Pupillometry, a bioengineering overview

The pupillary control system is examined using a microprocessor based integrative pupillometer. The real time software functions of the microprocessor include: data collection, stimulus generation and area to diameter conversion. Results of an analysis of linear and nonlinear phenomena are presented

Lead in Martian Meteorites-- Observations and Inconsistencies: I. Chassigny

The history of Pb isotope analyses of the martian meteorites (SNC) and their interpretations is laden with difficulties. Two different analytical groups have interpreted their ancient ( 4 Ga) shergottite Pb ages as primary [1-5]. A Nakhla age of approximately 4.3 Ga has been interpreted to be primary as well [2]. This is in stark contrast to the young ( 1.4 Ga) crystallization ages defined by the Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, Lu-Hf, and KAr systems [6]. Possibly, a better interpretation for the ancient Pb ages is that they reflect the formation times of the various SNC source regions [7]. A difficulty in dealing with Pb is that terrestrial contamination is ubiquitous, unlike the other chronometer systems noted above. This issue is complicated by the fact that radioactive decay causes localized mineral damage. So washing and leaching to remove Pb contamination tends to remove in situ radiogenic Pb. This issue is further compounded because U and Th are often concentrated in phosphates and other minor phases, so the leaching process tends to remove these, especially phosphates. Another difficulty is that it is not clear whether the observed Pb isotopic variation in leachates, residues, and ion-microprobe analyses is due to terrestrial or to indigenous martian Pb contamination [e.g., 8]. A third difficulty is that the shergottites on the one hand, and the nakhlites and chassignites on the other, appear to have come from separate source regions with different chemical compositions [e.g., 7]. Thus, it is expected that their Pb isotopic characteristics would be different. And even if all these meteorite types came from the same source region, their igneous ages differ considerably. The nakhlites and chassignites are ~1.4 Ga and the shergottites are 600 Ma [e.g., 6]. This age difference alone should assure that the two distinct SNC groups have differing Pb isotopic signatures

Appearance of superconductivity in new BiS2 based layered LaO0.5F0.5BiS2

We report here synthesis, structural, DC magnetization, and transport studies of new BiS2 based layered LaO0.5F0.5BiS2 superconductor [1]. The sample was synthesized by conventional solid state route via vacuum encapsulation technique at 800oC for 12h. LaO0.5F0.5BiS2 crystallizes in tetragonal P4/nmm space group with lattice parameters a = 4.0703(5){\AA}, c = 13.3902(4){\AA}. Bulk superconductivity is confirmed with superconducting transition temperature (Tc) of 2.7K by DC magnetization measurements. The Isothermal magnetization (MH) measurements showed closed loops with clear signatures of flux pinning and irreversible behavior. The resistivity measurements confirmed an onset Tc of 2.7K. The magneto-transport {\rho}(T,H) measurements showed a resistive broadening and decrease in Tc ({\rho}=0) to lower temperatures with increasing magnetic field. The magnetic phase diagram involving upper critical and irreversibility fields as a function of temperature has been ascertained. Our DC magnetization and electrical transport measurements confirm the appearance of bulk superconductivity in LaO0.5F0.5BiS2 superconductor.Comment: 11 pages figures + Text: First observation/approval of LaO/FBiS2 superconductivity: comments/suggestions: [email protected]

Multiorbital analysis of the effects of uniaxial and hydrostatic pressure on TcT_c in the single-layered cuprate superconductors

The origin of uniaxial and hydrostatic pressure effects on $T_c$ in the single-layered cuprate superconductors is theoretically explored. A two-orbital model, derived from first principles and analyzed with the fluctuation exchange approximation gives axial-dependent pressure coefficients, $\partial T_c/\partial P_a>0$, $\partial T_c/\partial P_c<0$, with a hydrostatic response $\partial T_c/\partial P>0$ for both La214 and Hg1201 cuprates, in qualitative agreement with experiments. Physically, this is shown to come from a unified picture in which higher $T_c$ is achieved with an "orbital distillation", namely, the less the $d_{x^2-y^2}$ main band is hybridized with the $d_{z^2}$ and $4s$ orbitals higher the $T_c$. Some implications for obtaining higher $T_c$ materials are discussed.Comment: 6pages, 4 figure

Photometric Observations of Star Formation Activity in Early Type Spirals

We observationally study the current star formation activities of early type spiral galaxies. We construct a complete sample of 15 early type spirals having far-infrared (FIR) to optical B band luminosity ratios, L(FIR)/L(B), larger than the average of the type, and make their CCD imaging of the R and H-alpha bands. The equivalent widths of H-alpha emission increase with increasing L(FIR)/L(B), indicating that L(FIR)/L(B) can be an indicator of star formation for such early type spirals with star formation activities higher than the average. For all of the observed early type spirals, the extended HII regions exist at the central regions with some asymmetric features. H-alpha emission is more concentrated to the galactic center than the R band light, and the degree of the concentration increases with the star formation activity. We also analyze the relation between the star formation activities and the existence of companion galaxies in the sample galaxies and other bright early type spirals. No correlation is found and this suggests that the interaction is not responsible for all of the star formation activities of early type spirals.Comment: LaTex, 23 pages (2 tables included), plus 9 Postscript figures & 1 table. To be published in AJ (November issue

Provenance and Concentration of Water in the Shergottite Mantle

The water content of the martian mantle is controversial. In particular, the role of water in the petrogenesis of the shergottites has been much debated. Although the shergottites, collectively, contain very little water [e.g., 1,2], some experiments have been interpreted to show that percent levels of water are required for the petrogenesis of shergottites such as Shergotty and Zagami [3]. In this latter interpretation, the general paucity of water in the shergottites and their constituent minerals is attributed to late-stage degassing. Y980459 (Y98) is a very primitive, perhaps even parental, martian basalt, with a one-bar liquidus temperature of approx.1400 C. Olivine is the liquidus phase, and olivine core compositions are in equilibrium with the bulk rock [e.g., 4]. Petrogenetically, therefore, Y98 has had a rather simple history and can potentially help constrain the role of water in martian igneous processes. In particular, once trapped, melt inclusions should not be affected by subsequent degassing

Simulation of electromagnetically and magnetically induced transparency in a magnetized plasma

Electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT), a phenomenon well known in atomic systems, has a natural analogy in a classical magnetized plasma. The magnetized plasma has a resonance for right-hand polarized electromagnetic waves at the electron cyclotron frequency Omega(0), so that a probe wave with frequency omega(1) = Omega(0) cannot propagate through the plasma. The plasma can be made transparent to such a probe by the presence of a pump wave. The pump may be an electromagnetic wave or magnetostatic wiggler. Simulations and theory show that the physical reason for the transparency is that the beating of the probe wave with the pump wave sets up a plasma oscillation, and the upper sideband of the pump wave cancels the resonant plasma current due to the probe. The theory of plasma EIT derived here extends that found in the earlier work to include the effects of the lower sideband of the pump and renormalization of the plasma frequency and an analysis of the transient response. A detailed comparison of theory to one-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations is presented and estimates for the performance ion accelerator using the EIT interaction are given. The dispersion relation and estimates for the phase velocity and amplitude of the plasma wave are in good agreement with particle-in-cell simulations.open151

A Moderate D/H Ratio for a Surficial Water Reservoir on Mars

Martian surface morphology implies that Mars was once warm enough to maintain persistent liquid water on its surface and that water played a significant role in the formation of weathered/altered terrains [e.g., 1, 2, 3]. Volatiles exhaled by volcanic activity would have been the dominant greenhouse gases and would have significantly affected the Martian climate. The enrichment of some volatile elements in the atmosphere, which would have dissolved in surface water, could also have influenced water chemistry (e.g., acidity) and played a significant role in weathering and aqueous alteration processes. While much of this picture is qualitative, Martian meteorites contain records of major Martian volatile reservoirs. This study characterizes Martian surficial volatile reservoirs based on in situ ion microprobe analyses of volatile abundances and H-isotopes of glassy phases (groundmass glass [GG] and impact melt [IM]) in Martian basalts (shergottites). Although these meteorites are of igneous origin, some glassy phases underwent impact-induced modification that trapped surficial and atmospheric volatile components [4, 5]; e.g., inert gases contained in IMs from EETA79001 (EETA79) match the relative abundances of modern Martian atmosphere [6]. Analyses of these glassy phases demonstrate that surficial volatile reservoirs have distinct D/H ratios from their magmatic volatiles