2,877 research outputs found
Mesoscale dynamics on the Sun's surface from HINODE observations
Aims: The interactions of velocity scales on the Sun's surface, from
granulation to supergranulation are still not understood, nor are their
interaction with magnetic fields. We thus aim at giving a better description of
dynamics in the mesoscale range which lies between the two scales mentioned
above. Method: We analyse a 48h high-resolution time sequence of the quiet Sun
photosphere at the disk center obtained with the Solar Optical Telescope
onboard Hinode. The observations, which have a field of view of 100
\arcsec 100 \arcsec, typically contain four supergranules. We monitor
in detail the motion and evolution of granules as well as those of the radial
magnetic field. Results: This analysis allows us to better characterize Trees
of Fragmenting Granules issued from repeated fragmentation of granules,
especially their lifetime statistics. Using floating corks advected by measured
velocity fields, we show their crucial role in the advection of the magnetic
field and in the build up of the network. Finally, thanks to the long duration
of the time series, we estimate that the turbulent diffusion coefficient
induced by horizontal motion is approximately . Conclusions: These results demonstrate that the long living
families contribute to the formation of the magnetic network and suggest that
supergranulation could be an emergent length scale building up as small
magnetic elements are advected and concentrated by TFG flows. Our estimate for
the magnetic diffusion associated with this horizontal motion might provide a
useful input for mean-field dynamo models.Comment: to appear in A&A - 8 pages, 13 figures (degraded quality) - Full
resolution version available @
http://www.ast.obs-mip.fr/users/rincon/hinode_roudier_aa09.pd
Impact of the European Clinical Trials Directive on prospective academic clinical trials associated with BMT
The European Clinical Trials Directive (EU 2001; 2001/20/EC) was introduced to improve the efficiency of commercial and academic clinical trials. Concerns have been raised by interested organizations and institutions regarding the potential for negative impact of the Directive on non-commercial European clinical research. Interested researchers within the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) were surveyed to determine whether researcher experiences confirmed this view. Following a pilot study, an internet-based questionnaire was distributed to individuals in key research positions in the European haemopoietic SCT community. Seventy-one usable questionnaires were returned from participants in different EU member states. The results indicate that the perceived impact of the European Clinical Trials Directive has been negative, at least in the research areas of interest to the EBMT
The multiple vehicle balancing problem
This paper deals with the multiple vehicle balancing problem (MVBP). Given a fleet of vehicles of limited capacity, a set of vertices with initial and target inventory levels and a distribution network, the MVBP requires to design a set of routes along with pickup and delivery operations such that inventory is redistributed among the vertices without exceeding capacities, and routing costs are minimized. The MVBP is NP\u2010hard, generalizing several problems in transportation, and arising in bike\u2010sharing systems. Using theoretical properties of the problem, we propose an integer linear programming formulation and introduce strengthening valid inequalities. Lower bounds are computed by column generation embedding an ad\u2010hoc pricing algorithm, while upper bounds are obtained by a memetic algorithm that separate routing from pickup and delivery operations. We combine these bounding routines in both exact and matheuristic algorithms, obtaining proven optimal solutions for MVBP instances with up to 25 stations
Dynamic reconfiguration of human brain networks during learning
Human learning is a complex phenomenon requiring flexibility to adapt
existing brain function and precision in selecting new neurophysiological
activities to drive desired behavior. These two attributes -- flexibility and
selection -- must operate over multiple temporal scales as performance of a
skill changes from being slow and challenging to being fast and automatic. Such
selective adaptability is naturally provided by modular structure, which plays
a critical role in evolution, development, and optimal network function. Using
functional connectivity measurements of brain activity acquired from initial
training through mastery of a simple motor skill, we explore the role of
modularity in human learning by identifying dynamic changes of modular
organization spanning multiple temporal scales. Our results indicate that
flexibility, which we measure by the allegiance of nodes to modules, in one
experimental session predicts the relative amount of learning in a future
session. We also develop a general statistical framework for the identification
of modular architectures in evolving systems, which is broadly applicable to
disciplines where network adaptability is crucial to the understanding of
system performance.Comment: Main Text: 19 pages, 4 figures Supplementary Materials: 34 pages, 4
figures, 3 table
Energy Conservation Constraints on Multiplicity Correlations in QCD Jets
We compute analytically the effects of energy conservation on the
self-similar structure of parton correlations in QCD jets. The calculations are
performed both in the constant and running coupling cases. It is shown that the
corrections are phenomenologically sizeable. On a theoretical ground, energy
conservation constraints preserve the scaling properties of correlations in QCD
jets beyond the leading log approximation.Comment: 11 pages, latex, 5 figures, .tar.gz version avaliable on
ftp://www.inln.unice.fr
The EU and Asia within an evolving global order: what is Europe? Where is Asia?
The papers in this special edition are a very small selection from those presented at the EU-NESCA (Network of European Studies Centres in Asia) conference on "the EU and East Asia within an Evolving Global Order: Ideas, Actors and Processes" in November 2008 in Brussels. The conference was the culmination of three years of research activity involving workshops and conferences bringing together scholars from both regions primarily to discuss relations between Europe and Asia, perceptions of Europe in Asia, and the relationship between the European regional project and emerging regional forms in Asia. But although this was the last of the three major conferences organised by the consortium, it in many ways represented a starting point rather than the end; an opportunity to reflect on the conclusions of the first phase of collaboration and point towards new and continuing research agendas for the future
Planets around stars in young nearby associations *** radial Velocity searches: a feasibility study, and first results
Stars in young nearby associations are the only targets allowing giant planet
searches at all separations in the near future, by coupling indirect techniques
such as radial velocity and deep imaging. These stars are first priorities
targets for the forthcoming planets imagers on 10-m class telescopes. Young
stars rotate more rapidly and are more active than their older counterparts.
Both effects can limit the capability to detect planets using RV. We wish to
explore the planet detection capabilities of a representative sample of stars
in close and young associations with radial velocity data and explore the
complementarity between this technique and direct imaging. We observed 26 such
targets with spectral types from A to K and ages fromComment: submitte
Effect of Disorder on the Quantum Coherence in Mesoscopic Wires
We present phase coherence time measurements in quasi-one-dimensional
mesoscopic wires made from high mobility two-dimensional electron gas. By
implanting gallium ions into a GaAs/AlGaAs heterojunction we are able to vary
the diffusion coefficient over 2 orders of magnitude. We show that in the
diffusive limit, the decoherence time follows a power law as a function of
diffusion coefficient as expected by theory. When the disorder is low enough so
that the samples are semi-ballistic, we observe a new and unexpected regime in
which the phase coherence time is independent of disorder. In addition, for all
samples the temperature dependence of the phase coherence time follows a power
law down to the lowest temperatures without any sign of saturation and strongly
suggests that the frequently observed low temperature saturation is not
intrinsic.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
3D photospheric velocity field of a Supergranular cell
We investigate the plasma flow properties inside a Supergranular (SG) cell,
in particular its interaction with small scale magnetic field structures. The
SG cell has been identified using the magnetic network (CaII wing brightness)
as proxy, applying the Two-Level Structure Tracking (TST) to high spatial,
spectral and temporal resolution observations obtained by IBIS. The full 3D
velocity vector field for the SG has been reconstructed at two different
photospheric heights. In order to strengthen our findings, we also computed the
mean radial flow of the SG by means of cork tracing. We also studied the
behaviour of the horizontal and Line of Sight plasma flow cospatial with
cluster of bright CaII structures of magnetic origin to better understand the
interaction between photospheric convection and small scale magnetic features.
The SG cell we investigated seems to be organized with an almost radial flow
from its centre to the border. The large scale divergence structure is probably
created by a compact region of constant up-flow close to the cell centre. On
the edge of the SG, isolated regions of strong convergent flow are nearby or
cospatial with extended clusters of bright CaII wing features forming the knots
of the magnetic network.Comment: 7 pages, submitted to A&A, referee's comments include
Performing a stellar autopsy using the radio-bright remnant of SN 1996cr
We present newly reduced archival radio observations of SN 1996cr in the Circinus Galaxy from the Australia Telescope Compact Array and the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope, and attempt to model its radio light curves using recent hydrodynamical simulations of the interaction between the supernova (SN) ejecta and the circumstellar material (CSM) at X-ray wavelengths. The radio data within the first 1000 d show clear signs of free–free absorption (FFA), which decreases gradually and is minimal above 1.4 GHz after day ∼3000. Constraints on the FFA optical depth provide estimates of the CSM free electron density, which allows insight into the ionization of SN 1996cr's CSM and offers a test on the density distribution adopted by the hydrodynamical simulation. The intrinsic spectral index of the radiation shows evidence for spectral flattening, which is characterized by α = 0.852 ± 0.002 at day 3000 and a decay rate of Δα = −0.014 ± 0.001 yr−1. The striking similarity in the spectral flattening of SN 1987A, SN 1993J and SN 1996cr suggests this may be a relatively common feature of SNe/CSM shocks. We adopt this spectral index variation to model the synchrotron radio emission of the shock, and consider several scalings that relate the parameters of the hydrodynamical simulation to the magnetic field and electron distribution. The simulated light curves match the large-scale features of the observed light curves, but fail to match certain tightly constraining sections. This suggests that simple energy density scalings may not be able to account for the complexities of the true physical processes at work, or alternatively, that the parameters of the simulation require modification in order to accurately represent the surroundings of SN 1996cr
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