The frequency response of temperature and precipitation in a climate model

Dynamic aspects of the climate's response to forcing are typically explored through transient simulations in the time domain. However, because of the large range of time-scales involved, some features are more easily observed in the frequency domain. We compute the frequency-response of the HadCM3L general circulation model (GCM) to sinusoidal perturbations in solar radiative forcing, with periods between 2^(−1/2) and 2^9 (512) years. The global mean temperature response decreases with increasing frequency, and the frequency scaling at time-scales longer than one year is consistent with the behavior of diffusion into a semi-infinite slab. The land-sea contrast and land-averaged precipitation, however, exhibit relatively little dependency on the frequency of the imposed perturbation, with significant response at both short and long periods. Understanding these relative characteristics of different climate variables in the frequency domain is important to understanding the transient response of the climate system to both anthropogenic and natural (e.g., volcanic) forcings; the frequency response is also relevant in understanding the spectrum of natural variability

Band Gap Closing in a Synthetic Hall Tube of Neutral Fermions

We report the experimental realization of a synthetic three-leg Hall tube with ultracold fermionic atoms in a one-dimensional optical lattice. The legs of the synthetic tube are composed of three hyperfine spin states of the atoms, and the cyclic inter-leg links are generated by two-photon Raman transitions between the spin states, resulting in a uniform gauge flux $\phi$ penetrating each side plaquette of the tube. Using quench dynamics, we investigate the band structure of the Hall tube system for a commensurate flux $\phi=2\pi/3$. Momentum-resolved analysis of the quench dynamics reveals that a critical point of band gap closing as one of the inter-leg coupling strengths is varied, which is consistent with a topological phase transition predicted for the Hall tube system.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure

Double resonance of Raman transitions in a degenerate Fermi gas

We measure momentum-resolved Raman spectra of a spin-polarized degenerate Fermi gas of $^{173}$Yb atoms for a wide range of magnetic fields, where the atoms are irradiated by a pair of counterpropagating Raman laser beams as in the conventional spin-orbit coupling scheme. Double resonance of first- and second-order Raman transitions occurs at a certain magnetic field and the spectrum exhibits a doublet splitting for high laser intensities. The measured spectral splitting is quantitatively accounted for by the Autler-Townes effect. We show that our measurement results are consistent with the spinful band structure of a Fermi gas in the spatially oscillating effective magnetic field generated by the Raman laser fields.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

Realization of a cross-linked chiral ladder with neutral fermions in an optical lattice by orbital-momentum coupling

We report the experimental realization of a cross-linked chiral ladder with ultracold fermionic atoms in an optical lattice. In the ladder, the legs are formed by the orbital states of the optical lattice and the complex inter-leg links are generated by the orbital-changing Raman transitions that are driven by a moving lattice potential superimposed onto the optical lattice. The effective magnetic flux per ladder plaquette is tuned by the spatial periodicity of the moving lattice, and the chiral currents are observed from the asymmetric momentum distributions of the orbitals. The effect of the complex cross links is demonstrated in quench dynamics by measuring the momentum dependence of the inter-orbital coupling strength. We discuss the topological phase transition of the chiral ladder system for the variations of the complex cross links.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure

Creutz ladder in a resonantly shaken 1D optical lattice

We report the experimental realization of a Creutz ladder for ultracold fermionic atoms in a resonantly driven 1D optical lattice. The two-leg ladder consists of the two lowest orbital states of the optical lattice and the cross inter-leg links are generated via two-photon resonant coupling between the orbitals by periodic lattice shaking. The characteristic pseudo-spin winding structure in the energy bands of the ladder system is demonstrated using momentum-resolved Ramsey-type interferometric measurements. We discuss a two-tone driving method to extend the inter-leg link control and propose a topological charge pumping scheme for the Creutz ladder system. ©2020 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd on behalf of the Institute of Physics and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaf

Protein kinase CK2 phosphorylates and activates p21-activated kinase 1

Activation of the p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) is achieved through a conformational change that converts an inactive PAK1 dimer to an active monomer. In this paper, we show that this change is necessary but not sufficient to activate PAK1 and that it is, rather, required for CK2-dependent PAK1S223 phosphorylation that converts a monomeric PAK1 into a catalytically active form. This phosphorylation appears to be essential for autophosphorylation at specific residues and overall activity of PAK1. A phosphomimetic mutation (S223E) bypasses the requirement for GTPases in PAK1 activation, whereas the constitutive activity of the PAK1 mutant (PAK1H83,86L), postulated to mimic GTPase-induced structural changes, is abolished by inhibition of S223 phosphorylation. Thus, S223 is likely accessible to CK2 upon conformational changes of PAK1 induced by GTPase-dependent and GTPase-independent stimuli, suggesting that S223 phosphorylation may play a key role in the final step of the PAK1 activation process. The physiological significance of this phosphorylation is reinforced by the observations that CK2 is responsible for epidermal growth factor–induced PAK1 activation and that inhibition of S223 phosphorylation abrogates PAK1-mediated malignant transformation of prostate epithelial cells. Taken together, these findings identify CK2 as an upstream activating kinase of PAK1, providing a novel mechanism for PAK1 activation

Can we test geoengineering?

Solar radiation management (SRM), a form of geoengineering, might be used to offset some fraction of the anthropogenic radiative forcing of climate as a means to reduce climate change, but the risks and effectiveness of SRM are uncertain. We examine the possibility of testing SRM through sub-scale deployment as a means to test models of climate response to SRM and explore risks prior to full-scale implementation. Contrary to some claims, this could provide meaningful tests of the climate’s response to SRM within a decade. We use idealized simulations with the HadCM3L general circulation model (GCM) to estimate the response to SRM and signal-to-noise ratio for global-scale SRM forcing tests, and quantify the trade-offs between duration and intensity of the test and it’s ability to make quantitative measurements of the climate’s response to SRM forcing. The response at long time-scales would need to be extrapolated from results measured by a short-term test; this can help reduce the uncertainty associated with relatively rapid climate feedbacks, but uncertainties that only manifest at long time-scales can never be resolved by such a test. With this important caveat, the transient climate response may be bounded with 90% confidence to be no more than $1.5^{\circ} C$ higher than it’s estimated value, in a single decade test that used roughly 1/10th the radiative forcing perturbation of a $CO_2$-doubling. However, tests could require several decades or longer to obtain accurate response estimates, particularly to understand the response of regional hydrological fields which are critical uncertainties. Some fields, like precipitation over land, have as large a response to short period forcing as to slowly- varying changes. This implies that the ratio of the hydrological to the temperature response that results from a sustained SRM deployment will differ from that of either a short-duration test or that which has been observed to result from large volcanic eruptions.Engineering and Applied Science

Mth1 regulates the interaction between the Rgt1 repressor and the Ssn6-Tup1 corepressor complex by modulating PKA-dependent phosphorylation of Rgt1

Glucose uptake, the first, rate-limiting step of its utilization, is facilitated by glucose transporters. Expression of several glucose transporter (HXT) genes in yeast is repressed by the Rgt1 repressor, which recruits the glucose-responsive transcription factor Mth1 and the general corepressor complex Ssn6-Tup1 in the absence of glucose; however, it is derepressed when Mth1 is inactivated by glucose. Here we show that Ssn6-Tup1 interferes with the DNA-binding ability of Rgt1 in the absence of Mth1 and that the Rgt1 function abrogated by Ssn6 overexpression is restored by co-overexpression of Mth1. Thus Mth1 likely regulates Rgt1 function not by modulating its DNA-binding activity directly but by functionally antagonizing Ssn6-Tup1. Mth1 does so by acting as a scaffold-like protein to recruit Ssn6-Tup1 to Rgt1. Supporting evidence shows that Mth1 blocks the protein kinase A–dependent phosphorylation of Rgt1 that impairs the ability of Rgt1 to interact with Ssn6-Tup1. Of note, Rgt1 can bind DNA in the absence of Ssn6-Tup1 but does not inhibit transcription, suggesting that dissociation of Rgt1 from Ssn6-Tup1, but not from DNA, is necessary and sufficient for the expression of its target genes. Taken together, these findings show that Mth1 is a transcriptional corepressor that facilitates the recruitment of Ssn6-Tup1 by Rgt1