Analysis of satellite data for studies related to ionospheric plasma research Semiannual status report, 1 May 1967 - 30 Apr. 1968

Preliminary data analysis of satellite-ionospheric plasma interaction

Wing-slope techniques for the analysis of Langmuir probe characteristics

Wing-slope positive ion temperature measurement technique for Langmuir probe volt-ampere characteristic analysi

A First Order Technique for the Measurement of Vehicle Potential in the Ionosphere

Cylindrical Langmuir probe to measure artificially induced variations of vehicle potential in ionospher

An End Effect Associated with Cylindrical Langmuir Probes Moving at Satellite Velocities

Anomaly in ion current response of cylindrical Langmuir probe carried aboard Explorer XVII SATELLIT

Probing the Role of the Barrier Layer in Magnetic Tunnel Junction Transport

Magnetic tunnel junctions with a ferrimagnetic barrier layer have been studied to understand the role of the barrier layer in the tunneling process - a factor that has been largely overlooked until recently. Epitaxial oxide junctions of highly spin polarized La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 and Fe3O4 electrodes with magnetic NiMn2O4 (NMO) insulating barrier layers provide a magnetic tunnel junction system in which we can probe the effect of the barrier by comparing junction behavior above and below the Curie temperature of the barrier layer. When the barrier is paramagnetic, the spin polarized transport is dominated by interface scattering and surface spin waves; however, when the barrier is ferrimagnetic, spin flip scattering due to spin waves within the NMO barrier dominates the transport.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure

The Duty To Protect Survivors Of Gender-based Violence In The Age Of Covid-19: An Expanded Human Rights Framework

Many commentators have referred to domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence (GBV) in the age of COVID-19 as a “double pandemic.” Based on results of a mixed-methods study on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on GBV in South Florida, conducted by the Human Rights Clinic of the University of Miami School of Law, in close collaboration with community-based organizations,1 this article offers a proposal for an expanded normative human rights framework to address domestic violence and other forms of GBV. The local study sought to elucidate the pathways that link pandemics such as COVID-19 and GBV, highlight linkages with other social and economic factors, seek greater clarity on the conditions and systems that actually lead to safety, and inform intervention and response options. Study results show just how underfunded and unprepared service providers have been to respond to victims’ needs and priorities during this pandemic.2 This article’s human rights analysis and recommendations offer approaches that respond to the most affected communities’ needs and priorities and insist on improved policy and government responses during the current crisis and its aftermath. This study built off the fact-finding work of our Human Rights Clinic’s COURAGE in Policing Initiative (COURAGE = Community Oriented and United Responses to Address Gender Violence and Equality), which works with community-based organizations, police departments, and GBV experts locally, nationally, and globally on improving law enforcement responses to GBV. The project aims to increase access to safety and justice for all survivors, with a particular focus on black and brown women, immigrant women, disabled women, indigenous women, LGBTQI individuals, and other underserved populations. In collaboration with partners, the project is developing surveys, model policies, trainings, supervision protocols, reports, online resources, and systems of accountability for improving law enforcement responses to GBV, including research and tools specific to the COVID-19 context. But as the national dialogue transitioned away from law enforcement-centric solutions, and of course, as the pandemic set in in March 2020, the COURAGE project transitioned into a new iteration, which focused on a series of new research questions, namely: (1) How has the COVID pandemic impacted the service providers that interact with GBV survivors in South Florida?; (2) How have service providers responded to the new challenges?; and (3) What are the evolving needs of survivors and service providers throughout the pandemic? The ultimate goal of our research was to produce a series of recommendations that could be implemented across Miami-Dade County and nationwide, to address pressing immediate needs and to better prepare for future public health or other massive crises. Below, we first discuss the “double pandemic” phenomenon of increased domestic violence and other forms of GBV in times of COVID-19. Next, we explore the intersectional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, as it relates to GBV survivors of color and from culturally-specific or underserved communities. Then, we offer a synopsis of our study results, and propose an expanded normative framework that broadens our understanding of how GBV survivors should be protected under international human rights law as well as domestic law. Finally, this article offers policy recommendations

Stone-Wales Transformation Paths in Fullerene C60

The mechanisms of formation of a metastable defect isomer of fullerene C60 due to the Stone-Wales transformation are theoretically studied. It is demonstrated that the paths of the "dynamic" Stone-Wales transformation at a high sufficient for overcoming potential barriers) temperature can differ from the two "adiabatic" transformation paths discussed in the literature. This behavior is due to the presence of a great near-flat segment of the potential-energy surface in the neighborhood of metastable states. Besides, the sequence of rupture and formation of interatomic bonds is other than that in the case of the adiabatictransformation.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure

Formation of Nitriles in the Interstellar Medium via Reactions of Cyano Radicals, CN(X 2Σ+), with Unsaturated Hydrocarbons

Crossed molecular beam experiments of cyano radicals, CN(X 2Σ+, ν = 0), in their electronic and vibrational ground state reacting with unsaturated hydrocarbons acetylene, C2H2(X 1Σ), ethylene, C2H4(X 1Ag), methylacetylene, CH3CCH(X 1A1), allene, H2CCCH2(X 1A1), dimethylacetylene, CH3CCCH3(X 1A1'), and benzene, C6H6 (X 1A1g), were performed at relative collision energies between 13.3 and 36.4 kJ mol-1 to unravel the formation of unsaturated nitriles in the outflows of late-type AGB carbon stars and molecular clouds. In all reactions, the CN radical was found to attack the π electron density of the hydrocarbon molecule with the radical center located at the carbon atom; the formation of an initial addition complex is a prevalent pathway on all the involved potential energy surfaces. A subsequent carbon-hydrogen bond rupture yields the nitriles cyanoacetylene, HCCCN (X 1Σ+), vinylcyanide, C2H3CN (X 1A'), 1-methylcyanoacetylene, CH3CCCN (X 1A1), cyanoallene, H2CCCH(CN) (X 1A'), 3-methylcyanoacetylene, HCCCH2CN(X 1A'), 1,1-cyanomethylallene, H2CCC(CN)(CH3) (X 1A'), and cyanobenzene, C6H5CN (X 1A1). In case of acetylene and ethylene, a second reaction channel involves a [1, 2]-H atom shift in the initial HCCHCN and H2CCH2CN collision complexes prior to a hydrogen atom release to form cyanoacetylene, HCCCN (X 1Σ+), and vinylcyanide, C2H3CN (X 1A'). Since all these radical-neutral reactions show no entrance barriers, have exit barriers well below the energy of the reactant molecules, and are exothermic, the explicit identification of this CN versus H atom exchange pathway under single collision conditions makes this reaction class a compelling candidate to synthesize unsaturated nitriles in interstellar environments holding temperatures as low as 10 K. This general concept makes it even feasible to predict the formation of nitriles once the corresponding unsaturated hydrocarbons are identified in the interstellar medium. Here HCCCN, C2H3CN, and CH3CCCN have been already observed; since CH3CCH is the common precursor to H2CCCH(CN)/CH3CCCN and the latter isomer has been assigned unambiguously toward TMC-1 and OMC-1, H2CCCH(CN) is strongly expected to be present in both clouds as well. The formation of isonitrile isomers was not observed in our experiments. Since all reactions to HCCNC, C2H3NC, CH3CCNC, H2CCCH(NC), H2CCC(NC)(CH3), and C6H5NC are either endothermic or the exit barrier is well above the energy of the reactants, neutral-neutral reactions of cyano radicals with closed shell unsaturated hydrocarbons cannot synthesize isonitriles in cold molecular clouds. However, in outflow of carbon stars, the enhanced translational energy of both reactants close to the photosphere of the central star can compensate this endothermicity, and isonitriles might be formed in these hotter environments as well