1,205 research outputs found
Simulation of transient energy distributions in sub-ns streamer formation
Breakdown and streamer formation is simulated in atmospheric pressure nitrogen for a 2D planar electrode system. A PIC code with multigrid potential solver is used to simulate the evolution of the non-equilibrium ionization front on sub-nanosecond timescales. The ion and electron energy distributions are computed, accounting for the inclusion of inelastic scattering of electrons, and collisionally excited metastable production and ionization. Of particular interest is the increased production of metastable and low-energy ions and electrons when the applied field is reversed during the progress of the ionization front, giving insight into the improved species yields in nanosecond pulsed systems
X - Ray Flares and Their Connection With Prompt Emission in GRBs
We use a wavelet technique to investigate the time variations in the light
curves from a sample of GRBs detected by Fermi and Swift. We focus primarily on
the behavior of the flaring region of Swift-XRT light curves in order to
explore connections between variability time scales and pulse parameters (such
as rise and decay times, widths, strengths, and separation distributions) and
spectral lags. Tight correlations between some of these temporal features
suggest a common origin for the production of X-ray flares and the prompt
emission.Comment: 7th Huntsville Gamma-Ray Burst Symposium, GRB 2013: paper 15 in eConf
Proceedings C130414
Gamma-Ray Bursts: Temporal Scales and the Bulk Lorentz Factor
For a sample of Swift and Fermi GRBs, we show that the minimum variability
timescale and the spectral lag of the prompt emission is related to the bulk
Lorentz factor in a complex manner: For small 's, the variability
timescale exhibits a shallow (plateau) region. For large 's, the
variability timescale declines steeply as a function of (). Evidence is also presented for an intriguing
correlation between the peak times, t, of the afterglow emission and the
prompt emission variability timescale.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap
Computing equilibrium states of cholesteric liquid crystals in elliptical channels with deflation algorithms
We study the problem of a cholesteric liquid crystal confined to an
elliptical channel. The system is geometrically frustrated because the
cholesteric prefers to adopt a uniform rate of twist deformation, but the
elliptical domain precludes this. The frustration is resolved by deformation of
the layers or introduction of defects, leading to a particularly rich family of
equilibrium configurations. To identify the solution set, we adapt and apply a
new family of algorithms, known as deflation methods, that iteratively modify
the free energy extremisation problem by removing previously known solutions. A
second algorithm, deflated continuation, is used to track solution branches as
a function of the aspect ratio of the ellipse and preferred pitch of the
cholesteric.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figure
The evolution of electron overdensities in magnetic fields
When a neutral gas impinges on a stationary magnetized plasma an enhancement in the ionization rate occurs when the neutrals exceed a threshold velocity. This is commonly known as the critical ionization velocity effect. This process has two distinct timescales: an ionâneutral collision time and electron acceleration time. We investigate the energization of an ensemble of electrons by their self-electric field in an applied magnetic field. The evolution of the electrons is simulated under different magnetic field and density conditions. It is found that electrons can be accelerated to speeds capable of electron impact ionization for certain conditions. In the magnetically dominated case the energy distribution of the excited electrons shows that typically 1% of the electron population can exceed the initial electrostatic potential associated with the unbalanced ensemble of electrons
Bluetongue virus infection creates light averse Culicoides vectors and serious errors in transmission risk estimates.
BackgroundPathogen manipulation of host behavior can greatly impact vector-borne disease transmission, but almost no attention has been paid to how it affects disease surveillance. Bluetongue virus (BTV), transmitted by Culicoides biting midges, is a serious disease of ruminant livestock that can cause high morbidity and mortality and significant economic losses. Worldwide, the majority of surveillance for Culicoides to assess BTV transmission risk is done using UV-light traps. Here we show that field infection rates of BTV are significantly lower in midge vectors collected using traps baited with UV light versus a host cue (CO2).MethodsWe collected Culicoides sonorensis midges in suction traps baited with CO2, UV-light, or CO2â+âUV on three dairies in southern California to assess differences in the resulting estimated infection rates from these collections. Pools of midges were tested for BTV by qRT-PCR, and maximum likelihood estimates of infection rate were calculated by trap. Infection rate estimates were also calculated by trapping site within a dairy. Colonized C. sonorensis were orally infected with BTV, and infection of the structures of the compound eye was examined using structured illumination microscopy.ResultsUV traps failed entirely to detect virus both early and late in the transmission season, and underestimated virus prevalence by as much as 8.5-fold. CO2â+âUV traps also had significantly lower infection rates than CO2-only traps, suggesting that light may repel infected vectors. We found very high virus levels in the eyes of infected midges, possibly causing altered vision or light perception. Collecting location also greatly impacts our perception of virus activity.ConclusionsBecause the majority of global vector surveillance for bluetongue uses only light-trapping, transmission risk estimates based on these collections are likely severely understated. Where national surveillance programs exist, alternatives to light-trapping should be considered. More broadly, disseminated infections of many arboviruses include infections in vectors' eyes and nervous tissues, and this may be causing unanticipated behavioral effects. Field demonstrations of pathogen-induced changes in vector behavior are quite rare, but should be studied in more systems to accurately predict vector-borne disease transmission
Use of bacterial ureolysis for improved gelation of silica sol in rock grouting
Low pH silica-based grouts suitable for penetrating fine aperture fractures are increasingly being developed for use in engineering applications. Silica sol has an initial low viscosity and mixing with an accelerator destabilises the suspension producing a gel. The influence of sodium, calcium and ammonium chloride accelerators on gel time, rate of gelation and shear strength of the resulting gel were investigated in this study. For the first time the potential use of bacterial ureolysis as an accelerator for the destabilisation of silica sol was also explored. This study demonstrates that bacterial ureolysis can be used to control the gelation of silica sol. The rate of ureolysis increases with increasing bacterial density, resulting in faster gel times and higher rates of gelation. In addition, for grouts with similar gel times, using bacterial ureolysis to induce destabilisation results in a higher rate of gelation, a higher final shear strength and a more uniform gel than direct addition of the corresponding chemical accelerator. These results suggest that bacterial ureolysis could potentially be used in rock grouting to achieve long gel times and hence greater penetration, while also maintaining sufficiently rapid gelation to minimise issues related to fingering and erosion of the fresh grout
- âŠ