142 research outputs found
On the fraction of dark matter in charged massive particles (CHAMPs)
From various cosmological, astrophysical and terrestrial requirements, we
derive conservative upper bounds on the present-day fraction of the mass of the
Galactic dark matter (DM) halo in charged massive particles (CHAMPs). If dark
matter particles are neutral but decay lately into CHAMPs, the lack of
detection of heavy hydrogen in sea water and the vertical pressure equilibrium
in the Galactic disc turn out to put the most stringent bounds. Adopting very
conservative assumptions about the recoiling velocity of CHAMPs in the decay
and on the decay energy deposited in baryonic gas, we find that the lifetime
for decaying neutral DM must be > (0.9-3.4)x 10^3 Gyr. Even assuming the
gyroradii of CHAMPs in the Galactic magnetic field are too small for halo
CHAMPs to reach Earth, the present-day fraction of the mass of the Galactic
halo in CHAMPs should be < (0.4-1.4)x 10^{-2}. We show that redistributing the
DM through the coupling between CHAMPs and the ubiquitous magnetic fields
cannot be a solution to the cuspy halo problem in dwarf galaxies.Comment: 21 pages, 2 figures. To appear in JCA
Recent Advances in Understanding Particle Acceleration Processes in Solar Flares
We review basic theoretical concepts in particle acceleration, with
particular emphasis on processes likely to occur in regions of magnetic
reconnection. Several new developments are discussed, including detailed
studies of reconnection in three-dimensional magnetic field configurations
(e.g., current sheets, collapsing traps, separatrix regions) and stochastic
acceleration in a turbulent environment. Fluid, test-particle, and
particle-in-cell approaches are used and results compared. While these studies
show considerable promise in accounting for the various observational
manifestations of solar flares, they are limited by a number of factors, mostly
relating to available computational power. Not the least of these issues is the
need to explicitly incorporate the electrodynamic feedback of the accelerated
particles themselves on the environment in which they are accelerated. A brief
prognosis for future advancement is offered.Comment: This is a chapter in a monograph on the physics of solar flares,
inspired by RHESSI observations. The individual articles are to appear in
Space Science Reviews (2011
Two-pion Bose-Einstein correlations in central Pb-Pb collisions at = 2.76 TeV
The first measurement of two-pion Bose-Einstein correlations in central Pb-Pb
collisions at TeV at the Large Hadron Collider is
presented. We observe a growing trend with energy now not only for the
longitudinal and the outward but also for the sideward pion source radius. The
pion homogeneity volume and the decoupling time are significantly larger than
those measured at RHIC.Comment: 17 pages, 5 captioned figures, 1 table, authors from page 12,
published version, figures at
http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/388
Suppression of charged particle production at large transverse momentum in central Pb-Pb collisions at TeV
Inclusive transverse momentum spectra of primary charged particles in Pb-Pb
collisions at = 2.76 TeV have been measured by the ALICE
Collaboration at the LHC. The data are presented for central and peripheral
collisions, corresponding to 0-5% and 70-80% of the hadronic Pb-Pb cross
section. The measured charged particle spectra in and GeV/ are compared to the expectation in pp collisions at the same
, scaled by the number of underlying nucleon-nucleon
collisions. The comparison is expressed in terms of the nuclear modification
factor . The result indicates only weak medium effects ( 0.7) in peripheral collisions. In central collisions,
reaches a minimum of about 0.14 at -7GeV/ and increases
significantly at larger . The measured suppression of high- particles is stronger than that observed at lower collision energies,
indicating that a very dense medium is formed in central Pb-Pb collisions at
the LHC.Comment: 15 pages, 5 captioned figures, 3 tables, authors from page 10,
published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/98
Diagnostic strategy and timing of intervention in infected necrotizing pancreatitis: an international expert survey and case vignette study
AbstractBackgroundThe optimal diagnostic strategy and timing of intervention in infected necrotizing pancreatitis is subject to debate. We performed a survey on these topics amongst a group of international expert pancreatologists.MethodsAn online survey including case vignettes was sent to 118 international pancreatologists. We evaluated the use and timing of fine needle aspiration (FNA), antibiotics, catheter drainage and (minimally invasive) necrosectomy.ResultsThe response rate was 74% (N = 87). None of the respondents use FNA routinely, 85% selectively and 15% never. Most respondents (87%) use a step-up approach in patients with infected necrosis. Walled-off necrosis (WON) is considered a prerequisite for endoscopic drainage and percutaneous drainage by 66% and 12%, respectively. After diagnosing infected necrosis, 55% routinely postpone invasive interventions, whereas 45% proceed immediately to intervention. Lack of consensus about timing of intervention was apparent on day 14 with proven infected necrosis (58% intervention vs. 42% non-invasive) as well as on day 20 with only clinically suspected infected necrosis (59% intervention vs. 41% non-invasive).DiscussionThe step-up approach is the preferred treatment strategy in infected necrotizing pancreatitis amongst expert pancreatologists. There is no uniformity regarding the use of FNA and timing of intervention in the first 2–3 weeks of infected necrotizing pancreatitis
An Observational Overview of Solar Flares
We present an overview of solar flares and associated phenomena, drawing upon
a wide range of observational data primarily from the RHESSI era. Following an
introductory discussion and overview of the status of observational
capabilities, the article is split into topical sections which deal with
different areas of flare phenomena (footpoints and ribbons, coronal sources,
relationship to coronal mass ejections) and their interconnections. We also
discuss flare soft X-ray spectroscopy and the energetics of the process. The
emphasis is to describe the observations from multiple points of view, while
bearing in mind the models that link them to each other and to theory. The
present theoretical and observational understanding of solar flares is far from
complete, so we conclude with a brief discussion of models, and a list of
missing but important observations.Comment: This is an article for a monograph on the physics of solar flares,
inspired by RHESSI observations. The individual articles are to appear in
Space Science Reviews (2011
Untangling creativity and art for policy purposes : ethnographic insights on Manchester International Festival and Manchester Day Parade
This paper draws on anthropological fieldwork of a civic parade in Manchester
from 2010 to 2012 to argue for engaging with creativity as a process rather
than an attribute of a particular sector or individual. It shows how the focus on
funding and supporting ‘creative industries’ defined as ‘cinema, television,
music, literature, performing arts, heritage and related areas’ actually excludes
and diminishes the potential for others to engage with ideas and creative
processes. Two major events in Manchester’s cultural calendar – Procession by
artist Jeremy Deller, produced by Manchester International Festival and
Manchester Day Parade, a council-led civic celebration – both combined community
groups with artist input to put large-scale structures and people on the
city’s streets. In this ethnographic analysis, I argue that the ‘creativity’ sought
from these artists is their adaptive and productive approach to making ideas tangible.
By focusing on creativity as a process rather than a character trait, there
is even greater potential for stimulating a ‘creative’ city
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