2,646 research outputs found
Redshift determination in the X-ray band of gamma-ray bursts
If gamma-ray bursts originate in dense stellar forming regions, the
interstellar material can imprint detectable absorption features on the
observed X-ray spectrum. Such features can be detected by existing and planned
X-ray satellites, as long as the X-ray afterglow is observed after a few
minutes from the burst. If the column density of the interstellar material
exceeds ~10^{23} cm^{-2} there exists the possibility to detect the K_alpha
fluorescent iron line, which should be visible for more than one year, long
after the X-ray afterglow continuum has faded away. Detection of these X-ray
features will make possible the determination of the redshift of gamma-ray
bursts even when their optical afterglow is severely dimmed by extinction.Comment: 15 pages with 5 figures. Submitted to Ap
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Extracting innerâheliosphere solar wind speed information from Heliospheric Imager observations
We present evidence that variability in the STEREOâA Heliospheric Imager (HI) data is correlated with in situ solar wind speed estimates from WIND, STEREOâA, and STEREOâB. For 2008â2012, we compute the variability in HI differenced images in a planeâofâsky shell between 20 to 22.5 solar radii and, for a range of position angles, compare daily means of HI variability and in situ solar wind speed estimates. We show that the HI variability data and in situ solar wind speeds have similar temporal autocorrelation functions. Carrington rotation periodicities are well documented for in situ solar wind speeds, but, to our knowledge, this is the first time they have been presented in statistics computed from HI images. In situ solar wind speeds from STEREOâA, STEREOâB, and WIND are all are correlated with the HI variability, with a lag that varies in a manner consistent with the longitudinal separation of the in situ monitor and the HI instrument. Unlike many approaches to processing HI observations, our method requires no manual feature tracking; it is automated, is quick to compute, and does not suffer the subjective biases associated with manual classifications. These results suggest we could possibly estimate solar wind speeds in the low heliosphere directly from HI observations. This motivates further investigation, as this could be a significant asset to the space weather forecasting community; it might provide an independent observational constraint on heliospheric solar wind forecasts, through, for example, data assimilation. Finally, these results are another argument for the potential utility of including a HI on an operational space weather mission
Perspective: Accurate ro-vibrational calculations on small molecules
In what has been described as the fourth age of quantum chemistry, variational nuclear motion programs are now routinely being used to obtain the vibration-rotation levels and corresponding wavefunctions of small molecules to the sort of high accuracy demanded by comparison with spectroscopy. In this perspective, I will discuss the current state-of-the-art which, for example, shows that these calculations are increasingly competitive with measurements or, indeed, replacing them and thus becoming the primary source of data on key processes. To achieve this accuracy ab initio requires consideration of small effects, routinely ignored in standard calculations, such as those due to quantum electrodynamics. Variational calculations are being used to generate huge lists of transitions which provide the input for models of radiative transport through hot atmospheres and to fill in or even replace measured transition intensities. Future prospects such as the study of molecular states near dissociation, which can provide a link with low-energy chemical reactions, are discussed
Characterization of Large Volume 3.5 x 8 inches LaBr3:Ce Detectors
The properties of large volume cylindrical 3.5 x 8 inches (89 mm x 203 mm)
LaBr3:Ce scintillation detectors coupled to the Hamamatsu R10233-100SEL
photo-multiplier tube were investigated. These crystals are among the largest
ones ever produced and still need to be fully characterized to determine how
these detectors can be utilized and in which applications. We tested the
detectors using monochromatic gamma-ray sources and in-beam reactions producing
gamma rays up to 22.6 MeV; we acquired PMT signal pulses and calculated
detector energy resolution and response linearity as a function of gamma-ray
energy. Two different voltage dividers were coupled to the Hamamatsu
R10233-100SEL PMT: the Hamamatsu E1198-26, based on straightforward resistive
network design, and the LABRVD, specifically designed for our large volume
LaBr3:Ce scintillation detectors, which also includes active semiconductor
devices. Because of the extremely high light yield of LaBr3:Ce crystals we
observed that, depending on the choice of PMT, voltage divider and applied
voltage, some significant deviation from the ideally proportional response of
the detector and some pulse shape deformation appear. In addition, crystal
non-homogeneities and PMT gain drifts affect the (measured) energy resolution
especially in case of high-energy gamma rays. We also measured the time
resolution of detectors with different sizes (from 1x1 inches up to 3.5x8
inches), correlating the results with both the intrinsic properties of PMTs and
GEANT simulations of the scintillation light collection process. The detector
absolute full energy efficiency was measured and simulated up to gamma-rays of
30 Me
Reasoning algebraically about refinement on TSO architectures
The Total Store Order memory model is widely implemented by modern multicore architectures such as x86, where local buffers are used for optimisation, allowing limited forms of instruction reordering. The presence of buffers and hardware-controlled buffer flushes increases the level of non-determinism from the level specified by a program, complicating the already difficult task of concurrent programming. This paper presents a new notion of refinement for weak memory models, based on the observation that pending writes to a process' local variables may be treated as if the effect of the update has already occurred in shared memory. We develop an interval-based model with algebraic rules for various programming constructs. In this framework, several decomposition rules for our new notion of refinement are developed. We apply our approach to verify the spinlock algorithm from the literature
Exclusive W + photon production in proton-antiproton collisions I: general formalism
We present a detailed computation of the fully exclusive cross section of p +
antip --> W + photon + X with X = 0 and 1 jet in the framework of the
factorization theorem and dimensional regularization. Order alpha-strong and
photon bremsstrahlung contributions are discussed in the MS-bar mass
factorization scheme. The resulting expressions are ready to be implemented
numerically using Monte Carlo techniques to compute single and double
differential cross sections and correlations between outgoing pairs of
particles.Comment: ITP-SB-93-72, 40 pages, LateX. 3*4 figures in separate file.
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Study of the relationship between Black men, culture and prostate cancer beliefs
Prostate cancer is the leading cancer for men worldwide, with increasing incidence in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the UK and USA, Black men of different backgrounds are at higher risk of developing prostate cancer but continue to have little involvement with related health services. Lack of knowledge and culture have been implicated as reasons for this but culture in Black ethnic groups has not been very well explored. This scoping study asks how ethnicity, as represented by culture, interacts with Black men's beliefs around prostate cancer. The objective is to understand the meaning of prostate cancer and the role of culture in Black men's beliefs about the disease. Using a symbolic interactionist approach to explore meaning-making in Black men around culture and prostate cancer reveals varied ways in which culture affects interaction with health services. A thematic analysis of 25 studies included in the final scoping study shows that there are three main themes under which cultural issues can be examined: personal, societal and structural. The study reveals that knowledge is contextual and that personal and societal beliefs and structural factors intertwine to create a system that can preclude Black men from taking part in prostate cancer-related health practices, and discusses some of the ways in which these can be addressed
Tracking and imaging gamma ray experiment (TIGRE) for 1 to 100 MEV gamma ray astronomy
A large international collaboration from the high energy astrophysics community has proposed the Tracking and Imaging Gamma Ray Experiment (TIGRE) for future space observations. TIGRE will image and perform energy spectroscopy measurements on celestial sources of gamma rays in the energy range from 1 to 100 MeV. This has been a difficult energy range experimentally for gamma ray astronomy but is vital for the future considering the recent exciting measurements below 1 and above 100 MeV. TIGRE is both a double scatter Compton and gamma ray pair telescope with direct imaging of individual gamma ray events.
Multiâlayers of Si strip detectors are used as Compton and pair converters CsI(Tl) scintillation detectors are used as a position sensitive calorimeter. Alternatively, thick GE strip detectors may be used for the calorimeter. The Si detectors are able to track electrons and positrons through successive Si layers and measure their directions and energy losses. Compton and pair events are completely reconstructed allowing each event to be imaged on the sky. TIGRE will provide an orderâofâmagnitude improvement in discrete source sensitivity in the 1 to 100 MeV energy range and determine spectra with excellent energy and excellent angular resolutions. Itâs wide fieldâofâview of Ï sr permits observations of the entire sky for extended periods of time over the life of the mission
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