8,806 research outputs found
Charge neutralization in vacuum for non-conducting and isolated objects using directed low-energy electron and ion beams
We propose using ions and electrons of energy 1 eV–10 eV for neutralizing the charges on the non-conducting or isolated surfaces of high-sensitivity experiments. The mirror surfaces of the test masses of the laser interferometer gravitational observatory are used as an example of the implementation of this method. By alternatively directing beams of positive and negative charges towards the mirror surfaces, we ensure the neutralization of the total charge as well as the equalization of the surface charge distribution to within a few eV of the potential of the ground reference of the vacuum system. This method is compatible with operation in high vacuum, does not require measuring the potential of the mirrors and is expected not to damage sensitive optical surfaces
Ecological divergence and evolutionary transition of resprouting types in Banksia attenuata
Resprouting is a key functional trait that allows plants to survive diverse disturbances. The fitness benefits associated with resprouting include a rapid return to adult growth, early flowering, and setting seed. The resprouting responses observed following fire are varied, as are the ecological outcomes. Understanding the ecological divergence and evolutionary pathways of different resprouting types and how the environment and genetics interact to drive such morphological evolution represents an important, but under-studied, topic. In the present study, microsatellite markers and microevolutionary approaches were used to better understand: (1) whether genetic differentiation is related to morphological divergence among resprouting types and if so, whether there are any specific genetic variations associated with morphological divergence and (2) the evolutionary pathway of the transitions between two resprouting types in Banksia attenuata (epicormic resprouting from aerial stems or branch; resprouting from a underground lignotuber). The results revealed an association between population genetic differentiation and the morphological divergence of postfire resprouting types in B. attenuata. A microsatellite allele has been shown to be associated with epicormic populations. Approximate Bayesian Computation analysis revealed a likely evolutionary transition from epicormic to lignotuberous resprouting in B. attenuata. It is concluded that the postfire resprouting type in B. attenuata is likely determined by the fire's characteristics. The differentiated expression of postfire resprouting types in different environments is likely a consequence of local genetic adaptation. The capacity to shift the postfire resprouting type to adapt to diverse fire regimes is most likely the key factor explaining why B. attenuata is the most widespread member of the Banksia genus
Observation of electron-antineutrino disappearance at Daya Bay
The Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment has measured a non-zero value for
the neutrino mixing angle with a significance of 5.2 standard
deviations. Antineutrinos from six 2.9 GW reactors were detected in
six antineutrino detectors deployed in two near (flux-weighted baseline 470 m
and 576 m) and one far (1648 m) underground experimental halls. With a 43,000
ton-GW_{\rm th}-day livetime exposure in 55 days, 10416 (80376) electron
antineutrino candidates were detected at the far hall (near halls). The ratio
of the observed to expected number of antineutrinos at the far hall is
. A rate-only analysis
finds in a
three-neutrino framework.Comment: 5 figures. Version to appear in Phys. Rev. Let
A side-by-side comparison of Daya Bay antineutrino detectors
The Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment is designed to determine precisely
the neutrino mixing angle with a sensitivity better than 0.01 in
the parameter sin at the 90% confidence level. To achieve this
goal, the collaboration will build eight functionally identical antineutrino
detectors. The first two detectors have been constructed, installed and
commissioned in Experimental Hall 1, with steady data-taking beginning
September 23, 2011. A comparison of the data collected over the subsequent
three months indicates that the detectors are functionally identical, and that
detector-related systematic uncertainties exceed requirements.Comment: 24 pages, 36 figure
A new measurement of antineutrino oscillation with the full detector configuration at Daya Bay
We report a new measurement of electron antineutrino disappearance using the
fully-constructed Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment. The final two of eight
antineutrino detectors were installed in the summer of 2012. Including the 404
days of data collected from October 2012 to November 2013 resulted in a total
exposure of 6.910 GW-ton-days, a 3.6 times increase over
our previous results. Improvements in energy calibration limited variations
between detectors to 0.2%. Removal of six Am-C radioactive
calibration sources reduced the background by a factor of two for the detectors
in the experimental hall furthest from the reactors. Direct prediction of the
antineutrino signal in the far detectors based on the measurements in the near
detectors explicitly minimized the dependence of the measurement on models of
reactor antineutrino emission. The uncertainties in our estimates of
and were halved as a result of these
improvements. Analysis of the relative antineutrino rates and energy spectra
between detectors gave and eV in the three-neutrino
framework.Comment: Updated to match final published versio
Evolution of the Reactor Antineutrino Flux and Spectrum at Daya Bay
The Daya Bay experiment has observed correlations between reactor core fuel
evolution and changes in the reactor antineutrino flux and energy spectrum.
Four antineutrino detectors in two experimental halls were used to identify 2.2
million inverse beta decays (IBDs) over 1230 days spanning multiple fuel cycles
for each of six 2.9 GW reactor cores at the Daya Bay and Ling
Ao nuclear power plants. Using detector data spanning effective Pu
fission fractions, , from 0.25 to 0.35, Daya Bay measures an average
IBD yield, , of
cm/fission and a fuel-dependent variation in the IBD yield,
, of cm/fission.
This observation rejects the hypothesis of a constant antineutrino flux as a
function of the Pu fission fraction at 10 standard deviations. The
variation in IBD yield was found to be energy-dependent, rejecting the
hypothesis of a constant antineutrino energy spectrum at 5.1 standard
deviations. While measurements of the evolution in the IBD spectrum show
general agreement with predictions from recent reactor models, the measured
evolution in total IBD yield disagrees with recent predictions at 3.1.
This discrepancy indicates that an overall deficit in measured flux with
respect to predictions does not result from equal fractional deficits from the
primary fission isotopes U, Pu, U, and Pu.
Based on measured IBD yield variations, yields of and cm/fission have been determined for the two
dominant fission parent isotopes U and Pu. A 7.8% discrepancy
between the observed and predicted U yield suggests that this isotope
may be the primary contributor to the reactor antineutrino anomaly.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure
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