2,815 research outputs found
Laser application to measure vertical sea temperature and turbidity, design phase
An experiment to test a new method was designed, using backscattered radiation from a laser beam to measure oceanographic parameters in a fraction of a second. Tyndall, Rayleigh, Brillouin, and Raman scattering all are utilized to evaluate the parameters. A beam from a continuous argon ion laser is used together with an interferometer and interference filters to gather the information. The results are checked by direct measurements. Future shipboard and airborne experiments are described
The Air-temperature Response to Green/blue-infrastructure Evaluation Tool (TARGET v1.0) : an efficient and user-friendly model of city cooling
The adverse impacts of urban heat and global climate change are leading policymakers to consider green and blue infrastructure (GBI) for heat mitigation benefits. Though many models exist to evaluate the cooling impacts of GBI, their complexity and computational demand leaves most of them largely inaccessible to those without specialist expertise and computing facilities. Here a new model called The Air-temperature Response to Green/blue-infrastructure Evaluation Tool (TARGET) is presented. TARGET is designed to be efficient and easy to use, with fewer user-defined parameters and less model input data required than other urban climate models. TARGET can be used to model average street-level air temperature at canyon-to-block scales (e.g. 100 m resolution), meaning it can be used to assess temperature impacts of suburb-to-city-scale GBI proposals. The model aims to balance realistic representation of physical processes and computation efficiency. An evaluation against two different datasets shows that TARGET can reproduce the magnitude and patterns of both air temperature and surface temperature within suburban environments. To demonstrate the utility of the model for planners and policymakers, the results from two precinct-scale heat mitigation scenarios are presented. TARGET is available to the public, and ongoing development, including a graphical user interface, is planned for future work
Three-Fluid Description of the Sympathetic Cooling of a Boson-Fermion Mixture
We present a model for sympathetic cooling of a mixture of fermionic and
bosonic atomic gases in harmonic traps, based on a three-fluid description. The
model confirms the experimentally observed cooling limit of about 0.2 T_F when
only bosons are pumped. We propose sequential cooling -- first pumping of
bosons and afterwards fermions -- as a way to obtain lower temperatures. For
this scheme, our model predicts that temperatures less than 0.1 T_F can be
reached.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figure
Crystal structure of Enterobacter cloacae 908R class C beta-lactamase bound to iodo-acetamido-phenyl boronic acid, a transition-state analogue
peer reviewedThe structures of the, class C beta-lactamase from Enterobacter cloacae 908R alone and in complex with a baronic acid transition-state analogue were determined by X-ray crystallography at 2.1 and 2.3 Angstrom, respectively. The structure of the enzyme resembles those of other class C beta-lactamases. The structure of the. complex with the transition-state analogue, iodo-acetamido-phenyl boronic acid, shows that the inhibitor is covalently, bound to the active-site serine (Ser64). Binding of the inhibitor within the active site is compared with previously determined structures of complexes with other class C enzymes. The structure of the boronic acid adduct indicates ways to improve the affinity of this class of inhibitors. This structure of 908R class C beta-lactamase in complex with a transitionstate analogue provides further insights into the mechanism of action of these hydrolases
Altimetry, gravimetry, GPS and viscoelastic modeling data for the joint inversion for glacial isostatic adjustment in Antarctica (ESA STSE Project REGINA)
The poorly known correction for the ongoing deformation of the solid Earth caused by glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) is a major uncertainty in determining the mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet from measurements of satellite gravimetry and to a lesser extent satellite altimetry. In the past decade, much progress has been made in consistently modeling ice sheet and solid Earth interactions; however, forward-modeling solutions of GIA in Antarctica remain uncertain due to the sparsity of constraints on the ice sheet evolution, as well as the Earth's rheological properties. An alternative approach towards estimating GIA is the joint inversion of multiple satellite data – namely, satellite gravimetry, satellite altimetry and GPS, which reflect, with different sensitivities, trends in recent glacial changes and GIA. Crucial to the success of this approach is the accuracy of the space-geodetic data sets. Here, we present reprocessed rates of surface-ice elevation change (Envisat/Ice, Cloud,and land Elevation Satellite, ICESat; 2003–2009), gravity field change (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment, GRACE; 2003–2009) and bedrock uplift (GPS; 1995–2013). The data analysis is complemented by the forward modeling of viscoelastic response functions to disc load forcing, allowing us to relate GIA-induced surface displacements with gravity changes for different rheological parameters of the solid Earth. The data and modeling results presented here are available in the PANGAEA database (https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.875745). The data sets are the input streams for the joint inversion estimate of present-day ice-mass change and GIA, focusing on Antarctica. However, the methods, code and data provided in this paper can be used to solve other problems, such as volume balances of the Antarctic ice sheet, or can be applied to other geographical regions in the case of the viscoelastic response functions. This paper presents the first of two contributions summarizing the work carried out within a European Space Agency funded study: Regional glacial isostatic adjustment and CryoSat elevation rate corrections in Antarctica (REGINA)
Picture your nursing home: Exploring the sense of home of older residents through photography
The quality of the built environment can impact the quality of life and the sense of home of nursing home residents. This study investigated (1) which factors in the physical and social environment correlate with the sense of home of the residents and (2) which environmental factors are most meaningful. Twelve participants engaged in a qualitative study, in which photography was as a supportive tool for subsequent interviews. The data were analysed based on the six phases by Braun and Clarke. The four themes identified are (1) the physical view; (2) mobility and accessibility; (3) space, place, and personal belongings; and (4) the social environment and activities. A holistic understanding of which features of the built environment are appreciated by the residents can lead to the design and retrofitting of nursing homes that are more in line with personal wishes
Spin measurements for 147Sm+n resonances: Further evidence for non-statistical effects
We have determined the spins J of resonances in the 147Sm(n,gamma) reaction
by measuring multiplicities of gamma-ray cascades following neutron capture.
Using this technique, we were able to determine J values for all but 14 of the
140 known resonances below En = 1 keV, including 41 firm J assignments for
resonances whose spins previously were either unknown or tentative. These new
spin assignments, together with previously determined resonance parameters,
allowed us to extract separate level spacings and neutron strength functions
for J = 3 and 4 resonances. Furthermore, several statistical test of the data
indicate that very few resonances of either spin have been missed below En =
700eV. Because a non-statistical effect recently was reported near En = 350 eV
from an analysis of 147Sm(n,alpha) data, we divided the data into two regions;
0 < En < 350 eV and 350 < En < 700 eV. Using neutron widths from a previous
measurement and published techniques for correcting for missed resonances and
for testing whether data are consistent with a Porter-Thomas distribution, we
found that the reduced-neutron-width distribution for resonances below 350 eV
is consistent with the expected Porter-Thomas distribution. On the other hand,
we found that reduced-neutron-width data in the 350 < En < 700 eV region are
inconsistent with a Porter-Thomas distribution, but in good agreement with a
chi-squared distribution having two or more degrees of freedom. We discuss
possible explanations for these observed non-statistical effects and their
possible relation to similar effects previously observed in other nuclides.Comment: 40 pages, 13 figures, accepted by Phys. Rev.
Bose-Einstein condensation of Efimovian triples in the unitary Bose gas
In an atomic Bose-Einstein condensate quenched to the unitary regime, we
predict the sequential formation of a significant fraction of condensed pairs
and triples. At short-distances, we demonstrate the two-body and Efimovian
character of the condensed pairs and triples, respectively. As the system
evolves, the size of the condensed pairs and triples becomes comparable to the
interparticle distance, such that many-body effects become significant. The
structure of the condensed triples depends on the relative size of Efimov
states to density scales. Unexpectedly, we find universal condensed triples in
the limit where these scales are well-separated. Our findings provide a new
framework for understanding dynamics in the unitary regime as the Bose-Einstein
condensation of few-body composites
Non-Statistical Effects in Neutron Capture
There have been many reports of non-statistical effects in neutron-capture
measurements. However, reports of deviations of reduced-neutron-width
distributions from the expected Porter-Thomas (PT) shape largely have been
ignored. Most of these deviations have been reported for odd-A nuclides.
Because reliable spin (J) assignments have been absent for most resonances for
such nuclides, it is possible that reported deviations from PT might be due to
incorrect J assignments. We recently developed a new method for measuring spins
of neutron resonances by using the DANCE detector at LANSCE. Measurements made
with a 147Sm sample allowed us to determine spins of almost all known
resonances below 1 keV. Furthermore, analysis of these data revealed that the
reduced-neutron-width distribution was in good agreement with PT for resonances
below 350 eV, but in disagreement with PT for resonances between 350 and 700
eV. Our previous (n,alpha) measurements had revealed that the alpha strength
function also changes abruptly at this energy. There currently is no known
explanation for these two non-statistical effects. Recently, we have developed
another new method for determining the spins of neutron resonances. To
implement this technique required a small change (to record pulse-height
information for coincidence events) to a much simpler apparatus: A pair of C6D6
gamma-ray detectors which we have employed for many years to measure
neutron-capture cross sections at ORELA. Measurements with a 95Mo sample
revealed that not only does the method work very well for determining spins,
but it also makes possible parity assignments. Taken together, these new
techniques at LANSCE and ORELA could be very useful for further elucidation of
non-statistical effects.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, for proceedings of CGS1
Direct magneto-optical compression of an effusive atomic beam for high-resolution focused ion beam application
An atomic rubidium beam formed in a 70 mm long two-dimensional
magneto-optical trap (2D MOT), directly loaded from a collimated Knudsen
source, is analyzed using laser-induced fluorescence. The longitudinal velocity
distribution, the transverse temperature and the flux of the atomic beam are
reported. The equivalent transverse reduced brightness of an ion beam with
similar properties as the atomic beam is calculated because the beam is
developed to be photoionized and applied in a focused ion beam. In a single
two-dimensional magneto-optical trapping step an equivalent transverse reduced
brightness of A/(m sr eV) was
achieved with a beam flux equivalent to nA. The
temperature of the beam is further reduced with an optical molasses after the
2D MOT. This increased the equivalent brightness to A/(m sr eV). For currents below 10 pA, for which disorder-induced
heating can be suppressed, this number is also a good estimate of the ion beam
brightness that can be expected. Such an ion beam brightness would be a six
times improvement over the liquid metal ion source and could improve the
resolution in focused ion beam nanofabrication.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, 1 tabl
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