Tratamento do problema de contato-impacto entre corpos flexíveis em grandes deformações pelo método dos elementos finitos

O tratamento do problema de contato entre corpos flexíveis foi implementado no módulo METAFOR4, que permite o tratamento de problemas de conformacáo mecanica. O presente algoritmo emprega o método da penalidade para o cálculo de forcas de contato. Os elementos de contato sáo percorridos duas vezes em cada passo de tempo para que seja assegurada a deteccáo de todas as formas de interpenetracao. O algoritmo apresentou-se extremamente robusto. Um exemplo de impacto entre um tubo e uma placa é mostrado.The treatment of the contact problem between flexible bodies has been implemented in the METAFOR modulus4, which allows the treatment of metal forming problems. The described algorithm uses the penalty method for the calculation of the contact forces. The contact elements are checked twice at each time step to assure the detection of al1 forms of penetration. The algorithm demonstrated to be extremely robust. An example of impact between a tube and a plate is given.Peer Reviewe

Tratamento do problema de contato-impacto entre corpos flexíveis em grandes deformações pelo método dos elementos finitos

O tratamento do problema de contato entre corpos flexíveis foi implementado no módulo METAFOR4, que permite o tratamento de problemas de conformacáo mecanica. O presente algoritmo emprega o método da penalidade para o cálculo de forcas de contato. Os elementos de contato sáo percorridos duas vezes em cada passo de tempo para que seja assegurada a deteccáo de todas as formas de interpenetracao. O algoritmo apresentou-se extremamente robusto. Um exemplo de impacto entre um tubo e uma placa é mostrado.The treatment of the contact problem between flexible bodies has been implemented in the METAFOR modulus4, which allows the treatment of metal forming problems. The described algorithm uses the penalty method for the calculation of the contact forces. The contact elements are checked twice at each time step to assure the detection of al1 forms of penetration. The algorithm demonstrated to be extremely robust. An example of impact between a tube and a plate is given.Peer Reviewe

Denitrification-derived nitric oxide modulates biofilm formation in Azospirillum brasilense

Azospirillum brasilense is a rhizobacterium that provides beneficial effects on plants when they colonize roots. The formation of complex bacterial communities known as biofilms begins with the interaction of planktonic cells with surfaces in response to appropriate signals. Nitric oxide (NO) is a signaling molecule implicated in numerous processes in bacteria, including biofilm formation or dispersion, depending on genera and lifestyle. Azospirillum brasilense Sp245 produces NO by denitrification having a role in root growth promotion. We analyzed the role of endogenously produced NO on biofilm formation in A. brasilense Sp245 and in a periplasmic nitrate reductase mutant (napA::Tn5; Faj164) affected in NO production. Cells were statically grown in media with nitrate or ammonium as nitrogen sources and examined for biofilm formation using crystal violet and by confocal laser microscopy. Both strains formed bio- films, but the mutant produced less than half compared with the wild type in nitrate medium showing impaired nitrite production in this condition. NO measurements in biofilm confirmed lower values in the mutant strain. The addition of a NO donor showed that NO influences biofilm formation in a dose-dependent manner and reverses the mutant phenotype, indicating that Nap positively regulates the formation of biofilm in A. brasilense Sp245.Fil: Arruebarrena Di Palma, Andrés. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Pereyra, Cintia Mariana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; ArgentinaFil: Moreno Ramírez, Lizbeth. Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla; MéxicoFil: Xiqui Vazquez, Maria L.. Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla; MéxicoFil: Baca, Beatriz E.. Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla; MéxicoFil: Pereyra, María Alejandra. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Lamattina, Lamattina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Creus, Cecilia Mónica. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Study of nuclear recoils in liquid argon with monoenergetic neutrons

For the development of liquid argon dark matter detectors we assembled a setup in the laboratory to scatter neutrons on a small liquid argon target. The neutrons are produced mono-energetically (E_kin=2.45 MeV) by nuclear fusion in a deuterium plasma and are collimated onto a 3" liquid argon cell operating in single-phase mode (zero electric field). Organic liquid scintillators are used to tag scattered neutrons and to provide a time-of-flight measurement. The setup is designed to study light pulse shapes and scintillation yields from nuclear and electronic recoils as well as from {\alpha}-particles at working points relevant to dark matter searches. Liquid argon offers the possibility to scrutinise scintillation yields in noble liquids with respect to the populations of the two fundamental excimer states. Here we present experimental methods and first results from recent data towards such studies.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, proceedings of TAUP 2011, to be published in Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JCPS

Reconstrucción paleoclimática y paleoambiental de la Península Ibérica durante el Cuaternario, aplicación de modelos geoprospectivos para la evaluación de escenarios futuros

Esta comunicación trata de resumir el trabajo realizado por el ITGE, BRGM, CCMA, IPE, ETSIMM y ENRESA en el proyecto titulado "Paleoclimatological Revision of Climate Evolution and Environment in Western Mediterranean Region. Evaluation of future evolution scenarios in the Iberian Peninsula", en el marco del Programa de la Comisión de las Comunidades Europeas sobre Gestión y Almacenamiento de Residuos Radioactivos (contrato CEC FI2WCT91- 0075)

First results on light readout from the 1-ton ArDM liquid argon detector for dark matter searches

ArDM-1t is the prototype for a next generation WIMP detector measuring both the scintillation light and the ionization charge from nuclear recoils in a 1-ton liquid argon target. The goal is to reach a minimum recoil energy of 30\,keVr to detect recoiling nuclei. In this paper we describe the experimental concept and present results on the light detection system, tested for the first time in ArDM on the surface at CERN. With a preliminary and incomplete set of PMTs, the light yield at zero electric field is found to be between 0.3-0.5 phe/keVee depending on the position within the detector volume, confirming our expectations based on smaller detector setups.Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures, v2 accepted for publication in JINS

Microscopic spheroidal particles obtained by laser cutting

In this work we study the characteristics of the particles ejected from the cutting zone of a SAE 1010 steel while using a CO2 gaseous laser with the purpose of determining the feasibility to use this technique in the production of microscopic particles for nuclear applications [2] as well as for other scientific and technological uses [1].Instituto de Física La Plat

Intraguild aggressiveness between an alien and a native predatory mite

The predatory mite Amblydromalus limonicus, non-native in Europe, can be used legally in several European countries as greenhouse biocontrol agent against thrips species, although this species is also able to feed on whiteflies and gall mites. The first record of the unintended occurrence of A. limonicus in apple orchards in Europe comes from Catalonia (Spain), where A. limonicus is well established in the native predatory mite community since 2011. The dominant species in this community is Amblyseius andersoni, which has a similar life-style as A. limonicus (large, aggressive predator with broad diet range) making intraguild (IG) interactions between the two predators likely. Thus, we tested the IG aggressiveness of native and alien female predators, when provided with IG prey (larvae). Alien females of A. limonicus proved to be highly aggressive IG predators against native larvae of A. andersoni, which were attacked earlier and more frequently than alien larvae by the native predator. Nearly all attacks by the alien predator resulted in the death of native IG prey, whereas about 10% of the alien intraguild prey escaped the attacks of the native predator. Additionally, native IG prey is smaller than alien prey, which should facilitate the overwhelming by the alien predator. We argue that the strong aggressive intraguild behavior of A. limonicus is contributing to its establishment success in the native predatory mite community.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

The ArDM experiment

The aim of the ArDM project is the development and operation of a one ton double-phase liquid argon detector for direct Dark Matter searches. The detector measures both the scintillation light and the ionization charge from ionizing radiation using two independent readout systems. This paper briefly describes the detector concept and presents preliminary results from the ArDM R&D program, including a 3 l prototype developed to test the charge readout system.Comment: Proceedings of the Epiphany 2010 Conference, to be published in Acta Physica Polonica

Measurement of the scintillation time spectra and pulse-shape discrimination of low-energy beta and nuclear recoils in liquid argon with DEAP-1

The DEAP-1 low-background liquid argon detector was used to measure scintillation pulse shapes of electron and nuclear recoil events and to demonstrate the feasibility of pulse-shape discrimination (PSD) down to an electron-equivalent energy of 20 keV. In the surface dataset using a triple-coincidence tag we found the fraction of beta events that are misidentified as nuclear recoils to be $<1.4\times 10^{-7}$ (90% C.L.) for energies between 43-86 keVee and for a nuclear recoil acceptance of at least 90%, with 4% systematic uncertainty on the absolute energy scale. The discrimination measurement on surface was limited by nuclear recoils induced by cosmic-ray generated neutrons. This was improved by moving the detector to the SNOLAB underground laboratory, where the reduced background rate allowed the same measurement with only a double-coincidence tag. The combined data set contains $1.23\times10^8$ events. One of those, in the underground data set, is in the nuclear-recoil region of interest. Taking into account the expected background of 0.48 events coming from random pileup, the resulting upper limit on the electronic recoil contamination is $<2.7\times10^{-8}$ (90% C.L.) between 44-89 keVee and for a nuclear recoil acceptance of at least 90%, with 6% systematic uncertainty on the absolute energy scale. We developed a general mathematical framework to describe PSD parameter distributions and used it to build an analytical model of the distributions observed in DEAP-1. Using this model, we project a misidentification fraction of approx. $10^{-10}$ for an electron-equivalent energy threshold of 15 keV for a detector with 8 PE/keVee light yield. This reduction enables a search for spin-independent scattering of WIMPs from 1000 kg of liquid argon with a WIMP-nucleon cross-section sensitivity of $10^{-46}$ cm$^2$, assuming negligible contribution from nuclear recoil backgrounds.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astroparticle Physic