progression

MiniGRAIL progress report 2004

The MiniGRAIL detector was improved. The sphere was replaced by a slightly larger one, having a diameter of 68 cm (instead of 65 cm), reducing the resonant frequency by about 200 Hz to around 2.9 kHz. The last four masses of the attenuation system were machined to increase their resonant frequency and improve the attenuation around the resonant frequency of the sphere. In the new sphere, six holes were machined on the TIGA positions for easy mounting of the transducers. During the last cryogenic run, two capacitive transducers and a calibrator were mounted on the sphere. The first transducer was coupled to a double-stage SQUID amplifier having a commercial quantum design SQUID as a first stage and a DROS as a second stage. The second transducer was read by a single-stage quantum design SQUID. During the cryogenic run, the sphere was cooled down to 4 K. The two-stage SQUID had a flux noise of about 1.6 μ0 Hz−1/2. The detector was calibrated and the sensitivity curve of MiniGRAIL was determined

Reversing conditional orderings

We analyze some specific aspects concerning conditional orderings and relations among them. To this purpose we define a suitable concept of reversed conditional ordering and prove some related results. In particular we aim to compare the univariate stochastic orderings ≤ st, ≤ hr, and ≤ lr in terms of differences among different notions of conditional orderings. Some applications of our result to the analysis of positive dependence will be detailed. We concentrate attention to the case of a pair of scalar random variables X, Y ​. Suitable extensions to multivariate cases are possible

Distorted Copulas: Constructions and Tail Dependence

Given a copula C, we examine under which conditions on an order isomorphism ψ of [0, 1] the distortion C ψ: [0, 1]2 → [0, 1], C ψ(x, y) = ψ{C[ψ−1(x), ψ−1(y)]} is again a copula. In particular, when the copula C is totally positive of order 2, we give a sufficient condition on ψ that ensures that any distortion of C by means of ψ is again a copula. The presented results allow us to introduce in a more flexible way families of copulas exhibiting different behavior in the tails

Complete model of a spherical gravitational wave detector with capacitive transducers. Calibration and sensitivity optimization

We report the results of a detailed numerical analysis of a real resonant spherical gravitational wave antenna operating with six resonant two-mode capacitive transducers read out by superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUID) amplifiers. We derive a set of equations to describe the electro-mechanical dynamics of the detector. The model takes into account the effect of all the noise sources present in each transducer chain: the thermal noise associated with the mechanical resonators, the thermal noise from the superconducting impedance matching transformer, the back-action noise and the additive current noise of the SQUID amplifier. Asymmetries in the detector signal-to-noise ratio and bandwidth, coming from considering the transducers not as point-like objects but as sensor with physically defined geometry and dimension, are also investigated. We calculate the sensitivity for an ultracryogenic, 30 ton, 2 meter in diameter, spherical detector with optimal and non-optimal impedance matching of the electrical read-out scheme to the mechanical modes. The results of the analysis is useful not only to optimize existing smaller mass spherical detector like MiniGrail, in Leiden, but also as a technological guideline for future massive detectors. Furthermore we calculate the antenna patterns when the sphere operates with one, three and six resonators. The sky coverage for two detectors based in The Netherlands and Brasil and operating in coincidence is also estimated. Finally, we describe and numerically verify a calibration and filtering procedure useful for diagnostic and detection purposes in analogy with existing resonant bar detectors.Comment: 23 pages, 20 figures, codes of the simulations are available on request by contacting the autho

Characterization of faecal sludge during dry and rainy seasons in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Faecal sludge (FS) management is a challenging problem in low-income countries where large parts of the urban population rely on onsite sanitation systems. The design of treatment plants relies on accurate knowledge of FS characteristics, but this information is lacking. The goal of this study, conducted between December 2010 and September 2011, was to determine physical and chemical characteristics of raw FS from collection and transport trucks in 5 discharge sites in Ouagadougou. Over 100 samples directly collected during truck discharge were analysed. Analyses included suspended solids, volatile suspended solids, total solids, total volatile solids, sludge volume index, chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, and heavy metals. The FS characteristics were highly variable, but had similar characteristics for FS collected during the dry and rainy seasons and at different discharge sites. The type of onsite system had an influence on FS characteristics

Caracterização tecnológica e aptidão mercadológica de clones de lima ácida 'Tahiti'.

A produção nacional de lima ácida Tahiti (Citrus latifolia Tanaka) possui três mercados bastante distintos: mercado interno, processamento industrial e a exportação de frutos in natura. Embora o mercado interno seja o principal destino da produção, merece destaque o aumento das exportações brasileiras da fruta que setuplicaram no período 2000-2006 alcançando US$ 32 milhões (SILVA; ALMEIDA; FERRAZ, 2008). No mercado interno, os preços praticados acompanham a disponibilidade da fruta, atingindo valores máximos nos meses de entressafra, quando a oferta é restrita. No período de safra, quando a oferta da fruta é maior, o produtor tem como alternativa a exportação de frutos, cujos preços são superiores aos praticados pelo mercado interno. De forma geral, o processamento industrial é o destino dos frutos que não atendem as exigências do mercado interno e externo.pdf 159