6,364 research outputs found
Solar System Processes Underlying Planetary Formation, Geodynamics, and the Georeactor
Only three processes, operant during the formation of the Solar System, are
responsible for the diversity of matter in the Solar System and are directly
responsible for planetary internal-structures, including planetocentric nuclear
fission reactors, and for dynamical processes, including and especially,
geodynamics. These processes are: (i) Low-pressure, low-temperature
condensation from solar matter in the remote reaches of the Solar System or in
the interstellar medium; (ii) High-pressure, high-temperature condensation from
solar matter associated with planetary-formation by raining out from the
interiors of giant-gaseous protoplanets, and; (iii) Stripping of the primordial
volatile components from the inner portion of the Solar System by super-intense
solar wind associated with T-Tauri phase mass-ejections, presumably during the
thermonuclear ignition of the Sun. As described herein, these processes lead
logically, in a causally related manner, to a coherent vision of planetary
formation with profound implications including, but not limited to, (a) Earth
formation as a giant gaseous Jupiter-like planet with vast amounts of stored
energy of protoplanetary compression in its rock-plus-alloy kernel; (b) Removal
of approximately 300 Earth-masses of primordial gases from the Earth, which
began Earth's decompression process, making available the stored energy of
protoplanetary compression for driving geodynamic processes, which I have
described by the new whole-Earth decompression dynamics and which is
responsible for emplacing heat at the mantle-crust-interface at the base of the
crust through the process I have described, called mantle decompression
thermal-tsunami; and, (c)Uranium accumulations at the planetary centers capable
of self-sustained nuclear fission chain reactions.Comment: Invited paper for the Special Issue of Earth, Moon and Planets
entitled Neutrino Geophysics Added final corrections for publicatio
Neutrino Geophysics at Baksan I: Possible Detection of Georeactor Antineutrinos
J.M. Herndon in 90-s proposed a natural nuclear fission georeactor at the
center of the Earth with a power output of 3-10 TW as an energy source to
sustain the Earth magnetic field. R.S. Raghavan in 2002 y. pointed out that
under certain condition antineutrinos generated in georeactor can be detected
using massive scintillation detectors. We consider the underground Baksan
Neutrino Observatory (4800 m.w.e.) as a possible site for developments in
Geoneutrino physics. Here the intrinsic background level of less than one
event/year in a liquid scintillation ~1000 target ton detector can be achieved
and the main source of background is the antineutrino flux from power reactors.
We find that this flux is ~10 times lower than at KamLAND detector site and two
times lower than at Gran Sasso laboratory and thus at Baksan the georeactor
hypothesis can be conclusively tested. We also discuss possible search for
composition of georector burning nuclear fuel by analysis of the antineutrino
energy spectrum.Comment: 7 pages in LaTeX, 3 PS figures, Submitted to Physics of Atomic Nucle
Inverse beta decay reaction in Th and U fission antineutrino flux
Energy spectra of antineutrinos coming from Th and U
neutron-induced fission are calculated, relevant inverse beta decay
positron spectra and total cross sections are
found. This study is stimulated by a hypothesis that a self-sustained nuclear
chain reaction is burning at the center of the Earth ("Georeactor"). The
Georeactor, according to the author of this idea, provides energy necessary to
sustain the Earth's magnetic field. The Georeactor's nuclear fuel is U
and, probably, Th and U. Results of present study may appear to
be useful in future experiments aimed to test the Georector hypothesis and to
estimate its fuel components as a part of developments in geophysics and
astrophysics based on observations of low energy antineutrinos in Nature.Comment: 6 pages in LaTeX and 2 ps figures. Submitted to Physics of Atomic
Nucle
Protostar Formation in Magnetic Molecular Clouds beyond Ion Detachment: III. A Parameter Study
In two previous papers we formulated and solved, for a fiducial set of free
parameters, the problem of the formation and evolution of a magnetically
supercritical core inside a magnetically subcritical parent cloud. In this
paper we present a parameter study to assess the sensitivity of the results (1)
to the density at which the equation of state becomes adiabatic; (2) to the
initial mass-to-flux ratio of the parent cloud; and (3) to ionization by
radioactive decay of different nuclei (40K and 26Al) at high densities (number
density > 10^12 particles per cubic cm). We find that (1) the results depend
only slightly on the density at which the onset of adiabaticity occurs; (2)
memory of the initial mass-to-flux ratio is completely lost at late times,
which emphasizes the relevance of this work, idependently of the adopted theory
of core formation; and (3) the precise source of radioactive ionization alters
the degree of attachment of the electrons to the field lines (at high
densities), and the relative importance of ambipolar diffusion and Ohmic
dissipation in reducing the magnetic flux of the protostar. The value of the
magnetic field at the end of the runs is insensitive to the values of the free
parameters and in excellent agreement with meteoritic measurements of the
protosolar nebula magnetic field. The magnetic flux problem of star formation
is resolved for at least strongly magnetic newborn stars. A complete detachment
of the magnetic field from the matter is unlikely. The formation of a "magnetic
wall" (with an associated magnetic shock) is independent of the assumed
equation of state, although the process is enhanced and accelerated by the
formation of a central hydrostatic core.Comment: 17 pages, 14 figures, emulateapj; accepted for publication in the
Astrophysical Journa
Chronic Fibrotic Changes in Experimental Pulmonary Embolization in the Rat Model
Comparative Medicine - OneHealth and Comparative Medicine Poster SessionIntroduction: Fat embolism, a subclinical event, occurs in many clinical settings, such as long bones fractures, liposuction and during cardiopulmonary bypass. Some cases, especially with trauma, result in fat embolism syndrome (FES), a serious manifestation of fat embolism. FES is reported to occur in 5-10% of major trauma cases and can produce profound respiratory problems that may culminate in adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Embolized fat is hydrolyzed by lipase into free fatty acids which have been shown by previous histological studies to be toxic to the lung. An animal model of fat embolism has been developed utilizing triolein given intravenously (i.v.) to rats. We hypothesized that i.v. triolein will produce histological changes in the lung that are similar to the changes seen in human FES.
Methods: Following University animal care approval, unanesthetized Sprague Dawley rats (study n=13, control n=12) were injected with either triolein, 0.2 mL (study) or saline, 0.2 mL (control). Weights were recorded until necropsy at 3 weeks (n=13) and 6 weeks (n=12). Morphometric measurements were made on both H&E and fat-stained tissues from the lungs, heart, kidneys and spleen. All vessels were examined using high magnification fields. Arterial wall thickness (lumen patency) was calculated by vessel luminal and external diameters. The medial-adventitial ratio was calculated from the outer medial diameter divided by the outer adventitial diameter. These values were keyed into statistical software and analysis as a function of time and treatment was calculated using t-tests with significance noted at a p<0.05.
Results: Gross pathological changes were seen in lung, heart, kidneys, liver and spleen of the triolein group. Pulmonary histological examination revealed diffuse intra-alveolar hemorrhages and edema with peri-bronchial inflammation. Vasculitis was more prominent in the peri-bronchial areas as well. Pulmonary arteries revealed significant medial thickening as compared with the control groups with lumen patency p=0.004. Adventitia/media ratio, with large variability in the triolein group, was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Our data showed that injected triolein remains in the rat lung after 3 and 6 weeks with associated vascular and septal damage in the lung tissue compared to controls. Discussion: This study is a continuation of our previous study showing an increase of severe pulmonary damage within 3-6 hours following triolein induced fat embolism in the rat, reaching a peak at 96 hrs post injection. Despite unmedicated recovery of general condition and body weight and reopening of the pulmonary arteries and arterioles, collagen and vasculitis persisted up to 6 weeks. Further studies are needed to verify the eventual recovery or the organ evolution toward chronic fibrosis
A geoneutrino experiment at Homestake
A significant fraction of the 44TW of heat dissipation from the Earth's
interior is believed to originate from the decays of terrestrial uranium and
thorium. The only estimates of this radiogenic heat, which is the driving force
for mantle convection, come from Earth models based on meteorites, and have
large systematic errors. The detection of electron antineutrinos produced by
these uranium and thorium decays would allow a more direct measure of the total
uranium and thorium content, and hence radiogenic heat production in the Earth.
We discuss the prospect of building an electron antineutrino detector
approximately 700m^3 in size in the Homestake mine at the 4850' level. This
would allow us to make a measurement of the total uranium and thorium content
with a statistical error less than the systematic error from our current
knowledge of neutrino oscillation parameters. It would also allow us to test
the hypothesis of a naturally occurring nuclear reactor at the center of the
Earth.Comment: proceedings for Neutrino Sciences 2005, submitted to Earth, Moon, and
Planet
Heat flow of the Earth and resonant capture of solar 57-Fe axions
In a very conservative approach, supposing that total heat flow of the Earth
is exclusively due to resonant capture inside the Earth of axions, emitted by
57-Fe nuclei on Sun, we obtain limit on mass of hadronic axion: m_a<1.8 keV.
Taking into account release of heat from decays of 40-K, 232-Th, 238-U inside
the Earth, this estimation could be improved to the value: m_a<1.6 keV. Both
the values are less restrictive than limits set in devoted experiments to
search for 57-Fe axions (m_a<216-745 eV), but are much better than limits
obtained in experiments with 83-Kr (m_a<5.5 keV) and 7-Li (m_a<13.9-32 keV).Comment: 8 page
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Revisiting global fossil fuel and biofuel emissions of ethane
Recent measurements over the Northern Hemisphere indicate that the long-term decline in the atmospheric burden of ethane (C2H6) has ended and the abundance increased dramatically between 2010 and 2014. The rise in C2H6 atmospheric abundances has been attributed to oil and natural gas extraction in North America. Existing global C2H6 emission inventories are based on outdated activity maps that do not account for current oil and natural gas exploitation regions. We present an updated global C2H6 emission inventory based on 2010 satellite-derived CH4 fluxes with adjusted C2H6 emissions over the U.S. from the National Emission Inventory (NEI 2011). We contrast our global 2010 C2H6 emission inventory with one developed for 2001. The C2H6 difference between global anthropogenic emissions is subtle (7.9 versus 7.2 Tg yr−1), but the spatial distribution of the emissions is distinct. In the 2010 C2H6 inventory, fossil fuel sources in the Northern Hemisphere represent half of global C2H6 emissions and 95% of global fossil fuel emissions. Over the U.S., unadjusted NEI 2011 C2H6 emissions produce mixing ratios that are 14–50% of those observed by aircraft observations (2008–2014). When the NEI 2011 C2H6 emission totals are scaled by a factor of 1.4, the Goddard Earth Observing System Chem model largely reproduces a regional suite of observations, with the exception of the central U.S., where it continues to underpredict observed mixing ratios in the lower troposphere. We estimate monthly mean contributions of fossil fuel C2H6 emissions to ozone and peroxyacetyl nitrate surface mixing ratios over North America of ~1% and ~8%, respectively
Atmospheric CH4 and N2O measurements near Greater Houston area landfills using a QCL-based QEPAS sensor system during DISCOVER-AQ 2013
A quartz-enhanced photoacoustic absorption spectroscopy (QEPAS)-based gas sensor was developed for methane (CH4) and nitrous-oxide (N 2O) detection. The QEPAS-based sensor was installed in a mobile laboratory operated by Aerodyne Research, Inc. to perform atmospheric CH 4 and N2O detection around two urban waste-disposal sites located in the northeastern part of the Greater Houston area, during DISCOVER-AQ, a NASA Earth Venture during September 2013. A continuous wave, thermoelectrically cooled, 158 mW distributed feedback quantum cascade laser emitting at 7.83 μm was used as the excitation source in the QEPAS gas sensor system. Compared to typical ambient atmospheric mixing ratios of CH4 and N2O of 1.8 ppmv and 323 ppbv, respectively, significant increases in mixing ratios were observed when the mobile laboratory was circling two waste-disposal sites in Harris County and when waste disposal trucks were encountered. © 2014 Optical Society of America
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