8,518 research outputs found
Preparation, analysis and release of simulated interplanetary grains into low Earth orbit
Astronomical observations which reflect the optical and dynamical properties of interstellar and interplanetary grains are the primary means of identifying the shape, size, and the chemistry of extraterrestrial grain materials. Except for recent samplings of extraterrestrial particles in near-Earth orbit and in the stratosphere observations were the only method of deducing the properties of extraterrestrial particles. In order to elucidate the detailed characteristics of observed dust, the observations must be compared with theoretical studies, some of which are discussed in this volume, or compared with terrestrial laboratory experiments. The formation and optical characterization of simulated interstellar and interplanetary dust with particular emphasis on studying the properties on irregularly shaped particles were discussed. Efforts to develop the techniques to allow dust experiments to be carried out in low-Earth orbit were discussed, thus extending the conditions under which dust experiments may be performed
Digital voltage-controlled oscillator
Digital voltage-controlled oscillator generates a variable frequency signal controlled linearly about a center frequency with high stability and is phase controlled by an applied voltage. Integration ahead of the digital circuitry provides linear operation with control voltage having appreciable noise components
Rapid soft X-ray fluctuations in solar flares observed with the X-ray polychromator
Three flares observed by the Soft X-Ray Polychromator on the Solar Maximum Mission were studied. Flare light curves from the Flat Crystal Spectrometer and Bent Crystal Spectrometer were examined for rapid signal variations. Each flare was characterized by an initial fast (less than 1 min) burst, observed by the Hard X-Ray Burst Spectrometer (HXRBS), followed by softer gradual X-ray emission lasting several minutes. From an autocorrelation function analysis, evidence was found for quasi-periodic fluctuations with rise and decay times of 10 s in the Ca XIX and Fe XXV light curves. These variations were of small amplitude (less than 20%), often coincided with hard X-ray emissions, and were prominent during the onset of the gradual phase after the initial hard X-ray burst. It is speculated that these fluctuations were caused by repeated energy injections in a coronal loop that had already been heated and filled with dense plasma associated with the initial hard X-ray burst
Looking for a charge asymmetry in cosmic rays
We combine the data from PAMELA and FERMI-LAT cosmic ray experiments by
introducing a simple sum rule. This allows to investigate whether the lepton
excess observed by these experiments is charge symmetric or not. We also show
how the data can be used to predict the positron fraction at energies yet to be
explored by the AMS-02 experiment.Comment: Contribution to the proceedings of DISCRETE 2010, 5 pages, 2 figure
Diffuse continuum gamma rays from the Galaxy
A new study of the diffuse Galactic gamma-ray continuum radiation is
presented, using a cosmic-ray propagation model which includes nucleons,
antiprotons, electrons, positrons, and synchrotron radiation. Our treatment of
the inverse Compton (IC) scattering includes the effect of anisotropic
scattering in the Galactic interstellar radiation field (ISRF) and a new
evaluation of the ISRF itself. Models based on locally measured electron and
nucleon spectra and synchrotron constraints are consistent with gamma-ray
measurements in the 30-500 MeV range, but outside this range excesses are
apparent. A harder nucleon spectrum is considered but fitting to gamma rays
causes it to violate limits from positrons and antiprotons. A harder
interstellar electron spectrum allows the gamma-ray spectrum to be fitted above
1 GeV as well, and this can be further improved when combined with a modified
nucleon spectrum which still respects the limits imposed by antiprotons and
positrons. A large electron/IC halo is proposed which reproduces well the
high-latitude variation of gamma-ray emission. The halo contribution of
Galactic emission to the high-latitude gamma-ray intensity is large, with
implications for the study of the diffuse extragalactic component and
signatures of dark matter. The constraints provided by the radio synchrotron
spectral index do not allow all of the <30 MeV gamma-ray emission to be
explained in terms of a steep electron spectrum unless this takes the form of a
sharp upturn below 200 MeV. This leads us to prefer a source population as the
origin of the excess low-energy gamma rays.Comment: Final version accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal
(vol. 537, July 10, 2000 issue); Many Updates; 20 pages including 49
ps-figures, uses emulateapj.sty. More details can be found at
http://www.gamma.mpe-garching.mpg.de/~aws/aws.htm
Strategies to interpret the yield map: defining yield-limiting factors
Moisture and nutrient limitations, particularly nitrogen, commonly affect crop production in the grain-growing region of northern Australia. In this region, grain protein contents of cereal crops (wheat, barley, sorghum) are used retrospectively to distinguish, with reasonable certainty, crops to which nitrogen supply had limited grain production in that year. Using precision agriculture technologies, we collected site-specific yield and protein data of sorghum and barley paddocks during 1999. These coincidental maps were kriged onto a common grid, then interrogated, using regional trial data, to locate sites where nitrogen was yield limiting. The procedure, although at this stage still restricted to nitrogen, offers insight into the variation within a paddock on nitrogen supply, the likelihood of nitrogen limitations, and forms a management strategy for ongoing nitrogen application
Balloon-borne radiometer measurement of Northern Hemisphere mid-latitude stratospheric HNO3 profiles spanning 12 years
Low-resolution atmospheric thermal emission spectra collected by balloon-borne radiometers over the time span of 1990–2002 are used to retrieve vertical profiles of HNO3, CFC-11 and CFC-12 volume mixing ratios between approximately 10 and 35 km altitude. All of the data analyzed have been collected from launches from a Northern Hemisphere mid-latitude site, during late summer, when stratospheric dynamic variability is at a minimum. The retrieval technique incorporates detailed forward modeling of the instrument and the radiative properties of the atmosphere, and obtains a best fit between modeled and measured spectra through a combination of onion-peeling and global optimization steps. The retrieved HNO3 profiles are consistent over the 12-year period, and are consistent with recent measurements by the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment-Fourier transform spectrometer satellite instrument. This suggests that, to within the errors of the 1990 measurements, there has been no significant change in the HNO3 summer mid-latitude profile
Cosmic-Ray Nuclei, Antiprotons and Gamma-rays in the Galaxy: a New Diffusion Model
We model the transport of cosmic ray nuclei in the Galaxy by means of a new
numerical code. Differently from previous numerical models we account for a
generic spatial distribution of the diffusion coefficient. We found that in the
case of radially uniform diffusion, the main secondary/primary ratios (B/C, N/O
and sub-Fe/Fe) and the modulated antiproton spectrum match consistently the
available observations. Convection and re-acceleration do not seem to be
required in the energy range we consider: GeV/nucleon. We
generalize these results accounting for radial dependence of the diffusion
coefficient, which is assumed to trace that of the cosmic ray sources. While
this does not affect the prediction of secondary/primary ratios, the simulated
longitude profile of the diffuse -ray emission is significantly
different from the uniform case and may agree with EGRET measurements without
invoking ad hoc assumptions on the galactic gas density distribution.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures. v3: Added detailed references to nuclear
cross-section networ
Effective chiral-spin Hamiltonian for odd-numbered coupled Heisenberg chains
An system of odd number of coupled Heisenberg spin chains
is studied using a degenerate perturbation theory, where is the number of
coupled chains. An effective chain Hamiltonian is derived explicitly in terms
of two spin half degrees of freedom of a closed chain of sites, valid in
the regime the inter-chain coupling is stronger than the intra-chain coupling.
The spin gap has been calculated numerically using the effective Hamiltonian
for for a finite chain up to ten sites. It is suggested that the
ground state of the effective Hamiltonian is correlated, by examining
variational states for the effective chiral-spin chain Hamiltonian.Comment: 9 Pages, Latex, report ICTP-94-28
Density Matrix Renormalization Group Study of the Spin 1/2 Heisenberg Ladder with Antiferromagnetic Legs and Ferromagnetic Rungs
The ground state and low lying excitation of the spin 1/2 Heisenberg ladder
with antiferromagnetic leg () and ferromagnetic rung () interaction is studied by means of the density matrix renormalization
group method. It is found that the state remains in the Haldane phase even for
small suggesting the continuous transition to the gapless
phase at . The critical behavior for small is studied by
the finite size scaling analysis. The result is consistent with the recent
field theoretical prediction.Comment: 11 pages, revtex, figures upon reques
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