Why P/OF should look for evidences of over-dense structures in solar flare hard X-ray sources

White-light and hard X-ray (HXR) observations of two white-light flares (WLFs) show that if the radiative losses in the optical continuum are powered by fast electrons directly heating the WLF source, then the column density constraints imposed by the finite range of the electrons requires that the WLF consist of an over-dense region in the chromosphere, with density exceeding 10 to the 14th power/cu cm. Thus, we recommend that P/OF search for evidences of over-dense structures in HXR images obtained simultaneously with optical observations of flares

Direct Metal Laser-sintered Stainless Steel: Comparison Of Microstructure And Hardness Between Different Planes

Microstructural analysis and micro-hardness measurements were performed on different planes of 316L stainless steel fabricated by direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) technique. A fine cellular network was observed within the steel microstructure, where morphology of most cells changed from columnar on XZ-plane (vertical section) to equiaxed on XY-plane (horizontal section). Correspondingly, morphology of most grains was found to alter from columnar for the XZ-plane to equiaxed in the case of the XY-plane. Moreover, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed a fully austenitic structure for both the planes. The average micro-hardness value for the XZ-plane and XY-plane was insignificantly (≈ 3%) different, which was attributed to the random grain orientation observed on both the planes. However, the average micro-hardness of the DMLS-fabricated 316L stainless steel in this contribution was approximately 25% higher than that of the as-cast one

Properties of Sequential Chromospheric Brightenings and Associated Flare Ribbons

We report on the physical properties of solar sequential chromospheric brightenings (SCBs) observed in conjunction with moderate-sized chromospheric flares with associated CMEs. To characterize these ephemeral events, we developed automated procedures to identify and track subsections (kernels) of solar flares and associated SCBs using high resolution H-alpha images. Following the algorithmic identification and a statistical analysis, we compare and find the following: SCBs are distinctly different from flare kernels in their temporal characteristics of intensity, Doppler structure, duration, and location properties. We demonstrate that flare ribbons are themselves made up of subsections exhibiting differing characteristics. Flare kernels are measured to have a mean propagation speed of 0.2 km/s and a maximum speed of 2.3 km/s over a mean distance of 5 x 10^3 km. Within the studied population of SCBs, different classes of characteristics are observed with coincident negative, positive, or both negative and positive Doppler shifts of a few km/s. The appearance of SCBs precede peak flare intensity by ~12 minutes and decay ~1 hour later. They are also found to propagate laterally away from flare center in clusters at 41 km/s or 89 km/s. Given SCBs distinctive nature compared to flares, we suggest a different physical mechanism relating to their origin than the associated flare. We present a heuristic model of the origin of SCBs.Comment: 24 pages, 17 figure

Experimental Measurement Of Residual Stress And Distortion In Additively Manufactured Stainless Steel Components With Various Dimensions

Disk-shaped 316L stainless steel parts with various diameters and heights were additively manufactured using a direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) technique. Neutron diffraction was used to profile the residual stresses in the samples before and after removal of the build plate and support structures. Moreover, distortion level of the parts before and after the removal was quantified using a coordinate measuring machine (CMM). Large tensile in-plane stresses (up to ≈ 400 MPa) were measured near the as-built disk top surfaces, where the stress magnitude decreased from the disk center to the edges. The stress gradient was steeper for the disks with smaller diameters and heights. Following the removal of the build plate and support structures, the magnitude of the in-plane residual stresses decreased dramatically (up to 330 MPa) whereas the axial stress magnitude did not change significantly. The stress relaxation caused the disks to distort, where the distortion metric was higher for the disks with smaller diameters and heights. The distribution of the residual stresses revealed a marked breakdown of self-similarity in their distribution even comparing disk-shaped samples that were fabricated under identical printing parameters; the stress field profiles were not linearly scaled as a function of height and diameter

Impulsive phase transport

The transport of nonthermal electrons is explored. The thick-target electron beam model, in which electrons are presumed to be accelerated in the corona and typically thermalized primarily in the chromosphere and photosphere, is supported by observations throughout the electromagnetic spectrum. At the highest energies, the anisotropy of gamma-ray emission above 10 MeV clearly indicates that these photons are emitted by anisotropically-directed particles. The timing of this high-energy gamma-radiation with respect to lower-energy hard X-radiation implies that the energetic particles have short life-times. For collisional energy loss, this means that they are stopped in the chromosphere or below. Stereoscopic (two-spacecraft) observations at hard X-ray energies (up to 350 keV) imply that these lower-energy (but certainly nonthermal) electrons are also stopped deep in the chromosphere. Hard X-ray images show that, in spatially resolved flares whose radiation consists of impulsive bursts, the impulsive phase starts with X-radiation that comes mostly from the foot-points of coronal loops whose coronal component is outlined by microwaves

Transient Magnetic and Doppler Features Related to the White-light Flares in NOAA 10486

Rapidly moving transient features have been detected in magnetic and Doppler images of super-active region NOAA 10486 during the X17/4B flare of 28 October 2003 and the X10/2B flare of 29 October 2003. Both these flares were extremely energetic white-light events. The transient features appeared during impulsive phases of the flares and moved with speeds ranging from 30 to 50 km s$^{-1}$. These features were located near the previously reported compact acoustic \cite{Donea05} and seismic sources \cite{Zharkova07}. We examine the origin of these features and their relationship with various aspects of the flares, {\it viz.}, hard X-ray emission sources and flare kernels observed at different layers - (i) photosphere (white-light continuum), (ii) chromosphere (H$\alpha$ 6563\AA), (iii) temperature minimum region (UV 1600\AA), and (iv) transition region (UV 284\AA).Comment: 26 pages, 13 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in Solar Physic

Local re-acceleration and a modified thick target model of solar flare electrons

The collisional thick target model (CTTM) of solar hard X-ray (HXR) bursts has become an almost 'Standard Model' of flare impulsive phase energy transport and radiation. However, it faces various problems in the light of recent data, particularly the high electron beam density and anisotropy it involves.} {We consider how photon yield per electron can be increased, and hence fast electron beam intensity requirements reduced, by local re-acceleration of fast electrons throughout the HXR source itself, after injection.} {We show parametrically that, if net re-acceleration rates due to e.g. waves or local current sheet electric (${\cal E}$) fields are a significant fraction of collisional loss rates, electron lifetimes, and hence the net radiative HXR output per electron can be substantially increased over the CTTM values. In this local re-acceleration thick target model (LRTTM) fast electron number requirements and anisotropy are thus reduced. One specific possible scenario involving such re-acceleration is discussed, viz, a current sheet cascade (CSC) in a randomly stressed magnetic loop.} {Combined MHD and test particle simulations show that local ${\cal E}$ fields in CSCs can efficiently accelerate electrons in the corona and and re-accelerate them after injection into the chromosphere. In this HXR source scenario, rapid synchronisation and variability of impulsive footpoint emissions can still occur since primary electron acceleration is in the high Alfv\'{e}n speed corona with fast re-acceleration in chromospheric CSCs. It is also consistent with the energy-dependent time-of-flight delays in HXR features.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figure

An Automated Algorithm to Distinguish and Characterize Solar Flares and Associated Sequential Chromospheric Brightenings

We present a new automated algorithm to identify, track, and characterize small-scale brightening associated with solar eruptive phenomena observed in H{\alpha}. The temporal spatially-localized changes in chromospheric intensities can be separated into two categories: flare ribbons and sequential chromospheric brightenings (SCBs). Within each category of brightening we determine the smallest resolvable locus of pixels, a kernel, and track the temporal evolution of the position and intensity of each kernel. This tracking is accomplished by isolating the eruptive features, identifying kernels, and linking detections between frames into trajectories of kernels. We fully characterize the evolving intensity and morphology of the flare ribbons by observing the tracked flare kernels in aggregate. With the location of SCB and flare kernels identified, they can easily be overlaid on top of complementary data sets to extract Doppler velocities and magnetic field intensities underlying the kernels. This algorithm is adaptable to any dataset to identify and track solar features.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figure

MetaFIND: A feature analysis tool for metabolomics data

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Metabolomics, or metabonomics, refers to the quantitative analysis of all metabolites present within a biological sample and is generally carried out using NMR spectroscopy or Mass Spectrometry. Such analysis produces a set of peaks, or <it>features</it>, indicative of the metabolic composition of the sample and may be used as a basis for sample classification. Feature selection may be employed to improve classification accuracy or aid model explanation by establishing a subset of class discriminating features. Factors such as experimental noise, choice of technique and threshold selection may adversely affect the set of selected features retrieved. Furthermore, the high dimensionality and multi-collinearity inherent within metabolomics data may exacerbate discrepancies between the set of features retrieved and those required to provide a complete explanation of metabolite signatures. Given these issues, the latter in particular, we present the MetaFIND application for 'post-feature selection' correlation analysis of metabolomics data.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In our evaluation we show how MetaFIND may be used to elucidate metabolite signatures from the set of features selected by diverse techniques over two metabolomics datasets. Importantly, we also show how MetaFIND may augment standard feature selection and aid the discovery of additional significant features, including those which represent novel class discriminating metabolites. MetaFIND also supports the discovery of higher level metabolite correlations.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Standard feature selection techniques may fail to capture the full set of relevant features in the case of high dimensional, multi-collinear metabolomics data. We show that the MetaFIND 'post-feature selection' analysis tool may aid metabolite signature elucidation, feature discovery and inference of metabolic correlations.</p

Mechanistic implications of the active species involved in the oxidation of hydrocarbons by iron complexes of pyrazine-2-carboxylic acid

The reactivity towards H2O2 of the complexes [Fe(pca)2(py)2]·py (1) and Na2{[Fe(pca3)]2O}·2H2O·CH3CN (2) (where pca− is pyrazine-2-carboxylate) and their catalytic activity in the oxidation of hydrocarbons is reported. Addition of H2O2 to 1 results in the formation of a dinuclear Fe(III)–(µ-O)–Fe(III) species characterized spectroscopically and by cyclic voltammetry. By contrast, treatment of 2 with H2O2 results in the formation of mononuclear iron(II) complexes, [Fe(pca)2(solvent)2]. The experimental results indicate that the catalytic activity of the starting complexes 1 and 2 is strongly dependent on the species formed in solution.