SPARX: A modeling system for Solar Energetic Particle Radiation SpaceWeather forecasting

The capability to predict the parameters of an SEP event such as its onset, peak flux, and duration is critical to assessing any potential space weather impact. We present a new flexible modeling system simulating the propagation of Solar Energetic Particles (SEPs) from locations near the Sun to any given location in the heliosphere to forecast the SEP flux profiles. Solar Particle Radiation SWx (SPARX) uses an innovative methodology that allows implementation within an operational framework to overcome the time constraints of test particle modeling of SEP profiles, allowing the production of near-real-time SEP nowcasts and forecasts, when paired with appropriate near-real-time triggers. SPARX has the capability to produce SEP forecasts within minutes of being triggered by observations of a solar eruptive event. The model is based on the test particle approach and is spatially 3-D, thus allowing for the possibility of transport in the direction perpendicular to the magnetic field. The model naturally includes the effects of perpendicular propagation due to drifts and drift-induced deceleration. The modeling framework and the way in which parameters of relevance for Space Weather forecasting are obtained are described. The first results from the modeling system are presented. These resultsThese results demonstrate that corotation and drift of SEPtreams play an important role in shaping SEP flux profile

The direct detection of the irradiated brown dwarf in the white dwarf - brown dwarf binary SDSS J141126.20+200911.1

We have observed the eclipsing, post-common envelope white dwarf–brown dwarf binary, SDSS141126.20+200911.1, in the near-IR with the HAWK-I imager, and present here the first direct detection of the dark side of an irradiated brown dwarf in the H band, and a tentative detection in the Ks band. Our analysis of the light curves indicates that the brown dwarf is likely to have an effective temperature of 1300 K, which is not consistent with the effective temperature of 800 K suggested by its mass and radius. As the brown dwarf is already absorbing almost all the white dwarf emission in the Ks band, we suggest that this inconsistency may be due to the UV-irradiation from the white dwarf inducing an artificial brightening in the Ks band, similar to that seen for the similar system WD0137-349B, suggesting this brightening may be characteristic of these UV-irradiated binaries

Non-linear numerical simulations of magneto-acoustic wave propagation in small-scale flux tubes

We present results of non-linear, 2D, numerical simulations of magneto-acoustic wave propagation in the photosphere and chromosphere of small-scale flux tubes with internal structure. Waves with realistic periods of three to five minutes are studied, after applying horizontal and vertical oscillatory perturbations to the equilibrium model. Spurious reflections of shock waves from the upper boundary are minimized thanks to a special boundary condition. This has allowed us to increase the duration of the simulations and to make it long enough to perform a statistical analysis of oscillations. The simulations show that deep horizontal motions of the flux tube generate a slow (magnetic) mode and a surface mode. These modes are efficiently transformed into a slow (acoustic) mode in the vA < cS atmosphere. The slow (acoustic) mode propagates vertically along the field lines, forms shocks and remains always within the flux tube. It might deposit effectively the energy of the driver into the chromosphere. When the driver oscillates with a high frequency, above the cut-off, non-linear wave propagation occurs with the same dominant driver period at all heights. At low frequencies, below the cut-off, the dominant period of oscillations changes with height from that of the driver in the photosphere to its first harmonic (half period) in the chromosphere. Depending on the period and on the type of the driver, different shock patterns are observed.Comment: 22 pages 6 color figures, submitted to Solar Physics, proceeding of SOHO 19/ GONG 2007 meeting, Melbourne, Australi

Evaluating auroral forecasts against satellite observations

The aurora is a readily visible phenomenon of interest to many members of the public. However, the aurora and associated phenomena can also significantly impact communications, ground-based infrastructure, and high-altitude radiation exposure. Forecasting the location of the auroral oval is therefore a key component of space weather forecast operations. A version of the OVATION-Prime 2013 auroral precipitation model (Newell et al., 2014, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014sw001056) was used by the UK Met Office Space Weather Operations Centre (MOSWOC). The operational implementation of the OVATION-Prime 2013 model at the UK Met Office delivered a 30-min forecast of the location of the auroral oval and the probability of observing the aurora. Using weather forecast evaluation techniques, we evaluate the ability of the OVATION-Prime 2013 model forecasts to predict the location and probability of the aurora occurring by comparing the forecasts with auroral boundaries determined from data from the IMAGE satellite between 2000 and 2002. Our analysis shows that the operational model performs well at predicting the location of the auroral oval, with a relative operating characteristic (ROC) score of 0.82. The model performance is reduced in the dayside local time sectors (ROC score = 0.59) and during periods of higher geomagnetic activity (ROC score of 0.55 for Kp = 8). As a probabilistic forecast, OVATION-Prime 2013 tends to underpredict the occurrence of aurora by a factor of 1.1–6, while probabilities of over 90% are overpredicted

The DA+dMe eclipsing binary EC13471-1258: its cup runneth over...just

EC13471-1258 is a detached eclipsing binary with Porb = 3h37m, comprising a DA white dwarf and a dMe dwarf. Total eclipses of the white dwarf lasting 14 min, and a large amplitude ellipsoidal variation are seen in the light curve. Flares from the dMe star occur regularly. Each star contributes roughly equal amounts of light at 5500 Ang. HST STIS spectra show strong Ly alpha with weak metal lines, and yield Teff = 14220 K, log g = 8.34, Z = 1/30th solar, K = 138 km/s and V sin i = 400 km/s for the white dwarf. Optical spectra yield the spectral type (M3.5-4.0), Teff = 3100 K, Z = solar, K = 266 km/s and V sin i = 140 km/s for the dMe star. The H alpha emission line comprises 2 or more components and implies that very weak mass transfer is occurring. The dynamical solution also implies that the dMe star just fills its Roche lobe. Accurate masses and radii for each star were derived: the dMe values favour the Clemens et al. (1998) mass-radius relation. The large rotational velocity of the white dwarf (400 km/s) suggests that the system has transferred mass in the past so that it is presently a hibernating cataclysmic variable. The metallicity contrast between the component stars provides an opportunity for tests of diffusion theory.Comment: 25 pages, 18 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Adaptive step ODE algorithms for the 3D simulation of electric heart activity with graphics processing units

In this paper we studied the implementation and performance of adaptive step methods for large systems of ordinary differential equations systems in graphics processing units, focusing on the simulation of three-dimensional electric cardiac activity. The Rush-Larsen method was applied in all the implemented solvers to improve efficiency. We compared the adaptive methods with the fixed step methods, and we found that the fixed step methods can be faster while the adaptive step methods are better in terms of accuracy and robustness. (c) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.This work has been partially funded by Universitat Politecnica de Valencia through Programa de Apoyo a la InvestigaciOn y Desarrollo (PAID-06-11) and (PAID-05-12), by Generalitat Valenciana through projects PROMETEO/2009/013 and Ayudas para la realizacion de proyectos de I+D para grupos de investigacion emergentes GV/2012/039, and by Ministerio Espafiol de Economia y Competitividad through project TEC2012-38142-004.García Mollá, VM.; Liberos Mascarell, A.; Vidal Maciá, AM.; Guillem Sánchez, MS.; Millet Roig, J.; González Salvador, A.; Martínez Zaldívar, FJ.... (2014). Adaptive step ODE algorithms for the 3D simulation of electric heart activity with graphics processing units. Computers in Biology and Medicine. 44:15-26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compbiomed.2013.10.023S15264

Anti-Search for the Glueball Candidate f_J(2220) in Two-Photon Interactions

Using 13.3 fb^{-1} of e^+e^- data recorded with the CLEO II and CLEO II.V detector configurations at CESR, we have searched for f_J(2220) decays to K^0_{S} K^0_{S} in untagged two-photon interactions. We report an upper limit on the product of the two-photon partial width and the branching fraction, Gamma_gamma gamma cdot B (f_J(2220) to K^0_{S} K^0_{S}) of less than 1.1 eV at the 95% C.L: systematic uncertainties are included. This dataset is four times larger than that used in the previous CLEO publication.Comment: 10 pages postscript, also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS, Submitted to PRD (R