305 research outputs found
Ecological and conceptual consequences of Arctic pollution
This is the final version. Available on open access from Wiley via the DOI in this recordAlthough the effect of pollution on forest health and decline received much attention in the 1980s, it has not been considered to explain the âDivergence Problemâ in dendroclimatology; a decoupling of tree growth from rising air temperatures since the 1970s. Here we use physical and biogeochemical measurements of hundreds of living and dead conifers to reconstruct the impact of heavy industrialisation around Norilsk in northern Siberia. Moreover, we develop a forward model with surface irradiance forcing to quantify longâdistance effects of anthropogenic emissions on the functioning and productivity of Siberiaâs taiga. Downwind from the worldâs most polluted Arctic region, tree mortality rates of up to 100% have destroyed 24,000 km2 boreal forest since the 1960s, coincident with dramatic increases in atmospheric sulphur, copper, and nickel concentrations. In addition to regional ecosystem devastation, we demonstrate how âArctic Dimmingâ can explain the circumpolar âDivergence Problemâ, and discuss implications on the terrestrial carbon cycle.Forest ServiceMinistry of Science and Higher EducationRussian Science Foundatio
First observations of separated atmospheric nu_mu and bar{nu-mu} events in the MINOS detector
The complete 5.4 kton MINOS far detector has been taking data since the beginning of August 2003 at a depth of 2070 meters water-equivalent in the Soudan mine, Minnesota. This paper presents the first MINOS observations of nu” and [overline nu ]” charged-current atmospheric neutrino interactions based on an exposure of 418 days. The ratio of upward- to downward-going events in the data is compared to the Monte Carlo expectation in the absence of neutrino oscillations, giving Rup/downdata/Rup/downMC=0.62-0.14+0.19(stat.)±0.02(sys.). An extended maximum likelihood analysis of the observed L/E distributions excludes the null hypothesis of no neutrino oscillations at the 98% confidence level. Using the curvature of the observed muons in the 1.3 T MINOS magnetic field nu” and [overline nu ]” interactions are separated. The ratio of [overline nu ]” to nu” events in the data is compared to the Monte Carlo expectation assuming neutrinos and antineutrinos oscillate in the same manner, giving R[overline nu ][sub mu]/nu[sub mu]data/R[overline nu ][sub mu]/nu[sub mu]MC=0.96-0.27+0.38(stat.)±0.15(sys.), where the errors are the statistical and systematic uncertainties. Although the statistics are limited, this is the first direct observation of atmospheric neutrino interactions separately for nu” and [overline nu ]”
Measurement of CP Asymmetries and Branching Fractions in Charmless Two-Body B-Meson Decays to Pions and Kaons
We present improved measurements of CP-violation parameters in the decays
, , and , and of
the branching fractions for and . The
results are obtained with the full data set collected at the
resonance by the BABAR experiment at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy factory
at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, corresponding to
million pairs. We find the CP-violation parameter values and
branching fractions where in each case, the first uncertainties are statistical
and the second are systematic. We observe CP violation with a significance of
6.7 standard deviations for and 6.1 standard deviations for
, including systematic uncertainties. Constraints on the
Unitarity Triangle angle are determined from the isospin relations
among the rates and asymmetries. Considering only the solution
preferred by the Standard Model, we find to be in the range
at the 68% confidence level.Comment: 18 pages, 11 postscript figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
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Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI): facing the challenges and pathways of global change in the 21st century
During the past several decades, the Earth system has changed significantly, especially across Northern Eurasia. Changes in the socio-economic conditions of the larger countries in the region have also resulted in a variety of regional environmental changes that can
have global consequences. The Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI) has been designed as an essential continuation of the Northern Eurasia Earth Science
Partnership Initiative (NEESPI), which was launched in 2004. NEESPI sought to elucidate all aspects of ongoing environmental change, to inform societies and, thus, to
better prepare societies for future developments. A key principle of NEFI is that these developments must now be secured through science-based strategies co-designed
with regional decision makers to lead their societies to prosperity in the face of environmental and institutional challenges. NEESPI scientific research, data, and
models have created a solid knowledge base to support the NEFI program. This paper presents the NEFI research vision consensus based on that knowledge. It provides the reader with samples of recent accomplishments in regional studies and formulates new NEFI science questions. To address these questions, nine research foci are identified and their selections are briefly justified. These foci include: warming of the Arctic; changing frequency, pattern, and intensity of extreme and inclement environmental conditions; retreat of the cryosphere; changes in terrestrial water cycles; changes in the biosphere; pressures on land-use; changes in infrastructure; societal actions in response to environmental change; and quantification of Northern Eurasia's role in the global Earth system. Powerful feedbacks between the Earth and human systems in Northern Eurasia (e.g., mega-fires, droughts, depletion of the cryosphere essential for water supply, retreat of sea ice) result from past and current human activities (e.g., large scale water withdrawals, land use and governance change) and
potentially restrict or provide new opportunities for future human activities. Therefore, we propose that Integrated Assessment Models are needed as the final stage of global
change assessment. The overarching goal of this NEFI modeling effort will enable evaluation of economic decisions in response to changing environmental conditions and justification of mitigation and adaptation efforts
Light meson spectroscopy from Dalitz plot analyses ηc decays to η0K + K â , η0Ï + Ï â , and Î·Ï + Ï â produced in two-photon interactions
We study the processes γγ â ηc â η0KĂŸKâ, η0ÏĂŸÏâ, and ηÏĂŸÏâ using a data sample of 519 fbâ1 recorded with the BABAR detector operating at the SLAC PEP-II asymmetric-energy e+eâ collider at center-of-mass energies at and near the ΄(nS) (n = 2, 3, 4) resonances. This is the first observation of the decay ηc â η0KĂŸKâ and we measure the branching fraction Îðηc â η0KĂŸKâĂ=Ă°Îðηc â η0ÏĂŸÏâĂ 1â4 0.644 0.039stat 0.032sys. Significant interference is observed between γγ â ηc â ηÏĂŸÏâ and the nonresonant two-photon process γγ â ηÏĂŸÏâ. A Dalitz plot analysis is performed of ηc decays to η0KĂŸKâ, η0ÏĂŸÏâ, and ηÏĂŸÏâ. Combined with our previous analysis of ηc â KK Ì Ï, we measure the K 0Ă°1430Ă parameters and the ratio between its η0K and ÏK couplings. The decay ηc â η0ÏĂŸÏâ is dominated by the f0Ă°2100Ă resonance, also observed in J=Ï radiative decays. A new a0(1700)â Î·Ï resonance is observed in the ηc â ηÏĂŸÏâ channel. We also compare ηc decays to η and η0 final states in association with scalar mesons as they relate to the identification of the scalar glueball
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Observation of the baryonic decay B¯0→Λ+cp¯K−K+
We report the observation of the baryonic decay (B) over bar (0) -> Lambda(+)(c)(p) over barK(-)K(+) using a data sample of 471 x 10(6) B (B) over bar pairs produced in e(+)e(-) annihilations at root s = 10.58 GeV. This data sample was recorded with the BABAR detector at the PEP- II storage ring at SLAC. We find B((B) over bar (0) -> Lambda(+)(c)(p) over barK(-)K(+)) = (2.5 +/- 0.4((stat)) +/- 0.2((syst)) +/- 0.6(B(Lambda c+)) ) x 10(-5) where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and due to the uncertainty of the Lambda(+)(c) -> (p) over barK(-)pi(+) branching fraction, respectively. The result has a significance corresponding to 5.0 standard deviations, including all uncertainties. For the resonant decay (B) over bar (0) -> Lambda(+)(c)(p) over bar phi, we determine the upper limit B((B) over bar (0) -> Lambda(+)(c)(p) over bar phi) < 1.2 x 10(-5) at 90% confidence level
Angular distributions in the decay B -> K*l(+)l(-)
We use a sample of 384 million BBbar events collected with the Babar detector at the PEP-II e+e- collider to study angular distributions in the rare decays B -> K* l+l-, where l+l- is either e+e- or mu+mu-. For low dilepton invariant masses, m(l+l-)3.2$ GeV/c^2, we measure AFB=0.76 (+0.52,-0.32) +/- 0.07 FL=0.71 (+0.20,-0.22) +/- 0.04.We are grateful for the excellent luminosity and machine
conditions provided by our PEP-II colleagues, and
for the substantial dedicated effort from the computing
organizations that support BABAR. The collaborating
institutions wish to thank SLAC for its support and
kind hospitality. This work is supported by DOE and
NSF (USA), NSERC (Canada), CEA and CNRS-IN2P3
(France), BMBF and DFG (Germany), INFN (Italy),
FOM (The Netherlands), NFR (Norway), MES (Russia),
MEC (Spain), and STFC (United Kingdom). Individuals
have received support from the Marie Curie EIF (European
Union) and the A. P. Sloan Foundation.Peer reviewe
Observation of Muon Neutrino Disappearance with the MINOS Detectors in the NuMI Neutrino Beam
This Letter reports results from the MINOS experiment based on its initial exposure to neutrinos from the Fermilab NuMI beam. The rates and energy spectra of charged current ΜΌ interactions are compared in two detectors located along the beam axis at distances of 1 and 735 km. With 1.27Ă1020 120 GeV protons incident on the NuMI target, 215 events with energies below 30 GeV are observed at the Far Detector, compared to an expectation of 336±14 events. The data are consistent with ΜΌ disappearance via oscillations with |Îm322|=2.74-0.26+0.44Ă10-3ââeV2 and sinâĄ2(2Ξ23)>0.87 (68% C.L.)
Evidence for the decay X(3872) -> J/ÏÏ
We present a study of the decays B-0,B-+ -> J/psi pi(+)pi(-)pi K-0(0,+), using 467 x 106 B (B) over bar pairs recorded with the BABAR detector. We present evidence for the decay mode X(3872) -> J/psi omega, with product branching fractions B(B+ -> X(3872K(+)) x B(X(3872) -> J/psi omega) = [0.6 +/- 0.2(stat) +/- 0.1(syst)] x 10(-5), and B(B-0 -> X(3872)K-0) x B(X(3872) -> J/psi omega) = [0.6 +/- 0.3(stat) +/- 0.1(syst)] x 10(-5). A detailed study of the pi(+) pi(-) pi(0) mass distribution from X(3872) decay favors a negative-parity assignment
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