the role of shock waves in modulation of galactic cosmic rays

The understanding of modulation of the galactic cosmic rays has considerably progressed by the exploration by space probes of major heliospheric structures, such as the Corotating Interaction Regions, the neutral sheet, and the compression regions of intense heliospheric magnetic fields. Also relevant in this context were the detections in the outer heliosphere of long lasting Forbush type decreases of cosmic ray intensity. The results of recent theoretical studies on the changes in intensity and energy, at different location from the Sun, induced by the passage of shocks across the heliosphere are presented. In this version of the research, the simplest cases of modulation of uGV and 2GV particles by single or several shocks during periods of positive and negative solar field polarity are reviewed. The results of the theoretical aspects of the search is reported. The comparison of the theoretical predictions with space probe data allows conclusions to be drawn on the role of shocks on the modulation on both the 11 and 22 year galactic cosmic ray cycles in the outer heliosphere and on the plausibility of the models and parameters used

Investigation and optimization of a high voltage piezoelectric particle accelerator

Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on November 2, 2012).The entire thesis text is included in the research.pf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pf file.Thesis advisor: Dr. Scott KovaleskiIncludes bibliographical references.M.S. University of Missouri-Columbia 2012."July 2012"This thesis contains analysis of the piezoelectric effect as a means to produce high voltage. The goal of this analysis is to determine if piezoelectric transformers can be used effectively in compact x-ray source applications. For the piezoelectric effect to be considered a viable mechanism for x-ray sources, the piezoelectric device must be able to produce x-ray energies ranging between 40 - 60 keV. The presented experiments demonstrated that a piezoelectric transformer produced x-rays with energies up to 125 keV. These results confirmed that the piezoelectric effect is a viable mechanism for compact x-ray production. The piezoelectric transformer far surpassed conventional piezoelectric devices and was capable of meeting and exceeding the operating voltage of x-ray applications such as tomography or radiography. Furthermore, due to the high voltages achievable by the piezoelectric transformer, additional applications such as compact neutron sources became viable using the piezoelectric effect. The D(d,n)3He fusion reaction, for instance, requires at least 100 kV for a reasonable cross-section, which is achievable using the piezoelectric transformer. While further development will be required to demonstrate neutron production using a piezoelectric transformer, the results showed that the piezoelectric effect has many potential applications beyond the scope of conventional piezoelectric devices

Applying the expanding photosphere and standardized candle methods to Type II-Plateau supernovae at cosmologically significant redshifts: the distance to SN 2013eq

Based on optical imaging and spectroscopy of the Type II-Plateau SN 2013eq, we present a comparative study of commonly used distance determination methods based on Type II supernovae. The occurrence of SN 2013eq in the Hubble flow (z = 0.041 +/- 0.001) prompted us to investigate the implications of the difference between "angular" and "luminosity" distances within the framework of the expanding photosphere method (EPM) that relies upon a relation between flux and angular size to yield a distance. Following a re-derivation of the basic equations of the EPM for SNe at non-negligible redshifts, we conclude that the EPM results in an angular distance. The observed flux should be converted into the SN rest frame and the angular size, theta, has to be corrected by a factor of (1+z)^2. Alternatively, the EPM angular distance can be converted to a luminosity distance by implementing a modification of the angular size. For SN 2013eq, we find EPM luminosity distances of D_L = 151 +/- 18 Mpc and D_L = 164 +/- 20 Mpc by making use of different sets of dilution factors taken from the literature. Application of the standardized candle method for Type II-P SNe results in an independent luminosity distance estimate (D_L = 168 +/- 16 Mpc) that is consistent with the EPM estimate.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, accepted by A&

Inversion tectonics during continetal rifting : The Turkana Cenozoic rifted zone, northern Kenya

International audienceRemote sensing data and revised seismic reflection profiles provide new insights about the origin of inverted deformation within Miocene-Recent basins of the Turkana rift (northern Kenya) in the eastern branch of the East African rift system. Contractional structures are dominated by weakly inverted sets of fault blocks within <3.7 Myr old synrift series. Most of reverse extensional faults involve components of oblique-slip, whereas associated hanging wall folds are characterized by large wavelength upright folding. The area of basin inversion is restricted to a 40 × 100 km elongated zone overlying a first-order N140°E trending fault zone in the basement, referred to as the N'Doto transverse fault zone (NTFZ). In the proposed kinematic model, inversion tectonics is assigned to permutation of principal stress axes (σ1/σ2) in addition to the clockwise rotation of extension (from nearly N90°E to N130°E) during Pliocene. The transition from pure extension (Miocene) to a wrench faulting regime (Pliocene) first results in the development of T-type fault networks within a dextrally reactivated shear zone (NTFZ). Inversion tectonics occurred later (<3.7 Ma) in response to a still rotated (~20°) shortening axis (σ1) oriented N40°E that caused the oblique compression of earlier (NS to N20°E) extensional structures within the NTFZ. The origin of basin inversion and strain concentration in the Turkana rift is thus directly linked to a crustal weakness zone, transverse to the rift axis, and involving steep prerift anisotropies

Lichens of six vernal pools in Acadia National Park, ME, USA

Whereas lichen-habitat relations have been well-documented globally, literature on lichens of vernal pools is scant. We surveyed six vernal pools at Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island, Maine, USA for their lichen diversity. Sixty-seven species were identified, including seven species that are new reports for Acadia National Park: Fuscidea arboricola, Hypogymnia incurvoides, Lepraria finkii, Phaeographis inusta, Ropalospora viridis, Usnea flammea, and Violella fucata. Five species are considered uncommon or only locally common in New England: Everniastrum catawbiense, Hypogymnia krogiae, Pseudevernia cladonia, Usnea flammea, and Usnea merrillii. This work represents the first survey of lichens from vernal pools in Acadia National Park and strongly suggests that previous efforts at documenting species at the Park have underestimated its species diversity. More work should be conducted to determine whether a unique assemblage of lichens occurs in association with this unique habitat type

The impact of in-season national team soccer play on injury and player availability in a professional club

This study investigated the impact of in-season national team duty on injury rates and player availability in a professional soccer club. Time-loss injuries and exposure time during club and national team duties were recorded prospectively over 5 seasons (2009–2014). A time-loss injury was sustained by 37.7% of squad members participating in national duty, all injuries occurring in match-play. The incidence (per 1000 h exposure) for national team player match-play injuries did not differ (P = 0.608) to that for all players in club competitions: 48.0 (95% CI 20.9–75.5) vs. 41.9 (95% CI 36.5–47.4), incidence rate ratio = 1.2 (CI: 0.8–2.4). The majority (58%) of national team injuries resulted in a layoff ≤1 week. Of all working days lost to injury generally, 5.2% were lost through injury on national duty. Injury incidence in the week following national duty was comparable (P = 0.818) in players participating or not: 7.8 (95% CI 3.6–12.0) vs. 7.1 (95% CI: 4.6–9.6), incidence rate ratio = 1.1 (CI: 0.7–2.7). While approximately 40% of participating players incurred a time-loss injury on national duty, no training injuries were sustained and injuries made up a negligible part of overall club working days lost to injury. Following duty, players had a similar injury risk to peers without national obligations

Study of high voltage charge pumping with a resonant piezoelectric device

Thesis supervisor: Dr. Scott D. Kovaleski.Includes vita.A lithium niobate piezoelectric transformer (PT) was studied as a high voltage driver for a compact x-ray source. PTs are devices that are commonly found in consumer electronics and typically provide between 100 and 300 volts of electric potential. However, by operating the PT under vacuum and driving it close to its natural harmonic resonant frequency, much higher voltages can be achieved. This work studied the behavior of PTs operated between 20 and 30 thousand volts, which enabled the production of x-ray radiation for radiographic imaging applications. A well-caliberated electron gun was used to deliver known amounts of current to the output of the PT. A laser-optical diagnostic was used to measure the internal electrical and mechanical fields of the PT to determine maximum stress and output voltage. An x-ray sensor was used to measure the radiation produced by the PT x-ray source. The findings of this work provided important fundamental information for future PT-based handheld x-ray technology.Includes bibliographical references (pages 132-136)

Relativistic corrections to the Pionium Lifetime

Next to leading order contributions to the pionium lifetime are considered within non-relativistic effective field theory. A more precise determination of the coupling constants is then needed in order to be consistent with the relativistic pion-pion scattering amplitude which can be obtained from chiral perturbation theory. The relativistic correction is found to be 4.1% and corresponds simply to a more accurate value for the non-relativistic decay momentum.Comment: 5 pages, Latex. Includes corrections based on a more precise matching to the pion-pion scattering amplitude from chiral perturbation theor