2,933 research outputs found
The dependence of test-mass thermal noises on beam shape in gravitational-wave interferometers
In second-generation, ground-based interferometric gravitational-wave
detectors such as Advanced LIGO, the dominant noise at frequencies
Hz to Hz is expected to be due to thermal fluctuations in the
mirrors' substrates and coatings which induce random fluctuations in the shape
of the mirror face. The laser-light beam averages over these fluctuations; the
larger the beam and the flatter its light-power distribution, the better the
averaging and the lower the resulting thermal noise. In semi-infinite mirrors,
scaling laws for the influence of beam shape on the four dominant types of
thermal noise (coating Brownian, coating thermoelastic, substrate Brownian, and
substrate thermoelastic) have been suggested by various researchers and derived
with varying degrees of rigour. Because these scaling laws are important tools
for current research on optimizing the beam shape, it is important to firm up
our understanding of them. This paper (1) gives a summary of the prior work and
of gaps in the prior analyses, (2) gives a unified and rigorous derivation of
all four scaling laws, and (3) explores, relying on work by J. Agresti,
deviations from the scaling laws due to finite mirror size.Comment: 25 pages, 10 figures, submitted to Class. Quantum Gra
Microbioreactor (micro-Matrix) potential in aerobic and anaerobic conditions with different industrially relevant microbial strains
Microscale fermentation systems are important high throughput tools in clone selection, and bioprocess set up and optimization, since they provide several parallel experiments in controlled conditions of pH, temperature, agitation, and gas flow rate. In this work we evaluated the performance of biotechnologically relevant strains with different respiratory requirements in the micro-Matrix microbioreactor. In particular Escherichia coli K4 requires well aerated fermentation conditions to improve its native production of chondroitin-like capsular polysaccharide, a biomedically attractive polymer. Results from batch and fed-batch experiments demonstrated high reproducibility with those obtained on 2 L reactors, although highlighting a pronounced volume loss for longer-term experiments. Basfia succiniciproducens and Actinobacillus succinogenes need CO2 addition for the production of succinic acid, a building block with several industrial applications. Different CO2 supply modes were tested for the two strains in 24 h batch experiments and results well compared with those obtained on lab-scale bioreactors. Overall, it was demonstrated that the micro-Matrix is a useful scale-down tool that is suitable for growing metabolically different strains in simple batch process, however, a series of issues should still be addressed in order to fully exploit its potential
Kaon physics with a high-intensity proton driver
We study opportunities for future high-precision experiments in kaon physics
using a high-intensity proton driver, which could be part of the front-end of a
muon storage ring complex. We discuss in particular the rare decays
, , , and
lepton-flavour violating modes such as and . The
outstanding physics potential and long-term interest of these modes is
emphasized. We review status and prospects of current and planned experiments
for the processes under consideration, and indicate possible improvements and
strategies towards achieving the necessary higher sensitivity. Finally, we
outline the machine requirements needed to perform these high-precision kaon
experiments in the context of a muon storage ring facility.Comment: 26 pages, 12 figures; report of the kaon physics working group for
the ECFA studies on neutrino factory and muon storage rings at CERN, G.
Buchalla (convener); references update
Decay of pseudoscalars into lepton pairs and large-Nc QCD
The counterterm combination that describes the decay of pseudoscalar mesons
into charged lepton pairs at lowest order in chiral perturbation theory is
considered within the framework of QCD in the limit of a large number of
colours Nc. When further restricted to the lowest meson dominance approximation
to large-Nc QCD, our results agree well with the available experimental data.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure
Proteomic analysis of apricot fruit during ripening
Ripening of climacteric fruits involves a complex network of biochemical and metabolic
changes that make them palatable and rich in nutritional and health-beneficial compounds.
Since fruit maturation has a profound impact on human nutrition, it has been
recently the object of increasing research activity by holistic approaches, especially on
model species. Here we report on the original proteomic characterization of ripening in
apricot, a widely cultivated species of temperate zones appreciated for its taste and aromas,
whose cultivation is yet hampered by specific limitations. Fruits of Prunus armeniaca
cv. Vesuviana were harvested at three ripening stages and proteins extracted and resolved
by 1D and 2D electrophoresis. Whole lanes from 1D gels were subjected to shot-gun analysis
that identified 245 gene products, showing preliminary qualitative differences between
maturation stages. In parallel, differential analysis of 2D proteomic maps highlighted 106
spots as differentially represented among variably ripen fruits. Most of these were further
identified by means of MALDI-TOF-PMF and nanoLC–ESI–LIT–MS/MS as enzymes involved
in main biochemical processes influencing metabolic/structural changes occurring during
maturation, i.e. organic acids, carbohydrates and energy metabolism, ethylene biosynthesis,
cell wall restructuring and stress response, or as protein species linkable to peculiar
fruit organoleptic characteristics. In addition to originally present preliminary information
on the main biochemical changes that characterize apricot ripening, this study also
provides indications for future marker-assisted selection breeding programs aimed to
ameliorate fruit quality
Agelastatin A, a new skeleton cytotoxic alkaloid of the oroidin family : isolation from the Axinellid sponge Agelas dendromorpha of the Coral Sea
Agelastatin A, isolated from the axinellid sponge #Agelas dendromorpha$ of the Coral Sea, is a new skeleton alkaloid with, unusually for the oroidin family to which it belongs, marked cytototoxicity toward tumour cells in culture. (Résumé d'auteur
B_{s,d} -> l^+ l^- and K_L -> l^+ l^- in SUSY models with non-minimal sources of flavour mixing
We present a general analysis of B_{s,d}-> l^+ l^- and K_L -> l^+ l^- decays
in supersymmetric models with non-minimal sources of flavour mixing. In spite
of the existing constraints on off-diagonal squark mass terms, these modes
could still receive sizeable corrections, mainly because of Higgs-mediated
FCNCs arising at large tan(beta). The severe limits on scenarios with large
tan(beta) and non-negligible {tilde d}^i_{R(L)}-{d-tilde}^j_{R(L)} mixing
imposed by the present experimental bounds on these modes and Delta B=2
observables are discussed in detail. In particular, we show that scalar-current
contributions to K_L -> l^+ l^- and B-{bar B} mixing set non-trivial
constraints on the possibility that B_s -> l^+ l^- and B_d -> l^+ l^- receive
large corrections.Comment: 18 pages, 4 figures (v2: minor changes, published version
Analysis and correction of the magnetic field effects in the Hybrid Photo-Detectors of the RICH2 Ring Imaging Cherenkov detector of LHCb
The Ring Imaging Cherenkov detectors of the LHCb experiment at the Large
Hadron Collider at CERN are equipped with Hybrid Photo-Detectors. These vacuum
photo-detectors are affected by the stray magnetic field of the LHCb magnet,
which degrades their imaging properties. This effect increases the error on the
Cherenkov angle measurement and would reduce the particle identification
capabilities of LHCb. A system has been developed for the RICH2 Ring Imaging
Cherenkov detector to perform a detailed characterisation of the magnetic
distortion effects. It is described, along with the methods implemented to
correct for these effects, restoring the optimal resolution.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figure
Approaching the transit time limit for high-precision spectroscopy on metastable CO around 6 μm
We present a high-resolution spectroscopy experiment, based on a molecular beam setup, which pushes the measured line width close to the transit time limit, on the order of 100 kHz
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