Development of a TDC to equip a Liquid Xenon PET prototype

A Time to Digital Converter was designed (CMOS 0.35 $\mum) in order to be used in Liquid Xenon PET prototype. The circuit proved to be able to work at -120 degrees C, while showing a resolution of 250 ps. The circuit enables a low readout dead time (<90 ns) and provides a fully synchronous digital interface for easy data retrieval.Comment: 4 pages, submitted to IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Scienc

Local well-posedness and blow up in the energy space for a class of L2 critical dispersion generalized Benjamin-Ono equations

We consider a family of dispersion generalized Benjamin-Ono equations (dgBO) which are critical with respect to the L2 norm and interpolate between the critical modified (BO) equation and the critical generalized Korteweg-de Vries equation (gKdV). First, we prove local well-posedness in the energy space for these equations, extending results by Kenig, Ponce and Vega concerning the (gKdV) equations. Second, we address the blow up problem in the spirit of works of Martel and Merle on the critical (gKdV) equation, by studying rigidity properties of the (dgBO) flow in a neighborhood of solitons. We prove that when the model is close to critical (gKdV), solutions of negative energy close to solitons blow up in finite or infinite time in the energy space. The blow up proof requires in particular extensions to (dgBO) of monotonicity results for localized versions of L2 norms by pseudo-differential operator tools.Comment: Submitte

Anisotropic Galactic Outflows and Enrichment of the Intergalactic Medium. I: Monte Carlo Simulations

We have developed an analytical model to describe the evolution of anisotropic galactic outflows. With it, we investigate the impact of varying opening angle on galaxy formation and the evolution of the IGM. We have implemented this model in a Monte Carlo algorithm to simulate galaxy formation and outflows in a cosmological context. Using this algorithm, we have simulated the evolution of a comoving volume of size [12h^(-1)Mpc]^3 in the LCDM universe. Starting from a Gaussian density field at redshift z=24, we follow the formation of ~20,000 galaxies, and simulate the galactic outflows produced by these galaxies. When these outflows collide with density peaks, ram pressure stripping of the gas inside the peak may result. This occurs in around half the cases and prevents the formation of galaxies. Anisotropic outflows follow the path of least resistance, and thus travel preferentially into low-density regions, away from cosmological structures (filaments and pancakes) where galaxies form. As a result, the number of collisions is reduced, leading to the formation of a larger number of galaxies. Anisotropic outflows can significantly enrich low-density systems with metals. Conversely, the cross-pollution in metals of objects located in a common cosmological structure, like a filament, is significantly reduced. Highly anisotropic outflows can travel across cosmological voids and deposit metals in other, unrelated cosmological structures.Comment: 32 pages, 9 figures (2 color). Revised version accepted in Ap

Three-axis attitude determination via Kalman filtering of magnetometer data

A three-axis Magnetometer/Kalman Filter attitude determination system for a spacecraft in low-altitude Earth orbit is developed, analyzed, and simulation tested. The motivation for developing this system is to achieve light weight and low cost for an attitude determination system. The extended Kalman filter estimates the attitude, attitude rates, and constant disturbance torques. Accuracy near that of the International Geomagnetic Reference Field model is achieved. Covariance computation and simulation testing demonstrate the filter's accuracy. One test case, a gravity-gradient stabilized spacecraft with a pitch momentum wheel and a magnetically-anchored damper, is a real satellite on which this attitude determination system will be used. The application to a nadir pointing satellite and the estimation of disturbance torques represent the significant extensions contributed by this paper. Beyond its usefulness purely for attitude determination, this system could be used as part of a low-cost three-axis attitude stabilization system

Microfluidic-SANS: flow processing of complex fluids

Understanding and engineering the flow-response of complex and non-Newtonian fluids at a molecular level is a key challenge for their practical utilisation. Here we demonstrate the coupling of microfluidics with small angle neutron scattering (SANS). Microdevices with high neutron transmission (up to 98%), low scattering background ([Image: see text]), broad solvent compatibility and high pressure tolerance (≈3–15 bar) are rapidly prototyped via frontal photo polymerisation. Scattering from single microchannels of widths down to 60 μm, with beam footprint of 500 μm diameter, was successfully obtained in the scattering vector range 0.01–0.3 Å(−1), corresponding to real space dimensions of [Image: see text]. We demonstrate our approach by investigating the molecular re-orientation and alignment underpinning the flow response of two model complex fluids, namely cetyl trimethylammonium chloride/pentanol/D(2)O and sodium lauryl sulfate/octanol/brine lamellar systems. Finally, we assess the applicability and outlook of microfluidic-SANS for high-throughput and flow processing studies, with emphasis of soft matter

Quantifying changes in accelerations and heart rate indicative of fatigue during condensed competitions in elite youth ice hockey players

Thirty-three elite youth ice hockey players wore Bioharness-3 (Zephyr, MD) sensors to compare accelerations (ACC) and heart rate (HR) over four games (G1–G4) in three days, in order to establish changes in cardiovascular stress and physical exertion associated with fatigue. Peak ACC and HR across multiple time frames were quantified and analyzed in conjunction to determine exertion profiles for each game. MANOVAs for peak ACC and HR, at each time point across G1–G4 and multiple games per day (M1, M2) for magnitude and time as main effects were performed. HR beats per minute decreased between G1 and G3/G4 in time segments (3–20 minutes) although ACC were not different. Peak ACC were lower for M2 vs M1 at 60, 90, 120 and 180 seconds. Results concluded the decline in HR, but not ACC, across games indicates a cardiovascular adaptation. The reduced ACC between games M1 and M2 indicate fatigue

Star Formation History in Barred Spiral Galaxies. AGN Feedback

We present a numerical study of the impact of AGN accretion and feedback on the star formation history of barred disc galaxies. Our goal is to determine whether the effect of feedback is positive (enhanced star formation) or negative (quenched star formation), and to what extent. We performed a series of 12 hydrodynamical simulations of disc galaxies, 10 barred and 2 unbarred, with various initial gas fractions and AGN feedback prescriptions. In barred galaxies, gas is driven toward the centre of the galaxy and causes a starburst, followed by a slow decay, while in unbarred galaxies the SFR increases slowly and steadily. AGN feedback suppresses star formation near the central black hole. Gas is pushed away from the black hole, and collides head-on with inflowing gas, forming a dense ring at a finite radius where star formation is enhanced. We conclude that both negative and positive feedback are present, and these effects mostly cancel out. There is no net quenching or enhancement in star formation, but rather a displacement of the star formation sites to larger radii. In unbarred galaxies, where the density of the central gas is lower, quenching of star formation near the black hole is more efficient, and enhancement of star formation at larger radii is less efficient. As a result, negative feedback dominates. Lowering the gas fraction reduces the star formation rate at all radii, whether or not there is a bar or an AGN.Comment: 18 pages, 17 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA