Performance of the LHCb High Level Trigger in 2012

The trigger system of the LHCb experiment is discussed in this paper and its performance is evaluated on a dataset recorded during the 2012 run of the LHC. The main purpose of the LHCb trigger system is to separate heavy flavour signals from the light quark background. The trigger reduces the roughly 11MHz of bunch-bunch crossings with inelastic collisions to a rate of 5kHz, which is written to storage.Comment: Proceedings for the 20th International Conference on Computing in High Energy and Nuclear Physics (CHEP

Near-bandgap wavelength-dependent studies of long-lived traveling coherent longitudinal acoustic phonon oscillations in GaSb/GaAs systems

We report first studies of long-lived oscillations in optical pump-probe measurements on GaSb-GaAs heterostructures. The oscillations arise from a photogenerated coherent longitudinal acoustic phonon wave, which travels from the top surface of GaSb across the interface into the GaAs substrate, providing information on the optical properties of the material as a function of time/depth. Wavelength-dependent studies of the oscillations near the bandgap of GaAs indicate strong correlations to the optical properties of GaAs.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure

Ultrafast Spin Dynamics in GaAs/GaSb/InAs Heterostructures Probed by Second Harmonic Generation

We report the first application of pump-probe second harmonic generation (SHG) measurements to characterize optically-induced magnetization in non-magnetic multilayer semiconductors. In the experiment, coherent spins are selectively excited by a pump beam in the GaAs layer of GaAs/GaSb/InAs structures. However, the resulting net magnetization manifests itself through the induced SHG probe signal from the GaSb/InAs interface, thus indicating a coherent spin transport across the heterostructure. We find that the magnetization dynamics is governed by an interplay between the spin density evolution at the interfaces and the spin dephasing.Comment: 4 pages + 4 Fig

Executable Architecture Research at Old Dominion University

Executable Architectures allow the evaluation of system architectures not only regarding their static, but also their dynamic behavior. However, the systems engineering community do not agree on a common formal specification of executable architectures. To close this gap and identify necessary elements of an executable architecture, a modeling language, and a modeling formalism is topic of ongoing PhD research. In addition, systems are generally defined and applied in an operational context to provide capabilities and enable missions. To maximize the benefits of executable architectures, a second PhD effort introduces the idea of creating an executable context in addition to the executable architecture. The results move the validation of architectures from the current information domain into the knowledge domain and improve the reliability of such validation efforts. The paper presents research and results of both doctoral research efforts and puts them into a common context of state-of-the-art of systems engineering methods supporting more agility

Ultrafast Dynamics of Interfacial Electric Fields in Semiconductor Heterostructures Monitored by Pump-Probe Second Harmonic Generation

We report first measurements of the ultrafast dynamics of interfacial electric fields in semiconductor multilayers using pump-probe second harmonic generation (SHG). A pump beam was tuned to excite carriers in all layers of GaAs/GaSb and GaAs/GaSb/InAs heterostructures. Further carrier dynamics manifests itself via electric fields created by by charge separation at interfaces. The evolution of interfacial fields is monitored by a probe beam through the eletric-field-induced SHG signal. We distinguish between several stages of dynamics originating from redistribution of carriers between the layers. We also find a strong enhancement of the induced electric field caused by hybridization of the conduction and valence bands at the GaSb/InAs interface.Comment: 4 pages + 2 fig

A Theory of Emergence and Entropy in Systems of Systems

Systems of Systems (SOS) meet vital needs in our society by providing capabilities that are not possible by their discrete components or subsystems. Some SOS are engineered to produce predictable results, yet they can still display emergent behavior. These behaviors are often considered negative because they are not a function of the design. However, emergent behavior can also be serendipitous and produce unexpected positive results. The authors formalize a theory of emergence based on entropy. The theory has explanatory value for emergence as an ontological and phenomenological concept in systems of systems. © 2013 The Authors

Comparison of soil water sensing methods for irrigation management and research

Presented at the 2007 Central Plains irrigation conference on February 27-28 in Kearney, Nebraska.Includes bibliographical references.As irrigation water resources decrease and deficit irrigation becomes more common across the Great Plains, greater accuracy in irrigation scheduling will be required. With deficit irrigation a smaller amount of soil water is held in reserve and there is less margin for error. Researchers investigating deficit irrigation practices and developing management practices must also have accurate measures of soil water content - in fact, the two go hand in hand. New management practices for deficit irrigation will require more accurate assessments of soil water content if success is to be ensured. This study compared several commercial soil water sensing systems, four of them based on the electromagnetic (EM) properties of soil as influenced by soil water content, versus the venerable neutron moisture meter (NMM), which is based on the slowing of neutrons by soil water. While performance varied widely, the EM sensors were all less precise and less accurate in the field than was the NMM. Variation in water contents from one measurement location to the next was much greater for the EM sensors and was so large that these sensors are not useful for determining the amount of water to apply. The NMM is still the only sensor that is suitable for irrigation research. However, the NMM is not practical for on-farm irrigation management due to cost and regulatory issues. Unfortunately, our studies indicate that the EM sensors are not useful for irrigation management due to inaccuracy and variability. A new generation of EM sensors should be developed to overcome the problems of those currently available. In the meantime, tensiometers, electrical resistance sensors and soil probes may fill the gap for irrigation management based on soil water sensing. However, many farmers are successfully using irrigation scheduling based on crop water use estimates from weather station networks and reference ET calculations. When used in conjunction with direct field soil water observations to avoid over irrigation, the ET network approach has proved useful in maximizing yields