981 research outputs found
A triple GEM detector with two dimensional readout
The triple GEM detector is a micropattern gas detector which consists of a
primary ionisation gap and three consecutive gas electron multiplier (GEM)
foils. A printed circuit board with readout strips detects the current induced
by the drifting electron cloud originating from the last GEM stage. Thus the
gas amplification and the signal readout are completely separated. Triple GEM
detectors are being developed as a possible technology for the inner tracking
in the LHCb experiment.
In an earlier note we have reported first experience with such a detector in
a test beam at PSI. Here we describe the construction of an improved version
(thinner transfer gaps, segmented GEM foils, two dimensional readout). Results
from performance measurements are presented using intense hadronic beams as
well as cosmic ray data.Comment: 20 pages, 24 figure
Experimental Generation and Observation of Intrinsic Localized Spin Wave Modes in an Antiferromagnet
By driving with a microwave pulse the lowest frequency antiferromagnetic
resonance of the quasi 1-D biaxial antiferromagnet (C_2 H_5 NH_3)_2 CuCl_4 into
an unstable region intrinsic localized spin waves have been generated and
detected in the spin wave gap. These findings are consistent with the
prediction that nonlinearity plus lattice discreteness can lead to localized
excitations with dimensions comparable to the lattice constant.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review
Letter
The dust SED in the dwarf galaxy NGC 1569: Indications for an altered dust composition?
We discuss the interpretation of the dust SED from the mid-infrared to the
millimeter range of NGC 1569. The model developed by D\'esert et al. (1990)
including three dust components (Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons, Very Small Grains
and big grains) can explain the data using a realistic interstellar radiation
field and adopting an enhanced abundance of VSGs. A simple three-temperature
model is also able to reproduce the data but requires a very low dust
temperature which is considered to be unlikely in this low-metallicity
starburst galaxy. The high abundance of Very Small Grains might be due to large
grain destruction in supernova shocks. This possibility is supported by ISO
data showing that the emission at 14.3 m, tracing VSGs, is enhanced with
respect to the emission at 6.7 m and 850 m in regions of high star
formation.Comment: 4 pages, conference proceedings paper, "The Spectral Energy
Distribution of Gas-Rich Galaxies: Confronting Models with Data", Heidelberg,
4-8 Oct. 2004, eds. C.C. Popescu & R.J. Tuffs, AIP Conf. Ser., in pres
(Sub)millimetre emission from NGC 1569: an abundance of very small grains
We present new data of the dwarf galaxy NGC 1569 at 450 m, 850 m and 1200m taken with SCUBA at the JCMT and the bolometer array at the IRAM 30m telescope. After including data from IRAS at 12, 25, 60 and 100 m, we have successfully fitted the dust grain population model of D\'esert et al. (1990) to the observed midinfrared-to-millimeter spectrum. The fit requires a combination of both large and very small grains exposed to a strong radiation field as well as an enhancement of the number of very small grains relative to the number of large grains. We interpret this as the consequence of large grain destruction due to shocks in the turbulent interstellar medium of NGC 1569. The contribution of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH's) is found to be negligible. Comparison of the dust emission maps with an HI map of similar resolution shows that both dust and molecular gas distributions peak close to the radio continuum maximum and at a minimum in the HI distribution. From a comparison of these three maps and assuming that the gas-to-dust mass ratio is the same everywhere, we estimate the ratio of molecular hydrogen column density to integrated CO intensity to be about 25 -- 30 times the local Galactic value. The gas-to-dust ratio is 1500 -- 2900, about an order of magnitude higher than in the Solar Neighbourhood
The Cosmic Microwave Background & Inflation, Then & Now
Boomerang, Maxima, DASI, CBI and VSA significantly increase the case for
accelerated expansion in the early universe (the inflationary paradigm) and at
the current epoch (dark energy dominance), especially when combined with data
on high redshift supernovae (SN1) and large scale structure (LSS). There are
``7 pillars of Inflation'' that can be shown with the CMB probe, and at least
5, and possibly 6, of these have already been demonstrated in the CMB data: (1)
a large scale gravitational potential; (2) acoustic peaks/dips; (3) damping due
to shear viscosity; (4) a Gaussian (maximally random) distribution; (5)
secondary anisotropies; (6) polarization. A 7th pillar, anisotropies induced by
gravity wave quantum noise, could be too small. A minimal inflation parameter
set, \omega_b,\omega_{cdm}, \Omega_{tot}, \Omega_Q,w_Q,n_s,\tau_C, \sigma_8},
is used to illustrate the power of the current data. We find the CMB+LSS+SN1
data give \Omega_{tot} =1.00^{+.07}_{-.03}, consistent with (non-baroque)
inflation theory. Restricting to \Omega_{tot}=1, we find a nearly scale
invariant spectrum, n_s =0.97^{+.08}_{-.05}. The CDM density, \Omega_{cdm}{\rm
h}^2 =.12^{+.01}_{-.01}, and baryon density, \Omega_b {\rm h}^2 =
>.022^{+.003}_{-.002}, are in the expected range. (The Big Bang nucleosynthesis
estimate is 0.019\pm 0.002.) Substantial dark (unclustered) energy is inferred,
\Omega_Q \approx 0.68 \pm 0.05, and CMB+LSS \Omega_Q values are compatible with
the independent SN1 estimates. The dark energy equation of state, crudely
parameterized by a quintessence-field pressure-to-density ratio w_Q, is not
well determined by CMB+LSS (w_Q < -0.4 at 95% CL), but when combined with SN1
the resulting w_Q < -0.7 limit is quite consistent with the w_Q=-1 cosmological
constant case.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figures, in Theoretical Physics, MRST 2002: A Tribute to
George Libbrandt (AIP), eds. V. Elias, R. Epp, R. Myer
Gene Expression and Immunohistochemistry in Adipose Tissue of HIV Type 1-Infected Patients with Nucleoside Analogue Reverse-Transcriptase Inhibitor-Associated Lipoatrophy
BackgroundLong-term use of both zidovudine (AZT) and stavudine (d4T) is associated with lipoatrophy, but it occurs possibly through different mechanisms MethodsSurgical biopsy specimens of subcutaneous adipose tissue were obtained from 18 human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected lipoatrophic patients (the LA+ group) who were treated with either zidovudine (the AZT+LA+ group; n=10) or stavudine (the d4T+LA+ group; n=8) and from 10 nonlipoatrophic HIV-1-infected patients (the LA− group) who received antiretroviral therapy. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy numbers, gene expression, and immunohistochemistry data were analyzed ResultsmtDNA copy numbers were significantly reduced in the LA+ group, compared with the LA− group, and in the d4T+LA+ group, compared with the AZT+LA+ group. The ratio of mtDNA-encoded cytochrome COX3 to nuclear DNA-encoded COX4 expression was significantly lower in the LA+ group than in the LA− group. Compared with the LA− group, the LA+ group had significantly lower expression of genes involved in adipogenesis (SREBP1cand CEBPB) lipid (fatty acid synthase), and glucose (GLUT4) metabolism. Expression of genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis (PGC1B) apoptosis (FAS) inflammation (IL1B) oxidative stress (PCNA and SOD1) and lamin B was significantly higher in the LA+ group than in the LA− group. The d4T+LA+ group had significantly lower expression of genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis (POLG1) energy metabolism (the COX3/COX4 ratio), adipogenesis (SREBP1c and CEBPA) perilipin, and hexokinase than did the AZT+LA+ group. There were 7-fold more macrophages in adipose tissue specimens obtained from patients in the LA+ group, compared with the LA− group ConclusionsLipoatrophy is characterized by mtDNA depletion, inflammation, and signs of apoptosis. Changes were more profound in the d4T+LA+ group than in the AZT+LA+ grou
(Sub)millimetre emission from NGC 1569: An abundance of very small grains}
Wetensch. publicatieFaculteit der Wiskunde en Natuurwetenschappe
The Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect in CMB-calibrated theories applied to the Cosmic Background Imager anisotropy power at l > 2000
We discuss the nature of the possible high-l excess in the Cosmic Microwave
Background (CMB) anisotropy power spectrum observed by the Cosmic Background
Imager (CBI). We probe the angular structure of the excess in the CBI deep
fields and investigate whether it could be due to the scattering of CMB photons
by hot electrons within clusters, the Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect. We
estimate the density fluctuation parameters for amplitude, sigma_8, and shape,
Gamma, from CMB primary anisotropy data and other cosmological data. We use the
results of two separate hydrodynamical codes for Lambda-CDM cosmologies,
consistent with the allowed sigma_8 and Gamma values, to quantify the expected
contribution from the SZ effect to the bandpowers of the CBI experiment and
pass simulated SZ effect maps through our CBI analysis pipeline. The result is
very sensitive to the value of sigma_8, and is roughly consistent with the
observed power if sigma_8 ~ 1. We conclude that the CBI anomaly could be a
result of the SZ effect for the class of Lambda-CDM concordance models if
sigma_8 is in the upper range of values allowed by current CMB and Large Scale
Structure (LSS) data.Comment: Accepted by The Astrophysical Journal; 17 pages including 12 color
figures. v2 matches accepted version. Additional information at
http://www.astro.caltech.edu/~tjp/CBI
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