311 research outputs found
Nimbus 7 Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SBUV) spectral scan solar irradiance and Earth radiance product user's guide
The archived tape products from the spectral scan mode measurements of solar irradiance (SUNC tapes) and Earth radiance (EARTH tapes) by the Solar Backscatter UV (SBUV) instrument aboard Nimbus 7 are described. Incoming radiation from 160 to 400 nm is measured at intervals of 0.2 nm. The scan-to-scan repeatability of the solar irradiance measurements ranges from approximately 0.5 to 1 percent longward of 280 nm, to 2 percent around 210 nm and 4 percent near 175 nm. The repeatability of the Earth radiance values ranges from 2 to 3 percent at longer wavelengths and low zenith angles to 10 percent at shorter wavelengths and high zenith angles. The tape formats are described in detail, including file structure and contents of each type of record. Catalogs of the tapes and the time period covered are provided, along with lists of the days lacking solar irradiance measurements and the days dedicated to Earth radiance measurements. The method for production of the tapes is outlined and quality control measures are described. How radiances and irradiances are derived from the raw counts, the corrections for changes in instrument sensitivity, and related uncertainties are discussed
Ten Years of Solar Change as Monitored by SBUV and SBUV/2
Observations of the Sun by the Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SBUV) instrument aboard Nimbus 7 and the SBUV/2 instrument aboard NOAA-9 reveal variations in the solar irradiance from 1978, to 1988. The maximum to minimum solar change estimated from the Heath and Schlesinger Mg index and wavelength scaling factors is about 4 percent from 210 to 260 nm and 8 percent for 180 to 210 nm; direct measurements of the solar change give values of 1 to 3 percent and 5 to 7 percent, respectively, for the same wavelength range. Solar irradiances were high from the start of observations, late in 1978, until 1983, declined until early 1985, remained approximately constant until mid-1987, and then began to rise. Peak-to-peak 27-day rotational modulation amplitudes were as large as 6 percent at solar maximum and 1 to 2 percent at solar minimum. During occasional intervals of the 1979 to 1983 maximum and again during 1988, the dominant rotational modulation period was 13.5 days. Measurements near 200 to 205 nm show the same rotational modulation behavior but cannot be used to track long-term changes in the Sun because of uncertainties in the characterization of long-term instrument sensitivity changes
Nimbus 7 solar backscatter ultraviolet (SBUV) ozone products user's guide
Three ozone tape products from the Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SBUV) experiment aboard Nimbus 7 were archived at the National Space Science Data Center. The experiment measures the fraction of incoming radiation backscattered by the Earth's atmosphere at 12 wavelengths. In-flight measurements were used to monitor changes in the instrument sensitivity. Total column ozone is derived by comparing the measurements with calculations of what would be measured for different total ozone amounts. The altitude distribution is retrieved using an optimum statistical technique for the inversion. The estimated initial error in the absolute scale for total ozone is 2 percent, with a 3 percent drift over 8 years. The profile error depends on latitude and height, smallest at 3 to 10 mbar; the drift increases with increasing altitude. Three tape products are described. The High Density SBUV (HDSBUV) tape contains the final derived products - the total ozone and the vertical ozone profile - as well as much detailed diagnostic information generated during the retrieval process. The Compressed Ozone (CPOZ) tape contains only that subset of HDSBUV information, including total ozone and ozone profiles, considered most useful for scientific studies. The Zonal Means Tape (ZMT) contains daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly averages of the derived quantities over 10 deg latitude zones
Simulating weathering of basalt on Mars and Earth by thermal cycling
Physical weathering induced by heating and cooling may cause rock breakdown on Mars and Earth. We report results from parallel weathering simulations on basalt blocks exposed to diurnal cycles representing Mars-like (two simulation runs from −55 to +20 oC and −75 to +10 oC, 1–100% relative humidity, 4–8 mbar pressure, CO_2 atmosphere) and hot arid Earth (23–72o C, 30–100% relative humidity) conditions. Under Earth conditions, thermally pre-stressed blocks showed measurable strength declines, whilst salt pre-treated blocks showed strength gains. Under Mars-like conditions, pre-stressed blocks recorded greater or similar strength declines and salt pre-treated blocks showed more muted strength declines than under Earth conditions. The results imply that on Earth and Mars diurnal cycling of temperature alone can cause deterioration of basalt with a pre-existing stress history. The type of stress history is important, with salt pre-treatment affecting the response of thermally pre-stressed blocks under both Earth and Mars conditions
Calculation of the properties of the rotational bands of Gd
We reexamine the long-standing problem of the microscopic derivation of a
particle-core coupling model. We base our research on the Klein-Kerman
approach, as amended by D\"onau and Frauendorf. We describe the formalism to
calculate energy spectra and transition strengths in some detail. We apply our
formalism to the rotational nuclei Gd, where recent experimental
data requires an explanation. We find no clear evidence of a need for Coriolis
attenuation.Comment: 27 pages, 13 uuencoded postscript figures. Uses epsf.st
Derivation and assessment of strong coupling core-particle model from the Kerman-Klein-D\"onau-Frauendorf theory
We review briefly the fundamental equations of a semi-microscopic
core-particle coupling method that makes no reference to an intrinsic system of
coordinates. We then demonstrate how an intrinsic system can be introduced in
the strong coupling limit so as to yield a completely equivalent formulation.
It is emphasized that the conventional core-particle coupling calculation
introduces a further approximation that avoids what has hitherto been the most
time-consuming feature of the full theory, and that this approximation can be
introduced either in the intrinsic system, the usual case, or in the laboratory
system, our preference. A new algorithm is described for the full theory that
largely removes the difference in complexity between the two types of
calculation. Comparison of the full and approximate theories for some
representative cases provides a basis for the assessment of the accuracy of the
traditional approach. We find that for well-deformed nuclei, e.g. 157Gd and
157Tb, the core-coupling method and the full theory give similar results.Comment: revtex, 3 figures(postscript), submitted to Phys.Rev.
Which solar EUV indices are best for reconstructing the solar EUV irradiance ?
The solar EUV irradiance is of key importance for space weather. Most of the
time, however, surrogate quantities such as EUV indices have to be used by lack
of continuous and spectrally resolved measurements of the irradiance. The
ability of such proxies to reproduce the irradiance from different solar
atmospheric layers is usually investigated by comparing patterns of temporal
correlations. We consider instead a statistical approach. The TIMED/SEE
experiment, which has been continuously operating since Feb. 2002, allows for
the first time to compare in a statistical manner the EUV spectral irradiance
to five EUV proxies: the sunspot number, the f10.7, Ca K, and Mg II indices,
and the He I equivalent width.
Using multivariate statistical methods such as multidimensional scaling, we
represent in a single graph the measure of relatedness between these indices
and various strong spectral lines. The ability of each index to reproduce the
EUV irradiance is discussed; it is shown why so few lines can be effectively
reconstructed from them. All indices exhibit comparable performance, apart from
the sunspot number, which is the least appropriate. No single index can
satisfactorily describe both the level of variability on time scales beyond 27
days, and relative changes of irradiance on shorter time scales.Comment: 6 figures, to appear in Adv. Space. Re
Stability and Representation Dependence of the Quantum Skyrmion
A constructive realization of Skyrme's conjecture that an effective pion mass
``may arise as a self consistent quantal effect'' based on an ab initio quantum
treatment of the Skyrme model is presented. In this quantum mechanical Skyrme
model the spectrum of states with , which appears in the collective
quantization, terminates without any infinite tower of unphysical states. The
termination point depends on the model parameters and the dimension of the
SU(2) representation. Representations, in which the nucleon and
resonance are the only stable states, exist. The model is developed for both
irreducible and reducible representations of general dimension. States with
spin larger than 1/2 are shown to be deformed. The representation dependence of
the baryon observables is illustrated numerically.Comment: 19 pages, Late
Foundations of self-consistent particle-rotor models and of self-consistent cranking models
The Kerman-Klein formulation of the equations of motion for a nuclear shell
model and its associated variational principle are reviewed briefly. It is then
applied to the derivation of the self-consistent particle-rotor model and of
the self-consistent cranking model, for both axially symmetric and triaxial
nuclei. Two derivations of the particle-rotor model are given. One of these is
of a form that lends itself to an expansion of the result in powers of the
ratio of single-particle angular momentum to collective angular momentum, that
is essentual to reach the cranking limit. The derivation also requires a
distinct, angular-momentum violating, step. The structure of the result implies
the possibility of tilted-axis cranking for the axial case and full
three-dimensional cranking for the triaxial one. The final equations remain
number conserving. In an appendix, the Kerman-Klein method is developed in more
detail, and the outlines of several algorithms for obtaining solutions of the
associated non-linear formalism are suggested.Comment: 29 page
Multiple antimicrobial resistance in plague: An emerging public health risk
Antimicrobial resistance in Yersinia pestis is rare, yet constitutes a significant international public health and biodefense threat. In 1995, the first multidrug resistant (MDR) isolate of Y. pestis (strain IP275) was identified, and was shown to contain a self-transmissible plasmid (pIP1202) that conferred resistance to many of the antimicrobials recommended for plague treatment and prophylaxis. Comparative analysis of the DNA sequence of Y. pestis plasmid pIP1202 revealed a near identical IncA/C plasmid backbone that is shared by MDR plasmids isolated from Salmonella enterica serotype Newport SL254 and the fish pathogen Yersinia ruckeri YR71. The high degree of sequence identity and gene synteny between the plasmid backbones suggests recent acquisition of these plasmids from a common ancestor. In addition, the Y. pestis pIP1202-like plasmid backbone was detected in numerous MDR enterobacterial pathogens isolated from retail meat samples collected between 2002 and 2005 in the United States. Plasmid-positive strains were isolated from beef, chicken, turkey and pork, and were found in samples from the following states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York and Oregon. Our studies reveal that this common plasmid backbone is broadly disseminated among MDR zoonotic pathogens associated with agriculture. This reservoir of mobile resistance determinants has the potential to disseminate to Y. pestis and other human and zoonotic bacterial pathogens and therefore represents a significant public health concern
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