16,419 research outputs found
Remote sensing of tropical tropopause layer radiation balance using A-train measurements
Determining the level of zero net radiative heating (LZH) is critical to understanding parcel trajectory in the Tropical Tropopause Layer (TTL) and associated stratospheric hydration processes. Previous studies of the TTL radiative balance have focused on using radiosonde data, but remote sensing measurements from polar-orbiting satellites may provide the relevant horizontal and vertical information for assessing TTL solar heating and infrared cooling rates, especially across the Pacific Ocean. CloudSat provides a considerable amount of vertical information about the distribution of cloud properties relevant to heating rate analysis. The ability of CloudSat measurements and ancillary information to constrain LZH is explored. We employ formal error propagation analysis for derived heating rate uncertainty given the CloudSat cloud property retrieval algorithms. Estimation of the LZH to within approximately 0.5 to 1 km is achievable with CloudSat, but it has a low-altitude bias because the radar is unable to detect thin cirrus. This can be remedied with the proper utilization of Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) lidar backscatter information. By utilizing an orbital simulation with the GISS data set, we explore the representativeness of non-cross-track scanning active sounders in terms of describing the LZH distribution. In order to supplement CloudSat, we explore the ability of Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) and Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-EOS (AMSR-E) to constrain LZH and find that these passive sounders are useful where the cloud top height does not exceed 7 km. The spatiotemporal distributions of LZH derived from CloudSat and CALIPSO measurements are presented which suggest that thin cirrus have a limited effect on LZH mean values but affect LZH variability
The peculiar velocity field: constraining the tilt of the Universe
A large bulk flow, which is in tension with the Lambda Cold Dark Matter
(CDM) cosmological model, has been observed. In this paper, we provide
a physically plausible explanation of this bulk flow, based on the assumption
that some fraction of the observed dipole in the cosmic microwave background is
due to an intrinsic fluctuation, so that the subtraction of the observed dipole
leads to a mismatch between the cosmic microwave background (CMB) defined rest
frame and the matter rest frame. We investigate a model that takes into account
the relative velocity (hereafter the tilted velocity) between the two frames,
and develop a Bayesian statistic to explore the likelihood of this tilted
velocity.
By studying various independent peculiar velocity catalogs, we find that: (1)
the magnitude of the tilted velocity is around 400 km/s, and its direction
is close to what is found from previous bulk flow analyses; for most catalogs
analysed, u=0 is excluded at about the level;(2) constraints on
the magnitude of the tilted velocity can result in constraints on the duration
of inflation, due to the fact that inflation can neither be too long (no dipole
effect) nor too short (very large dipole effect); (3) Under the assumption of a
super-horizon isocurvature fluctuation, the constraints on the tilted velocity
require that inflation lasts at least 6 e-folds longer (at the 95% confidence
interval) than that required to solve the horizon problem. This opens a new
window for testing inflation and models of the early Universe from observations
of large scale structure.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures, match the published version in Phys.Rev.
Manned Venus Flyby
This study is one of several being conducted at Bellcomm and in Manned Space Flight whose purpose is to give guidance to the Apollo Applications Program's technical objectives by focusing on a longer range goal. The assumed mission in this case is a three-man flyby of Venus launched in November, 1973 on a single standard Saturn V. The selected flight configuration includes a Command and Service Module similar in some respects to Apollo, an Environmental Support Module which occupies the adapter area and a spent S-IVB stage which is utilized for habitable volume and structural support of a solar cell electrical power system. The total injected weight, 106,775 lbs., is within the capability of a single Saturn V of the early 1970's. The study is focused on the selection of subsystem technologies appropriate to long duration flight. The conclusions are reported in terms of the technical characteristics to be achieved as part of the Apollo Applications Program's long duration objectives
Vortex Plasma in a Superconducting Film with Magnetic Dots
We consider a superconducting film, placed upon a magnetic dot array.
Magnetic moments of the dots are normal to the film and randomly oriented. We
determine how the concentration of the vortices in the film depends on the
magnetic moment of a dot at low temperatures. The concentration of the
vortices, bound to the dots, is proportional to the density of the dots and
depends on the magnetization of a dot in a step-like way. The concentration of
the unbound vortices oscillates about a value, proportional to the magnetic
moment of the dots. The period of the oscillations is equal to the width of a
step in the concentration of the bound vortices.Comment: RevTeX, 4 page
The Fourth Positive System of Carbon Monoxide in the Hubble Space Telescope Spectra of Comets
The rich structure of the Fourth Positive System (A-X) of carbon monoxide
accounts for many of the spectral features seen in long slit HST-STIS
observations of comets 153P/Ikeya-Zhang, C/2001 Q4 (NEAT), and C/2000 WM1
(LINEAR), as well as in the HST-GHRS spectrum of comet C/1996 B2 Hyakutake. A
detailed CO fluorescence model is developed to derive the CO abundances in
these comets by simultaneously fitting all of the observed A-X bands. The model
includes the latest values for the oscillator strengths and state parameters,
and accounts for optical depth effects due to line overlap and self-absorption.
The model fits yield radial profiles of CO column density that are consistent
with a predominantly native source for all the comets observed by STIS. The
derived CO abundances relative to water in these comets span a wide range, from
0.44% for C/2000 WM1 (LINEAR), 7.2% for 153P/Ikeya-Zhang, 8.8% for C/2001 Q4
(NEAT) to 20.9% for C/1996 B2 (Hyakutake). The subtraction of the CO spectral
features using this model leads to the first identification of a molecular
hydrogen line pumped by solar HI Lyman-beta longward of 1200A in the spectrum
of comet 153P/Ikeya-Zhang. (Abridged)Comment: 12 pages, 11 figures, ApJ accepte
Superoperator Analysis of Entanglement in a Four-Qubit Cluster State
In this paper we utilize superoperator formalism to explore the entanglement
evolution of four-qubit cluster states in a number of decohering environments.
A four-qubit cluster state is a resource for the performance of an arbitrary
single logical qubit rotation via measurement based cluster state quantum
computation. We are specifically interested in the relationship between
entanglement evolution and the fidelity with which the arbitrary single logical
qubit rotation can be implemented in the presence of decoherence as this will
have important experimental ramifications. We also note the exhibition of
entanglement sudden death (ESD) and ask how severely its onset affects the
utilization of the cluster state as a means of implementing an arbitrary single
logical qubit rotation.Comment: 9 pages, 9 composite figures, presentation of results completely
rewritte
The Monge problem in Wiener Space
We address the Monge problem in the abstract Wiener space and we give an
existence result provided both marginal measures are absolutely continuous with
respect to the infinite dimensional Gaussian measure {\gamma}
Quasi-long range order in glass states of impure liquid crystals, magnets, and superconductors
In this review we consider glass states of several disordered systems:
vortices in impure superconductors, amorphous magnets, and nematic liquid
crystals in random porous media. All these systems can be described by the
random-field or random-anisotropy O(N) model. Even arbitrarily weak disorder
destroys long range order in the O(N) model. We demonstrate that at weak
disorder and low temperatures quasi-long range order emerges. In
quasi-long-range-ordered phases the correlation length is infinite and
correlation functions obey power dependencies on the distance. In pure systems
quasi-long range order is possible only in the lower critical dimension and
only in the case of Abelian symmetry. In the presence of disorder this type of
ordering turns out to be more common. It exists in a range of dimensions and is
not prohibited by non-Abelian symmetries.Comment: 32 page
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