Small electron acceleration episodes in the solar corona

We study the energetics of nonthermal electrons produced in small acceleration episodes in the solar corona. We carried out an extensive survey spanning 2004--2015 and shortlisted 6 impulsive electron events detected at 1 AU that was not associated with large solar flares(GOES soft X-ray class $>$ C1) or with coronal mass ejections. Each of these events had weak, but detectable hard Xray (HXR) emission near the west limb, and were associated with interplanetary type III bursts. In some respects, these events seem like weak counterparts of "cold/tenuous" flares. The energy carried by the HXR producing electron population was $\approx 10^{23}$ -- $10^{25}$ erg, while that in the corresponding population detected at 1 AU was $\approx 10^{24}$--$10^{25}$ erg. The number of electrons that escape the coronal acceleration site and reach 1 AU constitute 6 % to 148 % of those that precipitate downwards to produce thick target HXR emission

Automatic tuning of Free Electron Lasers

Existing FEL facilities often suffer from stability issues: so electron orbit, transverse electron optics, electron bunch compression and other parameters have to be readjusted often to account for drifts in performance of various components. The tuning procedures typically employed in operation are often manual and lengthy. We have been developing a combination of model-free and model-based automatic tuning methods to meet the needs of present and upcoming XFEL facilities. Our approach has been implemented at FLASH \cite{flash} to achieve automatic SASE tuning using empirical control of orbit, electron optics and bunch compression. In this paper we describe our approach to empirical tuning, the software which implements it, and the results of using it at FLASH. We also discuss the potential of using machine learning and model-based techniques in tuning methods

Preservation of Sea Anemone Burrows in Silurian (~432 Million Years Old) Carbonate Rocks of Southeastern Indiana, USA

Preservation of trace fossils (ichnofossils) in siliciclastic environments is often quite different from preservation in carbonate environments, representing an important source of variation that must be well understood in order to enhance interpretations of paleoenvironments and paleoecology. This study focuses on Conostichus, a relatively common burrow constructed by solitary sea anemones. These trace fossils are generally well-preserved (i.e., they display detailed external features) in siliciclastic rocks but are typically little more than conical masses in carbonate rocks. However, certain specimens recovered from the middle Silurian Massie Formation at the Napoleon quarry of southeastern Indiana are composed entirely out of carbonate mud but nevertheless preserve delicate features on the apical disk that have only been described previously from siliciclastic deposits. Specimens displaying typical carbonate-style preservation are also present in the same interval. This is interpreted as reflecting the fine grain size of sediment that passively infilled the well-preserved burrows, in contrast to the more poorly preserved burrows, which are filled with much coarser, skeletal grains. Further, specimens that are characterized by typical carbonate-style preservation contain a zoned infill, with coarser particles around the margin, preventing casting of delicate features. This indicates that grain size is a more important factor than sediment composition in preserving Conostichus at this locality. It is likely that other localities are also capable of producing siliciclastic-style preservation of trace fossils in carbonate environments

Engaging with the Present by Exploring the Future: Critical Potential of Science Fiction in Education

In The Seven Beauties of Science Fiction, Istvan Csicsery-Ronay Jr. (2008) argues that: [] sf has come to be seen as an essential mode of imaging the horizons of possibility (p. 1). Noting this, I will therefore discuss how SF can be used as a pedagogical tool by educators to help secondary students explore fictional futures, with an emphasis on developing critical thinking skills by comparing science fictional futures and the present. This thesis includes an original in-school study where I use Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler, critical theory, genre-based analysis, and inquiry-based learning to encourage students to critically consider contemporary issues. Having analyzed student discussions, introductory questionnaires, exit interviews and written assessments through deductive thematic analysis, discourse analysis and within-method triangulation, I will discuss the practical use of SF to meet critical thinking and critical literacy expectations outlined in The Ontario Curriculum for English (2008)

Spatiotemporal adaptive multiscale multiphysics simulations of two-phase flow

We present a spatiotemporal adaptive multiscale algorithm, which is based on the Multiscale Finite Volume method. The algorithm offers a very efficient framework to deal with multiphysics problems and to couple regions with different spatial resolution. We employ the method to simulate two-phase flow through porous media. At the fine scale, we consider a pore-scale description of the flow based on the Volume Of Fluid method. In order to construct a global problem that describes the coarse-scale behavior, the equations are averaged numerically with respect to auxiliary control volumes, and a Darcy-like coarse-scale model is obtained. The space adaptivity is based on the idea that a fine-scale description is only required in the front region, whereas the resolution can be coarsened elsewhere. Temporal adaptivity relies on the fact that the fine-scale and the coarse-scale problems can be solved with different temporal resolution (longer time steps can be used at the coarse scale). By simulating drainage under unstable flow conditions, we show that the method is able to capture the coarse-scale behavior outside the front region and to reproduce complex fluid patterns in the front region

Power System Parameters Forecasting Using Hilbert-Huang Transform and Machine Learning

A novel hybrid data-driven approach is developed for forecasting power system parameters with the goal of increasing the efficiency of short-term forecasting studies for non-stationary time-series. The proposed approach is based on mode decomposition and a feature analysis of initial retrospective data using the Hilbert-Huang transform and machine learning algorithms. The random forests and gradient boosting trees learning techniques were examined. The decision tree techniques were used to rank the importance of variables employed in the forecasting models. The Mean Decrease Gini index is employed as an impurity function. The resulting hybrid forecasting models employ the radial basis function neural network and support vector regression. Apart from introduction and references the paper is organized as follows. The section 2 presents the background and the review of several approaches for short-term forecasting of power system parameters. In the third section a hybrid machine learning-based algorithm using Hilbert-Huang transform is developed for short-term forecasting of power system parameters. Fourth section describes the decision tree learning algorithms used for the issue of variables importance. Finally in section six the experimental results in the following electric power problems are presented: active power flow forecasting, electricity price forecasting and for the wind speed and direction forecasting

Public Opinion Leaders Designing in Modern Neo-Information Society

The article discusses the mechanisms of building public opinion leaders in modern neo-information society. A number of methods were applied: a study of the authors using the focus group method ‘Bloggers=influencers?’ (n=10); secondary analysis of the sociological research of the ZIRCON research group in a personal interview “The image of a journalist in the mass consciousness of Russians” (n=1604); a framework analysis of the construction of hype as a social phenomenon in media discourse; authors’ research using the case study method “The phenomenon of Diana Shurygina.” Chronological scope of the study: 2017-2019. It is concluded that the strengthening of the actors of the blogging institution in the media was made possible as a result of a “crisis of confidence” in “traditional” media, in particular television, with a politicized media agenda leading to the acquisition of a propaganda vector, defining thereby the trend of piarisation the media. Being the influencers (mainly for the younger generation, which is exceptionally loyal), bloggers affect the building of a system of norms, values and attitudes of their audience. At the same time, the functioning of bloggers as leaders of public opinion contributes to the inspiration of marketing strategies: the sale of various goods and services through local advertising and product placement, the so-called influential marketing. In addition, by creating social phenomena such as hype, bloggers become drivers of hyponomics (or the economy of hype). Keywords: leader of public opinion, influencing, media, blogging, hype, hyponomic

Recycling Of Auriferous Ore Flotation Tailings In Slag-alkaline Cement

Research analysis aimed at stabilizing processes in industrial waste and other, similar hazardous ion containing materials, shows that these materials can be successfully stabilized, if they are bound as a mineral component in cement. Considering that auriferous ore flotation waste contains heavy metals that are useless for any production and accumulated in dumps, storages and sumps, this impairs the ecology of the country. This is why current study is conducted on recycling of auriferous ore flotation tailings by binding it as a cement component, which is also can be one of its effective applications. For heavy metal bonds stability evaluation in the composition of the cement matrix, the method of leaching elements by atomic spectroscopy was applied.According to the research it was found that application of slag-alkaline viscid systems for recycling of auriferous ore dump flotation tailings provides considerable advantages over traditional Portland cement systems based on PC I-500. It was shown that along with the physical blocking in the artificial stone matrix, based on slag-alkaline viscid systems, elements of heavy metals were also bound chemically as a part of structure-forming compounds. In this regard use of auriferous ore dump flotation tailings (10…30 %) in the compound of slag-alkaline cement results in the prolonged solidification and provides the same level of cement stone durability as the check sample compound