6,793 research outputs found
An integrative clustering approach combining particle swarm optimization and formal concept analysis
Simulation of a Hybrid Optical/Radio/Acoustic Extension to IceCube for EeV Neutrino Detection
Astrophysical neutrinos at EeV energies promise to be an interesting
source for astrophysics and particle physics. Detecting the predicted
cosmogenic (``GZK'') neutrinos at 10 - 10 eV would test models of
cosmic ray production at these energies and probe particle physics at 100
TeV center-of-mass energy. While IceCube could detect 1 GZK event per
year, it is necessary to detect 10 or more events per year in order to study
temporal, angular, and spectral distributions. The IceCube observatory may be
able to achieve such event rates with an extension including optical, radio,
and acoustic receivers. We present results from simulating such a hybrid
detector.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures; to appear in the Proceedings of the 29th ICRC,
Pune, Indi
Molecular relaxation effects in hydrogen chloride photoacoustic detection
A photoacoustic (PA) sensor has been developed to monitor hydrogen chloride at sub-ppm level in the 1740-nm region. The system was designed to control the process in the novel low-water-peak optical fiber manufacturing process. Relaxation effects in hydrogen chloride PA detection in oxygen-helium and nitrogen-helium gas mixtures are presented, showing that the generation of the PA signal is strongly affected by the ratio of these substances. In addition, the role of water vapor in the PA signal is investigate
Near-infrared laser photoacoustic detection of methane: the impact of molecular relaxation
A photoacoustic sensor has been developed for trace-gas monitoring using a near-infrared semiconductor laser emitting in the 2ν3 band of methane at 1.65μm. The apparatus was designed for on-line process control in the manufacturing of the novel low-water-peak fibres developed for optical telecommunications. The importance of collisional relaxation processes in the generation of the photoacoustic signal is reported in the particular case of CH4 detection in dry O2 and O2-N2 mixtures. The negative influence of these effects results in a strongly reduced and phase-shifted photoacoustic signal, induced by a fast resonant coupling between the vibrational states of methane and oxygen, associated with the slow relaxation of the excited oxygen molecules. An unusual parabolic response of the sensor with respect to the methane concentration has been observed and is discussed. Finally, the beneficial effect of several species, including water vapour and helium, acting as a catalyst to hasten the relaxation of the CH4-O2 system, is demonstrate
Ammonia trace measurements at ppb level based on near-IR photoacoustic spectroscopy
A photoacoustic sensor using a laser diode emitting near 1532nm in combination with an erbium-doped fibre amplifier has been developed for ammonia trace gas analysis at atmospheric pressure. NH3 concentration measurements down to 6ppb and a noise-equivalent detection limit below 3ppb in dry air are demonstrated. Two wavelength-modulation schemes with 1f and 2f detection using a lock-in amplifier were investigated and compared to maximise the signal-to-noise ratio. A quantitative analysis of CO2 and H2O interference with NH3 is presented. Typical concentrations present in ambient air of 400ppm CO2 and 1.15% H2O (50% relative humidity at 20°C) result in a NH3 equivalent concentration of 36ppb and 100ppb, respectivel
Relativistic Magnetic Monopole Flux Constraints from RICE
We report an upper limit on the flux of relativistic monopoles based on the
non-observation of in-ice showers by the Radio Ice Cherenkov Experiment (RICE)
at the South Pole. We obtain a 95% C.L. limit of order 10^{-18}/(cm^2-s-sr) for
intermediate mass monopoles of 10^7<gamma<10^{12} at the anticipated energy
E=10^{16} GeV. This bound is over an order of magnitude stronger than all
previously published experimental limits for this range of boost parameters
gamma, and exceeds two orders of magnitude improvement over most of the range.
We review the physics of radio detection, describe a Monte Carlo simulation
including continuous and stochastic energy losses, and compare to previous
experimental limits.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. D. Minor
revisions, including expanded discussion of monopole energy uncertaint
Atomic structure and vibrational properties of icosahedral BC boron carbide
The atomic structure of icosahedral BC boron carbide is determined by
comparing existing infra-red absorption and Raman diffusion measurements with
the predictions of accurate {\it ab initio} lattice-dynamical calculations
performed for different structural models. This allows us to unambiguously
determine the location of the carbon atom within the boron icosahedron, a task
presently beyond X-ray and neutron diffraction ability. By examining the inter-
and intra-icosahedral contributions to the stiffness we show that, contrary to
recent conjectures, intra-icosahedral bonds are harder.Comment: 9 pages including 3 figures, accepted in Physical Review Letter
Concurrent anodal transcranial direct-current stimulation and motor task to influence sensorimotor cortex activation
Functional targeting with anodal high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-atDCS) of involved brain areas during performance of a motor task (online) may facilitate sensorimotor cortex neuroplasticity compared to performing the motor task after HD-atDCS (offline). The aim of this study was to employ functional near-infrared spectroscopy to compare the time course of motor task-related changes in sensorimotor cortex activation between online and offline HD-atDCS. We hypothesized that online HD-atDCS would have a greater effect on task-related sensorimotor cortex activation than offline HD-atDCS. In a within-subject sham controlled and randomized study design, 9 healthy participants underwent 3 HD-atDCS sessions (online, offline and sham) targeting the left sensorimotor cortex separated by 1 week. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy hemodynamic changes were measured from the left sensorimotor cortex during a simple finger opposition motor task before (Pre), immediately (T1) and 30 min after (T2) each session. The movement rates were not different between (online, offline, sham) or within (Pre, T1, T2) sessions. At T2, online HD-atDCS was associated with a significant increase (large effect size) in sensorimotor cortex activation (Hedges g = 1.01, p<0.001) when compared to sham; there was a nonsignificant trend to increase activation between offline and sham (Hedges g = 0.52, p=0.05) and between online and offline (Hedges g = 0.53, p=0.06). Concurrent application of HD-atDCS during a motor task may produce larger sensorimotor cortex activation than sequential application
Stabilized Schemes for the Hydrostatic Stokes Equations
Some new stable finite element (FE) schemes are presented for the hydrostatic Stokes
system or primitive equations of the ocean. It is known that the stability of the mixed formulation ap-
proximation for primitive equations requires the well-known Ladyzhenskaya–Babuˇska–Brezzi condi-
tion related to the Stokes problem and an extra inf-sup condition relating the pressure and the vertical
velocity.
The main goal of this paper is to avoid this extra condition by adding a residual stabilizing term to the
vertical momentum equation. Then, the stability for Stokes-stable FE combinations is extended to
the primitive equations and some error estimates are provided using Taylor–Hood P2 –P1 or miniele-
ment (P1 +bubble)–P1 FE approximations, showing the optimal convergence rate in the P2 –P1 case.
These results are also extended to the anisotropic (nonhydrostatic) problem. On the other hand,
by adding another residual term to the continuity equation, a better approximation of the vertical
derivative of pressure is obtained. In this case, stability and error estimates including this better
approximation are deduced, where optimal convergence rate is deduced in the (P 1 +bubble)–P1 case.
Finally, some numerical experiments are presented supporting previous results
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