Effect of beryllium filter purity on x-ray emission measurements

Beryllium foils of the purity grade typically specified for use as filters in soft x-ray (SXR) diagnostics may contain sufficient heavy element impurities to distort the energy transmission response of the filter. Electron microprobe analysis of the foils used in the Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) SXR tomography diagnostic revealed an impurity content of ~0.3% fractional abundance by weight, comprised primarily of iron, zirconium, chromium, and nickel. These impurities lower the peak filter transmission in the energy range of the detector and alter the shape of the transmission curve. As a result, foil impurities introduce errors in any general measurement where radiation is being filtered. For example, neglecting the effect of impurities on filter transmission leads to large systematic errors (50%) in the electron temperature measured using the SXR double-filter technique on MST

Factors Associated with Revision Surgery after Internal Fixation of Hip Fractures

Background: Femoral neck fractures are associated with high rates of revision surgery after management with internal fixation. Using data from the Fixation using Alternative Implants for the Treatment of Hip fractures (FAITH) trial evaluating methods of internal fixation in patients with femoral neck fractures, we investigated associations between baseline and surgical factors and the need for revision surgery to promote healing, relieve pain, treat infection or improve function over 24 months postsurgery. Additionally, we investigated factors associated with (1) hardware removal and (2) implant exchange from cancellous screws (CS) or sliding hip screw (SHS) to total hip arthroplasty, hemiarthroplasty, or another internal fixation device. Methods: We identified 15 potential factors a priori that may be associated with revision surgery, 7 with hardware removal, and 14 with implant exchange. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses in our investigation. Results: Factors associated with increased risk of revision surgery included: female sex, [hazard ratio (HR) 1.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25-2.50; P = 0.001], higher body mass index (fo

A simple, low-cost, versatile CCD spectrometer for plasma spectroscopy

The authors have constructed a simple, low-cost CCD spectrometer capable of both high resolution ({Delta}{lambda} {le} 0.015 nm) and large bandpass (110 nm with {Delta}{lambda} {approximately}0.3 nm). These two modes of operation provide two broad areas of capability for plasma spectroscopy. The first major application is measurement of emission line broadening; the second is emission line surveys from the ultraviolet to the near infrared. Measurements have been made on a low-temperature plasma produced by a miniature electrostatic plasma source and the high-temperature plasma in the MST Reversed-Field Pinch. The spectrometer is a modified Jarrell-Ash 0.5 m Ebert-Fastie monochromator. Light is coupled into the entrance slit with a fused silica fiber optic bundle. The exposure time (2 ms minimum) is controlled by a fast electromechanical shutter. The exit plane detector is a compact and robust CCD detector developed for amateur astronomy by Santa Barbara Instrument Group. The CCD detector is controlled and read out by a Macintosh{reg_sign} computer. This spectrometer is sophisticated enough to serve well in a research laboratory, yet is simple and inexpensive enough to be affordable for instructional use

Calibration techniques for a fast duo-spectrometer

The authors have completed the upgrade and calibration of the Ion Dynamics Spectrometer (IDS), a high-speed Doppler duo-spectrometer which measures ion flow and temperature in the MST Reversed-field Pinch. This paper describes an in situ calibration of the diagnostic`s phase and frequency response. A single clock was employed to generate both a digital test signal and a digitizer trigger thus avoiding frequency drift and providing a highly resolved measurement over the system bandwidth. Additionally, they review the measurement of the spectrometer instrument function and absolute intensity response. This calibration and subsequent performance demonstrate the IDS to be one of the fastest, highest throughput diagnostics of its kind. Typical measurements are presented

ESR Study of Na-Colloids in Heavily Irradiated NaCl: Size Effects and Inter-precipitate Interactions

Compared with other materials, the radiolysis processes in alkali halides and in particular NaCl have been investigated extensively. From these investigations we have obtained a rather clear picture of the radiolysis processes in these model materials. During irradiation of NaCl crystals at 50-150°C Na and Cl2 precipitates are formed. At low doses the F-center ESR signal and the optical F-band are found. With increasing dose a rapid transition from F and F-aggregates to colloids occurs. We have observed colloids showing Curie paramagnetism, a Curie-Pauli cross-over (both due to size effects) and normal Pauli behavior. In heavily damaged samples we have observed anomalous behavior of the intensity and line-width as a function of temperature. Our observations have important consequences for the understanding of the radiolysis processes in heavily damaged NaCl.