14,217 research outputs found
EUV spectral line formation and the temperature structure of active region fan loops: observations with Hinode/EIS and SDO/AIA
With the aim of studying AR fan loops using Hinode/EIS and SDO/AIA, we
investigate a number of inconsistencies in modeling the absolute intensities of
Fe VIII and Si VII lines, and address why their images look very similar
despite the fact that they have significantly different formation temperatures
in ionization equilibrium: log T/K = 5.6 and 5.8. These issues are important to
resolve because confidence has been undermined in their use for DEM analysis,
and Fe VIII is the main contributor to the AIA 131A channel at low
temperatures. Furthermore, they are the best EIS lines to use for velocity
studies, and for assigning the correct temperature to velocity measurements in
the fans. We find that the Fe VIII 185.213A line is particularly sensitive to
the slope of the DEM, leading to disproportionate changes in its effective
formation temperature. If the DEM has a steep gradient in the log T/K = 5.6 to
5.8 range, or is strongly peaked, Fe VIII 185.213A and Si VII 275.368A will be
formed at the same temperature. We show that this effect explains the
similarity of these images in the fans. Furthermore, we show that the most
recent ionization balance compilations resolve the discrepancies in absolute
intensities. We then combine EIS and AIA to determine the temperature structure
of a number of fan loops and find that they have peak temperatures of
0.8--1.2MK. The EIS data indicate that the temperature distribution has a
finite (but narrow) width < log sigma/K = 5.5 which, in one case, is found to
broaden substantially towards the loop base. AIA and EIS yield similar results
on the temperature, emission measure, and thermal distribution in the fans,
though sometimes the AIA data suggest a relatively larger thermal width. The
result is that both the Fe VIII 185.213A and Si VII 275.368A lines are formed
at log T/K ~ 5.9 in the fans, and the AIA 131A response also shifts to this
temperature.Comment: To be published in ApJ. Figure 6 is reduced resolution to meet size
limits. The abstract has been significantly shortened (original in PDF file
Discrimination, Coping, and Depression among Black Men Who Have Sex with Men
Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) have elevated risk for depression compared to the general population. BMSM’s capacity to cope with these experiences is not well understood. Increased understanding of how multiple forms of discrimination contribute to depression and how BMSM cope with discrimination can better inform interventions. Data come from 3,510 BMSM who attended Black Pride events in six U.S. cities from 2015-2017. Participants completed a health survey that ascertained their psychosocial health and resiliency profiles. Using multivariable logistic regression models, we tested the associations between type-specific discrimination (race, sexuality, HIV status) and depression. We then conducted sub-analyses to determine if coping attenuated the association between type-specific discrimination and depression. Our findings indicated that increased odds of depression among BMSM were associated with discrimination based on race (aOR=1.38, 95% CI = 1.08-1.76), sexual orientation (aOR=1.32, 95% CI = 1.01-1.72), and HIV status (aOR=1.53, 95% CI = 1.08-2.17). Sub-analyses indicated coping had inconsistent moderation effects between type-specific discrimination and depression. Our findings demonstrate that impact of various forms of discrimination on BMSM’s mental health and the mitigating role of coping. Interventions should seek to address depression by reducing experiences of discrimination and building coping resiliency
Establishing a Connection Between Active Region Outflows and the Solar Wind: Abundance Measurements with EIS/Hinode
One of the most interesting discoveries of the X-ray Telescope and EUV
Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) on board the Hinode solar observatory is the
presence of persistent high temperature high speed outflows from the edges of
active regions. Measurements by EIS indicate that the outflows reach velocities
of 50 km/s with spectral line asymmetries approaching 200 km/s. It has been
suggested that these outflows may lie on open field lines that connect to the
heliosphere, and that they could potentially be a significant source of the
slow speed solar wind. A direct link has been difficult to establish, however.
In this letter, we use EIS measurements of spectral line intensities that are
sensitive to changes in the relative abundance of Si and S as a result of the
first ionization potential (FIP) effect, to measure the chemical composition in
the outflow regions of AR 10978 over a period of 5 days in December 2007. We
find that Si is always enhanced over S by a factor of 3--4. This is generally
consistent with the enhancement factor of low FIP elements measured in-situ in
the slow solar wind by non-spectroscopic methods. Plasma with a slow wind-like
composition was therefore flowing from the edge of the active region for at
least 5 days. Furthermore, on December 10--11, when the outflow from the
western side was favorably oriented in the Earth direction, the Si/S ratio was
found to match the value measured a few days later by ACE/SWICS. These results
provide strong observational evidence for a direct connection between the solar
wind, and the coronal plasma in the outflow regions.Comment: Version to be published in ApJ
Hinode/Extreme-Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer Observations of the Temperature Structure of the Quiet Corona
We present a Differential Emission Measure (DEM) analysis of the quiet solar
corona on disk using data obtained by the Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging
Spectrometer (EIS) on {\it Hinode}. We show that the expected quiet Sun DEM
distribution can be recovered from judiciously selected lines, and that their
average intensities can be reproduced to within 30%. We present a subset of
these selected lines spanning the temperature range T = 5.6 to 6.4 K
that can be used to derive the DEM distribution reliably. The subset can be
used without the need for extensive measurements and the observed intensities
can be reproduced to within the estimated uncertainty in the pre-launch
calibration of EIS. Furthermore, using this subset, we also demonstrate that
the quiet coronal DEM distribution can be recovered on size scales down to the
spatial resolution of the instrument (1 pixels). The subset will therefore
be useful for studies of small-scale spatial inhomogeneities in the coronal
temperature structure, for example, in addition to studies requiring multiple
DEM derivations in space or time. We apply the subset to 45 quiet Sun datasets
taken in the period 2007 January to April, and show that although the absolute
magnitude of the coronal DEM may scale with the amount of released energy, the
shape of the distribution is very similar up to at least T 6.2 K
in all cases. This result is consistent with the view that the {\it shape} of
the quiet Sun DEM is mainly a function of the radiating and conducting
properties of the plasma and is fairly insensitive to the location and rate of
energy deposition. This {\it universal} DEM may be sensitive to other factors
such as loop geometry, flows, and the heating mechanism, but if so they cannot
vary significantly from quiet Sun region to region.Comment: Version accepted by ApJ and published in ApJ 705. Abridged abstrac
Nonstabilized Nielsen coincidence invariants and Hopf--Ganea homomorphisms
In classical fixed point and coincidence theory the notion of Nielsen numbers
has proved to be extremely fruitful. We extend it to pairs (f_1,f_2) of maps
between manifolds of arbitrary dimensions, using nonstabilized normal bordism
theory as our main tool. This leads to estimates of the minimum numbers
MCC(f_1,f_2) (and MC(f_1,f_2), respectively) of path components (and of points,
resp.) in the coincidence sets of those pairs of maps which are homotopic to
(f_1,f_2). Furthermore, we deduce finiteness conditions for MC(f_1,f_2). As an
application we compute both minimum numbers explicitly in various concrete
geometric sample situations.
The Nielsen decomposition of a coincidence set is induced by the
decomposition of a certain path space E(f_1,f_2) into path components. Its
higher dimensional topology captures further crucial geometric coincidence
data. In the setting of homotopy groups the resulting invariants are closely
related to certain Hopf--Ganea homomorphisms which turn out to yield finiteness
obstructions for MC.Comment: This is the version published by Geometry & Topology on 24 May 200
Characteristics and Evolution of the Magnetic field and Chromospheric Emission in an Active Region Core Observed by Hinode
We describe the characteristics and evolution of the magnetic field and
chromospheric emission in an active region core observed by the Solar Optical
Telescope on Hinode. Consistent with previous studies, we find that the moss is
unipolar, the spatial distribution of magnetic flux evolves slowly, and the
magnetic field is only moderately inclined. We show that the field line
inclination and horizontal component are coherent, and that the magnetic field
is mostly sheared in the inter-moss regions where the highest magnetic flux
variability is seen. Using extrapolations from SP magnetograms we show that the
magnetic connectivity in the moss is different than in the quiet Sun because
most of the magnetic field extends to significant coronal heights. The magnetic
flux, field vector, and chromospheric emission in the moss also appear highly
dynamic, but actually show only small scale variations in magnitude on
time-scales longer than the cooling times for hydrodynamic loops computed from
our extrapolations, suggesting high-frequency (continuous) heating events. Some
evidence is found for flux (Ca 2 intensity) changes on the order of 100--200 G
(DN) on time-scales of 20--30 mins that could be taken as indicative of
low-frequency heating. We find, however, that only a small fraction (10%) of
our simulated loops would be expected to cool on these time-scales, and we find
no clear evidence that the flux changes consistently produce intensity changes
in the chromosphere. The magnetic flux and chromospheric intensity in most
individual SOT pixels in the moss vary by less than ~ 20% and ~ 10%,
respectively, on loop cooling time-scales. In view of the high energy
requirements of the chromosphere, we suggest that these variations could be
sufficient for the heating of `warm' EUV loops, but that the high basal levels
may be more important for powering the hot core loops rooted in the moss.Comment: Accepted by ApJ, 16 pages, 20 figures. Abridged abstract (original is
in PDF file). Figures 1 & 2 are reduced resolution to meet size limit
CHIANTI - An atomic database for emission lines. XI. EUV emission lines of Fe VII, Fe VIII and Fe IX observed by Hinode/EIS
A detailed study of emission lines from Fe VII, Fe VIII and Fe IX observed by
the EUV Imaging Spectrometer on board the Hinode satellite is presented.
Spectra in the ranges 170-212 A and 246-292 A show strongly enhanced lines from
the upper solar transition region (temperatures 5.4 <= log T <= 5.9) allowing a
number of new line identifications to be made. Comparisons of Fe VII lines with
predictions from a new atomic model reveal new plasma diagnostics, however
there are a number of disagreements between theory and observation for emission
line ratios insensitive to density and temperature, suggesting improved atomic
data are required. Line ratios for Fe VIII also show discrepancies with theory,
with the strong 185.21 and 186.60 lines under-estimated by 60-80 % compared to
lines between 192 and 198 A. A newly-identified multiplet between 253.9 and
255.8 A offers excellent temperature diagnostic opportunities relative to the
lines between 185-198 A, however the atomic model under-estimates the strength
of these lines by factors 3-6. Two new line identifications are made for Fe IX
at wavelengths 176.959 A and 177.594 A, while seven other lines between 186 and
200 A are suggested to be due to Fe IX but for which transition identifications
can not be made. The new atomic data for Fe VII and Fe IX are demonstrated to
significantly modify models for the response function of the TRACE 195 A
imaging channel, affecting temperature determinations from this channel. The
data will also affect the response functions for other solar EUV imaging
instruments such as SOHO/EIT, STEREO/EUVI and the upcoming AIA instrument on
the Solar Dynamics Observatory.Comment: 51 pages, submitted to Ap
The Temperature and Density Structure of the Solar Corona. I. Observations of the Quiet Sun with the EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) on Hinode
Measurements of the temperature and density structure of the solar corona
provide critical constraints on theories of coronal heating. Unfortunately, the
complexity of the solar atmosphere, observational uncertainties, and the
limitations of current atomic calculations, particularly those for Fe, all
conspire to make this task very difficult. A critical assessment of plasma
diagnostics in the corona is essential to making progress on the coronal
heating problem. In this paper we present an analysis of temperature and
density measurements above the limb in the quiet corona using new observations
from the EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) on \textit{Hinode}. By comparing the Si
and Fe emission observed with EIS we are able to identify emission lines that
yield consistent emission measure distributions. With these data we find that
the distribution of temperatures in the quiet corona above the limb is strongly
peaked near 1 MK, consistent with previous studies. We also find, however, that
there is a tail in the emission measure distribution that extends to higher
temperatures. EIS density measurements from several density sensitive line
ratios are found to be generally consistent with each other and with previous
measurements in the quiet corona. Our analysis, however, also indicates that a
significant fraction of the weaker emission lines observed in the EIS
wavelength ranges cannot be understood with current atomic data.Comment: Submitted to Ap
Sex Differences in the Kinetic Profiles of d- and l- Methylphenidate in the Brains of Adult Rats
OBJECTIVE: Methylphenidate is commonly used in the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and narcolepsy. Methylphenidate is administered as a racemic mixture of the d- and l- threo enantiomers; however, the d-enantiomer is primarily responsible for the pharmacologic activity. Previous studies of the behavioral effects of methylphenidate have highlighted sex differences in the responsiveness to the drug, namely an increased sensitivity of females to its stimulatory effects. These differences may be due to differences in the uptake, distribution, and elimination of methylphenidate from male and female brains. Therefore, we compared the pharmacokinetics of d- and l- threo methylphenidate in the brains of male and female rats.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with 5 mg/kg d, l- threo methylphenidate, and whole brains were collected at various time points following injection. We measured methylphenidate concentrations utilizing chiral high pressure liquid chromatography followed by mass spectrometry.
RESULTS: Females exhibited consistently higher brain concentrations of both d- and l- methylphenidate and a slower clearance of methylphenidate from brain as compared to males, particularly with the active d-enantiomer.
CONCLUSIONS: The increased sensitivity of females to methylphenidate may be partially explained by an increase in total brain exposure to the drug
- …