318 research outputs found
Power supply conditioning circuit
A power supply conditioning circuit that can reduce Periodic and Random Deviations (PARD) on the output voltages of dc power supplies to -150 dBV from dc to several KHz with no measurable periodic deviations is described. The PARD for a typical commercial low noise power supply is -74 dBV for frequencies above 20 Hz and is often much worse at frequencies below 20 Hz. The power supply conditioning circuit described here relies on the large differences in the dynamic impedances of a constant current diode and a zener diode to establish a dc voltage with low PARD. Power supplies with low PARD are especially important in circuitry involving ultrastable frequencies for the Deep Space Network
State-of-the-art fiber optics for short distance frequency reference distribution
A number of recently developed fiber-optic components that hold the promise of unprecedented stability for passively stabilized frequency distribution links are characterized. These components include a fiber-optic transmitter, an optical isolator, and a new type of fiber-optic cable. A novel laser transmitter exhibits extremely low sensitivity to intensity and polarization changes of reflected light due to cable flexure. This virtually eliminates one of the shortcomings in previous laser transmitters. A high-isolation, low-loss optical isolator has been developed which also virtually eliminates laser sensitivity to changes in intensity and polarization of reflected light. A newly developed fiber has been tested. This fiber has a thermal coefficient of delay of less than 0.5 parts per million per deg C, nearly 20 times lower than the best coaxial hardline cable and 10 times lower than any previous fiber-optic cable. These components are highly suitable for distribution systems with short extent, such as within a Deep Space Communications Complex. Here, these new components are described and the test results presented
Cosmic Ray production of Beryllium and Boron at high redshift
Recently, new observations of Li6 in Pop II stars of the galactic halo have
shown a surprisingly high abundance of this isotope, about a thousand times
higher than its predicted primordial value. In previous papers, a cosmological
model for the cosmic ray-induced production of this isotope in the IGM has been
developed to explain the observed abundance at low metallicity. In this paper,
given this constraint on the Li6, we calculate the non-thermal evolution with
redshift of D, Be, and B in the IGM. In addition to cosmological cosmic ray
interactions in the IGM, we include additional processes driven by SN
explosions: neutrino spallation and a low energy component in the structures
ejected by outflows to the IGM. We take into account CNO CRs impinging on the
intergalactic gas. Although subdominant in the galactic disk, this process is
shown to produce the bulk of Be and B in the IGM, due to the differential metal
enrichment between structures (where CRs originate) and the IGM. We also
consider the resulting extragalactic gamma-ray background which we find to be
well below existing data. The computation is performed in the framework of
hierarchical structure formation considering several star formation histories
including Pop III stars. We find that D production is negligible and that a
potentially detectable Be and B plateau is produced by these processes at the
time of the formation of the Galaxy (z ~ 3).Comment: 9 pages, 7 figure
Fiber optic frequency transfer link
A reference frequency distribution system is disclosed for transmitting a reference frequency from a reference unit to a remote unit while keeping the reference frequency at the reference unit and the remote unit in phase. A fiber optic cable connects the reference unit to the remote unit. A frequency source at the reference unit produces a reference frequency having an adjustable phase. A fiber optic transmitter at the reference unit modulates a light beam with the reference frequency and transmits the light beam into the fiber optic cable. A 50/50 reflector at the remote unit reflects a first portion of the light beam from the reference unit back into the fiber optic cable to the reference unit. A first fiber optic receiver disposed at the remote unit receives a second portion of the light beam and demodulates the reference frequency to be used at the remote unit. A second fiber optic receiver disposed at the reference unit receives the first portion of the light beam and demodulates a reference frequency component. A phase conjugator is connected to the frequency source for comparing the phase of the reference frequency component to the phase of the reference frequency modulating the light beam being transmitted from the reference unit to maintain a conjugate (anti-symmetric) relationship between the reference frequency component and the reference frequency modulating the light beam where virtually no phase difference exists between the phase of the reference frequency component and the phase of the reference frequency modulating the light beam
O/Fe in metal-poor main sequence and subgiant stars
A study of the O/Fe ratio in metal-poor main sequence and subgiant stars is
presented using the [OI] 6300A line, the OI 7774A triplet, and a selection of
weak FeII lines observed on high-resolution spectra acquired with the VLT UVES
spectrograph. The [OI] line is detected in the spectra of 18 stars with -0.5 <
[Fe/H] < -2.4, and the triplet is observed for 15 stars with [Fe/H] ranging
from -1.0 to -2.7. The abundance analysis was made first using standard model
atmospheres taking into account non-LTE effects on the triplet: the [OI] line
and the triplet give consistent results with [O/Fe] increasing quasi-linearly
with decreasing [Fe/H] reaching [O/Fe] ~ +0.7 at [Fe/H] = -2.5. When
hydrodynamical model atmospheres representing stellar granulation in dwarf and
subgiant stars replace standard models, the [O/Fe] from the [OI] and FeII lines
is decreased by an amount which increases with decreasing [Fe/H]. The [O/Fe] vs
[Fe/H] relation remains quasi-linear extending to [O/Fe] ~ +0.5 at [Fe/H] =
-2.5, but with a tendency of a plateau with [O/Fe] ~ +0.3 for -2.0 < [Fe/H] <
-1.0, and a hint of cosmic scatter in [O/Fe] at [Fe/H] ~ -1.0. Use of the
hydrodynamical models disturbs the broad agreement between the oxygen
abundances from the [OI], OI, and OH lines, but 3D non-LTE effects may serve to
erase these differences.Comment: ps file, 18 pages (including 10 figures) - Accepted for publication
in A&
New results on catalyzed BBN with a long-lived negatively-charged massive particle
It has been proposed that the apparent discrepancies between the inferred
primordial abundances of 6Li and 7Li and the predictions of big bang
nucleosynthesis (BBN) can be resolved by the existence of a negatively-charged
massive unstable supersymmetric particle (X-) during the BBN epoch. Here, we
present new BBN calculations with an X- particle utilizing an improved nuclear
reaction network including captures of nuclei by the particle, nuclear
reactions and beta-decays of normal nuclei and nuclei bound to the X- particles
(X-nuclei), and new reaction rates derived from recent rigorous quantum
many-body dynamical calculations. We find that this is still a viable model to
explain the observed 6Li and 7Li abundances. However, contrary to previous
results, neutral X-nuclei cannot significantly affect the BBN light-element
abundances. We also show that with the new rates the production of heavier
nuclei is suppressed and there is no signature on abundances of nuclei heavier
than Be in the X--particle catalyzed BBN model as has been previously proposed.
We also consider the version of this model whereby the X- particle decays into
the present cold dark matter. We analyze the this paradigm in light of the
recent constraints on the dark-matter mass deduced from the possible detected
events in the CDMS-II experiment. We conclude that based upon the inferred
range for the dark-matter mass, only X- decay via the weak interaction can
achieve the desired 7Li destruction while also reproducing the observed 6Li
abundance.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figure
Stabilized fiber-optic frequency distribution system
A technique for stabilizing reference frequencies transmitted over fiber-optic cable in a frequency distribution system is discussed. The distribution system utilizes fiber-optic cable as the transmission medium to distribute precise reference signals from a frequency standard to remote users. The stability goal of the distribution system is to transmit a 100-MHz signal over a 22-km fiber-optic cable and maintain a stability of 1 part in 10(17) for 1000-second averaging times. Active stabilization of the link is required to reduce phase variations produced by environmental effects, and is achieved by transmitting the reference signal from the frequency standard to the remote unit and then reflecting back to the reference unit over the same optical fiber. By comparing the phase of the transmitted and reflected signals at the reference unit, phase variations of the remote signal can be measured. An error voltage derived from the phase difference between the two signals is used to add correction phase
Effect of Long-lived Strongly Interacting Relic Particles on Big Bang Nucleosynthesis
It has been suggested that relic long-lived strongly interacting massive
particles (SIMPs, or particles) existed in the early universe. We study
effects of such long-lived unstable SIMPs on big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN)
assuming that such particles existed during the BBN epoch, but then decayed
long before they could be detected. The interaction strength between an
particle and a nucleon is assumed to be similar to that between nucleons. We
then calculate BBN in the presence of the unstable neutral charged
particles taking into account the capture of particles by nuclei to form
-nuclei. We also study the nuclear reactions and beta decays of -nuclei.
We find that SIMPs form bound states with normal nuclei during a relatively
early epoch of BBN. This leads to the production of heavy elements which remain
attached to them. Constraints on the abundance of particles during BBN
are derived from observationally inferred limits on the primordial light
element abundances. Particle models which predict long-lived colored particles
with lifetimes longer than 200 s are rejected based upon these
constraints.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figure
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