3,540 research outputs found
A mobile system for active otpical pollution monitoring
The remote monitoring of atmospheric pollutants can now be performed in several ways. Laser radar techniques have proven their ability to reveal the spatial distribution of different species or particles. Classical optical techniques can also be used, but yield the average concentration over a given path and hence no range resolution. One such technique is Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy, DOAS. Such schemes can be used to monitor paths that a preliminary lidar investigation has shown to be of interest. Having previously had access to a mobile lidar system, a new system has been completed. The construction builds on experience from using the other system and it is meant to be more of a mobile optical laboratory than just a lidar system. A complete system description is given along with some preliminary usage. Future uses are contemplated
Double quantum dot with tunable coupling in an enhancement-mode silicon metal-oxide semiconductor device with lateral geometry
We present transport measurements of a tunable silicon
metal-oxide-semiconductor double quantum dot device with lateral geometry.
Experimentally extracted gate-to-dot capacitances show that the device is
largely symmetric under the gate voltages applied. Intriguingly, these gate
voltages themselves are not symmetric. Comparison with numerical simulations
indicates that the applied gate voltages serve to offset an intrinsic asymmetry
in the physical device. We also show a transition from a large single dot to
two well isolated coupled dots, where the central gate of the device is used to
controllably tune the interdot coupling.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, to be published in Applied Physics Letter
Enhancement mode double top gated MOS nanostructures with tunable lateral geometry
We present measurements of silicon (Si) metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS)
nanostructures that are fabricated using a process that facilitates essentially
arbitrary gate geometries. Stable Coulomb blockade behavior free from the
effects of parasitic dot formation is exhibited in several MOS quantum dots
with an open lateral quantum dot geometry. Decreases in mobility and increases
in charge defect densities (i.e. interface traps and fixed oxide charge) are
measured for critical process steps, and we correlate low disorder behavior
with a quantitative defect density. This work provides quantitative guidance
that has not been previously established about defect densities for which Si
quantum dots do not exhibit parasitic dot formation. These devices make use of
a double-layer gate stack in which many regions, including the critical gate
oxide, were fabricated in a fully-qualified CMOS facility.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
Isotope shift calculations for atoms with one valence electron
This work presents a method for the ab initio calculation of isotope shift in
atoms and ions with one valence electron above closed shells. As a zero
approximation we use relativistic Hartree-Fock and then calculate correlation
corrections. The main motivation for developing the method comes from the need
to analyse whether different isotope abundances in early universe can
contribute to the observed anomalies in quasar absorption spectra. The current
best explanation for these anomalies is the assumption that the fine structure
constant, alpha, was smaller at early epoch. We test the isotope shift method
by comparing the calculated and experimental isotope shift for the alkali and
alkali-like atoms Na, MgII, K, CaII and BaII. The agreement is found to be
good. We then calculate the isotope shift for some astronomically relevant
transitions in SiII and SiIV, MgII, ZnII and GeII.Comment: 11 page
Possible Signatures of a Cold-Flow Disk from MUSE using a z=1 galaxy--quasar pair towards SDSSJ1422-0001
We use a background quasar to detect the presence of circum-galactic gas
around a low-mass star forming galaxy. Data from the new Multi Unit
Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) on the VLT show that the host galaxy has a
dust-corrected star-formation rate (SFR) of 4.70.2 Msun/yr, with no
companion down to 0.22 Msun/yr (5 ) within 240 kpc (30"). Using a
high-resolution spectrum (UVES) of the background quasar, which is fortuitously
aligned with the galaxy major axis (with an azimuth angle of only
), we find, in the gas kinematics traced by low-ionization lines,
distinct signatures consistent with those expected for a "cold flow disk"
extending at least 12 kpc (). We estimate the mass accretion
rate to be at least two to three times larger than the SFR,
using the geometric constraints from the IFU data and the HI column density of
obtained from a {\it HST}/COS NUV spectrum. From
a detailed analysis of the low-ionization lines (e.g. ZnII, CrII, TiII, MnII,
SiII), the accreting material appears to be enriched to about 0.4
(albeit with large uncertainties: ), which is
comparable to the galaxy metallicity (), implying a
large recycling fraction from past outflows. Blue-shifted MgII and FeII
absorptions in the galaxy spectrum from the MUSE data reveal the presence of an
outflow. The MgII and FeII doublet ratios indicate emission infilling due to
scattering processes, but the MUSE data do not show any signs of fluorescent
FeII* emission.Comment: 17 pages, 11 figures, in press (ApJ), minor edits after the proofs.
Data available at http://muse-vlt.eu/science/j1422
Resonance ionization spectroscopy of thorium isotopes - towards a laser spectroscopic identification of the low-lying 7.6 eV isomer of Th-229
In-source resonance ionization spectroscopy was used to identify an efficient
and selective three step excitation/ionization scheme of thorium, suitable for
titanium:sapphire (Ti:sa) lasers. The measurements were carried out in
preparation of laser spectroscopic investigations for an identification of the
low-lying Th-229m isomer predicted at 7.6 +- 0.5 eV above the nuclear ground
state. Using a sample of Th-232, a multitude of optical transitions leading to
over 20 previously unknown intermediate states of even parity as well as
numerous high-lying odd parity auto-ionizing states were identified. Level
energies were determined with an accuracy of 0.06 cm-1 for intermediate and
0.15 cm-1 for auto-ionizing states. Using different excitation pathways an
assignment of total angular momenta for several energy levels was possible. One
particularly efficient ionization scheme of thorium, exhibiting saturation in
all three optical transitions, was studied in detail. For all three levels in
this scheme, the isotope shifts of the isotopes Th-228, Th-229, and Th-230
relative to Th-232 were measured. An overall efficiency including ionization,
transport and detection of 0.6 was determined, which was predominantly limited
by the transmission of the mass spectrometer ion optics
Lowering IceCube's energy threshold for point source searches in the Southern Sky
Observation of a point source of astrophysical neutrinos would be a "smoking gun" signature of a cosmic-ray accelerator. While IceCube has recently discovered a diffuse flux of astrophysical neutrinos, no localized point source has been observed. Previous IceCube searches for point sources in the southern sky were restricted by either an energy threshold above a few hundred TeV or poor neutrino angular resolution. Here we present a search for southern sky point sources with greatly improved sensitivities to neutrinos with energies below 100 TeV. By selecting charged-current ν μ interacting inside the detector, we reduce the atmospheric background while retaining efficiency for astrophysical neutrino-induced events reconstructed with sub-degree angular resolution. The new event sample covers three years of detector data and leads to a factor of 10 improvement in sensitivity to point sources emitting below 100 TeV in the southern sky. No statistically significant evidence of point sources was found, and upper limits are set on neutrino emission from individual sources. A posteriori analysis of the highest-energy (~100 TeV) starting event in the sample found that this event alone represents a 2.8σ deviation from the hypothesis that the data consists only of atmospheric background.Fil: Aartsen, M. G.. University of Adelaide; AustraliaFil: Abraham, K.. Technische Universität München; AlemaniaFil: Ackermann, M.. Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron; AlemaniaFil: Adams, J.. University Of Canterbury; Nueva ZelandaFil: Aguilar, J. A.. Université Libre de Bruxelles; BélgicaFil: Golup, Geraldina Tamara. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Gerencia del Área de Energía Nuclear. Instituto Balseiro; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; ArgentinaFil: Wallace, A.. University of Adelaide; AustraliaFil: Wallraff, M.. Rwth Aachen University; AlemaniaFil: Wandkowsky, N.. University of Wisconsin; Estados UnidosFil: Weaver, Ch.. University of Alberta; CanadáFil: Wendt, C.. University of Wisconsin; Estados UnidosFil: Westerhoff, S.. University of Wisconsin; Estados UnidosFil: Whelan, B. J.. University of Adelaide; AustraliaFil: Whitehorn, N.. University of California at Berkeley; Estados UnidosFil: Wickmann, S.. Rwth Aachen University; AlemaniaFil: Wiebe, K.. Johannes Gutenberg Universitat Mainz; AlemaniaFil: Wiebusch, C. H.. Rwth Aachen University; AlemaniaFil: Wille, L.. University of Wisconsin; Estados UnidosFil: Williams, D. R.. University of Alabama at Birmingahm; Estados UnidosFil: Wills, L.. Drexel University; Estados UnidosFil: Wissing, H.. University of Maryland; Estados UnidosFil: Wolf, M.. Stockholms Universitet; SueciaFil: Wood, T. R.. University of Alberta; CanadáFil: Woschnagg, K.. University of California at Berkeley; Estados UnidosFil: Xu, D. L.. University of Wisconsin; Estados UnidosFil: Xu, X. W.. Southern University; Estados UnidosFil: Xu, Y.. Stony Brook University; Estados UnidosFil: Yanez, J. P.. Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron; AlemaniaFil: Yodh, G.. University of California at Irvine; Estados UnidosFil: Yoshida, S.. Chiba University; JapónFil: Zoll, M.. Stockholms Universitet; Sueci
Cross-cultural adaptation of the Dutch Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment questionnaire (SMFA-NL):Internal consistency, validity, repeatability and responsiveness
The purpose of this study was to translate and culturally adapt the Dutch version of the Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment questionnaire (SMFA-NL) and to investigate the internal consistency, validity, repeatability and responsiveness of the translated version. The original SMFA was first translated and culturally adapted from English into Dutch according to a standardised procedure and subsequently tested for clinimetric quality. The study population consisted of 162 patients treated for various musculoskeletal injuries or disorders at the departments of Orthopedics and Traumatology. All respondents filled in the SMFA-NL and the SF-36 and a region-specific questionnaire. To determine repeatability, 87 respondents filled in the SMFA-NL for a second time after a time interval of three to four weeks. To determine responsiveness, 29 respondents who were treated for their injury within three months before the first assessment filled in the SMFA-NL for a second time after two to three months. The following analyses were performed to evaluate clinimetric quality of the SMFA-NL: factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha (internal consistency), floor and ceiling effects, Spearman's Rho (construct validity), intraclass correlation coefficients and the Bland & Altman method (repeatability), and standardised response means (SRM) (responsiveness). Factor analysis demonstrated four subscales of the SMFA-NL. Both the newly identified subscales of the SMFA-NL and the conventional subscales of the SMFA showed good internal consistency. No floor and some ceiling effects were found. Construct validity was good, as high correlations were found between the subscales of the SMFA-NL and the respective subscales of the SF-36 and the region-specific questionnaires. Repeatability of the SMFA-NL subscales was high, with no systematic bias between first and second assessment. Responsiveness of the SMFA-NL was moderate, as small to moderate SRMs were found. We successfully translated and culturally adapted a Dutch version of the Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment questionnaire (SFMA-NL). This study shows that the SMFA-NL is a valid, reliable and moderately responsive method for the assessment of functional status of patients who have a broad range of musculoskeletal disorders. Furthermore, it will allow for comparison between different patient groups as well as for cross-cultural comparisons. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
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