p-topological and p-regular: dual notions in convergence theory

The natural duality between "topological" and "regular," both considered as convergence space properties, extends naturally to p-regular convergence spaces, resulting in the new concept of a p-topological convergence space. Taking advantage of this duality, the behavior of p-topological and p-regular convergence spaces is explored, with particular emphasis on the former, since they have not been previously studied. Their study leads to the new notion of a neighborhood operator for filters, which in turn leads to an especially simple characterization of a topology in terms of convergence criteria. Applications include the topological and regularity series of a convergence space.Comment: 12 pages in Acrobat 3.0 PDF forma

Dispersion of the hyperpolarizability of the carbon tetrachloride molecule

The second hyperpolarizability of a molecule is the microscopic version of the third order susceptibility. Direct measurements of the ratio of the second hyperpolarizability of carbon tetrachloride to diatomic nitrogen are made possible through electric field induced second harmonic generation. Whenever the dispersion of the second hyperpolarizability is not negligible, there should be deviations from Kleinman symmetry. Previous experimental data for second hyperpolarizability of this molecule have only been at two frequencies and theory predicts the zero frequency value. In order to provide for a better extrapolation to zero frequency, additional gas phase measurements of this ratio at optical frequencies are presented and discussed

Luminescence Studies of Trace Gases Through Metastable Transfer in Cold Helium Jets

Among the elements, Helium has the largest steps among its internal energy structure that can keep for long periods of time, hence the metastable helium moniker. It is referred to as a “nano-grenade” in some circles because of how much energy it can deliver to a space roughly the size of an atom. This work demonstrates a method to create metastable helium abundantly and it is used to excite trace amounts of oxygen to the point where the signal received from the oxygen was larger than the signal received from the helium in a cold atomized jet. Further cooling of the jet and turbulence added by a liquid helium surface worked to increase the oxygen signal and decrease the helium signal. This work investigates the possibility of forming a strong metastable helium source from a flowing helium gas jet excited by passing through ring electrodes introduced into a cryogenic environment using evaporated helium as a buffer gas. Prior study of luminescence from trace gases at cold helium temperatures is virtually absent and so it is the motivation for this work to blaze the trail in this subject. The absence of ionic oxygen spectral lines from the transfer of energy that was well over the first ionization potential of oxygen made for a deeper understanding of collision dynamics with multiple collision partners. This opened the possibility of using the high energy states of oxygen after metastable transfer as a lasing transition previously unavailable and a preliminary analysis suggested that the threshold for lasing action should be easily overcome if feedback were introduced by an optical cavity. To better understand the thermodynamics of the jet it was proposed to use diatomic nitrogen as an in situ thermometer, investigating whether the rotational degrees of freedom of the nitrogen molecule were in thermal equilibrium with the surrounding environment. If the gas was truly in thermodynamic equilibrium then the temperature given by the method of using collisions of a buffer gas and the rotational temperature determined spectroscopically should be in agreement. It was found that metastable transfer from helium in the jet provides enough energy to create a population of hot molecules of nitrogen that never reach thermal equilibrium with the buffer gas which is almost entirely made up of ground state helium atoms. This effect can be corrected for by adding some significant changes to the optical setup but are not outside the realm of possibility as they have been designed and built for other experiments. Therefore the rotational spectra of nitrogen could be used as an in situ thermometer at cryogenic temperatures with metastable helium present provided the hot molecule contribution due to collisions of the second kind of nitrogen and helium is measured and removed

Using a Borated Panel to Form a Dual Neutron-Gamma Detector

A borated polyethylene plane placed between a neutron source and a gamma spectrometer is used to form a dual neutron-gamma detection system. The polyethylene thermalizes the source neutrons so that they are captured by {sup 10}B to produce a flux of 478 keV gamma-rays that radiate from the plane. This results in a buildup of count rate in the detector over that from a disk of the same diameter as the detector crystal (same thickness as the panel). Radiation portal systems are a potential application of this technique

Virtual Gamma Ray Radiation Sources through Neutron Radiative Capture

The countrate response of a gamma spectrometry system from a neutron radiation source behind a plane of moderating material doped with a nuclide of a large radiative neutron capture cross-section exhibits a countrate response analogous to a gamma radiation source at the same position from the detector. Using a planar, surface area of the neutron moderating material exposed to the neutron radiation produces a larger area under the prompt gamma ray peak in the detector than a smaller area of dimensions relative to the active volume of the gamma detection system

'Stranger in a strange land' – reclaiming the terrain for a disorientating dilemma and the possibility of forgiveness

This is an accepted manuscript of a chapter published in Daley, M., Orr, K. and Petrie, J. (Eds.) Caliban's dance: FE after The Tempest by Trentham Books (UCL IOE Press) in September 2020. The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version. For re-use please see the publisher's terms and conditions

Early Paleogene wildfires in peat-forming environments at Schöningen, Germany

AbstractWildfire activity in early Paleogene greenhouse conditions can be used as an analogue to gauge the effect of future warming trends on wildfire in the current climate system. Inertinite (fossil charcoal in coal) from 11 autochthonous early Paleogene lignite seams from the Schöningen mine (Germany) was quantified using macerations, in situ pillars and industry standard crushed samples. A new three transect method was developed to quantify in situ charcoal. The combination of in situ pillars and crushed samples accounts for temporal and spatial variation in charcoal through a stratigraphically oriented pillar, whilst maintaining comparability with industry standards and previous work. Charcoal occurs as a range of randomly distributed particle sizes, indicating that fires were burning locally in the Schöningen peat-forming environment and in the surrounding areas, but according to petrological data, not in an episodic or periodic pattern. Although charcoal abundance is low (relative to previous high fire worlds such as the Cretaceous), three quantitative and semi-quantitative methods show increased wildfire activity (relative to the modern world) in the warmest parts of the early Paleogene. As atmospheric oxygen levels stabilised to modern values and precipitation and humidity became the main control on wildfire, increased rainfall followed by drier intervals would have created an environment rich in dry fuel in which wildfires could easily propagate if humidity was low enough. In the later part of the Early Eocene (Ypresian) charcoal abundance fell to levels similar to those found in modern peats. This indicates that the transition to the modern low fire world occurred within the Early Eocene, earlier than previous records suggest

Systems engineering of the Thirty Meter Telescope for the construction phase

This paper provides an overview of the system design, architecture, and construction phase system engineering processes of the Thirty Meter Telescope project. We summarize the key challenges and our solutions for managing TMT systems engineering during the construction phase. We provide an overview of system budgets, requirements and interfaces, and the management thereof. The requirements engineering processes, including verification and plans for collection of technical data and testing during the assembly and integration phases, are described. We present configuration, change control and technical review processes, covering all aspects of the system design including performance models, requirements, and CAD databases

Hanford Site Anuran Monitoring Report for Calendar Year 2013

The U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office (DOE-RL) conducts ecological monitoring on the Hanford Site to collect and track data needed to ensure compliance with an array of environmental laws, regulations, and policies governing DOE activities. Ecological monitoring data provide baseline information about the plants, animals, and habitat under DOE-RL stewardship at Hanford required for decision-making under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). The Hanford Site Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP, DOE/EIS-0222-F) which is the Environmental Impact Statement for Hanford Site activities, helps ensure that DOE-RL, its contractors, and other entities conducting activities on the Hanford Site are in compliance with NEPA

The Process of Organ Donation from Non-Living Donors: A Case-Based Journey from Potential Donor Identification to Organ Procurement

Each year, thousands of people worldwide succumb to end-organ failure while awaiting life-saving transplantation procedures. The shortage of organs continues with no signs of easing in the foreseeable future. The availability of organs from living donors continues to be constrained. At the same time, the cumulative knowledge of organ preservation is advancing steadily resulting in an enhanced ability to utilize a growing number of previously unsuitable tissue and organ gifts. Our ability to procure and preserve more organs is accompanied by the increasing use of so-called “expanded criteria” donors, or those whose organs may not have been suitable without modern advances in organ preservation science. Within the overall context of organ donation from non-living donors, the importance of physiologic and end-organ optimization cannot be understated. This chapter discusses our current state of understanding of optimized organ procurement approaches derived from practical experiences and “lessons learned” at a high-performing, community-based tertiary referral hospital