56 research outputs found
Closing the sea surface mixed layer temperature budget from in situ observations alone: Operation Advection during BoBBLE
Sea surface temperature (SST) is a fundamental driver of tropical weather systems such as monsoon rainfall and tropical cyclones. However, understanding of the factors that control SST variability is lacking, especially during the monsoons when in situ observations are sparse. Here we use a ground-breaking observational approach to determine the controls on the SST variability in the southern Bay of Bengal. We achieve this through the first full closure of the ocean mixed layer energy budget derived entirely from in situ observations during the Bay of Bengal Boundary Layer Experiment (BoBBLE). Locally measured horizontal advection and entrainment contribute more significantly than expected to SST evolution and thus oceanic variability during the observation period. These processes are poorly resolved by state-of-the-art climate models, which may contribute to poor representation of monsoon rainfall variability. The novel techniques presented here provide a blueprint for future observational experiments to quantify the mixed layer heat budget on longer time scales and to evaluate these processes in models
Fermentation, Isolation, Structure, and antidiabetic activity of NFAT-133 produced by Streptomyces strain PM0324667
Type-2 diabetes is mediated by defects in either insulin secretion or insulin action. In an effort to identify extracts that may stimulate glucose uptake, similar to insulin, a high throughput-screening assay for measuring glucose uptake in skeletal muscle cells was established. During the screening studies to discover novel antidiabetic compounds from microbial resources a Streptomyces strain PM0324667 (MTCC 5543, the Strain accession number at Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, India), an isolate from arid soil was identified which expressed a secondary metabolite that induced glucose uptake in L6 skeletal muscle cells. By employing bioactivity guided fractionation techniques, a tri-substituted simple aromatic compound with anti-diabetic potential was isolated. It was characterized based on MS and 2D NMR spectral data and identified as NFAT-133 which is a known immunosuppressive agent that inhibits NFAT-dependent transcription in vitro. Our investigations revealed the antidiabetic potential of NFAT-133. The compound induced glucose uptake in differentiated L6 myotubes with an EC50 of 6.3 ± 1.8 μM without activating the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ. Further, NFAT-133 was also efficacious in vivo in diabetic animals and reduced systemic glucose levels. Thus it is a potential lead compound which can be considered for development as a therapeutic for the treatment of type-2 diabetes. We have reported herewith the isolation of the producer microbe, fermentation, purification, in vitro, and in vivo antidiabetic activity of the compound
Calibration of Super-Kamiokande Using an Electron Linac
In order to calibrate the Super-Kamiokande experiment for solar neutrino
measurements, a linear accelerator (LINAC) for electrons was installed at the
detector. LINAC data were taken at various positions in the detector volume,
tracking the detector response in the variables relevant to solar neutrino
analysis. In particular, the absolute energy scale is now known with less than
1 percent uncertainty.Comment: 24 pages, 16 figures, Submitted to NIM
Measurement of radon concentrations at Super-Kamiokande
Radioactivity from radon is a major background for observing solar neutrinos
at Super-Kamiokande. In this paper, we describe the measurement of radon
concentrations at Super-Kamiokande, the method of radon reduction, and the
radon monitoring system. The measurement shows that the current low-energy
event rate between 5.0 MeV and 6.5 MeV implies a radon concentration in the
Super-Kamiokande water of less than 1.4 mBq/m.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure
Observation of the east-west anisotropy of the atmospheric neutrino flux
The east-west anisotropy, caused by the deflection of primary cosmic rays in
the Earth's magnetic field, is observed for the first time in the flux of
atmospheric neutrinos. Using a 45 kt-year exposure of the
Super-Kamiokande detector, 552 e-like and 633 mu-like horizontally-going
events are selected in the momentum range between 400 and 3000 MeV/c.
The azimuthal distribution of e-like and mu-like events agrees with the
expectation from atmospheric neutrino flux calculations that account for the
geomagnetic field, verifying that the geomagnetic field effects in the
production of atmospheric neutrinos in the GeV energy range are well
understood.Comment: 8 pages,3 figures revtex, submitted to PR
Measurement of the flux and zenith-angle distribution of upward through-going muons by Super-Kamiokande
A total of 614 upward through-going muons of minimum energy 1.6 GeV are
observed by Super-Kamiokande during 537 detector live days. The measured muon
flux is 1.74+/-0.07(stat.)+/-0.02(sys.)x10^{-13}cm^{-2}s^{-1}sr^{-1} compared
to an expected flux of 1.97+/-0.44(theo.)x10^{-13}cm^{-2}s^{-1}sr^{-1}. The
absolute measured flux is in agreement with the prediction within the errors.
However, the zenith angle dependence of the observed upward through-going muon
flux does not agree with no-oscillation predictions. The observed distortion in
shape is consistent with the \nu_\mu \nu_\tau oscillation hypothesis with
\sin^22\theta > 0.4 and 1x10^{-3} < \Delta m^2 < 1x10^{-1} eV^{2} at 90%
confidence level.Comment: 8 pages w/ 3 figures new version contains minor fixes, as it appears
in PR
Constraints on neutrino oscillation parameters from the measurement of day-night solar neutrino fluxes at Super-Kamiokande
A search for day-night variations in the solar neutrino flux resulting from
neutrino oscillations has been carried out using the 504 day sample of solar
neutrino data obtained at Super-Kamiokande. The absence of a significant
day-night variation has set an absolute flux independent exclusion region in
the two neutrino oscillation parameter space.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, submitted to PRL, single-spacin
Measurement of a small atmospheric ratio
From an exposure of 25.5~kiloton-years of the Super-Kamiokande detector, 900
muon-like and 983 electron-like single-ring atmospheric neutrino interactions
were detected with momentum MeV/, MeV/, and
with visible energy less than 1.33 GeV. Using a detailed Monte Carlo
simulation, the ratio was measured to be , consistent with previous results from the
Kamiokande, IMB and Soudan-2 experiments, and smaller than expected from
theoretical models of atmospheric neutrino production.Comment: 14 pages with 5 figure
Evidence for oscillation of atmospheric neutrinos
We present an analysis of atmospheric neutrino data from a 33.0 kiloton-year
(535-day) exposure of the Super-Kamiokande detector. The data exhibit a zenith
angle dependent deficit of muon neutrinos which is inconsistent with
expectations based on calculations of the atmospheric neutrino flux.
Experimental biases and uncertainties in the prediction of neutrino fluxes and
cross sections are unable to explain our observation. The data are consistent,
however, with two-flavor nu_mu nu_tau oscillations with sin^2(2theta)>0.82
and 5x10^-4 < delta m^2 < 6x10^-3 eV^2 at 90% confidence level.Comment: 9 pages (two-column) with 4 figures. Small corrections to Eqn.4 and
Fig.3. Final version to appear in PR
- …