693 research outputs found
Surface Oscillations in Overdense Plasmas Irradiated by Ultrashort Laser Pulses
The generation of electron surface oscillations in overdense plasmas
irradiated at normal incidence by an intense laser pulse is investigated.
Two-dimensional (2D) particle-in-cell simulations show a transition from a
planar, electrostatic oscillation at , with the laser
frequency, to a 2D electromagnetic oscillation at frequency and
wavevector . A new electron parametric instability, involving the
decay of a 1D electrostatic oscillation into two surface waves, is introduced
to explain the basic features of the 2D oscillations. This effect leads to the
rippling of the plasma surface within a few laser cycles, and is likely to have
a strong impact on laser interaction with solid targets.Comment: 9 pages (LaTeX, Revtex4), 4 GIF color figures, accepted for
publication in Phys. Rev. Let
Dynamics of viscous amphiphilic films supported by elastic solid substrates
The dynamics of amphiphilic films deposited on a solid surface is analyzed
for the case when shear oscillations of the solid surface are excited. The two
cases of surface- and bulk shear waves are studied with film exposed to gas or
to a liquid. By solving the corresponding dispersion equation and the wave
equation while maintaining the energy balance we are able to connect the
surface density and the shear viscocity of a fluid amphiphilic overlayer with
experimentally accessible damping coefficients, phase velocity, dissipation
factor and resonant frequency shifts of shear waves.Comment: 19 pages, latex, 3 figures in eps-forma
Mass movement deposits in the 3.6 Ma sediment record of Lake El'gygytgyn, Far East Russian Arctic
This paper focuses on the characterization and genesis of mass movement deposits (MMDs) in the Quater- nary and Pliocene sediments of Lake El’gygytgyn, Far East Russian Arctic. Three partly overlapping holes were drilled into the 320 m long sediment record at International Conti- nental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) Site 5011-1 in the lake basin, recovering the Quaternary almost completely, and the Pliocene down to 3.6 Ma with 52 % recovery. Mass move- ment deposits were investigated in all three cores, based on macroscopical core descriptions, radiographic images, high- resolution magnetic susceptibility and gamma-ray density. Five different types of MMDs were identified: turbidites, grain-flow deposits, debrites, slumps and slides. These are formed by transitional mass movement processes, and thus can be co-generic. An initial slope failure is thought to trans- form into a debris flow that deforms frontal sediments, partly disintegrates and dilutes into a turbidity flow. Turbidites are by far the most frequent MMD type in the lake center. They occur throughout the record in all pelagic sedimentary fa- cies, but they are thinner in facies formed during cold cli- mate conditions. All other MMDs, by contrast, incise exclu- sively the pelagic facies deposited during warm climates. In the 123 m thick Quaternary composite sediment record 230 mass movement events are identified, comprising 33% of the sediment length. Turbidites contribute 93 % of the num- ber of Quaternary MMDs, but only 35 % of their thickness. In the Pliocene sediments between 123 and 320 m, 181 ad- ditional mass movement deposits are identified, which con- stitute ⇠33 % of the recovered sediments. The mean recur- rence interval for MMDs is 11 and 5 ka in the Quaternary and Pliocene, respectively
Spectral shaping of laser generated proton beams
The rapid progress in the field of laser particle acceleration has stimulated a debate about the promising perspectives of laser based ion beam sources. For a long time, the beams produced exhibited quasi-thermal spectra. Recent proof-of-principle experiments demonstrated that ion beams with narrow energy distribution can be generated from special target geometries. However, the achieved spectra were strongly limited in terms of monochromacity and reproducibility. We show that microstructured targets can be used to reliably produce protons with monoenergetic spectra above 2 MeV with less than 10% energy spread. Detailed investigations of the effects of laser ablation on the target resulted in a significant improvement of the reproducibility. Based on statistical analysis, we derive a scaling law between proton peak position and laser energy, underlining the suitability of this method for future applications. Both the quality of the spectra and the scaling law are well reproduced by numerical simulations
Factors Associated with the Rapid and Durable Decline in Malaria Incidence in El Salvador, 1980-2017
A decade after the Global Malaria Eradication Program, El
Salvador had the highest burden of malaria in Mesoamerica, with
approximately 20% due to Plasmodium falciparum. A resurgence of
malaria in the 1970s led El Salvador to alter its national
malaria control strategy. By 1995, El Salvador recorded its last
autochthonous P. falciparum case with fewer than 20 Plasmodium
vivax cases annually since 2011. By contrast, its immediate
neighbors continue to have the highest incidences of malaria in
the region. We reviewed and evaluated the policies and
interventions implemented by the Salvadoran National Malaria
Program that likely contributed to this progress toward malaria
elimination. Decentralization of the malaria program, early
regional stratification by risk, and data-driven
stratum-specific actions resulted in the timely and targeted
allocation of resources for vector control, surveillance, case
detection, and treatment. Weekly reporting by health workers and
volunteer collaborators-distributed throughout the country by
strata and informed via the national surveillance system-enabled
local malaria teams to provide rapid, adaptive, and focalized
program actions. Sustained investments in surveillance and
response have led to a dramatic reduction in local transmission,
with most current malaria cases in El Salvador due to
importation from neighboring countries. Additional support for
systematic elimination efforts in neighboring countries would
benefit the region and may be needed for El Salvador to achieve
and maintain malaria elimination. El Salvador's experience
provides a relevant case study that can guide the application of
similar strategies in other countries committed to malaria
elimination
Role of surface roughness in hard x-ray emission from femtosecond laser produced copper plasmas
The hard x-ray emission in the energy range of 30-300 keV from copper plasmas
produced by 100 fs, 806 nm laser pulses at intensities in the range of
10 W cm is investigated. We demonstrate that surface
roughness of the targets overrides the role of polarization state in the
coupling of light to the plasma. We further show that surface roughness has a
significant role in enhancing the x-ray emission in the above mentioned energy
range.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Multijoule scaling of laser-induced condensation in air
Using 100 TW laser pulses, we demonstrate that laser-induced nanometric
particle generation in air increases much faster than the beam-averaged
incident intensity. This increase is due to a contribution from the photon
bath, which adds up with the previously identified one from the filaments and
becomes dominant above 550 GW/cm2. It appears related to ozone formation via
multiphotondissociation of the oxygen molecules and demonstrates the critical
need for further increasing the laser energy in view of macroscopic effects in
laser-induced condensation
Adhesive and conformational behaviour of mycolic acid monolayers
We have studied the pH-dependent interaction between mycolic acid (MA) monolayers and hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces using molecular (colloidal probe) force spectroscopy. In both cases, hydrophobic and hydrophilic monolayers (prepared by Langmuir-Blodgett and Langmuir-Schaefer deposition on silicon or hydrophobized silicon substrates, respectively) were studied. The force spectroscopy data, fitted with classical DLVO (Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey, and Overbeek) theory to examine the contribution of electrostatic and van der Waals forces, revealed that electrostatic forces are the dominant contribution to the repulsive force between the approaching colloidal probe and MA monolayers. The good agreement between data and the DLVO model suggest that beyond a few nm away from the surface, hydrophobic, hydration, and specific chemical bonding are unlikely to contribute to any significant extent to the interaction energy between the probe and the surface. The pH-dependent conformation of MA molecules in the monolayer at the solid-liquid interface was studied by ellipsometry, neutron reflectometry, and with a quartz crystal microbalance. Monolayers prepared by the Langmuir-Blodgett method demonstrated a distinct pH-responsive behaviour, while monolayers prepared by the Langmuir-Schaefer method were less sensitive to pH variation. It was found that the attachment of water molecules plays a vital role in determining the conformation of the MA monolayers. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved
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