838 research outputs found
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Fusion as a source of synthetic fuels
In the near-term, coal derived synthetic fuels will be used; but in the long-term, resource depletion and environmental effects will mandate synthetic fuels from inexhaustible sources - fission, fusion, and solar. Of the three sources, fusion appears uniquely suited for the efficient production of hydrogen-based fuels, due to its ability to directly generate very high process temperatures (up to approx. 2000/sup 0/C) for water splitting reactions. Fusion-based water splitting reactions include high temperature electrolysis (HTE) of steam, thermochemical cycles, hybrid electrochemical/thermochemical, and direct thermal decomposition. HTE appears to be the simplest and most efficient process with efficiencies of 50 to 70% (fusion to hydrogen chemical energy), depending on process conditions
Combinatorial Markov chains on linear extensions
We consider generalizations of Schuetzenberger's promotion operator on the
set L of linear extensions of a finite poset of size n. This gives rise to a
strongly connected graph on L. By assigning weights to the edges of the graph
in two different ways, we study two Markov chains, both of which are
irreducible. The stationary state of one gives rise to the uniform
distribution, whereas the weights of the stationary state of the other has a
nice product formula. This generalizes results by Hendricks on the Tsetlin
library, which corresponds to the case when the poset is the anti-chain and
hence L=S_n is the full symmetric group. We also provide explicit eigenvalues
of the transition matrix in general when the poset is a rooted forest. This is
shown by proving that the associated monoid is R-trivial and then using
Steinberg's extension of Brown's theory for Markov chains on left regular bands
to R-trivial monoids.Comment: 35 pages, more examples of promotion, rephrased the main theorems in
terms of discrete time Markov chain
Liouville integrability of a class of integrable spin Calogero-Moser systems and exponents of simple Lie algebras
In previous work, we introduced a class of integrable spin Calogero-Moser
systems associated with the classical dynamical r-matrices with spectral
parameter, as classified by Etingof and Varchenko for simple Lie algebras. Here
the main purpose is to establish the Liouville integrability of these systems
by a uniform method
Dispersive properties of quasi-phase-matched optical parametric amplifiers
The dispersive properties of non-degenerate optical parametric amplification
in quasi-phase-matched (QPM) nonlinear quadratic crystals with an arbitrary
grating profile are theoretically investigated in the no-pump-depletion limit.
The spectral group delay curve of the amplifier is shown to be univocally
determined by its spectral power gain curve through a Hilbert transform. Such a
constraint has important implications on the propagation of spectrally-narrow
optical pulses through the amplifier. In particular, it is shown that anomalous
transit times, corresponding to superluminal or even negative group velocities,
are possible near local minima of the spectral gain curve. A possible
experimental observation of such effects using a QPM Lithium-Niobate crystal is
suggested.Comment: submitted for publicatio
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HYFIRE: a tokamak-high-temperature electrolysis system
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) is carrying out a comprehensive conceptual design study called HYFIRE of a commercial fusion Tokamak reactor, high-temperature electrolysis system. The study is placing particular emphasis on the adaptability of the STARFIRE power reactor to a synfuel application. The HYFIRE blanket must perform three functions: (a) provide high-temperature (approx. 1400/sup 0/C) process steam at moderate pressures (in the range of 10 to 30 atm) to the high-temperature electrolysis (HTE) units; (b) provide high-temperature (approx. 700/sup 0/ to 800/sup 0/C) heat to a thermal power cycle for generation of electricity to the HTE units; and (c) breed enough tritium to sustain the D-T fuel cycle. In addition to thermal energy for the decomposition of steam into its constituents, H/sub 2/ and O/sub 2/, electrical input is required. Fourteen hundred degree steam coupled with 40% power efficiency results in a process efficiency (conversion of fusion energy to hydrogen chemical energy) of 50%
From QFT to DCC
A quantum field theoretical model for the dynamics of the disoriented chiral
condensate is presented. A unified approach to relate the quantum field theory
directly to the formation, decay and signals of the DCC and its evolution is
taken. We use a background field analysis of the O(4) sigma model keeping
one-loop quantum corrections (quadratic order in the fluctuations). An
evolution of the quantum fluctuations in an external, expanding metric which
simulates the expansion of the plasma, is carried out. We examine, in detail,
the amplification of the low momentum pion modes with two competing effects,
the expansion rate of the plasma and the transition rate of the vacuum
configuration from a metastable state into a stable state.We show the effect of
DCC formation on the multiplicity distributions and the Bose-Einstein
correlations.Comment: 34 pages, 10 figure
Determination of the physical environment within the Chlamydia trachomatis inclusion using ion-selective ratiometric probes
Chlamydia trachomatis is an obligate intracellular bacterium with a biphasic life cycle that takes place entirely within a membrane-bound vacuole termed an inclusion. The chlamydial inclusion is non-fusogenic with endosomal or lysosomal compartments but intersects a pathway involved in transport of sphingomyelin from the Golgi apparatus to the plasma membrane. The physical conditions within the mature chlamydial inclusion are unknown. We used ratiometric imaging with membrane-permeant, ion-selective fluorescent dyes for microanalyis of the physical environment within the inclusion. Determination of H + , Na + , K + and Ca 2 + concentrations using CFDA (carboxy fluorescein diacetate) or BCECF-AM (2 ′ ,7 ′ -bis (2-carboxyethyl)-5,6-carboxyfluorescein acetoxymethyl ester, SBFI-AM, PBFI-AM and fura-PE3-acetomethoxyester (Fura-PE3-AM), respectively, indicated that all ions assayed within the lumenal space of the inclusion approximated the concentrations within the cytoplasm. Stimulation of purinergic receptors by addition of extracellular ATP triggered a dynamic Ca 2 + response that occurred simultaneously within the cytoplasm and interior of the inclusion. The chlamydial inclusion thus appears to be freely permeable to cytoplasmic ions. These results have implications for nutrient acquisition by chlamydiae and may contribute to the non-fusogenicity of the inclusion with endocytic compartments.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72253/1/j.1462-5822.2002.00191.x.pd
Experimental analysis of direct thermal methane cracking
The analysis of the viability of Hydrogen production without CO2 emissions is one of the most challenging activities that have been initiated for a sustainable energy supply. As one of the tracks to fulfil such objective, direct methane cracking has been analysed experimentally to assess the scientific viability and reaction characterization in a broad temperature range, from 875 to 1700 ?C. The effect of temperature, sweeping/carrier gas fraction proposed in some concepts, methane flow rate, residence time, and tube material and porosity has been analysed. The aggregation of carbon black particles to the reaction tube is the main technological show-stopper that has been identified
Low Q^2 Jet Production at HERA and Virtual Photon Structure
The transition between photoproduction and deep-inelastic scattering is
investigated in jet production at the HERA ep collider, using data collected by
the H1 experiment. Measurements of the differential inclusive jet
cross-sections dsigep/dEt* and dsigmep/deta*, where Et* and eta* are the
transverse energy and the pseudorapidity of the jets in the virtual
photon-proton centre of mass frame, are presented for 0 < Q2 < 49 GeV2 and 0.3
< y < 0.6. The interpretation of the results in terms of the structure of the
virtual photon is discussed. The data are best described by QCD calculations
which include a partonic structure of the virtual photon that evolves with Q2.Comment: 20 pages, 5 Figure
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