9,190 research outputs found
Self-consistent modelling of the polar thermosphere and ionosphere to magnetospheric convection and precipitation (invited review)
It has recently been demonstrated that the dramatic effects of plasma precipitation and convection on the composition and dynamics of the polar thermosphere and ionosphere include a number of strong interactive, or feedback, processes. To aid the evaluation of these feedback processes, a joint three dimensional time dependent global model of the Earth's thermosphere and ionosphere was developed in a collaboration between University College London and Sheffield University. This model includes self consistent coupling between the thermosphere and the ionosphere in the polar regions. Some of the major features in the polar ionosphere, which the initial simulations indicate are due to the strong coupling of ions and neutrals in the presence of strong electric fields and energetic electron precipitation are reviewed. The model is also able to simulate seasonal and Universal time variations in the polar thermosphere and ionospheric regions which are due to the variations of solar photoionization in specific geomagnetic regions such as the cusp and polar cap
Cosmological Origin of the Stellar Velocity Dispersions in Massive Early-Type Galaxies
We show that the observed upper bound on the line-of-sight velocity
dispersion of the stars in an early-type galaxy, sigma<400km/s, may have a
simple dynamical origin within the LCDM cosmological model, under two main
hypotheses. The first is that most of the stars now in the luminous parts of a
giant elliptical formed at redshift z>6. Subsequently, the stars behaved
dynamically just as an additional component of the dark matter. The second
hypothesis is that the mass distribution characteristic of a newly formed dark
matter halo forgets such details of the initial conditions as the stellar
"collisionless matter" that was added to the dense parts of earlier generations
of halos. We also assume that the stellar velocity dispersion does not evolve
much at z<6, because a massive host halo grows mainly by the addition of
material at large radii well away from the stellar core of the galaxy. These
assumptions lead to a predicted number density of ellipticals as a function of
stellar velocity dispersion that is in promising agreement with the Sloan
Digital Sky Survey data.Comment: ApJ, in press (2003); matches published versio
Taming the Runaway Problem of Inflationary Landscapes
A wide variety of vacua, and their cosmological realization, may provide an
explanation for the apparently anthropic choices of some parameters of particle
physics and cosmology. If the probability on various parameters is weighted by
volume, a flat potential for slow-roll inflation is also naturally understood,
since the flatter the potential the larger the volume of the sub-universe.
However, such inflationary landscapes have a serious problem, predicting an
environment that makes it exponentially hard for observers to exist and giving
an exponentially small probability for a moderate universe like ours. A general
solution to this problem is proposed, and is illustrated in the context of
inflaton decay and leptogenesis, leading to an upper bound on the reheating
temperature in our sub-universe. In a particular scenario of chaotic inflation
and non-thermal leptogenesis, predictions can be made for the size of CP
violating phases, the rate of neutrinoless double beta decay and, in the case
of theories with gauge-mediated weak scale supersymmetry, for the fundamental
scale of supersymmetry breaking.Comment: 31 pages, including 3 figure
Dark Matter: Introduction
This short review was prepared as an introduction to the Royal Society's
'Dark Matter' conference. It addresses the embarrassing fact that 95% of the
universe is unaccounted for. Favoured dark matter candidates are axions or
weakly-interacting particles that have survived from the very early universe,
but more exotic options cannot be excluded. Experimental searches are being
made for the 'dark' particles but we have indirect clues to their nature too.
Comparisons of data (from, eg, gravitational lensing) with numerical
simulations of galaxy formation can constrain (eg) the particle velocities and
collision cross sections.
The mean cosmic density of dark matter (plus baryons) is now pinned down to
be only about 30% of the critical density However, other recent evidence --
microwave background anisotropies, complemented by data on distant supernovae
-- reveals that our universe actually is 'flat', and that its dominant
ingredient (about 70% of the total mass-energy) is something quite unexpected
-- 'dark energy' pervading all space, with negative pressure. We now confront
two mysteries:
(i) Why does the universe have three quite distinct basic ingredients --
baryons, dark matter and dark energy -- in the proportions (roughly) 5%, 25%
and 70%?
(ii) What are the (almost certainly profound) implications of the 'dark
energy' for fundamental physics?Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure. Late
Post-harvest handling practices and associated food losses and limitations in the sweetpotato value chain of southern Ethiopia
Household food insecurity is a chronic problem in Ethiopia; the situation is being exacerbated by high population growth rates and recurring droughts in the country. The interest to address post-harvest value chain (VC) constraints leading to food losses has increased significantly to provide adequate nutrition to the growing population. In this study, mapping of sweetpotato VC not only quantifies the degree of losses but establish links between distinct VC constraints and respective food losses and limitations. Harvest and handling at farm level and shelf life issues at distribution were identified as vulnerable hot-spots of the sweetpotato food losses. Apart from physical and biological factors, demand and supply mismatch during the main harvest season at the wet markets leads to food (up to 25%) and economic losses (33–75%) followed by deficiencies in the lean season. A multi-stakeholder cooperation is required to mitigate food losses, which can have a high impact on the nutritional and financial status of the producers, market operators, and the consumers
ASCA observations of the young rotation-powered pulsars PSR B1046-58 and PSR B1610-50
We present X-ray observations of two young energetic radio pulsars, PSRs
B1046-58 and B1610-50, and their surroundings, using archival data from the
Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics (ASCA).
The energetic pulsar PSR B1046-58 is detected in X-rays with a significance
of 4.5 sigma. The unabsorbed flux, estimated assuming a power-law spectrum and
a neutral hydrogen column density N_H of 5E21 cm^-2 is (2.5 +/- 0.3) x 10E-13
ergs/cm^2/s in the 2-10 keV band. Pulsed emission is not detected; the pulsed
fraction is less than 31% at the 90% confidence level for a 50% duty cycle. We
argue that the emission is best explained as originating from a pulsar-powered
synchrotron nebula. The X-ray counterpart of the pulsar is the only hard source
within the 95% error region of the previously unidentified gamma-ray source 3EG
J1048-5840. This evidence supports the results of Kaspi et al. (1999), who in a
companion paper, suggest that PSR B1046-58 is the counterpart to 3EG
J1048-5840.
X-ray emission from PSR B1610-50 is not detected. Using similar assumptions
as above, the derived 3 sigma upper limit for the unabsorbed 2-10 keV X-ray
flux is 1.5E-13 ergs/cm^2/s. We use the flux limit to estimate the pulsar's
velocity to be less than ~170 km/s, casting doubt on a previously reported
association between PSR B1610-50 and supernova remnant Kes 32. Kes 32 is
detected, as is evident from the correlation between X-ray and radio emission.
The ASCA images of PSR B1610-50 are dominated by mirror-scattered emission from
the X-ray-bright supernova remnant RCW 103, located 33' away.
We find no evidence for extended emission around either pulsar, in contrast
to previous reports of large nebulae surrounding both pulsars.Comment: Accepted for publication in the ApJ (v.528, pp.436-444) Correcting
typo in abstract of .tex fil
A comparison of thermospheric winds and temperatures from Fabry-Perot Interferometer and EISCAT Radar measurements with models
Examination of Hydrate Formation Methods: Trying to Create Representative Samples
Forming representative gas hydrate-bearing laboratory samples is important so that the properties of these materials may be measured, while controlling the composition and other variables. Natural samples are rare, and have often experienced pressure and temperature changes that may affect the property to be measured [Waite et al., 2008]. Forming methane hydrate samples in the laboratory has been done a number of ways, each having advantages and disadvantages. The ice-to-hydrate method [Stern et al., 1996], contacts melting ice with methane at the appropriate pressure to form hydrate. The hydrate can then be crushed and mixed with mineral grains under controlled conditions, and then compacted to create laboratory samples of methane hydrate in a mineral medium. The hydrate in these samples will be part of the load-bearing frame of the medium. In the excess gas method [Handa and Stupin, 1992], water is distributed throughout a mineral medium (e.g. packed moist sand, drained sand, moistened silica gel, other porous media) and the mixture is brought to hydrate-stable conditions (chilled and pressurized with gas), allowing hydrate to form. This method typically produces grain-cementing hydrate from pendular water in sand [Waite et al., 2004]. In the dissolved gas method [Tohidi et al., 2002], water with sufficient dissolved guest molecules is brought to hydrate-stable conditions where hydrate forms. In the laboratory, this is can be done by pre-dissolving the gas of interest in water and then introducing it to the sample under the appropriate conditions. With this method, it is easier to form hydrate from more soluble gases such as carbon dioxide. It is thought that this method more closely simulates the way most natural gas hydrate has formed. Laboratory implementation, however, is difficult, and sample formation is prohibitively time consuming [Minagawa et al., 2005; Spangenberg and Kulenkampff, 2005]. In another version of this technique, a specified quantity of gas is placed in a sample, then the sample is flooded with water and cooled [Priest et al., 2009]. We have performed a number of tests in which hydrate was formed and the uniformity of the hydrate formation was examined. These tests have primarily used a variety of modifications of the excess gas method to make the hydrate, although we have also used a version of the excess water technique. Early on, we found difficulties in creating uniform samples with a particular sand/ initial water saturation combination (F-110 Sand, {approx} 35% initial water saturation). In many of our tests we selected this combination intentionally to determine whether we could use a method to make the samples uniform. The following methods were examined: Excess gas, Freeze/thaw/form, Freeze/pressurize/thaw, Excess gas followed by water saturation, Excess water, Sand and kaolinite, Use of a nucleation enhancer (SnoMax), and Use of salt in the water. Below, each method, the underlying hypothesis, and our results are briefly presented, followed by a brief conclusion. Many of the hypotheses investigated are not our own, but were presented to us. Much of the data presented is from x-ray CT scanning our samples. The x-ray CT scanner provides a three-dimensional density map of our samples. From this map and the physics that is occurring in our samples, we are able to gain an understanding of the spatial nature of the processes that occur, and attribute them to the locations where they occur
Is Double Reionization Physically Plausible?
Recent observations of z~6 quasars and the cosmic microwave background imply
a complex history to cosmic reionization. Such a history requires some form of
feedback to extend reionization over a long time interval, but the nature of
the feedback and how rapidly it operates remain highly uncertain. Here we focus
on one aspect of this complexity: which physical processes can cause the global
ionized fraction to evolve non-monotonically with cosmic time? We consider a
range of mechanisms and conclude that double reionization is much less likely
than a long, but still monotonic, ionization history. We first examine how
galactic winds affect the transition from metal-free to normal star formation.
Because the transition is actually spatially inhomogeneous and temporally
extended, this mechanism cannot be responsible for double reionization given
plausible parameters for the winds. We next consider photoheating, which causes
the cosmological Jeans mass to increase in ionized regions and hence suppresses
galaxy formation there. In this case, double reionization requires that small
halos form stars efficiently, that the suppression from photoheating is strong
relative to current expectations, and that ionizing photons are preferentially
produced outside of previously ionized regions. Finally, we consider H_2
photodissociation, in which the buildup of a soft ultraviolet background
suppresses star formation in small halos. This can in principle cause the
ionized fraction to temporarily decrease, but only during the earliest stages
of reionization. Finally, we briefly consider the effects of some of these
feedback mechanisms on the topology of reionization.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, in press at ApJ (reorganized significantly but
major conclusions unchanged
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