Tiny sensor-transmitter can withstand extreme acceleration, gives digital output

A self-pulsing oscillator transmits a pulsed signal. The time between pulses and the frequency are controlled by two networks. Variations in the component values in each of the two networks, due to environmental changes, appear as changes in frequency and time between pulses in the transmitted signal. Such a sensor is used to measure physical magnitudes

The Global Star Formation Rate from the 1.4 GHz Luminosity Function

The decimetric luminosity of many galaxies appears to be dominated by synchrotron emission excited by supernova explosions. Simple models suggest that the luminosity is directly proportional to the rate of supernova explosions of massive stars averaged over the past 30 Myr. The proportionality may be used together with models of the evolving 1.4 GHz luminosity function to estimate the global star formation rate density in the era z < 1. The local value is estimated to be 0.026 solar masses per year per cubic megaparsec, some 50% larger than the value inferred from the Halpha luminosity density. The value at z ~ 1 is found to be 0.30 solar masses per year per cubic megaparsec. The 10-fold increase in star formation rate density is consistent with the increase inferred from mm-wave, far-infrared, ultra-violet and Halpha observations.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures, Astrophysical Journal Letters (in press); new PS version has improved figure placemen

Effects of ionizing radiation on CCD's

The effects of 1.2 MeV gamma radiation and 20 MeV electrons on the operational characteristics of CCDs are studied. The effects of ionizing radiation on the charge transfer efficiency, dark current, and input/output circuitry are described. The improved radiation hardness of buried channel CCDs is compared to surface channel results. Both ion implanted and epitaxial layer buried channel device results are included. The advantages of using a single thickness SiO2 gate dielectric are described. The threshold voltage shifts and surface state density changes of dry, steam, and HCl doped oxides are discussed. Recent results on the recovery times and total dose effects of high dose rate pulses of 20 MeV electrons are reported

X-ray ptychography on low-dimensional hard-condensed matter materials

Tailoring structural, chemical, and electronic (dis-)order in heterogeneous media is one of the transformative opportunities to enable new functionalities and sciences in energy and quantum materials. This endeavor requires elemental, chemical, and magnetic sensitivities at the nano/atomic scale in two- and three-dimensional space. Soft X-ray radiation and hard X-ray radiation provided by synchrotron facilities have emerged as standard characterization probes owing to their inherent element-specificity and high intensity. One of the most promising methods in view of sensitivity and spatial resolution is coherent diffraction imaging, namely, X-ray ptychography, which is envisioned to take on the dominance of electron imaging techniques offering with atomic resolution in the age of diffraction limited light sources. In this review, we discuss the current research examples of far-field diffraction-based X-ray ptychography on two-dimensional and three-dimensional semiconductors, ferroelectrics, and ferromagnets and their blooming future as a mainstream tool for materials sciences

Electromagnetic vortex lines riding atop null solutions of the Maxwell equations

New method of introducing vortex lines of the electromagnetic field is outlined. The vortex lines arise when a complex Riemann-Silberstein vector $({\bm E} + i{\bm B})/\sqrt{2}$ is multiplied by a complex scalar function $\phi$. Such a multiplication may lead to new solutions of the Maxwell equations only when the electromagnetic field is null, i.e. when both relativistic invariants vanish. In general, zeroes of the $\phi$ function give rise to electromagnetic vortices. The description of these vortices benefits from the ideas of Penrose, Robinson and Trautman developed in general relativity.Comment: NATO Workshop on Singular Optics 2003 To appear in Journal of Optics

Dynamical Localization in Quasi-Periodic Driven Systems

We investigate how the time dependence of the Hamiltonian determines the occurrence of Dynamical Localization (DL) in driven quantum systems with two incommensurate frequencies. If both frequencies are associated to impulsive terms, DL is permanently destroyed. In this case, we show that the evolution is similar to a decoherent case. On the other hand, if both frequencies are associated to smooth driving functions, DL persists although on a time scale longer than in the periodic case. When the driving function consists of a series of pulses of duration $\sigma$, we show that the localization time increases as $\sigma^{-2}$ as the impulsive limit, $\sigma\to 0$, is approached. In the intermediate case, in which only one of the frequencies is associated to an impulsive term in the Hamiltonian, a transition from a localized to a delocalized dynamics takes place at a certain critical value of the strength parameter. We provide an estimate for this critical value, based on analytical considerations. We show how, in all cases, the frequency spectrum of the dynamical response can be used to understand the global features of the motion. All results are numerically checked.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures included. In this version is that Subsection III.B and Appendix A on the quasiperiodic Fermi Accelerator has been replaced by a reference to published wor

Emission lines and optical continuum in low-luminosity radio galaxies

We present spectroscopic observations of a complete sub-sample of 13 low-luminosity radio galaxies selected from the 2Jy sample. The underlying continuum in these sources is carefully modelled in order to make a much-needed comparison between the emission line and continuum properties of FRIs with those of other classes of radio sources. We find that 5 galaxies in the sample show a measurable UV excess: 2 of the these sources are BL Lacs and in the remaining 3 galaxies we argue that the most likely contributor to the UV excess is a young stellar component. Excluding the BL Lacs, we therefore find that \~30% of the sample show evidence for young stars, which is similar to the results obtained for higher luminosity samples. We compare our results with far-infrared measurements in order to investigate the far-infrared-starburst link. The nature of the optical-radio correlations is investigated in light of this new available data and, in contrast to previous studies, we find that the FRI sources follow the correlations with a similar slope to that found for the FRIIs. Finally, we compare the luminosity of the emission lines in the FRI and BL Lac sources and find a significant difference in the [OIII] line luminosities of the two groups. Our results are discussed in the context of the unified schemes.Comment: 18 pages, 31 figures, MNRAS in press, (all enquiries to Clive Tadhunter ([email protected])

Thermal Emission from HII Galaxies: Discovering the Youngest Systems

We studied the radio properties of very young massive regions of star formation in HII galaxies, with the aim of detecting episodes of recent star formation in an early phase of evolution where the first supernovae start to appear. Our sample consists of 31 HII galaxies, characterized by strong Hydrogen emission lines, for which low resolution VLA 3.5cm and 6cm observations were obtained. The radio spectral energy distribution has a range of behaviours; 1) there are galaxies where the SED is characterized by a synchrotron-type slope, 2) galaxies with a thermal slope, and, 3) galaxies with possible free-free absorption at long wavelengths. The latter SEDs were found in a few galaxies and represent a signature of heavily embedded massive star clusters closely related to the early stages of massive star formation. Based on the comparison of the star formation rates determined from the recombination lines and those determined from the radio emission we find that SFR(Ha) is on average five times higher than SFR(1.4GHz). We confirm this tendency by comparing the ratio between the observed flux at 20 cm and the expected one, calculated based on the Ha star formation rates, both for the galaxies in our sample and for normal ones. This analysis shows that this ratio is a factor of 2 smaller in our galaxies than in normal ones, indicating that they fall below the FIR/radio correlation. These results suggest that the emission of these galaxies is dominated by a recent and massive star formation event in which the first supernovae (SN) just started to explode. We conclude that the systematic lack of synchrotron emission in those systems with the largest equivalent width of Hb can only be explained if those are young starbursts of less than 3.5Myr of age.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap

Mathematical analysis of a model for the growth of the bovine corpus luteum

The corpus luteum (CL) is an ovarian tissue that grows in the wound space created by follicular rupture. It produces the progesterone needed in the uterus to maintain pregnancy. Rapid growth of the CL and progesterone transport to the uterus require angiogenesis, the creation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones, a process which is regulated by proteins that include fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2).\ud \ud In this paper we develop a system of time-dependent ordinary differential equations to model CL growth. The dependent variables represent FGF2, endothelial cells (ECs), luteal cells, and stromal cells (like pericytes), by assuming that the CL volume is a continuum of the three cell types. We assume that if the CL volume exceeds that of the ovulated follicle, then growth is inhibited. This threshold volume partitions the system dynamics into two regimes, so that the model may be classified as a Filippov (piecewise smooth) system.\ud \ud We show that normal CL growth requires an appropriate balance between the growth rates of luteal and stromal cells. We investigate how angiogenesis influences CL growth by considering how the system dynamics depend on the dimensionless EC proliferation rate, p5. We find that weak (low p5) or strong (high p5) angiogenesis leads to ‘pathological’ CL growth, since the loss of CL constituents compromises progesterone production or delivery. However, for intermediate values of p5, normal CL growth is predicted. The implications of these results for cow fertility are also discussed. For example, inadequate angiogenesis has been linked to infertility in dairy cows

A microgravity isolation mount

The design and preliminary testing of a system for isolating microgravity sensitive payloads from spacecraft vibrational and impulsive disturbances is discussed. The Microgravity Isolation Mount (MGIM) concept consists of a platform which floats almost freely within a limited volume inside the spacecraft, but which is constrained to follow the spacecraft in the long term by means of very weak springs. The springs are realized magnetically and form part of a six degree of freedom active magnetic suspension system. The latter operates without any physical contact between the spacecraft and the platform itself. Power and data transfer is also performed by contactless means. Specifications are given for the expected level of input disturbances and the tolerable level of platform acceleration. The structural configuration of the mount is discussed and the design of the principal elements, i.e., actuators, sensors, control loops and power/data transfer devices are described. Finally, the construction of a hardware model that is being used to verify the predicted performance of the MGIM is described