1,160 research outputs found
Relativistic electrons from sparks in the laboratory
Discharge experiments were carried out at the Eindhoven University of
Technology in 2013. The experimental setup was designed to search for electrons
produced in meter-scale sparks using a 1 MV Marx generator. Negative voltage
was applied to the high voltage (HV) electrode. Five thin (1 mm) plastic
detectors (5 each) were distributed in various configurations close
to the spark gap. Earlier studies have shown (for HV negative) that X-rays are
produced when a cloud of streamers is developed 30-60 cm from the negative
electrode. This indicates that the electrons producing the X-rays are also
accelerated at this location, that could be in the strong electric field from
counterstreamers of opposite polarity. Comparing our measurements with modeling
results, we find that 300 keV electrons produced about 30-60 cm from the
negative electrode are the most likely source of our measurements. A
statistical analysis of expected detection of photon bursts by these fiber
detectors indicates that only 20%-45% of the detected bursts could be from soft
(10 keV) photons, which further supports that the majority of detected
bursts are produced by relativistic electrons
Why the Realist-Instrumentalist Debate about Rational Choice Rests on a Mistake
Within the social sciences, much controversy exists about which status should be ascribed to the rationality assumption that forms the core of rational choice theories. Whilst realists argue that the rationality assumption is an empirical claim which describes real processes that cause individual action, instrumentalists maintain that it amounts to nothing more than an analytically set axiom or ‘as if’ hypothesis which helps in the generation of accurate predictions. In this paper, I argue that this realist-instrumentalist debate about rational choice theory can be overcome once it is realised that the rationality assumption is neither an empirical description nor an ‘as if’ hypothesis, but a normative claim
On the hygroscopic growth of ammoniated sulfate particles of non-stoichiometric composition
International audienceThe hygroscopic growth of ammoniated sulfate particles was studied by measurements and model calculations for particles with varying ammonium-to-sulfate ratio. In the measurements, the ammonium-to-sulfate ratio was adjusted by using mixtures of ammonium sulfate and ammonium bisulfate in generating the solid particles. The hygroscopic growth was measured using a tandem differential mobility analyzer. The measurements were simulated using a thermodynamical equilibrium model. The calculations indicated that the solid phases in particle with ammonium-to-sulfate ratio between 1.5?2, were ammonium sulfate and letovicite. Both in the calculations and in the experiments the hygroscopic growth was initiated at relative humidities less than the theoretical deliquescence relative humidity of these particles. This indicates that the particles were multi-phase particles including solids and liquids. The equilibrium model yielded a satisfactory prediction of the hygroscopic growth of particles generated from a solution with 1:1 mass ratio between dissolved ammonium sulfate and ammonium bisulfate. However, for particles with 3:1 and 10:1 mass ratios, the model predictions overestimated the growth at relative humidities between about 60% and the point of complete deliquescence (close to 80% RH). In contrast, a model, in which letovicite was allowed to dissolve only after complete dissolution of ammonium sulfate, reproduced the observations well. This indicates that the dry particles had a letovicite core surrounded by an ammonium sulfate shell
X-ray Halos and Large Grains in the Diffuse Interstellar Medium
Recent observations with dust detectors on board the interplanetary
spacecraft Ulysses and Galileo have recorded a substantial flux of large
interstellar grains with radii between 0.25 and 2.0 mu entering the solar
system from the local interstellar cloud. The most commonly used interstellar
grain size distribution is characterized by a a^-3.5 power law in grain radii
a, and extends to a maximum grain radius of 0.25 mu. The extension of the
interstellar grain size distribution to such large radii will have a major
effect on the median grain size, and on the amount of mass needed to be tied up
in dust for a given visual optical depth. It is therefore important to
investigate whether this population of larger dust particles prevails in the
general interstellar medium, or if it is merely a local phenomenon. The
presence of large interstellar grains can be mainly inferred from their effect
on the intensity and radial profiles of scattering halos around X-ray sources.
In this paper we examine the grain size distribution that gives rise to the
X-ray halo around Nova Cygni 1992. The results of our study confirm the need to
extend the interstellar grain size distribution in the direction of this source
to and possibly beyond 2.0 mu. The model that gives the best fit to the halo
data is characterized by: (1) a grain size distribution that follows an a^-3.5
power law up to 0.50 mu, followed by an a^-4.0 extension from 0.50 mu to 2.0
mu; and (2) silicate and graphite (carbon) dust-to-gas mass ratios of 0.0044
and 0.0022, respectively, consistent with solar abundances constraints.
Additional observations of X-ray halos probing other spatial directions are
badly needed to test the general validity of this result.Comment: 17 pages, incl. 1 figure, accepted for publ. by ApJ Letter
Moral dilemma(s) in human papillomavirus vaccination - revisiting the role of the herd effect
publishedVersionNon peer reviewe
The effect of temperature mixing on the observable (T,beta)-relation of interstellar dust clouds
Detailed studies of the shape of dust emission spectra are possible thanks to
the current instruments capable of observations in several sub-millimetre bands
(e.g., Herschel and Planck). However, some controversy remains even on the
basic effects resulting from the mixing of temperatures along the
line-of-sight.
Studies have suggested either a positive or a negative correlation between
the colour temperature T_C and the observed spectral index beta_Obs. Our aim is
to show that both cases are possible and to determine the factors leading to
either behaviour. We start by studying the sum of two or three modified black
bodies of different temperature. With radiative transfer modelling, we examine
the probability distributions of the dust mass as a function of the physical
dust temperature. With these results as a guideline, we examine the (T_C,
beta_Obs) relations for different sets of clouds.
Even in the case of modified blackbodies at temperatures T_0 and T_0+ Delta
T_0, the correlation between T_C and beta_Obs can be either positive or
negative. If one compares models where Delta T_0 is varied, the correlation is
negative. If the models differ in their mean temperature T_0 rather than in
Delta T_0, the correlation remains positive. Radiative transfer models show
that externally heated clouds have different mean temperatures but the widths
of their temperature distributions are rather similar. Thus, the correlation
between T_C and beta_Obs is expected to be positive. The same result applies to
clouds illuminated by external radiation fields of different intensity. For
internally heated clouds a negative correlation is the more likely alternative.
If the signal-to-noise ratio is high, the observed negative correlation could
be explained by the temperature dependence of the dust optical properties but
that intrinsic dependence could be even steeper than the observed one.Comment: Accepted to A&
Multiperiodicity, modulations and flip-flops in variable star light curves I. Carrier fit method
The light curves of variable stars are commonly described using simple
trigonometric models, that make use of the assumption that the model parameters
are constant in time. This assumption, however, is often violated, and
consequently, time series models with components that vary slowly in time are
of great interest. In this paper we introduce a class of data analysis and
visualization methods which can be applied in many different contexts of
variable star research, for example spotted stars, variables showing the
Blazhko effect, and the spin-down of rapid rotators. The methods proposed are
of explorative type, and can be of significant aid when performing a more
thorough data analysis and interpretation with a more conventional method.Our
methods are based on a straightforward decomposition of the input time series
into a fast "clocking" periodicity and smooth modulating curves. The fast
frequency, referred to as the carrier frequency, can be obtained from earlier
observations (for instance in the case of photometric data the period can be
obtained from independently measured radial velocities), postulated using some
simple physical principles (Keplerian rotation laws in accretion disks), or
estimated from the data as a certain mean frequency. The smooth modulating
curves are described by trigonometric polynomials or splines. The data
approximation procedures are based on standard computational packages
implementing simple or constrained least-squares fit-type algorithms.Comment: 14 pages, 23 figures, submitted to Astronomy and Astrophysic
Doppler images of II Pegasi for 2004-2010
Aims. We study the spot activity of II Peg during the years 2004-2010 to
determine long- and short-term changes in the magnetic activity. In a previous
study, we detected a persistent active longitude, as well as major changes in
the spot configuration occurring on a timescale of shorter than a year. The
main objective of this study is to determine whether the same phenomena persist
in the star during these six years of spectroscopic monitoring.
Methods. The observations were collected with the high-resolution SOFIN
spectrograph at the Nordic Optical Telescope. The temperature maps were
calculated using a Doppler imaging code based on Tikhonov regularization.
Results. We present 12 new temperature maps that show spots distributed
mainly over high and intermediate latitudes. In each image, 1-3 main active
regions can be identified. The activity level of the star is clearly lower than
during our previous study for the years 1994-2002. In contrast to the previous
observations, we detect no clear drift of the active regions with respect to
the rotation of the star.
Conclusions. Having shown a systematic longitudinal drift of the
spot-generating mechanism during 1994-2002, the star has clearly switched to a
low-activity state for 2004-2010, during which the spot locations appear more
random over phase space. It could be that the star is near to a minimum of its
activity cycle.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astron. and Astrophys., 8 pages, 5
figure
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