A Predictive Algorithm For Wetlands In Deep Time Paleoclimate Models

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas produced in wetland environments via microbial action in anaerobic conditions. If the location and extent of wetlands are unknown, such as for the Earth many millions of years in the past, a model of wetland fraction is required in order to calculate methane emissions and thus help reduce uncertainty in the understanding of past warm greenhouse climates. Here we present an algorithm for predicting inundated wetland fraction for use in calculating wetland methane emission fluxes in deep time paleoclimate simulations. The algorithm determines, for each grid cell in a given paleoclimate simulation, the wetland fraction predicted by a nearest neighbours search of modern day data in a space described by a set of environmental, climate and vegetation variables. To explore this approach, we first test it for a modern day climate with variables obtained from observations and then for an Eocene climate with variables derived from a fully coupled global climate model (HadCM3BL-M2.2). Two independent dynamic vegetation models were used to provide two sets of equivalent vegetation variables which yielded two different wetland predictions. As a first test the method, using both vegetation models, satisfactorily reproduces modern data wetland fraction at a course grid resolution, similar to those used in paleoclimate simulations. We then applied the method to an early Eocene climate, testing its outputs against the locations of Eocene coal deposits. We predict global mean monthly wetland fraction area for the early Eocene of 8 to 10 × 106km2 with corresponding total annual methane flux of 656 to 909 Tg, depending on which of two different dynamic global vegetation models are used to model wetland fraction and methane emission rates. Both values are significantly higher than estimates for the modern-day of 4 × 106km2 and around 190Tg (Poulter et. al. 2017, Melton et. al., 2013

Recommended Locations of Beam Loss Monitors for the ATLAS Roman Pots

This note suggests suitable locations to position beam loss monitors to observe losses on the ATLAS Roman Pot station located close to 240m from IP1. This monitoring is envisaged to help to avoid quenches of the super- conducting magnets downstream of the roman pots and to avert damage to either the LHC machine elements or the roman pot detectors. The results presented in this note indicate the locations where the BLMs should be installed. The recommended locations are determined using previous simulation results on BLM response to losses; therefore these results should be considered in conjunction with the previous results. A more detailed note on the topic will follow later

Recommended Locations of Beam Loss Monitors for the TOTEM Roman Pots

This note presents results from simulations of losses on the TOTEM Roman Pot stations located close to 150m and 220m from IP5. These results are used to evaluate suitable locations to position beam loss monitors to monitor these losses, and help to avoid quenches of the super-conducting magnets downstream of the roman pots. The results presented in this note indicate the locations where the BLMs should be installed. A more detailed note on the topic will follow later

Higher Order, Hybrid BEM/FEM Methods Applied to Antenna Modeling

In this presentation, the authors address topics relevant to higher order modeling using hybrid BEM/FEM formulations. The first of these is the limitation on convergence rates imposed by geometric modeling errors in the analysis of scattering by a dielectric sphere. The second topic is the application of an Incomplete LU Threshold (ILUT) preconditioner to solve the linear system resulting from the BEM/FEM formulation. The final tOpic is the application of the higher order BEM/FEM formulation to antenna modeling problems. The authors have previously presented work on the benefits of higher order modeling. To achieve these benefits, special attention is required in the integration of singular and near-singular terms arising in the surface integral equation. Several methods for handling these terms have been presented. It is also well known that achieving ~he high rates of convergence afforded by higher order bases may als'o require the employment of higher order geometry models. A number of publications have described the use of quadratic elements to model curved surfaces. The authors have shown in an EFIE formulation, applied to scattering by a PEC .sphere, that quadratic order elements may be insufficient to prevent the domination of modeling errors. In fact, on a PEC sphere with radius r = 0.58 Lambda(sub 0), a quartic order geometry representation was required to obtain a convergence benefi.t from quadratic bases when compared to the convergence rate achieved with linear bases. Initial trials indicate that, for a dielectric sphere of the same radius, - requirements on the geometry model are not as severe as for the PEC sphere. The authors will present convergence results for higher order bases as a function of the geometry model order in the hybrid BEM/FEM formulation applied to dielectric spheres. It is well known that the system matrix resulting from the hybrid BEM/FEM formulation is ill -conditioned. For many real applications, a good preconditioner is required to obtain usable convergence from an iterative solver. The authors have examined the use of an Incomplete LU Threshold (ILUT) preconditioner . to solver linear systems stemming from higher order BEM/FEM formulations in 2D scattering problems. Although the resulting preconditioner provided aD excellent approximation to the system inverse, its size in terms of non-zero entries represented only a modest improvement when compared with the fill-in associated with a sparse direct solver. Furthermore, the fill-in of the preconditioner could not be substantially reduced without the occurrence of instabilities. In addition to the results for these 2D problems, the authors will present iterative solution data from the application of the ILUT preconditioner to 3D problems

Acceleration of the Surface Test Integral Using Vertex Functions

In recent years, many papers have reported on the efficient and accurate evaluation of the double surface integrals that arise in the Method of Moments. Most have focused on the careful evaluation of the inner integral and assumed that the outer integral is sufficiently smooth to be easily evaluated numerically. More recently, several papers have appeared where the double integral is treated as a whole using the divergence theorem. These papers show promising results, though their implementation may imply changes to the integration paradigm for the associated codes. Here, instead, we investigate a technique that improves the numerical evaluation of the test integral without affecting the treatment of the source integral. From the integrand of the outer integral, we subtract pairs of quasi-static, so-called vertex functions defined on the source triangle. The approach is compared to standard Gauss-triangle schemes to demonstrate its effectiveness

6-D MoM Reaction Integrals Evaluated via the Divergence Theorem

In this contribution we propose an accurate and efficient numerical evaluation of 6-D reaction integrals that appear in the Method of Moment (MoM) discretization of Volume Integral Equations (VIEs)

Evaluation of Static Potential Integrals on Triangular Domains

Static potential integrals for constant and linear sources on triangles are derived in a straightforward way. The new representations, as presented, are robust with respect to machine evaluation in important limiting cases. The potential integrals comprise up to six functions, each dependent on the relative position and orientation (with respect to an observation point) of a vertex and edge, respectively, of the source triangle. Gradients of the potentials are derived by differentiation, thus preserving relations between the representations. Each such vertex function reveals any anomalous functional behavior near its associated vertex or edge, which is useful information for devising test integral schemes. Potential plots in the source plane of an equilateral triangle illustrate such behavior, as do similar plots for each vertex function and gradient components near their associated edge and vertex

Correcting the NLRP3 inflammasome deficiency in macrophages from autoimmune NZB mice with exon skipping antisense oligonucleotides

Inflammasomes are molecular complexes activated by infection and cellular stress, leading to caspase-1 activation and subsequent interleukin-1β (IL-1β) processing and cell death. The autoimmune NZB mouse strain does not express NLRP3, a key inflammasome initiator mediating responses to a wide variety of stimuli including endogenous danger signals, environmental irritants and a range of bacterial, fungal and viral pathogens. We have previously identified an intronic point mutation in the Nlrp3 gene from NZB mice that generates a splice acceptor site. This leads to inclusion of a pseudoexon that introduces an early termination codon and is proposed to be the cause of NLRP3 inflammasome deficiency in NZB cells. Here we have used exon skipping antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) to prevent aberrant splicing of Nlrp3 in NZB macrophages, and this restored both NLRP3 protein expression and NLRP3 inflammasome activity. Thus, the single point mutation leading to aberrant splicing is the sole cause of NLRP3 inflammasome deficiency in NZB macrophages. The NZB mouse provides a model for addressing a splicing defect in macrophages and could be used to further investigate AON design and delivery of AONs to macrophages in vivo

Charge Transfer Properties Through Graphene Layers in Gas Detectors

Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb lattice with remarkable mechanical, electrical and optical properties. For the first time graphene layers suspended on copper meshes were installed into a gas detector equipped with a gaseous electron multiplier. Measurements of low energy electron and ion transfer through graphene were conducted. In this paper we describe the sample preparation for suspended graphene layers, the testing procedures and we discuss the preliminary results followed by a prospect of further applications.Comment: 2014 IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference with the 21st Symposium on Room-Temperature Semiconductor X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Detectors, 4 pages, 8 figure