61 research outputs found
Toward a High-Frequency Pulsed-Detonation Actuator
This paper describes the continued development of an actuator, energized by pulsed detonations, that provides a pulsed jet suitable for flow control in high-speed applications. A high-speed valve, capable of delivering a pulsed stream of reactants a mixture of H2 and air at rates of up to 1500 pulses per second, has been constructed. The reactants burn in a resonant tube and the products exit the tube as a pulsed jet. High frequency pressure transducers have been used to monitor the pressure fluctuations in the device at various reactant injection frequencies, including both resonant and off-resonant conditions. Pulsed detonations have been demonstrated in the lambda/4 mode of an 8 inch long tube at approx. 600 Hz. The pulsed jet at the exit of the device has been observed using shadowgraph and an infrared camera
Search for solar Kaluza-Klein axions in theories of low-scale quantum gravity
We explore the physics potential of a terrestrial detector for observing
axionic Kaluza-Klein excitations coming from the Sun within the context of
higher-dimensional theories of low-scale quantum gravity. In these theories,
the heavier Kaluza-Klein axions are relatively short-lived and may be detected
by a coincidental triggering of their two-photon decay mode. Because of the
expected high multiplicity of the solar axionic excitations, we find
experimental sensitivity to a fundamental Peccei-Quinn axion mass up to
eV (corresponding to an effective axion-photon coupling GeV) in theories with 2 extra
dimensions and a fundamental quantum-gravity scale of order 100
TeV, and up to eV (corresponding to GeV) in theories with 3 extra dimensions and
TeV. For comparison, based on recent data obtained from lowest
level underground experiments, we derive the experimental limits: GeV and GeV in the
aforementioned theories with 2 and 3 large compact dimensions, respectively.Comment: 19 pages, extended version, as to appear in Physical Review
Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay from Singlet Neutrinos in Extra Dimensions
We study the model-building conditions under which a sizeable
-decay signal to the recently reported level of~0.4 eV is due
to Kaluza--Klein singlet neutrinos in theories with large extra dimensions. Our
analysis is based on 5-dimensional singlet-neutrino models compactified on an
orbifold, where the Standard--Model fields are localized on a
3-brane. We show that a successful interpretation of a positive signal within
the above minimal 5-dimensional framework would require a non-vanishing shift
of the 3-brane from the orbifold fixed points by an amount smaller than the
typical scale (100 MeV) characterizing the Fermi nuclear momentum. The
resulting 5-dimensional models predict a sizeable effective Majorana-neutrino
mass that could be several orders of magnitude larger than the light neutrino
masses. Most interestingly, the brane-shifted models with only one bulk sterile
neutrino also predict novel trigonometric textures leading to mass scenarios
with hierarchical active neutrinos and large - and
- mixings that can fully explain the current atmospheric and
solar neutrino data.Comment: 33 pages, LaTeX, minor rewordings, references adde
Effects of new physics in neutrino oscillations in matter
A new flavor changing electron neutrino interaction with matter would always
dominate the nu_e oscillation probability at sufficiently high neutrino
energies. Being suppressed by theta_{13}, the energy scale at which the new
effect starts to be relevant may be within the reach of realistic experiments,
where the peculiar dependence of the signal with energy could give rise to a
clear signature in the nu_e --> nu_tau channel. The latter could be observed by
means of a coarse large magnetized detector by exploiting tau --> mu decays. We
discuss the possibility of identifying or constraining such effects with a high
energy neutrino factory. We also comment on the model independent limits on
them.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure
On 'Light' Fermions and Proton Stability in 'Big Divisor' D3/D7 Swiss Cheese Phenomenology
Building up on our earlier work [1,2], we show the possibility of generating
"light" fermion mass scales of MeV-GeV range (possibly related to first two
generations of quarks/leptons) as well as eV (possibly related to first two
generations of neutrinos) in type IIB string theory compactified on
Swiss-Cheese orientifolds in the presence of a mobile space-time filling
D3-$brane restricted to (in principle) stacks of fluxed D7-branes wrapping the
"big" divisor \Sigma_B. This part of the paper is an expanded version of the
latter half of section 3 of a published short invited review [3] written up by
one of the authors [AM]. Further, we also show that there are no SUSY GUT-type
dimension-five operators corresponding to proton decay, as well as estimate the
proton lifetime from a SUSY GUT-type four-fermion dimension-six operator to be
10^{61} years. Based on GLSM calculations in [1] for obtaining the geometric
Kaehler potential for the "big divisor", using further the Donaldson's
algorithm, we also briefly discuss in the first of the two appendices,
obtaining a metric for the Swiss-Cheese Calabi-Yau used, that becomes Ricci
flat in the large volume limit.Comment: v2: 1+25 pages, Title modified and text thoroughly expanded including
a brief discussion on obtaining Ricci-flat Swiss Cheese Calabi-Yau metrics
using the Donaldson's algorithm, references added, to appear in EPJ
Domain wall generation by fermion self-interaction and light particles
A possible explanation for the appearance of light fermions and Higgs bosons
on the four-dimensional domain wall is proposed. The mechanism of light
particle trapping is accounted for by a strong self-interaction of
five-dimensional pre-quarks. We obtain the low-energy effective action which
exhibits the invariance under the so called \tau-symmetry. Then we find a set
of vacuum solutions which break that symmetry and the five-dimensional
translational invariance. One type of those vacuum solutions gives rise to the
domain wall formation with consequent trapping of light massive fermions and
Higgs-like bosons as well as massless sterile scalars, the so-called branons.
The induced relations between low-energy couplings for Yukawa and scalar field
interactions allow to make certain predictions for light particle masses and
couplings themselves, which might provide a signature of the higher dimensional
origin of particle physics at future experiments. The manifest translational
symmetry breaking, eventually due to some gravitational and/or matter fields in
five dimensions, is effectively realized with the help of background scalar
defects. As a result the branons acquire masses, whereas the ratio of Higgs and
fermion (presumably top-quark) masses can be reduced towards the values
compatible with the present-day phenomenology. Since the branons do not couple
to fermions and the Higgs bosons do not decay into branons, the latter ones are
essentially sterile and stable, what makes them the natural candidates for the
dark matter in the Universe.Comment: 34 pages, 2 figures, JHEP style,few important refs. adde
A controlled study of adenoviral-vectorâmediated gene transfer in the nasal epithelium of patients with cystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a monogenic disease that deranges multiple systems of ion transport in the airways, culminating in chronic infection and destruction of the lung. The introduction of a normal copy of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene into the airway epithelium through gene transfer is an attractive approach to correcting the underlying defects in patients with cystic fibrosis. We tested the feasibility of gene therapy using adenoviral vectors in the nasal epithelium of such patients. An adenoviral vector containing the normal CFTR complementary DNA in four logarithmically increasing doses (estimated multiplicity of infection, 1, 10, 100, and 1000), or vehicle alone, was administered in a randomized, blinded fashion to the nasal epithelium of 12 patients with cystic fibrosis. Gene transfer was quantitated by molecular techniques that detected the expression of CFTR messenger RNA and by functional measurements of transepithelial potential differences (PDs) to assess abnormalities of ion transport specific to cystic fibrosis. The safety of this treatment was monitored by nasal lavage and biopsy to assess inflammation and vector replication. The adenoviral vector was detected in nasal-lavage fluid by culture, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), or both in a dose-dependent fashion for up to eight days after vector administration. There was molecular evidence of gene transfer by reverse-transcriptase PCR assays or in situ hybridization in five of six patients treated at the two highest doses. However, the percentage of epithelial cells transfected by the vector was very low (<1 percent), and measurement of PD across the epithelium revealed no significant restoration of chloride transport or normalization of sodium transport. At the lower doses of vector, there were no toxic effects. However, at the highest dose there was mucosal inflammation in two of three patients. In patients with cystic fibrosis, adenoviral-vectorâmediated transfer of the CFTR gene did not correct functional defects in nasal epithelium, and local inflammatory responses limited the dose of adenovirus that could be administered to overcome the inefficiency of gene transfer. Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. The normal CFTR gene codes for a protein (CFTR) that plays a key part in epithelial transport of salt and water. Mutations in CFTR result in abnormal secretions that obstruct and ultimately damage epithelium in many areas of the body. The principal cause of death among patients with cystic fibrosis is lung disease. Patients who are homozygous for mutations in the CFTR gene have defective cyclic AMP (cAMP)âregulated secretion of chloride8,9 and elevated absorption of sodium
Spatial distribution of bivalves in relation to environmental conditions (middle Danube catchment, Hungary)
The spatial distribution of bivalves in relation to environmental conditions was studied along a second- and third
order stream â medium-sized river (River Ipoly) â large river (River Danube) continuum in the Hungarian Danube River system.
Quantitative samples were collected four times in 2007 and a total of 1662 specimens, belonging to 22 bivalve species were identified. Among these species, two are endangered (Pseudanodonta complanata, Unio crassus) and five are invasive (Dreissena polymorpha, D. rostriformis bugensis, Corbicula fluminea, C. fluminalis, Anodonta woodiana) in Hungary. The higher density presented by Pisidium subtruncatum, P. supinum, P. henslowanum and C. fluminea suggests that these species may have a key role in this ecosystem. Three different faunal groups were distinguished but no significant temporal change was detected. The lowest density and diversity with two species (P. casertanum and P. personatum) occurred in streams. The highest
density and diversity was found in the River Ipoly, in the side arms of the Danube and in the main arm of the Danube with sand and silt substrate, being dominated by P. subtruncatum and P. henslowanum. Moderate density and species richness were observed in the main arm of the Danube with pebble and stone substrate, being dominated by C. fluminea and S. rivicola. Ten environmental variables were found to have significant influence on the distribution of bivalves, the strongest explanatory factors being substrate types, current velocity and sedimentological characteristics.The project was financially supported by the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund under the contract No. OTKA T/046180. Special thanks to the DanubeIpoly National Park for the help in field work.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Searching for doubly charged Higgs bosons in M\"{o}ller scattering by resonance effects at linear collider
We discuss the parity-violating left-right asymmetries (LRAs) in M\"{o}ller
scattering at the International Linear Collider (ILC) induced by doubly charged
Higgs bosons in models with triplet and singlet scalar bosons, which
couple to the left- and right-handed charged leptons, respectively. These
bosons are important in the scenarios for the generation of the neutrino mass.
We demonstrate that the contributions to the LRAs from the triplet and singlet
bosons are opposite to each other. In particular, we show that the doubly
charged Higgs boson from the singlet scalar can be tested at the ILC by using
the resonance effect.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures; version published in Eur.Phys.J.C60:119-124,200
Probing exotic phenomena at the interface of nuclear and particle physics with the electric dipole moments of diamagnetic atoms: A unique window to hadronic and semi-leptonic CP violation
The current status of electric dipole moments of diamagnetic atoms which
involves the synergy between atomic experiments and three different theoretical
areas -- particle, nuclear and atomic is reviewed. Various models of particle
physics that predict CP violation, which is necessary for the existence of such
electric dipole moments, are presented. These include the standard model of
particle physics and various extensions of it. Effective hadron level combined
charge conjugation (C) and parity (P) symmetry violating interactions are
derived taking into consideration different ways in which a nucleon interacts
with other nucleons as well as with electrons. Nuclear structure calculations
of the CP-odd nuclear Schiff moment are discussed using the shell model and
other theoretical approaches. Results of the calculations of atomic electric
dipole moments due to the interaction of the nuclear Schiff moment with the
electrons and the P and time-reversal (T) symmetry violating
tensor-pseudotensor electron-nucleus are elucidated using different
relativistic many-body theories. The principles of the measurement of the
electric dipole moments of diamagnetic atoms are outlined. Upper limits for the
nuclear Schiff moment and tensor-pseudotensor coupling constant are obtained
combining the results of atomic experiments and relativistic many-body
theories. The coefficients for the different sources of CP violation have been
estimated at the elementary particle level for all the diamagnetic atoms of
current experimental interest and their implications for physics beyond the
standard model is discussed. Possible improvements of the current results of
the measurements as well as quantum chromodynamics, nuclear and atomic
calculations are suggested.Comment: 46 pages, 19 tables and 16 figures. A review article accepted for
EPJ
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