917 research outputs found
Comment on "Resolving the 180-deg Ambiguity in Solar Vector Magnetic Field Data: Evaluating the Effects of Noise, Spatial Resolution, and Method Assumptions"
In a recent paper, Leka at al. (Solar Phys. 260, 83, 2009)constructed a
synthetic vector magnetogram representing a three-dimensional magnetic
structure defined only within a fraction of an arcsec in height. They rebinned
the magnetogram to simulate conditions of limited spatial resolution and then
compared the results of various azimuth disambiguation methods on the resampled
data. Methods relying on the physical calculation of potential and/or
non-potential magnetic fields failed in nearly the same, extended parts of the
field of view and Leka et al. (2009) attributed these failures to the limited
spatial resolution. This study shows that the failure of these methods is not
due to the limited spatial resolution but due to the narrowly defined test
data. Such narrow magnetic structures are not realistic in the real Sun.
Physics-based disambiguation methods, adapted for solar magnetic fields
extending to infinity, are not designed to handle such data; hence, they could
only fail this test. I demonstrate how an appropriate limited-resolution
disambiguation test can be performed by constructing a synthetic vector
magnetogram very similar to that of Leka et al. (2009) but representing a
structure defined in the semi-infinite space above the solar photosphere. For
this magnetogram I find that even a simple potential-field disambiguation
method manages to resolve the ambiguity very successfully, regardless of
limited spatial resolution. Therefore, despite the conclusions of Leka et al.
(2009), a proper limited-spatial-resolution test of azimuth disambiguation
methods is yet to be performed in order to identify the best ideas and
algorithms.Comment: Solar Physics, in press (19 pp., 5 figures, 2 tables
Advanced code-division multiplexers for superconducting detector arrays
Multiplexers based on the modulation of superconducting quantum interference
devices are now regularly used in multi-kilopixel arrays of superconducting
detectors for astrophysics, cosmology, and materials analysis. Over the next
decade, much larger arrays will be needed. These larger arrays require new
modulation techniques and compact multiplexer elements that fit within each
pixel. We present a new in-focal-plane code-division multiplexer that provides
multiplexing elements with the required scalability. This code-division
multiplexer uses compact lithographic modulation elements that simultaneously
multiplex both signal outputs and superconducting transition-edge sensor (TES)
detector bias voltages. It eliminates the shunt resistor used to voltage bias
TES detectors, greatly reduces power dissipation, allows different dc bias
voltages for each TES, and makes all elements sufficiently compact to fit
inside the detector pixel area. These in-focal-plane code-division multiplexers
can be combined with multi-gigahertz readout based on superconducting
microresonators to scale to even larger arrays.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, presented at the 14th International Workshop on
Low Temperature Detectors, Heidelberg University, August 1-5, 2011,
proceedings to be published in the Journal of Low Temperature Physic
Two-Dimensional Spectroscopy of Photospheric Shear Flows in a Small delta Spot
In recent high-resolution observations of complex active regions,
long-lasting and well-defined regions of strong flows were identified in major
flares and associated with bright kernels of visible, near-infrared, and X-ray
radiation. These flows, which occurred in the proximity of the magnetic neutral
line, significantly contributed to the generation of magnetic shear. Signatures
of these shear flows are strongly curved penumbral filaments, which are almost
tangential to sunspot umbrae rather than exhibiting the typical radial
filamentary structure. Solar active region NOAA 10756 was a moderately complex,
beta-delta sunspot group, which provided an opportunity to extend previous
studies of such shear flows to quieter settings. We conclude that shear flows
are a common phenomenon in complex active regions and delta spots. However,
they are not necessarily a prerequisite condition for flaring. Indeed, in the
present observations, the photospheric shear flows along the magnetic neutral
line are not related to any change of the local magnetic shear. We present
high-resolution observations of NOAA 10756 obtained with the 65-cm vacuum
reflector at Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO). Time series of
speckle-reconstructed white-light images and two-dimensional spectroscopic data
were combined to study the temporal evolution of the three-dimensional vector
flow field in the beta-delta sunspot group. An hour-long data set of consistent
high quality was obtained, which had a cadence of better than 30 seconds and
sub-arcsecond spatial resolution.Comment: 23 pages, 6 gray-scale figures, 4 color figures, 2 tables, submitted
to Solar Physic
Soft x-ray spectroscopy experiments on the near K-edge of B in MB2 (M=Mg, Al, Ta, and Nb)
Soft X-ray absorption and emission measurements are performed for the K- edge
of B in MB (M=Mg, Al, Ta and Nb). Unique feature of MgB with a high
density of B 2-state below and above the Fermi edge, which
extends to 1 eV above the edge, is confirmed. In contrast, the B 2 density
of states in AlB and TaB, both of occupied and unoccupied states,
decreased linearly towards the Fermi energy and showed a dip at the Fermi
energy. Furthermore, there is a broadening of the peaks with
-character in XES and XAS of AlB, which is due to the increase of
three dimensionality in the -band in AlB. The DOS of NbB has a
dip just below the Fermi energy. The present results indicate that the large
DOS of B-2 states near the Fermi energy are crucial for the
superconductivity of MgB.Comment: 3 pages text and 4 pages figures. accepted for publication to Phys.
Rev.
Energy gap and proximity effect in superconducting wires
Measurements of the penetration depth in the presence of a DC
magnetic field were performed in wires. In as-prepared wires shows a strong diamagnetic downturn below . A DC
magnetic field of completely suppressed the downturn. The data are
consistent with proximity coupling to a surface layer left during
synthesis. A theory for the proximity effect in the clean limit, together with
an assumed distribution of the layer thickness, qualitatively explains the
field and temperature dependence of the data. Removal of the by chemical
etching results in an exponential temperature dependence for with
an energy gap of (),
in close agreement with recent measurements on commercial powders and single
crystals. This minimum gap is only 44% of the BCS weak coupling value, implying
substantial anisotropy.Comment: RevTeX 4, 4 EPS figure
Macroscopic anisotropy in superconductors with anisotropic gaps
It is shown within the weak-coupling model that the macroscopic
superconducting anisotropy for materials with the gap varying on the Fermi
surface cannot be characterized by a single number, unlike the case of clean
materials with isotropic gaps. For clean uniaxial materials, the anisotropy
parameter defined as the ratio of London penetration depths,
, is evaluated for all 's. Within the two-gap model
of MgB, is an increasing function of .Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
Penetration depth anisotropy in two-band superconductors
The anisotropy of the London penetration depth is evaluated for two-band
superconductors with arbitrary inter- and intra-band scattering times. If one
of the bands is clean and the other is dirty in the absence of inter-band
scattering, the anisotropy is dominated by the Fermi surface of the clean band
and is weakly temperature dependent. The inter-band scattering also suppress
the temperature dependence of the anisotropy
- …