Searching for planar signatures in WMAP

We search for planar deviations of statistical isotropy in the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) data by applying a recently introduced angular-planar statistics both to full-sky and to masked temperature maps, including in our analysis the effect of the residual foreground contamination and systematics in the foreground removing process as sources of error. We confirm earlier findings that full-sky maps exhibit anomalies at the planar ($l$) and angular ($\ell$) scales $(l,\ell)=(2,5),(4,7),$ and $(6,8)$, which seem to be due to unremoved foregrounds since this features are present in the full-sky map but not in the masked maps. On the other hand, our test detects slightly anomalous results at the scales $(l,\ell)=(10,8)$ and $(2,9)$ in the masked maps but not in the full-sky one, indicating that the foreground cleaning procedure (used to generate the full-sky map) could not only be creating false anomalies but also hiding existing ones. We also find a significant trace of an anomaly in the full-sky map at the scale $(l,\ell)=(10,5)$, which is still present when we consider galactic cuts of 18.3% and 28.4%. As regards the quadrupole ($\ell=2$), we find a coherent over-modulation over the whole celestial sphere, for all full-sky and cut-sky maps. Overall, our results seem to indicate that current CMB maps derived from WMAP data do not show significant signs of anisotropies, as measured by our angular-planar estimator. However, we have detected a curious coherence of planar modulations at angular scales of the order of the galaxy's plane, which may be an indication of residual contaminations in the full- and cut-sky maps.Comment: 15 pages with pdf figure

On the Application of Rousselier's Damage Model to Predict Fracture Resistance Behavior of Zircaloy Fuel Pin Specimens

AbstractIt may not be possible to machine standard fracture mechanics specimens from the thin-walled fuel pins as used in the nuclear reactors due to their geometry. In order to overcome this problem, a combined experimental and finite element (FE) analysis procedure has been adopted in this work. Determination of transverse mechanical properties from the ring type of specimens machined from the thin-walled nuclear reactor fuel pins is not also straightforward due to the presence of combined tension as well as bending loading conditions. However, finite element analysis of the whole ring tension setup can be carried out and the material stress-strain property can be determined through an inverse and iterative procedure. In this work, ring tension tests were carried out on un-irradiated Zircaloy-4 clad tube specimens. The specimen and the mandrel both were modeled in order to evaluate the load-displacement behavior of the test. The Rousselier's micro- mechanical model for ductile fracture was applied to simulate the crack growth in these specimens. The micro-mechanical parameters as determined from the ring tension experiment and finite element analysis were later used to simulate the crack propagation in a standard double-edged notched tensile (DENT) specimen. The J-R curve of the DENT specimen has also been compared with that of a cracked Pin-Loading-Tension (PLT) specimen

Not Available

Not AvailableNot AvailableNot Availabl

Not Available

Not AvailableBacterial blight (BB), caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is a major threat to rice production as it accounts for loss up to 50% of annual rice grain yield. Xoo causes leaf tissue necrosis and as a result there is downregulation of the photosynthetic mechanisms of plant. Measurement of chl a fluorescence is an easy, fast, non-invasive and highly sensitive technique that can be used to understand plant health by measuring alterations in PSII activity, in response to different biotic and abiotic stresses. In the present investigation, rice seeds were bio-primed with two bacterial spp. (e.g. Bacillus subtilis and B. megaterium) and one fungal strain (i.e. Trichoderma erinaceum). The induction of defence against BB disease by bio-priming with biotic agents, was studied as response in alteration of PSII and defence enzymes activity. Field experiment was conducted with the best biotic agent; i.e. B. subtilis obtained from all experiments to study whether defence induction by it have any side effect on rice yield and biomass. Net house and field experiments have suggested that among all the biotic agents studied, bio-priming of rice seeds with B. subtilis has protected the photosynthetic machinery of plants from being damaged by BB without having any detrimental effect on rice grain yield.Not Availabl