Photonuclear reactions of actinides in the giant dipole resonance region

Photonuclear reactions at energies covering the giant dipole resonance (GDR) region are analyzed with an approach based on nuclear photoabsorption followed by the process of competition between light particle evaporation and fission for the excited nucleus. The photoabsorption cross section at energies covering the GDR region is contributed by both the Lorentz type GDR cross section and the quasideuteron cross section. The evaporation-fission process of the compound nucleus is simulated in a Monte-Carlo framework. Photofission reaction cross sections are analyzed in a systematic manner in the energy range of $\sim$ 10-20 MeV for the actinides $^{232}$Th, $^{238}$U and $^{237}$Np. Photonuclear cross sections for the medium-mass nuclei $^{63}$Cu and $^{64}$Zn, for which there are no fission events, are also presented. The study reproduces satisfactorily the available experimental data of photofission cross sections at GDR energy region and the increasing trend of nuclear fissility with the fissility parameter $Z^2/A$ for the actinides.Comment: 4 pages including 2 tables and 1 figur

New directions in island biogeography

Aim: Much of our current understanding of ecological and evolutionary processes comes from island research. With the increasing availability of data on distributions and phylogenetic relationships and new analytical approaches to understanding the processes that shape species distributions and interactions, a re-evaluation of this ever-interesting topic is timely. Location: Islands globally. Methods: We start by arguing that the reasons why island research has achieved so much in the past also apply to the future. We then critically assess the current state of island biogeography, focusing on recent changes in emphasis, including research featured in this special issue of Global Ecology and Biogeography. Finally, we suggest promising themes for the future. We cover both ecological and evolutionary topics, although the greater emphasis on island ecology reflects our own backgrounds and interests. Results: Much ecological theory has been directly or indirectly influenced by research on island biotas. Currently, island biogeography is renascent, with research focusing on, among other things, patterns and processes underlying species interaction networks, species coexistence and the assembly of island communities through ecological and evolutionary time. Continuing island research should provide additional insight into biological invasions and other impacts of human activities, functional diversity and ecosystem functioning, extinction and diversification, species pools and more. Deeper understanding of the similarities and differences between island and mainland systems will aid transferability of island theory to continental regions. Main conclusions: As research in biogeography and related fields expands in new directions, islands continue to provide opportunities for developing insights, both as natural laboratories for ecology and evolution and because of the exceptions islands often present to the usual ‘rules’ of ecology. New data collection initiatives are needed on islands world-wide and should be directed towards filling gaps in our knowledge of within-island distributions of species, as well as the functional traits and phylogenetic relationships of island species

Non-neoclassical up/down asymmetry of impurity emission on Alcator C-Mod

We demonstrate that existing theories are insufficient to explain up/down asymmetries of argon x-ray emission in Alcator C-Mod ohmic plasmas. Instead of the poloidal variation, ñ[subscript z]/〈n[subscript z]〉, being of order the inverse aspect ratio, ϵ, and scaling linearly with B[subscript t][superscript _ over n][subscript e]/I[2 over p], it is observed over 0.8 < r/a < 1.0 to be of order unity and exhibits a threshold behaviour between 3.5 <B[subscript t][superscript _ over n][subscript e]/I[subscript p] < 4.0 (T10[superscript 20] m[superscript −3] MA[superscript −1]). The transition from a poloidally symmetric to asymmetric impurity distribution is shown to occur at densities just below those that trigger a reversal of the core toroidal rotation direction, thought to be linked to the transition between the linear and saturated ohmic confinement regimes. A possible drive is discussed by which anomalous radial transport might sustain the impurity density asymmetry as the ratio of the perpendicular to parallel equilibration times, τ[subscript ⊥,z]/τ[subscript ∥,z], approaches unity. This explanation requires a strong up/down asymmetry in radial flux which, while not observable on C-Mod, has been measured in TEXT and Tore Supra ohmic plasmas.United States. Dept. of Energy (Contract DE-FC02-99ER54512)United States. Dept. of Energy (Fusion Research Postdoctoral Research Program

Non-local heat transport, rotation reversals and up/down impurity density asymmetries in Alcator C-Mod ohmic L-mode plasmas

Several seemingly unrelated effects in Alcator C-Mod ohmic L-mode plasmas are shown to be closely connected: non-local heat transport, core toroidal rotation reversals, energy confinement saturation and up/down impurity density asymmetries. These phenomena all abruptly transform at a critical value of the collisionality. At low densities in the linear ohmic confinement regime, with collisionality ν[subscript *] ≤ 0.35 (evaluated inside of the q = 3/2 surface), heat transport exhibits non-local behaviour, core toroidal rotation is directed co-current, edge impurity density profiles are up/down symmetric and a turbulent feature in core density fluctuations with k[subscript θ] up to 15 cm[superscript −1] (k[subscript θ]ρ[subscript s] ~ 1) is present. At high density/collisionality with saturated ohmic confinement, electron thermal transport is diffusive, core rotation is in the counter-current direction, edge impurity density profiles are up/down asymmetric and the high k[subscript θ] turbulent feature is absent. The rotation reversal stagnation point (just inside of the q = 3/2 surface) coincides with the non-local electron temperature profile inversion radius. All of these observations suggest a possible unification in a model with trapped electron mode prevalence at low collisionality and ion temperature gradient mode domination at high collisionality.United States. Dept. of Energy (Contract DE-FC02-99ER54512)United States. Dept. of Energy. Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (Postdoctoral Research Program

Observations of Core Toroidal Rotation Reversals in Alcator C-Mod Ohmic L-mode Plasmas

Direction reversals of intrinsic toroidal rotation have been observed in Alcator C-Mod ohmic L-mode plasmas following modest electron density or toroidal magnetic field ramps. The reversal process occurs in the plasma interior, inside of the q = 3/2 surface. For low density plasmas, the rotation is in the co-current direction, and can reverse to the counter-current direction following an increase in the electron density above a certain threshold. Reversals from the co- to counter-current direction are correlated with a sharp decrease in density fluctuations with k(R) >= 2 cm(-1) and with frequencies above 70 kHz. The density at which the rotation reverses increases linearly with plasma current, and decreases with increasing magnetic field. There is a strong correlation between the reversal density and the density at which the global ohmic L-mode energy confinement changes from the linear to the saturated regime

Using behavior-analytic implicit tests to assess sexual interests among normal and sex-offender populations

The development of implicit tests for measuring biases and behavioral predispositions is a recent development within psychology. While such tests are usually researched within a social-cognitive paradigm, behavioral researchers have also begun to view these tests as potential tests of conditioning histories, including in the sexual domain. The objective of this paper is to illustrate the utility of a behavioral approach to implicit testing and means by which implicit tests can be built to the standards of behavioral psychologists. Research findings illustrating the short history of implicit testing within the experimental analysis of behavior are reviewed. Relevant parallel and overlapping research findings from the field of social cognition and on the Implicit Association Test are also outlined. New preliminary data obtained with both normal and sex offender populations are described in order to illustrate how behavior-analytically conceived implicit tests may have potential as investigative tools for assessing histories of sexual arousal conditioning and derived stimulus associations. It is concluded that popular implicit tests are likely sensitive to conditioned and derived stimulus associations in the history of the test-taker rather than 'unconscious cognitions', per se