2,560 research outputs found
The Atmospheric Monitoring System of the JEM-EUSO Space Mission
An Atmospheric Monitoring System (AMS) is a mandatory and key device of a
space-based mission which aims to detect Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECR)
and Extremely-High Energy Cosmic Rays (EHECR) from Space. JEM-EUSO has a
dedicated atmospheric monitoring system that plays a fundamental role in our
understanding of the atmospheric conditions in the Field of View (FoV) of the
telescope. Our AMS consists of a very challenging space infrared camera and a
LIDAR device, that are being fully designed with space qualification to fulfil
the scientific requirements of this space mission. The AMS will provide
information of the cloud cover in the FoV of JEM-EUSO, as well as measurements
of the cloud top altitudes with an accuracy of 500 m and the optical depth
profile of the atmosphere transmittance in the direction of each air shower
with an accuracy of 0.15 degree and a resolution of 500 m. This will ensure
that the energy of the primary UHECR and the depth of maximum development of
the EAS ( Extensive Air Shower) are measured with an accuracy better than 30\%
primary energy and 120 depth of maximum development for EAS occurring
either in clear sky or with the EAS depth of maximum development above
optically thick cloud layers. Moreover a very novel radiometric retrieval
technique considering the LIDAR shots as calibration points, that seems to be
the most promising retrieval algorithm is under development to infer the Cloud
Top Height (CTH) of all kind of clouds, thick and thin clouds in the FoV of the
JEM-EUSO space telescope
Decays Z' -> \gamma\gamma\gamma{} and Z -> \gamma\gamma\gamma{} in the minimal 331 model
The possibility of a significant effect of exotic particles on the
Z'->\gamma\gamma\gamma{} and Z->\gamma\gamma\gamma{} decays is investigated in
the context of the minimal 331 model. This model, which is based in the
SU_C(3)xSU_L(3)xU_X(1) gauge group, predicts the existence of many exotic
charged particles that can significantly enhance the decay widths. It is found
that the standard model prediction for the Z->\gamma\gamma\gamma{} decay
remains essentially unchanged, as the new physics effects quickly decouples. On
the other hand, it is found that the contributions of the new exotic quarks and
gauge bosons predicted by this model lead to a branching fraction for the
Z'->\gamma\gamma\gamma{} decay of about 10^(-6), which is about three orders of
magnitude larger than that of the Z->\gamma\gamma\gamma{} decay.Comment: 20 pages and 20 figure
Decoherence and the quantum-classical limit in the presence of chaos
We investigate how decoherence affects the short-time separation between
quantum and classical dynamics for classically chaotic systems, within the
framework of a specific model. For a wide range of parameters, the distance
between the corresponding phase-space distributions depends on a single
parameter that relates an effective Planck constant ,
the Lyapunov coeffficient, and the diffusion constant. This distance peaks at a
time that depends logarithmically on , in agreement with
previous estimations of the separation time for Hamiltonian systems. However,
for , the separation remains small, going down with , so the concept of separation time loses its meaning.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures (in 6 postscript files) two of them are color
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Mangosteen Extract Shows a Potent Insulin Sensitizing Effect in Obese Female Patients: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Pilot Study.
There is a widely acknowledged association between insulin resistance and obesity/type 2 diabetes (T2DM), and insulin sensitizing treatments have proved effective in preventing diabetes and inducing weight loss. Obesity and T2DM are also associated with increased inflammation. Mangosteen is a tropical tree, whose fruits—known for their antioxidant properties—have been recently suggested having a possible further role in the treatment of obesity and T2DM. The objective of this pilot study has been to evaluate safety and efficacy of treatment with mangosteen extract on insulin resistance, weight management, and inflammatory status in obese female patients with insulin resistance. Twenty-two patients were randomized 1:1 to behavioral therapy alone or behavioral therapy and mangosteen and 20 completed the 26-week study. The mangosteen group reported a significant improvement in insulin sensitivity (homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance, HOMA-IR −53.22% vs. −15.23%, p = 0.004), and no side effect attributable to treatment was reported. Given the positive preliminary results we report and the excellent safety profile, we suggest a possible supplementary role of mangosteen extracts in the treatment of obesity, insulin resistance, and inflammation
Optical Diagnostics for Solid Rocket Plumes Characterization: A Review
In recent decades, solid fuel combustion propulsion of spacecraft has become one of the most popular choices for rocket propulsion systems. The reasons for this success are a wide range of applications, lower production costs, simplicity, and safety. The rocket’s plumes leave the nozzle at high temperatures; hence, the knowledge of produced infrared (IR) emissions is a crucial aspect during the design and tests of the rocket motors. Furthermore, rocket plume composition is given by N2, H2, H2O, CO and CO2, while solid rocket motors (SRM) additionally inject some solid particles, given by metal fuel additives in the propellant grain, i.e., aluminum oxide (Al2O3) particles. The main issue is the detection of the particles remaining in the atmosphere due to the exhaust gas of the solid rocket propulsion system that could have effects on ozone depletion. The experimental characterization of SRM plumes in the presence of alumina particles can be conducted using different optical techniques. The present study aims to review the most promising ones with a description of the optics system and their potential applications for SRM plume measurements. The most common measurement techniques are infrared spectroscopy imaging, IR imaging. UV–VIS measurements, shadowgraph, and Schlieren optical methods. The choice of these techniques among many others is due to the ability to study the plume without influencing the physical conditions existing in and around the study object. This paper presents technical results concerning the study of rocket engines plumes with the above-mentioned methods and reveals the feasibility of the measurement techniques applied
Quantum to classical transition in a system with a mixed classical dynamics
We study how decoherence rules the quantum-classical transition of the Kicked
Harmonic Oscillator (KHO). When the amplitude of the kick is changed the system
presents a classical dynamics that range from regular to a strong chaotic
behavior. We show that for regular and mixed classical dynamics, and in the
presence of noise, the distance between the classical and the quantum phase
space distributions is proportional to a single parameter which relates the effective Planck constant
, the kick amplitude and the diffusion constant . This
is valid when , a case that is always attainable in the semiclassical
regime independently of the value of the strength of noise given by . Our
results extend a recent study performed in the chaotic regime.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figure
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