The large-scale modulation of cosmic rays in mid-1982: Its dependence on heliospheric longitude and radius

Near solar maximum, a series of large radial solar wind shocks in June and July 1982 provided a unique opportunity to study the solar modulation of galactic cosmic rays with an array of spacecraft widely separated both in heliocentric radius and longitude. By eliminating hysteresis effects it is possible to begin to separate radial and azimuthal effects in the outer heliosphere. On the large scale, changes in modulation (both the increasing and recovery phases) propagate outward at close to the solar wind velocity, except for the near-term effects of solar wind shocks, which may propagate at a significantly higher velocity. In the outer heliosphere, azimuthal effects are small in comparison with radial effects for large-scale modulation at solar maximum

Beta event-related desynchronization as an index of individual differences in processing human facial expression: further investigations of autistic traits in typically developing adults

The human mirror neuron system (hMNS) has been associated with various forms of social cognition and affective processing including vicarious experience. It has also been proposed that a faulty hMNS may underlie some of the deficits seen in the autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). In the present study we set out to investigate whether emotional facial expressions could modulate a putative EEG index of hMNS activation (mu suppression) and if so, would this differ according to the individual level of autistic traits [high versus low Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) score]. Participants were presented with 3 s films of actors opening and closing their hands (classic hMNS mu-suppression protocol) while simultaneously wearing happy, angry, or neutral expressions. Mu-suppression was measured in the alpha and low beta bands. The low AQ group displayed greater low beta event-related desynchronization (ERD) to both angry and neutral expressions. The high AQ group displayed greater low beta ERD to angry than to happy expressions. There was also significantly more low beta ERD to happy faces for the low than for the high AQ group. In conclusion, an interesting interaction between AQ group and emotional expression revealed that hMNS activation can be modulated by emotional facial expressions and that this is differentiated according to individual differences in the level of autistic traits. The EEG index of hMNS activation (mu suppression) seems to be a sensitive measure of the variability in facial processing in typically developing individuals with high and low self-reported traits of autism

Experimental study of two separating turbulent boundary layers

A detailed study of two strong adverse pressure gradient flows, one with a free-stream velocity of 35 m/sec, at throat (producing a Re sub theta of 27000 at detachment) and another with free-stream velocity of 22 m/sec, at throat (producing a Re sub theta of 19000 at detachment) is presented. In these examples flows separate slowly and reattach very rapidly over a very short distance in a streamwise direction. In the backflow region, there appears to be a semi-logarithmically flat region in the streamwise fluctuating velocity component, u', which spreads over a definite range of y/delta. In power spectra, the flow variables phi sub upsilon upsilon (kappa sub 1 delta)/ -uv bar sub max vs. kappa sub 1 delta forms a unique set of scaling parameters for adverse pressure gradient flows. Experimental results show good agreement with previous studies

The 1973-1984 Solar Modulation of Cosmic Ray Nuclei

As a continuation of the program of solar modulation studies, new measurements were carried out with the cosmic ray telescope on the Earth satellite IMP-8, of the intensity time variations and the energy spectra of galactic cosmic ray protons, helium, carbon and oxygen from 1980 through 1984 including the recent solar maximum. In order to test the applicability of a steady state model of solar modulation during a period which includes times of rapidly changing modulation, these fluxes were equated with the predictions of a conventional model of solar modulation which assumes equilibrium between modulation mechanisms. It is found that for a reasonable range of variations of the diffusion coefficient the model predictions can be made to agree with the measurements at essentially all times during the studied period. The model can account also for the observed hysteresis effects between cosmic rays of different rigidities

Galactic cosmic ray radial gradients and the anomalous He component near maximum solar modulation and to radii beyond 34 AU from the Sun

Radial gradients for relativistic galactic cosmic rays (E 70 MeV) remained nearly constant at approx. 2.5%/AU from 1978-84, which includes the period of maximum solar modulation in 1981-82. For energies 30-70 MeV/n, gradients decreased at solar maximum to values of 1%/AU (protons) and 4%/AU (helium), and appear to be increasing again in 1983-84 toward the values found for solar minimum. The anomalous helium component has not reappeared, either at 1 AU or at Pioneer 10 at R 34 AU

Estimating the masses of extra-solar planets

All extra-solar planet masses that have been derived spectroscopically are lower limits since the inclination of the orbit to our line-of-sight is unknown except for transiting systems. It is, however, possible to determine the inclination angle, i, between the rotation axis of a star and an observer's line-of-sight from measurements of the projected equatorial velocity (v sin i), the stellar rotation period (P_rot) and the stellar radius (R_star). This allows the removal of the sin i dependency of spectroscopically derived extra-solar planet masses under the assumption that the planetary orbits lie perpendicular to the stellar rotation axis. We have carried out an extensive literature search and present a catalogue of v sin i, P_rot, and R_star estimates for exoplanet host stars. In addition, we have used Hipparcos parallaxes and the Barnes-Evans relationship to further supplement the R_star estimates obtained from the literature. Using this catalogue, we have obtained sin i estimates using a Markov-chain Monte Carlo analysis. This allows proper 1-sigma two-tailed confidence limits to be placed on the derived sin i's along with the transit probability for each planet to be determined. While a small proportion of systems yield sin i's significantly greater than 1, most likely due to poor P_rot estimations, the large majority are acceptable. We are further encouraged by the cases where we have data on transiting systems, as the technique indicates inclinations of ~90 degrees and high transit probabilities. In total, we estimate the true masses of 133 extra-solar planets. Of these, only 6 have revised masses that place them above the 13 Jupiter mass deuterium burning limit. Our work reveals a population of high-mass planets with low eccentricities and we speculate that these may represent the signature of different planetary formation mechanisms at work.Comment: 40 pages, 6 tables, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society after editing of Tables 1 & 6 for electronic publication. Html abstract shortened for astro-ph submissio

Effect of Pauli repulsion and transfer on fusion

The effect of the Pauli exclusion principle on the nucleus-nucleus bare potential is studied using a new density-constrained extension of the Frozen-Hartree-Fock (DCFHF) technique. The resulting potentials exhibit a repulsion at short distance. The charge product dependence of this Pauli repulsion is investigated. Dynamical effects are then included in the potential with the density-constrained time-dependent Hartree-Fock (DCTDHF) method. In particular, isovector contributions to this potential are used to investigate the role of transfer on fusion, resulting in a lowering of the inner part of the potential for systems with positive Q-value transfer channels.Comment: Proceedings of an invited talk given at FUSION17, Hobart, Tasmania, AU (20-24 February, 2017

“Living with aphasia the best way I can”: a feasibility study exploring solution focused brief therapy for people with aphasia

Objective: Post-stroke aphasia can profoundly affect a person’s social and emotional well-being. This study explored the feasibility of solution focused brief therapy as an accessible intervention, and investigated its impact on participants’ psychosocial well-being. Participants and methods: Small-scale repeated measures feasibility study. Participants received between three and five therapy sessions. They were assessed on psychosocial outcome measures pre and post therapy, and took part in post-therapy in-depth qualitative interviews. Three men and two women with chronic aphasia took part; age range 40s to 70s. Results: Participants found the therapy acceptable and it was possible to adapt the approach so as to be communicatively accessible. Quantitative assessments showed encouraging trends in improved mood: pre-therapy GHQ-12 mean (SD): 4.80 (4.60), median: 6; post therapy mean (SD): 2.00 (2.55), median: 1; and improved communicative participation: pre-therapy CPIB mean (SD): 7.80 (5.76), median: 7; post therapy mean (SD): 12.20 (4.44), median: 14. Measures of social network and connectedness, however, remained stable. Themes emerging from the qualitative analysis included changes to mood, communicative participation, mobility and everyday activities. Conclusions: This small-scale study suggests solution focused brief therapy is a promising approach in helping people with aphasia build positive change in their lives

Constraints on radiative decay of the 17-keV neutrino from COBE Measurements

It is shown that, for a nontrivial radiative decay channel of the 17-keV neutrino, the photons would distort the microwave background radiation through ionization of the universe. The constraint on the branching ratio of such decays from COBE measurements is found to be more stringent than that from other considerations. The limit on the branching ratio in terms of the Compton $y$ parameter is $B_\gamma < 1.5 \times 10^{-7} ({\tau_\nu \over 10^{11} sec})^{0.45} ({y \over 10^{-3}})^{1.11} h^{-1}$ for an $\Omega=1, \Omega_b=0.1$ universe.Comment: 7 pages. (figures will be sent on request) (To appear in Phys. Rev. D.