Search for Oscillation of the Electron-Capture Decay Probability of 142^{142}Pm

We have searched for time modulation of the electron capture decay probability of $^{142}$Pm in an attempt to confirm a recent claim from a group at the Gesellschaft f\"{u}r Schwerionenforschung (GSI). We produced $^{142}$Pm via the $^{124}$Sn($^{23}$Na, 5n)$^{142}$Pm reaction at the Berkeley 88-Inch Cyclotron with a bombardment time short compared to the reported modulation period. Isotope selection by the Berkeley Gas-filled Separator is followed by implantation and a long period of monitoring the $^{142}$Nd K$_{\alpha}$ x-rays from the daughter. The decay time spectrum of the x-rays is well-described by a simple exponential and the measured half-life of 40.68(53) seconds is consistent with the accepted value. We observed no oscillatory modulation at the proposed frequency at a level 31 times smaller than that reported by Litvinov {\it et al.} (Phys. Lett. B 664 (2008) 162; arXiv:0801.2079 [nucl-ex]). A literature search for previous experiments that might have been sensitive to the reported modulation uncovered another example in $^{142}$Eu electron-capture decay. A reanalysis of the published data shows no oscillatory behavior.Comment: 12 pages (double-spaced), 6 figure

Peatland hydrology and carbon release: why small-scale process matters

Peatlands cover over 400 million hectares of the Earth's surface and store between one-third and one-half of the world's soil carbon pool. The long-term ability of peatlands to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere means that they play a major role in moderating global climate. Peatlands can also either attenuate or accentuate flooding. Changing climate or management can alter peatland hydrological processes and pathways for water movement across and below the peat surface. It is the movement of water in peats that drives carbon storage and flux. These small-scale processes can have global impacts through exacerbated terrestrial carbon release. This paper will describe advances in understanding environmental processes operating in peatlands. Recent (and future) advances in high-resolution topographic data collection and hydrological modelling provide an insight into the spatial impacts of land management and climate change in peatlands. Nevertheless, there are still some major challenges for future research. These include the problem that impacts of disturbance in peat can be irreversible, at least on human time-scales. This has implications for the perceived success and understanding of peatland restoration strategies. In some circumstances, peatland restoration may lead to exacerbated carbon loss. This will also be important if we decide to start to create peatlands in order to counter the threat from enhanced atmospheric carbon

What is the Oxygen Isotope Composition of Venus? The Scientific Case for Sample Return from Earth’s “Sister” Planet

Venus is Earth’s closest planetary neighbour and both bodies are of similar size and mass. As a consequence, Venus is often described as Earth’s sister planet. But the two worlds have followed very different evolutionary paths, with Earth having benign surface conditions, whereas Venus has a surface temperature of 464 °C and a surface pressure of 92 bar. These inhospitable surface conditions may partially explain why there has been such a dearth of space missions to Venus in recent years.The oxygen isotope composition of Venus is currently unknown. However, this single measurement (Δ17O) would have first order implications for our understanding of how large terrestrial planets are built. Recent isotopic studies indicate that the Solar System is bimodal in composition, divided into a carbonaceous chondrite (CC) group and a non-carbonaceous (NC) group. The CC group probably originated in the outer Solar System and the NC group in the inner Solar System. Venus comprises 41% by mass of the inner Solar System compared to 50% for Earth and only 5% for Mars. Models for building large terrestrial planets, such as Earth and Venus, would be significantly improved by a determination of the Δ17O composition of a returned sample from Venus. This measurement would help constrain the extent of early inner Solar System isotopic homogenisation and help to identify whether the feeding zones of the terrestrial planets were narrow or wide.Determining the Δ17O composition of Venus would also have significant implications for our understanding of how the Moon formed. Recent lunar formation models invoke a high energy impact between the proto-Earth and an inner Solar System-derived impactor body, Theia. The close isotopic similarity between the Earth and Moon is explained by these models as being a consequence of high-temperature, post-impact mixing. However, if Earth and Venus proved to be isotopic clones with respect to Δ17O, this would favour the classic, lower energy, giant impact scenario.We review the surface geology of Venus with the aim of identifying potential terrains that could be targeted by a robotic sample return mission. While the potentially ancient tessera terrains would be of great scientific interest, the need to minimise the influence of venusian weathering favours the sampling of young basaltic plains. In terms of a nominal sample mass, 10 g would be sufficient to undertake a full range of geochemical, isotopic and dating studies. However, it is important that additional material is collected as a legacy sample. As a consequence, a returned sample mass of at least 100 g should be recovered.Two scenarios for robotic sample return missions from Venus are presented, based on previous mission proposals. The most cost effective approach involves a “Grab and Go” strategy, either using a lander and separate orbiter, or possibly just a stand-alone lander. Sample return could also be achieved as part of a more ambitious, extended mission to study the venusian atmosphere. In both scenarios it is critical to obtain a surface atmospheric sample to define the extent of atmosphere-lithosphere oxygen isotopic disequilibrium. Surface sampling would be carried out by multiple techniques (drill, scoop, “vacuum-cleaner” device) to ensure success. Surface operations would take no longer than one hour.Analysis of returned samples would provide a firm basis for assessing similarities and differences between the evolution of Venus, Earth, Mars and smaller bodies such as Vesta. The Solar System provides an important case study in how two almost identical bodies, Earth and Venus, could have had such a divergent evolution. Finally, Venus, with its runaway greenhouse atmosphere, may provide data relevant to the understanding of similar less extreme processes on Earth. Venus is Earth’s planetary twin and deserves to be better studied and understood. In a wider context, analysis of returned samples from Venus would provide data relevant to the study of exoplanetary systems

Long-range Angular Correlations On The Near And Away Side In P-pb Collisions At √snn=5.02 Tev

7191/Mar294

Measurement of the branching ratio Γ(Λb⁰ → ψ(2S)Λ0)/Γ(Λb⁰ → J/ψΛ0) with the ATLAS detector

An observation of the $\Lambda_b^0 \rightarrow \psi(2S) \Lambda^0$ decay and a comparison of its branching fraction with that of the $\Lambda_b^0 \rightarrow J/\psi \Lambda^0$ decay has been made with the ATLAS detector in proton--proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=8\,$TeV at the LHC using an integrated luminosity of $20.6\,$fb$^{-1}$. The $J/\psi$ and $\psi(2S)$ mesons are reconstructed in their decays to a muon pair, while the $\Lambda^0\rightarrow p\pi^-$ decay is exploited for the $\Lambda^0$ baryon reconstruction. The $\Lambda_b^0$ baryons are reconstructed with transverse momentum $p_{\rm T}>10\,$GeV and pseudorapidity $|\eta|<2.1$. The measured branching ratio of the $\Lambda_b^0 \rightarrow \psi(2S) \Lambda^0$ and $\Lambda_b^0 \rightarrow J/\psi \Lambda^0$ decays is $\Gamma(\Lambda_b^0 \rightarrow \psi(2S)\Lambda^0)/\Gamma(\Lambda_b^0 \rightarrow J/\psi\Lambda^0) = 0.501\pm 0.033 ({\rm stat})\pm 0.019({\rm syst})$, lower than the expectation from the covariant quark model.Comment: 12 pages plus author list (28 pages total), 5 figures, 1 table, published on Physics Letters B 751 (2015) 63-80. All figures are available at https://atlas.web.cern.ch/Atlas/GROUPS/PHYSICS/PAPERS/BPHY-2013-08

Evaluación de la dinámica de la salud del recién nacido después de la transición de la Federación de Rusia a los criterios internacionales para nacidos vivos y mortinatos

To assess the state of children’s health in obstetric care organizations after Russia transition to international statistics on live births and stillbirths, we studied the main indicators of newborn health in the dynamics from 2013 to 2020. It was found that between 2013 and 2020 the morbidity of newborns decreased by 6.3% (from 337.2‰ to 316.3‰; p&lt;0.05), neonatal mortality by 45.7% (from 3.5‰ to 1.9‰; p&lt;0.05), stillbirth rate by 45.6% (from 10.9‰ to 5.5‰; p&lt;0.05), and hospital mortality of newborns born sick and ill by 40.0% (from 1.0% to 0.6%; p&lt;0.05). Assessment of the distribution of live-born infants by birth weight showed that changes in this parameter of physical development during the period under study had no statistically significant differences (p&gt;0.05). The assessment of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on newborn health revealed slight shifts in the distribution of children born alive by birth weight and a 6.8% increase in the stillbirth rate compared to the pre-pandemic level. Thus, in the period from 2013 to 2020 the share of children discharged from obstetric hospitals who were healthy has increased due to the reduction in morbidity and mortality of newborns. The analysis showed that there was an improvement in the health indicators of newborns in the Russian Federation.Para evaluar el estado de la salud de los niños en las organizaciones de atención obstétrica después de la transición de Rusia a las estadísticas internacionales sobre nacidos vivos y mortinatos, estudiamos los principales indicadores de salud del recién nacido en la dinámica de 2013 a 2020. Se encontró que entre 2013 y 2020 la morbilidad de los recién nacidos disminuyó un 6,3% (de 337,2‰ a 316,3‰; p&lt;0,05), la mortalidad neonatal un 45,7% (de 3,5‰ a 1,9‰; p&lt;0,05), la tasa de mortinatalidad un 45,6% (de 10,9‰ a 5,5‰; p&lt;0,05), y la mortalidad hospitalaria de los recién nacidos enfermos en un 40,0% (del 1,0% al 0,6%; p&lt;0,05). La evaluación de la distribución de los nacidos vivos según el peso al nacer mostró que los cambios en este parámetro de desarrollo físico durante el período de estudio no tuvieron diferencias estadísticamente significativas (p&gt;0,05). La evaluación del impacto de la pandemia de COVID-19 en la salud de los recién nacidos reveló ligeros cambios en la distribución de niños nacidos vivos por peso al nacer y un aumento del 6,8 % en la tasa de mortinatalidad en comparación con el nivel previo a la pandemia. Así, en el período de 2013 a 2020 aumentó la proporción de niños egresados ​​de hospitales obstétricos que estaban sanos debido a la reducción de la morbilidad y mortalidad de los recién nacidos. El análisis mostró que hubo una mejora en los indicadores de salud de los recién nacidos en la Federación Rusa

Sulphur transfer into liquid pig iron from coke immersed in it

22.00; Translated from Russian (Stal' 1986 (8) p. 14-17)SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:9022.06(BISI--25420)T / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo