107 research outputs found

    Book Review

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    The Santa Fe Light Cone Simulation Project: I. Confusion and the WHIM in Upcoming Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect Surveys

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    We present the first results from a new generation of simulated large sky coverage (~100 square degrees) Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect (SZE) cluster surveys using the cosmological adaptive mesh refinement N-body/hydro code Enzo. We have simulated a very large (512^3h^{-3}Mpc^3) volume with unprecedented dynamic range. We have generated simulated light cones to match the resolution and sensitivity of current and future SZE instruments. Unlike many previous studies of this type, our simulation includes unbound gas, where an appreciable fraction of the baryons in the universe reside. We have found that cluster line-of-sight overlap may be a significant issue in upcoming single-dish SZE surveys. Smaller beam surveys (~1 arcmin) have more than one massive cluster within a beam diameter 5-10% of the time, and a larger beam experiment like Planck has multiple clusters per beam 60% of the time. We explore the contribution of unresolved halos and unbound gas to the SZE signature at the maximum decrement. We find that there is a contribution from gas outside clusters of ~16% per object on average for upcoming surveys. This adds both bias and scatter to the deduced value of the integrated SZE, adding difficulty in accurately calibrating a cluster Y-M relationship. Finally, we find that in images where objects with M > 5x10^{13} M_{\odot} have had their SZE signatures removed, roughly a third of the total SZE flux still remains. This gas exists at least partially in the Warm Hot Intergalactic Medium (WHIM), and will possibly be detectable with the upcoming generation of SZE surveys.Comment: 14 pages, 13 figures, version accepted to ApJ. Major revisions mad

    Use of hardwood mulch applications to improve soil characteristics of Alfisols used in Florida citrus production

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    IntroductionImproving soil fertility is a top priority in Florida’s citrus growing regions, especially in the age of Huanglongbing (HLB; also known as citrus greening). This disease severely reduces fine root mass, causes higher incidences of nutrient deficiencies, and eventually results in the death of affected trees. Additionally, the soils commonly found in Florida’s citrus growing regions are sandy (greater than 98%) and naturally low in fertility, making the nutrient management of HLB-affected trees even more challenging. As a result, interest in organic amendments to increase soil fertility are being tested. Although hardwood chip mulches are successfully used in other regions of the country, no studies exist observing their use on the soils in Florida’s citrus growing regions; therefore, the objectives of this study were to measure the impacts of hardwood oak mulch on (i) Florida Alfisols characteristics and (ii) HLB-affected citrus trees.MethodsA two-treatment field study using 6-year-old ‘Valencia’ sweet orange trees (Citrus × sinensis) grafted on US-812 (C. reticulata × C. trifoliata) rootstock was conducted in Florida’s Indian River District (IRD). The experimental treatment consisted of 0.08 m of hardwood chip mulch sourced from oak trees applied every September for 3 years (2020, 2021, and 2022) while the control treatment had no mulch applied. Soil chemical and physical properties, leaf nutrient concentration, and leaf Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) titer was collected in the fall (October), winter (January), spring (April), and summer (July).Results and discussionOverall, after 3 years, oak mulch applications increased soil available phosphorus (32%), potassium (66%), magnesium (71%), organic matter (49%), and moisture (25-88%, depending on the season); however, oak mulch inconsistently impacted leaf nutrient concentrations and was not effective at suppressing HLB. The results show that annual applications of hardwood oak mulch can improve the chemical and physical properties of sandy soils within three years, however, these improvements did not reduce the severity of HLB

    Measurements of ϕ\phi meson production in relativistic heavy-ion collisions at RHIC

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    We present results for the measurement of ϕ\phi meson production via its charged kaon decay channel ϕK+K\phi \to K^+K^- in Au+Au collisions at sNN=62.4\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=62.4, 130, and 200 GeV, and in p+pp+p and dd+Au collisions at sNN=200\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200 GeV from the STAR experiment at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The midrapidity (y<0.5|y|<0.5) ϕ\phi meson transverse momentum (pTp_{T}) spectra in central Au+Au collisions are found to be well described by a single exponential distribution. On the other hand, the pTp_{T} spectra from p+pp+p, dd+Au and peripheral Au+Au collisions show power-law tails at intermediate and high pTp_{T} and are described better by Levy distributions. The constant ϕ/K\phi/K^- yield ratio vs beam species, collision centrality and colliding energy is in contradiction with expectations from models having kaon coalescence as the dominant mechanism for ϕ\phi production at RHIC. The Ω/ϕ\Omega/\phi yield ratio as a function of pTp_{T} is consistent with a model based on the recombination of thermal ss quarks up to pT4p_{T}\sim 4 GeV/cc, but disagrees at higher transverse momenta. The measured nuclear modification factor, RdAuR_{dAu}, for the ϕ\phi meson increases above unity at intermediate pTp_{T}, similar to that for pions and protons, while RAAR_{AA} is suppressed due to the energy loss effect in central Au+Au collisions. Number of constituent quark scaling of both RcpR_{cp} and v2v_{2} for the ϕ\phi meson with respect to other hadrons in Au+Au collisions at sNN\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200 GeV at intermediate pTp_{T} is observed. These observations support quark coalescence as being the dominant mechanism of hadronization in the intermediate pTp_{T} region at RHIC.Comment: 22 pages, 21 figures, 4 table

    Enhanced strange baryon production in Au+Au collisions compared to p+p at sqrts = 200 GeV

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    We report on the observed differences in production rates of strange and multi-strange baryons in Au+Au collisions at sqrts = 200 GeV compared to pp interactions at the same energy. The strange baryon yields in Au+Au collisions, then scaled down by the number of participating nucleons, are enhanced relative to those measured in pp reactions. The enhancement observed increases with the strangeness content of the baryon, and increases for all strange baryons with collision centrality. The enhancement is qualitatively similar to that observed at lower collision energy sqrts =17.3 GeV. The previous observations are for the bulk production, while at intermediate pT, 1 < pT< 4 GeV/c, the strange baryons even exceed binary scaling from pp yields.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures. Printed in PR

    Hadronic resonance production in dd+Au collisions at sNN\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}} = 200 GeV at RHIC

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    We present the first measurements of the ρ(770)0\rho(770)^0, KK^*(892), Δ\Delta(1232)++^{++}, Σ\Sigma(1385), and Λ\Lambda(1520) resonances in dd+Au collisions at sNN\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}} = 200 GeV, reconstructed via their hadronic decay channels using the STAR detector at RHIC. The masses and widths of these resonances are studied as a function of transverse momentum (pTp_T). We observe that the resonance spectra follow a generalized scaling law with the transverse mass (mTm_T). The ofresonancesinminimumbiascollisionsiscomparedtothe of resonances in minimum bias collisions is compared to the of π\pi, KK, and pˉ\bar{p}. The ρ0/π\rho^0/\pi^-, K/KK^*/K^-, Δ++/p\Delta^{++}/p, Σ(1385)/Λ\Sigma(1385)/\Lambda, and Λ(1520)/Λ\Lambda(1520)/\Lambda ratios in dd+Au collisions are compared to the measurements in minimum bias p+pp+p interactions, where we observe that both measurements are comparable. The nuclear modification factors (RdAuR_{dAu}) of the ρ0\rho^0, KK^*, and Σ\Sigma^* scale with the number of binary collisions (NbinN_{bin}) for pT>p_T > 1.2 GeV/cc.Comment: STAR Collaboration. Submitted to PR

    Studying Parton Energy Loss in Heavy-Ion Collisions via Direct-Photon and Charged-Particle Azimuthal Correlations

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    Charged-particle spectra associated with direct photon (γdir\gamma_{dir} ) and π0\pi^0 are measured in pp+pp and Au+Au collisions at center-of-mass energy sNN=200\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200 GeV with the STAR detector at RHIC. A hower-shape analysis is used to partially discriminate between γdir\gamma_{dir} and π0\pi^0. Assuming no associated charged particles in the γdir\gamma_{dir} direction (near side) and small contribution from fragmentation photons (γfrag\gamma_{frag}), the associated charged-particle yields opposite to γdir\gamma_{dir} (away side) are extracted. At mid-rapidity (η<0.9|\eta|<0.9) in central Au+Au collisions, charged-particle yields associated with γdir\gamma_{dir} and π0\pi^0 at high transverse momentum (8<pTtrig<168< p_{T}^{trig}<16 GeV/cc) are suppressed by a factor of 3-5 compared with pp + pp collisions. The observed suppression of the associated charged particles, in the kinematic range η<1|\eta|<1 and 3<pTassoc<163< p_{T}^{assoc} < 16 GeV/cc, is similar for γdir\gamma_{dir} and π0\pi^0, and independent of the γdir\gamma_{dir} energy within uncertainties. These measurements indicate that the parton energy loss, in the covered kinematic range, is insensitive to the parton path length.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett, 6 pages, 4 figure

    Observation of charge-dependent azimuthal correlations and possible local strong parity violation in heavy ion collisions

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    Parity-odd domains, corresponding to non-trivial topological solutions of the QCD vacuum, might be created during relativistic heavy-ion collisions. These domains are predicted to lead to charge separation of quarks along the orbital momentum of the system created in non-central collisions. To study this effect, we investigate a three particle mixed harmonics azimuthal correlator which is a \P-even observable, but directly sensitive to the charge separation effect. We report measurements of this observable using the STAR detector in Au+Au and Cu+Cu collisions at sNN\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200 and 62~GeV. The results are presented as a function of collision centrality, particle separation in rapidity, and particle transverse momentum. A signal consistent with several of the theoretical expectations is detected in all four data sets. We compare our results to the predictions of existing event generators, and discuss in detail possible contributions from other effects that are not related to parity violation.Comment: 17 pages, 14 figures, as accepted for publication in Physical Review C

    Safety and pharmacokinetics of multiple dose myo-inositol in preterm infants

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    BACKGROUND: Preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) given inositol had reduced bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), death and severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). We assessed the safety and pharmacokinetics of daily inositol to select a dose providing serum levels previously associated with benefit, and to learn if accumulation occurred when administered throughout the normal period of retinal vascularization. METHODS: Infants ≤ 29 wk GA (n = 122, 14 centers) were randomized and treated with placebo or inositol at 10, 40, or 80 mg/kg/d. Intravenous administration converted to enteral when feedings were established, and continued to the first of 10 wk, 34 wk postmenstrual age (PMA) or discharge. Serum collection employed a sparse sampling population pharmacokinetics design. Inositol urine losses and feeding intakes were measured. Safety was prospectively monitored. RESULTS: At 80 mg/kg/d mean serum levels reached 140 mg/l, similar to Hallman's findings. Levels declined after 2 wk, converging in all groups by 6 wk. Analyses showed a mean volume of distribution 0.657 l/kg, clearance 0.058 l/kg/h, and half-life 7.90 h. Adverse events and comorbidities were fewer in the inositol groups, but not significantly so. CONCLUSION: Multiple dose inositol at 80 mg/kg/d was not associated with increased adverse events, achieves previously effective serum levels, and is appropriate for investigation in a phase III trial

    Identified high-pTp_{T} spectra in Cu+Cu collisions at sNN\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200 GeV

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    We report new results on identified (anti)proton and charged pion spectra at large transverse momenta (3<pTp_{T}<10 GeV/c) from Cu+Cu collisions at sNN\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200 GeV using the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). This study explores the system size dependence of two novel features observed at RHIC with heavy ions: the hadron suppression at high-pTp_{T} and the anomalous baryon to meson enhancement at intermediate transverse momenta. Both phenomena could be attributed to the creation of a new form of QCD matter. The results presented here bridge the system size gap between the available pp and Au+Au data, and allow the detailed exploration for the on-set of the novel features. Comparative analysis of all available 200 GeV data indicates that the system size is a major factor determining both the magnitude of the hadron spectra suppression at large transverse momenta and the relative baryon to meson enhancement.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev. C, 9 pages, 5 figure
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