383 research outputs found
Early engagement of stakeholders with individual-based modelling can inform research for improving invasive species management : the round goby as a case study
FUNDING We are grateful to the Natural Environment Research Council (NE/J008001/1) for financial supportPeer reviewedPublisher PD
Spin and magnetization effects in plasmas
We give a short review of a number of different models for treating
magnetization effects in plasmas. In particular, the transition between kinetic
models and fluid models is discussed. We also give examples of applications of
such theories. Some future aspects are discussed.Comment: 18 pages, 1 figure. To appear in Plasma Physics and Controlled
Fusion, Special Issue for the 37th ICPP, Santiago, Chil
Quantum Vacuum Experiments Using High Intensity Lasers
The quantum vacuum constitutes a fascinating medium of study, in particular
since near-future laser facilities will be able to probe the nonlinear nature
of this vacuum. There has been a large number of proposed tests of the
low-energy, high intensity regime of quantum electrodynamics (QED) where the
nonlinear aspects of the electromagnetic vacuum comes into play, and we will
here give a short description of some of these. Such studies can shed light,
not only on the validity of QED, but also on certain aspects of nonperturbative
effects, and thus also give insights for quantum field theories in general.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figur
Charged multifluids in general relativity
The exact 1+3 covariant dynamical fluid equations for a multi-component
plasma, together with Maxwell's equations are presented in such a way as to
make them suitable for a gauge-invariant analysis of linear density and
velocity perturbations of the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker model. In the case
where the matter is described by a two component plasma where thermal effects
are neglected, a mode representing high-frequency plasma oscillations is found
in addition to the standard growing and decaying gravitational instability
picture. Further applications of these equations are also discussed.Comment: 14 pages (example added), to appear in Class. Quantum Gra
The Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein Effect as a Probe of the Solar Interior
We relate the MSW effect to the efective absorption of the electronic
collective motion energy by retaining the imaginary part of the index of
refraction associated with the charged-current scattering and show that the
small angle MSW solution to the solar neutrino anomaly can be used as a probe
of the physical conditions of the solar interior if it is correct. We find that
the constraint on the absorption imposed by the small angle MSW solution and
the theoretical estimate of the absorption by the Boltzmann kinetic theory are
consistent, which shows that a consistent theoretical picture can be developed
when plasma absorption processes are taken into account.Comment: 4 pages, no figure, REVTeX, to appear in Phys. Rev.
The nature of the short wavelength excitations in vitreous silica: X-Rays Brillouin scattering study
The dynamical structure factor (S(Q,E)) of vitreous silica has been measured
by Inelastic X-ray Scattering varying the exchanged wavevector (Q) at fixed
exchanged energy (E) - an experimental procedure that, contrary to the usual
one at constant Q, provides spectra with much better identified inelastic
features. This allows the first direct evidence of Brillouin peaks in the
S(Q,E) of SiO_2 at energies above the Boson Peak (BP) energy, a finding that
excludes the possibility that the BP marks the transition from propagating to
localised dynamics in glasses.Comment: 4 pages, 3 Postscript figures. To appear in Physical Review Letter
Dielectric and thermal relaxation in the energy landscape
We derive an energy landscape interpretation of dielectric relaxation times
in undercooled liquids, comparing it to the traditional Debye and
Gemant-DiMarzio-Bishop pictures. The interaction between different local
structural rearrangements in the energy landscape explains qualitatively the
recently observed splitting of the flow process into an initial and a final
stage. The initial mechanical relaxation stage is attributed to hopping
processes, the final thermal or structural relaxation stage to the decay of the
local double-well potentials. The energy landscape concept provides an
explanation for the equality of thermal and dielectric relaxation times. The
equality itself is once more demonstrated on the basis of literature data for
salol.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, 41 references, Workshop Disordered Systems,
Molveno 2006, submitted to Philosophical Magazin
Long-time discrete particle effects versus kinetic theory in the self-consistent single-wave model
The influence of the finite number N of particles coupled to a monochromatic
wave in a collisionless plasma is investigated. For growth as well as damping
of the wave, discrete particle numerical simulations show an N-dependent long
time behavior resulting from the dynamics of individual particles. This
behavior differs from the one due to the numerical errors incurred by Vlasov
approaches. Trapping oscillations are crucial to long time dynamics, as the
wave oscillations are controlled by the particle distribution inhomogeneities
and the pulsating separatrix crossings drive the relaxation towards thermal
equilibrium.Comment: 11 pages incl. 13 figs. Phys. Rev. E, in pres
Very high frequency gravitational wave background in the universe
Astrophysical sources of high frequency gravitational radiation are
considered in association with a new interest to very sensitive HFGW receivers
required for the laboratory GW Hertz experiment. A special attention is paid to
the phenomenon of primordial black holes evaporation. They act like black body
to all kinds of radiation, including gravitons, and, therefore, emit an
equilibrium spectrum of gravitons during its evaporation. Limit on the density
of high frequency gravitons in the Universe is obtained, and possibilities of
their detection are briefly discussed.Comment: 14 page
The read-across hypothesis and environmental risk assessment of pharmaceuticals
This article is made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund. Copyright © 2013 American Chemical Society.Pharmaceuticals in the environment have received increased attention over the past decade, as they are ubiquitous in rivers and waterways. Concentrations are in sub-ng to low μg/L, well below acute toxic levels, but there are uncertainties regarding the effects of chronic exposures and there is a need to prioritise which pharmaceuticals may be of concern. The read-across hypothesis stipulates that a drug will have an effect in non-target organisms only if the molecular targets such as receptors and enzymes have been conserved, resulting in a (specific) pharmacological effect only if plasma concentrations are similar to human therapeutic concentrations. If this holds true for different classes of pharmaceuticals, it should be possible to predict the potential environmental impact from information obtained during the drug development process. This paper critically reviews the evidence for read-across, and finds that few studies include plasma concentrations and mode of action based effects. Thus, despite a large number of apparently relevant papers and a general acceptance of the hypothesis, there is an absence of documented evidence. There is a need for large-scale studies to generate robust data for testing the read-across hypothesis and developing predictive models, the only feasible approach to protecting the environment.BBSRC Industrial Partnership Award BB/
I00646X/1 and BBSRC Industrial CASE Partnership Studentship
BB/I53257X/1 with AstraZeneca Safety Health and
Environment Research Programme
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