Optical Link of the Atlas Pixel Detector

The on-detector optical link of the ATLAS pixel detector contains radiation-hard receiver chips to decode bi-phase marked signals received on PIN arrays and data transmitter chips to drive VCSEL arrays. The components are mounted on hybrid boards (opto-boards). We present results from the irradiation studies with 24 GeV protons up to 32 Mrad (1.2 x 10^15 p/cm^2) and the experience from the production.Comment: 9th ICATPP Conference, Como, Ital

New Insights into Uniformly Accelerated Detector in a Quantum Field

We obtained an exact solution for a uniformly accelerated Unruh-DeWitt detector interacting with a massless scalar field in (3+1) dimensions which enables us to study the entire evolution of the total system, from the initial transient to late-time steady state. We find that the Unruh effect as derived from time-dependent perturbation theory is valid only in the transient stage and is totally invalid for cases with proper acceleration smaller than the damping constant. We also found that, unlike in (1+1)D results, the (3+1)D uniformly accelerated Unruh-DeWitt detector in a steady state does emit a positive radiated power of quantum nature at late-times, but it is not connected to the thermal radiance experienced by the detector in the Unruh effect proper.Comment: 6 pages, invited talk given by SYL at the conference of International Association for Relativistic Dynamics (IARD), June 2006, Storrs, Connecticut, US

Plasma oscillations in a low pressure argon discharge

http://www.archive.org/details/plasmaoscillatio00culwU.S. Navy (U.S.N.) author

Radiation-hard ASICs for optical data transmission in the ATLAS pixel detector

We have developed two radiation-hard ASICs for optical data transmission in the ATLAS pixel detector at the LHC at CERN: a driver chip for a Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) diode for 80 Mbit/s data transmission from the detector, and a Bi-Phase Mark decoder chip to recover the control data and 40 MHz clock received optically by a PIN diode. We have successfully implemented both ASICs in 0.25 um CMOS technology using enclosed layout transistors and guard rings for increased radiation hardness. We present results from prototype circuits and from irradiation studies with 24 GeV protons up to 57 Mrad (1.9 x 10e15 p/cm2).Comment: 8th Tropical Seminar on Innovative Particle and Radiation Detectors, Siena, Italy (2002

Behavioural compensation by drivers of a simulator when using a vision enhancement system

Technological progress is suggesting dramatic changes to the tasks of the driver, with the general aim of making driving environment safer. Before any of these technologies are implemented, empirical research is required to establish if these devices do, in fact, bring about the anticipated improvements. Initially, at least, simulated driving environments offer a means of conducting this research. The study reported here concentrates on the application of a vision enhancement (VE) system within the risk homeostasis paradigm. It was anticipated, in line with risk homeostasis theory, that drivers would compensate for the reduction in risk by increasing speed. The results support the hypothesis although, after a simulated failure of the VE system, drivers did reduce their speed due to reduced confidence in the reliability of the system

Radiation pattern of a classical dipole in a photonic crystal: photon focusing

The asymptotic analysis of the radiation pattern of a classical dipole in a photonic crystal possessing an incomplete photonic bandgap is presented. The far-field radiation pattern demonstrates a strong modification with respect to the dipole radiation pattern in vacuum. Radiated power is suppressed in the direction of the spatial stopband and strongly enhanced in the direction of the group velocity, which is stationary with respect to a small variation of the wave vector. An effect of radiated power enhancement is explained in terms of \emph{photon focusing}. Numerical example is given for a square-lattice two-dimensional photonic crystal. Predictions of asymptotic analysis are substantiated with finite-difference time-domain calculations, revealing a reasonable agreement.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev.

Stochastic Lorentz forces on a point charge moving near the conducting plate

The influence of quantized electromagnetic fields on a nonrelativistic charged particle moving near a conducting plate is studied. We give a field-theoretic derivation of the nonlinear, non-Markovian Langevin equation of the particle by the method of Feynman-Vernon influence functional. This stochastic approach incorporates not only the stochastic noise manifested from electromagnetic vacuum fluctuations, but also dissipation backreaction on a charge in the form of the retarded Lorentz forces. Since the imposition of the boundary is expected to anisotropically modify the effects of the fields on the evolution of the particle, we consider the motion of a charge undergoing small-amplitude oscillations in the direction either parallel or normal to the plane boundary. Under the dipole approximation for nonrelativistic motion, velocity fluctuations of the charge are found to grow linearly with time in the early stage of the evolution at the rather different rate, revealing strong anisotropic behavior. They are then asymptotically saturated as a result of the fluctuation-dissipation relation, and the same saturated value is found for the motion in both directions. The observational consequences are discussed. plane boundary. Velocity fluctuations of the charge are found to grow linearly with time in the early stage of the evolution at the rate given by the relaxation constant, which turns out to be smaller in the parallel case than in the perpendicular one in a similar configuration. Then, they are asymptotically saturated as a result of the fluctuation-dissipation relation. For the electron, the same saturated value is obtained for motion in both directions, and is mainly determined by its oscillatory motion. Possible observational consequences are discussed.Comment: 33 pages, 2 figure

Density currents in the Chicago River : characterization, effects on water quality, and potential sources

Author Posting. © Elsevier B.V., 2008. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Elsevier B.V. for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Science of The Total Environment 401 (2008): 130-143, doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.04.011.Bidirectional flows in a river system can occur under stratified flow conditions and in addition to creating significant errors in discharge estimates, the upstream propagating currents are capable of transporting contaminants and affecting water quality. Detailed field observations of bidirectional flows were made in the Chicago River in Chicago, Illinois in the winter of 2005-06. Using multiple acoustic Doppler current profilers simultaneously with a water-quality profiler, the formation of upstream propagating density currents within the Chicago River both as an underflow and an overflow was observed on three occasions. Density differences driving the flow primarily arise from salinity differences between intersecting branches of the Chicago River, whereas water temperature is secondary in the creation of these currents. Deicing salts appear to be the primary source of salinity in the North Branch of the Chicago River, entering the waterway through direct runoff and effluent from a wastewater-treatment plant in a large metropolitan area primarily served by combined sewers. Water-quality assessments of the Chicago River may underestimate (or overestimate) the impairment of the river because standard water-quality monitoring practices do not account for density-driven underflows (or overflows). Chloride concentrations near the riverbed can significantly exceed concentrations at the river surface during underflows indicating that full-depth parameter profiles are necessary for accurate water-quality assessments in urban environments where application of deicing salt is common.The authors greatly appreciate the support provided by USGS, Office of Surface Water (Hydroacoustics Program), the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC), the USGS Illinois Water Science Center

What is Community Operational Research?

Community Operational Research (Community OR) has been an explicit sub-domain of OR for more than 30 years. In this paper, we tackle the controversial issue of how it can be differentiated from other forms of OR. While it has been persuasively argued that Community OR cannot be defined by its clients, practitioners or methods, we argue that the common concern of all Community OR practice is the meaningful engagement of communities, whatever form that may take – and the legitimacy of different forms of engagement may be open to debate. We then move on to discuss four other controversies that have implications for the future development of Community OR and its relationship with its parent discipline: the desire for Community OR to be more explicitly political; claims that it should be grounded in the theory, methodology and practice of systems thinking; the similarities and differences between the UK and US traditions; and the extent to which Community OR offers an enhanced understanding of practice that could be useful to OR more generally. Our positions on these controversies all follow from our identification of ‘meaningful engagement’ as a central feature of Community OR