56,762 research outputs found
Transform-limited X-ray pulse generation from a high-brightness self-amplified spontaneous-emission free-electron laser
A method to achieve high-brightness self-amplified spontaneous emission (HB-SASE) in the free-electron laser (FEL) is described. The method uses repeated nonequal electron beam delays to delocalize the collective FEL interaction and break the radiation coherence length dependence on the FEL cooperation length. The method requires no external seeding or photon optics and so is applicable at any wavelength or repetition rate. It is demonstrated, using linear theory and numerical simulations, that the radiation coherence length can be increased by approximately 2 orders of magnitude over SASE with a corresponding increase in spectral brightness. Examples are shown of HB-SASE generating transform-limited FEL pulses in the soft x-ray and near transform-limited pulses in the hard x-ray. Such pulses may greatly benefit existing applications and may also open up new areas of scientific research
Stability of the proton-to-electron mass ratio
We report a limit on the fractional temporal variation of the
proton-to-electron mass ratio as, obtained by comparing the frequency of a
rovibrational transition in SF6 with the fundamental hyperfine transition in
Cs. The SF6 transition was accessed using a CO2 laser to interrogate spatial
2-photon Ramsey fringes. The atomic transition was accessed using a primary
standard controlled with a Cs fountain. This result is direct and model-free
A Study of Wavelength Calibration of NEWSIPS High-Dispersion Spectra
In this study we cross-correlate many IUE echellograms of a variety of stars
to evaluate systematic error sources in the wavelength zeropoint of all three
cameras. We first evaluated differences between the final archived ("NEWSIPS")
and the originally processed ("IUESIPS") spectra. These show a clear time
dependence in zeropoint for the SWP camera due to revisions in the IUESIPS
wavelength scale. Small IUESIPS - NEWSIPS differences are also found for the
LWR camera. We also examined wavelength zeropoint disparities between data
obtained both through the small and large entrance apertures and for
observations made by different target acquisition modes for faint and bright
stars. We found that velocities resulting from these alternative observing
modes are nil. For large-aperture observations the dominant error source is the
target position placement in the aperture. We searched for spurious trends with
time, and found only a suggestion of time trends for faint stars observed with
the SWP camera. We also discovered 1-day, +/-3 km/s sinusoidsal patterns in
intensive monitoring data which are ascribable to changes in telescope focus
resulting from thermal drifts. In the second part of the paper, we measured
mean zeropoint errors of NEWSIPS echellogram data against laboratory results by
using the GHRS spectral atlas of the 10 Lac. We find that the derived apparent
velocity difference for this star is -1 +/-3.5 km/s. Several less precise
comparisons lead to similar results. The zeropoints of the NEWSIPS-processed
LWP/LWR cameras are evaluated and are also found to be nearly zero (+/-5 km/s)
relative to HST atlases of Arcturus and Procyon atlas. These results do not
support result by Gonzalez-Riestra et al. that corrections should be introduced
to the wavelength scales of various NEWSIPS high-dispersion data products.Comment: 16 pages, Latex with 12 figures, Accepted by Pub. Astron. Soc.
Pacific for July 1, 2001. Files available from
ftp://nobel.stsci.edu/pub/iuerv
Non-linear effect of uniaxial pressure on superconductivity in CeCoIn5
We study single-crystal CeCoIn5 with uniaxial pressure up to 3.97 kbar
applied along the c-axis. We find a non-linear dependence of the
superconducting transition temperature Tc on pressure, with a maximum close to
2 kbar. The transition also broadens significantly as pressure increases. We
discuss the temperature dependence in terms of the general trend that Tc
decreases in anisotropic heavy-fermion compounds as they move towards
three-dimensional behavior.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure
General Relativistic Contributions in Transformation Optics
One potentially realistic specification for devices designed with
transformation optics is that they operate with high precision in curved
space-time, such as Earth orbit. This raises the question of what, if any, role
does space-time curvature play in determining transformation media?
Transformation optics has been based on a three-vector representation of
Maxwell's equations in flat Minkowski space-time. I discuss a completely
covariant, manifestly four-dimensional approach that enables transformations in
arbitrary space-times, and demonstrate this approach for stable circular orbits
in the spherically symmetric Schwarzschild geometry. Finally, I estimate the
magnitude of curvature induced contributions to satellite-borne transformation
media in Earth orbit and comment on the level of precision required for
metamaterial fabrication before such contributions become important.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures. Latest version has expanded analysis,
corresponds to published versio
On network modeling of manufacturing and related processes using GERT Summary report
Network modeling of manufacturing and related processes using Graphical Evaluation and Review Techniqu
False-negative upper extremity ultrasound in the initial evaluation of patients with suspected subclavian vein thrombosis due to thoracic outlet syndrome (Paget-Schroetter syndrome)
OBJECTIVE: To assess the utilization and consequences of upper extremity Duplex ultrasound in the initial diagnostic evaluation of patients with suspected subclavian vein (SCV) thrombosis and venous thoracic outlet syndrome (VTOS).
METHODS: A retrospective single-center review was conducted for patients that underwent primary surgical treatment for VTOS between 2008 and 2017, in whom an upper extremity ultrasound had been performed as the initial diagnostic test (n = 214). Clinical and treatment characteristics were compared between patients with positive and false-negative ultrasound studies.
RESULTS: There were 122 men (57%) and 92 women (43%) that had presented with spontaneous idiopathic arm swelling, including 28 (13%) with proven pulmonary embolism, at a mean age of 30.7 ± 0.8 years (range 14-69). Upper extremity ultrasound had been performed 23.8 ± 12.2 days after the onset of symptoms, with confirmation of axillary-SCV thrombosis in 169 patients (79%) and negative results in 45 (21%). Of the false-negative ultrasound study reports, only 8 (18%) acknowledged limitations in visualizing the central SCV. Definitive diagnostic imaging (DDI) had been obtained by upper extremity venography in 175 (82%), computed tomography angiography in 24 (11%), and magnetic resonance angiography in 15 (7%), with 142 (66%) undergoing catheter-directed axillary-SCV thrombolysis. The mean interval between initial ultrasound and DDI was 48.9 ± 14.2 days with no significant difference between groups, but patients with a positive ultrasound were more likely to have DDI within 48 hours than those with a false-negative ultrasound (44% vs 24%; P = .02). At the time of surgical treatment, the SCV was widely patent following paraclavicular decompression and external venolysis alone in 74 patients (35%). Patch angioplasty was performed for focal SCV stenosis in 76 (36%) and bypass graft reconstruction for long-segment axillary-SCV occlusion in 63 (29%). Patients with false-negative initial ultrasound studies were significantly more likely to require SCV bypass reconstruction than those with a positive ultrasound (44% vs 25%; P = .02).
CONCLUSIONS: Duplex ultrasound has significant limitations in the initial evaluation of patients with suspected SCV thrombosis, with false-negative results in 21% of patients with proven VTOS. This is rarely acknowledged in ultrasound reports, but false-negative ultrasound studies have the potential to delay definitive imaging, thrombolysis, and further treatment for VTOS. Initial false-negative ultrasound results are associated with progressive thrombus extension and a more frequent need for SCV bypass reconstruction at the time of surgical treatment
DiFX2: A more flexible, efficient, robust and powerful software correlator
Software correlation, where a correlation algorithm written in a high-level
language such as C++ is run on commodity computer hardware, has become
increasingly attractive for small to medium sized and/or bandwidth constrained
radio interferometers. In particular, many long baseline arrays (which
typically have fewer than 20 elements and are restricted in observing bandwidth
by costly recording hardware and media) have utilized software correlators for
rapid, cost-effective correlator upgrades to allow compatibility with new,
wider bandwidth recording systems and improve correlator flexibility. The DiFX
correlator, made publicly available in 2007, has been a popular choice in such
upgrades and is now used for production correlation by a number of
observatories and research groups worldwide. Here we describe the evolution in
the capabilities of the DiFX correlator over the past three years, including a
number of new capabilities, substantial performance improvements, and a large
amount of supporting infrastructure to ease use of the code. New capabilities
include the ability to correlate a large number of phase centers in a single
correlation pass, the extraction of phase calibration tones, correlation of
disparate but overlapping sub-bands, the production of rapidly sampled
filterbank and kurtosis data at minimal cost, and many more. The latest version
of the code is at least 15% faster than the original, and in certain situations
many times this value. Finally, we also present detailed test results
validating the correctness of the new code.Comment: 28 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in PAS
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