Velocity-space sensitivity of the time-of-flight neutron spectrometer at JET

The velocity-space sensitivities of fast-ion diagnostics are often described by so-called weight functions. Recently, we formulated weight functions showing the velocity-space sensitivity of the often dominant beam-target part of neutron energy spectra. These weight functions for neutron emission spectrometry (NES) are independent of the particular NES diagnostic. Here we apply these NES weight functions to the time-of-flight spectrometer TOFOR at JET. By taking the instrumental response function of TOFOR into account, we calculate time-of-flight NES weight functions that enable us to directly determine the velocity-space sensitivity of a given part of a measured time-of-flight spectrum from TOFOR

Relationship of edge localized mode burst times with divertor flux loop signal phase in JET

A phase relationship is identified between sequential edge localized modes (ELMs) occurrence times in a set of H-mode tokamak plasmas to the voltage measured in full flux azimuthal loops in the divertor region. We focus on plasmas in the Joint European Torus where a steady H-mode is sustained over several seconds, during which ELMs are observed in the Be II emission at the divertor. The ELMs analysed arise from intrinsic ELMing, in that there is no deliberate intent to control the ELMing process by external means. We use ELM timings derived from the Be II signal to perform direct time domain analysis of the full flux loop VLD2 and VLD3 signals, which provide a high cadence global measurement proportional to the voltage induced by changes in poloidal magnetic flux. Specifically, we examine how the time interval between pairs of successive ELMs is linked to the time-evolving phase of the full flux loop signals. Each ELM produces a clear early pulse in the full flux loop signals, whose peak time is used to condition our analysis. The arrival time of the following ELM, relative to this pulse, is found to fall into one of two categories: (i) prompt ELMs, which are directly paced by the initial response seen in the flux loop signals; and (ii) all other ELMs, which occur after the initial response of the full flux loop signals has decayed in amplitude. The times at which ELMs in category (ii) occur, relative to the first ELM of the pair, are clustered at times when the instantaneous phase of the full flux loop signal is close to its value at the time of the first ELM

A comparison of NAL and DSL prescriptive methods for paediatric hearing-aid fitting

OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of prescription on predicted speech intelligibility and loudness for children. DESIGN: A between-group comparison of Speech Intelligibility Index (SII) and loudness, based on hearing aids fitted according to NAL-NL1, DSL v4.1, or DSL m[i/o] prescriptions. A within-group comparison of gains prescribed by DSL m[i/o] and NAL-NL2 for children in terms of SII and loudness. STUDY SAMPLE: Participants were 200 children , who were randomly assigned to first hearing-aid fitting with either NAL-NL1, DSL v4.1, or DSL m[i/o]. Audiometric data and hearing aid data at 3 years of age were used. RESULTS: On average, SII calculated on the basis of hearing-aid gains were higher for DSL than for NAL-NL1 at low input level, equivalent at medium input level, and higher for NAL-NL1 than DSL at high input level. Greater loudness was associated with DSL than with NAL-NL1, across a range of input levels. Comparing NAL-NL2 and DSL m[i/o] target gains revealed higher SII for the latter at low input level. SII was higher for NAL-NL2 than for DSL m[i/o] at medium- and high-input levels despite greater loudness for gains prescribed by DSL m[i/o] than by NAL-NL2. CONCLUSION: The choice of prescription has minimal effects on speech intelligibility predictions but marked effects on loudness predictions

Characterization of the dynamic response of structures to damaging pulse-type near-fault ground motions

The presence of long-period pulses in near-fault records can be considered as an important factor in causing damage due to the transmission of large amounts of energy to the structures in a very short time. Under such circumstances high-energy dissipation demands usually occur, which are likely to concentrate in the weakest parts of the structure. The maximum nonlinear response or collapse often happens at the onset of directivity pulse and fling, and this time is not predicted by the natural structural vibration periods. Nonlinear response leading to collapse may in most cases occur only during one large amplitude pulse of displacement. From the study of the response of both linear and nonlinear SDOF systems, the effects of these distinctive long-period pulses have been assessed by means of : (i) synthetic parameters directly derived from the strong ground motion records, and (ii) elastic and inelastic spectra of both conventional and energy-based seismic demand parameters. SDOF systems have first been subjected to records obtained during recent earthquakes in near-fault areas in forward directivity conditions. The results indicate that long duration pulses strongly affect the inelastic response, with very high energy and displacement demands which may be several times larger than the limit values specified by the majority of codes. In addition, from the recognition of the fundamental importance of velocity and energy-based parameters in the characterization of near-fault signals, idealized pulses equivalent to near-fault signals have been defined on account of such parameters. Equivalent pulses are capable of representing the salient observed features of the response to near-fault recorded ground motions