234 research outputs found
Polaron and bipolaron dispersion curves in one dimension for intermediate coupling
Bipolaron energies are calculated as a function of wave vector by a
variational method of Gurari appropriate for weak or intermediate coupling
strengths, for a model with electron-phonon interactions independent of phonon
wave vectors and a short-ranged Coulomb repulsion. It is assumed that the bare
electrons have a constant effective mass. A two-parameter trial function is
taken for the relative motion of the two electrons in the bipolaron. Energies
of bipolarons are compared with those of two single polarons as a function of
wave vector for various parameter values. Results for effective masses at the
zone center are also obtained. Comparison is made with data of other authors
for bipolarons in the Hubbard-Holstein model, which differs mainly from the
present model in that it has a tight-binding band structure for the bare
electrons.Comment: 11 pages including six figures. Physical Review B, to be publishe
Lidar measurement of atmospheric aerosol extinction profiles: a comparison between two techniques-Klett inversion and pure rotational Raman scattering methods
Two lidar methods of determining an atmospheric extinction coefficient profile are compared. The methods are the Klett inversion method for elastic lidar return and the log-derivative method for rotational Raman backscattered signal processing. The comparison includes numerical modeling and processing of lidar measurements when both the elastic and the rotational Raman backscattered signals are measured simultaneously. The suggested idea is that such a comparison can be used as a criterion for the reliability of the results of lidar measurements, similar to the comparison between the results of lidar and contact measurements
A Toxicogenomics Approach to Identify New Plausible Epigenetic Mechanisms of Ochratoxin A Carcinogenicity in Rat
Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin occurring naturally in a wide range of food commodities. In animals, it has been shown to cause a variety of adverse effects, nephrocarcinogenicity being the most prominent. Because of its high toxic potency and the continuous exposure of the human population, OTA has raised public health concerns. There is significant debate on how to use the rat carcinogenicity data to assess the potential risk to humans. In this context, the question of the mechanism of action of OTA appears of key importance and was studied through the application of a toxicogenomics approach. Male Fischer rats were fed OTA for up to 2 years. Renal tumors were discovered during the last 6 months of the study. The total tumor incidence reached 25% at the end of the study. Gene expression profile was analyzed in groups of animals taken in intervals from 7 days to 12 months. Tissue-specific responses were observed in kidney versus liver. For selected genes, microarray data were confirmed at both mRNA and protein levels. In kidney, several genes known as markers of kidney injury and cell regeneration were significantly modulated by OTA. The expression of genes known to be involved in DNA synthesis and repair, or genes induced as a result of DNA damage, was only marginally modulated. Very little or no effect was found amongst genes associated with apoptosis. Alterations of gene expression indicating effects on calcium homeostasis and a disruption of pathways regulated by the transcription factors hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4α) and nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) were observed in the kidney but not in the liver. Previous data have suggested that a reduction in HNF4α may be associated with nephrocarcinogenicity. Many Nrf2-regulated genes are involved in chemical detoxication and antioxidant defense. The depletion of these genes is likely to impair the defense potential of the cells, resulting in chronic elevation of oxidative stress in the kidney. The inhibition of defense mechanism appears as a highly plausible new mechanism, which could contribute to OTA carcinogenicit
Evidence for Trapped Anomalous Cosmic Ray Oxygen Ions in the Inner Magnetosphere
A series of measurements of 5–30 MeV/nucleon oxygen ions made with track detector stacks on Cosmos satellites show isotropic angular distributions during solar energetic particle events. Solar-quiet times, on the other hand, have highly anisotropic distributions suggestive of a trapped-particle component. Detailed Monte Carlo simulations confirm this interpretation and allow us to measure the trapped and cosmic-ray contributions to the observed fluxes. Our data are fully consistent with anomalous cosmic-ray ions, rather than radial diffusion from the outer zone, as the source of the trapped particles
Observation of Energetic Trapped Oxygen Ions in the Inner Magnetosphere
We report on a series of measurements of 5-30 Me V /nuc oxygen ions made with trackdetector stacks on Cosmos satellites. We find that the angular distributions during
solar energetic particle events are isotropic, while solar-quiet times show highly anisotropic distributions suggestive of a trapped particle component. Detailed Monte
Carlo simulations confirm this interpretation and allow us to separate the trapped and cosmic ray contributions to the quiet-time fluxes. Our data appear fully consistent with
trapping of anomalous cosmic ray ions as the source of the trapped particles but inconsistent with radial diffusion from the outer radiation zone
Measurement of the cosmic ray hadron spectrum up to 30 TeV at mountain altitude: the primary proton spectrum
The flux of cosmic ray hadrons at the atmospheric depth of 820 g/cm^2 has
been measured by means of the EAS-TOP hadron calorimeter (Campo Imperatore,
National Gran Sasso Laboratories, 2005 m a.s.l.). The hadron spectrum is well
described by a single power law : S(E_h) = (2.25 +- 0.21 +- 0.34(sys))
10^(-7)(E_h/1000)^(-2.79 +- 0.05) m^(-2) s^(-1) sr^(-1) GeV^(-1) over the
energy range 30 GeV-30 TeV. The procedure and the accuracy of the measurement
are discussed. The primary proton spectrum is derived from the data by using
the CORSIKA/QGSJET code to compute the local hadron flux as a function of the
primary proton spectrum and to calculate and subtract the heavy nuclei
contribution (basing on direct measurements). Over a wide energy range E_0 =
0.5-50 TeV its best fit is given by a single power law : S(E_0) = (9.8 +- 1.1
+- 1.6(sys)) 10^(-5) (E_0/1000)^(-2.80 +- 0.06) m^(-2) s^(-1) sr^(-1) GeV^(-1).
The validity of the CORSIKA/QGSJET code for such application has been checked
using the EAS-TOP and KASCADE experimental data by reproducing the ratio of the
measured hadron fluxes at the two experimental depths (820 and 1030 g/cm^2
respectively) at better than 10% in the considered energy range.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in Astroparticle
Physic
On inconsistency of experimental data on primary nuclei spectra with sea level muon intensity measurements
For the first time a complete set of the most recent direct data on primary
cosmic ray spectra is used as input into calculations of muon flux at sea level
in wide energy range GeV. Computations have been performed
with the CORSIKA/QGSJET and CORSIKA/VENUS codes. The comparison of the obtained
muon intensity with the data of muon experiments shows, that measurements of
primary nuclei spectra conform to sea level muon data only up to several tens
of GeV and result in essential deficit of muons at higher energies. As it
follows from our examination, uncertainties in muon flux measurements and in
the description of nuclear cascades development are not suitable to explain
this contradiction, and the only remaining factor, leading to this situation,
is underestimation of primary light nuclei fluxes. We have considered
systematic effects, that may distort the results of the primary cosmic ray
measurements with the application of the emulsion chambers. We suggest, that
re-examination of these measurements is required with the employment of
different hadronic interaction models. Also, in our point of view, it is
necessary to perform estimates of possible influence of the fact, that sizable
fraction of events, identified as protons, actually are antiprotons. Study of
these cosmic ray component begins to attract much attention, but today nothing
definite is known for the energies GeV. In any case, to realize whether
the mentioned, or some other reasons are the sources of disagreement of the
data on primaries with the data on muons, the indicated effects should be
thoroughly analyzed
Cosmic-Ray Proton and Helium Spectra from the First CREAM Flight
Cosmic-ray proton and helium spectra have been measured with the
balloon-borne Cosmic Ray Energetics And Mass experiment flown for 42 days in
Antarctica in the 2004-2005 austral summer season. High-energy cosmic-ray data
were collected at an average altitude of ~38.5 km with an average atmospheric
overburden of ~3.9 g cm. Individual elements are clearly separated with
a charge resolution of ~0.15 e (in charge units) and ~0.2 e for protons and
helium nuclei, respectively. The measured spectra at the top of the atmosphere
are represented by power laws with a spectral index of -2.66 0.02 for
protons from 2.5 TeV to 250 TeV and -2.58 0.02 for helium nuclei from 630
GeV/nucleon to 63 TeV/nucleon. They are harder than previous measurements at a
few tens of GeV/nucleon. The helium flux is higher than that expected from the
extrapolation of the power law fitted to the lower-energy data. The relative
abundance of protons to helium nuclei is 9.1 0.5 for the range from 2.5
TeV/nucleon to 63 TeV/nucleon. This ratio is considerably smaller than the
previous measurements at a few tens of GeV/nucleon.Comment: 20 pages, 4 figure
The energy spectrum of all-particle cosmic rays around the knee region observed with the Tibet-III air-shower array
We have already reported the first result on the all-particle spectrum around
the knee region based on data from 2000 November to 2001 October observed by
the Tibet-III air-shower array. In this paper, we present an updated result
using data set collected in the period from 2000 November through 2004 October
in a wide range over 3 decades between eV and eV, in which
the position of the knee is clearly seen at around 4 PeV. The spectral index is
-2.68 0.02(stat.) below 1PeV, while it is -3.12 0.01(stat.) above 4
PeV in the case of QGSJET+HD model, and various systematic errors are under
study now.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, accepted by Advances in space researc
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