16,346 research outputs found
The evolution of Giant Molecular Filaments
In recent years there has been a growing interest in studying giant molecular
filaments (GMFs), which are extremely elongated (> 100pc in length) giant
molecular clouds (GMCs). They are often seen as inter-arm features in external
spiral galaxies, but have been tentatively associated with spiral arms when
viewed in the Milky Way. In this paper, we study the time evolution of GMFs in
a high-resolution section of a spiral galaxy simulation, and their link with
spiral arm GMCs and star formation, over a period of 11Myrs. The GMFs generally
survive the inter-arm passage, although they are subject to a number of
processes (e.g. star formation, stellar feedback and differential rotation)
which can break the giant filamentary structure into smaller sections. The GMFs
are not gravitationally bound clouds as a whole, but are, to some extent,
confined by external pressure. Once they reach the spiral arms, the GMFs tend
to evolve into more substructured spiral arm GMCs, suggesting that GMFs may be
precursors to arm GMCs. Here, they become incorporated into the more complex
and almost continuum molecular medium that makes up the gaseous spiral arm.
Instead of retaining a clear filamentary shape, their shapes are distorted both
by their climb up the spiral potential and their interaction with the gas
within the spiral arm. The GMFs do tend to become aligned with the spiral arms
just before they enter them (when they reach the minimum of the spiral
potential), which could account for the observations of GMFs in the Milky Way.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures, MNRAS accepte
A generalization of the S-function method applied to a Duffing-Van der Pol forced oscillator
In [1,2] we have developed a method (we call it the S-function method) that
is successful in treating certain classes of rational second order ordinary
differential equations (rational 2ODEs) that are particularly `resistant' to
canonical Lie methods and to Darbouxian approaches. In this present paper, we
generalize the S-function method making it capable of dealing with a class of
elementary 2ODEs presenting elementary functions. Then, we apply this method to
a Duffing-Van der Pol forced oscillator, obtaining an entire class of first
integrals
Vortex-antivortex annihilation in mesoscopic superconductors with a central pinning center
In this work we solved the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equations, TDGL, to
simulate two superconducting systems with different lateral sizes and with an
antidot inserted in the center. Then, by cycling the external magnetic field,
the creation and annihilation dynamics of a vortex-antivortex pair was studied
as well as the range of temperatures for which such processes could occur. We
verified that in the annihilation process both vortex and antivortex acquire an
elongated format while an accelerated motion takes place.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, work presented in Vortex VII
Public Health England's recovery tools: potential teaching resources?
The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version.Training to combat chemical and radiation accidents, incidents or attacks is critical for health professionals
due to recent events involving these hazards or their use as unconventional weapons, such as the use of
the nerve agent novichok in Salisbury, UK. Health professionals need to have appropriate knowledge and
skills to effectively respond to future events involving any of these substances, which requires a rapid and
coordinated response from different professionals to protect the environment and minimise the number of
people exposed and reduce morbidity and mortality. However, despite chemical and radiation incidents
becoming increasingly prevalent, literature reviews have shown that there is a lack of teaching of
appropriate competences to face future crises in Europe, particularly amongst clinicians and other health
professionals that would be part of the initial response. Thus, De Montfort University (DMU, UK) in
collaboration with different academics from the University of Alcalá (Spain) and researchers from Public
Health England (PHE) with comprehensive experience in environmental decontamination and restoration,
have created a short training course for providing undergraduate/postgraduate students with basic skills
to respond to chemical incidents, basic skills that are based on the major competences recently identified
by the European Commission [1]. This novel training has been tested with students from different
backgrounds in various European universities, recording high degrees of acquisition of the various basic
competences that we developed to initially respond to chemical events [2]. To develop the practical part
of this chemical training, we have incorporated the novel guidance and methodology developed by PHE
to successfully tailor a protection and recovery response to any incident involving chemical substances,
which is available in the “UK Recovery Handbook for Chemical Incidents” [3] and its web-based tools:
“Chemical Recovery Navigation Tool” (CRNT, [4]) and “Chemical Recovery Record Form” (CRRF, [5]).
These innovative resources aid the user to select effective protection, decontamination and restoration
techniques or strategies from a pool of up-to-date options applicable to different environments according
to the physicochemical properties of the chemical(s) involved and the area affected. The CRNT is
accompanied by the CRRF, which facilitates collection and analysis of the necessary data to inform
decisions, and an e-learning resource named “Chemical Recovery: Background” (CRB, [6]), which could
facilitate the learning of environmental decontamination and restoration. We are currently developing a
short training course to cover minor radiation incidents; this radiation training will follow the same methods
used to develop the chemical training, but with the specific PHE recovery tools to tackle such events,
specifically the “UK Recovery Handbooks for Radiation Incidents” [7] and its associated web-based tools
“Radiation Recovery Navigation Tool” (Rad RNT, [8]), one for each environment: food production systems,
inhabited areas and drinking water supplies. This communication will explore the use of the PHE’s
Recovery Navigation Tools as potential resources to facilitate the acquisition of basic knowledge to tailor
protection and recovery interventions for minor chemical and radiation incidents to protect the public
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