669 research outputs found
Recovery of 150-250 MeV/nuc Cosmic Ray Helium Nuclei Intensities Between 2004-2010 Near the Earth, at Voyager 2 and Voyager 1 in the Heliosheath - A Two Zone Helioshpere
The recovery of cosmic ray He nuclei of energy ~150-250 MeV/nuc in solar
cycle #23 from 2004 to 2010 has been followed at the Earth using IMP and ACE
data and at V2 between 74-92 AU and also at V1 beyond the heliospheric
termination shock (91-113 AU). The correlation coefficient between the
intensities at the Earth and at V1 during this time period is remarkable
(0.921), after allowing for a ~0.9 year delay due to the solar wind propagation
time from the Earth to the outer heliosphere. To describe the intensity changes
and to predict the absolute intensities measured at all three locations we have
used a simple spherically symmetric (no drift) two-zone heliospheric transport
model with specific values for the diffusion coefficient in both the inner and
outer zones. The diffusion coefficient in the outer zone, assumed to be the
heliosheath from about 90 to 120 (130) AU, is determined to be ~5 times smaller
than that in the inner zone out to 90 AU. This means the Heliosheath acts much
like a diffusing barrier in this model. The absolute magnitude of the
intensities and the intensity changes at V1 and the Earth are described to
within a few percent by a diffusion coefficient that varies with time by a
factor ~4 in the inner zone and only a factor of ~1.5 in the outer zone over
the time period from 2004-2010. For V2 the observed intensities follow a curve
that is as much as 25% higher than the calculated intensities at the V2 radius
and at times the observed V2 intensities are equal to those at V1. At least
one-half of the difference between the calculated and observed intensities
between V1 and V2 can be explained if the heliosphere is squashed by ~10% in
distance (non-spherical) so that the HTS location is closer to the Sun in the
direction of V2 compared to V1.Comment: 13 Pages, 8 Figure
Evolution of helicity in NOAA 10923 over three consecutive solar rotations
We have studied the evolution of magnetic helicity and chirality in an active
region over three consecutive solar rotations. The region when it first
appeared was named NOAA10923 and in subsequent rotations it was numbered NOAA
10930, 10935 and 10941. We compare the chirality of these regions at
photospheric, chromospheric and coronal heights. The observations used for
photospheric and chromospheric heights are taken from Solar Vector Magnetograph
(SVM) and H_alpha imaging telescope of Udaipur Solar Observatory (USO),
respectively. We discuss the chirality of the sunspots and associated H_alpha
filaments in these regions. We find that the twistedness of superpenumbral
filaments is maintained in the photospheric transverse field vectors also. We
also compare the chirality at photospheric and chromospheric heights with the
chirality of the associated coronal loops, as observed from the HINODE X-Ray
Telescope.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure
A dual functional redox enzyme maturation protein for respiratory and assimilatory nitrate reductases in bacteria
Nitrate is available to microbes in many environments due to sustained use of inorganic fertilizers on agricultural soils and many bacterial and archaeal lineages have the capacity to express respiratory (Nar) and assimilatory (Nas) nitrate reductases to utilize this abundant respiratory substrate and nutrient for growth. Here we show that in the denitrifying bacterium Paracoccus denitrificans, NarJ serves as a chaperone for both the anaerobic respiratory nitrate reductase (NarG) and the assimilatory nitrate reductase (NasC), the latter of which is active during both aerobic and anaerobic nitrate assimilation. Bioinformatic analysis suggests that the potential for this previously unrecognized role for NarJ in functional maturation of other cytoplasmic molybdenum-dependent nitrate reductases may be phylogenetically widespread as many bacteria contain both Nar and Nas systems
Collisions, Cosmic Radiation and the Colors of the Trojan Asteroids
The Trojan asteroids orbit about the Lagrangian points of Jupiter and the
residence times about their present location are very long for most of them. If
these bodies originated in the outer Solar System, they should be mainly
composed of water ice, but, in contrast with comets, all the volatiles close to
the surface would have been lost long ago. Irrespective of the rotation period,
and hence the surface temperature and ice sublimation rate, a dust layer exists
always on the surface. We show that the timescale for resurfacing the entire
surface of the Trojan asteroids is similar to that of the flattening of the red
spectrum of the new dust by solar-proton irradiation. This, if the cut-off
radius of the size distribution of the impacting objects is between 1mm and 1m
and its slope is -3, for the entire size-range. Therefore, the surfaces of most
Trojan asteroids should be composed mainly of unirradiated dust.Comment: In press in Icaru
Radiation damage tolerance of a novel metastable refractory high entropy alloy V2.5Cr1.2WMoCo0.04
A novel multicomponent alloy, V2.5Cr1.2WMoCo0.04, produced from elements expected to favour a BCC crystal structure, and to be suitable for high temperature environments, was fabricated by arc melting and found to exhibit a multiphase dendritic microstructure with W-rich dendrites and V–Cr segregated to the inter-dendritic cores. The as-cast alloy displayed an apparent single-phase XRD pattern. Following heat treatment at 1187 °C for 500 h the alloy transformed into three different distinct phases - BCC, orthorhombic, and tetragonal in crystal structure. This attests to the BCC crystal structure observed in the as-cast state being metastable. The radiation damage response was investigated through room temperature 5 MeV Au+ ion irradiation studies. Metastable as-cast V2.5Cr1.2WMoCo0.04 shows good resistance to radiation induced damage up to 40 displacements per atom (dpa). 96 wt% of the as-cast single-phase BCC crystal structure remained intact, as exhibited by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GI-XRD) patterns, whilst the remainder of the alloy transformed into an additional BCC crystal structure with a similar lattice parameter. The exceptional phase stability seen here is attributed to a combination of self-healing processes and the BCC structure, rather than a high configurational entropy, as has been suggested for some of these multicomponent “High Entropy Alloy” types. The importance of the stability of metastable high entropy alloy phases for behaviour under irradiation is for the first time highlighted and the findings thus challenge the current understanding of phase stability after irradiation of systems like the HEAs
Hurricane flooding and acute gastrointestinal illness in North Carolina
Hurricanes often flood homes and industries, spreading pathogens. Contact with pathogen-contaminated water can result in diarrhea, vomiting, and/or nausea, known collectively as acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI). Hurricanes Matthew and Florence caused record-breaking flooding in North Carolina (NC) in October 2016 and September 2018, respectively. To examine the relationship between hurricane flooding and AGI in NC, we first calculated the percent of each ZIP code flooded after Hurricanes Matthew and Florence. Rates of all-cause AGI emergency department (ED) visits were calculated from NC's ED surveillance system data. Using controlled interrupted time series, we compared AGI ED visit rates during the three weeks after each hurricane in ZIP codes with a third or more of their area flooded to the predicted rates had these hurricanes not occurred, based on AGI 2016–2019 ED trends, and controlling for AGI ED visit rates in unflooded areas. We examined alternative case definitions (bacterial AGI) and effect measure modification by race and age. We observed an 11% increase (rate ratio (RR): 1.11, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.23) in AGI ED visit rates after Hurricanes Matthew and Florence. This effect was particularly strong among American Indian patients and patients aged 65 years and older after Florence and elevated among Black patients for both hurricanes. Florence's effect was more consistent than Matthew's effect, possibly because little rain preceded Florence and heavy rain preceded Matthew. When restricted to bacterial AGI, we found an 85% (RR: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.37, 2.34) increase in AGI ED visit rate after Florence, but no increase after Matthew. Hurricane flooding is associated with an increase in AGI ED visit rate, although the strength of effect may depend on total storm rainfall or antecedent rainfall. American Indians and Black people—historically pushed to less desirable, flood-prone land—may be at higher risk for AGI after storms
User guide BGS Coastal Vulnerability Index version 1
Coastal vulnerability indexing is a GIS-based analysis tool for indicating multi-hazards and
interdependencies within the coastal zone of Great Britain (GB). The mainland of Great Britain
is surrounded by over 11 000 miles of coastline. It is a very diverse coastline both in terms of
geology and geomorphology, ranging from the high chalk cliffs of Sussex to the flat expanses of
The Wash and Morecambe Bay.
The coast has been shaped by the continual forces of erosion from the wind, waves and tide and
the characteristics and composition of the coastline dictate the degree of its vulnerability.
The winter storms of 2013-14 starkly demonstrated the vulnerability of the GB coastline to
erosion and overtopping but during media enquiries it became clear that a national picture of the
sections of coastline susceptible to erosion didn’t exist. The Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI)
has been created to bring together a suite of data to fill this knowledge gap.
With climate change forecasts of an increase in the frequency and intensity of winter storms, BGS
has developed a coastal vulnerability index (CVI), drawing on existing BGS datasets and expertise,
and we intend to work in collaboration with other organisations to help manage these changes in
the future.
The CVI will offer anyone with assets or an interest in the coastline around Great Britain access
to easy-to use indexes linked to geohazard data. This will allow users to interpret potential
interdependencies in terms of erosion, flooding, habitat and other vulnerabilities.
Version 1 of the CVI represents the natural geological coastline (around the mainland of GB only)
as if no coastal defences or made ground are present. Due to their complex geometry, the coastlines
of N and W Scotland have not been included in version 1. This will be of particular value in areas
where coastal defences are no longer maintained. Future versions of the CVI will include all
coastal defences and made ground
Cosolvent flushing for the remediation of PAHs from former manufactured gas plants
Cosolvent flushing is a technique that has been proposed for the removal of hydrophobic organic contaminants in the subsurface. Cosolvents have been shown to dramatically increase the solubility of such compounds compared to the aqueous solubility; however, limited data are available on the effectiveness of cosolvents for field-contaminated media. In this work, we examine cosolvent flushing for the removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil from a former manufactured gas plant (FMGP). Batch studies confirmed that the relationship between the soil-cosolvent partitioning coefficient (Ki) and the volume fraction of cosolvent (fc) followed a standard log-linear equation. Using methanol at an fc of 0.95, column studies were conducted at varying length scales, ranging from 11.9 to 110 cm. Removal of PAH compounds was determined as a function of pore volumes (PVs) of cosolvent flushed. Despite using a high fc, rate and chromatographic effects were observed in all the columns. PAH effluent concentrations were modeled using a common two-site sorption model. Model fits were improved by using MeOH breakthrough curves to determine fitted dispersion coefficients. Fitted mass-transfer rates were two to three orders of magnitude lower than predicted values based on published data using artificially contaminated sands
Deflection and Rotation of CMEs from Active Region 11158
Between the 13 and 16 of February 2011 a series of coronal mass ejections
(CMEs) erupted from multiple polarity inversion lines within active region
11158. For seven of these CMEs we use the Graduated Cylindrical Shell (GCS)
flux rope model to determine the CME trajectory using both Solar Terrestrial
Relations Observatory (STEREO) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and coronagraph
images. We then use the Forecasting a CME's Altered Trajectory (ForeCAT) model
for nonradial CME dynamics driven by magnetic forces, to simulate the
deflection and rotation of the seven CMEs. We find good agreement between the
ForeCAT results and the reconstructed CME positions and orientations. The CME
deflections range in magnitude between 10 degrees and 30 degrees. All CMEs
deflect to the north but we find variations in the direction of the
longitudinal deflection. The rotations range between 5\mydeg and 50\mydeg with
both clockwise and counterclockwise rotations occurring. Three of the CMEs
begin with initial positions within 2 degrees of one another. These three CMEs
all deflect primarily northward, with some minor eastward deflection, and
rotate counterclockwise. Their final positions and orientations, however,
respectively differ by 20 degrees and 30 degrees. This variation in deflection
and rotation results from differences in the CME expansion and radial
propagation close to the Sun, as well as the CME mass. Ultimately, only one of
these seven CMEs yielded discernible in situ signatures near Earth, despite the
active region facing near Earth throughout the eruptions. We suggest that the
differences in the deflection and rotation of the CMEs can explain whether each
CME impacted or missed the Earth.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figures, accepted in Solar Physic
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