22,720 research outputs found
EU DataGRID testbed management and support at CERN
In this paper we report on the first two years of running the CERN testbed
site for the EU DataGRID project. The site consists of about 120 dual-processor
PCs distributed over several testbeds used for different purposes: software
development, system integration, and application tests. Activities at the site
included test productions of MonteCarlo data for LHC experiments, tutorials and
demonstrations of GRID technologies, and support for individual users analysis.
This paper focuses on node installation and configuration techniques, service
management, user support in a gridified environment, and includes
considerations on scalability and security issues and comparisons with
"traditional" production systems, as seen from the administrator point of view.Comment: Talk from the 2003 Computing in High Energy and Nuclear Physics
(CHEP03), La Jolla, Ca, USA, March 2003, 7 pages, LaTeX. PSN THCT00
Integrated multi vector vortex beam generator
A novel method to generate and manipulate vector vortex beams in an
integrated, ring resonator based geometry is proposed. We show numerically that
a ring resonator, with an appropriate grating, addressed by a vertically
displaced access waveguide emits a complex optical field. The emitted beam
possesses a specific polarization topology, and consequently a transverse
intensity profile and orbital angular momentum. We propose a combination of
several concentric ring resonators, addressed with different bus guides, to
generate arbitrary orbital angular momentum qudit states, which could
potentially be used for classical and quantum communications. Finally, we
demonstrate numerically that this device works as an orbital angular momentum
sorter with an average cross-talk of -10 dB between different orbital angular
momentum channels.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure
Gravitational Collapse in One Dimension
We simulate the evolution of one-dimensional gravitating collisionless
systems from non- equilibrium initial conditions, similar to the conditions
that lead to the formation of dark- matter halos in three dimensions. As in the
case of 3D halo formation we find that initially cold, nearly homogeneous
particle distributions collapse to approach a final equilibrium state with a
universal density profile. At small radii, this attractor exhibits a power-law
behavior in density, {\rho}(x) \propto |x|^(-{\gamma}_crit), {\gamma}_crit
\simeq 0.47, slightly but significantly shallower than the value {\gamma} = 1/2
suggested previously. This state develops from the initial conditions through a
process of phase mixing and violent relaxation. This process preserves the
energy ranks of particles. By warming the initial conditions, we illustrate a
cross-over from this power-law final state to a final state containing a
homogeneous core. We further show that inhomogeneous but cold power-law initial
conditions, with initial exponent {\gamma}_i > {\gamma}_crit, do not evolve
toward the attractor but reach a final state that retains their original
power-law behavior in the interior of the profile, indicating a bifurcation in
the final state as a function of the initial exponent. Our results rely on a
high-fidelity event-driven simulation technique.Comment: 14 Pages, 13 Figures. Submitted to MNRA
Influence of adaptive mesh refinement and the hydro solver on shear-induced mass stripping in a minor-merger scenario
We compare two different codes for simulations of cosmological structure
formation to investigate the sensitivity of hydrodynamical instabilities to
numerics, in particular, the hydro solver and the application of adaptive mesh
refinement (AMR). As a simple test problem, we consider an initially spherical
gas cloud in a wind, which is an idealized model for the merger of a subcluster
or galaxy with a big cluster. Based on an entropy criterion, we calculate the
mass stripping from the subcluster as a function of time. Moreover, the
turbulent velocity field is analyzed with a multi-scale filtering technique. We
find remarkable differences between the commonly used PPM solver with
directional splitting in the Enzo code and an unsplit variant of PPM in the Nyx
code, which demonstrates that different codes can converge to systematically
different solutions even when using uniform grids. For the test case of an
unbound cloud, AMR simulations reproduce uniform-grid results for the mass
stripping quite well, although the flow realizations can differ substantially.
If the cloud is bound by a static gravitational potential, however, we find
strong sensitivity to spurious fluctuations which are induced at the cutoff
radius of the potential and amplified by the bow shock. This gives rise to
substantial deviations between uniform-grid and AMR runs performed with Enzo,
while the mass stripping in Nyx simulations of the subcluster is nearly
independent of numerical resolution and AMR. Although many factors related to
numerics are involved, our study indicates that unsplit solvers with advanced
flux limiters help to reduce grid effects and to keep numerical noise under
control, which is important for hydrodynamical instabilities and turbulent
flows.Comment: 23 pages, 18 figures, accepted for publication by Astronomy and
Computin
Healthy younger and older adults control foot placement to avoid small obstacles during gait primarily by modulating step width
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Falls are a significant problem in the older population. Most falls occur during gait, which is primarily regulated by foot placement. Variability of foot placement has been associated with falls, but these associations are inconsistent and generally for smooth, level flooring. This study investigates the control of foot placement and the associated gait variability in younger and older men and women (N=7/group, total N=28) while walking at three different speeds (slow, preferred, and fast) across a control surface with no obstacles and surfaces with multiple (64) small (10cm long Ă—13mm high) visible and hidden obstacles.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Minimum obstacle distance between the shoe and nearest obstacle during each footfall was greater on the visible obstacles surface for older subjects because some of them chose to actively avoid obstacles. This obstacle avoidance strategy was implemented primarily by modulating step width and to a lesser extent step length as indicated by linear regressions of step width and length variability on minimum obstacle distance. Mean gait speed, step length, step width, and step time did not significantly differ by subject group, flooring surface, or obstacle avoidance strategy.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Some healthy older subjects choose to actively avoid small obstacles that do not substantially perturb their gait by modulating step width and, to a lesser extent, step length. It is not clear if this obstacle avoidance strategy is appropriate and beneficial or overcautious and maladaptive, as it results in fewer obstacles encountered at a consequence of a less efficient gait pattern that has been shown to indicate increased fall risk. Further research is needed on the appropriateness of strategy selection when the environmental demands and/or task requirements have multiple possible completion strategies with conflicting objectives (i.e. perceived safety vs. efficiency).</p
Innovation in X-Ray technology
In the Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) industry, the mayor trends are from film and stand alone applications to digital and inline inspection. Furthermore the quality requirements are growing driven by pushing design and material limits. Especially for field applications based on security reasons as well as image quality, replacement of isotopes can be monitored. With the move to digital the need for small focal spots at increased power requirements brought new challenges to the x-ray supplier. With the move to inline inspection systems, requirements for high uptime, fast throughput at the best possible resolution became the key challenges for the x-ray industry. The target to replace isotopes brings high challenges for weight size and energy. The innovation program of COMET delivers solutions for those challenges. Comparison between 600 Kilovolts (kV) and conventional 450kV x-ray sources will show the advantages in penetration and resolution and with this in defect recognition. The resolution gain with adaptive focal spots compared to standard focal spots will be presented and the advantages of maintenance reduced high voltage cables will be shown
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