Magnetic field generation in relativistic shocks - An early end of the exponential Weibel instability in electron-proton plasmas

We discuss magnetic field generation by the proton Weibel instability in relativistic shocks, a situation that applies to the external shocks in the fireball model for Gamma-ray Bursts, and possibly also to internal shocks. Our analytical estimates show that the linear phase of the instability ends well before it has converted a significant fraction of the energy in the proton beam into magnetic energy: the conversion efficiency is much smaller (of order m_e/m_p) in electron-proton plasmas than in pair plasmas. We find this estimate by modelling the plasma in the shock transition zone with a waterbag momentum distribution for the protons and with a background of hot electrons. For ultra-relativistic shocks we find that the wavelength of the most efficient mode for magnetic field generation equals the electron skin depth, that the relevant nonlinear stabilization mechanism is magnetic trapping, and that the presence of the hot electrons limits the typical magnetic field strength generated by this mode so that it does not depend on the energy content of the protons. We conclude that other processes than the linear Weibel instability must convert the free energy of the protons into magnetic fields.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in A&

Analytical design of multispectral sensors

An optimal design based on the criterion of minimum mean square representation error using the Karhunen-Loeve expansion was developed to represent the spectral response functions from a stratum based upon a stochastic process scene model. From the overall pattern recognition system perspective, the effect of the representation accuracy on a typical performance criterion (the probability of correct classification) is investigated. The optimum sensor design provides a standard against which practical (suboptimum) operational sensors can be compared. An example design is provided and its performance is illustrated. Although developed primarily for the purpose of sensor design, the procedure has potential for making important contributions to scene understanding. Spectral channels which have narrow bandwidths relative to current sensor systems may be necessary to provide adequate spectral representation and improved classification performance

How sustainable are different levels of consciousness?

The human brain processes a wide variety of inputs and does so either consciously or subconsciously. According to the Global Workspace theory, conscious processing involves broadcasting of information to several regions of the brain and subconscious processing involves more localized processing. This theoretical paper aims to expand on some of the aspects of the Global Workspace theory: how the properties of incoming information result in it being processed subconsciously or consciously; why processing can be either be sustained or short-lived; how the Global Workspace theory may apply both to real-time sensory input as well as to internally retained information. This paper proposes that: familiar input which does not elicit intense emotions becomes processed subconsciously and such processing can be continuous and sustained; input that elicits relatively intense emotions is subjected to highly sustainable conscious processing; input can also undergo meta-conscious processing. Such processing is not very sustainable but can exert control over other cognitive processes. This paper also discusses possible benefits of regulating cognitive processes this way.Comment: 28 pages, 2 figures, 1 tabl

Magnetic field generation in relativistic shocks

Linear theory of the Weibel instability cannot explain magnetic field generation in relativistic shock fronts in electron-proton plasmas. The fireball model for Gamma-ray Burst afterglows requires a magnetic field in similar shock fronts between the fireball and the surrounding matter to explain the detected nonthermal afterglow radiation. We consider an analytical model of pre-shock protons penetrating the hot post-shock electron plasma. The linear Weibel instability produces magnetic fields through self-enhancing current channels. Perturbations with a length-scale comparable to the electron skin depth reach the highest magnetic field before the linear theory breaks down. The electrons quench the linear proton instability so that it cannot randomize the proton velocity distribution and only converts a small fraction of the available kinetic energy of the protons into magnetic fields. We conclude that the linear Weibel instability that dominates in pair plasmas is relatively unimportant in electron-proton plasmas and that non-linear processes are probably much more important

A Bose-Einstein condensate in a random potential

An optical speckle potential is used to investigate the static and dynamic properties of a Bose-Einstein condensate in the presence of disorder. For strong disorder the condensate is localized in the deep wells of the potential. With smaller levels of disorder, stripes are observed in the expanded density profile and strong damping of dipole and quadrupole oscillations is seen. Uncorrelated frequency shifts of the two modes are measured for a weak disorder and are explained using a sum-rules approach and by the numerical solution of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation

An evaluation of the use of chromic oxide, polyethylene glycol and Cr-EDTA as markers for digestive studies along the small intestine of ruminants.

In cows, fitted with a T-shaped cannula in the duodenum and with a re-entrant cannula in the ileum, ileal recoveries were determined of Cr2O3, from impregnated paper and polyethylene glycol (PEG), introduced into the duodenum. The length of the collection periods of digesta was important. The mean transit time of both markers along the small intestine did not differ. In sheep, fitted with an infusion tube into the abomasum and with an ileal re-entrant cannula, PEG was recovered quantitatively over 10-h collection periods. In sheep, fitted with an infusion tube into the abomasum and with 4 T-shaped cannulae along the small intestine, flow rates of digesta in jejenum and ileum estimated with PEG and Cr-EDTA were similar. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission