1,322 research outputs found
Transient Stability Analysis of the SeCRETS Experiment in SULTAN
We present here the results of the analysis of the stability experiment SeCRETS, performed on two NbSn cable-in-conduit conductors with the same amount of total copper stabilizer, but different degree of segregation. The model used for the analysis, including superconducting strands, conductor jacket and helium, is solved with the code GandalfTM. We obtain a qualitative agreement of simulation results and experimental values. The simulation results confirm that in the operation regime explored in the experiment the segregated copper is not effective for stability. The details of the current sharing and the approximation taken for the transient heat transfer are shown to be critical for the interpretation
Application of the Code THEA to the CONDOPT Experiment in SULTAN
The CONDOPT (CONDuctor OPTimization) experiment has been recently completed in SULTAN. The current sharing behaviour of NbSn samples was assessed as a function of the number of cyclic loads experienced during current sweeps in a 10 T background field. We present here results of a computer analysis performed with the code THEATM (for consistent Thermal, Hydraulic and Electric Analysis) in support of the interpretation of the experimental results. We focus in particular on the critical current and current sharing temperature runs, providing details on the features and effects of current distribution among cable sub-stages
Spin Needlets for Cosmic Microwave Background Polarization Data Analysis
Scalar wavelets have been used extensively in the analysis of Cosmic
Microwave Background (CMB) temperature maps. Spin needlets are a new form of
(spin) wavelets which were introduced in the mathematical literature by Geller
and Marinucci (2008) as a tool for the analysis of spin random fields. Here we
adopt the spin needlet approach for the analysis of CMB polarization
measurements. The outcome of experiments measuring the polarization of the CMB
are maps of the Stokes Q and U parameters which are spin 2 quantities. Here we
discuss how to transform these spin 2 maps into spin 2 needlet coefficients and
outline briefly how these coefficients can be used in the analysis of CMB
polarization data. We review the most important properties of spin needlets,
such as localization in pixel and harmonic space and asymptotic uncorrelation.
We discuss several statistical applications, including the relation of angular
power spectra to the needlet coefficients, testing for non-Gaussianity on
polarization data, and reconstruction of the E and B scalar maps.Comment: Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
Exposing implicit biases and stereotypes in human and artificial intelligence: state of the art and challenges with a focus on gender
Biases in cognition are ubiquitous. Social psychologists suggested biases and stereotypes serve a multifarious set of cognitive goals, while at the same time stressing their potential harmfulness. Recently, biases and stereotypes became the purview of heated debates in the machine learning community too. Researchers and developers are becoming increasingly aware of the fact that some biases, like gender and race biases, are entrenched in the algorithms some AI applications rely upon. Here, taking into account several existing approaches that address the problem of implicit biases and stereotypes, we propose that a strategy to cope with this phenomenon is to unmask those found in AI systems by understanding their cognitive dimension, rather than simply trying to correct algorithms. To this extent, we present a discussion bridging together findings from cognitive science and insights from machine learning that can be integrated in a state-of-the-art semantic network. Remarkably, this resource can be of assistance to scholars (e.g., cognitive and computer scientists) while at the same time contributing to refine AI regulations affecting social life. We show how only through a thorough understanding of the cognitive processes leading to biases, and through an interdisciplinary effort, we can make the best of AI technology
Two-channel analysis of QUELL experimental results
We have improved the model presently used in the thermo-hydraulic code Gandalf, adapting it to cable-in-conduit conductors with central cooling channel such as those developed for the model coils of ITER. In particular the helium flow in an arbitrary number of parallel channels have now independent velocity and thermodynamic state (pressure and temperature). We demonstrate the capability of the new model by means of comparison to measurements taken during the QUELL experiment in SULTAN. We compare in particular data on heat slug at zero current and field in a broad range of energy inputs, as well as data on quench propagation, to simulation results obtained with the single channel approximation and the newly implemented two-channel model. The latter achieves significantly better agreement with experimental data, in particular in the case of slow heating transients such as in heat slug propagation tests. (10 refs)
The changing X-ray time lag in MCG-6-30-15
MCG-6-30-15 is one of the most observed Narrow Line Seyfert 1 galaxies in the
X-ray band. In this paper we examine the X-ray time lags in this source using a
total of 600 ks in observations (440 ks exposure) taken with the XMM-Newton
telescope (300 ks in 2001 and 300 ks in 2013). Both the old and new
observations show the usual hard lag that increases with energy, however, the
hard lag turns over to a soft lag at frequencies below ~1e-4 Hz. The highest
frequencies (~1e-3 Hz) in this source show a clear soft lag, as previously
presented for the first 300 ks observation, but no clear iron K lag is detected
in either the old or new observation. The soft lag is more significant in the
old observation than the new. The observations are consistent with a
reverberation interpretation, where the soft, reflected emission is delayed
with respect to the hard powerlaw component. These spectral timing results
suggest that two distinct variability mechanisms are important in this source:
intrinsic coronal variations (which lead to correlated variability in the
reprocessed emission), and geometrical changes in the corona. Variability due
to geometrical changes does not result in correlated variability in the
reflection, and therefore inhibits the clear detection of an iron K lag.Comment: Resubmitted to MNRAS after minor corrections. 11 pages, 10 figure
Uncovering Values: Detecting Latent Moral Content from Natural Language with Explainable and Non-Trained Methods
Moral values as commonsense norms shape our everyday individual and community behavior. The possibility to extract moral attitude rapidly from natural language is an appealing perspective that would enable a deeper understanding of social interaction dynamics and the individual cognitive and behavioral dimension. In this work we focus on detecting moral content from natural language and we test our methods on a corpus of tweets previously labeled as containing moral values or violations, according to Moral Foundation Theory. We develop and compare two different approaches: (i) a frame-based symbolic value detector based on knowledge graphs and (ii) a zero-shot machine learning model fine-tuned on a task of Natural Language Inference (NLI) and a task of emotion detection. Our approaches achieve considerable performances without the need for prior training
NGC 1068: No change in the mid-IR torus structure despite X-ray variability
Context. Recent NuSTAR observations revealed a somewhat unexpected increase
in the X-ray flux of the nucleus of NGC 1068. We expect the infrared emission
of the dusty torus to react on the intrinsic changes of the accretion disk.
Aims. We aim to investigate the origin of the X-ray variation by
investigating the response of the mid-infrared environment.
Methods. We obtained single-aperture and interferometric mid-infrared
measurements and directly compared the measurements observed before and
immediately after the X-ray variations. The average correlated and
single-aperture fluxes as well as the differential phases were directly
compared to detect a possible change in the structure of the nuclear emission
on scales of 2 pc.
Results. The flux densities and differential phases of the observations
before and during the X-ray variation show no significant change over a period
of ten years. Possible minor variations in the infrared emission are
8 %.
Conclusions. Our results suggest that the mid-infrared environment of NGC
1068 has remained unchanged for a decade. The recent transient change in the
X-rays did not cause a significant variation in the infrared emission. This
independent study supports previous conclusions that stated that the X-ray
variation detected by NuSTAR observations is due to X-ray emission piercing
through a patchy section of the dusty region.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, 3 tables. Accepted for publication on A&
Revealing the X-ray Variability of AGN with Principal Component Analysis
We analyse a sample of 26 active galactic nuclei with deep XMM-Newton
observations, using principal component analysis (PCA) to find model
independent spectra of the different variable components. In total, we identify
at least 12 qualitatively different patterns of spectral variability, involving
several different mechanisms, including five sources which show evidence of
variable relativistic reflection (MCG-6-30-15, NGC 4051, 1H 0707-495, NGC 3516
and Mrk 766) and three which show evidence of varying partial covering neutral
absorption (NGC 4395, NGC 1365, and NGC 4151). In over half of the sources
studied, the variability is dominated by changes in a power law continuum, both
in terms of changes in flux and power law index, which could be produced by
propagating fluctuations within the corona. Simulations are used to find unique
predictions for different physical models, and we then attempt to qualitatively
match the results from the simulations to the behaviour observed in the real
data. We are able to explain a large proportion of the variability in these
sources using simple models of spectral variability, but more complex models
may be needed for the remainder. We have begun the process of building up a
library of different principal components, so that spectral variability in AGN
can quickly be matched to physical processes. We show that PCA can be an
extremely powerful tool for distinguishing different patterns of variability in
AGN, and that it can be used effectively on the large amounts of high-quality
archival data available from the current generation of X-ray telescopes.Comment: 25 pages, 27 figures, accepted to MNRAS. Analysis code available on
request to lead author. Edit: Rogue table remove
Effects of feeding raw or extruded linseed on the ruminal ecosystem of sheep
Polyunsaturated fatty acids affect bacterial and protozoal population, inducing important modifications in rumen metabolism. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of linseed extrusion on in situ ruminal degradability and microbial number and distribution. Six ruminally fistulated sheep were divided in 3 groups and fed one of the following diets according to a replicated Latin square design: (a) control, based on mixed hay and maize grains; (b) as in (a) plus 130 g of grounded raw linseed; (c) as in (b) except that the linseed was extruded. Extrusion decreased linseed dry matter and fat degradabilities. There was a marked reduction of total protozoal population in sheep fed supplemented diets. No effects were observed between groups on bacterial concentration, hay dry matter and NDF in situ degradabilities
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