1,753 research outputs found
Particle acceleration at ultrarelativistic shocks: an eigenfunction method
We extend the eigenfunction method of computing the power-law spectrum of
particles accelerated at a relativistic shock fronts to apply to shocks of
arbitrarily high Lorentz factor. In agreement with the findings of Monte-Carlo
simulations, we find the index of the power-law distribution of accelerated
particles which undergo isotropic diffusion in angle at an ultrarelativistic,
unmagnetized shock is s=4.23 (where s=-d(ln f)/dp with f the Lorentz invariant
phase-space density and p the momentum). This corresponds to a synchrotron
index for uncooled electrons of a=0.62 (taking cooling into account a=1.12),
where a=-d(ln F)/dn, F is the radiation flux and n the frequency. We also
present an approximate analytic expression for the angular distribution of
accelerated particles, which displays the effect of particle trapping by the
shock: compared with the non-relativistic case the angular distribution is
weighted more towards the plane of the shock and away from its normal. We
investigate the sensitivity of our results to the transport properties of the
particles and the presence of a magnetic field. Shocks in which the ratio of
Poynting to kinetic energy flux upstream is not small are less compressive and
lead to larger values of .Comment: Minor additions on publicatio
On the Structure and Scale of Cosmic Ray Modified Shocks
Strong astrophysical shocks, diffusively accelerating cosmic rays (CR) ought
to develop CR precursors. The length of such precursor is believed to
be set by the ratio of the CR mean free path to the shock speed,
i.e., , which is formally
independent of the CR pressure . However, the X-ray observations of
supernova remnant shocks suggest that the precursor scale may be significantly
shorter than which would question the above estimate unless the
magnetic field is strongly amplified and the gyroradius is strongly
reduced over a short (unresolved) spatial scale. We argue that while the CR
pressure builds up ahead of the shock, the acceleration enters into a strongly
nonlinear phase in which an acoustic instability, driven by the CR pressure
gradient, dominates other instabilities (at least in the case of low
plasma). In this regime the precursor steepens into a strongly nonlinear front
whose size scales with \emph{the CR pressure}as , where is the scale of
the developed acoustic turbulence, and is the ratio of CR to gas
pressure. Since , the precursor scale reduction may be strong
in the case of even a moderate gas heating by the CRs through the acoustic and
(possibly also) the other instabilities driven by the CRs.Comment: EPS 2010 paper, to appear in PPC
Intercomparison of carbonate chemistry measurements on a cruise in northwestern European shelf seas
Four carbonate system variables were measured in surface waters during a cruise aimed at investigating ocean acidification impacts traversing northwestern European shelf seas in the summer of 2011. High-resolution surface water data were collected for partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2; using two independent instruments) and pH using the total pH scale (pHT), in addition to discrete measurements of total alkalinity and dissolved inorganic carbon. We thus overdetermined the carbonate system (four measured variables, two degrees of freedom), which allowed us to evaluate the level of agreement between the variables on a cruise whose main aim was not intercomparison, and thus where conditions were more representative of normal working conditions. Calculations of carbonate system variables from other measurements generally compared well with direct observations of the same variables (Pearson’s correlation coefficient always greater than or equal to 0.94; mean residuals were similar to the respective accuracies of the measurements). We therefore conclude that four of the independent data sets of carbonate chemistry variables were of high quality. A diurnal cycle with a maximum amplitude of 41 μatm was observed in the difference between the pCO2 values obtained by the two independent analytical pCO2 systems, and this was partly attributed to irregular seawater flows to the equilibrator and partly to biological activity inside the seawater supply and one of the equilibrators. We discuss how these issues can be addressed to improve carbonate chemistry data quality on future research cruises
Fermi gamma-ray `bubbles' from stochastic acceleration of electrons
Gamma-ray data from Fermi-LAT reveal a bi-lobular structure extending up to
50 degrees above and below the galactic centre, which presumably originated in
some form of energy release there less than a few million years ago. It has
been argued that the gamma-rays arise from hadronic interactions of high energy
cosmic rays which are advected out by a strong wind, or from inverse-Compton
scattering of relativistic electrons accelerated at plasma shocks present in
the bubbles. We explore the alternative possibility that the relativistic
electrons are undergoing stochastic 2nd-order Fermi acceleration by plasma wave
turbulence through the entire volume of the bubbles. The observed gamma-ray
spectral shape is then explained naturally by the resulting hard electron
spectrum and inverse Compton losses. Rather than a constant volume emissivity
as in other models, we predict a nearly constant surface brightness, and
reproduce the observed sharp edges of the bubbles.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures; REVTeX4-1; discussion amended and one figure
added; to appear in PR
On the mechanism for breaks in the cosmic ray spectrum
The proof of cosmic ray (CR) origin in supernova remnants (SNR) must hinge on
full consistency of the CR acceleration theory with the observations; direct
proof is impossible because of the orbit stochasticity of CR particles. Recent
observations of a number of galactic SNR strongly support the SNR-CR connection
in general and the Fermi mechanism of CR acceleration, in particular. However,
many SNR expand into weakly ionized dense gases, and so a significant revision
of the mechanism is required to fit the data. We argue that strong ion-neutral
collisions in the remnant surrounding lead to the steepening of the energy
spectrum of accelerated particles by \emph{exactly one power}. The spectral
break is caused by a partial evanescence of Alfven waves that confine particles
to the accelerator. The gamma-ray spectrum generated in collisions of the
accelerated protons with the ambient gas is also calculated. Using the recent
Fermi spacecraft observation of the SNR W44 as an example, we demonstrate that
the parent proton spectrum is a classical test particle power law , steepening to at .Comment: APS talk to appear in PoP, 4 figure
Potential for classical biological control of the potato bug Closterotomus norwegicus (Hemiptera: Miridae): description, parasitism and host specificity of Peristenus closterotomae sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)
The potato bug, Closterotomus norwegicus (Gmelin) (Hemiptera: Miridae) is an introduced pest of lucerne, white clover and lotus seed crops in New Zealand and a key pest of pistachios in California, USA. Efforts were made to identify potential biological control agents of C. norwegicus in Europe. A total of eight parasitoids, including six primary parasitoids from the genus Peristenus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and two hyperparasitoids from the genus Mesochorus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), were reared from C. norwegicus nymphs collected in various habitats in northern Germany. With a proportion of more than 85% of all C. norwegicus parasitoids, Peristenus closterotomae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a new species, was the most dominant parasitoid, whereas other parasitoid species only occurred sporadically. Peristenus closterotomae did not fit in the keys to any described species and is described as new to science. Parasitism caused by P. closterotomae was on average 24% (maximum 77%). To assess the host specificity of parasitoids associated with C. norwegicus, the parasitoid complexes of various Miridae occurring simultaneously with C. norwegicus were studied. Peristenus closterotomae was frequently reared from Calocoris affinis (Herrich-Schaeffer), and a few specimens were reared from Calocoris roseomaculatus (De Geer) and the meadow plant bug, Leptopterna dolobrata (Linnaeus) (all Hemiptera: Miridae). The remaining primary parasitoids associated with C. norwegicus were found to be dominant in hosts other than C. norwegicus. Whether nymphal parasitoids may potentially be used in a classical biological control initiative against the potato bug in countries where it is introduced and considered to be a pest is discusse
Gamma-rays from Galactic Black Hole Candidates with Stochastic Particle Acceleration
We consider stochastic particle acceleration in plasmas around stellar mass
black holes to explain the emissions above 1 MeV from Galactic black hole
candidates. We show that for certain parameter regimes, electrons can overcome
Coulomb losses and be accelerated beyond the thermal distribution to form a new
population, whose distribution is broad and usually not a power law; the peak
energy of the distribution is determined by the balance between acceleration
and cooling, with particles piling up around it. Radiation by inverse Compton
scattering off the thermal (from background) and non-thermal (produced by
acceleration) particles can in principle explain the hard X-ray to gamma-ray
emissions from black hole candidates. We present model fits of Cyg X-1 and GRO
J0422 in 50 keV -- 5 MeV region observed with OSSE and COMPTEL.Comment: 2 figures, to appear in March 20 of ApJ
Development of a serological Luminex assay for Trichinella and Salmonella in swine
In order to develop veterinary serological multiplex assays, a singleplex bead-based array on the Luminex platform was developed, and with this experience was expanded by building a multiplex serological assay. First a serological Luminex assay was developed for Trichinella in swine
Temporal variability in dynamic and colloidal metal fractions determined by high resolution in situ measurements in a UK estuary
In recent environmental legislation, such as the Water Framework Directive in the European Union (WFD, 2000/60/EC), the importance of metal speciation and biological availability is acknowledged, although analytical challenges remain. In this study, the Voltammetric In situ Profiler (VIP) was used for high temporal resolution in situ metal speciation measurements in estuarine waters. This instrument simultaneously determines Cd, Cu and Pb species within a size range (ca<4. nm) that is highly relevant for uptake by organisms. The colloidal metal fraction can be quantified through a combination of VIP measurements and analyses of total dissolved metal concentrations.VIP systems were deployed over tidal cycles in a seasonal study of metal speciation in the Fal Estuary, southwest England. Total dissolved concentrations were 4.97-315. nM Cu, 0.13-8.53. nM Cd and 0.35-5.75. nM Pb. High proportions of Pb (77 ± 17) and Cu (60 ± 25) were present as colloids, which constituted a less important fraction for Cd (37 ± 30). The study elucidated variations in the potentially toxic metal fraction related to river flow, complexation by organic ligands and exchanges between dissolved and colloidal phases and the sediment. Based on published toxicity data, the bioavailable Cu concentrations (1.7-190. nM) in this estuary are likely to severely compromise the ecosystem structure and functioning with respect to species diversity and recruitment of juveniles. The study illustrates the importance of in situ speciation studies at high resolution in pursuit of a better understanding of metal (bio)geochemistry in dynamic coastal systems. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd
Skeletal Morphology of Opius dissitus and Biosteres carbonarius (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), with a Discussion of Terminology
The Braconidae, a family of parasitic wasps, constitute a major taxonomic challenge with an estimated diversity of 40,000 to 120,000 species worldwide, only 18,000 of which have been described to date. The skeletal morphology of braconids is still not adequately understood and the terminology is partly idiosyncratic, despite the fact that anatomical features form the basis for most taxonomic work on the group. To help address this problem, we describe the external skeletal morphology of Opius dissitus Muesebeck 1963 and Biosteres carbonarius Nees 1834, two diverse representatives of one of the least known and most diverse braconid subfamilies, the Opiinae. We review the terminology used to describe skeletal features in the Ichneumonoidea in general and the Opiinae in particular, and identify a list of recommend terms, which are linked to the online Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology. The morphology of the studied species is illustrated with SEM-micrographs, photos and line drawings. Based on the examined species, we discuss intraspecific and interspecific morphological variation in the Opiinae and point out character complexes that merit further study
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