TCAD simulation studies of novel geometries for CZT ring-drift detectors

In this work, technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulation results of new CZT ring-drift detector geometries are presented. The physics model was developed and validated against the results from an existing device which had been comprehensively characterised at x-ray wavelengths. The model was then applied to new detector geometries and a systematic study of the parameters influencing charge collection performed. A comparison between one- two- and three-ring circle and semi-rectangular (or squircle) geometries is presented. In was found that charge collection with the squircle ring configuration was systematically better than the circular configuration and extends approximately m further from the collecting anode. In addition, a two-ring geometry device is shown to collect charge m and m further from the anode when compared to one- and three- ring geometries, respectively. Based on these results, we derive an optimum configuration which potentially can be multiplied on larger crystals, offering an increased charge collection volume without compromising energy resolution

Environment and Energy Injection Effects in GRB Afterglows

In a recent paper (Dai & Lu 1999), we have proposed a simple model in which the steepening in the light curve of the R-band afterglow of the gamma-ray burst (GRB) 990123 is caused by the adiabatic shock which has evolved from an ultrarelativistic phase to a nonrelativistic phase in a dense medium. We find that such a model is quite consistent with observations if the medium density is about $3\times 10^6 {\rm cm}^{-3}$. Here we discuss this model in more details. In particular, we investigate the effects of synchrotron self absorption and energy injection. A shock in a dense medium becomes nonrelativistic rapidly after a short relativistic phase. The afterglow from the shock at the nonrelativistic stage decays more rapidly than at the relativistic stage. Since some models for GRB energy sources predict that a strongly magnetic millisecond pulsar may be born during the formation of GRB, we discuss the effect of such a pulsar on the evolution of the nonrelativistic shock through magnetic dipole radiation. We find that after the energy which the shock obtains from the pulsar is much more than the initial energy of the shock, the afterglow decay will flatten significantly. When the pulsar energy input effect disappears, the decay will steepen again. These features are in excellent agreement with the afterglows of GRB 980519, GRB 990510 and GRB 980326. Furthermore, our model fits very well all the observational data of GRB 980519 including the last two detections.Comment: 21 pages, LaTeX, accepted for publication in ApJ, one paragraph adde

Jets in GRBs

In several GRBs afterglows, rapid temporal decay is observed which is inconsistent with spherical (isotropic) blast-wave models. In particular, GRB 980519 had the most rapidly fading of the well-documented GRB afterglows, with t^{-2.05\pm 0.04} in optical as well as in X-rays. We show that such temporal decay is more consistent with the evolution of a jet after it slows down and spreads laterally, for which t^{-p} decay is expected (where p is the index of the electron energy distribution). Such a beaming model would relax the energy requirements on some of the more extreme GRBs by a factor of several hundreds. It is likely that a large fraction of the weak (or no) afterglow observations are also due to the common occurrence of beaming in GRBs, and that their jets have already transitioned to the spreading phase before the first afterglow observations were made. With this interpretation, a universal value of p~2.5 is consistent with all data.Comment: 4 page

Alfalfa Cultivar Yield Test for South Dakota: 2000 Report

The South Dakota Alfalfa Cultivar Yield Test reports relative forage production characteristic for available cultivars at several locations in South Dakota. Cultivar are entered in the test by seed companies and public breeders at their own discretion. A list of cultivar and companies is in Table 8 at the end of this circula

Vibration characteristics of miniature stirling electric coolers

We present the investigation results of vibration characteristics of miniature stirling electric coolers, which can be used for compact HPGe spectrometers for space applications. Comparative assessment between three Stirling cycle coolers – two Ricor model K508 coolers and one Thales model RM3 cooler were done. In spite of the limited number of the coolers tested, the following conclusions can be made, that there are significant differences in the vibration characteristics between the various types of coolers and between coolers of the same type. To categorize the vibration characteristics of the coolers we carried out our tests by different methods in certified Vibroacoustic laboratory and BSI laboratory. The results obtained in our laboratory follow the same trends and give the same ranking as the test results obtained in the Vibroacoustic laboratory

A search for solar neutrons on a long duration balloon flight

The EOSCOR 3 detector, designed to measure the flux of solar neutrons, was flown on a long duration RACOON balloon flight from Australia during Jan. through Feb, 1983. The Circum-global flight lasted 22 days. No major solar activity occurred during the flight and thus only an upper limit to the solar flare neutrons flux is given. The atmospheric neutron response is compared with that obtained on earlier flights from Palestine, Texas

Enhanced sensitivity to a possible variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio in ammonia

Numerous accidental near degeneracies exist between the 2ν2 and ν4 rotation-vibration energy levels of ammonia. Transitions between these two states possess significantly enhanced sensitivity to a possible variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio μ. Using a robust variational approach to determine the mass sensitivity of the energy levels along with accurate experimental values for the energies, sensitivity coefficients have been calculated for over 350 microwave, submillimeter, and far-infrared transitions up to J=15 for 14NH3. The sensitivities are the largest found in ammonia to date. One particular transition, although extremely weak, has a sensitivity of T=−16738 and illustrates the huge enhancement that can occur between close-lying energy levels. More promising however are a set of previously measured transitions with T=−32 to 28. Given the astrophysical importance of ammonia, the sensitivities presented here confirm that 14NH3 can be used exclusively to constrain a spatial or temporal variation of μ. Thus certain systematic errors which affect the ammonia method can be eliminated. For all transitions analyzed we provide frequency data and Einstein A coefficients to guide future laboratory and astronomical observations

Alfalfa Cultivar Yield Test for South Dakota: 1998 Report

The South Dakota Alfalfa Cultivar Yield Test reports relative forage production characteristics for available cultivars at several locations in South Dakota. Alfalfas are entered in the test by seed companies and public breeders at their own discretion. A list of the cultivars and the companies marketing them is at the end of this bulletin

Alfalfa Cultivar Yield Test for South Dakota: 1996 Report

The South Dakota Alfalfa Cultivar Yield Test reports relative forage production characteristics for available alfalfa cultivars at several locations in South Dakota. Cultivars are entered in the Yield Test by seed companies and public breeders at their own discretion. A list of alfalfa cultivars and the companies which market them is in the Appendix at the end of this bulletin