Modeling of the Convection and Interaction of Ring Current, Plasmaspheric and Plasma Sheet Plasmas in the Inner Magnetosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fok, Mei-Ching; Chen, Sheng-Hsien; Buzulukova, Natalia; Glocer, Alex

2010-01-01

Distinctive sources of ions reside in the plasmasphere, plasmasheet, and ring current regions at discrete energies constitute the major plasma populations in the inner/middle magnetosphere. They contribute to the electrodynamics of the ionosphere-magnetosphere system as important carriers of the global current system, in triggering; geomagnetic storm and substorms, as well as critical components of plasma instabilities such as reconnection and Kelvin-Helmholtz instability at the magnetospheric boundaries. Our preliminary analysis of in-situ measurements shoves the complexity of the plasmas pitch angle distributions at particularly the cold and warm plasmas, vary dramatically at different local times and radial distances from the Earth in response to changes in solar wind condition and Dst index. Using an MHD-ring current coupled code, we model the convection and interaction of cold, warm and energetic ions of plasmaspheric, plasmasheet, and ring current origins in the inner magnetosphere. We compare our simulation results with in-situ and remotely sensed measurements from recent instrumentation on Geotail, Cluster, THEMIS, and TWINS spacecraft.

The Effects of Bursty Bulk Flows on Global-Scale Current Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Y.; Cao, J.; Fu, H.; Lu, H.; Yao, Z.

2017-12-01

Using a global magnetospheric MHD model coupled with a kinetic ring current model, we investigate the effects of magnetotail dynamics, particularly the earthward bursty bulk flows (BBFs) produced by the tail reconnection, on the global-scale current systems. The simulation results indicate that after BBFs brake around X = -10 RE due to the dipolar "magnetic wall," vortices are generated on the edge of the braking region and inside the inner magnetosphere. Each pair of vortex in the inner magnetosphere disturbs the westward ring current to arc radially inward as well as toward high latitudes. The resultant pressure gradient on the azimuthal direction induces region-1 sense field-aligned component from the ring current, which eventually is diverted into the ionosphere at high latitudes, giving rise to a pair of field-aligned current (FAC) eddies in the ionosphere. On the edge of the flow braking region where vortices also emerge, a pair of region-1 sense FACs arises, diverted fromthe cross-tail duskward current, generating a substorm current wedge. This is again attributed to the increase of thermal pressure ahead of the bursty flows turning azimuthally. It is further found that when multiple BBFs, despite their localization, continually and rapidly impinge on the "wall," carrying sufficient tail plasma sheet population toward the Earth, they can lead to the formation of a new ring current. These results indicate the important role that BBFs play in bridging the tail and the inner magnetosphere ring current and bring new insight into the storm-substorm relation.

The effects of bursty bulk flows on global-scale current systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Yiqun; Cao, Jinbin; Fu, Huishan; Lu, Haoyu; Yao, Zhonghua

2017-06-01

Using a global magnetospheric MHD model coupled with a kinetic ring current model, we investigate the effects of magnetotail dynamics, particularly the earthward bursty bulk flows (BBFs) produced by the tail reconnection, on the global-scale current systems. The simulation results indicate that after BBFs brake around X = -10 RE due to the dipolar "magnetic wall," vortices are generated on the edge of the braking region and inside the inner magnetosphere. Each pair of vortex in the inner magnetosphere disturbs the westward ring current to arc radially inward as well as toward high latitudes. The resultant pressure gradient on the azimuthal direction induces region-1 sense field-aligned component from the ring current, which eventually is diverted into the ionosphere at high latitudes, giving rise to a pair of field-aligned current (FAC) eddies in the ionosphere. On the edge of the flow braking region where vortices also emerge, a pair of region-1 sense FACs arises, diverted from the cross-tail duskward current, generating a substorm current wedge. This is again attributed to the increase of thermal pressure ahead of the bursty flows turning azimuthally. It is further found that when multiple BBFs, despite their localization, continually and rapidly impinge on the "wall," carrying sufficient tail plasma sheet population toward the Earth, they can lead to the formation of a new ring current. These results indicate the important role that BBFs play in bridging the tail and the inner magnetosphere ring current and bring new insight into the storm-substorm relation.

Accaleration of Electrons of the Outer Electron Radiation Belt and Auroral Oval Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antonova, Elizaveta; Ovchinnikov, Ilya; Riazantseva, Maria; Znatkova, Svetlana; Pulinets, Maria; Vorobjev, Viachislav; Yagodkina, Oksana; Stepanova, Marina

2016-07-01

We summarize the results of experimental observations demonstrating the role of auroral processes in the formation of the outer electron radiation belt and magnetic field distortion during magnetic storms. We show that the auroral oval does not mapped to the plasma sheet proper (region with magnetic field lines stretched in the tailward direction). It is mapped to the surrounding the Earth plasma ring in which transverse currents are closed inside the magnetosphere. Such currents constitute the high latitude continuation of the ordinary ring current. Mapping of the auroral oval to the region of high latitude continuation of the ordinary ring current explains the ring like shape of the auroral oval with finite thickness near noon and auroral oval dynamics during magnetic storms. The auroral oval shift to low latitudes during storms. The development of the ring current produce great distortion of the Earth's magnetic field and corresponding adiabatic variations of relativistic electron fluxes. Development of the asymmetric ring current produce the dawn-dusk asymmetry of such fluxes. We analyze main features of the observed processes including formation of sharp plasma pressure profiles during storms. The nature of observed pressure peak is analyzed. It is shown that the observed sharp pressure peak is directly connected with the creation of the seed population of relativistic electrons. The possibility to predict the position of new radiation belt during recovery phase of the magnetic storm using data of low orbiting and ground based observations is demonstrated.

Particle tracing modeling of ion fluxes at geosynchronous orbit during substorms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brito, T. V.; Jordanova, V.; Woodroffe, J. R.; Henderson, M. G.; Morley, S.; Birn, J.

2016-12-01

The SHIELDS project aims to couple a host of different models for different regions of the magnetosphere using different numerical methods such as MHD, PIC and particle tracing, with the ultimate goal of having a more realistic model of the whole magnetospheric environment capturing, as much as possible, the different physics of the various plasma populations. In that context, we present a modeling framework that can be coupled with a global MHD model to calculate particle fluxes in the inner magnetosphere, which can in turn be used to constantly update the input for a ring current model. In that regard, one advantage of that approach over using spacecraft data is that it produces a much better spatial and temporal coverage of the nightside geosynchronous region and thus a possibly more complete input for the ring current model, which will likely produce more accurate global results for the ring current population. In this presentation, we will describe the particle tracing method in more detail, describe the method used to couple it to the BATS-R-US 3D global MHD code, and the method used to update the flux results to the RAM-SCB ring current model. We will also present the simulation results for the July 18, 2013 period, which showed significant substorm activity. We will compare simulated ion fluxes on the nightside magnetosphere with spacecraft observations to gauge how well our simulations are capturing substorm dynamics.

Connections between Star Cluster Populations and Their Host Galaxy Nuclear Rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Chao; de Grijs, Richard; Ho, Luis C.

2018-04-01

Nuclear rings are excellent laboratories for probing diverse phenomena such as the formation and evolution of young massive star clusters and nuclear starbursts, as well as the secular evolution and dynamics of their host galaxies. We have compiled a sample of 17 galaxies with nuclear rings, which are well resolved by high-resolution Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescope imaging. For each nuclear ring, we identified the ring star cluster population, along with their physical properties (ages, masses, and extinction values). We also determined the integrated ring properties, including the average age, total stellar mass, and current star formation rate (SFR). We find that Sb-type galaxies tend to have the highest ring stellar mass fraction with respect to the host galaxy, and this parameter is correlated with the ring’s SFR surface density. The ring SFRs are correlated with their stellar masses, which is reminiscent of the main sequence of star-forming galaxies. There are striking correlations between star-forming properties (i.e., SFR and SFR surface density) and nonaxisymmetric bar parameters, appearing to confirm previous inferences that strongly barred galaxies tend to have lower ring SFRs, although the ring star formation histories turn out to be significantly more complicated. Nuclear rings with higher stellar masses tend to be associated with lower cluster mass fractions, but there is no such relation for the ages of the rings. The two youngest nuclear rings in our sample, NGC 1512 and NGC 4314, which have the most extreme physical properties, represent the young extremity of the nuclear ring age distribution.

Contribution of energetic and heavy ions to the plasma pressure: The 27 September to 3 October 2002 storm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kronberg, E. A.; Welling, D.; Kistler, L. M.; Mouikis, C.; Daly, P. W.; Grigorenko, E. E.; Klecker, B.; Dandouras, I.

2017-09-01

Magnetospheric plasma sheet ions drift toward the Earth and populate the ring current. The ring current plasma pressure distorts the terrestrial internal magnetic field at the surface, and this disturbance strongly affects the strength of a magnetic storm. The contribution of energetic ions (>40 keV) and of heavy ions to the total plasma pressure in the near-Earth plasma sheet is not always considered. In this study, we evaluate the contribution of low-energy and energetic ions of different species to the total plasma pressure for the storm observed by the Cluster mission from 27 September until 3 October 2002. We show that the contribution of energetic ions (>40 keV) and of heavy ions to the total plasma pressure is ≃76-98.6% in the ring current and ≃14-59% in the magnetotail. The main source of oxygen ions, responsible for ≃56% of the plasma pressure of the ring current, is located at distances earthward of XGSE ≃ -13.5 RE during the main phase of the storm. The contribution of the ring current particles agrees with the observed Dst index. We model the magnetic storm using the Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF). We assess the plasma pressure output in the ring current for two different ion outflow models in the SWMF through comparison with observations. Both models yield reasonable results. The model which produces the most heavy ions agrees best with the observations. However, the data suggest that there is still potential for refinement in the simulations.

Multistep Dst development and ring current composition changes during the 4-6 June 1991 magnetic storm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozyra, J. U.; Liemohn, M. W.; Clauer, C. R.; Ridley, A. J.; Thomsen, M. F.; Borovsky, J. E.; Roeder, J. L.; Jordanova, V. K.; Gonzalez, W. D.

2002-08-01

The 4-6 June 1991 magnetic storm, which occurred during solar maximum conditions, is analyzed to investigate two observed features of magnetic storms that are not completely understood: (1) the mass-dependent decay of the ring current during the early recovery phase and (2) the role of preconditioning in multistep ring current development. A kinetic ring current drift-loss model, driven by dynamic fluxes at the nightside outer boundary, was used to simulate this storm interval. A strong partial ring current developed and persisted throughout the main and early recovery phases. The majority of ions in the partial ring current make one pass through the inner magnetosphere on open drift paths before encountering the dayside magnetopause. The ring current exhibited a three-phase decay in this storm. A short interval of charge-exchange loss constituted the first phase of the decay followed by a classical two-phase decay characterized by an abrupt transition between two very different decay timescales. The short interval dominated by charge-exchange loss occurred because an abrupt northward turning of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) trapped ring current ions on closed trajectories, and turned-off sources and ``flow-out'' losses. If this had been the end of the solar wind disturbance, decay timescales would have gradually lengthened as charge exchange preferentially removed the short-lived species; a distinctive two-phase decay would not have resulted. However, the IMF turned weakly southward, drift paths became open, and a standard two-phase decay ensued as the IMF rotated slowly northward again. As has been shown before, a two-phase decay is produced as open drift paths are converted to closed in a weakening convection electric field, driving a transition from the fast flow-out losses associated with the partial ring current to the slower charge-exchange losses associated with the trapped ring current. The open drift path geometry during the main phase and during phase 1 of the two-phase decay has important consequences for the evolution of ring current composition and for preconditioning issues. In this particular storm, ring current composition changes measured by the Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite (CRRES) during the main and recovery phase of the storm resulted largely from composition changes in the plasma sheet transmitted into the inner magnetosphere along open drift paths as the magnetic activity declined. Possible preconditioning elements were investigated during the multistep development of this storm, which was driven by the sequential arrival of three southward IMF Bz intervals of increasing peak strength. In each case, previous intensifications (preexisting ring currents) were swept out of the magnetosphere by the enhanced convection associated with the latest intensification and did not act as a significant preconditioning element. However, plasma sheet characteristics varied significantly between subsequent intensifications, altering the response of the magnetosphere to the sequential solar wind drivers. A denser plasma sheet (ring current source population) appeared during the second intensification, compensating for the weaker IMF Bz at this time and producing a minimum pressure-corrected Dst* value comparable to the third intensification (driven by stronger IMF Bz but a lower density plasma sheet source). The controlling influence of the plasma sheet dynamics on the ring current dynamics and its role in altering the inner magnetospheric response to solar wind drivers during magnetic storms adds a sense of urgency to understanding what processes produce time-dependent responses in the plasma sheet density, composition, and temperature.

The UAH Spinning Terrella Experiment: A Laboratory Analog for the Earth's Magnetosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheldon, R. B.; Gallagher, D. L.; Craven, P. D.; Whitaker, Ann F. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The UAH Spinning Terrella Experiment has been modified to include the effect of a second magnet. This is a simple laboratory demonstration of the well-known double-dipole approximation to the Earth's magnetosphere. In addition, the magnet has been biassed $\\sim$-400V which generates a DC glow discharge and traps it in a ring current around the magnet. This ring current is easily imaged with a digital camera and illustrates several significant topological properties of a dipole field. In particular, when the two dipoles are aligned, and therefore repel, they emulate a northward IMF Bz magnetosphere. Such a geometry traps plasma in the high latitude cusps as can be clearly seen in the movies. Likewise, when the two magnets are anti-aligned, they emulate a southward IMF Bz magnetosphere with direct feeding of plasma through the x-line. We present evidence for trapping and heating of the plasma, comparing the dipole-trapped ring current to the cusp-trapped population. We also present a peculiar asymmetric ring current produced in by the plasma at low plasma densities. We discuss the similarities and dissimilarities of the laboratory analog to the collisionless Earth plasma, and implications for the interpretation of IMAGE data.

On the size and distribution of rings and coherent vortices in the Sargasso Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luce, David L.; Rossby, Tom

2008-05-01

The container motor vessel CMV Oleander, which operates between New Jersey and Bermuda, crosses the Gulf Stream and Sargasso Sea all year round on a semiweekly schedule. Using an acoustic Doppler current profiler, measurements of upper ocean currents have been made on a regular basis since the fall of 1992. In this paper we examine the database for evidence of axisymmetric coherent vortices including the distribution and intensity of cold core rings. To detect the existence of coherent vortices, the patterns of current vectors averaged between 40 and 80 m depth were fit to an axisymmetric Gaussian vortex model. The parameters of the model were axis location, maximum tangential, or swirl, speed, and radius at which the maximum swirl was measured. We were able to distinguish between the well-known cold core "rings" (CCRs) pinched from the Gulf Stream, and a population of cyclonic and anticyclonic "vortices" in the Sargasso Sea. Both the rings and the Sargasso Sea vortices showed radii of 64 ± 18 km, albeit with different swirl speeds. The rings, close to the Gulf Stream, exhibited a typical maximum swirl speed of 0.98 ± 0.40 m s-1 and a center relative vorticity of 0.64 ± 0.35 × 10-4 s-1, almost 80% of the planetary vorticity for the region. The more uniform population of Sargasso Sea vortices contained approximately equal numbers of cyclones and anticyclones, with mean speeds of +0.43 and -0.55 m s-1, and center relative vorticities of +0.24 × 10-4 s-1 and -0.29 × 10-4 s-1, respectively.

Plasmasphere-Ring Current-Radiation Belts Interactions: Review of 16 Years of Cluster Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dandouras, I. S.

2016-12-01

The Cluster mission is based on four identical spacecraft launched in 2000 on similar elliptical polar orbits with an initial perigee at about 4 RE and an apogee at 19.6 RE. This allows Cluster to cross the outer plasmasphere, the ring current region and the radiation belts, from south to north, during every perigee pass and to obtain their latitudinal profile following almost the same flux tube. Due to various perturbations the perigee geocentric distance decreased during 2007-2010 to about 2 RE, whereas actually it is again up to about 5 RE, allowing in this way to study, during the mission, the inner magnetosphere populations and their interactions at a wide range of L-shells and under different solar activity conditions. The CIS experiment, on board these spacecraft, provides the ion distribution functions from 1 eV (plasmasphere populations) up to 40 keV (ring current), whereas the MeV penetrating particles allow to monitor the position and dynamics of the radiation belts. The FGM experiment on board these four spacecraft allowed for the first time an instantaneous calculation of the magnetic field gradients and thus a direct measurement of the local current density using the curlometer technique. Earlier and more recent results, based on Cluster data acquired during the passes in inner magnetosphere, will be reviewed and analysed.

The Consequences of Saturn’s Rotating Asymmetric Ring Current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Southwood, D. J.; Kivelson, M. G.

2009-12-01

The plasma and field behavior in the dipolar region of the Saturnian magnetosphere is described, based primarily on interpretation of the magnetic field behavior measured by the Cassini spacecraft. Previous authors, such as Provan and Khurana, have pointed out that the regular pulses in field strength at around 10.8 hrs period detected in this region imply the existence not only of a symmetric ring current but also of a partial ring current. Once spacecraft motion in local time has been allowed for, one finds a close to sinusoidal variation with azimuth and time of the magnetic signal. Hence the partial ring current appears to quasi-rigidly rotate about the planetary axis at the same 10.8 hr period as the pulsing of the Saturn kilometric radiation. We point out that, independent of whether the excess current is due to asymmetry in flux tube population or in plasma beta (pressure normalized to field pressure), such a current gives rise to a rotating circulation system. The compressional field pattern is consistent with an m = 1 pattern of circulation. The fairly uniform inner magnetosphere cam magnetic signature predicted on the basis of inner magnetosphere transverse field components in our past work is modified in a systematic way by the partial ring current effects. The circulation due to the partial ring current has its own set of distributed field aligned currents (FACs). The rotating transverse perturbation field components are twisted by the FACs so that the radial field is reduced at low L-shells and increased at larger L. Overall the cam field is depressed at low L and enhanced as one approaches the boundary of the cam region at L = 10-12. In practice the system must also respond to some local time effects. Loss of plasma is easier on the night-side and flanks than on the day-side and so a day-night asymmetry is imposed tending to increase the perturbation field amplitudes by night. The FACs driven by the asymmetric ring current should be broadly distributed throughout the cam region and correspondingly are associated with smaller current densities than those associated with the more narrowly confined cam current system on the outer edge of the cam. Accordingly the intense fluxes of electrons that give rise to the SKR signals are associated with the upward elements of the latter current system.

Ring current impoundment of the Io plasma torus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siscoe, G. L.; Thorne, R. M.; Richardson, J. D.; Bagenal, F.; Sullivan, J. D.; Eviatar, A.

1981-01-01

A newly discovered feature in the Io plasma formation that may be described as a ramp separating a high-density plasma ledge on its Jupiterward side from the lower-density radially distended Io plasma disc on its anti-Jupiterward side is observed to coincide with a marked inward decrease in the ring current population. The spatial congruency of the counter-directed maximal gradients in both plasma bodies reveals a profound coupling between them. The existence of the ramp requires a local order-of-magnitude reduction in the diffusion coefficient that governs radial mass transport. It is demonstrated that the diminished diffusive efficiency there is caused by strong pressure gradient inhibition of the interchange instability that underlies mass transport. The Io plasma torus, which is defined as the region of strong ultraviolet emissions, is identified as the plasma ledge. The plasma density in the ledge is high and, incidentally therefore, able to emit strongly because it is impounded against rapid, centrifugal expulsion by the inwardly directed pressure of the ring current at its inner edge.

Probing the X-Ray Binary Populations of the Ring Galaxy NGC 1291

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luo, B.; Fabbiano, G.; Fragos, T.; Kim, D. W.; Belczynski, K.; Brassington, N. J.; Pellegrini, S.; Tzanavaris, P.; Wang, J.; Zezas, A.

2012-01-01

We present Chandra studies of the X-ray binary (XRB) populations in the bulge and ring regions of the ring galaxy NGC 1291. We detect 169 X-ray point sources in the galaxy, 75 in the bulge and 71 in the ring, utilizing the four available Chandra observations totaling an effective exposure of 179 ks. We report photometric properties of these sources in a point-source catalog. There are approx. 40% of the bulge sources and approx. 25% of the ring sources showing > 3(sigma) long-term variability in their X-ray count rate. The X-ray colors suggest that a significant fraction of the bulge (approx. 75%) and ring (approx. 65%) sources are likely low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs). The spectra of the nuclear source indicate that it is a low-luminosity AGN with moderate obscuration; spectral variability is observed between individual observations. We construct 0.3-8.0 keV X-ray luminosity functions (XLFs) for the bulge and ring XRB populations, taking into account the detection incompleteness and background AGN contamination. We reach 90% completeness limits of approx.1.5 x 10(exp 37) and approx. 2.2 x 10(exp 37) erg/s for the bulge and ring populations, respectively. Both XLFs can be fit with a broken power-law model, and the shapes are consistent with those expected for populations dominated by LMXBs. We perform detailed population synthesis modeling of the XRB populations in NGC 1291 , which suggests that the observed combined XLF is dominated by aD old LMXB population. We compare the bulge and ring XRB populations, and argue that the ring XRBs are associated with a younger stellar population than the bulge sources, based on the relative over-density of X-ray sources in the ring, the generally harder X-ray color of the ring sources, the overabundance of luminous sources in the combined XLF, and the flatter shape of the ring XLF.

The terrestrial ring current - From in situ measurements to global images using energetic neutral atoms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roelof, Edmond C.; Williams, Donald J.

1988-01-01

Electrical currents flowing in the equatorial magnetosphere, first inferred from ground-based magnetic disturbances, are carried by trapped energetic ions. Spacecraft measurements have determined the spectrum and composition of those currents, and the newly developed technique of energetic-neutral-atom imaging allows the global dynamics of that entire ion population to be viewed from a single spacecraft.

The Role of Ionospheric Outflow Preconditioning in Determining Storm Geoeffectiveness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welling, D. T.; Liemohn, M. W.; Ridley, A. J.

2012-12-01

It is now well accepted that ionospheric outflow plays an important role in the development of the plasma sheet and ring current during geomagnetic storms. Furthermore, even during quiet times, ionospheric plasma populates the magnetospheric lobes, producing a reservoir of hydrogen and oxygen ions. When the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) turns southward, this reservoir is connected to the plasma sheet and ring current through magnetospheric convection. Hence, the conditions of the ionosphere and magnetospheric lobes leading up to magnetospheric storm onset have important implications for storm development. Despite this, there has been little research on this preconditioning; most global simulations begin just before storm onset, neglecting preconditioning altogether. This work explores the role of preconditioning in determining the geoeffectiveness of storms using a coupled global model system. A model of ionospheric outflow (the Polar Wind Outflow Model, PWOM) is two-way coupled to a global magnetohydrodynamic model (the Block-Adaptive Tree Solar wind Roe-type Upwind Scheme, BATS-R-US), which in turn drives a ring current model (the Ring current Atmosphere interactions Model, RAM). This unique setup is used to simulate an idealized storm. The model is started at many different times, from 1 hour before storm onset to 12 hours before. The effects of storm preconditioning are examined by investigating the total ionospheric plasma content in the lobes just before onset, the total ionospheric contribution in the ring current just after onset, and the effects on Dst, magnetic elevation angle at geosynchronous, and total ring current energy density. This experiment is repeated for different solar activity levels as set by F10.7 flux. Finally, a synthetic double-dip storm is constructed to see how two closely spaced storms affect each other by changing the preconditioning environment. It is found that preconditioning of the magnetospheric lobes via ionospheric outflow greatly influences the geoeffectiveness of magnetospheric storms.

Electric fields in hippocampus due to transcranial focal electrical stimulation via concentric ring electrodes.

PubMed

Besio, Walter G; Hadidi, Ruba; Makeyev, Oleksandr; Luna-Munguía, Hiram; Rocha, Luisa

2011-01-01

As epilepsy affects approximately one percent of the world population, electrical stimulation of brain has recently shown potential as an additive seizure control therapy. In this study we applied focal transcranial electrical stimulation (TFS) on the surface of the skull of rats via concentric ring electrodes. We recorded electric potentials with a bipolar electrode consisting of two stainless steel wires implanted into the left ventral hippocampus. TFS current was gradually increased by 20% starting at 103 μA allowing us to assess the relationship between TFS current and both potentials recorded from the bipolar electrode and the resulting electric field. Generally, increases in TFS current resulted in increases in the electric field. This allows us to estimate what extra-cranial TFS current would be sufficient to cause the activation of neurons in the hippocampus.

The Warm Plasma Composition in the Inner Magnetosphere during 2012–2015

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jahn, J. M.; Goldstein, J.; Reeves, Geoffrey D.

Ionospheric heavy ions play an important role in the dynamics of Earth's magnetosphere. The greater mass and gyro radius of ionospheric oxygen differentiates its behavior from protons at the same energies. Oxygen may have an impact on tail reconnection processes, and it can at least temporarily dominate the energy content of the ring current during geomagnetic storms. At sub-keV energies, multi-species ion populations in the inner magnetosphere form the warm plasma cloak, occupying the energy range between the plasmasphere and the ring current. Lastly, cold lighter ions from the mid-latitude ionosphere create the co-rotating plasmasphere whose outer regions can interactmore » with the plasma cloak, plasma sheet, ring current, and outer electron belt. Here in this paper we present a statistical view of warm, cloak-like ion populations in the inner magnetosphere, contrasting in particular the warm plasma composition during quiet and active times. We study the relative abundances and absolute densities of warm plasma measured by the Van Allen Probes, whose two spacecraft cover the inner magnetosphere from plasmaspheric altitudes close to Earth to just inside geostationary orbit. We observe that warm (>30 eV) oxygen is most abundant closer to the plasmasphere boundary whereas warm hydrogen dominates closer to geostationary orbit. Warm helium is usually a minor constituent, but shows a noticeable enhancement in the near-Earth dusk sector.« less

The Warm Plasma Composition in the Inner Magnetosphere during 2012–2015

DOE PAGES

Jahn, J. M.; Goldstein, J.; Reeves, Geoffrey D.; ...

2017-09-11

Ionospheric heavy ions play an important role in the dynamics of Earth's magnetosphere. The greater mass and gyro radius of ionospheric oxygen differentiates its behavior from protons at the same energies. Oxygen may have an impact on tail reconnection processes, and it can at least temporarily dominate the energy content of the ring current during geomagnetic storms. At sub-keV energies, multi-species ion populations in the inner magnetosphere form the warm plasma cloak, occupying the energy range between the plasmasphere and the ring current. Lastly, cold lighter ions from the mid-latitude ionosphere create the co-rotating plasmasphere whose outer regions can interactmore » with the plasma cloak, plasma sheet, ring current, and outer electron belt. Here in this paper we present a statistical view of warm, cloak-like ion populations in the inner magnetosphere, contrasting in particular the warm plasma composition during quiet and active times. We study the relative abundances and absolute densities of warm plasma measured by the Van Allen Probes, whose two spacecraft cover the inner magnetosphere from plasmaspheric altitudes close to Earth to just inside geostationary orbit. We observe that warm (>30 eV) oxygen is most abundant closer to the plasmasphere boundary whereas warm hydrogen dominates closer to geostationary orbit. Warm helium is usually a minor constituent, but shows a noticeable enhancement in the near-Earth dusk sector.« less

Climate change in Canadian forests: Effect of global warming and CO2 fertilization on natural populations of black and white spruce

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, E. A.; Thomas, S. C.

2007-12-01

Global increases in temperature and atmospheric CO2 concentration are predicted to enhance tree growth in the short term, but studies of current impacts of climate change on Canada's forests are limited. This study examined the effects of increasing temperature and atmospheric CO2 concentration on tree ring growth in west-central Manitoba and northern Ontario, sampling white spruce (Picea glauca) and black spruce (Picea mariana), respectively. Over 50 tree cores from each site were sampled, analysed for ring-width, cross-dated and detrended, generating a ~100 y chronology for each population. We found a positive correlation between ring-width increment and spring temperatures (April-May: p<0.005) in Ontario. In Manitoba, however, we found a negative correlation between summer temperatures (Jul-Aug: p<0.005) and ring-width increment coincident with a positive relationship with summer precipitation (July: p<0.03). We examined the residuals following a regression with temperature for a positive trend over time, which has been interpreted in prior studies as evidence for a CO2 fertilization effect. We detected no such putative CO2 fertilization signal in either spruce population. Our results suggest that temperature-limited lowland black spruce communities may respond positively to moderate warming, but that water-limited upland white spruce communities may suffer from drought stress under high temperature conditions. Neither population appears to benefit from increasing CO2 availability.

Sources and Losses of Ring Current Ions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Sheng-Hsien; Fok, Mei-Ching H.; Angeloupoulos, Vassilis

2010-01-01

During geomagnetic quiet times, in-situ measurements of ring current energetic ions (few to few tens of keVs) from THEMIS spacecraft often exhibit multiple ion populations at discrete energies that extend from the inner magnetosphere to the magnetopause at dayside or plasma sheet at nightside. During geomagnetic storm times, the levels of fluxes as well as the mean energies of these ions elevated dramatically and the more smooth distributions in energies and distances during quiet times are disrupted into clusters of ion populations with more confined spatial extends. This reveals local plasma heating processes that might have come into play. Several processes have been proposed. Magnetotail dipolarization, sudden enhancement of field-aligned current, local current disruptions, and plasma waves are possible mechanisms to heat the ions locally as well as strong convections of energetic ions directly from the magnetotail due to reconnections. We will examine two geomagnetic storms on October 11, 2008 and July 22, 2009 to reveal possible heating mechanisms. We will analyze in-situ plasma and magnetic field measurements from THEMIS, GOES, and DMSP for the events to study the ion pitch angle distributions and magnetic field perturbations in the auroral ionosphere and inner magnetosphere where the plasma heating processes occur.

Ring current electron dynamics during geomagnetic storms based on the Van Allen Probes measurements: Ring Current Electrons

DOE PAGES

Zhao, H.; Li, X.; Baker, D. N.; ...

2016-04-16

Based on comprehensive measurements from Helium, Oxygen, Proton, and Electron Mass Spectrometer Ion Spectrometer, Relativistic Electron-Proton Telescope, and Radiation Belt Storm Probes Ion Composition Experiment instruments on the Van Allen Probes, comparative studies of ring current electrons and ions are performed and the role of energetic electrons in the ring current dynamics is investigated. The deep injections of tens to hundreds of keV electrons and tens of keV protons into the inner magnetosphere occur frequently; after the injections the electrons decay slowly in the inner belt but protons in the low L region decay very fast. Intriguing similarities between lowermore » energy protons and higher-energy electrons are also found. The evolution of ring current electron and ion energy densities and energy content are examined in detail during two geomagnetic storms, one moderate and one intense. Here, the results show that the contribution of ring current electrons to the ring current energy content is much smaller than that of ring current ions (up to ~12% for the moderate storm and ~7% for the intense storm), and <35 keV electrons dominate the ring current electron energy content at the storm main phases. Though the electron energy content is usually much smaller than that of ions, the enhancement of ring current electron energy content during the moderate storm can get to ~30% of that of ring current ions, indicating a more dynamic feature of ring current electrons and important role of electrons in the ring current buildup. Lastly, the ring current electron energy density is also shown to be higher at midnight and dawn while lower at noon and dusk.« less

Quantum control of coherent π -electron ring currents in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mineo, Hirobumi; Fujimura, Yuichi

2017-12-01

We present results for quantum optimal control (QOC) of the coherent π electron ring currents in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Since PAHs consist of a number of condensed benzene rings, in principle, there exist various coherent ring patterns. These include the ring current localized to a designated benzene ring, the perimeter ring current that flows along the edge of the PAH, and the middle ring current of PAHs having an odd number of benzene rings such as anthracene. In the present QOC treatment, the best target wavefunction for generation of the ring current through a designated path is determined by a Lagrange multiplier method. The target function is integrated into the ordinary QOC theory. To demonstrate the applicability of the QOC procedure, we took naphthalene and anthracene as the simplest examples of linear PAHs. The mechanisms of ring current generation were clarified by analyzing the temporal evolutions of the electronic excited states after coherent excitation by UV pulses or (UV+IR) pulses as well as those of electric fields of the optimal laser pulses. Time-dependent simulations of the perimeter ring current and middle ring current of anthracene, which are induced by analytical electric fields of UV pulsed lasers, were performed to reproduce the QOC results.

Dynamics of the Earth's Inner Magnetosphere and its Connection to the Ionosphere: Current Understanding and Challenges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zheng, Yihua

2010-01-01

The Earth's inner magnetosphere, a vast volume in space spanning from 1.5 Re (Earth radii) to 10 Re, is a host to a variety of plasma populations (with energy from 1 eV to few MeV) and physical processes where most of which involve plasma and field coupling. As a gigantic particle accelerator, the inner magnetosphere includes three overlapping regions: the plasmasphere, the ring current, and the Van Allen radiation belt. The complex structures and dynamics of these regions are externally driven by solar activities and internally modulated by intricate interactions and coupling. As a major constituent of Space Weather, the inner magnetosphere is both scientifically intriguing and practically important to our society. In this presentation, I will discuss our recent results from the Comprehensive Ring Current Model, in the context of our current understanding of the inner magnetosphere in general and challenges ahead in making further progresses.

Dynamics of the Earth's Inner Magnetosphere and Its Connection to the Ionosphere: Current Understanding and Challenges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zheng, Yihua

2011-01-01

The Earth's inner magnetosphere, a vast volume in space spanning from 1.5 Re (Earth radii) to 10 Re, is a host to a variety of plasma populations (with energy from 1 eV to few MeV) and physical processes where most of which involve plasma and field coupling. As a gigantic particle accelerator, the inner magnetosphere includes three overlapping regions: the plasmasphere, the ring current, and the Van Allen radiation belt. The complex structures and dynamics of these regions are externally driven by solar activities and internally modulated by intricate interactions and coupling. As a major constituent of Space Weather, the inner magnetosphere is both scientifically intriguing and practically important to our society. In this presentation, I will discuss our recent results from the Comprehensive Ring Current Model, in the context of our current understanding of the inner magnetosphere in general and challenges ahead in making further progresses.

Magnetic Field Observations of Partial Ring Current during Storm Recovery Phase

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Le, Guan; Russell, C. T.; Slavin, J. A.; Lucek, E. A.

2007-01-01

We present results of an extensive survey of the magnetic field observations in the inner magnetosphere using 30 years of magnetospheric magnetic field data from Polar, Cluster, ISEE, and AMPTE/CCE missions. The purpose of this study is to understand the magnetic field evolution during the recovery phase of geomagnetic storms, and its implication to the ring current recovery and loss mechanisms of ring current particles. Our previous work on global ring current distribution [Le et al., 2004] has shown that a significant partial ring current is always present at all Dst levels (regardless of storm phases) even for quiet time ring current. The total current carried by the partial ring current is much stronger than (during stormtime) or at least comparable to (during quiet time) the symmetric ring current. It is now commonly believed that a strong partial ring current is formed during the storm main phase due to the enhanced earthward convection of energetic ions from nightside plasma sheet. But the presence of a strong partial ring current throughout the recovery phase remains controversial. The magnetic field generated by the ring current inflates the inner magnetosphere and causes magnetic field depressions in the equatorial magnetosphere. During the storm recovery phase, we find that the distribution of the equatorial magnetic field depression exhibits similar local time dependence as the ring current distribution obtained from the combined dataset in the earlier study. It shows that a strong partial ring current is a permanent feature throughout the recovery phase. In the early recovery phase, the partial ring current peaks near the dusk terminator as indicated by the peak of the magnetic field depression. As the recovery phase progresses, the partial ring current decays most quickly near the dusk and results in a dusk-to-midnight moving of the peak of the partial ring current. Thus the loss mechanisms work most effectively near the dusk. The magnetic field depression increases the gyroradius of ring current protons to a scale greater or comparable to the thickness of the magnetopause, which increases the chance of ion drift loss near the dusk magnetopause at larger L-shell (L>5). But the drift loss mechanism alone cannot explain the loss of ring current ions especially in the smaller L-shell (L<5). The precipitation loss due to wave-particle interaction is most likely the dominant loss mechanism in the small L-shell as it works most effectively at the same local time.

The recent formation of Saturn's moonlets from viscous spreading of the main rings.

PubMed

Charnoz, Sébastien; Salmon, Julien; Crida, Aurélien

2010-06-10

The regular satellites of the giant planets are believed to have finished their accretion concurrent with the planets, about 4.5 Gyr ago. A population of Saturn's small moons orbiting just outside the main rings are dynamically young (less than 10(7) yr old), which is inconsistent with the formation timescale for the regular satellites. They are also underdense ( approximately 600 kg m(-3)) and show spectral characteristics similar to those of the main rings. It has been suggested that they accreted at the rings' edge, but hitherto it has been impossible to model the formation process fully owing to a lack of computational power. Here we report a hybrid simulation in which the viscous spreading of Saturn's rings beyond the Roche limit (the distance beyond which the rings are gravitationally unstable) gives rise to the small moons. The moonlets' mass distribution and orbital architecture are reproduced. The current confinement of the main rings and the existence of the dusty F ring are shown to be direct consequences of the coupling of viscous evolution and satellite formation. Saturn's rings, like a mini protoplanetary disk, may be the last place where accretion was recently active in the Solar System, some 10(6)-10(7) yr ago.

The Magnetic and Shielding Effects of Ring Current on Radiation Belt Dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fok, Mei-Ching

2012-01-01

The ring current plays many key roles in controlling magnetospheric dynamics. A well-known example is the magnetic depression produced by the ring current, which alters the drift paths of radiation belt electrons and may cause significant electron flux dropout. Little attention is paid to the ring current shielding effect on radiation belt dynamics. A recent simulation study that combines the Comprehensive Ring Current Model (CRCM) with the Radiation Belt Environment (RBE) model has revealed that the ring current-associated shielding field directly and/or indirectly weakens the relativistic electron flux increase during magnetic storms. In this talk, we will discuss how ring current magnetic field and electric shielding moderate the radiation belt enhancement.

Operational advances in ring current modeling using RAM-SCB

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Welling, Daniel T; Jordanova, Vania K; Zaharia, Sorin G

The Ring current Atmosphere interaction Model with Self-Consistently calculated 3D Magnetic field (RAM-SCB) combines a kinetic model of the ring current with a force-balanced model of the magnetospheric magnetic field to create an inner magnetospheric model that is magnetically self consistent. RAM-SCB produces a wealth of outputs that are valuable to space weather applications. For example, the anisotropic particle distribution of the KeV-energy population calculated by the code is key for predicting surface charging on spacecraft. Furthermore, radiation belt codes stand to benefit substantially from RAM-SCB calculated magnetic field values and plasma wave growth rates - both important for determiningmore » the evolution of relativistic electron populations. RAM-SCB is undergoing development to bring these benefits to the space weather community. Data-model validation efforts are underway to assess the performance of the system. 'Virtual Satellite' capability has been added to yield satellite-specific particle distribution and magnetic field output. The code's outer boundary is being expanded to 10 Earth Radii to encompass previously neglected geosynchronous orbits and allow the code to be driven completely by either empirical or first-principles based inputs. These advances are culminating towards a new, real-time version of the code, rtRAM-SCB, that can monitor the inner magnetosphere conditions on both a global and spacecraft-specific level. This paper summarizes these new features as well as the benefits they provide the space weather community.« less

Operational Advances in Ring Current Modeling Using RAM-SCB

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morley, S.; Welling, D. T.; Zaharia, S. G.; Jordanova, V. K.

2010-12-01

The Ring current Atmosphere interaction Model with Self-Consistently calculated 3D Magnetic field (RAM-SCB) combines a kinetic model of the ring current with a force-balanced model of the magnetospheric magnetic field to create an inner magnetospheric model that is magnetically self consistent. RAM-SCB produces a wealth of outputs that are valuable to space weather applications. For example, the anisotropic particle distribution of the KeV-energy population calculated by the code is key for predicting surface charging on spacecraft. Furthermore, radiation belt codes stand to benefit substantially from RAM-SCB calculated magnetic field values and plasma wave growth rates - both important for determining the evolution of relativistic electron populations. RAM-SCB is undergoing development to bring these benefits to the space weather community. Data-model validation efforts are underway to assess the performance of the system. “Virtual Satellite” capability has been added to yield satellite-specific particle distribution and magnetic field output. The code’s outer boundary is being expanded to 10 Earth Radii to encompass previously neglected geosynchronous orbits and allow the code to be driven completely by either empirical or first-principles based inputs. These advances are culminating towards a new, real-time version of the code, rtRAM-SCB, that can monitor the inner magnetosphere conditions on both a global and spacecraft-specific level. This paper summarizes these new features as well as the benefits they provide the space weather community.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhao, H.; Li, X.; Baker, D. N.

Based on comprehensive measurements from Helium, Oxygen, Proton, and Electron Mass Spectrometer Ion Spectrometer, Relativistic Electron-Proton Telescope, and Radiation Belt Storm Probes Ion Composition Experiment instruments on the Van Allen Probes, comparative studies of ring current electrons and ions are performed and the role of energetic electrons in the ring current dynamics is investigated. The deep injections of tens to hundreds of keV electrons and tens of keV protons into the inner magnetosphere occur frequently; after the injections the electrons decay slowly in the inner belt but protons in the low L region decay very fast. Intriguing similarities between lowermore » energy protons and higher-energy electrons are also found. The evolution of ring current electron and ion energy densities and energy content are examined in detail during two geomagnetic storms, one moderate and one intense. Here, the results show that the contribution of ring current electrons to the ring current energy content is much smaller than that of ring current ions (up to ~12% for the moderate storm and ~7% for the intense storm), and <35 keV electrons dominate the ring current electron energy content at the storm main phases. Though the electron energy content is usually much smaller than that of ions, the enhancement of ring current electron energy content during the moderate storm can get to ~30% of that of ring current ions, indicating a more dynamic feature of ring current electrons and important role of electrons in the ring current buildup. Lastly, the ring current electron energy density is also shown to be higher at midnight and dawn while lower at noon and dusk.« less

The earth's ring current - Present situation and future thrusts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, D. J.

1987-01-01

Particle distributions, currents, and the ring current situation prior to the August 1984 launch of the AMPTE Charge Composition Explorer (CCE) are discussed. CCE results which demonstrate the capability of these new measurements to pursue questions of ring current sources, energization, and transport are presented. Consideration is given to various ring current generation mechanisms which have been discussed in the literature, and a two-step generation process which to a certain extent unifies the previous mechanisms is presented. The first in-situ global observations of ring current decay as obtained through the detection of energetic neutral atoms generated by charge exchange interactions between the ring current and hydrogen geocorona are discussed, as well as the possibility of using the detection of energetic neutral atoms to obtain global images of the earth's ring current.

The role of cold plasma and its composition on the growth of electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves in the inner magnetosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Snelling, J. M.; Johnson, J.; Engebretson, M. J.; Kim, E. H.; Tian, S.

2017-12-01

While it is currently well accepted that the free energy for growth of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves in Earth's magnetosphere comes from unstable configurations of hot anisotropic ions that are injected into the ring current, several questions remain about what controls the instability. A recent study of the occurrence of EMIC waves relative to the plasmapause in Vallen Probes Data showed that plasma density gradients or enhancements were not the dominant factor in determining the site of EMIC wave generation [Tetrick et al. 2017]. However, the factors that control wave growth on each of the branches are not fully understood. For example, in some cases, the measured anisotropy is not adequate to explain local instability, and the relative importance of the density and composition of a cold plasma population is still uncertain. Several intervals of EMIC wave activity are analyzed to determine the role of a cold population in driving instability on each of the wave branches. This study utilizes the WHAMP (Waves in Homogeneous Anisotropic Magnetized Plasma) stability code with plasma distributions optimized to fit the observed distributions including temperature anisotropy, loss cone, and ring beam populations.

Memory characteristics of ring-shaped ceramic superconductors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Takeoka, A.; Hasunuma, M.; Sakaiya, S.

1989-03-01

For the practical application of ceramic superconductors, the authors investigated the residual magnetic field characteristics of ring-shaped ceramic superconductors in a Y-Ba-Cu-O system with high Tc. The residual magnetic field of a ring with asymmetric current paths, supplied by external currents, appeared when one of the branch currents was above the critical current. The residual magnetic field saturated when both brach currents exceeded the critical current of the ring and showed hysteresis-like characteristics. The saturated magnetic field is subject to the critical current of the ring. A superconducting ring with asymmetric current paths suggests a simple and quite new persistent-currentmore » type memory device.« less

Retention of Plasmodium falciparum ring-infected erythrocytes in the slow, open microcirculation of the human spleen.

PubMed

Safeukui, Innocent; Correas, Jean-Michel; Brousse, Valentine; Hirt, Déborah; Deplaine, Guillaume; Mulé, Sébastien; Lesurtel, Mickael; Goasguen, Nicolas; Sauvanet, Alain; Couvelard, Anne; Kerneis, Sophie; Khun, Huot; Vigan-Womas, Inès; Ottone, Catherine; Molina, Thierry Jo; Tréluyer, Jean-Marc; Mercereau-Puijalon, Odile; Milon, Geneviève; David, Peter H; Buffet, Pierre A

2008-09-15

The current paradigm in Plasmodium falciparum malaria pathogenesis states that young, ring-infected erythrocytes (rings) circulate in peripheral blood and that mature stages are sequestered in the vasculature, avoiding clearance by the spleen. Through ex vivo perfusion of human spleens, we examined the interaction of this unique blood-filtering organ with P falciparum-infected erythrocytes. As predicted, mature stages were retained. However, more than 50% of rings were also retained and accumulated upstream from endothelial sinus wall slits of the open, slow red pulp microcirculation. Ten percent of rings were retained at each spleen passage, a rate matching the proportion of blood flowing through the slow circulatory compartment established in parallel using spleen contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in healthy volunteers. Rings displayed a mildly but significantly reduced elongation index, consistent with a retention process, due to their altered mechanical properties. This raises the new paradigm of a heterogeneous ring population, the less deformable subset being retained in the spleen, thereby reducing the parasite biomass that will sequester in vital organs, influencing the risk of severe complications, such as cerebral malaria or severe anemia. Cryptic ring retention uncovers a new role for the spleen in the control of parasite density, opening novel intervention opportunities.

Sources and sinks of Earth's ring current populations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mauk, B.

2017-12-01

Processes that modify and transport current-carrying particles into and out of Earth's ring current regions are overviewed and discussed here with a focus on outstanding mysteries and uncertainties. Examples of such mysteries include the following. Some modeling and observational approaches point to a need for storm-time enhancements in the global electric field configuration to help bring magnetotail populations into the inner magnetosphere. And yet, electric field measurements from several missions, most recently the Van Allen Probes, suggest that only highly transient enhancements occur in critical regions that connect the outer and inner regions. Global enhancements appear to be internally generated rather than necessarily being driven from the outside. Another sample mystery involves the processes that give rise to the sometimes initial prompt recovery of the magnetic storm indice DST, given that loss processes traditionally invoked are likely too slow. Wave losses, such as those engendered by Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron (EMIC) waves, may be responsible, but observational support for such a solution is lacking. These and other uncertainties are discussed with a goal of addressing how they might be addressed with the present great constellation of Earth-orbiting spacecraft, most recently joined by MMS and Arase (ERG).

Impact of the storm-time plasma sheet ion composition on the ring current energy density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mouikis, C.; Kistler, L. M.; Petrinec, S. M.; Fuselier, S. A.; Cohen, I.

2017-12-01

The adiabatic inward transport of the night-side near-earth ( 6 Re) hot plasma sheet is the dominant contributor to the ring current pressure during storm times. During storm times, the plasma sheet composition in the 6 - 12 Re tail region changes due to O+ entry from the lobes (from the cusp) and the direct feeding from the night side auroral region. In addition, at substorm onset the plasma sheet O+ ions can be preferentially accelerated. We use MMS and observations during two magnetic storms, 5/8/2016 and 7/16/2017, to monitor the composition changes and energization in the 6 - 12 Re plasma sheet region. For both storms the MMS apogee was in the tail. In addition, we use subsequent Van Allen Probe observations (with apogee in the dawn and dusk respectively) to test if the 6-12 Re plasma sheet, observed by MMS, is a sufficient source of the O+ in the ring current. For this we will compare the phase space density (PSD) of the plasma sheet source population and the PSD of the inner magnetosphere at constant magnetic moment values as used in Kistler et al., [2016].

Ion composition of the bulk ring current during a magnetic storm - Observations with the CHEM-instrument on AMPTE-CCE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stuedemann, W.; Wilken, B.; Kremser, G.; Gloeckler, G.; Ipavich, F. M.

1986-01-01

Ion composition measurements in the entire energy range of the ring current population, obtained with the Charge-, Energy-, Mass-spectrometer instrument on the Charge Composition Explorer in September 1984, are reported. From the energy spectra obtained for all major constituents during the main phase of a magnetic storm, the number densities, energy densities, and mean energies are calculated and displayed as radial profiles. The mean energies of He(2+) are found to be about twice that of H(+) and He(+) throughout this storm, and the time profiles for the mean energies of all major ions are seen to bunch together (when normalizing mean energies by the ionic charge), with the largest variations of the energy densities and mean energies occurring for O(+) ions.

Health Impact Assessment of a Predicted Air Quality Change by Moving Traffic from an Urban Ring Road into a Tunnel. The Case of Antwerp, Belgium.

PubMed

Van Brusselen, Daan; Arrazola de Oñate, Wouter; Maiheu, Bino; Vranckx, Stijn; Lefebvre, Wouter; Janssen, Stijn; Nawrot, Tim S; Nemery, Ben; Avonts, Dirk

2016-01-01

The Antwerp ring road has a traffic density of 300,000 vehicles per day and borders the city center. The 'Ringland project' aims to change the current 'open air ring road' into a 'filtered tunneled ring road', putting the entire urban ring road into a tunnel and thus filtering air pollution. We conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) to quantify the possible benefit of a 'filtered tunneled ring road', as compared to the 'open air ring road' scenario, on air quality and its long-term health effects. We modeled the change in annual ambient PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations by covering 15 kilometers of the Antwerp ring road in high resolution grids using the RIO-IFDM street canyon model. The exposure-response coefficients used were derived from a literature review: all-cause mortality, life expectancy, cardiopulmonary diseases and childhood Forced Vital Capacity development (FVC). Our model predicts changes between -1.5 and +2 μg/m³ in PM2.5 within a 1,500 meter radius around the ring road, for the 'filtered tunneled ring road' scenario as compared to an 'open air ring road'. These estimated annual changes were plotted against the population exposed to these differences. The calculated change of PM2.5 is associated with an expected annual decrease of 21 deaths (95% CI 7 to 41). This corresponds with 11.5 deaths avoided per 100,000 inhabitants (95% CI 3.9-23) in the first 500 meters around the ring road every year. Of 356 schools in a 1,500 meter perimeter around the ring road changes between -10 NO2 and + 0.17 μg/m³ were found, corresponding to FVC improvement of between 3 and 64ml among school-age children. The predicted decline in lung cancer mortality and incidence of acute myocardial infarction were both only 0.1 per 100,000 inhabitants or less. The expected change in PM2,5 and NO2 by covering the entire urban ring road in Antwerp is associated with considerable health gains for the approximate 352,000 inhabitants living in a 1,500 meter perimeter around the current open air ring road.

Health Impact Assessment of a Predicted Air Quality Change by Moving Traffic from an Urban Ring Road into a Tunnel. The Case of Antwerp, Belgium

PubMed Central

Van Brusselen, Daan; Arrazola de Oñate, Wouter; Maiheu, Bino; Vranckx, Stijn; Lefebvre, Wouter; Janssen, Stijn; Nawrot, Tim S; Nemery, Ben; Avonts, Dirk

2016-01-01

Background The Antwerp ring road has a traffic density of 300,000 vehicles per day and borders the city center. The ‘Ringland project’ aims to change the current ‘open air ring road’ into a ‘filtered tunneled ring road’, putting the entire urban ring road into a tunnel and thus filtering air pollution. We conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) to quantify the possible benefit of a ‘filtered tunneled ring road’, as compared to the ‘open air ring road’ scenario, on air quality and its long-term health effects. Materials and Methods We modeled the change in annual ambient PM2.5 and NO2 concentrations by covering 15 kilometers of the Antwerp ring road in high resolution grids using the RIO-IFDM street canyon model. The exposure-response coefficients used were derived from a literature review: all-cause mortality, life expectancy, cardiopulmonary diseases and childhood Forced Vital Capacity development (FVC). Results Our model predicts changes between -1.5 and +2 μg/m³ in PM2.5 within a 1,500 meter radius around the ring road, for the ‘filtered tunneled ring road’ scenario as compared to an ‘open air ring road’. These estimated annual changes were plotted against the population exposed to these differences. The calculated change of PM2.5 is associated with an expected annual decrease of 21 deaths (95% CI 7 to 41). This corresponds with 11.5 deaths avoided per 100,000 inhabitants (95% CI 3.9–23) in the first 500 meters around the ring road every year. Of 356 schools in a 1,500 meter perimeter around the ring road changes between -10 NO2 and + 0.17 μg/m³ were found, corresponding to FVC improvement of between 3 and 64ml among school-age children. The predicted decline in lung cancer mortality and incidence of acute myocardial infarction were both only 0.1 per 100,000 inhabitants or less. Conclusion The expected change in PM2,5 and NO2 by covering the entire urban ring road in Antwerp is associated with considerable health gains for the approximate 352,000 inhabitants living in a 1,500 meter perimeter around the current open air ring road. PMID:27167124

Integration of RAM-SCB into the Space Weather Modeling Framework

DOE PAGES

Welling, Daniel; Toth, Gabor; Jordanova, Vania Koleva; ...

2018-02-07

We present that numerical simulations of the ring current are a challenging endeavor. They require a large set of inputs, including electric and magnetic fields and plasma sheet fluxes. Because the ring current broadly affects the magnetosphere-ionosphere system, the input set is dependent on the ring current region itself. This makes obtaining a set of inputs that are self-consistent with the ring current difficult. To overcome this challenge, researchers have begun coupling ring current models to global models of the magnetosphere-ionosphere system. This paper describes the coupling between the Ring current Atmosphere interaction Model with Self-Consistent Magnetic field (RAM-SCB) tomore » the models within the Space Weather Modeling Framework. Full details on both previously introduced and new coupling mechanisms are defined. Finally, the impact of self-consistently including the ring current on the magnetosphere-ionosphere system is illustrated via a set of example simulations.« less

Integration of RAM-SCB into the Space Weather Modeling Framework

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Welling, Daniel; Toth, Gabor; Jordanova, Vania Koleva

We present that numerical simulations of the ring current are a challenging endeavor. They require a large set of inputs, including electric and magnetic fields and plasma sheet fluxes. Because the ring current broadly affects the magnetosphere-ionosphere system, the input set is dependent on the ring current region itself. This makes obtaining a set of inputs that are self-consistent with the ring current difficult. To overcome this challenge, researchers have begun coupling ring current models to global models of the magnetosphere-ionosphere system. This paper describes the coupling between the Ring current Atmosphere interaction Model with Self-Consistent Magnetic field (RAM-SCB) tomore » the models within the Space Weather Modeling Framework. Full details on both previously introduced and new coupling mechanisms are defined. Finally, the impact of self-consistently including the ring current on the magnetosphere-ionosphere system is illustrated via a set of example simulations.« less

Exploring the ring current of carbon nanotubes by first-principles calculations.

PubMed

Ren, Pengju; Zheng, Anmin; Xiao, Jianping; Pan, Xiulian; Bao, Xinhe

2015-02-01

Ring current is a fundamental concept to understand the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) properties and aromaticity for conjugated systems, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Employing the recently developed gauge including projector augmented wave (GIPAW) method, we studied the ring currents of CNTs systematically and visualized their distribution. The ring current patterns are determined by the semiconducting or metallic properties of CNTs. The discrepancy is mainly caused by the axial component of external magnetic fields, whereas the radial component induced ring currents are almost independent of the electronic structures of CNTs, where the intensities of the ring currents are linearly related to the diameters of the CNTs. Although the ring currents induced by the radial component are more intense than those by the axial component, only the latter determines the overall NMR responses and aromaticity of the CNTs as well. Furthermore, the semiconducting CNTs are more aromatic than their metallic counterparts due to the existence of delocalized ring currents on the semiconducting CNTs. These fundamental features are of vital importance for the development of CNT-based nanoelectronics and applications in magnetic fields.

Exploring the ring current of carbon nanotubes by first-principles calculations

PubMed Central

Ren, Pengju; Zheng, Anmin; Xiao, Jianping; Pan, Xiulian

2015-01-01

Ring current is a fundamental concept to understand the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) properties and aromaticity for conjugated systems, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Employing the recently developed gauge including projector augmented wave (GIPAW) method, we studied the ring currents of CNTs systematically and visualized their distribution. The ring current patterns are determined by the semiconducting or metallic properties of CNTs. The discrepancy is mainly caused by the axial component of external magnetic fields, whereas the radial component induced ring currents are almost independent of the electronic structures of CNTs, where the intensities of the ring currents are linearly related to the diameters of the CNTs. Although the ring currents induced by the radial component are more intense than those by the axial component, only the latter determines the overall NMR responses and aromaticity of the CNTs as well. Furthermore, the semiconducting CNTs are more aromatic than their metallic counterparts due to the existence of delocalized ring currents on the semiconducting CNTs. These fundamental features are of vital importance for the development of CNT-based nanoelectronics and applications in magnetic fields. PMID:29560175

Ring Current Dynamics in Moderate and Strong Storms: Comparative Analysis of TWINS and IMAGE/HENA Data with the Comprehensive Ring Current Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buzulukova, N.; Fok, M.-C.; Goldstein, J.; Valek, P.; McComas, D. J.; Brandt, P. C.

2010-01-01

We present a comparative study of ring current dynamics during strong and moderate storms. The ring current during the strong storm is studied with IMAGE/HENA data near the solar cycle maximum in 2000. The ring current during the moderate storm is studied using energetic neutral atom (ENA) data from the Two Wide-Angle Imaging Neutral- Atom Spectrometers (TWINS) mission during the solar minimum in 2008. For both storms, the local time distributions of ENA emissions show signatures of postmidnight enhancement (PME) during the main phases. To model the ring current and ENA emissions, we use the Comprehensive Ring Current Model (CRCM). CRCM results show that the main-phase ring current pressure peaks in the premidnight-dusk sector, while the most intense CRCM-simulated ENA emissions show PME signatures. We analyze two factors to explain this difference: the dependence of charge-exchange cross section on energy and pitch angle distributions of ring current. We find that the IMF By effect (twisting of the convection pattern due to By) is not needed to form the PME. Additionally, the PME is more pronounced for the strong storm, although relative shielding and hence electric field skewing is well developed for both events.

Coherent π-electron dynamics of (P)-2,2'-biphenol induced by ultrashort linearly polarized UV pulses: Angular momentum and ring current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mineo, H.; Lin, S. H.; Fujimura, Y.

2013-02-01

The results of a theoretical investigation of coherent π-electron dynamics for nonplanar (P)-2,2'-biphenol induced by ultrashort linearly polarized UV pulses are presented. Expressions for the time-dependent coherent angular momentum and ring current are derived by using the density matrix method. The time dependence of these coherences is determined by the off-diagonal density matrix element, which can be obtained by solving the coupled equations of motion of the electronic-state density matrix. Dephasing effects on coherent angular momentum and ring current are taken into account within the Markov approximation. The magnitudes of the electronic angular momentum and current are expressed as the sum of expectation values of the corresponding operators in the two phenol rings (L and R rings). Here, L (R) denotes the phenol ring in the left (right)-hand side of (P)-2,2'-biphenol. We define the bond current between the nearest neighbor carbon atoms Ci and Cj as an electric current through a half plane perpendicular to the Ci-Cj bond. The bond current can be expressed in terms of the inter-atomic bond current. The inter-atomic bond current (bond current) depends on the position of the half plane on the bond and has the maximum value at the center. The coherent ring current in each ring is defined by averaging over the bond currents. Since (P)-2,2'-biphenol is nonplanar, the resultant angular momentum is not one-dimensional. Simulations of the time-dependent coherent angular momentum and ring current of (P)-2,2'-biphenol excited by ultrashort linearly polarized UV pulses are carried out using the molecular parameters obtained by the time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) method. Oscillatory behaviors in the time-dependent angular momentum (ring current), which can be called angular momentum (ring current) quantum beats, are classified by the symmetry of the coherent state, symmetric or antisymmetric. The bond current of the bridge bond linking the L and R rings is zero for the symmetric coherent state, while it is nonzero for the antisymmetric coherent state. The magnitudes of ring current and ring current-induced magnetic field are also evaluated, and their possibility as a control parameter in ultrafast switching devices is discussed. The present results give a detailed description of the theoretical treatment reported in our previous paper [H. Mineo, M. Yamaki, Y. Teranish, M. Hayashi, S. H. Lin, and Y. Fujimura, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 134, 14279 (2012), 10.1021/ja3047848].

Coherent π-electron dynamics of (P)-2,2'-biphenol induced by ultrashort linearly polarized UV pulses: angular momentum and ring current.

PubMed

Mineo, H; Lin, S H; Fujimura, Y

2013-02-21

The results of a theoretical investigation of coherent π-electron dynamics for nonplanar (P)-2,2'-biphenol induced by ultrashort linearly polarized UV pulses are presented. Expressions for the time-dependent coherent angular momentum and ring current are derived by using the density matrix method. The time dependence of these coherences is determined by the off-diagonal density matrix element, which can be obtained by solving the coupled equations of motion of the electronic-state density matrix. Dephasing effects on coherent angular momentum and ring current are taken into account within the Markov approximation. The magnitudes of the electronic angular momentum and current are expressed as the sum of expectation values of the corresponding operators in the two phenol rings (L and R rings). Here, L (R) denotes the phenol ring in the left (right)-hand side of (P)-2,2'-biphenol. We define the bond current between the nearest neighbor carbon atoms Ci and Cj as an electric current through a half plane perpendicular to the Ci-Cj bond. The bond current can be expressed in terms of the inter-atomic bond current. The inter-atomic bond current (bond current) depends on the position of the half plane on the bond and has the maximum value at the center. The coherent ring current in each ring is defined by averaging over the bond currents. Since (P)-2,2'-biphenol is nonplanar, the resultant angular momentum is not one-dimensional. Simulations of the time-dependent coherent angular momentum and ring current of (P)-2,2'-biphenol excited by ultrashort linearly polarized UV pulses are carried out using the molecular parameters obtained by the time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) method. Oscillatory behaviors in the time-dependent angular momentum (ring current), which can be called angular momentum (ring current) quantum beats, are classified by the symmetry of the coherent state, symmetric or antisymmetric. The bond current of the bridge bond linking the L and R rings is zero for the symmetric coherent state, while it is nonzero for the antisymmetric coherent state. The magnitudes of ring current and ring current-induced magnetic field are also evaluated, and their possibility as a control parameter in ultrafast switching devices is discussed. The present results give a detailed description of the theoretical treatment reported in our previous paper [H. Mineo, M. Yamaki, Y. Teranish, M. Hayashi, S. H. Lin, and Y. Fujimura, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 134, 14279 (2012)].

Magnetic Field Observations of Partial Ring Current during Storm Recovery Phase

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Le, G.; Russell, C. T.; Slavin, J. A.; Lucek, E. A.

2008-01-01

We present results of an extensive survey of the magnetic field observations in the inner magnetosphere using 30 years of magnetospheric magnetic field data from Polar, Cluster, ISEE, and AMPTE/CCE missions. The purpose of this study is to understand the magnetic field evolution during the recovery phase of geomagnetic storms, and its implication to the ring current recovery and loss mechanisms of ring current particles. It is now commonly believed that a strong partial ring current is formed during the storm main phase due to the enhanced earthward convection of energetic ions from nightside plasma sheet. But the presence of a strong partial ring current throughout the recovery phase remains controversial. The magnetic field generated by the ring current inflates the inner magnetosphere and causes magnetic field depressions in the equatorial magnetosphere. During the storm recovery phase, we find that the distribution of the equatorial magnetic field depression exhibits similar local time dependence as the ring current distribution obtained from the combined dataset in the earlier study. It shows that a strong partial ring current is a permanent feature throughout the recovery phase. In the early recovery phase, the partial ring current peaks near the dusk terminator as indicated by the peak of the magnetic field depression. As the recovery phase progresses, the partial ring current decays most quickly near the dusk and results in a dusk-to-midnight moving of the peak of the partial ring current. Thus the loss mechanisms work most effectively near the dusk. The magnetic field depression increases the gyroradius of ring current protons to a scale greater or comparable to the thickness of the magnetopause, which increases the chance of ion drift loss near the dusk magnetopause at larger L-shell (L greater than 5). But the drift loss mechanism alone cannot explain the loss of ring current ions especially in the smaller L-shell (L less than 5). The precipitation loss due to wave-particle interaction is most likely the dominant loss mechanism in the small L-shell as it works most effectively at the same local time.

77 FR 76706 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Threatened Status for the Arctic, Okhotsk, and Baltic...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-28

...We, NMFS, issue a final determination to list the Arctic (Phoca hispida hispida), Okhotsk (Phoca hispida ochotensis), and Baltic (Phoca hispida botnica) subspecies of the ringed seal (Phoca hispida) as threatened and the Ladoga (Phoca hispida ladogensis) subspecies of the ringed seal as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). We will propose to designate critical habitat for the Arctic ringed seal in a future rulemaking. To assist us in this effort, we solicit information that may be relevant to the designation of critical habitat for Arctic ringed seals. In light of public comments and upon further review, we are withdrawing the proposed ESA section 4(d) protective regulations for threatened subspecies of the ringed seal because we have determined that such regulations are not necessary or advisable for the conservation of the Arctic, Okhotsk, or Baltic subspecies of the ringed seal at this time. Given their current population sizes, the long-term nature of the primary threat to these subspecies (habitat alteration stemming from climate change), and the existing protections under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, it is unlikely that the proposed protective regulations would provide appreciable conservation benefits.

Evaluating the diffusion coefficient of dopamine at the cell surface during amperometric detection: disk vs ring microelectrodes.

PubMed

Trouillon, Raphaël; Lin, Yuqing; Mellander, Lisa J; Keighron, Jacqueline D; Ewing, Andrew G

2013-07-02

During exocytosis, small quantities of neurotransmitters are released by the cell. These neurotransmitters can be detected quantitatively using electrochemical methods, principally with disk carbon fiber microelectrode amperometry. An exocytotic event then results in the recording of a current peak whose characteristic features are directly related to the mechanisms of exocytosis. We have compared two exocytotic peak populations obtained from PC12 cells with a disk carbon fiber microelectrode and with a pyrolyzed carbon ring microelectrode array, with a 500 nm ring thickness. The specific shape of the ring electrode allows for precise analysis of diffusion processes at the vicinity of the cell membrane. Peaks obtained with a ring microelectrode array show a distorted average shape, owing to increased diffusion pathways. This result has been used to evaluate the diffusion coefficient of dopamine at the surface of a cell, which is up to an order of magnitude smaller than that measured in free buffer. The lower rate of diffusion is discussed as resulting from interactions with the glycocalyx.

Climate Variability and Ponderosa Pine Colonizations in Central Wyoming: Integrating Dendroecology and Dendroclimatology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesser, M.; Wentzel, C.; Gray, S.; Jackson, S.

2007-12-01

Many tree species are predicted to expand into new territory over the coming decades in response to changing climate. By studying tree expansions over the last several centuries we can begin to understand the mechanisms underlying these changes and anticipate their consequences for forest management. Woody-plant demographics and decadal to multidecadal climate variability are often closely linked in semi-arid regions. Integrated tree-ring analysis, combining dendroecology and dendroclimatology to document, respectively, the demographic history of the population and the climatic history of the region, can reveal ecological dynamics in response to climate variability. We studied four small, disjunct populations of Pinus ponderosa in the Bighorn Basin of north-central Wyoming. These populations are located 30 to 100 kilometers from the nearest core populations of ponderosa pine in the western Bighorn Mountains. Packrat midden studies have shown that ponderosa pine colonized the western slopes of the Bighorn Range 1500 years ago, so the disjunct populations in the basin must be younger. All trees (living and dead) at each of the four disjunct populations were mapped, cored, and then aged using tree-ring based techniques. We obtained records of hydroclimatic variability from the Bighorn Basin using four tree-ring series from Pinus flexilis (3 sites) and Pseudotsuga menziesii (1 site). The four disjunct populations were all established within the past 500 years. Initially, the populations grew slowly with low recruitment rates until the early 19th century, when they experienced one or more large recruitment pulses. These pulses coincided with extended wet periods in the climate reconstruction. However, similar wet periods before the 19th Century were not accompanied by recruitment pulses, indicating that other factors (e.g., population density, genetic variability) are also important in colonization and expansion. We are currently obtaining genetic data and carrying out population modeling to differentiate the effects of population dynamics, genetic variability, and climate variability on recruitment and expansion of these populations.

Analysis of the contributions of ring current and electric field effects to the chemical shifts of RNA bases.

PubMed

Sahakyan, Aleksandr B; Vendruscolo, Michele

2013-02-21

Ring current and electric field effects can considerably influence NMR chemical shifts in biomolecules. Understanding such effects is particularly important for the development of accurate mappings between chemical shifts and the structures of nucleic acids. In this work, we first analyzed the Pople and the Haigh-Mallion models in terms of their ability to describe nitrogen base conjugated ring effects. We then created a database (DiBaseRNA) of three-dimensional arrangements of RNA base pairs from X-ray structures, calculated the corresponding chemical shifts via a hybrid density functional theory approach and used the results to parametrize the ring current and electric field effects in RNA bases. Next, we studied the coupling of the electric field and ring current effects for different inter-ring arrangements found in RNA bases using linear model fitting, with joint electric field and ring current, as well as only electric field and only ring current approximations. Taken together, our results provide a characterization of the interdependence of ring current and electric field geometric factors, which is shown to be especially important for the chemical shifts of non-hydrogen atoms in RNA bases.

[Orientation hypercolumns of the visual cortex: ring model].

PubMed

Smirnova, E Iu; Chizhov, A V

2011-01-01

A hypercolumn of the visual cortex is a functional unit formed of the neighbouring columns whose neurons respond to a stimulus of particular orientation. The function of the hypercolumn is to amplify the orientation tuning of visually evoked responses. According to the conventional simple model of a hypercolumn, neuronal populations with different orientation preferences are distributed on a ring. Every population is described by the frequency (FR) model. To determine the limitations of the FR-ring model, it was compared with a more detailed ring model, which takes into account the distribution of neurons of each population according to their voltage values. In the case of the leaky integrate-and-fire neurons, every neural population is described by the Fokker-Planck (FP) equation. The mapping of parameters was obtained. The simulations revealed differences in the behaviour of the two models. Contrary to the FR model, the model based on the Fokker-Planck equation reacts faster to a change in stimulus orientation. The Fokker-Planck ring model gives a steady-state solution in the form of waves of activity travelling on the ring, whereas the FR ring model presents amplitude instability for the same parameter set. The FR ring model reproduces the characteristic effects of the ring model: the virtual rotation and the symmetry breaking.

Analysis of the magnetically induced current density of molecules consisting of annelated aromatic and antiaromatic hydrocarbon rings.

PubMed

Sundholm, Dage; Berger, Raphael J F; Fliegl, Heike

2016-06-21

Magnetically induced current susceptibilities and current pathways have been calculated for molecules consisting of two pentalene groups annelated with a benzene (1) or naphthalene (2) moiety. Current strength susceptibilities have been obtained by numerically integrating separately the diatropic and paratropic contributions to the current flow passing planes through chosen bonds of the molecules. The current density calculations provide novel and unambiguous current pathways for the unusual molecules with annelated aromatic and antiaromatic hydrocarbon moieties. The calculations show that the benzene and naphthalene moieties annelated with two pentalene units as in molecules 1 and 2, respectively, are unexpectedly antiaromatic sustaining only a local paratropic ring current around the ring, whereas a weak diatropic current flows around the C-H moiety of the benzene ring. For 1 and 2, the individual five-membered rings of the pentalenes are antiaromatic and a slightly weaker semilocal paratropic current flows around the two pentalene rings. Molecules 1 and 2 do not sustain any net global ring current. The naphthalene moiety of the molecule consisting of a naphthalene annelated with two pentalene units (3) does not sustain any strong ring current that is typical for naphthalene. Instead, half of the diatropic current passing the naphthalene moiety forms a zig-zag pattern along the C-C bonds of the naphthalene moiety that are not shared with the pentalene moieties and one third of the current continues around the whole molecule partially cancelling the very strong paratropic semilocal ring current of the pentalenes. For molecule 3, the pentalene moieties and the individual five-membered rings of the pentalenes are more antiaromatic than for 1 and 2. The calculated current patterns elucidate why the compounds with formally [4n + 2] π-electrons have unusual aromatic properties violating the Hückel π-electron count rule. The current density calculations also provide valuable information for interpreting the measured (1)H NMR spectra.

Ring Current Pressure Estimation withRAM-SCB using Data Assimilation and VanAllen Probe Flux Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Godinez, H. C.; Yu, Y.; Henderson, M. G.; Larsen, B.; Jordanova, V.

2015-12-01

Capturing and subsequently modeling the influence of tail plasma injections on the inner magnetosphere is particularly important for understanding the formation and evolution of Earth's ring current. In this study, the ring current distribution is estimated with the Ring Current-Atmosphere Interactions Model with Self-Consistent Magnetic field (RAM-SCB) using, for the first time, data assimilation techniques and particle flux data from the Van Allen Probes. The state of the ring current within the RAM-SCB is corrected via an ensemble based data assimilation technique by using proton flux from one of the Van Allen Probes, to capture the enhancement of ring current following an isolated substorm event on July 18 2013. The results show significant improvement in the estimation of the ring current particle distributions in the RAM-SCB model, leading to better agreement with observations. This newly implemented data assimilation technique in the global modeling of the ring current thus provides a promising tool to better characterize the effect of substorm injections in the near-Earth regions. The work is part of the Space Hazards Induced near Earth by Large, Dynamic Storms (SHIELDS) project in Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Differences in delta13C and diameter growth among remnant Scots pine populations in Scotland.

PubMed

Brendel, Oliver; Handley, Linda; Griffiths, Howard

2002-10-01

Published data suggest that differences in wood cellulose carbon isotope composition (delta13C) and xylem ring width among natural populations of Scots pine in Scotland (Pinus sylvestris L.) are attributable to the persistence of palaeotypes of various post-glacial migratory origins. We assessed differences in wood cellulose delta13C and ring width among Scottish Scots pine populations grown in a clone bank and in natural stands at various locations in northern and central Scotland. Ring width and wood cellulose delta13C varied significantly among natural stands. Potential water deficit was positively correlated with wood cellulose delta13C and xylem ring width in the natural stands. Neither wood cellulose delta13C nor xylem ring width of clone bank trees correlated with any climate variables at the sites from which the trees originated, indicating little adaptation to climate for these traits. Xylem ring width showed a site x population interaction for the growth sites (i.e., natural stands versus clone bank), but wood cellulose delta13C did not. These results suggest that climate variation in Scotland has not resulted in significant genetic variation in wood cellulose delta13C or xylem ring width in post-glacial populations.

The two-way relationship between ionospheric outflow and the ring current

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Welling, Daniel T.; Jordanova, Vania Koleva; Glocer, Alex

It is now well established that the ionosphere, because it acts as a significant source of plasma, plays a critical role in ring current dynamics. However, because the ring current deposits energy into the ionosphere, the inverse may also be true: the ring current can play a critical role in the dynamics of ionospheric outflow. This study uses a set of coupled, first-principles-based numerical models to test the dependence of ionospheric outflow on ring current-driven region 2 field-aligned currents (FACs). A moderate magnetospheric storm event is modeled with the Space Weather Modeling Framework using a global MHD code (Block Adaptivemore » Tree Solar wind Roe-type Upwind Scheme, BATS-R-US), a polar wind model (Polar Wind Outflow Model), and a bounce-averaged kinetic ring current model (ring current atmosphere interaction model with self-consistent magnetic field, RAM-SCB). Initially, each code is two-way coupled to all others except for RAM-SCB, which receives inputs from the other models but is not allowed to feed back pressure into the MHD model. The simulation is repeated with pressure coupling activated, which drives strong pressure gradients and region 2 FACs in BATS-R-US. It is found that the region 2 FACs increase heavy ion outflow by up to 6 times over the non-coupled results. The additional outflow further energizes the ring current, establishing an ionosphere-magnetosphere mass feedback loop. This study further demonstrates that ionospheric outflow is not merely a plasma source for the magnetosphere but an integral part in the nonlinear ionosphere-magnetosphere-ring current system.« less

The two-way relationship between ionospheric outflow and the ring current

DOE PAGES

Welling, Daniel T.; Jordanova, Vania Koleva; Glocer, Alex; ...

2015-06-01

It is now well established that the ionosphere, because it acts as a significant source of plasma, plays a critical role in ring current dynamics. However, because the ring current deposits energy into the ionosphere, the inverse may also be true: the ring current can play a critical role in the dynamics of ionospheric outflow. This study uses a set of coupled, first-principles-based numerical models to test the dependence of ionospheric outflow on ring current-driven region 2 field-aligned currents (FACs). A moderate magnetospheric storm event is modeled with the Space Weather Modeling Framework using a global MHD code (Block Adaptivemore » Tree Solar wind Roe-type Upwind Scheme, BATS-R-US), a polar wind model (Polar Wind Outflow Model), and a bounce-averaged kinetic ring current model (ring current atmosphere interaction model with self-consistent magnetic field, RAM-SCB). Initially, each code is two-way coupled to all others except for RAM-SCB, which receives inputs from the other models but is not allowed to feed back pressure into the MHD model. The simulation is repeated with pressure coupling activated, which drives strong pressure gradients and region 2 FACs in BATS-R-US. It is found that the region 2 FACs increase heavy ion outflow by up to 6 times over the non-coupled results. The additional outflow further energizes the ring current, establishing an ionosphere-magnetosphere mass feedback loop. This study further demonstrates that ionospheric outflow is not merely a plasma source for the magnetosphere but an integral part in the nonlinear ionosphere-magnetosphere-ring current system.« less

The storm time ring current dynamics and response to CMEs and CIRs using Van Allen Probes observations and CIMI simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mouikis, Christopher; Bingham, Samuel; Kistler, Lynn; Spence, Harlan; Gkioulidou, Matina

2017-04-01

The ring current responds differently to the different solar and interplanetary storm drivers such as coronal mass injections, (CME's), and co-rotating interaction regions (CIR's). Using Van Allen Probes observations, we develop an empirical ring current model of the ring current pressure, the pressure anisotropy and the current density development during the storm phases for both types of storm drivers and for all MLTs inside L 6. Delineating the differences in the ring current development between these two drivers will aid our understanding of the ring current dynamics. We find that during the storm main phase most of the ring current pressure in the pre-midnight inner magnetosphere is contributed by particles on open drift paths that cause the development of a strong partial ring current that causes most of the main phase Dst drop. These particles can reach as deep as L 2 and their pressure compares to the local magnetic field pressure as deep as L 3. During the recovery phase, if these particles are not lost at the magnetopause, will become trapped and will contribute to the symmetric ring current. However, the largest difference between the CME and CIR ring current responses during the storm main and early recovery phases is caused by how the 15 - 60 keV O+ responds to these drivers. This empirical model is compared to the results of CIMI simulations of a CMEs and a CIRs where the model input is comprised of the superposed epoch solar wind conditions of the storms that comprise the empirical model. Different inner magnetosphere boundary conditions are tested in order to match the empirical model results. Comparing the model and simulation results improves our understanding of the ring current dynamics as part of the highly coupled inner magnetosphere system. In addition, within the framework of this empirical model, the prediction of the EMIC wave generation linear theory is tested using the observed plasma parameters and comparing with the observations of EMIC waves.

Topological ring currents in the "empty" ring of benzo-annelated perylenes.

PubMed

Dickens, Timothy K; Mallion, Roger B

2011-01-27

Cyclic conjugation in benzo-annelated perylenes is examined by means of the topological π-electron ring currents calculated for each of their constituent rings, in a study that is an exact analogy of a recent investigation by Gutman et al. based on energy-effect values for the corresponding rings in each of these structures. "Classical" approaches, such as Kekulé structures, Clar "sextet" formulas, and circuits of conjugation, predict that the central ring in perylene is "empty" and thus contributes negligibly to cyclic conjugation. However, conclusions from the present calculations of topological ring currents agree remarkably with those arising from the earlier study involving energy-effect values in that, contrary to what would be predicted from the classical approaches, rings annelated in an angular fashion relative to the central ring of these perylene structures materially increase the extent of that ring's involvement in cyclic conjugation. It is suggested that such close quantitative agreement between the predictions of these two superficially very different indices (energy effect and topological ring current) might be due to the fact that, ultimately, both depend, albeit in ostensibly quite different ways, only on an adjacency matrix that contains information about the carbon-carbon connectivity of the conjugated system in question.

Quantum rings in magnetic fields and spin current generation.

PubMed

Cini, Michele; Bellucci, Stefano

2014-04-09

We propose three different mechanisms for pumping spin-polarized currents in a ballistic circuit using a time-dependent magnetic field acting on an asymmetrically connected quantum ring at half filling. The first mechanism works thanks to a rotating magnetic field and produces an alternating current with a partial spin polarization. The second mechanism works by rotating the ring in a constant field; like the former case, it produces an alternating charge current, but the spin current is dc. Both methods do not require a spin-orbit interaction to achieve the polarized current, but the rotating ring could be used to measure the spin-orbit interaction in the ring using characteristic oscillations. On the other hand, the last mechanism that we propose depends on the spin-orbit interaction in an essential way, and requires a time-dependent magnetic field in the plane of the ring. This arrangement can be designed to pump a purely spin current. The absence of a charge current is demonstrated analytically. Moreover, a simple formula for the current is derived and compared with the numerical results.

Population evolution in the GEO vicinity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wegener, P.; Bendisch, J.; Krag, H.; Stabroth, S.

The geostationary orbit is now in use for nearly 40 years. Due to the absence of major energy dissipating mechanisms, the object population in the GEO environment steadily grew during this time. In mid 2001, a total of 762 known objects permanently resided within the GEO region (GEO +/-1000 km). Additionally, two explosion events are confirmed within the geostationary ring, which further enlarge the already existing population consisting of payloads and upper stages. Recent observation results obtained by the ESA Space Debris Telescope (SDT) at Tenerife show strong indications for even more fragment clouds. Since the geostationary ring can be seen as a unique resource, which is not protected by any significant selfcleaning effect, a monitoring of the object environment in the vicinity of this orbit is mandatory. In a first step, this paper characterizes the history and current state of the GEO environment. The evolution of fresh object clouds within and out of the ring is analysed to get a better understanding of the short- and mid-term impact of explosion events as well as Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) firings on the overall population. Next to explosion prevention, the transfer of satellites to a graveyard orbit about 300 km above the geostationary altitude is agreed to be the most effective mean to preserve GEO. Although this procedure is internationally recommended, only one third of the retiring spacecraft is in fact brought to a sufficiently high orbit. Another 30% performs a re-orbiting, but is ending up in an orbit in the direct vicinity of the GEO ring or even touching or crossing it. The reason for this low performance often can be found in insufficient fuel gauging or urgent need for several more months of operation. In the future, one possibility to mitigate the population growth by remo v - i n g those spacecraft could be a dedicated vehicle transferring several large objects to the graveyard area before retiring there on its own. The number and distribution of possible candidates for such a removal is outlined. Assuming a future traffic model and different scenarios for re-orbiting and removal, the future evolution of the large object population in and near GEO can be estimated.

Fabrication and Characterization of Ultrathin-ring Electrodes for Pseudo-steady-state Amperometric Detection.

PubMed

Kitazumi, Yuki; Hamamoto, Katsumi; Noda, Tatsuo; Shirai, Osamu; Kano, Kenji

2015-01-01

The fabrication of ultrathin-ring electrodes with a diameter of 2 mm and a thickness of 100 nm is established. The ultrathin-ring electrodes provide a large density of pseudo-steady-state currents, and realize pseudo-steady-state amperometry under quiescent conditions without a Faraday cage. Under the limiting current conditions, the current response at the ultrathin-ring electrode can be well explained by the theory of the microband electrode response. Cyclic voltammograms at the ultrathin-ring electrode show sigmoidal characteristics with some hysteresis. Numerical simulation reveals that the hysteresis can be ascribed to the time-dependence of pseudo-steady-state current. The performance of amperometry with the ultrathin-ring electrode has been verified in its application to redox enzyme kinetic measurements.

Current-induced SQUID behavior of superconducting Nb nano-rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharon, Omri J.; Shaulov, Avner; Berger, Jorge; Sharoni, Amos; Yeshurun, Yosef

2016-06-01

The critical temperature in a superconducting ring changes periodically with the magnetic flux threading it, giving rise to the well-known Little-Parks magnetoresistance oscillations. Periodic changes of the critical current in a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID), consisting of two Josephson junctions in a ring, lead to a different type of magnetoresistance oscillations utilized in detecting extremely small changes in magnetic fields. Here we demonstrate current-induced switching between Little-Parks and SQUID magnetoresistance oscillations in a superconducting nano-ring without Josephson junctions. Our measurements in Nb nano-rings show that as the bias current increases, the parabolic Little-Parks magnetoresistance oscillations become sinusoidal and eventually transform into oscillations typical of a SQUID. We associate this phenomenon with the flux-induced non-uniformity of the order parameter along a superconducting nano-ring, arising from the superconducting leads (‘arms’) attached to it. Current enhanced phase slip rates at the points with minimal order parameter create effective Josephson junctions in the ring, switching it into a SQUID.

Global Magnetospheric Evolution Effected by Sudden Ring Current Injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Geunseok; No, Jincheol; Kim, Kap-Sung; Choe, Gwangson; Lee, Junggi

2016-04-01

The dynamical evolution of the Earth's magnetosphere loaded with a transiently enhanced ring current is investigated by global magnetohydrodynamic simulations. Two cases with different values of the primitive ring current are considered. In one case, the initial ring current is strong enough to create a magnetic island in the magnetosphere. The magnetic island readily reconnects with the earth-connected ambient field and is destroyed as the system approaches a steady equilibrium. In the other case, the initial ring current is not so strong, and the initial magnetic field configuration bears no magnetic island, but features a wake of bent field lines, which is smoothed out through the relaxing evolution of the magnetosphere. The relaxation time of the magnetosphere is found to be about five to six minutes, over which the ring current is reduced to about a quarter of its initial value. Before reaching a quasi-steady state, the magnetosphere is found to undergo an overshooting expansion and a subsequent contraction. Fast and slow magnetosonic waves are identified to play an important role in the relaxation toward equilibrium. Our study suggests that a sudden injection of the ring current can generate an appreciable global pulsation of the magnetosphere.

Global Evolution of the Earth's Magnetosphere in Response to a Sudden Ring Current Injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

No, Jincheol; Choe, Gwangson; Park, Geunseok

2014-05-01

The dynamical evolution of the Earth's magnetosphere loaded with a transiently enhanced ring current is investigated by global magnetohydrodynamic simulations. Two cases with different values of the primitive ring current are considered. In one case, the initial ring current is strong enough to create a magnetic island in the magnetosphere. The magnetic island readily reconnects with the earth-connected ambient field and is destroyed as the system approaches a steady equilibrium. In the other case, the initial ring current is not so strong, and the initial magnetic field configuration bears no magnetic island, but features a wake of bent field lines, which is smoothed out through the relaxing evolution of the magnetosphere. The relaxation time of the magnetosphere is found to be about five to six minutes, over which the ring current is reduced to about a quarter of its initial value. Before reaching a steady state, the magnetosphere is found to undergo an overshooting expansion and a subsequent contraction. Fast and slow magnetosonic waves are identified to play an important role in the relaxation toward equilibrium. Our study suggests that a sudden injection of the ring current can generate an appreciable global pulsation of the magnetosphere.

Ring current proton decay by charge exchange

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, P. H.; Hoffman, R. A.; Fritz, T.

1975-01-01

Explorer 45 measurements during the recovery phase of a moderate magnetic storm have confirmed that the charge exchange decay mechanism can account for the decay of the storm-time proton ring current. Data from the moderate magnetic storm of 24 February 1972 was selected for study since a symmetrical ring current had developed and effects due to asymmetric ring current losses could be eliminated. It was found that after the initial rapid decay of the proton flux, the equatorially mirroring protons in the energy range 5 to 30 keV decayed throughout the L-value range of 3.5 to 5.0 at the charge exchange decay rate calculated by Liemohn. After several days of decay, the proton fluxes reached a lower limit where an apparent equilibrium was maintained, between weak particle source mechanisms and the loss mechanisms, until fresh protons were injected into the ring current region during substorms. While other proton loss mechanisms may also be operating, the results indicate that charge exchange can entirely account for the storm-time proton ring current decay, and that this mechanism must be considered in all studies involving the loss of proton ring current particles.

The plasma environment, charge state, and currents of Saturn's C and D rings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, G. R.

1991-01-01

The charge state and associated currents of Saturn's C an D rings are studied by modeling the flow of ionospheric plasma from the mid- to low-latitude ionosphere to the vicinity of the rings. It is found that the plasma density near the C and D rings, at a given radial location, will experience a one to two order of magnitude diurnal variation. The surface charge density (SCD) of these rings can show significant radial and azimuthal variations due mainly to variation in the plasma density. The SCD also depends on structural features of the rings such as thickness and the nature of the particle size distribution. The associated azimuthal currents carried by these rings also show large diurnal variations resulting in field-aligned currents which close in the ionosphere. The resulting ionospheric electric field will probably not produce a significant amount of plasma convection in the topside ionosphere and inner plasmasphere.

Coupled low-energy - ring current plasma diffusion in the Jovian magnetosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Summers, D.; Siscoe, G. L.

1985-01-01

The outwardly diffusing Iogenic plasma and the simultaneously inwardly diffusing ring current plasma in the Jovian magnetosphere are described using a coupled diffusion model which incorporates the effects of the pressure gradient of the ring current into the cross-L diffusion coefficient. The coupled diffusion coefficient is derived by calculating the total energy available to drive the diffusion process. The condition is imposed that the diffusion coefficient takes on a local minimum value at some point in the region L = 7-8, at which point the gradient of the Io plasma density is specified as ramp value given by Siscoe et al. (1981). The hypothesis that the pressure gradient of the ring current causes the diminution of radial plasma transport is tested, and solution profiles for the Iogenic and ring current plasma densities are obtained which imply that the Io plasma ramp is caused by a high-density, low-energy component of the ring current hitherto unobserved directly.

Vaginal ring delivery of selective progesterone receptor modulators for contraception

PubMed Central

Jensen, Jeffrey T.

2013-01-01

Vaginal ring delivery of selective progesterone receptor modulators (SPRMs) are under development to address limitations of current hormonal methods that affect use and effectiveness. This method would be appropriate for use in women with contraindications to, or preferences to avoid, estrogens. A contraceptive vaginal ring (CVR) also eliminates the need for daily dosing, and therefore might improve the effectiveness of contraception. The principle contraceptive effect of SPRMs is the suppression of ovulation. One limiting factor of chronic SPRM administration is the development of benign endometrial thickening characterized as PRM-associated endometrial changes. Ulipristal acetate is approved for use as an emergency contraceptive pill, but no SPRM is approved for regular contraception. The Population Council is developing an ulipristal acetate CVR for regular contraception. The CVR studied is of a matrix design composed of micronized UPA mixed in a silicone rubber matrix The target product is a ring designed for continuous use over 3 months delivering near steady-state drug levels that will suppress ovulation. Results from Phase 1–2 studies demonstrate that suppression of ovulation occurs with UPA levels above 6–7 ng/mL. PMID:23040126

The Ring Current Response to Solar and Interplanetary Storm Drivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mouikis, C.; Kistler, L. M.; Bingham, S.; Kronberg, E. A.; Gkioulidou, M.; Huang, C. L.; Farrugia, C. J.

2014-12-01

The ring current responds differently to the different solar and interplanetary storm drivers such as coronal mass injections, (CME's), corotating interaction regions (CIR's), high-speed streamers and other structures. The resulting changes in the ring current particle pressure, in turn, change the global magnetic field, controlling the transport of the radiation belts. To quantitatively determine the field changes during a storm throughout the magnetosphere, it is necessary to understand the transport, sources and losses of the particles that contribute to the ring current. Because the measured ring current energy spectra depend not only on local processes, but also on the history of the ions along their entire drift path, measurements of ring current energy spectra at two or more locations can be used to strongly constrain the time dependent magnetic and electric fields. In this study we use data predominantly from the Cluster and the Van Allen Probes, covering more than a full solar cycle (from 2001 to 2014). For the period 2001-2012, the Cluster CODIF and RAPID measurements of the inner magnetosphere are the primary data set used to monitor the storm time ring current variability. After 2012, the Cluster data set complements the data from the Van Allen Probes HOPE and RBSPICE instruments, providing additional measurements from different MLT and L shells. Selected storms from this periods, allow us to study the ring current dynamics and pressure changes, as a function of L shell, magnetic local time, and the type of interplanetary disturbances.

The relevance and implications of signet-ring cell adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus.

PubMed

Bleaney, Christopher William; Barrow, Mickhaiel; Hayes, Stephen; Ang, Yeng

2018-03-01

To review the current understanding of signet-ring type oesophageal adenocarcinoma including evidence for prognosis. We conducted a literature search of nine healthcare literature databases for articles detailing the biology and clinical outcomes of signet-ring cell adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus. The impact of signet-ring cell morphology was analysed and detailed in written text and tabular format. Current understanding of the biology of signet-ring cell adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus was summarised. Signet-ring cell carcinoma was represented in 7.61% of the 18 989 cases of oesophageal carcinoma reviewed in multiple studies. The presence of signet-ring cells conferred a worse prognosis and these tumours responded differently to conventional treatments as compared with typical adenocarcinoma. Little is known about the biological features of signet-ring cell adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus. Work in gastric lesions has identified potential targets for future treatments such as CDH1 and RHOA genes. Categorisation of signet-ring cell carcinomas by the proportion of signet-ring cells within tumours differs among clinicians despite WHO criteria for classification. The current UK guidelines for histopathological reporting of oesophageal tumours do not emphasise the importance of identifying signet-ring cells. The presence of signet-ring cells in oesophageal adenocarcinomas leads to poorer clinical outcomes. Current understanding of signet-ring cell biology in oesophageal cancer is limited. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Transfer matrix approach to the persistent current in quantum rings: Application to hybrid normal-superconducting rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nava, Andrea; Giuliano, Rosa; Campagnano, Gabriele; Giuliano, Domenico

2016-11-01

Using the properties of the transfer matrix of one-dimensional quantum mechanical systems, we derive an exact formula for the persistent current across a quantum mechanical ring pierced by a magnetic flux Φ as a single integral of a known function of the system's parameters. Our approach provides exact results at zero temperature, which can be readily extended to a finite temperature T . We apply our technique to exactly compute the persistent current through p -wave and s -wave superconducting-normal hybrid rings, deriving full plots of the current as a function of the applied flux at various system's scales. Doing so, we recover at once a number of effects such as the crossover in the current periodicity on increasing the size of the ring and the signature of the topological phase transition in the p -wave case. In the limit of a large ring size, resorting to a systematic expansion in inverse powers of the ring length, we derive exact analytic closed-form formulas, applicable to a number of cases of physical interest.

Historical habitat barriers prevent ring-like genetic continuity throughout the distribution of threatened Alameda Striped Racers (Coluber lateralis euryxanthus)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Richmond, Jonathan Q.; Wood, Dustin A.; Swaim, Karen; Fisher, Robert N.; Vandergast, Amy

2016-01-01

We used microsatellites and mtDNA sequences to examine the mixed effects of geophysical, habitat, and contemporary urban barriers on the genetics of threatened Alameda Striped Racers (Coluber lateralis euryxanthus), a species with close ties to declining coastal scrub and chaparral habitat in the eastern San Francisco Bay area of California. We used cluster assignments to characterize population genetic structuring with respect to land management units and approximate Bayesian analysis to rank the ability of five alternative evolutionary hypotheses to explain the inferred structure. Then, we estimated rates of contemporary and historical migration among the major clusters and measured the fit of different historical migration models to better understand the formation of the current population structure. Our results reveal a ring-like pattern of historical connectivity around the Tri-Valley area of the East Bay (i.e., San Ramon, Amador, and Livermore valleys), with clusters largely corresponding to different management units. We found no evidence of continuous gene flow throughout the ring, however, and that the main gap in continuity is centered across the Livermore Valley. Historical migration models support higher rates of gene flow away from the terminal ends of the ring on the north and south sides of the Valley, compared with rates into those areas from western sites that border the interior San Francisco Bay. We attribute the break in ring-like connectivity to the presence of unsuitable habitat within the Livermore Valley that has been reinforced by 20th century urbanization, and the asymmetry in gene flow rates to spatial constraints on movement and east–west environmental gradients influenced by the proximity of the San Francisco Bay.

Effect of a strong-current ion ring on spheromak stability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Litwin, C.; Sudan, R.N.

The stability of a spheromak with an energetic ion ring, carrying a current comparable to the plasma current, to the tilt mode is considered. For small departures from sphericity a perturbative approach is applied to an appropriate energy principle in order to calculate the lowest nontrivial kinetic contribution of the ion ring. An analytic stability criterion is obtained. It is seen that the prolate configuration becomes more stable while the oblate one is less stable than in the absence of the ring. The prolomak becomes stable when the ring kinetic energy exceeds the magnetic energy within the separatrix.

Impact of Ring Current Ions on Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Wave Dispersion Relation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khazanov, G. V.; Gamayunov, K. V.

2007-01-01

Effect of the ring current ions in the real part of electromagnetic ion Cyclotron wave dispersion relation is studied on global scale. Recent Cluster observations by Engebretson et al. showed that although the temperature anisotropy of is energetic (> 10 keV) ring current protons was high during the entire 22 November 2003 perigee pass, electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves were observed only in conjunction with intensification of the ion fluxes below 1 keV by over an order of magnitude. To study the effect of the ring current ions on the wave dispersive properties and the corresponding global wave redistribution, we use a self-consistent model of interacting ring current and electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves, and simulate the May 1998 storm. The main findings of our simulation can be summarized as follows: First, the plasma density enhancement in the night MLT sector during the main and recovery storm phases is mostly caused by injection of suprathermal plasma sheet H + (approximately < 1 keV), which dominate the thermal plasma density. Second, during the recovery storm phases, the ring current modification of the wave dispersion relation leads to a qualitative change of the wave patterns in the postmidnight-dawn sector for L > 4.75. This "new" wave activity is well organized by outward edges of dense suprathermal ring current spots, and the waves are not observed if the ring current ions are not included in the real part of dispersion relation. Third, the most intense wave-induced ring current precipitation is located in the night MLT sector and caused by modification of the wave dispersion relation. The strongest precipitating fluxes of about 8 X 10(exp 6)/ (cm(exp 2) - s X st) are found near L=5.75, MLT=2 during the early recovery phase on 4 May. Finally, the nightside precipitation is more intense than the dayside fluxes, even if there are less intense waves, because the convection field moves ring current ions into the loss cone on the nightside, but drives them out of the loss cone on the dayside. So convection and wave scattering reinforce each other in the nightside, but interfere in the dayside sector.

The magnetospheric disturbance ring current as a source for probing the deep earth electrical conductivity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Campbell, W.H.

1990-01-01

Two current rings have been observed in the equatorial plane of the earth at times of high geomagnetic activity. An eastward current exists between about 2 and 3.5 earth radii (Re) distant, and a larger, more variable companion current exists between about 4 and 9 Re. These current regions are loaded during geomagnetic substorms. They decay, almost exponentially, after the cessation of the particle influx that attends the solar wind disturbance. This review focuses upon characteristics needed for intelligent use of the ring current as a source for induction probing of the earth's mantle. Considerable difficulties are found with the assumption that Dst is a ring-current index. ?? 1990 Birkha??user Verlag.

Magnetic forces and localized resonances in electron transfer through quantum rings.

PubMed

Poniedziałek, M R; Szafran, B

2010-11-24

We study the current flow through semiconductor quantum rings. In high magnetic fields the current is usually injected into the arm of the ring preferred by classical magnetic forces. However, for narrow magnetic field intervals that appear periodically on the magnetic field scale the current is injected into the other arm of the ring. We indicate that the appearance of the anomalous-non-classical-current circulation results from Fano interference involving localized resonant states. The identification of the Fano interference is based on the comparison of the solution of the scattering problem with the results of the stabilization method. The latter employs the bound-state type calculations and allows us to extract both the energy of metastable states localized within the ring and the width of resonances by analysis of the energy spectrum of a finite size system as a function of its length. The Fano resonances involving states of anomalous current circulation become extremely narrow on both the magnetic field and energy scales. This is consistent with the orientation of the Lorentz force that tends to keep the electron within the ring and thus increases the lifetime of the electron localization within the ring. Absence of periodic Fano resonances in electron transfer probability through a quantum ring containing an elastic scatterer is also explained.

Effect of ring-shaped SiO2 current blocking layer thickness on the external quantum efficiency of high power light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Shengjun; Liu, Mengling; Hu, Hongpo; Gao, Yilin; Liu, Xingtong

2017-12-01

A ring-shaped SiO2 CBL underneath the p-electrode was employed to enhance current spreading of GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Effects of ring-shaped SiO2 current blocking layer (CBL) thickness on optical and electrical characteristics of high power LEDs were investigated. A 190-nm-thick ring-shaped SiO2 CBL with inclined sidewalls was obtained using a combination of a thermally reflowed photoresist technique and an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching process, allowing for the deposition of conformal indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent conductive layer on sidewalls of ring-shaped SiO2 CBL. It was indicated that the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of high power LEDs increased with increasing thickness of ring-shaped SiO2 CBL. The EQE of high power LED with 190-nm-thick ring-shaped SiO2 CBL was 12.7% higher than that of high power LED without SiO2 CBL. Simulations performed with commercial SimuLED software package showed that the ring-shaped SiO2 CBL could significantly alleviate current crowding around p-electrode, resulting in enhanced current spreading over the entire high power LED structure.

Plasmasphere Modeling with Ring Current Heating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guiter, S. M.; Fok, M.-C.; Moore, T. E.

1995-01-01

Coulomb collisions between ring current ions and the thermal plasma in the plasmasphere will heat the plasmaspheric electrons and ions. During a storm such heating would lead to significant changes in the temperature and density of the thermal plasma. This was modeled using a time- dependent, one-stream hydrodynamic model for plasmaspheric flows, in which the model flux tube is connected to the ionosphere. The model simultaneously solves the coupled continuity, momentum, and energy equations of a two-ion (H(+) and O(+) quasineutral, currentless plasma. Heating rates due to collisions with ring current ions were calculated along the field line using a kinetic ring current model. First, diurnally reproducible results were found assuming only photoelectron heating of the thermal electrons. Then results were found with heating of the H(+) ions by the ring current during the recovery phase of a magnetic storm.

A Self-Consistent Model of the Interacting Ring Current Ions and Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves, Initial Results: Waves and Precipitating Fluxes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khazanov, G. V.; Gamayunov, K. V.; Jordanova, V. K.; Krivorutsky, E. N.

2002-01-01

Initial results from a newly developed model of the interacting ring current ions and ion cyclotron waves are presented. The model is based on the system of two kinetic equations: one equation describes the ring current ion dynamics, and another equation describes wave evolution. The system gives a self-consistent description of the ring current ions and ion cyclotron waves in a quasilinear approach. These equations for the ion phase space distribution function and for the wave power spectral density were solved on aglobal magnetospheric scale undernonsteady state conditions during the 2-5 May 1998 storm. The structure and dynamics of the ring current proton precipitating flux regions and the ion cyclotron wave-active zones during extreme geomagnetic disturbances on 4 May 1998 are presented and discussed in detail.

A Self-Consistent Model of the Interacting Ring Current Ions and Electromagnetic ICWs. Initial Results: Waves and Precipitation Fluxes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khazanov, G. V.; Gamayunov, K. V.; Jordanova, V. K.; Krivorutsky, E. N.; Whitaker, Ann F. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Initial results from the new developed model of the interacting ring current ions and ion cyclotron waves are presented. The model described by the system of two bound kinetic equations: one equation describes the ring current ion dynamics, and another one gives wave evolution. Such system gives a self-consistent description of the ring current ions and ion cyclotron waves in a quasilinear approach. Calculating ion-wave relationships, on a global scale under non steady-state conditions during May 2-5, 1998 storm, we presented the data at three time cuts around initial, main, and late recovery phases of May 4, 1998 storm phase. The structure and dynamics of the ring current proton precipitating flux regions and the wave active ones are discussed in detail.

On the Role of Global Magnetic Field Configuration in Affecting Ring Current Dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zheng, Y.; Zaharia, S. G.; Fok, M. H.

2010-01-01

Plasma and field interaction is one important aspect of inner magnetospheric physics. The magnetic field controls particle motion through gradient, curvature drifts and E cross B drift. In this presentation, we show how the global magnetic field affects dynamics of the ring current through simulations of two moderate geomagnetic storms (20 November 2007 and 8-9 March 2008). Preliminary results of coupling the Comprehensive Ring Current Model (CRCM) with a three-dimensional plasma force balance code (to achieve self-consistency in both E and B fields) indicate that inclusion of self-consistency in B tends to mitigate the intensification of the ring current as other similar coupling efforts have shown. In our approach, self-consistency in the electric field is already an existing capability of the CRCM. The magnetic self-consistency is achieved by computing the three-dimensional magnetic field in force balance with anisotropic ring current ion distributions. We discuss the coupling methodology and its further improvement. In addition, comparative studies by using various magnetic field models will be shown. Simulation results will be put into a global context by analyzing the morphology of the ring current, its anisotropy and characteristics ofthe interconnected region 2 field-aligned currents.

Rings Research in the Next Decade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiscareno, Matthew S.; Albers, N.; Brahic, A.; Brooks, S. M.; Burns, J. A.; Chavez, C.; Colwell, J. E.; Cuzzi, J. N.; de Pater, I.; Dones, L.; Durisen, R. H.; Filacchione, G.; Giuliatti Winter, S. M.; Gordon, M. K.; Graps, A.; Hamilton, D. P.; Hedman, M. M.; Horanyi, M.; Kempf, S.; Krueger, H.; Lewis, M. C.; Lissauer, J. J.; Murray, C. D.; Nicholson, P. D.; Olkin, C. B.; Pappalardo, R. T.; Salo, H.; Schmidt, J.; Showalter, M. R.; Spahn, F.; Spilker, L. J.; Srama, R.; Sremcevic, M.; Stewart, G. R.; Yanamandra-Fisher, P.

2009-12-01

The study of planetary ring systems is a key component of planetary science for several reasons: 1) The evolution and current states of planets and their satellites are affected in many ways by rings, while 2) conversely, properties of planets and moons and other solar system populations are revealed by their effects on rings; 3) highly structured and apparently delicate ring systems may be bellwethers, constraining various theories of the origin and evolution of their entire planetary system; and finally, 4) planetary rings provide an easily observable analogue to other astrophysical disk systems, enabling real "ground truth” results applicable to disks much more remote in space and/or time, including proto-planetary disks, circum-stellar disks, and even galaxies. Significant advances have been made in rings science in the past decade. The highest-priority rings research recommendations of the last Planetary Science Decadal Survey were to operate and extend the Cassini orbiter mission at Saturn; this has been done with tremendous success, accounting for much of the progress made on key science questions, as we will describe. Important progress in understanding the rings of Saturn and other planets has also come from Earth-based observational and theoretical work, again as prioritized by the last Decadal Survey. However, much important work remains to be done. At Saturn, the Cassini Solstice Mission must be brought to a successful completion. Priority should also be placed on sending spacecraft to Neptune and/or Uranus, now unvisited for more than 20 years. At Jupiter and Pluto, opportunities afforded by visiting spacecraft capable of studying rings should be exploited. On Earth, the need for continued research and analysis remains strong, including in-depth analysis of rings data already obtained, numerical and theoretical modeling work, laboratory analysis of materials and processes analogous to those found in the outer solar system, and continued Earth-based observations.

DC-Powered Jumping Ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeffery, Rondo N.; Amiri, Farhang

2016-02-01

The classroom jumping ring demonstration is nearly always performed using alternating current (AC), in which the ring jumps or flies off the extended iron core when the switch is closed. The ring jumps higher when cooled with liquid nitrogen (LN2). We have performed experiments using DC to power the solenoid and find similarities and significant differences from the AC case. In particular, the ring does not fly off the core but rises a short distance and then falls back. If the ring jumps high enough, the rising and the falling motion of the ring does not follow simple vertical motion of a projectile. This indicates that there are additional forces on the ring in each part of its motion. Four possible stages of the motion of the ring with DC are identified, which result from the ring current changing directions during the jump in response to a changing magnetic flux through the moving ring.

Saturn's largest ring.

PubMed

Verbiscer, Anne J; Skrutskie, Michael F; Hamilton, Douglas P

2009-10-22

Most planetary rings in the Solar System lie within a few radii of their host body, because at these distances gravitational accelerations inhibit satellite formation. The best known exceptions are Jupiter's gossamer rings and Saturn's E ring, broad sheets of dust that extend outward until they fade from view at five to ten planetary radii. Source satellites continuously supply the dust, which is subsequently lost in collisions or by radial transport. Here we report that Saturn has an enormous ring associated with its outer moon Phoebe, extending from at least 128R(S) to 207R(S) (Saturn's radius R(S) is 60,330 km). The ring's vertical thickness of 40R(S) matches the range of vertical motion of Phoebe along its orbit. Dynamical considerations argue that these ring particles span the Saturnian system from the main rings to the edges of interplanetary space. The ring's normal optical depth of approximately 2 x 10(-8) is comparable to that of Jupiter's faintest gossamer ring, although its particle number density is several hundred times smaller. Repeated impacts on Phoebe, from both interplanetary and circumplanetary particle populations, probably keep the ring populated with material. Ring particles smaller than centimetres in size slowly migrate inward and many of them ultimately strike the dark leading face of Iapetus.

Dynamics of Ring Current and Electric Fields in the Inner Magnetosphere During Disturbed Periods: CRCM-BATS-R-US Coupled Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buzulukova, N.; Fok, M.-C.; Pulkkinen, A.; Kuznetsova, M.; Moore, T. E.; Glocer, A.; Brandt, P. C.; Toth, G.; Rastaetter, L.

2010-01-01

We present simulation results from a one-way coupled global MHD model (Block-Adaptive-Tree Solar-Wind Roe-Type Upwind Scheme, BATS-R-US) and kinetic ring current models (Comprehensive Ring Current Model, CRCM, and Fok Ring Current, FokRC). The BATS-R-US provides the CRCM/FokRC with magnetic field information and plasma density/temperature at the polar CRCM/FokRC boundary. The CRCM uses an electric potential from the BATS-R-US ionospheric solver at the polar CRCM boundary in order to calculate the electric field pattern consistent with the CRCM pressure distribution. The FokRC electric field potential is taken from BATS-R-US ionospheric solver everywhere in the modeled region, and the effect of Region II currents is neglected. We show that for an idealized case with southward-northward-southward Bz IMF turning, CRCM-BATS-R-US reproduces well known features of inner magnetosphere electrodynamics: strong/weak convection under the southward/northward Bz; electric field shielding/overshielding/penetration effects; an injection during the substorm development; Subauroral Ion Drift or Polarization Jet (SAID/PJ) signature in the dusk sector. Furthermore, we find for the idealized case that SAID/PJ forms during the substorm growth phase, and that substorm injection has its own structure of field-aligned currents which resembles a substorm current wedge. For an actual event (12 August 2000 storm), we calculate ENA emissions and compare with Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration/High Energy Neutral Atom data. The CRCM-BATS-R-US reproduces both the global morphology of ring current and the fine structure of ring current injection. The FokRC-BATS-R-US shows the effect of a realistic description of Region II currents in ring current-MHD coupled models.

A Self-Consistent Model of the Interacting Ring Current Ions with Electromagnetic ICWs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khazanov, G. V.; Gamayunov, K. V.; Jordanova, V. K.; Krivorutsky, E. N.; Whitaker, Ann F. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Initial results from a newly developed model of the interacting ring current ions and ion cyclotron waves are presented. The model is based on the system of two bound kinetic equations: one equation describes the ring current ion dynamics, and another equation describes wave evolution. The system gives a self-consistent description of ring current ions and ion cyclotron waves in a quasilinear approach. These two equations were solved on a global scale under non steady-state conditions during the May 2-5, 1998 storm. The structure and dynamics of the ring current proton precipitating flux regions and the wave active zones at three time cuts around initial, main, and late recovery phases of the May 4, 1998 storm phase are presented and discussed in detail. Comparisons of the model wave-ion data with the Polar/HYDRA and Polar/MFE instruments results are presented..

Global, Energy-Dependent Ring Current Response During Two Large Storms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldstein, J.; Angelopoulos, V.; Burch, J. L.; De Pascuale, S.; Fuselier, S. A.; Genestreti, K. J.; Kurth, W. S.; LLera, K.; McComas, D. J.; Reeves, G. D.; Spence, H. E.; Valek, P. W.

2015-12-01

Two recent large (~200 nT) geomagnetic storms occurred during 17--18 March 2015 and 22--23 June 2015. The global, energy-dependent ring current response to these two extreme events is investigated using both global imaging and multi-point in situ observations. Energetic neutral atom (ENA) imaging by the Two Wide-angle Imaging Neutral-atom Spectrometers (TWINS) mission provides a global view of ring current ions. Local measurements are provided by two multi-spacecraft missions. The two Van Allen Probes measure in situ plasma (including ion composition) and fields at ring current and plasmaspheric L values. The recently launched Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) comprises four spacecraft that have just begun to measure particles (including ion composition) and fields at outer magnetospheric L-values. We analyze the timing and energetics of the stormtime evolution of ring current ions, both trapped and precipitating, using TWINS ENA images and in situ data by the Van Allen Probes and MMS.

The characteristic pitch angle distributions of 1 eV to 600 keV protons near the equator based on Van Allen Probes observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yue, C.; Bortnik, J.; Thorne, R. M.; Ma, Q.; An, X.; Chappell, C. R.; Gerrard, A. J.; Lanzerotti, L. J.; Shi, Q.

2017-12-01

Understanding the source and loss processes of various plasma populations is greatly aided by having accurate knowledge of their pitch angle distributions (PADs). Here, we statistically analyze 1 eV to 600 keV hydrogen (H+) PADs near the geomagnetic equator in the inner magnetosphere based on Van Allen Probes measurements, to comprehensively investigate how the H+ PADs vary with different energies, magnetic local times (MLTs), L-shells, and geomagnetic conditions. Our survey clearly indicates four distinct populations with different PADs: (1) a pancake distribution of the plasmaspheric H+ at low L-shells except for dawn sector; (2) a bi-directional field-aligned distribution of the warm plasma cloak; (3) pancake or isotropic distributions of ring current H+; (4) radiation belt particles show pancake, butterfly and isotropic distributions depending on their energy, MLT and L-shell. Meanwhile, the pancake distribution of ring current H+ moves to lower energies as L-shell increases which is primarily caused by adiabatic transport. Furthermore, energetic H+ (> 10 keV) PADs become more isotropic following the substorm injections, indicating wave-particle interactions. The radiation belt H+ butterfly distributions are identified in a narrow energy range of 100 < E < 400 keV at large L (L > 5), which are less significant during quiet times and extend from dusk to dawn sector through midnight during substorms. The different PADs near the equator provide clues of the underlying physical processes that produce the dynamics of these different populations.

The Role of the Auroral Processes in the Formation of the Outer Electron Radiation Belt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stepanova, M. V.; Antonova, E. E.; Pinto, V. A.; Moya, P. S.; Riazantseva, M.; Ovchinnikov, I.

2016-12-01

The role of the auroral processes in the formation of the outer electron radiation belt during storms is analyzed using the data of RBSP mission, low orbiting satellites and ground based observations. We analyze fluxes of the low energy precipitating ions using data of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP). The location of the auroral electrojet is obtained from the IMAGE magnetometer network, and of the electron distribution in the outer radiation belt from the RBSP mission. We take into account the latest results on the auroral oval mapping in accordance with which the most part of the auroral oval maps not to the plasma sheet. It maps into the surrounding the Earth plasma ring in which transverse currents are closed inside the magnetosphere. Such currents constitute the high latitude continuation of the ordinary ring current. The development of the ring current and its high latitude continuation generates strong distortion of the Earth's magnetic field and corresponding adiabatic variation of the relativistic electron fluxes. This adiabatic variation should be considered for the analysis of the processes of the acceleration of relativistic electrons and formation of the outer radiation belt. We also analyze the plasma pressure profiles during storms and demonstrate the formation of sharp plasma pressure peak at the equatorial boundary of the auroral oval. It is shown that the observed this peak is directly connected to the creation of the seed population of relativistic electrons. We discuss the possibility to predict the position of new radiation belt during recovery phase of the magnetic storm using data of low orbiting and ground based observations.

Relationship between the growth of the ring current and the interplanetary quantity. [solar wind energy-magnetospheric coupling parameter correlation with substorm AE index

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Akasofu, S.-I.

1979-01-01

Akasofu (1979) has reported that the interplanetary parameter epsilon correlates reasonably well with the magnetospheric substorm index AE; in the first approximation, epsilon represents the solar wind coupled to the magnetosphere. The correlation between the interplanetary parameter, the auroral electrojet index and the ring current index is examined for three magnetic storms. It is shown that when the interplanetary parameter exceeds the amount that can be dissipated by the ionosphere in terms of the Joule heat production, the excess energy is absorbed by the ring current belt, producing an abnormal growth of the ring current index.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jordanova, Vania K

Understanding the response at Earth of the Sun's varying energy output and forecasting geomagnetic activity is of central interest to space science, since intense geomagnetic storms may cause severe damages on technological systems and affect communications. Episodes of southward (Bz

Charge Exchange Contribution to the Decay of the Ring Current, Measured by Energetic Neutral Atoms (ENAs)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jorgensen, A. M.; Henderson, M. G.; Roelof, E. C.; Reeves, G. D.; Spence, H. E.

2001-01-01

In this paper we calculate the contribution of charge exchange to the decay of the ring current. Past works have suggested that charge exchange of ring current protons is primarily responsible for the decay of the ring current during the late recovery phase, but there is still much debate about the fast decay of the early recovery phase. We use energetic neutral atom (ENA) measurements from Polar to calculate the total ENA energy escape. To get the total ENA escape we apply a forward modeling technique, and to estimate the total ring current energy escape we use the Dessler-Parker-Sckopke relationship. We find that during the late recovery phase of the March 10, 1998 storm ENAs with energies greater than 17.5 keV can account for 75% of the estimated energy loss from the ring current. During the fast recovery the measured ENAs can only account for a small portion of the total energy loss. We also find that the lifetime of the trapped ions is significantly shorter during the fast recovery phase than during the late recovery phase, suggesting that different processes are operating during the two phases.

Aromaticity of strongly bent benzene rings: persistence of a diatropic ring current and its shielding cone in [5]paracyclophane.

PubMed

Jenneskens, Leonardus W; Havenith, Remco W A; Soncini, Alessandro; Fowler, Patrick W

2011-10-06

Direct evaluation of the induced π current density in [5]paracyclophane (1) shows that, despite the significant non-planarity (α = 23.2°) enforced by the pentamethylene bridge, there is only a modest (ca. 17%) reduction in the π ring current, justifying the use of shielding-cone arguments for the assignment of (1)H NMR chemical shifts of 1 and the claim that the non-planar benzene ring in 1 retains its aromaticity (on the magnetic criterion).

Spin-dependent heat and thermoelectric currents in a Rashba ring coupled to a photon cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdullah, Nzar Rauf; Tang, Chi-Shung; Manolescu, Andrei; Gudmundsson, Vidar

2018-01-01

Spin-dependent heat and thermoelectric currents in a quantum ring with Rashba spin-orbit interaction placed in a photon cavity are theoretically calculated. The quantum ring is coupled to two external leads with different temperatures. In a resonant regime, with the ring structure in resonance with the photon field, the heat and the thermoelectric currents can be controlled by the Rashba spin-orbit interaction. The heat current is suppressed in the presence of the photon field due to contribution of the two-electron and photon replica states to the transport while the thermoelectric current is not sensitive to changes in parameters of the photon field. Our study opens a possibility to use the proposed interferometric device as a tunable heat current generator in the cavity photon field.

Simulating the Fate of an Ionospheric Mass Ejection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, T. E.; Fok, M. H.; Delcourt, D. C.; Slinker, S. P.; Fedder, J. A.

2008-12-01

We report global ion kinetic (GIK) simulations of the 24-25 Sep 1998 storm, with all relevant ionospheric outflows including polar, auroral, and plasmaspheric winds. This storm included substantial periods of northward interplanetary magnetic field, but did develop a Dst of -200 nT at its peak. The solar disturbance resulted form a coronal mass ejection that reached a peak dynamic pressure at the magnetosphere of 6.2 nPa, and produced a substantial enhancement of auroral wind oxygen outflow from the dayside, which has been termed an "ionospheric mass ejection" in an earlier observational paper. We use the LFM global simulation model to produce electric and magnetic fields in the outer magnetosphere, the Strangeway-Zheng outflow scalings with Delcourt ion trajectories to include ionospheric outflows, and the Fok-Ober inner magnetospheric model for the plasmaspheric and ring current response to all particle populations. We assess the combined contributions of heliospheric and geospheric plasmas to the ring current for this event.

[Dendroclimatic potentials for the tree rings of Huangshan pine (Pinus taiwanensis ) at Xiaolinhai in the western Dabie Mountains, China].

PubMed

Peng, Jian-Feng; Li, Guo-Dong; Li, Ling-Ling

2014-07-01

By using the dendrochronology research methods, this paper developed the 1915-2011 tree ring-width standard chronology of the Huangshan pine (Pinus taiwanesis) at the north slope of western Dabie Mountains in the junction of Hubei, Henan and Anhui provinces. High mean sensitivity (MS) indicated that there was conspicuous high-frequency climate signals and high first-order autocorrelation (AC) showed there were significant lag-effects of tree previous growth. The higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and expressed population signal (EPS) indicated that the trees had high levels of common climate signals. Correlations between the tree ring-width standard chronology and climatic factors (1959-2011) revealed the significant influences of temperature, precipitation and relative humidity on the tree width growth of Huangshan pine by the end of growing season (September and October). Significant positive correlations were found between the tree-ring indices and the Palmer drought severity index (PDSI) of current September and October. In conclusion, the combination of water and heat of September and October is the major effect factor for the growth of Huangshan pine in western Dabie Mountains.

Characteristics of plasma ring, surrounding the Earth at geocentric distances ˜7-10RE, and magnetospheric current systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antonova, E. E.; Kirpichev, I. P.; Vovchenko, V. V.; Stepanova, M. V.; Riazantseva, M. O.; Pulinets, M. S.; Ovchinnikov, I. L.; Znatkova, S. S.

2013-07-01

There are strong experimental evidences of the existence of plasma domain forming a closed plasma ring around the Earth at geocentric distances ∼7-10RE. In this work, we analyze the main properties of this ring, using the data of the THEMIS satellite mission, acquired between April 2007 and September 2011. We also analyze the contribution of this ring to the storm dynamics. In particular, it is shown that the distribution of plasma pressure at ∼7-10RE is nearly azimuthally symmetric. However, the daytime compression of the magnetic field lines and the shift of the minimal value of the magnetic field to higher latitudes lead to the spreading of the transverse current along field lines and splitting of the daytime integral transverse current into two branches in Z direction. The CRC is the high latitude continuation of the ordinary ring current (RC), generated by plasma pressure gradients, directed to the Earth. We evaluated the contribution of the azimuthally symmetric part of the plasma ring to the Dst index for strong geomagnetic storms using the AMPTE/CCE radial profiles of plasma pressure published before, and showed that the contribution of the ring current including both RC and CRC is sufficient to obtain the observed Dst variation without the necessity to include the tail current system.

Drought variation of western Chinese Loess Plateau since 1568 and its linkages with droughts in western North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Keyan; Guo, Zhengtang; Chen, Deliang; Linderholm, Hans W.; Li, Jinbao; Zhou, Feifei; Guo, Guoyang; Dong, Zhipeng; Li, Yingjun

2017-12-01

Understanding long-term drought variations in the past can help to evaluate ongoing and future hydroclimate change in the arid western Chinese Loess Plateau (WCLP), a region with increasing demand for water resources due to the increasing population and socioeconomic activities. Here we present a new tree-ring chronology inform the WCLP, which shows coherent interannual variations with tree-ring chronologies from 7 neighboring areas across the WCLP, suggesting a common regional climate control over tree growth. However, considerable differences are observed among their interdecadal variations, which are likely due to growth disturbances at interdecadal timescales. To deal with this issue, we use a frequency based method to develop a composite tree-ring chronology from 401 tree-ring series from these 8 sites, which shows more pronounced interdecadal variability than a chronology developed using traditional methods. The composite tree-ring chronology is used to reconstruct the annual precipitation from previous August to current July from 1568 to 2012, extending about 50 years longer than the previous longest tree-ring reconstruction from the region. The driest epoch of our reconstruction is found in the 1920s-1930s, which matches well with droughts recorded in historical documents. Over the past four centuries, a strong resemblance between drought variability in the WCLP and western North America (WNA) is evident on multidecadal timescales, but this relationship breaks down on timescales shorter than about 50 years.

Electromagnetic pulse-driven spin-dependent currents in semiconductor quantum rings.

PubMed

Zhu, Zhen-Gang; Berakdar, Jamal

2009-04-08

We investigate the non-equilibrium charge and spin-dependent currents in a quantum ring with a Rashba spin-orbit interaction (SOI) driven by two asymmetric picosecond electromagnetic pulses. The equilibrium persistent charge and persistent spin-dependent currents are investigated as well. It is shown that the dynamical charge and the dynamical spin-dependent currents vary smoothly with a static external magnetic flux and the SOI provides a SU(2) effective flux that changes the phases of the dynamic charge and the dynamic spin-dependent currents. The period of the oscillation of the total charge current with the delay time between the pulses is larger in a quantum ring with a larger radius. The parameters of the pulse fields control to a certain extent the total charge and the total spin-dependent currents. The calculations are applicable to nanometre rings fabricated in heterojunctions of III-V and II-VI semiconductors containing several hundreds of electrons.

Ring Current Ion Coupling with Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khazanov. G. V.; Gamayunov, K. V.; Jordanova, V. K.; Six, N. Frank (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

A new ring current global model has been developed that couples the system of two kinetic equations: one equation describes the ring current (RC) ion dynamic, and another equation describes wave evolution of electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves (EMIC). The coupled model is able to simulate, for the first time self-consistently calculated RC ion kinetic and evolution of EMIC waves that propagate along geomagnetic field lines and reflect from the ionosphere. Ionospheric properties affect the reflection index through the integral Pedersen and Hall conductivities. The structure and dynamics of the ring current proton precipitating flux regions, intensities of EMIC global RC energy balance, and some other parameters will be studied in detail for the selected geomagnetic storms.

Modelling the Effects of Electrical Coupling between Unmyelinated Axons of Brainstem Neurons Controlling Rhythmic Activity

PubMed Central

Hull, Michael J.; Soffe, Stephen R.; Willshaw, David J.; Roberts, Alan

2015-01-01

Gap junctions between fine unmyelinated axons can electrically couple groups of brain neurons to synchronise firing and contribute to rhythmic activity. To explore the distribution and significance of electrical coupling, we modelled a well analysed, small population of brainstem neurons which drive swimming in young frog tadpoles. A passive network of 30 multicompartmental neurons with unmyelinated axons was used to infer that: axon-axon gap junctions close to the soma gave the best match to experimentally measured coupling coefficients; axon diameter had a strong influence on coupling; most neurons were coupled indirectly via the axons of other neurons. When active channels were added, gap junctions could make action potential propagation along the thin axons unreliable. Increased sodium and decreased potassium channel densities in the initial axon segment improved action potential propagation. Modelling suggested that the single spike firing to step current injection observed in whole-cell recordings is not a cellular property but a dynamic consequence of shunting resulting from electrical coupling. Without electrical coupling, firing of the population during depolarising current was unsynchronised; with coupling, the population showed synchronous recruitment and rhythmic firing. When activated instead by increasing levels of modelled sensory pathway input, the population without electrical coupling was recruited incrementally to unpatterned activity. However, when coupled, the population was recruited all-or-none at threshold into a rhythmic swimming pattern: the tadpole “decided” to swim. Modelling emphasises uncertainties about fine unmyelinated axon physiology but, when informed by biological data, makes general predictions about gap junctions: locations close to the soma; relatively small numbers; many indirect connections between neurons; cause of action potential propagation failure in fine axons; misleading alteration of intrinsic firing properties. Modelling also indicates that electrical coupling within a population can synchronize recruitment of neurons and their pacemaker firing during rhythmic activity. PMID:25954930

Susceptibility of superconductor disks and rings with and without flux creep

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandt, Ernst Helmut

1997-06-01

First some consequences of the Bean assumption of constant critical current Jc in type-II superconductors are listed and the Bean ac susceptibility of narrow rings is derived. Then flux creep is described by a nonlinear current-voltage law E~Jn, from which the saturated magnetic moment at constant ramp rate H-|Apa(t) is derived for rings with general hole radius a1 and general creep exponent n. Next the exact formulation for rings in a perpendicular applied field Ha(t) is presented in the form of an equation of motion for the current density in thick rings and disks or the sheet current in thin rings and disks. This method is used to compute general magnetization curves m(Ha) and ac susceptibilities χ of rings with and without creep, accounting also for nonconstant Jc(B). Typical current and field (B) profiles are depicted. The initial slope of m(Ha) (the ideal diamagnetic moment) and the field of full penetration are expressed as functions of the inner and outer ring radii a1 and a. A scaling law is derived which states that for arbitrary creep exponent n the complex nonlinear ac susceptibility χ(H0,ω) depends only on the combination Hn-10/ω of the ac amplitude H0 and the ac frequency ω/2π. This scaling law thus connects the known dependencies χ=χ(ω) in the ohmic limit (n=1) and χ=χ(H0) in the Bean limit (n-->∞).

Saturn Ring

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-12-12

Like Earth, Saturn has an invisible ring of energetic ions trapped in its magnetic field. This feature is known as a "ring current." This ring current has been imaged with a special camera on Cassini sensitive to energetic neutral atoms. This is a false color map of the intensity of the energetic neutral atoms emitted from the ring current through a processed called charged exchange. In this process a trapped energetic ion steals and electron from cold gas atoms and becomes neutral and escapes the magnetic field. The Cassini Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument's ion and neutral camera records the intensity of the escaping particles, which provides a map of the ring current. In this image, the colors represent the intensity of the neutral emission, which is a reflection of the trapped ions. This "ring" is much farther from Saturn (roughly five times farther) than Saturn's famous icy rings. Red in the image represents the higher intensity of the particles, while blue is less intense. Saturn's ring current had not been mapped before on a global scale, only "snippets" or areas were mapped previously but not in this detail. This instrument allows scientists to produce movies (see PIA10083) that show how this ring changes over time. These movies reveal a dynamic system, which is usually not as uniform as depicted in this image. The ring current is doughnut shaped but in some instances it appears as if someone took a bite out of it. This image was obtained on March 19, 2007, at a latitude of about 54.5 degrees and radial distance 1.5 million kilometres (920,000 miles). Saturn is at the center, and the dotted circles represent the orbits of the moon's Rhea and Titan. The Z axis points parallel to Saturn's spin axis, the X axis points roughly sunward in the sun-spin axis plane, and the Y axis completes the system, pointing roughly toward dusk. The ion and neutral camera's field of view is marked by the white line and accounts for the cut-off of the image on the left. The image is an average of the activity over a (roughly) 3-hour period. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA10094

Large transient fault current test of an electrical roll ring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yenni, Edward J.; Birchenough, Arthur G.

1992-01-01

The space station uses precision rotary gimbals to provide for sun tracking of its photoelectric arrays. Electrical power, command signals and data are transferred across the gimbals by roll rings. Roll rings have been shown to be capable of highly efficient electrical transmission and long life, through tests conducted at the NASA Lewis Research Center and Honeywell's Satellite and Space Systems Division in Phoenix, AZ. Large potential fault currents inherent to the power system's DC distribution architecture, have brought about the need to evaluate the effects of large transient fault currents on roll rings. A test recently conducted at Lewis subjected a roll ring to a simulated worst case space station electrical fault. The system model used to obtain the fault profile is described, along with details of the reduced order circuit that was used to simulate the fault. Test results comparing roll ring performance before and after the fault are also presented.

Stabilizing windings for tilting and shifting modes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jardin, S.C.; Christensen, U.R.

1982-02-26

This invention provides simple, inexpensive, independent and passive, conducting loops for stabilizing a plasma ring having externally produced equilibrium fields on opposite sides of the plasma ring and internal plasma currents that interact to tilt and/or shift the plasma ring relative to the externally produced equilibrium field so as to produce unstable tilting and/or shifting modes in the plasma ring. More particularly this invention provides first and second passive conducting loops for containing first and second induced currents in first and second directions corresponding to the amplitude and directions of the unstable tilting and/or shifting modes in the plasma ring.more » To this end, the induced currents provide additional magnetic fields for producing restoring forces and/or restoring torques for counteracting the tilting and/or shifting modes when the conducting loops are held fixed in stationary positions relative to the externally produced equilibrium fields on opposite sides of the plasma ring.« less

The angular electronic band structure and free particle model of aromatic molecules: High-frequency photon-induced ring current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Öncan, Mehmet; Koç, Fatih; Şahin, Mehmet; Köksal, Koray

2017-05-01

This work introduces an analysis of the relationship of first-principles calculations based on DFT method with the results of free particle model for ring-shaped aromatic molecules. However, the main aim of the study is to reveal the angular electronic band structure of the ring-shaped molecules. As in the case of spherical molecules such as fullerene, it is possible to observe a parabolic dispersion of electronic states with the variation of angular quantum number in the planar ring-shaped molecules. This work also discusses the transition probabilities between the occupied and virtual states by analyzing the angular electronic band structure and the possibility of ring currents in the case of spin angular momentum (SAM) or orbital angular momentum (OAM) carrying light. Current study focuses on the benzene molecule to obtain its angular electronic band structure. The obtained electronic band structure can be considered as a useful tool to see the transition probabilities between the electronic states and possible contribution of the states to the ring currents. The photoinduced current due to the transfer of SAM into the benzene molecule has been investigated by using analytical calculations within the frame of time-dependent perturbation theory.

Comment on ``Unraveling the Causes of Radiation Belt Enhancements''

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Wallace H.

2008-09-01

The excellent article by M. W. Liemohn and A. A. Chan on the radiation belts (see Eos, 88(42), 16 October 2007) is misleading in its implication that the disturbance storm-time (Dst) index is an indicator of a magnetospheric ring current. That index is formed from an average of magnetic data from three or four low-latitude stations that have been fallaciously ``adjusted'' to a magnetic equatorial location under the 1960's assumption [Sugiura, 1964] that the fields arrive from the growth and decay of a giant ring of current in the magnetosphere. In truth, the index has a negative lognormal form [Campbell, 1996; Yago and Kamide, 2003] as a result of its composition from numerous negative ionospheric and magnetospheric disturbance field sources, each having normal field amplitude distributions [Campbell, 2004]. Some partial ring currents [Lui et al., 1987] and their associated field-aligned currents, as well as major ionospheric currents flowing from the auroral zone to equatorial latitudes, are the main contributors to the Dst index. No full magnetospheric ring of currents is involved, despite its false name (``Equatorial Dst Ring Current Index'') given by the index suppliers, the Geomagnetism Laboratory at Kyoto University, Japan.

Solar wind-magnetosphere coupling during intense magnetic storms (1978-1979)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gonzalez, Walter D.; Gonzalez, Alicia L. C.; Tsurutani, Bruce T.; Smith, Edward J.; Tang, Frances

1989-01-01

The solar wind-magnetosphere coupling problem during intense magnetic storms was investigated for ten intense magnetic storm events occurring between August 16, 1978 to December 28, 1979. Particular attention was given to the dependence of the ring current energization on the ISEE-measured solar-wind parameters and the evolution of the ring current during the main phase of the intense storms. Several coupling functions were tested as energy input, and several sets of the ring current decay time-constant were searched for the best correlation with the Dst response. Results indicate that a large-scale magnetopause reconnection operates during an intense storm event and that the solar wind ram pressure plays an important role in the energization of the ring current.

Wavepacket revivals in monolayer and bilayer graphene rings.

PubMed

García, Trinidad; Rodríguez-Bolívar, Salvador; Cordero, Nicolás A; Romera, Elvira

2013-06-12

We have studied the existence of quantum revivals in graphene quantum rings within a simplified model. The time evolution of a Gaussian-populated wavepacket shows revivals in monolayer and bilayer graphene rings. We have also studied this behavior for quantum rings in a perpendicular magnetic field. We have found that revival time is an observable that shows different values for monolayer and bilayer graphene quantum rings. In addition, the revival time shows valley degeneracy breaking.

Ocean plankton. Environmental characteristics of Agulhas rings affect interocean plankton transport.

PubMed

Villar, Emilie; Farrant, Gregory K; Follows, Michael; Garczarek, Laurence; Speich, Sabrina; Audic, Stéphane; Bittner, Lucie; Blanke, Bruno; Brum, Jennifer R; Brunet, Christophe; Casotti, Raffaella; Chase, Alison; Dolan, John R; d'Ortenzio, Fabrizio; Gattuso, Jean-Pierre; Grima, Nicolas; Guidi, Lionel; Hill, Christopher N; Jahn, Oliver; Jamet, Jean-Louis; Le Goff, Hervé; Lepoivre, Cyrille; Malviya, Shruti; Pelletier, Eric; Romagnan, Jean-Baptiste; Roux, Simon; Santini, Sébastien; Scalco, Eleonora; Schwenck, Sarah M; Tanaka, Atsuko; Testor, Pierre; Vannier, Thomas; Vincent, Flora; Zingone, Adriana; Dimier, Céline; Picheral, Marc; Searson, Sarah; Kandels-Lewis, Stefanie; Acinas, Silvia G; Bork, Peer; Boss, Emmanuel; de Vargas, Colomban; Gorsky, Gabriel; Ogata, Hiroyuki; Pesant, Stéphane; Sullivan, Matthew B; Sunagawa, Shinichi; Wincker, Patrick; Karsenti, Eric; Bowler, Chris; Not, Fabrice; Hingamp, Pascal; Iudicone, Daniele

2015-05-22

Agulhas rings provide the principal route for ocean waters to circulate from the Indo-Pacific to the Atlantic basin. Their influence on global ocean circulation is well known, but their role in plankton transport is largely unexplored. We show that, although the coarse taxonomic structure of plankton communities is continuous across the Agulhas choke point, South Atlantic plankton diversity is altered compared with Indian Ocean source populations. Modeling and in situ sampling of a young Agulhas ring indicate that strong vertical mixing drives complex nitrogen cycling, shaping community metabolism and biogeochemical signatures as the ring and associated plankton transit westward. The peculiar local environment inside Agulhas rings may provide a selective mechanism contributing to the limited dispersal of Indian Ocean plankton populations into the Atlantic. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Saturn's Rings, the Yarkovsky Effects, and the Ring of Fire

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rubincam, David Parry

2004-01-01

The dimensions of Saturn's A and B rings may be determined by the seasonal Yarkovsky effect and the Yarkovsky-Schach effect; the two effects confine the rings between approximately 1.68 and approximately 2.23 Saturn radii, in reasonable agreement with the observed values of 1.525 and 2.267. The C ring may be sparsely populated because its particles are transients on their way to Saturn; the infall may create a luminous Ring of Fire around Saturn's equator. The ring system may be young: in the past heat flow from Saturn's interior much above its present value would not permit rings to exist.

The Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiment and Plasma Source Instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, T. E.; Chappell, C. R.; Chandler, M. O.; Fields, S. A.; Pollock, C. J.; Reasoner, D. L.; Young, D. T.; Burch, J. L.; Eaker, N.; Waite, J. H., Jr.;

The Characteristic Pitch Angle Distributions of 1 eV to 600 keV Protons Near the Equator Based On Van Allen Probes Observations

DOE PAGES

Yue, Chao; Bortnik, Jacob; Thorne, Richard M.; ...

2017-08-31

Understanding the source and loss processes of various plasma populations is greatly aided by having accurate knowledge of their pitch angle distributions (PADs). Here we statistically analyze ~1 eV to 600 keV hydrogen (H+) PADs near the geomagnetic equator in the inner magnetosphere based on Van Allen Probes measurements, to comprehensively investigate how the H+ PADs vary with different energies, magnetic local times (MLTs), L shells, and geomagnetic conditions. Our survey clearly indicates four distinct populations with different PADs: a pancake distribution of the plasmaspheric H+ at low L shells except for dawn sector; a bidirectional field-aligned distribution of themore » warm plasma cloak; pancake or isotropic distributions of ring current H+; radiation belt particles show pancake, butterfly, and isotropic distributions depending on their energy, MLT, and L shell. Meanwhile, the pancake distribution of ring current H+ moves to lower energies as shell increases, which is primarily caused by adiabatic transport. Furthermore, energetic H+ (>10 keV) PADs become more isotropic following the substorm injections, indicating wave-particle interactions. The radiation belt H+ butterfly distributions are identified in a narrow energy range of 100 < E < 400 keV at large L ( L > 5), which are less significant during quiet times and extend from dusk to dawn sector through midnight during substorms. In conclusion, the different PADs near the equator provide clues of the underlying physical processes that produce the dynamics of these different populations.« less

The Characteristic Pitch Angle Distributions of 1 eV to 600 keV Protons Near the Equator Based On Van Allen Probes Observations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yue, Chao; Bortnik, Jacob; Thorne, Richard M.

Understanding the source and loss processes of various plasma populations is greatly aided by having accurate knowledge of their pitch angle distributions (PADs). Here we statistically analyze ~1 eV to 600 keV hydrogen (H+) PADs near the geomagnetic equator in the inner magnetosphere based on Van Allen Probes measurements, to comprehensively investigate how the H+ PADs vary with different energies, magnetic local times (MLTs), L shells, and geomagnetic conditions. Our survey clearly indicates four distinct populations with different PADs: a pancake distribution of the plasmaspheric H+ at low L shells except for dawn sector; a bidirectional field-aligned distribution of themore » warm plasma cloak; pancake or isotropic distributions of ring current H+; radiation belt particles show pancake, butterfly, and isotropic distributions depending on their energy, MLT, and L shell. Meanwhile, the pancake distribution of ring current H+ moves to lower energies as shell increases, which is primarily caused by adiabatic transport. Furthermore, energetic H+ (>10 keV) PADs become more isotropic following the substorm injections, indicating wave-particle interactions. The radiation belt H+ butterfly distributions are identified in a narrow energy range of 100 < E < 400 keV at large L ( L > 5), which are less significant during quiet times and extend from dusk to dawn sector through midnight during substorms. In conclusion, the different PADs near the equator provide clues of the underlying physical processes that produce the dynamics of these different populations.« less

Little-Parks oscillations in superconducting ring with Josephson junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharon, Omri J.; Sharoni, Amos; Berger, Jorge; Shaulov, Avner; Yeshurun, Yosi

2018-03-01

Nb nano-rings connected serially by Nb wires exhibit, at low bias currents, the typical parabolic Little-Parks magnetoresistance oscillations. As the bias current increases, these oscillations become sinusoidal. This result is ascribed to the generation of Josephson junctions caused by the combined effect of current-induced phase slips and the non-uniformity of the order parameter along each ring due to the Nb wires attached to it. This interpretation is validated by further increasing the bias current, which results in magnetoresistance oscillations typical of a SQUID.

Superconducting fluctuation current caused by gravitational drag

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsuchida, Satoshi; Kuratsuji, Hiroshi

2017-12-01

We examine a possible effect of the Lense-Thirring field or gravitational drag by calculating the fluctuation current through a superconducting ring. The gravitational drag is induced by a rotating sphere, on top of which the superconducting ring is placed. The formulation is based on the Landau-Ginzburg free-energy functional of linear form. The resultant fluctuation current is shown to be greatly enhanced in the vicinity of the transition temperature, and the current also increases on increasing the winding number of the ring. These effects would provide a modest step towards magnification of tiny gravity.

The evolution of ring current ion energy density and energy content during geomagnetic storms based on Van Allen Probes measurements

DOE PAGES

Zhao, H.; Li, X.; Baker, D. N.; ...

2015-08-25

Enabled by the comprehensive measurements from the Magnetic Electron Ion Spectrometer (MagEIS), Helium Oxygen Proton Electron mass spectrometer (HOPE), and Radiation Belt Storm Probes Ion Composition Experiment (RBSPICE) instruments onboard Van Allen Probes in the heart of the radiation belt, the relative contributions of ions with different energies and species to the ring current energy density and their dependence on the phases of geomagnetic storms are quantified. The results show that lower energy (<50 keV) protons enhance much more often and also decay much faster than higher-energy protons. During the storm main phase, ions with energies <50 keV contribute moremore » significantly to the ring current than those with higher energies; while the higher-energy protons dominate during the recovery phase and quiet times. The enhancements of higher-energy proton fluxes as well as energy content generally occur later than those of lower energy protons, which could be due to the inward radial diffusion. For the 29 March 2013 storm we investigated in detail that the contribution from O + is ~25% of the ring current energy content during the main phase and the majority of that comes from <50 keV O +. This indicates that even during moderate geomagnetic storms the ionosphere is still an important contributor to the ring current ions. Using the Dessler-Parker-Sckopke relation, the contributions of ring current particles to the magnetic field depression during this geomagnetic storm are also calculated. In conclusion, the results show that the measured ring current ions contribute about half of the Dst depression.« less

Ring-slope interactions and the formation of the western boundary current in the Gulf of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vidal, VíCtor M. V.; Vidal, Francisco V.; Meza, Eustorgio; Portilla, Josué; Zambrano, Lorenzo; Jaimes, BenjamíN.

1999-09-01

Hydrographic data from the Gulf of Mexico (gulf) provide evidence that a western boundary current was set up by the interaction of an anticyclonic Loop Current (LC) ring with the continental margin of the western gulf during March-August 1985. The March 1985 geostrophic circulation reveals a remnant anticyclonic ring colliding with the slope. During this collision, two cyclonic rings were shed as the anticyclone transferred vorticity to the surrounding slope water. During July-August 1985, the ring triad weakened and evolved into a ˜900-km-long, north flowing, along-slope, western boundary current and cyclonic-anticyclonic ring pairs distributed throughout the central and western gulf. This western boundary current attained maximum northward flow speeds of 25 cm s-1 and an 8.3-Sv mass transport between 94°-96°W at 25°N. Our March-August 1985 observations reveal that the residence time and decay period of LC anticyclones in the western gulf may exceed 150 days. Within this time period the western gulf's cyclonic-anticyclonic vorticity field decayed ˜50%. Thus the western boundary current's evolutionary period, from its gestation to its absolute decay, is estimated to be of the order of 300 days. Although the presence of a western boundary current in the gulf has been attributed to the annual wind stress curl cycle [Sturges, 1993], our analyses of the western gulf March and July-August 1985 ring-driven geostrophic circulation and corresponding (January, February and May, June 1985) monthly mean synoptic wind stress curl distributions reveal that these constitute competing forcing mechanisms for the gulf's regional circulation. However, when very strong local forcing such as large eddies are present, the wind-driven background circulation is overwhelmed by such eddy forcing.

The evolution of ring current ion energy density and energy content during geomagnetic storms based on Van Allen Probes measurements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhao, H.; Li, X.; Baker, D. N.

Enabled by the comprehensive measurements from the Magnetic Electron Ion Spectrometer (MagEIS), Helium Oxygen Proton Electron mass spectrometer (HOPE), and Radiation Belt Storm Probes Ion Composition Experiment (RBSPICE) instruments onboard Van Allen Probes in the heart of the radiation belt, the relative contributions of ions with different energies and species to the ring current energy density and their dependence on the phases of geomagnetic storms are quantified. The results show that lower energy (<50 keV) protons enhance much more often and also decay much faster than higher-energy protons. During the storm main phase, ions with energies <50 keV contribute moremore » significantly to the ring current than those with higher energies; while the higher-energy protons dominate during the recovery phase and quiet times. The enhancements of higher-energy proton fluxes as well as energy content generally occur later than those of lower energy protons, which could be due to the inward radial diffusion. For the 29 March 2013 storm we investigated in detail that the contribution from O + is ~25% of the ring current energy content during the main phase and the majority of that comes from <50 keV O +. This indicates that even during moderate geomagnetic storms the ionosphere is still an important contributor to the ring current ions. Using the Dessler-Parker-Sckopke relation, the contributions of ring current particles to the magnetic field depression during this geomagnetic storm are also calculated. In conclusion, the results show that the measured ring current ions contribute about half of the Dst depression.« less

Do substorms energise the ring current?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandhu, J. K.; Rae, J.; Freeman, M. P.; Forsyth, C.; Jackman, C. M.; Lam, M. M.

2017-12-01

The substorm phenomenon is a highly dynamic and variable process that results in the global reconfiguration and redistribution of energy within the magnetosphere. There are many open questions surrounding substorms, particularly how the energy released during a substorm is distributed throughout the magnetosphere, and how the energy loss varies from one substorm to the next. In this study, we explore whether energy lost during the substorm plays a role in energising the ring current. Using observations of the particle energy flux from RBSPICE/RBSP, we are able to quantitatively observe how the energy is distributed spatially and across the different ion species (H+, He+, and O+). Furthermore, we can observe how the total energy content of the ring current changes during the substorm process, using substorm phases defined by the SOPHIE algorithm. This analysis provides information on how the energy released from a substorm is partitioned throughout the magnetosphere, and on the processes determining the energy provided to the ring current. Overall, our results show that the substorm-ring current coupling is more complex than originally thought, and we discuss the reasons behind this complex response.

A new ionospheric electron precipitation module coupled with RAM-SCB within the geospace general circulation model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yu, Yiqun; Jordanova, Vania K.; Ridley, Aaron J.

Electron precipitation down to the atmosphere due to wave-particle scattering in the magnetosphere contributes significantly to the auroral ionospheric conductivity. In order to obtain the auroral conductivity in global MHD models that are incapable of capturing kinetic physics in the magnetosphere, MHD parameters are often used to estimate electron precipitation flux for the conductivity calculation. Such an MHD approach, however, lacks self-consistency in representing the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling processes. In this study we improve the coupling processes in global models with a more physical method. We calculate the physics-based electron precipitation from the ring current and map it to the ionosphericmore » altitude for solving the ionospheric electrodynamics. In particular, we use the BATS-R-US (Block Adaptive Tree Scheme-Roe type-Upstream) MHD model coupled with the kinetic ring current model RAM-SCB (Ring current-Atmosphere interaction Model with Self-Consistent Magnetic field (B)) that solves pitch angle-dependent electron distribution functions, to study the global circulation dynamics during the 25–26 January 2013 storm event. Since the electron precipitation loss is mostly governed by wave-particle resonant scattering in the magnetosphere, we further investigate two loss methods of specifying electron precipitation loss associated with wave-particle interactions: (1) using pitch angle diffusion coefficients D αα(E,α) determined from the quasi-linear theory, with wave spectral and plasma density obtained from statistical observations (named as “diffusion coefficient method”) and (2) using electron lifetimes τ(E) independent on pitch angles inferred from the above diffusion coefficients (named as “lifetime method”). We found that both loss methods demonstrate similar temporal evolution of the trapped ring current electrons, indicating that the impact of using different kinds of loss rates is small on the trapped electron population. Furthermore, for the precipitated electrons, the lifetime method hardly captures any precipitation in the large L shell (i.e., 4 < L < 6.5) region, while the diffusion coefficient method produces much better agreement with NOAA/POES measurements, including the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of electron precipitation in the region from the premidnight through the dawn to the dayside. Further comparisons of the precipitation energy flux to DMSP observations indicates that the new physics-based precipitation approach using diffusion coefficients for the ring current electron loss can explain the diffuse electron precipitation in the dawn sector, such as the enhanced precipitation flux at auroral latitudes and flux drop near the subauroral latitudes, but the traditional MHD approach largely overestimates the precipitation flux at lower latitudes.« less

A new ionospheric electron precipitation module coupled with RAM-SCB within the geospace general circulation model

DOE PAGES

Yu, Yiqun; Jordanova, Vania K.; Ridley, Aaron J.; ...

2016-09-01

Electron precipitation down to the atmosphere due to wave-particle scattering in the magnetosphere contributes significantly to the auroral ionospheric conductivity. In order to obtain the auroral conductivity in global MHD models that are incapable of capturing kinetic physics in the magnetosphere, MHD parameters are often used to estimate electron precipitation flux for the conductivity calculation. Such an MHD approach, however, lacks self-consistency in representing the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling processes. In this study we improve the coupling processes in global models with a more physical method. We calculate the physics-based electron precipitation from the ring current and map it to the ionosphericmore » altitude for solving the ionospheric electrodynamics. In particular, we use the BATS-R-US (Block Adaptive Tree Scheme-Roe type-Upstream) MHD model coupled with the kinetic ring current model RAM-SCB (Ring current-Atmosphere interaction Model with Self-Consistent Magnetic field (B)) that solves pitch angle-dependent electron distribution functions, to study the global circulation dynamics during the 25–26 January 2013 storm event. Since the electron precipitation loss is mostly governed by wave-particle resonant scattering in the magnetosphere, we further investigate two loss methods of specifying electron precipitation loss associated with wave-particle interactions: (1) using pitch angle diffusion coefficients D αα(E,α) determined from the quasi-linear theory, with wave spectral and plasma density obtained from statistical observations (named as “diffusion coefficient method”) and (2) using electron lifetimes τ(E) independent on pitch angles inferred from the above diffusion coefficients (named as “lifetime method”). We found that both loss methods demonstrate similar temporal evolution of the trapped ring current electrons, indicating that the impact of using different kinds of loss rates is small on the trapped electron population. Furthermore, for the precipitated electrons, the lifetime method hardly captures any precipitation in the large L shell (i.e., 4 < L < 6.5) region, while the diffusion coefficient method produces much better agreement with NOAA/POES measurements, including the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of electron precipitation in the region from the premidnight through the dawn to the dayside. Further comparisons of the precipitation energy flux to DMSP observations indicates that the new physics-based precipitation approach using diffusion coefficients for the ring current electron loss can explain the diffuse electron precipitation in the dawn sector, such as the enhanced precipitation flux at auroral latitudes and flux drop near the subauroral latitudes, but the traditional MHD approach largely overestimates the precipitation flux at lower latitudes.« less

The effects of drought and disturbance on the growth and developmental instability of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graham, John H.; Duda, Jeffrey J.; Brown, Michelle L.; Kitchen, Stanley G.; Emlen, John M.; Malol, Jagadish; Bankstahl, Elizabeth; Krzysik, Anthony J.; Balbach, Harold E.; Freeman, D. Carl

2012-01-01

Ecological indicators provide early warning of adverse environmental change, helping land managers adaptively manage their resources while minimizing costly remediation. In 1999 and 2000, we studied two such indicators, growth and developmental instability, of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) influenced by mechanized infantry training at Fort Benning, Georgia. Disturbed areas were used for military training; tracked and wheeled vehicles damaged vegetation and soils. Highly disturbed sites had fewer trees, diminished ground cover, warmer soils in the summer, and more compacted soils with a shallower A-horizon. We hypothesized that disturbance would decrease the growth of needles, branches, and tree rings, increase the complexity of tree rings, and increase the developmental instability of needles. Contrary to our expectations, however, disturbance enhanced growth in the first year of the study, possibly by reducing competition. In the second year, a drought reduced growth of branches and needles, eliminating the stimulatory effect of disturbance. Growth-ring widths increased with growing-season precipitation, and decreased with growing-season temperature over the last 40 years. Disturbance had no effect on tree-ring complexity, as measured by the Hurst exponent. Within-fascicle variation of current-year needle length, a measure of developmental instability, differed among the study populations, but appeared unrelated to mechanical disturbance or drought.

Optical control of spin-dependent thermal transport in a quantum ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdullah, Nzar Rauf

2018-05-01

We report on calculation of spin-dependent thermal transport through a quantum ring with the Rashba spin-orbit interaction. The quantum ring is connected to two electron reservoirs with different temperatures. Tuning the Rashba coupling constant, degenerate energy states are formed leading to a suppression of the heat and thermoelectric currents. In addition, the quantum ring is coupled to a photon cavity with a single photon mode and linearly polarized photon field. In a resonance regime, when the photon energy is approximately equal to the energy spacing between two lowest degenerate states of the ring, the polarized photon field can significantly control the heat and thermoelectric currents in the system. The roles of the number of photon initially in the cavity, and electron-photon coupling strength on spin-dependent heat and thermoelectric currents are presented.

Transcranial current stimulation focality using disc and ring electrode configurations: FEM analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Datta, Abhishek; Elwassif, Maged; Battaglia, Fortunato; Bikson, Marom

2008-06-01

We calculated the electric fields induced in the brain during transcranial current stimulation (TCS) using a finite-element concentric spheres human head model. A range of disc electrode configurations were simulated: (1) distant-bipolar; (2) adjacent-bipolar; (3) tripolar; and three ring designs, (4) belt, (5) concentric ring, and (6) double concentric ring. We compared the focality of each configuration targeting cortical structures oriented normal to the surface ('surface-radial' and 'cross-section radial'), cortical structures oriented along the brain surface ('surface-tangential' and 'cross-section tangential') and non-oriented cortical surface structures ('surface-magnitude' and 'cross-section magnitude'). For surface-radial fields, we further considered the 'polarity' of modulation (e.g. superficial cortical neuron soma hyper/depolarizing). The distant-bipolar configuration, which is comparable with commonly used TCS protocols, resulted in diffuse (un-focal) modulation with bi-directional radial modulation under each electrode and tangential modulation between electrodes. Increasing the proximity of the two electrodes (adjacent-bipolar electrode configuration) increased focality, at the cost of more surface current. At similar electrode distances, the tripolar-electrodes configuration produced comparable peak focality, but reduced radial bi-directionality. The concentric-ring configuration resulted in the highest spatial focality and uni-directional radial modulation, at the expense of increased total surface current. Changing ring dimensions, or use of two concentric rings, allow titration of this balance. The concentric-ring design may thus provide an optimized configuration for targeted modulation of superficial cortical neurons.

Coulomb collisions of ring current particles: Indirect source of heat for the ionosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cole, K. D.

1975-01-01

The additional energy requirements of the topside ionosphere during a magnetic storm are less than one quarter of the ring current energy. This energy is supplied largely by Coulomb collisions of ring current protons of energy less than about 20 keV with background thermal electrons which conduct the heat to the ionosphere. Past criticisms are discussed of this mechanism for the supply of energy to the SAR-arc and neighboring regions of the ionosphere.

Dust in Jupiter's magnetosphere. I - Physical processes. II - Origin of the ring. III - Time variations. IV - Effect on magnetospheric electrons and ions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morfill, G. E.; Gruen, E.; Johnson, T. V.

1980-01-01

The physical processes acting on charged microscopic dust grains in the Jovian atmosphere involve electromagnetic forces which dominate dust particle dynamics and diffusion across field lines resulting from random charge fluctuations of the dust grains. A model of the Jovian ring hypothesizes that the 'visible' ring particles are produced by erosive collisions between an assumed population of kilometer-sized parent bodies and submicron-sized magnetospheric dust particles. Fluctuations in the ring topology and intensity are determined over various time scales, showing that the ring is a quasipermanent and quasistable characteristic of the Jovian system. Finally, the interaction of the Jovian energetic belt electrons and the Jovian plasma with an ambient dust population is examined; the distribution of dust ejected from Io in the inner magnetosphere and losses of magnetospheric ions and electrons due to direct collisions with charged dust particles are calculated.

Some Comments on Topological Approaches to the π-Electron Currents in Conjugated Systems.

PubMed

Dickens, Timothy K; Gomes, José A N F; Mallion, Roger B

2011-11-08

Within the past two years, three sets of independent authors (Mandado, Ciesielski et al., and Randić) have proposed methods in which π-electron currents in conjugated systems are estimated by invoking the concept of circuits of conjugation. These methods are here compared with ostensibly similar approaches published more than 30 years ago by two of the present authors (Gomes and Mallion) and (likewise independently) by Gayoso. Patterns of bond currents and ring currents computed by these methods for the nonalternant isomer of coronene that was studied by Randić are also systematically compared with those calculated by the Hückel-London-Pople-McWeeny (HLPM) "topological" approach and with the ab initio, "ipso-centric" current-density maps of Balaban et al. These all agree that a substantial diamagnetic π-electron current flows around the periphery of the selected structure (which could be thought of as a "perturbed" [18]-annulene), and consideration is given to the differing trends predicted by these several methods for the π-electron currents around its central six-membered ring and in its internal bonds. It is observed that, for any method in which calculated π-electron currents respect Kirchhoff's Laws of current conservation at a junction, consideration of bond currents-as an alternative to the more-traditional ring currents-can give a different insight into the magnetic properties of conjugated systems. However, provided that charge/current conservation is guaranteed-or Kirchhoff's First Law holds for bond currents instead of the more-general current-densities-then ring currents represent a more efficient way of describing the molecular reaction to the external magnetic field: ring currents are independent quantities, while bond currents are not.

Evolution and connectivity in the world-wide migration system of the mallard: Inferences from mitochondrial DNA

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Main waterfowl migration systems are well understood through ringing activities. However, in mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) ringing studies suggest deviations from general migratory trends and traditions in waterfowl. Furthermore, surprisingly little is known about the population genetic structure of mallards, and studying it may yield insight into the spread of diseases such as Avian Influenza, and in management and conservation of wetlands. The study of evolution of genetic diversity and subsequent partitioning thereof during the last glaciation adds to ongoing discussions on the general evolution of waterfowl populations and flyway evolution. Hypothesised mallard flyways are tested explicitly by analysing mitochondrial mallard DNA from the whole northern hemisphere. Results Phylogenetic analyses confirm two mitochondrial mallard clades. Genetic differentiation within Eurasia and North-America is low, on a continental scale, but large differences occur between these two land masses (FST = 0.51). Half the genetic variance lies within sampling locations, and a negligible portion between currently recognised waterfowl flyways, within Eurasia and North-America. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) at continent scale, incorporating sampling localities as smallest units, also shows the absence of population structure on the flyway level. Finally, demographic modelling by coalescence simulation proposes a split between Eurasia and North-America 43,000 to 74,000 years ago and strong population growth (~100fold) since then and little migration (not statistically different from zero). Conclusions Based on this first complete assessment of the mallard's world-wide population genetic structure we confirm that no more than two mtDNA clades exist. Clade A is characteristic for Eurasia, and clade B for North-America although some representatives of clade A are also found in North-America. We explain this pattern by evaluating competing hypotheses and conclude that a complex mix of historical, recent and anthropogenic factors shaped the current mallard populations. We refute population classification based on flyways proposed by ornithologists and managers, because they seem to have little biological meaning. Our results have implications for wetland management and conservation, with special regard to the release of farmed mallards for hunting, as well as for the possible transmission of Avian Influenza by mallards due to migration. PMID:22093799

Electro-optical hybrid slip ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, En

2005-11-01

The slip ring is a rotary electrical interface, collector, swivel or rotary joint. It is a physical system that can perform continuous data transfer and data exchange between a stationary and a rotating structure. A slip ring is generally used to transfer data or power from an unrestrained, continuously rotating electro-mechanical system in real-time, thereby simplifying operations and eliminating damage-prone wires dangling from moving joints. Slip rings are widely used for testing, evaluating, developing and improving various technical equipment and facilities with rotating parts. They are widely used in industry, especially in manufacturing industries employing turbo machinery, as in aviation, shipbuilding, aerospace, defense, and in precise facilities having rotating parts such as medical Computerized Tomography (CT) and MRI scanners and so forth. Therefore, any improvement in slip ring technology can impact large markets. Research and development in this field will have broad prospects long into the future. The goal in developing the current slip ring technology is to improve and increase the reliability, stability, anti-interference, and high data fidelity between rotating and stationary structures. Up to now, there have been numerous approaches used for signal and data transfer utilizing a slip ring such as metal contacts, wires, radio transmission, and even liquid media. However, all suffer from drawbacks such as data transfer speed limitations, reliability, stability, electro-magnetic interference and durability. The purpose of the current research is to break through these basic limitations using an optical solution, thereby improving performance in current slip ring applications. This dissertation introduces a novel Electro-Optical Hybrid Slip Ring technology, which makes "through the air" digital-optical communication between stationary and rotating systems a reality with high data transfer speed, better reliability and low interference susceptibility. A laboratory scale non-contact Electro-Optical Hybrid Slip Ring system was successfully constructed, and its performance was determined. Experimental results affirmed the advantages of this new technology over current slip ring design.

Cabling design of booster and storage ring construction progress of TPS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, Y.-S.; Liu, K.-B.; Liu, C.-Y.; Wang, b.-S.

2017-06-01

The 2012 Taiwan Photon Source (TPS) cable construction project started after 10 months to complete the cable laying and installation of power supply. The circumference of the booster ring (BR) is 496.8 m, whereas that of the storage ring (SR) is 518.4 m. Beam current is set to 500 mA at 3.3 GeV. The paper on grounding systems discusses the design of the ground wire (< 0.2 Ω) with low impedance, power supply of the accelerator and cabling tray. The flow and size of the ground current are carefully evaluated to avoid grounded current from flowing everywhere, which causes interference problems. In the design of the TPS, special shielding will be established to isolate the effects of electromagnetic interference on the magnet and ground current. Booster ring dipoles are connected by a series of 54-magnet bending dipole; the cable size of its stranded wire measures 250 mm2, with a total length of 5000 m. Booster ring and storage ring quadrupoles have 150 magnets; the cable size of their stranded wire is 250 mm2, with a total length of 17000 m. Storage ring dipole consists of 48 magnets; the cable size of its stranded wire is 325 mm2, with a total length of 6000 m. This study discusses the power supply cabling design of the storage ring and booster ring construction progress of TPS. The sections of this paper are divided into discussions of the construction of the control and instrument area, cabling layout of booster ring and storage ring, as well as the installation and commission machine. This study also discusses the use of a high-impedance meter to determine the effect of cabling insulation and TPS power supply machine on energy transfer to ensure the use of safe and correct magnet.

Modeling the Plasmasphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gallagher, Dennis L

1998-01-01

The plasmasphere has often been considered one of the more boring regions in the magnetosphere. Its low energy plasma doesn't begin to compete against the free sources of energy available in the ring current, auroral zone, or plasma sheet. Its best known feature is its relatively highly density, archived as a result of prolonged accumulation of ionospheric outflow onto corotating flux tubes. On second look, however, the plasmasphere can be found to exhibit a remarkable influence on its more energetic cousins and display convection behavior indicative of physical processes acting throughout the magnetosphere for which we have no explanation. Plasmaspheric plasma densities and composition of heavy ions are particularly sensitive to heating by processes active in the ionosphere and all along field lines. Wave propagation and instabilities, collisional losses in the ring current, and heat transport from superthermal electrons are all equally sensitive to dense, heavy plasmaspheric densities and density gradients. It is in this context that we seek to characterize plasmaspheric populations using event based, empirical, and physical modeling methods. The modeling approaches, the challenges, and some of the results of these efforts will be presented.

A Disk Origin for the Monoceros Ring and A13 Stellar Overdensities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheffield, Allyson A.; Price-Whelan, Adrian M.; Tzanidakis, Anastasios; Johnston, Kathryn V.; Laporte, Chervin F. P.; Sesar, Branimir

2018-02-01

The Monoceros Ring (also known as the Galactic Anticenter Stellar Structure) and A13 are stellar overdensities at estimated heliocentric distances of d ∼ 11 kpc and 15 kpc observed at low Galactic latitudes toward the anticenter of our Galaxy. While these overdensities were initially thought to be remnants of a tidally disrupted satellite galaxy, an alternate scenario is that they are composed of stars from the Milky Way (MW) disk kicked out to their current location due to interactions between a satellite galaxy and the disk. To test this scenario, we study the stellar populations of the Monoceros Ring and A13 by measuring the number of RR Lyrae and M giant stars associated with these overdensities. We obtain low-resolution spectroscopy for RR Lyrae stars in the two structures and measure radial velocities to compare with previously measured velocities for M giant stars in the regions of the Monoceros Ring and A13, to assess the fraction of RR Lyrae to M giant stars (f RR:MG) in A13 and Mon/GASS. We perform velocity modeling on 153 RR Lyrae stars (116 in the Monoceros Ring and 37 in A13) and find that both structures have very low f RR:MG. The results support a scenario in which stars in A13 and Mon/GASS formed in the MW disk. We discuss a possible association between Mon/GASS, A13, and the Triangulum-Andromeda overdensity based on their similar velocity distributions and f RR:MG.

Plasmodium falciparum Founder Populations in Western Cambodia Have Reduced Artemisinin Sensitivity In Vitro

PubMed Central

Amaratunga, Chanaki; Witkowski, Benoit; Dek, Dalin; Try, Vorleak; Khim, Nimol; Miotto, Olivo

2014-01-01

Reduced Plasmodium falciparum sensitivity to short-course artemisinin (ART) monotherapy manifests as a long parasite clearance half-life. We recently defined three parasite founder populations with long half-lives in Pursat, western Cambodia, where reduced ART sensitivity is prevalent. Using the ring-stage survival assay, we show that these founder populations have reduced ART sensitivity in vitro at the early ring stage of parasite development and that a genetically admixed population contains subsets of parasites with normal or reduced ART sensitivity. PMID:24867977

Intra-Beam Scattering, Impedance, and Instabilities in Ultimate Storage Rings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bane, Karl; /SLAC

We have investigated collective effects in an ultimate storage ring, i.e. one with diffraction limited emittances in both planes, using PEP-X as an example. In an ultimate ring intra-beam scattering (IBS) sets the limit of current that can be stored. In PEP-X, a 4.5 GeV ring running round beams at 200 mA in 3300 bunches, IBS doubles the emittances to 11.5 pm at the design current. The Touschek lifetime is 11 hours. Impedance driven collective effects tend not to be important since the beam current is relatively low. We have investigated collective effects in PEP-X, an ultimate storage ring, i.e.more » one with diffraction limited emittances (at one angstrom wavelength) in both planes. In an ultimate ring intra-beam scattering (IBS) sets the limit of current that can be stored. In PEP-X, IBS doubles the emittances to 11.5 pm at the design current of 200 mA, assuming round beams. The Touschek lifetime is quite large in PEP-X, 11.6 hours, and - near the operating point - increases with decreasing emittance. It is, however, a very sensitive function of momentum acceptance. In an ultimate ring like PEP-X impedance driven collective effects tend not to be important since the beam current is relatively low. Before ultimate PEP-X can be realized, the question of how to run a machine with round beams needs serious study. For example, in this report we assumed that the vertical emittance is coupling dominated. It may turn out that using vertical dispersion is a preferable way to generate round beams. The choice will affect IBS and the Touschek effect.« less

Ring Current Ion Coupling with Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khazanov, George V.

2002-01-01

A new ring current global model has been developed for the first time that couples the system of two kinetic equations: one equation describes the ring current (RC) ion dynamic, and another equation describes wave evolution of electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves (EMIC). The coupled model is able to simulate, for the first time self-consistently calculated RC ion kinetic and evolution of EMIC waves that propagate along geomagnetic field lines and reflect from the ionosphere. Ionospheric properties affect the reflection index through the integral Pedersen and Hall coductivities. The structure and dynamics of the ring current proton precipitating flux regions, intensities of EMIC, global RC energy balance, and some other parameters will be studied in detail for the selected geomagnetic storms. The space whether aspects of RC modelling and comparison with the data will also be discussed.

Can Steady Magnetospheric Convection Events Inject Plasma into the Ring Current?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemon, C.; Chen, M. W.; Guild, T. B.

2009-12-01

Steady Magnetospheric Convection (SMC) events are characterized by several-hour periods of enhanced convection that are devoid of substorm signatures. There has long been a debate about whether substorms are necessary to inject plasma into the ring current, or whether enhanced convection is sufficient. If ring current injections occur during SMC intervals, this would suggest that substorms are unnecessary. We use a combination of simulations and data observations to examine this topic. Our simulation model computes the energy-dependent plasma drift in a self-consistent electric and magnetic field, which allows us to accurately model the transport of plasma from the plasma sheet (where the plasma pressure is much larger than the magnetic pressure) into the inner magnetosphere (where plasma pressure is much less than the magnetic pressure). In regions where the two pressures are comparable (i.e. the inner plasma sheet), feedback between the plasma and magnetic field is critical for accurately modeling the physical evolution of the system. Our previous work has suggested that entropy losses in the plasma sheet (such as caused by substorms) may be necessary to inject a ring current. However, it is not yet clear whether other small-scale processes (e.g. bursty bulk flows) can provide sufficient entropy loss in the plasma sheet to allow for the penetration of plasma into the ring current. We combine our simulation results with data observations in order to better understand the physical processes required to inject a ring current.

Ion transport and loss in the Earth's quiet ring current. 2: Diffusion and magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheldon, R. B.

1994-01-01

We have studied the transport and loss of H(+), He(+), and He(++) ions in the Earth's quiet time ring current (1 to 300 keV/e, 3 to 7 R(sub E), Kp less than 2+, absolute value of Dst less than 11, 70 to 110 degs pitchangles, all LT) comparing the standard radial diffusion model developed for the higher-energy radiation belt particles with measurements of the lower energy ring current ions in a previous paper. Large deviations of that model, which fit only 50% of the data to within a factor of 10, suggested that another transport mechanism is operating in the ring current. Here we derive a modified diffusion coefficient corrected for electric field effects on ring current energy ions that fit nearly 80% of the data to within a factor of 2. Thus we infer that electric field fluctuations from the low-latitude to midlatitude ionosphere (ionospheric dynamo) dominated the ring current transport, rather than high-latitude or solar wind fluctuations. Much of the remaining deviation may arise from convective electric field transport of the E less than 30 keV particles. Since convection effects cannot be correctly treated with this azimuthally symmetric model, we defer treatment of the lowest-energy ions to a another paper. We give chi(exp 2) contours for the best fit, showing the dependence of the fit upon the internal/external spectral power of the predicted electric and magnetic field fluctuations.

3D tomographic reconstruction of the terrestrial exosphere and its time-dependent coupling to the magnetospheric ring current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waldrop, L.; Cucho-Padin, G.; Ilie, R.

2017-12-01

Charge exchange collisions between ring current ions and hydrogen (H) atoms in the outer exosphere serve to dissipate magnetospheric energy, particularly during the slow recovery phase of geomagnetic storms, through the generation of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) which escape the system. As a result, knowledge of the spatial distribution and temporal variability of exospheric H density is critical for reliable interpretation of ENA flux measurements as well as for accurate modeling of the ring current. Although numerous theoretical, numerical, and empirical H distributions have been used for such analyses, their reliance on ad hoc or unphysical assumptions, together with their inherently static formulations, is a source of significant uncertainty. Our recent development of a robust tomographic technique for the model-independent estimation of global exospheric H density from optical remote sensing data overcomes the limitations of past analysis and enables an unprecedented investigation of global exospheric and ring current dynamics. Here, we present sample results of our 3D, time-dependent reconstructions of exospheric structure, derived from measurements of resonantly scattered solar Lyman-alpha (121.6 nm) photons acquired by the Lyman-alpha detectors (LADs) onboard NASA's Two Wide-angle Imaging Neutral-atom Spectrometers (TWINS) mission. We use the Hot Electron and Ion Drift Integrator (HEIDI) kinetic model of the ring current to investigate the charge exchange interactions between the resulting H density distribution and ring current ions and generate synthetic images of ENA flux for comparison with those measured by TWINS.

Improving the Accuracy of Laplacian Estimation with Novel Variable Inter-Ring Distances Concentric Ring Electrodes

PubMed Central

Makeyev, Oleksandr; Besio, Walter G.

2016-01-01

Noninvasive concentric ring electrodes are a promising alternative to conventional disc electrodes. Currently, the superiority of tripolar concentric ring electrodes over disc electrodes, in particular, in accuracy of Laplacian estimation, has been demonstrated in a range of applications. In our recent work, we have shown that accuracy of Laplacian estimation can be improved with multipolar concentric ring electrodes using a general approach to estimation of the Laplacian for an (n + 1)-polar electrode with n rings using the (4n + 1)-point method for n ≥ 2. This paper takes the next step toward further improving the Laplacian estimate by proposing novel variable inter-ring distances concentric ring electrodes. Derived using a modified (4n + 1)-point method, linearly increasing and decreasing inter-ring distances tripolar (n = 2) and quadripolar (n = 3) electrode configurations are compared to their constant inter-ring distances counterparts. Finite element method modeling and analytic results are consistent and suggest that increasing inter-ring distances electrode configurations may decrease the truncation error resulting in more accurate Laplacian estimates compared to respective constant inter-ring distances configurations. For currently used tripolar electrode configuration, the truncation error may be decreased more than two-fold, while for the quadripolar configuration more than a six-fold decrease is expected. PMID:27294933

Improving the Accuracy of Laplacian Estimation with Novel Variable Inter-Ring Distances Concentric Ring Electrodes.

PubMed

Makeyev, Oleksandr; Besio, Walter G

2016-06-10

Noninvasive concentric ring electrodes are a promising alternative to conventional disc electrodes. Currently, the superiority of tripolar concentric ring electrodes over disc electrodes, in particular, in accuracy of Laplacian estimation, has been demonstrated in a range of applications. In our recent work, we have shown that accuracy of Laplacian estimation can be improved with multipolar concentric ring electrodes using a general approach to estimation of the Laplacian for an (n + 1)-polar electrode with n rings using the (4n + 1)-point method for n ≥ 2. This paper takes the next step toward further improving the Laplacian estimate by proposing novel variable inter-ring distances concentric ring electrodes. Derived using a modified (4n + 1)-point method, linearly increasing and decreasing inter-ring distances tripolar (n = 2) and quadripolar (n = 3) electrode configurations are compared to their constant inter-ring distances counterparts. Finite element method modeling and analytic results are consistent and suggest that increasing inter-ring distances electrode configurations may decrease the truncation error resulting in more accurate Laplacian estimates compared to respective constant inter-ring distances configurations. For currently used tripolar electrode configuration, the truncation error may be decreased more than two-fold, while for the quadripolar configuration more than a six-fold decrease is expected.

Finite element method modeling to assess Laplacian estimates via novel variable inter-ring distances concentric ring electrodes.

PubMed

Makeyev, Oleksandr; Besio, Walter G

2016-08-01

Noninvasive concentric ring electrodes are a promising alternative to conventional disc electrodes. Currently, superiority of tripolar concentric ring electrodes over disc electrodes, in particular, in accuracy of Laplacian estimation has been demonstrated in a range of applications. In our recent work we have shown that accuracy of Laplacian estimation can be improved with multipolar concentric ring electrodes using a general approach to estimation of the Laplacian for an (n + 1)-polar electrode with n rings using the (4n + 1)-point method for n ≥ 2. This paper takes the next step toward further improving the Laplacian estimate by proposing novel variable inter-ring distances concentric ring electrodes. Derived using a modified (4n + 1)-point method, linearly increasing and decreasing inter-ring distances tripolar (n = 2) and quadripolar (n = 3) electrode configurations are compared to their constant inter-ring distances counterparts using finite element method modeling. Obtained results suggest that increasing inter-ring distances electrode configurations may decrease the estimation error resulting in more accurate Laplacian estimates compared to respective constant inter-ring distances configurations. For currently used tripolar electrode configuration the estimation error may be decreased more than two-fold while for the quadripolar configuration more than six-fold decrease is expected.

Acceptability of microbicidal vaginal rings and oral pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention among female sex workers in a high-prevalence US city.

PubMed

Peitzmeier, Sarah M; Tomko, Catherine; Wingo, Erin; Sawyer, Anne; Sherman, Susan G; Glass, Nancy; Beyrer, Chris; Decker, Michele R

2017-11-01

Biomedical HIV prevention tools including oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and vaginal microbicidal rings hold unique value for high-risk women who may have limited capacity for condom negotiation, including the key populations of sex workers and drug users. Commercial sex is a PrEP indicator in CDC guidelines, yet little is known about female sex workers' (FSWs) knowledge of and attitudes toward PrEP or the recently developed monthly vaginal microbicide rings. We describe knowledge and attitudes toward PrEP and microbicide rings in a sample of 60 mostly drug-using FSWs in Baltimore, Maryland, a high HIV-prevalence US city. Just 33% had heard of PrEP, but 65% were interested in taking daily oral PrEP and 76% were interested in a microbicide vaginal ring; 87% were interested in at least one of the two methods. Results suggest method mix will be important as biomedical tools for HIV prophylaxis are implemented and scaled up in this population, as 12% were interested in PrEP but not vaginal rings, while 19% were interested in vaginal rings but not in PrEP. Self-efficacy for daily oral adherence was high (79%) and 78% were interested in using PrEP even if condoms were still necessary. Women who had experienced recent client-perpetrated violence were significantly more interested in PrEP (86% vs 53%, p = 0.009) and microbicidal rings (91% vs 65%, p = 0.028) than women who had not recently experienced violence. No differences were observed by demographics nor HIV risk behaviors, suggesting broad potential interest in daily PrEP and monthly-use vaginal microbicides in this high-risk population.

Sphagnum moss disperses spores with vortex rings.

PubMed

Whitaker, Dwight L; Edwards, Joan

2010-07-23

Sphagnum spores, which have low terminal velocities, are carried by turbulent wind currents to establish colonies many kilometers away. However, spores that are easily kept aloft are also rapidly decelerated in still air; thus, dispersal range depends strongly on release height. Vascular plants grow tall to lift spores into sufficient wind currents for dispersal, but nonvascular plants such as Sphagnum cannot grow sufficiently high. High-speed videos show that exploding capsules of Sphagnum generate vortex rings to efficiently carry spores high enough to be dispersed by turbulent air currents. Spores launched ballistically at similar speeds through still air would travel a few millimeters and not easily reach turbulent air. Vortex rings are used by animals; here, we report vortex rings generated by plants.

Expanding the network of crossdated tree-ring chronologies for Sequoia sempervirens

Treesearch

Allyson L. Carroll; Stephen C. Sillett; Ethan J. Coonen; Benjamin G. Iberle

2017-01-01

Crossdated tree-ring chronologies for the Arcata Community Forest (ACF) and Muir Woods National Monument (Muir Woods) expand the spatial coverage of dated coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens (D. Don) Endl.) series. Crossdating relies on the common pattern of ring-width variation among tree populations, and dated chronologies have many applications...

Clump detections and limits on moons in Jupiter's ring system.

PubMed

Showalter, Mark R; Cheng, Andrew F; Weaver, Harold A; Stern, S Alan; Spencer, John R; Throop, Henry B; Birath, Emma M; Rose, Debi; Moore, Jeffrey M

2007-10-12

The dusty jovian ring system must be replenished continuously from embedded source bodies. The New Horizons spacecraft has performed a comprehensive search for kilometer-sized moons within the system, which might have revealed the larger members of this population. No new moons were found, however, indicating a sharp cutoff in the population of jovian bodies smaller than 8-kilometer-radius Adrastea. However, the search revealed two families of clumps in the main ring: one close pair and one cluster of three to five. All orbit within a brighter ringlet just interior to Adrastea. Their properties are very different from those of the few other clumpy rings known; the origin and nonrandom distribution of these features remain unexplained, but resonant confinement by Metis may play a role.

Computing travel time when the exact address is unknown: a comparison of point and polygon ZIP code approximation methods.

PubMed

Berke, Ethan M; Shi, Xun

2009-04-29

Travel time is an important metric of geographic access to health care. We compared strategies of estimating travel times when only subject ZIP code data were available. Using simulated data from New Hampshire and Arizona, we estimated travel times to nearest cancer centers by using: 1) geometric centroid of ZIP code polygons as origins, 2) population centroids as origin, 3) service area rings around each cancer center, assigning subjects to rings by assuming they are evenly distributed within their ZIP code, 4) service area rings around each center, assuming the subjects follow the population distribution within the ZIP code. We used travel times based on street addresses as true values to validate estimates. Population-based methods have smaller errors than geometry-based methods. Within categories (geometry or population), centroid and service area methods have similar errors. Errors are smaller in urban areas than in rural areas. Population-based methods are superior to the geometry-based methods, with the population centroid method appearing to be the best choice for estimating travel time. Estimates in rural areas are less reliable.

GUARD RING SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTION

DOEpatents

Goulding, F.S.; Hansen, W.L.

1963-12-01

A semiconductor diode having a very low noise characteristic when used under reverse bias is described. Surface leakage currents, which in conventional diodes greatly contribute to noise, are prevented from mixing with the desired signal currents. A p-n junction is formed with a thin layer of heavily doped semiconductor material disposed on a lightly doped, physically thick base material. An annular groove cuts through the thin layer and into the base for a short distance, dividing the thin layer into a peripheral guard ring that encircles the central region. Noise signal currents are shunted through the guard ring, leaving the central region free from such currents. (AEC)

Highly Efficient Spin-Current Operation in a Cu Nano-Ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Benedict A.; Vick, Andrew J.; Samiepour, Marjan; Hirohata, Atsufumi

2016-11-01

An all-metal lateral spin-valve structure has been fabricated with a medial Copper nano-ring to split the diffusive spin-current path. We have demonstrated significant modulation of the non-local signal by the application of a magnetic field gradient across the nano-ring, which is up to 30% more efficient than the conventional Hanle configuration at room temperature. This was achieved by passing a dc current through a current-carrying bar to provide a locally induced Ampère field. We have shown that in this manner a lateral spin-valve gains an additional functionality in the form of three-terminal gate operation for future spintronic logic.

Three-dimensional ring current decay model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fok, Mei-Ching; Moore, Thomas E.; Kozyra, Janet U.; Ho, George C.; Hamilton, Douglas C.

1995-01-01

This work is an extension of a previous ring current decay model. In the previous work, a two-dimensional kinetic model was constructed to study the temporal variations of the equatorially mirroring ring current ions, considering charge exchange and Coulomb drag losses along drift paths in a magnetic dipole field. In this work, particles with arbitrary pitch angle are considered. By bounce averaging the kinetic equation of the phase space density, information along magnetic field lines can be inferred from the equator. The three-dimensional model is used to simulate the recovery phase of a model great magnetic storm, similar to that which occurred in early February 1986. The initial distribution of ring current ions (at the minimum Dst) is extrapolated to all local times from AMPTE/CCE spacecraft observations on the dawnside and duskside of the inner magnetosphere spanning the L value range L = 2.25 to 6.75. Observations by AMPTE/CCE of ring current distributions over subsequent orbits during the storm recovery phase are compared to model outputs. In general, the calculated ion fluxes are consistent with observations, except for H(+) fluxes at tens of keV, which are always overestimated. A newly invented visualization idea, designated as a chromogram, is used to display the spatial and energy dependence of the ring current ion differential flux. Important features of storm time ring current, such as day-night asymmetry during injection and drift hole on the dayside at low energies (less than 10 keV), are manifested in the chromogram representation. The pitch angle distribution is well fit by the function, J(sub o)(1 + Ay(sup n)), where y is sine of the equatorial pitch angle. The evolution of the index n is a combined effect of charge exchange loss and particle drift. At low energies (less than 30 keV), both drift dispersion and charge exchange are important in determining n.

A three-dimensional ring current decay model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fok, Mei-Ching; Moore, Thomas E.; Kozyra, Janet U.; Ho, George C.; Hamilton, Douglas C.

1994-01-01

This work is an extension of a previous ring current decay model. In the previous work, a two-dimensional kinetic model was constructed to study the temporal variations of the equatorially mirroring ring current ions, considering charge exchange and Coulomb drag losses along drift paths in a magnetic dipole field. In this work, particles with arbitrary pitch angle are considered. By bounce averaging the kinetic equation of the phase space density, information along magnetic field lines can be inferred from the equator. The three-dimensional model is used to simulate the recovery phase of a model great magnetic storm, similar to that which occurred in early February 1986. The initial distribution of ring current ions (at the minimum Dst) is extrapolated to all local times from AMPTE/CCE spacecraft observations on the dawn and dusk sides of the inner magnetosphere spanning the L value range L = 2.25 to 6.75. Observations by AMPTE/CCE of ring current distributions over subsequent orbits during the storm recovery phase are compared to model outputs. In general, the calculated ion fluxes are consistent with observations, except for H+ fluxes at tens of keV, which are always over-estimated. A newly-invented visualization idea, designated as a chromogram, is used to display the spatial and energy dependence of the ring current ion differential flux. Important features of storm-time ring current, such as day-night asymmetry during injection and drift hole on the dayside at low energies (less than 10 keV), are manifested in the chromogram representation. The pitch angle distribution is well fit by the function, j(sub o)(1+Ay(exp n)), where y is sine of the equatorial pitch angle. The evolution of the index n is a combined effect of charge exchange loss and particle drift. At low energies (less than 30 keV), both drift dispersion and charge exchange are important in determining n.

Beam Loss Measurements at the Los Alamos Proton Storage Ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spickermann, Thomas

2005-06-01

During normal operation the Los Alamos Proton Storage Ring (PSR) accumulates up to 4ṡ1013 protons over 625μs with a repetition rate of 20 Hz, corresponding to a current of 125μA to the Lujan Neutron Science Center. Beam losses in the ring as well as in the extraction beam line and the subsequent activation of material are a limiting factor at these currents. Careful tuning of injection, ring and extraction line is paramount to limiting losses to acceptable levels. Losses are typically not uniform around the ring, but occur in significantly higher levels in certain "hot spots". Here I will report on losses related to the stripper foil which are the dominant source of losses in the ring. First results of a comparison with simulations will also be presented.

Analytic assessment of Laplacian estimates via novel variable interring distances concentric ring electrodes.

PubMed

Makeyev, Oleksandr; Besio, Walter G

2016-08-01

Noninvasive concentric ring electrodes are a promising alternative to conventional disc electrodes. Currently, superiority of tripolar concentric ring electrodes over disc electrodes, in particular, in accuracy of Laplacian estimation has been demonstrated in a range of applications. In our recent work we have shown that accuracy of Laplacian estimation can be improved with multipolar concentric ring electrodes using a general approach to estimation of the Laplacian for an (n + 1)-polar electrode with n rings using the (4n + 1)-point method for n ≥ 2. This paper takes the next step toward further improving the Laplacian estimate by proposing novel variable inter-ring distances concentric ring electrodes. Derived using a modified (4n + 1)-point method, linearly increasing inter-ring distances tripolar (n = 2) and quadripolar (n = 3) electrode configurations are analytically compared to their constant inter-ring distances counterparts using coefficients of the Taylor series truncation terms. Obtained results suggest that increasing inter-ring distances electrode configurations may decrease the truncation error of the Laplacian estimation resulting in more accurate Laplacian estimates compared to respective constant inter-ring distances configurations. For currently used tripolar electrode configuration the truncation error may be decreased more than two-fold while for the quadripolar more than seven-fold decrease is expected.

The Role of Ring Current on Slot Region Penetration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fok, Mei-Ching; Elkington, Scot

2006-01-01

During magnetic quiet times, the inner belt, slot region and the outer belt are well defined regions. However, during some major storms, outer belt particles penetrate inward and significantly fill the slot region. In some extreme events, the outer belt particles travel through the slot and create a new belt in the inner region that persists from months to years. In this paper, we examine the role of the ring current on this radiation belt penetration into the slot region. The storm-time intensification of the ring current produces strong magnetic depression in the inner magnetosphere. This perturbation and its fluctuation enhance the radial transport and diffusion of the outer radiation belt particles. We perform kinetic and test-particle calculations to quantitatively assess the effects of the ring current field on filling of the slot region. Simulation results during major storms will be presented and discussed.

Plasmaspheric Erosion via Plasmasphere Coupling to Ring Current Plasmas: EUV Observations and Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adrian, M. L.; Gallagher, D. L.; Khazanov, G. V.; Chsang, S. W.; Liemohn, M. W.; Perez, J. D.; Green, J. L.; Sandel, B. R.; Mitchell, D. G.; Mende, S. B.;

Predicting electromagnetic ion cyclotron wave amplitude from unstable ring current plasma conditions

DOE PAGES

Fu, Xiangrong; Cowee, Misa M.; Jordanova, Vania K.; ...

2016-11-01

Electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves in the Earth's inner magnetosphere are enhanced fluctuations driven unstable by ring current ion temperature anisotropy. EMIC waves can resonate with relativistic electrons and play an important role in precipitation of MeV radiation belt electrons. In this study, we investigate the excitation and saturation of EMIC instability in a homogeneous plasma using both linear theory and nonlinear hybrid simulations. We have explored a four-dimensional parameter space, carried out a large number of simulations, and derived a scaling formula that relates the saturation EMIC wave amplitude to initial plasma conditions. Finally, such scaling can be usedmore » in conjunction with ring current models like ring current-atmosphere interactions model with self-consistent magnetic field to provide global dynamic EMIC wave maps that will be more accurate inputs for radiation belt modeling than statistical models.« less

Pioneer 10 and 11 (Jupiter and Saturn) magnetic field experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, D. E.

1986-01-01

Magnet field data obtained by the vector helium magnetometer (VHM) during the encounters of Jupiter (Pioneer 10 and 11) and Saturn (Pioneer 11) was analyzed and interpreted. The puzzling characteristics of the Jovian and Saturnian magnetospheric magnetic fields were studied. An apparent substorm (including thinning of the dayside tail current sheet) was observed at Jupiter, as well as evidence suggesting that at the magnetopause the cusp is at an abnormally low latitude. The characteristics of Saturn's ring current as observed by Pioneer 11 were dramatically different from those suggested by the Voyager observations. Most importantly, very strong perturbations in the azimuthal ring current magnetic field suggest that the plane of the ring was not in the dipole equatorial plane, being tilted 5 to 10 deg. relative to the dipole and undergoing significant changes during the encounter. When these changing currents were corrected for, an improved planetary field determination was obtained. In addition, the ring and azimuthal currents at Saturn displayed significantly different time dependences.

Determination of ion mobility in EHD flow zone of plasma generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sumariyah, Kusminarto, Hermanto, Arief; Nuswantoro, Pekik

2015-12-01

Determination has been carried out for ion mobility in EHD flow zone generated using a pin-concentric multiple ring electrodes and a pin-single ring electrode used as a comparator. The pin needle was made from stainless steel with a tip diameter of 0.18 mm. The concentris multiple ring electrode in form three/two concentric ring electrodes which made of metal material connected to each other. Each ring of three concentric ring electrode has a diameter of 24 mm, 16 mm and 8 mm. And each ring of two concentric ring electrode has a diameter of 24 mm and 16 mm. Single ring electrode has a diameter24 mm. The all ring has same of width and thickness were 2 mm and 3 mm. EHD was generated by using a DC high voltage of 10 kV. Pin functional as an active electrode of corona discharge while the all ring electrodes acted as ions collector and passive electrodes. The experimental results show that the ion current is proportional to V2 according to calculations by Chouelo for hyperbolic-field approach. Ion mobility obtained from the quadratic polynomial fitting of experimental data were current and voltage as well as Choelo formulation. The results showed that the mobility of ions in the EHD flow zones utilizing pin-consentric multiple ring electrode larger than utilizing pin-single ring electrode. Pin-three Consentic ring electrode has the largest of ion mobility

Initiating the Sierra Nevada catalogue of star-forming polar-ring galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia-Ribera, E.; Pérez-Montero, E.; García-Benito, R.; Vílchez, J. M.

2015-05-01

We describe photometric observations with the 1.5m. telescope of the Sierra Nevada Observatory of a preliminary sample of 16 candidates to polar-ring galaxies (PRGs) selected from Whitmore et al. (1990) and Moiseev et al. (2011). The images were taken in broad filters (BVR) in order to characterize the host galaxies and the rings and in narrow filter Hα at the corresponding redshifted wavelength to identify in the rings knots of on-going star-formation. These information allowed us to analyze different physical parameters (formation scenarios, morphological types, and stellar population) and to locate HII regions. The main aim of this work is the elaboration of a catalogue of PRGs with a star-forming ring. In a next future, the spatially-resolved spectroscopy study of these structures will help to understand their most probable mechanism of origin, formation and evolution by means of rotation curves, spectral fitting of stellar populations and chemical abundance analysis (e.g. Pérez-Montero et al. 2009)

The ion population of the magnetotail during the 17 April 2002 magnetic storm: Large-scale kinetic simulations and IMAGE/HENA observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peroomian, Vahé; El-Alaoui, Mostafa; Brandt, Pontus C.:son

2011-05-01

The contribution of solar wind and ionospheric ions to the ion population of the magnetotail during the 17 April 2002 geomagnetic storm was investigated by using large-scale kinetic (LSK) particle tracing calculations. We began our investigation by carrying out a global magnetohydrodynamic simulation of the storm event by using upstream solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field data from the ACE spacecraft. We launched solar wind H+ ions and ionospheric O+ ions beginning at 0900 UT, ˜2 h prior to the sudden storm commencement (SSC), until 2000 UT. We found that during this Dst ˜ -98 nT storm, solar wind ions carried the bulk of the density and energy density in the nightside ring current and plasma sheet, with the notable exception of the 90 min immediately after the SSC when O+ densities in the ring current exceeded those of H+ ions. The LSK simulation did a very good job of reproducing ion densities observed by the Los Alamos National Laboratory spacecraft at geosynchronous orbit and reproduced the changes in the inner magnetosphere and the injection of ions observed by the IMAGE spacecraft during a substorm that occurred at 1900 UT. These comparisons with observations serve to validate our results throughout the magnetotail and allow us to obtain time-dependent maps of H+ and O+ density and energy density where IMAGE cannot make measurements. In essence, this work extends the viewing window of the IMAGE spacecraft far downtail.

Tree-ring evidence for the historical absence of cyclic larch budmoth outbreaks in the Tatra Mountains

Treesearch

Oliver Konter; Jan Esper; Andrew Liebhold; Tomas Kyncl; Lea Schneider; Elisabeth Düthorn; Ulf Buntgen

2015-01-01

The absence of larch budmoth outbreaks and subsequent consequences on tree rings together with a distinct climate–growth relationship enhance the dendroclimatic potential of larch ring width data from the Tatra Mountains. Regular population oscillations are generally considered to arise from trophic interactions, though it is unclear how such cycles are...

Density estimation using the trapping web design: A geometric analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Link, W.A.; Barker, R.J.

1994-01-01

Population densities for small mammal and arthropod populations can be estimated using capture frequencies for a web of traps. A conceptually simple geometric analysis that avoid the need to estimate a point on a density function is proposed. This analysis incorporates data from the outermost rings of traps, explaining large capture frequencies in these rings rather than truncating them from the analysis.

The fine structure of the Saturnian ring system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Houpis, H. L. F.; Mendis, D. A.

1983-01-01

A dust disk within a planetary magnetosphere constitutes a novel type of dust-ring current. Such an azimuthal current carrying dust disk is subject to the dusty plasma analog of the well known finite-resistivity 'tearing' mode instability in regular plasma current sheets, at long wavelengths. It is proposed that the presently observed fine ringlet of the Saturnian ring system is a relic of this process operating at cosmogonic times and breaking up the initial proto-ring (which may be regarded as an admixture of fine dust and plasma) into an ensemble of thin ringlets. It is shown that this instability develops at a rate that is many orders of magnitude faster than any other known instability, when the disk thickness reaches a value that is comparable to its present observed value.

DC-Powered Jumping Ring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeffery, Rondo N.; Farhang, Amiri

2016-01-01

The classroom jumping ring demonstration is nearly always performed using alternating current (AC), in which the ring jumps or flies off the extended iron core when the switch is closed. The ring jumps higher when cooled with liquid nitrogen (LN2). We have performed experiments using DC to power the solenoid and find similarities and significant…

Tunable Broadband Radiation Generated Via Ultrafast Laser Illumination of an Inductively Charged Superconducting Ring

PubMed Central

Bulmer, John; Bullard, Thomas; Dolasinski, Brian; Murphy, John; Sparkes, Martin; Pangovski, Krste; O’Neill, William; Powers, Peter; Haugan, Timothy

2015-01-01

An electromagnetic transmitter typically consists of individual components such as a waveguide, antenna, power supply, and an oscillator. In this communication we circumvent complications associated with connecting these individual components and instead combine them into a non-traditional, photonic enabled, compact transmitter device for tunable, ultrawide band (UWB) radiation. This device is a centimeter scale, continuous, thin film superconducting ring supporting a persistent super-current. An ultrafast laser pulse (required) illuminates the ring (either at a point or uniformly around the ring) and perturbs the super-current by the de-pairing and recombination of Cooper pairs. This generates a microwave pulse where both ring and laser pulse geometry dictates the radiated spectrum’s shape. The transmitting device is self contained and completely isolated from conductive components that are observed to interfere with the generated signal. A rich spectrum is observed that extends beyond 30 GHz (equipment limited) and illustrates the complex super-current dynamics bridging optical, THz, and microwave wavelengths. PMID:26659022

The Dynamical History of Chariklo and Its Rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, Jeremy; Horner, Jonti; Hinse, Tobias C.; Marsden, Stephen C.

2017-06-01

Chariklo is the only small solar system body confirmed to have rings. Given the instability of its orbit, the presence of rings is surprising, and their origin remains poorly understood. In this work, we study the dynamical history of the Chariklo system by integrating almost 36,000 Chariklo clones backward in time for 1 Gyr under the influence of the Sun and the four giant planets. By recording all close encounters between the clones and planets, we investigate the likelihood that Chariklo’s rings could have survived since its capture to the Centaur population. Our results reveal that Chariklo’s orbit occupies a region of stable chaos, resulting in its orbit being marginally more stable than those of the other Centaurs. Despite this, we find that it was most likely captured to the Centaur population within the last 20 Myr, and that its orbital evolution has been continually punctuated by regular close encounters with the giant planets. The great majority (>99%) of those encounters within 1 Hill radius of the planet have only a small effect on the rings. We conclude that close encounters with giant planets have not had a significant effect on the ring structure. Encounters within the Roche limit of the giant planets are rare, making ring creation through tidal disruption unlikely.

The Dynamical History of Chariklo and Its Rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, Jeremy R.; Horner, Jonti; Hinse, Tobias; Marsden, Stephen

2017-10-01

Chariklo is the only small Solar system body confirmed to have rings. Given the instability of its orbit, the presence of rings is surprising, and their origin remains poorly understood. In this work, we study the dynamical history of the Chariklo system by integrating almost 36,000 Chariklo clones backwards in time for one Gyr under the influence of the Sun and the four giant planets. By recording all close encounters between the clones and planets, we investigate the likelihood that Chariklo's rings could have survived since its capture to the Centaur population. Our results reveal that Chariklo's orbit occupies a region of stable chaos, resulting in its orbit being marginally more stable than those of the other Centaurs. Despite this, we find that it was most likely captured to the Centaur population within the last 20 Myr, and that its orbital evolution has been continually punctuated by regular close encounters with the giant planets. The great majority (> 99%) of those encounters within one Hill radius of the planet have only a small effect on the rings. We conclude that close encounters with giant planets have not had a significant effect on the ring structure. Encounters within the Roche limit of the giant planets are rare, making ring creation through tidal disruption unlikely.

The Dynamical History of Chariklo and Its Rings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wood, Jeremy; Horner, Jonti; Marsden, Stephen C.

Chariklo is the only small solar system body confirmed to have rings. Given the instability of its orbit, the presence of rings is surprising, and their origin remains poorly understood. In this work, we study the dynamical history of the Chariklo system by integrating almost 36,000 Chariklo clones backward in time for 1 Gyr under the influence of the Sun and the four giant planets. By recording all close encounters between the clones and planets, we investigate the likelihood that Chariklo’s rings could have survived since its capture to the Centaur population. Our results reveal that Chariklo’s orbit occupies amore » region of stable chaos, resulting in its orbit being marginally more stable than those of the other Centaurs. Despite this, we find that it was most likely captured to the Centaur population within the last 20 Myr, and that its orbital evolution has been continually punctuated by regular close encounters with the giant planets. The great majority (>99%) of those encounters within 1 Hill radius of the planet have only a small effect on the rings. We conclude that close encounters with giant planets have not had a significant effect on the ring structure. Encounters within the Roche limit of the giant planets are rare, making ring creation through tidal disruption unlikely.« less

Ring Current Development During Storm Main Phase

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fok, Mei-Ching; Moore, Thomas E.; Greenspan, Marian E.

1996-01-01

The development of the ring current ions in the inner magnetosphere during the main phase of a magnetic storm is studied. The temporal and spatial evolution of the ion phase space densities in a dipole field are calculated using a three dimensional ring current model, considering charge exchange and Coulomb losses along drift paths. The simulation starts with a quiet time distribution. The model is tested by comparing calculated ion fluxes with Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorers/CCE measurement during the storm main phase on May 2, 1986. Most of the calculated omnidirectional fluxes are in good agreement with the data except on the dayside inner edge (L less than 2.5) of the ring current, where the ion fluxes are underestimated. The model also reproduces the measured pitch angle distributions of ions with energies below 10 keV. At higher energy, an additional diffusion in pitch angle is necessary in order to fit the data. The role of the induced electric field on the ring current dynamics is also examined by simulating a series of substorm activities represented by stretching and collapsing the magnetic field lines. In response to the impulsively changing fields, the calculated ion energy content fluctuates about a mean value that grows steadily with the enhanced quiescent field.

MgB2-based superconductors for fault current limiters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sokolovsky, V.; Prikhna, T.; Meerovich, V.; Eisterer, M.; Goldacker, W.; Kozyrev, A.; Weber, H. W.; Shapovalov, A.; Sverdun, V.; Moshchil, V.

2017-02-01

A promising solution of the fault current problem in power systems is the application of fast-operating nonlinear superconducting fault current limiters (SFCLs) with the capability of rapidly increasing their impedance, and thus limiting high fault currents. We report the results of experiments with models of inductive (transformer type) SFCLs based on the ring-shaped bulk MgB2 prepared under high quasihydrostatic pressure (2 GPa) and by hot pressing technique (30 MPa). It was shown that the SFCLs meet the main requirements to fault current limiters: they possess low impedance in the nominal regime of the protected circuit and can fast increase their impedance limiting both the transient and the steady-state fault currents. The study of quenching currents of MgB2 rings (SFCL activation current) and AC losses in the rings shows that the quenching current density and critical current density determined from AC losses can be 10-20 times less than the critical current determined from the magnetization experiments.

Kinetic modeling of the Saturn ring-ionosphere plasma environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, G. R.; Waite, J. H., Jr.

1989-01-01

A time-independent kinetic plasma model was developed on the basis of the Li et al. (1988) semikinetic plasma model and was used to study the interaction of the Saturnian ionosphere and ring plasma. The model includes the gravitational magnetic mirror and centripetal and ambipolar electric forces, and the effect of the mixing of two plasma populations. The results obtained indicate that the density, temperature, and composition of plasma near the rings changing in the direction from the inner C ring to the outer A ring, due to the fact that the predominant source of plasma changes from the ionosphere to the rings. The model results also suggest that the outflow of hydrogen from the ionosphere to the rings may be shut off for field lines passing through the outer B and A ring, due to the ambipolar electric field set up by the warm ring plasma trapped near the ring plane by the centipetal force. In these regions, there will be a net flux of O(+) ions from the rings to the ionosphere.

Increasing carbon discrimination rates and depth of water uptake favor the growth of Mediterranean evergreen trees in the ecotone with temperate deciduous forests.

PubMed

Barbeta, Adrià; Peñuelas, Josep

2017-12-01

Tree populations at the low-altitudinal or -latitudinal limits of species' distributional ranges are predicted to retreat toward higher altitudes and latitudes to track the ongoing changes in climate. Studies have focused on the climatic sensitivity of the retreating species, whereas little is known about the potential replacements. Competition between tree species in forest ecotones will likely be strongly influenced by the ecophysiological responses to heat and drought. We used tree-ring widths and δ 13 C and δ 18 O chronologies to compare the growth rates and long-term ecophysiological responses to climate in the temperate-Mediterranean ecotone formed by the deciduous Fagus sylvatica and the evergreen Quercus ilex at the low altitudinal and southern latitudinal limit of F. sylvatica (NE Iberian Peninsula). F. sylvatica growth rates were similar to those of other southern populations and were surprisingly not higher than those of Q. ilex, which were an order of magnitude higher than those in nearby drier sites. Higher Q. ilex growth rates were associated with high temperatures, which have increased carbon discrimination rates in the last 25 years. In contrast, stomatal regulation in F. sylvatica was proportional to the increase in atmospheric CO 2 . Tree-ring δ 18 O for both species were mostly correlated with δ 18 O in the source water. In contrast to many previous studies, relative humidity was not negatively correlated with tree-ring δ 18 O but had a positive effect on Q. ilex tree-ring δ 18 O. Furthermore, tree-ring δ 18 O decreased in Q. ilex over time. The sensitivity of Q. ilex to climate likely reflects the uptake of deep water that allowed it to benefit from the effect of CO 2 fertilization, in contrast to the water-limited F. sylvatica. Consequently, Q. ilex is a strong competitor at sites currently dominated by F. sylvatica and could be favored by increasingly warmer conditions. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Trends of perfluorochemicals in Greenland ringed seals and polar bears: indications of shifts to decreasing trends.

PubMed

Rigét, Frank; Bossi, Rossana; Sonne, Christian; Vorkamp, Katrin; Dietz, Rune

2013-11-01

Time-series of perfluorinated alkylated substances (PFASs) in East Greenland polar bears and East and West Greenland ringed seals were updated in order to deduce whether a response to the major reduction in perfluoroalkyl production in the early 2000s had occurred. Previous studies had documented an exponential increase of perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS) in liver tissue from both species. In the present study, PFOS was still the far most dominant compound constituting 92% (West Greenland ringed seals), 88% (East Greenland ringed seals) and 85% (East Greenland polar bears). The PFOS concentrations increased up to 2006 with doubling times of approximately 6 years for the ringed seal populations and 14 years in case of polar bears. Since then a rapid decrease has occurred with clearing half-lives of approximately 1, 2 and 4 years, respectively. In polar bears perfluorohexane sulphonate (PFHxS) and perfluorooctane sulphonamide (PFOSA) also showed decreasing trends in recent years as do perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA). For the West Greenland ringed seal population perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), PFDA and PFUnA peaked in the mid 2000s, whereas PFNA, PFDA and PFUnA in the East Greenland population have been stable or increasing in recent years. The peak of PFASs in Greenland ringed seals and polar bears occurred at a later time than in Canadian seals and polar bears and considerably later than observed in seal species from more southern latitudes. We suggest that this could be explained by the distance to emission hot-spots and differences in long-range transport to the Arctic. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Red Sea Intermediate Water at the Agulhas Current termination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roman, R. E.; Lutjeharms, J. R. E.

2007-08-01

The inter-ocean exchange of water masses at the Agulhas Current termination comes about through the shedding of rings, and this process plays an important role in the global thermohaline circulation. Using several hydrographic sections collected during the ARC (Agulhas Retroflection Cruise), MARE (Mixing of Agulhas Rings Experiment) and WOCE (World Ocean Circulation Experiment), this investigation aims to establish the degree to which Red Sea Intermediate Water (RSIW) is involved in this exchange and at what level of purity. To this end a wide range of hydrographic parameters were used. Upstream from the Agulhas Current retroflection water with clear RSIW origin is shown to move downstream on both the landward and seaward sides of the Agulhas Current with the highest water sample purity or water-mass content exceeding 15%. The least mixed water was found close to the continental shelf. At the retroflection the RSIW purity shows considerable variability that ranges between 5% and 20%. This suggests that RSIW moves down the current in patches of considerably varying degrees of previous mixing. This pattern was also observed in a ring sampled during the ARC experiment. The MARE sections in turn indicate that at times RSIW may be entirely absent in the Agulhas Current. RSIW is therefore shown to travel down the current as discontinuous filaments, and this intermittency is reflected in its presence in Agulhas Rings. From the sections investigated it is therefore clear that any calculation of RSIW fluxes involved in inter-ocean exchange can only be done on the basis of event scales. RSIW not trapped in Agulhas Rings flows east with the Agulhas Return Current.

Cassini UVIS solar occultations by Saturn's F ring and the detection of collision-produced micron-sized dust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, Tracy M.; Colwell, Joshua E.; Esposito, Larry W.; Attree, Nicholas O.; Murray, Carl D.

2018-05-01

We present an analysis of eleven solar occultations by Saturn's F ring observed by the Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS) on the Cassini spacecraft. In four of the solar occultations we detect an unambiguous signal from diffracted sunlight that adds to the direct solar signal just before or after the occultations occur. The strongest detection was a 10% increase over the direct signal that was enabled by the accidental misalignment of the instrument's pointing. We compare the UVIS data with images of the F ring obtained by the Cassini Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) and find that in each instance of an unambiguous diffraction signature in the UVIS data, the ISS data shows that there was a recent disturbance in that region of the F ring. Similarly, the ISS images show a quiescent region of the F ring for all solar occultations in which no diffraction signature was detected. We therefore conclude that collisions in the F ring produce a population of small ring particles that can produce a detectable diffraction signal immediately interior or exterior to the F ring. The clearest example of this connection comes from the strong detection of diffracted light in the 2007 solar occultation, when the portion of the F ring that occulted the Sun had suffered a large collisional event, likely with S/2004 S 6, several months prior. This collision was observed in a series of ISS images (Murray et al., 2008). Our spectral analysis of the data shows no significant spectral features in the F ring, indicating that the particles must be at least 0.2 μm in radius. We apply a forward model of the solar occultations, accounting for the effects of diffracted light and the attenuated direct solar signal, to model the observed solar occultation light curves. These models constrain the optical depth, radial width, and particle size distribution of the F ring. We find that when the diffraction signature is present, we can best reproduce the occultation data using a particle population with an average effective particle size of less than 300 μm, while occultations without clear diffraction signals are best modeled using a population with an effective particle size larger than 400 μm.

Method and apparatus for the formation of a spheromak plasma

DOEpatents

Jardin, Stephen C.; Yamada, Masaaki; Furth, Harold P.; Okabayashi, Mitcheo

1984-01-01

An inductive method and apparatus for forming detached spheromak plasma using a thin-walled metal toroidal ring, with external current leads and internal poloidal and toroidal field coils located inside a vacuum chamber filled with low density hydrogen gas and an external axial field generating coil. The presence of a current in the poloidal field coils, and an externally generated axial field sets up the initial poloidal field configuration in which the field is strongest toward the major axis of the toroid. The internal toroidal-field-generating coil is then pulsed on, ionizing the gas and inducing poloidal current and toroidal magnetic field into the plasma region in the sleeve exterior to and adjacent to the ring and causing the plasma to expand away from the ring and toward the major axis. Next the current in the poloidal field coils in the ring is reversed. This induces toroidal current into the plasma and causes the poloidal magnetic field lines to reconnect. The reconnection continues until substantially all of the plasma is formed in a separated spheromak configuration held in equilibrium by the initial external field.

Ion transport and loss in the earth's quiet ring current. I - Data and standard model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheldon, R. B.; Hamilton, D. C.

1993-01-01

A study of the transport and loss of ions in the earth's quiet time ring current, in which the standard radial diffusion model developed for the high-energy radiation belt particles is compared with the measurements of the lower-energy ring current ions, is presented. The data set provides ionic composition information in an energy range that includes the bulk of the ring current energy density, 1-300 keV/e. Protons are found to dominate the quiet time energy density at all altitudes, peaking near L of about 4 at 60 keV/cu cm, with much smaller contributions from O(+) (1-10 percent), He(+) (1-5 percent), and He(2+) (less than 1 percent). A minimization procedure is used to fit the amplitudes of the standard electric radial diffusion coefficient, yielding 5.8 x 10 exp -11 R(E-squared)/s. Fluctuation ionospheric electric fields are suggested as the source of the additional diffusion detected.

Photon-induced tunability of the thermospin current in a Rashba ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdullah, Nzar Rauf; Arnold, Thorsten; Tang, Chi-Shung; Manolescu, Andrei; Gudmundsson, Vidar

2018-04-01

The goal of this work is to show how the thermospin polarization current in a quantum ring changes in the presence of Rashba spin-orbit coupling and a quantized single photon mode of a cavity the ring is placed in. Employing the reduced density operator and a general master equation formalism, we find that both the Rashba interaction and the photon field can significantly modulate the spin polarization and the thermospin polarization current. Tuning the Rashba coupling constant, degenerate energy levels are formed corresponding to the Aharonov-Casher destructive phase interference in the quantum ring system. Our analysis indicates that the maximum spin polarization can be observed at the points of degenerate energy levels due to spin accumulation in the system without the photon field. The thermospin current is thus suppressed. In the presence of the cavity, the photon field leads to an additional kinetic momentum of the electron. As a result the spin polarization can be enhanced by the photon field.

Convection in Neptune's magnetosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hill, T. W.; Dessler, A. J.

1990-01-01

It is assumed that nonthermal escape from Triton's atmosphere produces a co-orbiting torus of unionized gas (presumably nitrogen and hydrogen) that subsequently becomes ionized by electron impact to populate a partial Triton plasma torus analogous to the Io plasma torus in Jupiter's magnetosphere. Centrifugal and magnetic-mirror forces confine the ions to a plasma sheet located between the magnetic and centrifugal equators. The ionization rate, and hence the torus ion concentration, is strongly peaked at the two points (approximately 180 deg apart in longitude) at which Triton's orbit intersects the plasma equator. During the course of Neptune's rotation these intersection points trace out two arcs roughly 75 deg in longitudinal extent, which we take to be the configuration of the resulting (partial) plasma torus. The implied partial ring currents produce a quadrupolar (four-cell) convection system that provides rapid outward transport of plasma from the arcs. Ring-current shielding, however, prevents this convection system from penetrating very far inside the plasma-arc distance. It is suggested that this convection/shielding process accounts for the radial confinement of trapped particles (150 keV or greater) within L = 14.3 as observed by the Voyager LECP instrument.

Simulations of phase space distributions of storm time proton ring current

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Margaret W.; Lyons, Larry R.; Schulz, Michael

1994-01-01

We use results of guiding-center simulations of ion transport to map phase space densities of the stormtime proton ring current. We model a storm as a sequence of substorm-associated enhancements in the convection electric field. Our pre-storm phase space distribution is an analytical solution to a steady-state transport model in which quiet-time radial diffusion balances charge exchange. This pre-storm phase space spectra at L approximately 2 to 4 reproduce many of the features found in observed quiet-time spectra. Using results from simulations of ion transport during model storms having main phases of 3, 6, and 12 hr, we map phase space distributions from the pre-storm distribution in accordance with Liouville's theorem. We find stormtime enhancements in the phase space densities at energies E approximately 30-160 keV for L approximately 2.5 to 4. These enhancements agree well with the observed stormtime ring current. For storms with shorter main phases (approximately 3 hr), the enhancements are caused mainly by the trapping of ions injected from open night side trajectories, and diffusive transport of higher-energy (greater than or approximately 160 keV) ions contributes little to the stormtime ring current. However, the stormtime ring current is augmented also by the diffusive transport of higher-energy ions (E greater than or approximately 160 keV) durinng stroms having longer main phases (greater than or approximately 6 hr). In order to account for the increase in Dst associated with the formation of the stormtime ring current, we estimate the enhancement in particle-energy content that results from stormtime ion transport in the equatorial magnetosphere. We find that transport alone cannot account for the entire increase in absolute value of Dst typical of a major storm. However, we can account for the entire increase in absolute value of Dst by realistically increasing the stormtime outer boundary value of the phase space density relative to the quiet-time value. We compute the magnetic field produced by the ring current itself and find that radial profiles of the magnetic field depression resemble those obtained from observational data.

Difference between ²JC2H3 and ²JC3H2 spin-spin couplings in heterocyclic five- and six-membered rings as a probe for studying σ-ring currents: a quantum chemical analysis.

PubMed

Contreras, Rubén H; dos Santos, Francisco P; Ducati, Lucas C; Tormena, Cláudio F

2010-12-01

Adequate analyses of canonical molecular orbitals (CMOs) can provide rather detailed information on the importance of different σ-Fermi contact (FC) coupling pathways (FC term transmitted through the σ-skeleton). Knowledge of the spatial distribution of CMOs is obtained by expanding them in terms of natural bond orbitals (NBOs). Their relative importance for transmitting the σ-FC contribution to a given spin-spin coupling constants (SSCCs) is estimated by resorting to the expression of the FC term given by the polarisation propagator formalism. In this way, it is possible to classify the effects affecting such couplings in two different ways: delocalisation interactions taking place in the neighbourhood of the coupling nuclei and 'round the ring' effects. The latter, associated with σ-ring currents, are observed to yield significant differences between the FC terms of (2)J(C2H3) and (2)J(C3H2) SSCCs which, consequently, are taken as probes to gauge the differences in σ-ring currents for the five-membered rings (furan, thiophene, selenophene and pyrrol) and also for the six-membered rings (benzene, pyridine, protonated pyridine and N-oxide pyridine) used in the present study. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Phase Shift in the Jumping Ring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeffery, Rondo N.; Amiri, Farhang

2008-01-01

The popular physics demonstration experiment known as Thomson's Jumping Ring (JR) has been variously explained as a simple example of Lenz's law, or as the result of a phase shift of the ring current relative to the induced emf. The failure of the first-quadrant Lenz's law explanation is shown by the time the ring takes to jump and by levitation.…

Superfluid qubit systems with ring shaped optical lattices

PubMed Central

Amico, Luigi; Aghamalyan, Davit; Auksztol, Filip; Crepaz, Herbert; Dumke, Rainer; Kwek, Leong Chuan

2014-01-01

We study an experimentally feasible qubit system employing neutral atomic currents. Our system is based on bosonic cold atoms trapped in ring-shaped optical lattice potentials. The lattice makes the system strictly one dimensional and it provides the infrastructure to realize a tunable ring-ring interaction. Our implementation combines the low decoherence rates of neutral cold atoms systems, overcoming single site addressing, with the robustness of topologically protected solid state Josephson flux qubits. Characteristic fluctuations in the magnetic fields affecting Josephson junction based flux qubits are expected to be minimized employing neutral atoms as flux carriers. By breaking the Galilean invariance we demonstrate how atomic currents through the lattice provide an implementation of a qubit. This is realized either by artificially creating a phase slip in a single ring, or by tunnel coupling of two homogeneous ring lattices. The single qubit infrastructure is experimentally investigated with tailored optical potentials. Indeed, we have experimentally realized scaled ring-lattice potentials that could host, in principle, n ~ 10 of such ring-qubits, arranged in a stack configuration, along the laser beam propagation axis. An experimentally viable scheme of the two-ring-qubit is discussed, as well. Based on our analysis, we provide protocols to initialize, address, and read-out the qubit. PMID:24599096

Stormtime coupling of the ring current, plasmasphere, and topside ionosphere: Electromagnetic and plasma disturbances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishin, E. V.; Burke, W. J.

2005-07-01

We compare plasma and field disturbances observed in the ring current/plasmasphere overlap region and in the conjugate ionosphere during the magnetic storm of 5 June 1991. Data come from the Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite (CRRES) flying in a geostationary transfer orbit and three satellites of the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) series in Sun-synchronous polar orbits. In the region between ring current nose structures and the electron plasma sheet, CRRES detected wave-like features in local electric and magnetic fields, embedded in structured cold plasmas. Mapped to the ionosphere, these fields should reflect structuring within subauroral plasma streams (SAPS). Indeed, during the period of interest, DMSP F8, F9, and F10 satellites observed highly structured SAPS in the evening ionosphere at topside altitudes. They were collocated with precipitating ring current ions, enhanced fluxes of suprathermal electrons and ions, elevated electron temperatures, and irregular plasma density troughs. Overall, these events are similar to electromagnetic structures observed by DMSP satellites within SAPS during recent geomagnetic storms (Mishin et al., 2003, 2004). Their features can be explained in terms of Alfvén and fast magnetosonic perturbations. We developed a scenario for the formation of elevated electron temperatures at the equatorward side of the SAPS. It includes a lower-hybrid drift instability driven by diamagnetic currents, consistent with strong lower- and upper-hybrid plasma wave activity and intense fluxes of the low-energy electrons and ions near the ring current's inner edge.

The Comprehensive Inner Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fok, M.-C.; Buzulukova, N. Y.; Chen, S.-H.; Glocer, A.; Nagai, T.; Valek, P.; Perez, J. D.

2014-01-01

Simulation studies of the Earth's radiation belts and ring current are very useful in understanding the acceleration, transport, and loss of energetic particles. Recently, the Comprehensive Ring Current Model (CRCM) and the Radiation Belt Environment (RBE) model were merged to form a Comprehensive Inner Magnetosphere-Ionosphere (CIMI) model. CIMI solves for many essential quantities in the inner magnetosphere, including ion and electron distributions in the ring current and radiation belts, plasmaspheric density, Region 2 currents, convection potential, and precipitation in the ionosphere. It incorporates whistler mode chorus and hiss wave diffusion of energetic electrons in energy, pitch angle, and cross terms. CIMI thus represents a comprehensive model that considers the effects of the ring current and plasmasphere on the radiation belts. We have performed a CIMI simulation for the storm on 5-9 April 2010 and then compared our results with data from the Two Wide-angle Imaging Neutral-atom Spectrometers and Akebono satellites. We identify the dominant energization and loss processes for the ring current and radiation belts. We find that the interactions with the whistler mode chorus waves are the main cause of the flux increase of MeV electrons during the recovery phase of this particular storm. When a self-consistent electric field from the CRCM is used, the enhancement of MeV electrons is higher than when an empirical convection model is applied. We also demonstrate how CIMI can be a powerful tool for analyzing and interpreting data from the new Van Allen Probes mission.

The Phase Shift in the Jumping Ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeffery, Rondo N.; Amiri, Farhang

2008-09-01

The popular physics demonstration experiment known as Thomson's Jumping Ring (JR) has been variously explained as a simple example of Lenz's law, or as the result of a phase shift of the ring current relative to the induced emf. The failure of the first-quadrant Lenz's law explanation is shown by the time the ring takes to jump and by levitation. A method is given for measuring the phase shift with results for aluminum and brass rings.

Interhemispheric currents in the ring current region as seen by the Cluster spacecraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tenfjord, P.; Ostgaard, N.; Haaland, S.; Laundal, K.; Reistad, J. P.

2013-12-01

The existence of interhemispheric currents has been predicted by several authors, but their extent in the ring current has to our knowledge never been studied systematically by using in-situ measurements. These currents have been suggested to be associated with observed asymmetries of the aurora. We perform a statistical study of current density and direction during ring current crossings using the Cluster spacecraft. We analyse the extent of the interhemispheric field aligned currents for a wide range of solar wind conditions. Direct estimations of equatorial current direction and density are achieved through the curlometer technique. The curlometer technique is based on Ampere's law and requires magnetic field measurements from all four spacecrafts. The use of this method requires careful study of factors that limit the accuracy, such as tetrahedron shape and configuration. This significantly limits our dataset, but is a necessity for accurate current calculations. Our goal is to statistically investigate the occurrence of interhemispheric currents, and determine if there are parameters or magnetospheric states on which the current magnitude and directions depend upon.

Energy and Mass Transport of Magnetospheric Plasmas during the November 2003 Magnetic Storm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fok, Mei-Chging; Moore, Thomas

2008-01-01

Intensive energy and mass transport from the solar wind across the magnetosphere boundary is a trigger of magnetic storms. The storm on 20-21 November 2003 was elicited by a high-speed solar wind and strong southward component of interplanetary magnetic field. This storm attained a minimum Dst of -422 nT. During the storm, some of the solar wind particles enter the magnetosphere and eventually become part of the ring current. At the same time, the fierce solar wind powers strong outflow of H+ and O+ from the ionosphere, as well as from the plasmasphere. We examine the contribution of plasmas from the solar wind, ionosphere and plasmasphere to the storm-time ring current. Our simulation shows, for this particular storm, ionospheric O+ and solar wind ions are the major sources of the ring current particles. The polar wind and plasmaspheric H+ have only minor impacts. In the storm main phase, the strong penetration of solar wind electric field pushes ions from the geosynchronous orbit to L shells of 2 and below. Ring current is greatly intensified during the earthward transport and produces a large magnetic depression in the surface field. When the convection subsides, the deep penetrating ions experience strong charge exchange loss, causing rapid decay of the ring current and fast initial storm recovery. Our simulation reproduces very well the storm development indicated by the Dst index.

Storm- Time Dynamics of Ring Current Protons: Implications for the Long-Term Energy Budget in the Inner Magnetosphere.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gkioulidou, M.; Ukhorskiy, A. Y.; Mitchell, D. G.; Lanzerotti, L. J.

2015-12-01

The ring current energy budget plays a key role in the global electrodynamics of Earth's space environment. Pressure gradients developed in the inner magnetosphere can shield the near-Earth region from solar wind-induced electric fields. The distortion of Earth's magnetic field due to the ring current affects the dynamics of particles contributing both to the ring current and radiation belts. Therefore, understanding the long-term evolution of the inner magnetosphere energy content is essential. We have investigated the evolution of ring current proton pressure (7 - 600 keV) in the inner magnetosphere based on data from the Radiation Belt Storm Probes Ion Composition Experiment (RBSPICE) instrument aboard Van Allen Probe B throughout the year 2013. We find that although the low-energy component of the protons (< 80 keV) is governed by convective timescales and is very well correlated with the Dst index, the high-energy component (>100 keV) varies on much longer timescales and shows either no or anti-correlation with the Dst index. Interestingly, the contributions of the high- and low-energy protons to the total energy content are comparable. Our results indicate that the proton dynamics, and as a consequence the total energy budget in the inner magnetosphere (inside geosynchronous orbit), is not strictly controlled by storm-time timescales as those are defined by the Dst index.

New Way of Characterizing the State of the Ring Current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolf, R.; Bao, S.; Gkioulidou, M.; Yang, J.; Toffoletto, F.

2017-12-01

The flux tube entropy S is invariant in ideal MHD and is a good way to characterize the degree to which a closed flux tube is loaded with particle energy. Flux tube entropy generally increases with increasing geocentric distance. A flux tube that is injected from the plasma sheet into the ring current tends to be a bubble that has a lower S value than typical plasma sheet flux tubes, and it tends to penetrate to a position where the surroundings matches its S. From this point of view, a good way to characterize the state of the ring current is through the function dF/dS, which specifies how much magnetic flux is occupied by tubes with different degrees of loading. By displaying dF/dS curves before and during storm main phases simulated with the RCM-E code, we determine that, in the model, the injection of the stormtime ring current consists of replacing pre-storm low-S flux tubes with tubes from the plasma sheet that have a certain limited range of S, which is well below typical plasma-sheet values. We also display dF/dS curves for passes by the Van Allen Probes before and during storm main phases, and compare with the RCM-E-derived curves, to gain insight into the nature of the flux tubes that are injected to form the real storm-time ring current.

Two-dimensional quantum ring in a graphene layer in the presence of a Aharonov–Bohm flux

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Amaro Neto, José; Bueno, M.J.; Furtado, Claudio, E-mail: furtado@fisica.ufpb.br

2016-10-15

In this paper we study the relativistic quantum dynamics of a massless fermion confined in a quantum ring. We use a model of confining potential and introduce the interaction via Dirac oscillator coupling, which provides ring confinement for massless Dirac fermions. The energy levels and corresponding eigenfunctions for this model in graphene layer in the presence of Aharonov–Bohm flux in the centre of the ring and the expression for persistent current in this model are derived. We also investigate the model for quantum ring in graphene layer in the presence of a disclination and a magnetic flux. The energy spectrummore » and wave function are obtained exactly for this case. We see that the persistent current depends on parameters characterizing the topological defect.« less

CLEARING MAGNET DESIGN FOR APS-U

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abliz, M.; Grimmer, J.; Jaski, Y.

2017-06-25

The Advanced Photon Source is in the process of developing an upgrade (APS-U) of the storage ring. The upgrade will be converting the current double bend achromat (DBA) lattice to a multi-bend achromat (MBA) lattice. In addition, the storage ring will be operated at 6 GeV and 200 mA with regular swap-out injection to keep the stored beam current constant [1]. The swap-out injection will take place with beamline shutters open. For radiation safety to ensure that no electrons can exit the storage ring, a passive method of protecting the beamline and containing the electrons inside the storage ring ismore » proposed. A clearing magnet will be located in all beamline front ends inside the storage ring tunnel. This article will discuss the features and design of the clearing magnet scheme for APS-U.« less

Field-Aligned Currents in Saturn's Magnetosphere: Observations From the F-Ring Orbits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunt, G. J.; Provan, G.; Bunce, E. J.; Cowley, S. W. H.; Dougherty, M. K.; Southwood, D. J.

2018-05-01

We investigate the azimuthal magnetic field signatures associated with high-latitude field-aligned currents observed during Cassini's F-ring orbits (October 2016-April 2017). The overall ionospheric meridional current profiles in the northern and southern hemispheres, that is, the regions poleward and equatorward of the field-aligned currents, differ most from the 2008 observations. We discuss these differences in terms of the seasonal change between data sets and local time (LT) differences, as the 2008 data cover the nightside while the F-ring data cover the post-dawn and dusk sectors in the northern and southern hemispheres, respectively. The F-ring field-aligned currents typically have a similar four current sheet structure to those in 2008. We investigate the properties of the current sheets and show that the field-aligned currents in a hemisphere are modulated by that hemisphere's "planetary period oscillation" (PPO) systems. We separate the PPO-independent and PPO-related currents in both hemispheres using their opposite symmetry. The average PPO-independent currents peak at 1.5 MA/rad just equatorward of the open closed field line boundary, similar to the 2008 observations. However, the PPO-related currents in both hemispheres are reduced by 50% to 0.4 MA/rad. This may be evidence of reduced PPO amplitudes, similar to the previously observed weaker equatorial oscillations at similar dayside LTs. We do not detect the PPO current systems' interhemispheric component, likely a result of the weaker PPO-related currents and their closure within the magnetosphere. We also do not detect previously proposed lower latitude discrete field-aligned currents that act to "turn off" the PPOs.

Propellers in Saturn's rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sremcevic, M.; Stewart, G. R.; Albers, N.; Esposito, L. W.

2013-12-01

Theoretical studies and simulations have demonstrated the effects caused by objects embedded in planetary rings. Even if the objects are too small to be directly observed, each creates a much larger gravitational imprint on the surrounding ring material. These strongly depend on the mass of the object and range from "S" like propeller-shaped structures for about 100m-sized icy bodies to the opening of circumferential gaps as in the case of the embedded moons Pan and Daphnis and their corresponding Encke and Keeler Gaps. Since the beginning of the Cassini mission many of these smaller objects (~<500m in size) have been indirectly identified in Saturn's A ring through their propeller signature in the images. Furthermore, recent Cassini observations indicate the possible existence of objects embedded even in Saturn's B and C ring. In this paper we present evidence for the existence of propellers in Saturn's B ring by combining data from Cassini Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS) and Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) experiments. We show evidence that B ring seems to harbor two distinct populations of propellers: "big" propellers covering tens of degrees in azimuth situated in the densest part of B ring, and "small" propellers in less dense inner B ring that are similar in size and shape to known A ring propellers. The population of "big" propellers is exemplified with a single object which is observed for 5 years of Cassini data. The object is seen as a very elongated bright stripe (40 degrees wide) in unlit Cassini images, and dark stripe in lit geometries. In total we report observing the feature in images at 18 different epochs between 2005 and 2010. In UVIS occultations we observe this feature as an optical depth depletion in 14 out of 93 occultation cuts at corrotating longitudes compatible with imaging data. Combining the available Cassini data we infer that the object is a partial gap located at r=112,921km embedded in the high optical depth region of the B ring. The gap moves at Kepler speed appropriate for its radial location. Radial offsets of the gap locations in UVIS occultations are consistent with an asymmetric propeller shape. The asymmetry of the observed shape is most likely a consequence of the strong surface mass density gradient, as the feature is located at an edge between high and relatively low optical depth. From the radial separation of the propeller wings we estimate that the embedded body is about 1.5km in size. In addition to the population of "big" propellers we found evidence for a population of much smaller propellers which are more similar to known A ring propellers (size <500m). We have found one significant feature in beta Centauri Rev96 UVIS occultation at r=94,958km. The feature represents a gap with a width of 300m. This gap is statistically significant and consists of 6 consequent high counts. All other UVIS occultations show a flat and boring profile at this location. The r=94,958km feature is very similar in shape and size to a known detection of A ring propeller Bleriot from zeta Persei Rev42 occultation. This feature is also found as a dark spot moving at Kepler speed across several ISS images. Additionally we found 5 more small propeller candidates in ISS images of the inner B ring.

Penetration of Solar Wind Driven ULF Waves into the Earth's Inner Magnetosphere: Role in Radiation Belt and Ring Current Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mann, Ian; Murphy, Kyle; Rae, Jonathan; Ozeke, Louis; Milling, David

2013-04-01

Ultra-low frequency (ULF) waves in the Pc4-5 band can be excited in the magnetosphere by the solar wind. Much recent work has shown how ULF wave power is strongly correlated with solar wind speed. However, little attention has been paid the dynamics of ULF wave power penetration onto low L-shells in the inner magnetosphere. We use more than a solar cycle of ULF wave data, derived from ground-based magnetometer networks, to examine this ULF wave power penetration and its dependence on solar wind and geomagnetic activity indices. In time domain data, we show very clearly that dayside ULF wave power, spanning more than 4 orders of magnitude, follows solar wind speed variations throughout the whole solar cycle - during periods of sporadic solar maximum ICMEs, during declining phase fast solar wind streams, and at solar minimum, alike. We also show that time domain ULF wave power increases during magnetic storms activations, and significantly demonstrate that a deeper ULF wave power penetration into the inner magnetosphere occurs during larger negative excursions in Dst. We discuss potential explanations for this low-L ULF wave power penetration, including the role of plasma mass density (such as during plasmaspheric erosion), or ring current ion instabilities during near-Earth ring current penetration. Interestingly, we also show that both ULF wave power and SAMPEX MeV electron flux show a remarkable similarity in their penetration to low-L, which suggests that ULF wave power penetration may be important for understanding and explaining radiation belt dynamics. Moreover, the correlation of ULF wave power with Dst, which peaks at one day lag, suggests the ULF waves might also be important for the inward transport of ions into the ring current. Current ring current models, which exclude long period ULF wave transport, under-estimate the ring current during fast solar wind streams which is consistent with a potential role for ULF waves in ring current energisation. The combination of data from ground arrays such as CARISMA and the contemporaneous operation of the NASA Van Allen Probes (VAP) mission offers an excellent basis for understanding this cross-energy plasma coupling which spans more than 6 orders of magnitude in energy. Explaining the casual connections between plasmas in the plasmasphere (eV), ring current (keV), and radiation belt (MeV), via the intermediaries of plasma waves, is key to understanding inner magnetosphere dynamics. This work has received funding from the European Union under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7-Space) under grant agreement n 284520 for the MAARBLE (Monitoring, Analyzing and Assessing Radiation Belt Energization and Loss) collaborative research project.

Role of ULF Waves in Radiation Belt and Ring Current Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mann, I. R.; Murphy, K. R.; Rae, I. J.; Ozeke, L.; Milling, D. K.

2013-12-01

Ultra-low frequency (ULF) waves in the Pc4-5 band can be excited in the magnetosphere by the solar wind. Much recent work has shown how ULF wave power is strongly correlated with solar wind speed. However, little attention has been paid the dynamics of ULF wave power penetration onto low L-shells in the inner magnetosphere. We use more than a solar cycle of ULF wave data, derived from ground-based magnetometer networks, to examine this ULF wave power penetration and its dependence on solar wind and geomagnetic activity indices. In time domain data, we show very clearly that dayside ULF wave power, spanning more than 4 orders of magnitude, follows solar wind speed variations throughout the whole solar cycle - during periods of sporadic solar maximum ICMEs, during declining phase fast solar wind streams, and at solar minimum, alike. We also show that time domain ULF wave power increases during magnetic storms activations, and significantly demonstrate that a deeper ULF wave power penetration into the inner magnetosphere occurs during larger negative excursions in Dst. We discuss potential explanations for this low-L ULF wave power penetration, including the role of plasma mass density (such as during plasmaspheric erosion), or ring current ion instabilities during near-Earth ring current penetration. Interestingly, we also show that both ULF wave power and SAMPEX MeV electron flux show a remarkable similarity in their penetration to low-L, which suggests that ULF wave power penetration may be important for understanding and explaining radiation belt dynamics. Moreover, the correlation of ULF wave power with Dst, which peaks at one day lag, suggests the ULF waves might also be important for the inward transport of ions into the ring current. Current ring current models, which exclude long period ULF wave transport, under-estimate the ring current during fast solar wind streams which is consistent with a potential role for ULF waves in ring current energisation. The combination of data from ground arrays such as CARISMA and the contemporaneous operation of the NASA Van Allen Probes (VAP) mission offers an excellent basis for understanding this cross-energy plasma coupling which spans more than 6 orders of magnitude in energy. Explaining the casual connections between plasmas in the plasmasphere (eV), ring current (keV), and radiation belt (MeV), via the intermediaries of plasma waves, is key to understanding inner magnetosphere dynamics. This work has received funding from the European Union under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7-Space) under grant agreement n 284520 for the MAARBLE (Monitoring, Analyzing and Assessing Radiation Belt Energization and Loss) collaborative research project.

Polarization spectroscopy of the sodium dimer utilizing a triple-resonance technique in the presence of argon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arndt, Phillip; Horton, Timothy; McFarland, Jacob; Bayram, Burcin; Miami University Spectroscopy Team

2015-05-01

The collisional dynamics of molecular sodium in the 61Σg electronic state is under investigation using a triple resonance technique in the presence of argon. A continuous wave ring dye laser is used to populate specific rovibrational levels of the A1Σu electronic state. A pump-probe technique is then employed where the pump laser populates the 61Σg state, and the probe laser dumps the population to the B1Σu state. From this level, fluorescence is detected as the system decays to the X1Σg state. We measure the polarization of this signal in the presence of various argon pressures. We will present our current work as well as the processes involved in the experiment. Financial support from the National Science Foundation (Grant No. NSF-PHY-1309571) is gratefully acknowledged.

Energy transfer, orbital angular momentum, and discrete current in a double-ring fiber array

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alexeyev, C. N.; Volyar, A. V.; Yavorsky, M. A.

We study energy transfer and orbital angular momentum of supermodes in a double-ring array of evanescently coupled monomode optical fibers. The structure of supermodes and the spectra of their propagation constants are obtained. The geometrical parameters of the array, at which the energy is mostly confined within the layers, are determined. The developed method for finding the supermodes of concentric arrays is generalized for the case of multiring arrays. The orbital angular momentum carried by a supermode of a double-ring array is calculated. The discrete lattice current is introduced. It is shown that the sum of discrete currents over themore » array is a conserved quantity. The connection of the total discrete current with orbital angular momentum of discrete optical vortices is made.« less

Computer controlled performance mapping of thermionic converters: effect of collector, guard-ring potential imbalances on the observed collector current-density, voltage characteristics and limited range performance map of an etched-rhenium, niobium planar converter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manista, E. J.

1972-01-01

The effect of collector, guard-ring potential imbalance on the observed collector-current-density J, collector-to-emitter voltage V characteristic was evaluated in a planar, fixed-space, guard-ringed thermionic converter. The J,V characteristic was swept in a period of 15 msec by a variable load. A computerized data acquisition system recorded test parameters. The results indicate minimal distortion of the J,V curve in the power output quadrant for the nominal guard-ring circuit configuration. Considerable distortion, along with a lowering of the ignited-mode striking voltage, was observed for the configuration with the emitter shorted to the guard ring. A limited-range performance map of an etched-rhenium, niobium, planar converter was obtained by using an improved computer program for the data acquisition system.

Paramagnetic or diamagnetic persistent currents? A topological point of view

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waintal, Xavier

2009-03-01

A persistent current flows at low temperatures in small conducting rings when they are threaded by a magnetic flux. I will discuss the sign of this persistent current (diamagnetic or paramagnetic response) in the special case of N electrons in a one dimensional ring [1]. One dimension is very special in the sense that the sign of the persistent current is entirely controlled by the topology of the system. I will establish lower bounds for the free energy in the presence of arbitrary electron-electron interactions and external potentials. Those bounds are the counterparts of upper bounds derived by Leggett using another topological argument. Rings with odd (even) numbers of polarized electrons are always diamagnetic (paramagnetic). The situation is more interesting with unpolarized electrons where Leggett upper bound breaks down: rings with N=4n exhibit either paramagnetic behavior or a superconductor-like current-phase relation. The topological argument provides a rigorous justification for the phenomenological Huckel rule which states that cyclic molecules with 4n + 2 electrons like benzene are aromatic while those with 4n electrons are not. [4pt] [1] Xavier Waintal, Geneviève Fleury, Kyryl Kazymyrenko, Manuel Houzet, Peter Schmitteckert, and Dietmar Weinmann Phys. Rev. Lett.101, 106804 (2008).

Persistent current and zero-energy Majorana modes in a p -wave disordered superconducting ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nava, Andrea; Giuliano, Rosa; Campagnano, Gabriele; Giuliano, Domenico

2017-04-01

We discuss the emergence of zero-energy Majorana modes in a disordered finite-length p -wave one-dimensional superconducting ring, pierced by a magnetic flux Φ tuned at an appropriate value Φ =Φ* . In the absence of fermion parity conservation, we evidence the emergence of the Majorana modes by looking at the discontinuities in the persistent current I [Φ ] at Φ =Φ* . By monitoring the discontinuities in I [Φ ] , we map out the region in parameter space characterized by the emergence of Majorana modes in the disordered ring.

[Spatial distribution characteristics of urban potential population in Shenyang City based on QuickBird image and GIS].

PubMed

Li, Jun-Ying; Hu, Yuan-Man; Chen, Wei; Liu, Miao; Hu, Jian-Bo; Zhong, Qiao-Lin; Lu, Ning

2012-06-01

Population is the most active factor affecting city development. To understand the distribution characteristics of urban population is of significance for making city policy decisions and for optimizing the layout of various urban infrastructures. In this paper, the information of the residential buildings in Shenyang urban area was extracted from the QuickBird remote sensing images, and the spatial distribution characteristics of the population within the Third-Ring Road of the City were analyzed, according to the social and economic statistics data. In 2010, the population density in different types of residential buildings within the Third-Ring Road of the City decreased in the order of high-storey block, mixed block, mixed garden, old multi-storey building, high-storey garden, multi-storey block, multi-storey garden, villa block, shanty, and villa garden. The vacancy rate of the buildings within the Third-Ring Road was more than 30%, meaning that the real estate market was seriously overstocked. Among the five Districts of Shenyang City, Shenhe District had the highest potential population density, while Tiexi District and Dadong District had a lower one. The gravity center of the City and its five Districts was also analyzed, which could provide basic information for locating commercial facilities and planning city infrastructure.

Sediment record of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Liaohe River Delta wetland, Northeast China: Implications for regional population migration and economic development.

PubMed

Ma, Chuanliang; Lin, Tian; Ye, Siyuan; Ding, Xigui; Li, Yuanyuan; Guo, Zhigang

2017-03-01

The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) of a 210 Pb-dated sediment core extracted from the Liaohe River Delta wetland were measured to reconstruct the sediment record of PAHs and its response to human activity for the past 300 years in Northeast China. The concentrations of the 16 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency priority PAHs (∑16PAHs) ranged from 46 to 1167 ng g -1 in this sediment core. The concentrations of the 16 PAHs (especially 4- and 5+6-ring PAHs) after the 1980s (surface sediments 0-6 cm) were one or two orders of magnitudes higher than those of the down-core samples. The exponential growth of 4-ring and 5+6-ring PAH concentrations after the 1980s responded well to the increased energy consumption and number of civil vehicles resulting from the rapid economic development in China. Prior to 1950, relatively low levels of the 16 PAHs and a high proportion of 2+3-ring PAHs was indicative of biomass burning as the main source of the PAHs. A significant increase in the 2 + 3 ring PAH concentration from the 1860s-1920s was observed and could be attributed to a constant influx of population migration into Northeast China. It was suggested that the link between historical trend of PAHs and population or energy use involves two different economic stages. Typically, in an agricultural economy, the greater the population size, the greater the emission of PAHs from biomass burning, while in an industrial economy, the increase in sedimentary PAH concentrations is closely related to increasing energy consumption of fossil fuels. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The influence of summertime fog and overcast clouds on the growth of a coastal Californian pine: a tree-ring study.

PubMed

Williams, A Park; Still, Christopher J; Fischer, Douglas T; Leavitt, Steven W

2008-06-01

The coast of California is home to numerous rare, endemic conifers and other plants that are limited in distribution by drought sensitivity and the summer-dry climate that prevails across most of the state. Ecologists have long assumed that some coastal plant populations survived the early Pleistocene transition to a warmer and drier environment because they benefit from frequent fog and stratus clouds that provide water and shade during the rainless summer. One such population is that of Torrey pine (Pinus torreyana ssp. Insularis) on Santa Rosa Island in Channel Islands National Park. Here we report that the tree-ring width record from this population indicates strong growth sensitivities to summer fog drip and cloud shading. We quantified the effects of summer cloud cover by comparing ring-width indices to coastal airport cloud-frequency records (1944-2004). For the first time observed, summertime cloud frequency correlated positively with ring-width indices, regardless of whether the effect of rainfall was first removed from the ring-width record. The effect of ground-level fog was strongest in July early mornings (03:00 PST, R(2) = 0.262, P < 0.0002). The effect of clouds high enough to provide shade but not fog water was also strongest in July, but climbed steadily throughout the day before becoming strongest in late afternoon (16:00-18:00 PST, R(2) = 0.148, P < 0.004). Correlations were substantially stronger in years with higher soil moisture, suggesting that growth response to summer clouds is strongly affected by pre-summer rainfall. A change in the height and/or timing of coastal cloud formation with climate change would likely affect this and other populations of California's coastal vegetation.

Running Rings Around the Web.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDermott, Irene E.

1999-01-01

Describes the development and current status of WebRing, a service that links related Web sites into a central hub. Discusses it as a viable alternative to other search engines and examines issues of free speech, use by the business sector, and implications for WebRing after its purchase by Yahoo! (LRW)

Statistical methodologies for tree-ring research to understand the climate-growth relationships over time and space

EPA Science Inventory

The International Tree-Ring Database is a valuable resource for studying climate change and its effects on terrestrial ecosystems over time and space. We examine the statistical methods in current use in dendroclimatology and dendroecology to process the tree-ring data and make ...

On the Squeezing of the North Brazil Current Rings Through the Lesser Antilles as Observed From Satellite Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulgakov, S. N.; Cruz Gomez, R. C.

2007-05-01

The North Brazil Current Rings (NBCR) penetration into the Caribbean Sea is being investigated employing a merged altimeter-derived sea height anomaly (TOPEX/Poseidon, Jason-1 and ERS-1,2), the ocean surface color data (SeaWiFS) and Global Drifter Program information. Four strategies are being applied to process the data: (1) calculations of Okubo-Weiss parameter for NBCR identification, (2) longitude-time plots (also known as Hovmöller diagrams), (3) two-dimensional Radon transforms and (4) two-dimensional Fourier transforms. A twofold NBCR structure has been detected in the region under investigation. The results have shown that NBC rings mainly propagate into the Caribbean Sea along two principal pathways (near 12ºN and 17ºN) in the ring translation corridor. Thus, rings following the southern pathway in the fall-winter period can enter through very shallow southern straits as non-coherent structures. A different behavior is observed near the northern pathway (near 17ºN), where NBC rings are thought to have a coherent structure during their squeezing into the eastern Caribbean, i.e. conserving the principal characteristics of the incident rings. We attribute this difference in the rings' behavior to the vertical scales of the rings and to the bottom topography features in the vicinity of the Lesser Antilles.

Influence of the substorm current wedge on the Dst index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedrich, Erena; Rostoker, Gordon; Connors, Martin G.; McPherron, R. L.

1999-03-01

One of the major questions confronting researchers studying the nature of the solar-terrestrial interaction centers around whether or not the substorm expansive phase has any causal effect on the growth of the storm time ring current. This question is often addressed by using the Dst index as a proxy for the storm time ring current and inspecting the main phase growth of Dst in the context of the substorm expansive phases which occur in the same time frame as the ring current growth. In the past it has been assumed that the magnetic effects of the substorm current wedge have little influence on the Dst index because the current wedge is an asymmetric current system, while Dst is supposed to reflect changes in the symmetric component of the ring current. In this paper we shall shown that the substorm current wedge can have a significant effect on the present Dst index, primarily as a consequence of the fact that only four stations are presently used to formulate the index. Calculations are made assuming the instantaneous magnitude of the wedge current is constant at 1 MA. Hourly values of Dst may be as much as 50° smaller than those presented here because of variation of the wedge current over the hour. We shall show how the effect of the current wedge depends on the UT of the expansive phase onset, the angular extent of the current wedge, and the locale of the closure current in the magnetosphere. The fact that the substorm current wedge is a conjugate phenomenon has an important influence on the magnitude of the expansive phase effect in the Dst index.

Investigating EMIC Wave Dynamics with RAM-SCB-E

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jordanova, V. K.; Fu, X.; Henderson, M. G.; Morley, S.; Welling, D. T.; Yu, Y.

2017-12-01

The distribution of ring current ions and electrons in the inner magnetosphere depends strongly on their transport in realistic electric (E) and magnetic (B) fields and concurrent energization or loss. To investigate the high variability of energetic particle (H+, He+, O+, and electron) fluxes during storms selected by the GEM Surface Charging Challenge, we use our kinetic ring current model (RAM) two-way coupled with a 3-D magnetic field code (SCB). This model was just extended to include electric field calculations, making it a unique, fully self-consistent, anisotropic ring current-atmosphere interactions model, RAM-SCB-E. Recently we investigated electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) instability in a local plasma using both linear theory and nonlinear hybrid simulations and derived a scaling formula that relates the saturation EMIC wave amplitude to initial plasma conditions. Global dynamic EMIC wave maps obtained with our RAM-SCB-E model using this scaling will be presented and compared with statistical models. These plasma waves can affect significantly both ion and electron precipitation into the atmosphere and the subsequent patterns of ionospheric conductance, as well as the global ring current dynamics.

A unified theory of stable auroral red arc formation at the plasmapause

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cornwall, J. M.; Coroniti, F. V.; Thorne, R. M.

1970-01-01

A theory is proposed that SAR-arcs are generated at the plasmapause as a consequence of the turbulent dissipation of ring current energy. During the recovery phase of a geomagnetic storm, the plasmapause expands outward into the symmetric ring current. When the cold plasma densities reach about 100/cu cm, ring current protons become unstable and generate intense ion cyclotron wave turbulence in a narrow region 1/2 earth radius wide (just inside the plasmapause). Approximately one-half of the ring current energy is dissipated into wave turbulence which in turn is absorbed through a Landau resonant interaction with plasma spheric electrons. The combined thermal heat flux to the ionosphere due to Landau absorption of the wave energy and proton-electron Coulomb dissipation is sufficient to drive SAR-arcs at the observed intensities. It is predicted that the arcs should be localized to a narrow latitudinal range just within the stormtime plasmapause. They should occur at all local times and persist for the 10 to 20 hour duration of the plasma-pause expansion.

Proof of concept Laplacian estimate derived for noninvasive tripolar concentric ring electrode with incorporated radius of the central disc and the widths of the concentric rings.

PubMed

Makeyev, Oleksandr; Lee, Colin; Besio, Walter G

2017-07-01

Tripolar concentric ring electrodes are showing great promise in a range of applications including braincomputer interface and seizure onset detection due to their superiority to conventional disc electrodes, in particular, in accuracy of surface Laplacian estimation. Recently, we proposed a general approach to estimation of the Laplacian for an (n + 1)-polar electrode with n rings using the (4n + 1)-point method for n ≥ 2 that allows cancellation of all the truncation terms up to the order of 2n. This approach has been used to introduce novel multipolar and variable inter-ring distances concentric ring electrode configurations verified using finite element method. The obtained results suggest their potential to improve Laplacian estimation compared to currently used constant interring distances tripolar concentric ring electrodes. One of the main limitations of the proposed (4n + 1)-point method is that the radius of the central disc and the widths of the concentric rings are not included and therefore cannot be optimized. This study incorporates these two parameters by representing the central disc and both concentric rings as clusters of points with specific radius and widths respectively as opposed to the currently used single point and concentric circles. A proof of concept Laplacian estimate is derived for a tripolar concentric ring electrode with non-negligible radius of the central disc and non-negligible widths of the concentric rings clearly demonstrating how both of these parameters can be incorporated into the (4n + 1)-point method.

Modeling the Inner Magnetosphere: Radiation Belts, Ring Current, and Composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glocer, Alex

2011-01-01

The space environment is a complex system defined by regions of differing length scales, characteristic energies, and physical processes. It is often difficult, or impossible, to treat all aspects of the space environment relative to a particular problem with a single model. In our studies, we utilize several models working in tandem to examine this highly interconnected system. The methodology and results will be presented for three focused topics: 1) Rapid radiation belt electron enhancements, 2) Ring current study of Energetic Neutral Atoms (ENAs), Dst, and plasma composition, and 3) Examination of the outflow of ionospheric ions. In the first study, we use a coupled MHD magnetosphere - kinetic radiation belt model to explain recent Akebono/RDM observations of greater than 2.5 MeV radiation belt electron enhancements occurring on timescales of less than a few hours. In the second study, we present initial results of a ring current study using a newly coupled kinetic ring current model with an MHD magnetosphere model. Results of a dst study for four geomagnetic events are shown. Moreover, direct comparison with TWINS ENA images are used to infer the role that composition plays in the ring current. In the final study, we directly model the transport of plasma from the ionosphere to the magnetosphere. We especially focus on the role of photoelectrons and and wave-particle interactions. The modeling methodology for each of these studies will be detailed along with the results.

Self-Consistent Model of Magnetospheric Ring Current and Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves: The 2-7 May 1998 Storm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khazanov, G. V.; Gamayunov, K. V.; Jordanova, V. K.

2003-01-01

A complete description of a self-consistent model of magnetospheric ring current interacting with electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves is presented. The model is based on the system of two kinetic equations; one equation describes the ring current ion dynamics, and another equation describes the wave evolution. The effects on ring current ions interacting with electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves and back on waves are considered self-consistently by solving both equations on a global magnetospheric scale under nonsteady state conditions. The developed model is employed to simulate the entire 2-7 May 1998 storm period. First, the trapped number fluxes of the ring current protons are calculated and presented along with comparison with the data measured by the three- dimensional hot plasma instrument Polar/HYDRA. Incorporating in the model the wave-particle interaction leads to much better agreement between the experimental data and the model results. Second, examining of the wave (MLT, L shell) distributions produced by the model during the storm progress reveals an essential intensification of the wave emission about 2 days after the main phase of the storm. This result is well consistent with the earlier ground-based observations. Finally, the theoretical shapes and the occurrence rates of the wave power spectral densities are studied. It is found that about 2 days after the storm s main phase on 4 May, mainly non-Gaussian shapes of power spectral densities are produced.

Optical heterodyne detection for cavity ring-down spectroscopy

DOEpatents

Levenson, Marc D.; Paldus, Barbara A.; Zare, Richard N.

2000-07-25

A cavity ring-down system for performing cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) using optical heterodyne detection of a ring-down wave E.sub.RD during a ring-down phase or a ring-up wave E.sub.RU during a ring up phase. The system sends a local oscillator wave E.sub.LO and a signal wave E.sub.SIGNAL to the cavity, preferably a ring resonator, and derives an interference signal from the combined local oscillator wave E.sub.LO and the ring-down wave E.sub.RD (or ring-up wave E.sub.RU). The local oscillator wave E.sub.LO has a first polarization and the ring-down wave E.sub.RD has a second polarization different from the first polarization. The system has a combining arrangement for combining or overlapping local oscillator wave E.sub.LO and the ring-down wave E.sub.RD at a photodetector, which receives the interference signal and generates a heterodyne current I.sub.H therefrom. Frequency and phase differences between the waves are adjustable.

An Ionosphere/Magnetosphere Coupling Current System Located in the Gap Between Saturn and its Rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khurana, K. K.; Dougherty, M. K.; Cao, H.; Hunt, G. J.; Provan, G.

2017-12-01

The Grand Finale Orbits of the Cassini spacecraft traversed through Saturn's D ring and brought the spacecraft to within 3000 km of Saturn's cloud tops. The closest approaches (CA) were near the equatorial plane of Saturn and were distributed narrowly around the local noon. The difference field (observations - internal field - magnetospheric ring current field) obtained from the Grand Finale orbits show persistent residual fields centered around the CA which diminish at higher latitudes on field lines that connect to the ring. Modeling of this perturbation in terms of internal harmonics shows that the perturbation is not of internal origin but is produced by external currents that couple the ionosphere to the magnetosphere. The sense of the current system suggests that the southern feet of the field lines in the ionosphere lead their northern footprints. We show that the observed field perturbations are consistent with a meridional Pedersen current whose strength is 1 MA/radian, i.e. comparable in strength to the Planetary-period-oscillation related current systems observed in the auroral zone. We show that the implied Lorentz force in the ionosphere extracts momentum from the faster moving southern ionosphere and passes it on to the northern ionosphere. We discuss several ideas for generating this current system. In particular, we highlight a mechanism that involves shears in the neutral winds in the thermospheric region to generate the observed magnetic field.

Stormtime transport of ring current and radiation belt ions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Margaret W.; Schulz, Michael; Lyons, L. R.; Gorney, David J.

1993-01-01

This is an investigation of stormtime particle transport that leads to formation of the ring current. Our method is to trace the guiding-center motion of representative ions (having selected first adiabatic invariants mu) in response to model substorm-associated impulses in the convection electric field. We compare our simulation results qualitatively with existing analytically tractable idealizations of particle transport (direct convective access and radial diffusion) in order to assess the limits of validity of these approximations. For mu approximately less than 10 MeV/G (E approximately less than 10 keV at L equivalent to 3) the ion drift period on the final (ring-current) drift shell of interest (L equivalent to 3) exceeds the duration of the main phase of our model storm, and we find that the transport of ions to this drift shell is appropriately idealized as direct convective access, typically from open drift paths. Ion transport to a final closed drift path from an open (plasma-sheet) drift trajectory is possible for those portions of that drift path that lie outside the mean stormtime separatrix between closed and open drift trajectories, For mu approximately 10-25 MeV/G (110 keV approximately less than E approximately less than 280 keV at L equivalent to 3) the drift period at L equivalent to 3 is comparable to the postulated 3-hr duration of the storm, and the mode of transport is transitional between direct convective access and transport that resembles radial diffusion. (This particle population is transitional between the ring current and radiation belt). For mu approximately greater than 25 MeV/G (radiation-belt ions having E approximately greater than 280 keV at L equivalent to 3) the ion drift period is considerably shorter than the main phase of a typical storm, and ions gain access to the ring-current region essentially via radial diffusion. By computing the mean and mean-square cumulative changes in 1/L among (in this case) 12 representative ions equally spaced in drift time around the steady-state drift shell of interest (L equivalent to 3), we have estimated (from both our forward and our time-reversed simulations) the time-integrated radial-diffusion coefficients D(sup sim)(sub LL) for particles having selected values of mu approximately greater than 15 MeV/G. The results agree surprisingly well with the predictions (D(sup ql)(sub LL)) of quasilinear radial diffusion theory, despite the rather brief duration (approximately 3 hrs) of our model storm and despite the extreme variability (with frequency) of the spectral-density function that characterizes the applied electric field during our model storm. As expected, the values of D(sup sim)(sub LL) deduced (respectively) from our forward and time-reversed simulations agree even better with each other and with D(sup sim)(sub LL) when the impulse amplitudes which characterize the individual substorms of our model storm are systematically reduced.

Ringing After a High-Energy Collision: Ambipolar Oscillations During Impact Plasma Expansion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zimmerman, M. I.; Farrell, W. M.; Stubbs, T. J.

2012-01-01

High-velocity impacts on the Moon and other airless bodies deliver energy and material to the lunar surface and exosphere. The target and i mpactor material may become vaporized and ionized to form a collision al plasma that expands outward and eventually becomes collisionless. In the present work, kinetic simulations of the later collision less stage of impact plasma expansion are performed. Attention is paid to characterizing "ambipolar oscillations" in which thermodynamic distur bances propagate outward to generate "ringing" within the expanding e lectron cloud, which could radiate an electromagnetic signature of lo cal plasma conditions. The process is not unlike a beam-plasma intera ction, with the perturbing electron population in the present case ac ting as a highly thermal "beam" that resonates along the expanding de nsity gradient. Understanding the electromagnetic aspects of impact p lasma expansion could provide insight into the lasting effects of nat ural, impact-generated currents on airless surfaces and charging haza rds to human exploration infrastructure and instrumentation.

Rapid cell-free forward engineering of novel genetic ring oscillators

PubMed Central

Niederholtmeyer, Henrike; Sun, Zachary Z; Hori, Yutaka; Yeung, Enoch; Verpoorte, Amanda; Murray, Richard M; Maerkl, Sebastian J

2015-01-01

While complex dynamic biological networks control gene expression in all living organisms, the forward engineering of comparable synthetic networks remains challenging. The current paradigm of characterizing synthetic networks in cells results in lengthy design-build-test cycles, minimal data collection, and poor quantitative characterization. Cell-free systems are appealing alternative environments, but it remains questionable whether biological networks behave similarly in cell-free systems and in cells. We characterized in a cell-free system the ‘repressilator’, a three-node synthetic oscillator. We then engineered novel three, four, and five-gene ring architectures, from characterization of circuit components to rapid analysis of complete networks. When implemented in cells, our novel 3-node networks produced population-wide oscillations and 95% of 5-node oscillator cells oscillated for up to 72 hr. Oscillation periods in cells matched the cell-free system results for all networks tested. An alternate forward engineering paradigm using cell-free systems can thus accurately capture cellular behavior. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.09771.001 PMID:26430766

Charting Biologically Relevant Spirocyclic Compound Space.

PubMed

Müller, Gerhard; Berkenbosch, Tim; Benningshof, Jorg C J; Stumpfe, Dagmar; Bajorath, Jürgen

2017-01-12

Spirocycles frequently occur in natural products and experience increasing interest in drug discovery, given their richness in sp 3 centers and distinct three-dimensionality. We have systematically explored chemical space populated with currently available bioactive spirocycles. Compounds containing spiro systems were classified and their scaffolds and spirocyclic ring combinations analyzed. Nearly 47 000 compounds were identified that contained spirocycles in different structural contexts and were active against roughly 200 targets, among which several pharmaceutically relevant members of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family were identified. Spirocycles and corresponding compounds displayed notable scaffold diversity but contained only limited numbers of combinations of differently sized rings. These observations indicate that there should be significant potential to further expand spirocyclic chemical space for drug discovery, exploiting the privileged substructure concept. Inspired by those findings, we embarked on the design and chemical synthesis of three distinct novel spirocyclic scaffolds that qualify for downstream library synthesis, thus exploring principally new chemical space with high potential for pharmaceutical research. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Energetic Electron Populations in the Magnetosphere During Geomagnetic Storms and Substorms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McKenzie, David L.; Anderson, Phillip C.

2002-01-01

This report summarizes the scientific work performed by the Aerospace Corporation under NASA Grant NAG5-10278, 'Energetic Electron Populations in the Magnetosphere during Geomagnetic Storms and Subsisting.' The period of performance for the Grant was March 1, 2001 to February 28, 2002. The following is a summary of the Statement of Work for this Grant. Use data from the PIXIE instrument on the Polar spacecraft from September 1998 onward to derive the statistical relationship between particle precipitation patterns and various geomagnetic activity indices. We are particularly interested in the occurrence of substorms during storm main phase and the efficacy of storms and substorms in injecting ring-current particles. We will compare stormtime simulations of the diffuse aurora using the models of Chen and Schulz with stormtime PIXIE measurements.

Evaluation of ion collection area in Faraday probes.

PubMed

Brown, Daniel L; Gallimore, Alec D

2010-06-01

A Faraday probe with three concentric rings was designed and fabricated to assess the effect of gap width and collector diameter in a systematic study of the diagnostic ion collection area. The nested Faraday probe consisted of two concentric collector rings and an outer guard ring, which enabled simultaneous current density measurements on the inner and outer collectors. Two versions of the outer collector were fabricated to create gaps of 0.5 and 1.5 mm between the rings. Distribution of current density in the plume of a low-power Hall thruster ion source was measured in azimuthal sweeps at constant radius from 8 to 20 thruster diameters downstream of the exit plane with variation in facility background pressure. A new analytical technique is proposed to account for ions collected in the gap between the Faraday probe collector and guard ring. This method is shown to exhibit excellent agreement between all nested Faraday probe configurations, and to reduce the magnitude of integrated ion beam current to levels consistent with Hall thruster performance analyses. The technique is further studied by varying the guard ring bias potential with a fixed collector bias potential, thereby controlling ion collection in the gap. Results are in agreement with predictions based on the proposed analytical technique. The method is applied to a past study comparing the measured ion current density profiles of two Faraday probe designs. These findings provide new insight into the nature of ion collection in Faraday probe diagnostics, and lead to improved accuracy with a significant reduction in measurement uncertainty.

Efficacy, acceptability and tolerability of the combined contraceptive ring, NuvaRing, compared with an oral contraceptive containing 30 microg of ethinyl estradiol and 3 mg of drospirenone.

PubMed

Ahrendt, Hans-Joachim; Nisand, Israel; Bastianelli, Carlo; Gómez, Maria Angeles; Gemzell-Danielsson, Kristina; Urdl, Wolfgang; Karskov, Birgit; Oeyen, Luc; Bitzer, Johannes; Page, Geert; Milsom, Ian

2006-12-01

This randomized multicenter, open-label, trial compared efficacy, acceptability, tolerability and compliance of NuvaRing with a combined oral contraceptive (COC), containing 30 microg of ethinyl estradiol (EE) and 3 mg of drospirenone. In this 13-cycle study, 983 women were randomized and treated (intent-to-treat population) with NuvaRing or COC. One in-treatment pregnancy occurred with NuvaRing (Pearl Index=0.25) (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.006, 1.363) and four with the COC (Pearl Index=0.99) (95% CI: 0.269, 2.530). For both groups, compliance (89.2% NuvaRing, 85.5% COC) and satisfaction (84% NuvaRing; 87% COC) were high; the vast majority of women found NuvaRing easy to insert (96%) and remove (97%). Tolerability was similar; the most frequent adverse events with NuvaRing were related to ring use, whereas estrogen-related events were more common with the COC. NuvaRing has comparable efficacy and tolerability to a COC containing 30 microg of EE and 3 mg drospirenone. User acceptability of both methods was high.

How does star formation proceed in the circumnuclear starburst ring of NGC 6951?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Laan, T. P. R.; Schinnerer, E.; Emsellem, E.; Hunt, L. K.; McDermid, R. M.; Liu, G.

2013-03-01

Gas inflowing along stellar bars is often stalled at the location of circumnuclear rings, which form an effective reservoir for massive star formation and thus shape the central regions of galaxies. However, how exactly star formation proceeds within these circumnuclear starburst rings is the subject of debate. Two main scenarios for this process have been put forward. In the first, the onset of star formation is regulated by the total amount of gas present in the ring with star forming starting, once a mass threshold has been reached, in "random" positions within the ring like "popcorn". In the second, star formation primarily takes place near the locations where the gas enters the ring. This scenario has been dubbed "pearls-on-a-string". Here we combine new optical IFU data covering the full stellar bar with existing multiwavelength data to study the 580 pc radius circumnuclear starburst ring in detail in the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 6951. Using Hubble Space Telescope (HST) archival data together with SAURON and OASIS IFU data, we derive the ages and stellar masses of star clusters, as well as the total stellar content of the central region. Adding information on the molecular gas distribution, stellar and gaseous dynamics, and extinction, we find that the circumnuclear ring in NGC 6951 is ~1-1.5 Gyr old and has been forming stars for most of that time. We see evidence for preferred sites of star formation within the ring, consistent with the "pearls-on-a-string" scenario, when focusing on the youngest stellar populations. The ring's longevity means that this signature is washed out when older stellar populations are included in the analysis. Tables 4 and 5 are available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.orgOASIS maps and SAURON cube are available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr(130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/551/A81

BPM Breakdown Potential in the PEP-II B-factory Storage Ring Collider

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weathersby, Stephen; Novokhatski, Alexander; /SLAC

2010-02-10

High current B-Factory BPM designs incorporate a button type electrode which introduces a small gap between the button and the beam chamber. For achievable currents and bunch lengths, simulations indicate that electric potentials can be induced in this gap which are comparable to the breakdown voltage. This study characterizes beam induced voltages in the existing PEP-II storage ring collider BPM as a function of bunch length and beam current.

76 FR 52640 - Determination Under the Textile and Apparel Commercial Availability Provision of the Dominican...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-23

... (``CITA'') has determined that an acceptable substitute for certain compacted, plied, ring spun cotton... to remove or restrict (``Request'') certain compacted, plied, ring spun cotton yarns, currently on... Spun Cotton Yarns Compacted, plied, ring spun cotton yarns, with yarn counts in the range from 42 to...

Development of dapivirine vaginal ring for HIV prevention.

PubMed

Devlin, Bríd; Nuttall, Jeremy; Wilder, Susan; Woodsong, Cynthia; Rosenberg, Zeda

2013-12-01

In the continuing effort to develop effective HIV prevention methods for women, a vaginal ring containing the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor dapivirine is currently being tested in two safety and efficacy trials. This paper reviews dapivirine ring's pipeline development process, including efforts to determine safe and effective dosing levels as well as identify delivery platforms with the greatest likelihood of success for correct and consistent use. Dapivirine gel and other formulations were developed and tested in preclinical and clinical studies. Multiple vaginal ring prototypes were also tested, resulting in the current ring design as well as additional designs under consideration for future testing. Efficacy results from clinical trials are expected in 2015. Through ongoing consultations with national regulatory authorities, licensure requirements for dapivirine vaginal ring approval have been defined. This article is based on a presentation at the "Product Development Workshop 2013: HIV and Multipurpose Prevention Technologies," held in Arlington, Virginia on February 21-22, 2013. It forms part of a special supplement to Antiviral Research. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Persistent Hall voltages across thin planar charged quantum rings on the surface of a topological insulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durganandini, P.

2015-03-01

We consider thin planar charged quantum rings on the surface of a three dimensional topological insulator coated with a thin ferromagnetic layer. We show theoretically, that when the ring is threaded by a magnetic field, then, due to the Aharanov-Bohm effect, there are not only the well known circulating persistent currents in the ring but also oscillating persistent Hall voltages across the thin ring. Such oscillating persistent Hall voltages arise due to the topological magneto-electric effect associated with the axion electrodynamics exhibited by the surface electronic states of the three dimensional topological insulator when time reversal symmetry is broken. We further generalize to the case of dipole currents and show that analogous Hall dipole voltages arise. We also discuss the robustness of the effect and suggest possible experimental realizations in quantum rings made of semiconductor heterostructures. Such experiments could also provide new ways of observing the predicted topological magneto-electric effect in three dimensional topological insulators with time reversal symmetry breaking. I thank BCUD, Pune University, Pune for financial support through research grant.

The relative effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on population genetic variation in the red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis).

PubMed

Bruggeman, Douglas J; Wiegand, Thorsten; Fernández, Néstor

2010-09-01

The relative influence of habitat loss, fragmentation and matrix heterogeneity on the viability of populations is a critical area of conservation research that remains unresolved. Using simulation modelling, we provide an analysis of the influence both patch size and patch isolation have on abundance, effective population size (N(e)) and F(ST). An individual-based, spatially explicit population model based on 15 years of field work on the red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) was applied to different landscape configurations. The variation in landscape patterns was summarized using spatial statistics based on O-ring statistics. By regressing demographic and genetics attributes that emerged across the landscape treatments against proportion of total habitat and O-ring statistics, we show that O-ring statistics provide an explicit link between population processes, habitat area, and critical thresholds of fragmentation that affect those processes. Spatial distances among land cover classes that affect biological processes translated into critical scales at which the measures of landscape structure correlated best with genetic indices. Therefore our study infers pattern from process, which contrasts with past studies of landscape genetics. We found that population genetic structure was more strongly affected by fragmentation than population size, which suggests that examining only population size may limit recognition of fragmentation effects that erode genetic variation. If effective population size is used to set recovery goals for endangered species, then habitat fragmentation effects may be sufficiently strong to prevent evaluation of recovery based on the ratio of census:effective population size alone.

Electric currents induced by twisted light in Quantum Rings.

PubMed

Quinteiro, G F; Berakdar, J

2009-10-26

We theoretically investigate the generation of electric currents in quantum rings resulting from the optical excitation with twisted light. Our model describes the kinetics of electrons in a two-band model of a semiconductor-based mesoscopic quantum ring coupled to light having orbital angular momentum (twisted light). We find the analytical solution, which exhibits a "circular" photon-drag effect and an induced magnetization, suggesting that this system is the circular analog of that of a bulk semiconductor excited by plane waves. For realistic values of the electric field and material parameters, the computed electric current can be as large as microA; from an applied perspective, this opens new possibilities to the optical control of the magnetization in semiconductors.

The effect of guard ring on leakage current and spectroscopic performance of TlBr planar detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kargar, Alireza; Kim, Hadong; Cirignano, Leonard; Shah, Kanai

2014-09-01

Four thallium bromide planar detectors were fabricated from materials grown at RMD Inc. The TlBr samples were prepared to investigate the effect of guard ring on device gamma-ray spectroscopy performance, and to investigate the leakage current through surface and bulk. The devices' active area in planar configuration were 4.4 × 4.4 × 1.0 mm3. In this report, the detector fabrication process is described and the resulting energy spectra are discussed. It is shown that the guard ring improves device spectroscopic performance by shielding the sensing electrode from the surface leakage current, and by making the electric filed more uniform in the active region of the device.

The role of Mab as a source for the μ ring of Uranus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sfair, R.; Giuliatti Winter, S. M.

2012-07-01

Context. We previously analysed how the solar radiation force combined with the planetary oblateness changes the orbital evolution of a sample of dust particles located at the secondary ring system of Uranus. Both effects combined with the gravitational perturbations of the close satellites lead to the depletion of these dust particles through collisions on the surfaces of these satellites on a timescale of hundreds of years. Aims: In this work we investigate if the impacts of interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) onto Mab's surface can produce sufficient particles to replenish the μ ring population. Methods: We first analysed through numerical simulations the evolution of a sample of particles ejected from the surface of Mab and computed the lifetime of the grains when the effects of the solar radiation pressure and the planetary oblateness are taken into account. Then we estimated the mass production rate due to the impacts of IDPs following a previously established algorithm, and used this value to determine the time necessary to accumulate an amount of particles comparable with the mass of the μ ring. Results: Based on an estimate of the flux of interplanetary particles and on the surface properties of Mab it is expected that the satellite supplies material to the ring at a rate of ~3 g/s. Meanwhile, our numerical model showed that the ejected particles are removed from the system through collisions with the satellite, and the mean lifetime of the grains may vary from 320 to 1500 years, depending on the radius of the particle. Conclusions: The time necessary to accumulate the mass of the μ ring via ejection from Mab is much shorter than the mean lifetime of the particles, and a stationary regime is not reached. If the ring is kept in a steady state, other effects such as the electromagnetic force and/or the existence of additional bodies may play a significant role in the dust balance, but the current lack of information about the environment renders modelling these effects unfeasible.

MUSE observations of the counter-rotating nuclear ring in NGC 7742

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinsson, Thomas P. K.; Sarzi, Marc; Knapen, Johan H.; Coccato, Lodovico; Falcón-Barroso, Jesús; Elmegreen, Bruce G.; de Zeeuw, Tim

2018-04-01

Aims: We present results from MUSE observations of the nearly face-on disk galaxy NGC 7742. This galaxy hosts a spectacular nuclear ring of enhanced star formation, which is unusual in that it is hosted by a non-barred galaxy, and because this star formation is most likely fuelled by externally accreted gas that counter-rotates with respect to its main stellar body. Methods: We used the MUSE data to derive the star-formation history (SFH) and accurately measure the stellar and ionized-gas kinematics of NGC 7742 in its nuclear, bulge, ring, and disk regions. Results: We have mapped the previously known gas counter-rotation well outside the ring region and deduce the presence of a slightly warped inner disk, which is inclined at approximately 6° compared to the outer disk. The gas-disk inclination is well constrained from the kinematics; the derived inclination 13.7° ± 0.4° agrees well with that derived from photometry and from what one expects using the inverse Tully-Fisher relation. We find a prolonged SFH in the ring with stellar populations as old as 2-3 Gyr and an indication that the star formation triggered by the minor merger event was delayed in the disk compared to the ring. There are two separate stellar components: an old population that counter-rotates with the gas, and a young one, concentrated to the ring, that co-rotates with the gas. We recover the kinematics of the old stars from a two-component fit, and show that combining the old and young stellar populations results in the erroneous average velocity of nearly zero found from a one-component fit. Conclusions: The spatial resolution and field of view of MUSE allow us to establish the kinematics and SFH of the nuclear ring in NGC 7742. We show further evidence that this ring has its origin in a minor merger event, possibly 2-3 Gyr ago. Data used for the flux and kinematic maps (Figs. 1 and 3-5) are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/612/A66

Development of polylactide and polyethylene vinyl acetate blends for the manufacture of vaginal rings.

PubMed

Mc Conville, Christopher; Major, Ian; Friend, David R; Clark, Meredith R; Woolfson, A David; Malcolm, R Karl

2012-05-01

Vaginal rings are currently being investigated for delivery of HIV microbicides. However, vaginal rings are currently manufactured form hydrophobic polymers such as silicone elastomer and polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA), which do not permit release of hydrophilic microbicides such as the nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor tenofovir. Biodegradable polymers such as polylactide (PLA) may help increase release rates by controlling polymer degradation rather than diffusion of the drug through the polymer. However, biodegradable polymers have limited flexibility making them unsuitable for use in the manufacture of vaginal rings. This study demonstrates that by blending PLA and PEVA together it is possible to achieve a blend that has flexibility similar to native PEVA but also allows for the release of tenofovir. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Quantum coherent π-electron rotations in a non-planar chiral molecule induced by using a linearly polarized UV laser pulse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mineo, Hirobumi; Fujimura, Yuichi

2015-06-01

We propose an ultrafast quantum switching method of π-electron rotations, which are switched among four rotational patterns in a nonplanar chiral aromatic molecule (P)-2,2’- biphenol and perform the sequential switching among four rotational patterns which are performed by the overlapped pump-dump laser pulses. Coherent π-electron dynamics are generated by applying the linearly polarized UV pulse laser to create a pair of coherent quasidegenerated excited states. We also plot the time-dependent π-electron ring current, and discussed ring current transfer between two aromatic rings.

ULF Waves in the Earth's Inner Magnetosphere: Role in Radiation Belt and Ring Current Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mann, I. R.; Murphy, K. R.; Rae, J.; Claudepierre, S. G.; Fennell, J. F.; Baker, D. N.; Reeves, G. D.; Spence, H. E.; Ozeke, L.; Milling, D. K.

2013-05-01

Ultra-low frequency (ULF) waves in the Pc4-5 band can be excited in the magnetosphere by the solar wind. Much recent work has shown how ULF wave power is strongly correlated with solar wind speed. However, little attention has been paid the dynamics of ULF wave power penetration onto low L-shells in the inner magnetosphere. We use more than a solar cycle of ULF wave data, derived from ground-based magnetometer networks, to examine this ULF wave power penetration and its dependence on solar wind and geomagnetic activity indices. In time domain data, we show very clearly that dayside ULF wave power, spanning more than 4 orders of magnitude, follows solar wind speed variations throughout the whole solar cycle - during periods of sporadic solar maximum ICMEs, during declining phase fast solar wind streams, and at solar minimum, alike. We also show that time domain ULF wave power increases during magnetic storms activations, and significantly demonstrate that a deeper ULF wave power penetration into the inner magnetosphere occurs during larger negative excursions in Dst. We discuss potential explanations for this low-L ULF wave power penetration, including the role of plasma mass density (such as during plasmaspheric erosion), or ring current ion instabilities during near-Earth ring current penetration. Interestingly, we also show that both ULF wave power and SAMPEX MeV electron flux show a remarkable similarity in their penetration to low-L, which suggests that ULF wave power penetration may be important for understanding and explaining radiation belt dynamics. Moreover, the correlation of ULF wave power with Dst, which peaks at one day lag, suggests the ULF waves might also be important for the inward transport of ions into the ring current. Current ring current models, which exclude long period ULF wave transport, under-estimate the ring current during fast solar wind streams which is consistent with a potential role for ULF waves in ring current energisation. Finally, the combination of data from ground arrays such as CARISMA and the contemporaneous operation of the NASA Van Allen Probes mission offers an excellent basis for understanding this cross-energy plasma coupling which spans more than 6 orders of magnitude in energy; we present an initial example of ULF-wave particle interaction using early mission data. This work has received funding from the European Union under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7-Space) under grant agreement n 284520 for the MAARBLE (Monitoring, Analyzing and Assessing Radiation Belt Energization and Loss) collaborative research project.

Scientific Achievements of Global ENA Imaging and Future Outlook

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandt, P. C.; Stephens, G. K.; Hsieh, S. Y. W.; Demajistre, R.; Gkioulidou, M.

2017-12-01

Energetic Neutral Atom (ENA) imaging is the only technique that can capture the instantaneous global state of energetic ion distributions in planetary magnetospheres and from the heliosheath. In particular at Earth, ENA imaging has been used to diagnose the morphology and dynamics of the ring current and plasma sheet down to several minutes time resolution and is therefore a critical tool to validate global ring current physics models. However, this requires a detailed understanding for how ENAs are produced from the ring current and inversion techniques that are thoroughly validated against in-situ measurements. To date, several missions have carried out planetary and heliospheric ENA imaging including Cassini, JUICE, IBEX of the heliosphere, and POLAR, Astrid-1, Double Star, TWINS and IMAGE of the terrestrial magnetosphere. Because of their path-finding successes, a future global-imaging mission concept, MEDICI, has been recommended in the Heliophysics Decadal Survey. Its core mission consists of two satellites in one circular, near-polar orbit beyond the radiation belts at around 8 RE, with ENA, EUV and FUV cameras. This recommendation has driven the definition of smaller mission concepts that address specific science aspects of the MEDICI concept. In this presentation, we review the past scientific achievements of ENA imaging with a focus on the terrestrial magnetosphere from primarily the NASA IMAGE and the TWINS missions. The highlighted achievements include the storm, sub-storm and quiet-time morphology, dynamics and pitch-angle distributions of the ring current, global differential acceleration of protons versus O+ ions, the structure of the global electrical current systems associated with the plasma pressure of protons and O+ ions up to around 200 keV, and the relation between ring current and plasmasphere. We discuss the need for future global observations of the ring current, plasma sheet and magnetosheath ion distributions based and derive their measurement requirements, of which high-angular resolution (≤2˚) is critical. A significant aspect of the future science definition is the stability and accessibility of inversion algorithms that retrieve the 3D distribution from the 2D ENA images, that will also be discussed.

Geomagnetic storms, the Dst ring-current myth and lognormal distributions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Campbell, W.H.

1996-01-01

The definition of geomagnetic storms dates back to the turn of the century when researchers recognized the unique shape of the H-component field change upon averaging storms recorded at low latitude observatories. A generally accepted modeling of the storm field sources as a magnetospheric ring current was settled about 30 years ago at the start of space exploration and the discovery of the Van Allen belt of particles encircling the Earth. The Dst global 'ring-current' index of geomagnetic disturbances, formulated in that period, is still taken to be the definitive representation for geomagnetic storms. Dst indices, or data from many world observatories processed in a fashion paralleling the index, are used widely by researchers relying on the assumption of such a magnetospheric current-ring depiction. Recent in situ measurements by satellites passing through the ring-current region and computations with disturbed magnetosphere models show that the Dst storm is not solely a main-phase to decay-phase, growth to disintegration, of a massive current encircling the Earth. Although a ring current certainly exists during a storm, there are many other field contributions at the middle-and low-latitude observatories that are summed to show the 'storm' characteristic behavior in Dst at these observatories. One characteristic of the storm field form at middle and low latitudes is that Dst exhibits a lognormal distribution shape when plotted as the hourly value amplitude in each time range. Such distributions, common in nature, arise when there are many contributors to a measurement or when the measurement is a result of a connected series of statistical processes. The amplitude-time displays of Dst are thought to occur because the many time-series processes that are added to form Dst all have their own characteristic distribution in time. By transforming the Dst time display into the equivalent normal distribution, it is shown that a storm recovery can be predicted with remarkable accuracy from measurements made during the Dst growth phase. In the lognormal formulation, the mean, standard deviation and field count within standard deviation limits become definitive Dst storm parameters.

Southwestern USA Drought over Multiple Millennia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salzer, M. W.; Kipfmueller, K. F.

2014-12-01

Severe to extreme drought conditions currently exist across much of the American West. There is increasing concern that climate change may be worsening droughts in the West and particularly the Southwest. Thus, it is important to understand the role of natural variability and to place current conditions in a long-term context. We present a tree-ring derived reconstruction of regional-scale precipitation for the Southwestern USA over several millennia. A network of 48 tree-ring chronologies from California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado was used. All of the chronologies are at least 1,000 years long. The network was subjected to data reduction through PCA and a "nested" multiple linear regression reconstruction approach. The regression model was able to capture 72% of the variance in September-August precipitation over the last 1,000 years and 53% of the variance over the first millennium of the Common Era. Variance captured and spatial coverage further declined back in time as the shorter chronologies dropped out of the model, eventually reaching 24% of variance captured at 3250 BC. Results show regional droughts on decadal- to multi-decadal scales have been prominent and persistent phenomena in the region over the last several millennia. Anthropogenic warming is likely to exacerbate the effects of future droughts on human and other biotic populations.

Modelling and simulation of a thermally induced optical transparency in a dual micro-ring resonator

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

This paper introduces the simulation and modelling of a novel dual micro-ring resonator. The geometric configuration of the resonators, and the implementation of a simulated broadband excitation source, results in the realization of optical transparencies in the combined through port output spectrum. The 130 nm silicon on insulator rib fabrication process is adopted for the simulation of the dual-ring configuration. Two titanium nitride heaters are positioned over the coupling regions of the resonators, which can be operated independently, to control the spectral position of the optical transparency. A third heater, centrally located above the dual resonator rings, can be used to red shift the entire spectrum to a required reference resonant wavelength. The free spectral range with no heater currents applied is 4.29 nm. For a simulated heater current of 7 mA (55.7 mW heater power) applied to one of the through coupling heaters, the optical transparency exhibits a red shift of 1.79 nm from the reference resonant wavelength. The ring-to-ring separation of approximately 900 nm means that it can be assumed that there is a zero ring-to-ring coupling field in this model. This novel arrangement has potential applications as a gas mass airflow sensor or a gas species identification sensor. PMID:28791167

Modelling and simulation of a thermally induced optical transparency in a dual micro-ring resonator.

PubMed

Lydiate, Joseph

2017-07-01

This paper introduces the simulation and modelling of a novel dual micro-ring resonator. The geometric configuration of the resonators, and the implementation of a simulated broadband excitation source, results in the realization of optical transparencies in the combined through port output spectrum. The 130 nm silicon on insulator rib fabrication process is adopted for the simulation of the dual-ring configuration. Two titanium nitride heaters are positioned over the coupling regions of the resonators, which can be operated independently, to control the spectral position of the optical transparency. A third heater, centrally located above the dual resonator rings, can be used to red shift the entire spectrum to a required reference resonant wavelength. The free spectral range with no heater currents applied is 4.29 nm. For a simulated heater current of 7 mA (55.7 mW heater power) applied to one of the through coupling heaters, the optical transparency exhibits a red shift of 1.79 nm from the reference resonant wavelength. The ring-to-ring separation of approximately 900 nm means that it can be assumed that there is a zero ring-to-ring coupling field in this model. This novel arrangement has potential applications as a gas mass airflow sensor or a gas species identification sensor.

Origin of Saturn's rings and inner moons by mass removal from a lost Titan-sized satellite.

PubMed

Canup, Robin M

2010-12-16

The origin of Saturn's rings has not been adequately explained. The current rings are more than 90 to 95 per cent water ice, which implies that initially they were almost pure ice because they are continually polluted by rocky meteoroids. In contrast, a half-rock, half-ice mixture (similar to the composition of many of the satellites in the outer Solar System) would generally be expected. Previous ring origin theories invoke the collisional disruption of a small moon, or the tidal disruption of a comet during a close passage by Saturn. These models are improbable and/or struggle to account for basic properties of the rings, including their icy composition. Saturn has only one large satellite, Titan, whereas Jupiter has four large satellites; additional large satellites probably existed originally but were lost as they spiralled into Saturn. Here I report numerical simulations of the tidal removal of mass from a differentiated, Titan-sized satellite as it migrates inward towards Saturn. Planetary tidal forces preferentially strip material from the satellite's outer icy layers, while its rocky core remains intact and is lost to collision with the planet. The result is a pure ice ring much more massive than Saturn's current rings. As the ring evolves, its mass decreases and icy moons are spawned from its outer edge with estimated masses consistent with Saturn's ice-rich moons interior to and including Tethys.

Initial measurements of O-ion and He-ion decay rates observed from the Van Allen probes RBSPICE instrument

PubMed Central

Gerrard, Andrew; Lanzerotti, Louis; Gkioulidou, Matina; Mitchell, Donald; Manweiler, Jerry; Bortnik, Jacob; Keika, Kunihiro

2014-01-01

H-ion (∼45 keV to ∼600 keV), He-ion (∼65 keV to ∼520 keV), and O-ion (∼140 keV to ∼1130 keV) integral flux measurements, from the Radiation Belt Storm Probe Ion Composition Experiment (RBSPICE) instrument aboard the Van Allan Probes spacecraft B, are reported. These abundance data form a cohesive picture of ring current ions during the first 9 months of measurements. Furthermore, the data presented herein are used to show injection characteristics via the He-ion/H-ion abundance ratio and the O-ion/H-ion abundance ratio. Of unique interest to ring current dynamics are the spatial-temporal decay characteristics of the two injected populations. We observe that He-ions decay more quickly at lower L shells, on the order of ∼0.8 day at L shells of 3–4, and decay more slowly with higher L shell, on the order of ∼1.7 days at L shells of 5–6. Conversely, O-ions decay very rapidly (∼1.5 h) across all L shells. The He-ion decay time are consistent with previously measured and calculated lifetimes associated with charge exchange. The O-ion decay time is much faster than predicted and is attributed to the inclusion of higher-energy (> 500 keV) O-ions in our decay rate estimation. We note that these measurements demonstrate a compelling need for calculation of high-energy O-ion loss rates, which have not been adequately studied in the literature to date. Key Points We report initial observations of ring current ions We show that He-ion decay rates are consistent with theory We show that O-ions with energies greater than 500 keV decay very rapidly PMID:26167435

On the propagation and decay of North Brazil Current rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jochumsen, Kerstin; Rhein, Monika; Hüttl-Kabus, Sabine; BöNing, Claus W.

2010-10-01

Near the western boundary of the tropical North Atlantic, where the North Brazil Current (NBC) retroflects into the North Equatorial Countercurrent, large anticyclonic rings are shed. After separating from the retroflection region, the so-called NBC rings travel northwestward along the Brazilian coast, until they reach the island chain of the Lesser Antilles and disintegrate. These rings contribute substantially to the upper limb return flow of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation by carrying South Atlantic Water into the northern subtropical gyre. Their relevance for the northward transport of South Atlantic Water depends on the frequency of their generation as well as on their horizontal and vertical structure. The ring shedding and propagation and the complex interaction of the rings with the Lesser Antilles are investigated in the ? Family of Linked Atlantic Model Experiments (FLAME) model. The ring properties simulated in FLAME reach the upper limit of the observed rings in diameter and agree with recent observations on seasonal variability, which indicates a maximum shedding during the first half of the year. When the rings reach the shallow topography of the Lesser Antilles, they are trapped by the island triangle of St. Lucia, Barbados and Tobago and interact with the island chain. The model provides a resolution that is capable of resolving the complex topographic conditions at the islands and illuminates various possible fates for the water contained in the rings. It also reproduces laboratory experiments that indicate that both cyclones and anticyclones are formed after a ring passes through a topographic gap. Trajectories of artificial floats, which were inserted into the modeled velocity field, are used to investigate the pathways of the ring cores and their fate after they encounter the Lesser Antilles. The majority of the floats entered the Caribbean, while the northward Atlantic pathway was found to be of minor importance. No prominent pathway was found east of Barbados, where a ring could avoid the interaction with the islands and migrate toward the northern Lesser Antilles undisturbed.

The effects of normal current density and the plasma spatial structuring in argon DBDs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shkurenkov, I. A.; Mankelevich, Y. A.; Rakhimova, T. V.

2011-01-01

This paper presents the results of theoretical studies of high-pressure dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) in argon. Two different DBDs at the megahertz and the kilohertz power frequency range were simulated. The effect of normal current density was obtained in the numerical model for both types of the discharge. The discharge of megahertz range was uniform over the radius. The increase in the discharge current is accompanied by increase in the discharge area. The discharge of kilohertz range is not uniform over the radius. The concentric ring formation was observed during calculations. The increase in the discharge current occurs due to increase in the number of rings and as a result in the discharge area. The developed 2D model is able to describe only the first stage of the filament formation - the formation of concentric plasma rings. The filament formation starts at the edge of the current channel and spreads to its centre. Both the effect of normal current density and the filaments formation are caused by the nonstationarity at the current channel boundary.

World Encircling Tectonic Vortex Street - Geostreams Revisited: The Southern Ring Current EM Plasma-Tectonic Coupling in the Western Pacific Rim

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leybourne, Bruce; Smoot, Christian; Longhinos, Biju

2014-05-01

Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) coupling to south polar magnetic ring currents transfers induction energy to the Southern Geostream ringing Antarctica and underlying its encircling mid-ocean ridge structure. Magnetic reconnection between the southward interplanetary magnetic field and the magnetic field of the earth is the primary energy transfer mechanism between the solar wind and the magnetosphere. Induced telluric currents focused within joule spikes along Geostreams heat the southern Pacific. Alignment of the Australian Antarctic Discordance to other tectonic vortexes along the Western Pacific Rim, provide electrical connections to Earths core that modulate global telluric currents. The Banda Sea Triple Junction, a mantle vortex north of Australia, and the Lake Baikal Continental Rift vortex in the northern hemisphere modulate atmospheric Jetstream patterns gravitationally linked to internal density oscillations induced by these telluric currents. These telluric currents are driven by solar magnetic power, rotation and orbital dynamics. A solar rotation 40 day power spectrum in polarity controls north-south migration of earthquakes along the Western Pacific Rim and manifest as the Madden Julian Oscillation a well-documented climate cycle. Solar plasma turbulence cycles related to Hale flares trigger El Nino Southern Oscillations (ENSO's), while solar magnetic field strength frequencies dominate global warming and cooling trends indexed to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. These Pacific climate anomalies are solar-electro-tectonically modulated via coupling to tropical geostream vortex streets. Particularly the section along the Central Pacific Megatrend connecting the Banda Sea Triple Junction (up welling mantle vortex) north of Australia with the Easter Island & Juan Fernandez twin rotating micro-plates (twin down welling mantle vortexes) along the East Pacific Rise modulating ENSO. Solar eruptions also enhance the equatorial ring current located approximately at the boundary of the plasmasphere and the outer magnetosphere. Induction power of geo-magnetic storms, are linked to ring current strength, and depend on the speed of solar eruptions, along with the dynamic pressure, strength and orientation of the IMF.

Auroral electrojets and evening sector electron dropouts at synchronous orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Erickson, K. N.; Winckler, J. R.

1973-01-01

Evidence is presented in support of the concept that, during magnetospheric substorms, ionospheric auroral electrojet currents are directly coupled to the proton partial ring current in the outer magnetosphere. It has been found that for sufficiently isolated substorms the timing of the start of the electron dropout and of its maximum depression is in good agreement with the start and maximum of electrojet activity as indicated by the auroral electrojet index. This correlation suggests a direct coupling between the electrojet currents and the proton partial ring current.

Ring-Mold Craters on Lineated Valley Fill, Lobate Debris Aprons, and Concentric Crater Fill on Mars: Implications for Near-Surface Structure, Composition, and Age.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kress, A.; Head, J. W.

2009-03-01

Analysis of ring-mold crater populations on lineated valley fill, lobate debris aprons, and concentric crater fill on Mars and of ice-impact experiments suggest crater-count-derived ages may be erroneously old.

Ocean eddy structure by satellite radar altimetry required for iceberg towing

USGS Publications Warehouse

Campbell, W.J.; Cheney, R.E.; Marsh, J.G.; Mognard, N.M.

1980-01-01

Models for the towing of large tabular icebergs give towing speeds of 0.5 knots to 1.0 knots relative to the ambient near surface current. Recent oceanographic research indicates that the world oceans are not principally composed of large steady-state current systems, like the Gulf Stream, but that most of the ocean momentum is probably involved in intense rings, formed by meanders of the large streams, and in mid-ocean eddies. These rings and eddies have typical dimensions on the order of 200 km with dynamic height anomalies across them of tens-of-centimeters to a meter. They migrate at speeds on the order of a few cm/sec. Current velocities as great as 3 knots have been observed in rings, and currents of 1 knot are common. Thus, the successful towing of icebergs is dependent on the ability to locate, measure, and track ocean rings and eddies. To accomplish this systematically on synoptic scales appears to be possible only by using satelliteborne radar altimeters. Ocean current and eddy structures as observed by the radar altimeters on the GEOS-3 and Seasat-1 satellites are presented and compared. Several satellite programs presently being planned call for flying radar altimeters in polar or near-polar orbits in the mid-1980 time frame. Thus, by the time tows of large icebergs will probably be attempted, it is possible synoptic observations of ocean rings and eddies which can be used to ascertain their location, size, intensity, and translation velocity will be a reality. ?? 1980.

Kinetic Simulation and Energetic Neutral Atom Imaging of the Magnetosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fok, Mei-Ching H.

2011-01-01

Advanced simulation tools and measurement techniques have been developed to study the dynamic magnetosphere and its response to drivers in the solar wind. The Comprehensive Ring Current Model (CRCM) is a kinetic code that solves the 3D distribution in space, energy and pitch-angle information of energetic ions and electrons. Energetic Neutral Atom (ENA) imagers have been carried in past and current satellite missions. Global morphology of energetic ions were revealed by the observed ENA images. We have combined simulation and ENA analysis techniques to study the development of ring current ions during magnetic storms and substorms. We identify the timing and location of particle injection and loss. We examine the evolution of ion energy and pitch-angle distribution during different phases of a storm. In this talk we will discuss the findings from our ring current studies and how our simulation and ENA analysis tools can be applied to the upcoming TRIO-CINAMA mission.

Upgrading the Digital Electronics of the PEP-II Bunch Current Monitors at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kline, Josh; /SLAC

2006-08-28

The testing of the upgrade prototype for the bunch current monitors (BCMs) in the PEP-II storage rings at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) is the topic of this paper. Bunch current monitors are used to measure the charge in the electron/positron bunches traveling in particle storage rings. The BCMs in the PEP-II storage rings need to be upgraded because components of the current system have failed and are known to be failure prone with age, and several of the integrated chips are no longer produced making repairs difficult if not impossible. The main upgrade is replacing twelve old (1995)more » field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) with a single Virtex II FPGA. The prototype was tested using computer synthesis tools, a commercial signal generator, and a fast pulse generator.« less

Decadal Survey: Planetary Rings Panel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gordon, M. K.; Cuzzi, J. N.; Lissauer, J. J.; Poulet, F.; Brahic, A.; Charnoz, S.; Ferrari, C.; Burns, J. A.; Nicholson, P. D.; Durisen, R. H.; Rappaport, N. J.; Spilker, L. J.; Yanamandra-Fisher, P.; Bosh, A. S.; Olkin, C.; Larson, S. M.; Graps, A. L.; Krueger, H.; Black, G. J.; Festou, M.; Karjalainen, R.; Salo, H. J.; Murray, C. D.; Showalter, M. R.; Dones, L.; Levison, H. F.; Namouni, F.; Araki, S.; Lewis, M. C.; Brooks, S.; Colwell, J. E.; Esposito, L. W.; Horanyi, M.; Stewart, G. R.; Krivov, A.; Schmidt, J.; Spahn, F.; Hamilton, D. P.; Giuliatti-Winter, S.; French, R. G.

2001-11-01

The National Research Council's Committee on Planetary and Lunar Exploration(COMPLEX) met earlier this year to begin the organization of a major activity, "A New Strategy for Solar System Exploration." Several members of the planetary rings community formed an ad hoc panel to discuss the current state and future prospects for the study of planetary rings. In this paper we summarize fundamental questions of ring science, list the key science questions expected to occupy the planetary rings community for the decade 2003-2013, outline the initiatives, missions, and other supporting activities needed to address those questions, and recommend priorities.

Divertor for use in fusion reactors

DOEpatents

Christensen, Uffe R.

1979-01-01

A poloidal divertor for a toroidal plasma column ring having a set of poloidal coils co-axial with the plasma ring for providing a space for a thick shielding blanket close to the plasma along the entire length of the plasma ring cross section and all the way around the axis of rotation of the plasma ring. The poloidal coils of this invention also provide a stagnation point on the inside of the toroidal plasma column ring, gently curving field lines for vertical stability, an initial plasma current, and the shaping of the field lines of a separatrix up and around the shielding blanket.

Inner Magnetosphere Modeling at the CCMC: Ring Current, Radiation Belt and Magnetic Field Mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rastaetter, L.; Mendoza, A. M.; Chulaki, A.; Kuznetsova, M. M.; Zheng, Y.

2013-12-01

Modeling of the inner magnetosphere has entered center stage with the launch of the Van Allen Probes (RBSP) in 2012. The Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) has drastically improved its offerings of inner magnetosphere models that cover energetic particles in the Earth's ring current and radiation belts. Models added to the CCMC include the stand-alone Comprehensive Inner Magnetosphere-Ionosphere (CIMI) model by M.C. Fok, the Rice Convection Model (RCM) by R. Wolf and S. Sazykin and numerous versions of the Tsyganenko magnetic field model (T89, T96, T01quiet, TS05). These models join the LANL* model by Y. Yu hat was offered for instant run earlier in the year. In addition to these stand-alone models, the Comprehensive Ring Current Model (CRCM) by M.C. Fok and N. Buzulukova joined as a component of the Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF) in the magnetosphere model run-on-request category. We present modeling results of the ring current and radiation belt models and demonstrate tracking of satellites such as RBSP. Calculations using the magnetic field models include mappings to the magnetic equator or to minimum-B positions and the determination of foot points in the ionosphere.

A longitudinal study of the comparative efficacy of Women for Sobriety, LifeRing, SMART Recovery, and 12-step groups for those with AUD.

PubMed

Zemore, Sarah E; Lui, Camillia; Mericle, Amy; Hemberg, Jordana; Kaskutas, Lee Ann

2018-05-01

Despite the effectiveness of 12-step groups, most people reporting a prior alcohol use disorder (AUD) do not sustain involvement in such groups at beneficial levels. This highlights the need for research on other mutual help groups that address alcohol problems and may attract those who avoid 12-step groups. The current study addresses this need, offering outcome data from the first longitudinal, comparative study of 12-step groups and their alternatives: The Peer ALlternatives for Addiction (PAL) Study. Adults with a lifetime AUD were surveyed at baseline (N=647), 6months (81% response rate) and 12months (83% response rate). Members of the largest known secular mutual help alternatives, namely Women for Sobriety (WFS), LifeRing, and SMART, were recruited in collaboration with group directors; current 12-step attendees were recruited from an online meeting hub. Online surveys assessed demographic and clinical variables; mutual help involvement; and alcohol and drug use and severity. Analyses involved multivariate logistic GEEs separately modelling alcohol abstinence, alcohol problems, and total abstinence across 6 and 12months. Key predictors were baseline primary group affiliation (PGA); primary group involvement (PGI) at both baseline and 6months; and the interaction between baseline PGA and 6-month PGI. The critical effects of interest were the interactions, expressing whether associations between changes in PGI from baseline to 6months and substance use outcomes differed by primary group. None of the interactions between baseline PGA and 6-month PGI were significant, suggesting no differences in the efficacy of WFS, LifeRing, or SMART, vs. 12-step groups. Nevertheless, some PGA main effects emerged. Compared to 12-step members, those identifying SMART as their primary group at baseline fared worse across outcomes, and those affiliating with LifeRing showed lower odds of total abstinence. Still, these effects became nonsignificant when controlling for baseline alcohol recovery goal, suggesting that any group differences may be explained by selection of those with weaker abstinence motivation into LifeRing and (especially) SMART. This study makes a valuable contribution in view of the extremely limited evidence on mutual help alternatives. Results tentatively suggest that WFS, LifeRing, and SMART are as effective as 12-step groups for those with AUDs, and that this population has the best odds of success when committing to lifetime total abstinence. An optimal care plan may thus involve facilitating involvement in a broad array of mutual help groups and supporting abstinence motivation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Type II GaSb quantum ring solar cells under concentrated sunlight.

PubMed

Tsai, Che-Pin; Hsu, Shun-Chieh; Lin, Shih-Yen; Chang, Ching-Wen; Tu, Li-Wei; Chen, Kun-Cheng; Lay, Tsong-Sheng; Lin, Chien-chung

2014-03-10

A type II GaSb quantum ring solar cell is fabricated and measured under the concentrated sunlight. The external quantum efficiency confirms the extended absorption from the quantum rings at long wavelength coinciding with the photoluminescence results. The short-circuit current of the quantum ring devices is 5.1% to 9.9% more than the GaAs reference's under various concentrations. While the quantum ring solar cell does not exceed its GaAs counterpart in efficiency under one-sun, the recovery of the open-circuit voltages at higher concentration helps to reverse the situation. A slightly higher efficiency (10.31% vs. 10.29%) is reported for the quantum ring device against the GaAs one.

The necessity of microscopy to characterize the optical properties of size-selected, nonspherical aerosol particles.

PubMed

Veghte, Daniel P; Freedman, Miriam A

2012-11-06

It is currently unknown whether mineral dust causes a net warming or cooling effect on the climate system. This uncertainty stems from the varied and evolving shape and composition of mineral dust, which leads to diverse interactions of dust with solar and terrestrial radiation. To investigate these interactions, we have used a cavity ring-down spectrometer to study the optical properties of size-selected calcium carbonate particles, a reactive component of mineral dust. The size selection of nonspherical particles like mineral dust can differ from spherical particles in the polydispersity of the population selected. To calculate the expected extinction cross sections, we use Mie scattering theory for monodisperse spherical particles and for spherical particles with the polydispersity observed in transmission electron microscopy images. Our results for calcium carbonate are compared to the well-studied system of ammonium sulfate. While ammonium sulfate extinction cross sections agree with Mie scattering theory for monodisperse spherical particles, the results for calcium carbonate deviate at large and small particle sizes. We find good agreement for both systems, however, between the calculations performed using the particle images and the cavity ring-down data, indicating that both ammonium sulfate and calcium carbonate can be treated as polydisperse spherical particles. Our results indicate that having an independent measure of polydispersity is essential for understanding the optical properties of nonspherical particles measured with cavity ring-down spectroscopy. Our combined spectroscopy and microscopy techniques demonstrate a novel method by which cavity ring-down spectroscopy can be extended for the study of more complex aerosol particles.

Interdecadal modulation of the Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation (AMO) on southwest China's temperature over the past 250 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Keyan; Guo, Zhengtang; Chen, Deliang; Wang, Lei; Dong, Zhipeng; Zhou, Feifei; Zhao, Yan; Li, Jinbao; Li, Yingjun; Cao, Xinguang

2018-05-01

The temperature gradient between southwestern China and Indian Ocean is one key driver of the Indian Summer Monsoon, suggesting the necessity to understand temperature variability in southwestern China. Contrary to the general warming experienced in most of China, a few regions in southwestern China have undergone a cooling trend since the 1950s. To place this cooling trend in a historical context, this study develops an Abies fabri tree-ring width chronology in the Sichuan Basin, the most populated region in southwest China. The chronology spans from 1590 to 2012, with its reliable portion from 1758 to 2012, by far the longest in the Sichuan Basin. To better extract regional climate signals encoded in tree rings with strong local disturbances, we incorporate climate signals of nearby tree-ring chronologies to generate a large-scale tree-ring chronology (LSC). The LSC shows higher correlations with temperature near the sampling site on Mount Emei and sea surface temperatures of the northern Atlantic Ocean than chronologies developed using traditional methods. The highest correlations between the LSC and temperature are found from current February to July in the Sichuan Basin for the period 1901-1950 (r = 0.70), with a sharp decrease afterwards. Interdecadal variations of the LSC match well with Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation reconstructions, except for the late nineteenth century and after 1980s. This study provides evidence that southwest China is a transitional region both affected by the interdecadal temperature variations of the northern Atlantic and Asian areas, although their influences weakened in recent possible due to enhanced human activities.

Inference of the ring current ion composition by means of charge exchange decay

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, P. H.; Hoffman, R. A.; Bewtra, N. K.

1981-01-01

The analysis of data from the Explorer 45 (S3-A) electrostatic analyzer in the energy range 5-30 keV has provided some new results on the ring current ion composition. It has been well established that the storm time ring current has a decay time of several days, during which the particle fluxes decrease nearly monotonically. By analyzing the measured ion fluxes during the several day storm recovery period and assuming that beside hydrogen other ions were present and that the decays were exponential in nature, three separate lifetimes for the ions were established. These fitted decay lifetimes are in excellent agreement with the expected charge exchange decay lifetimes for H(+), O(+) and He(+) in the energy and L value range of the data.

Particle simulation of ion heating in the ring current

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Qian, S.; Hudson, M. K.; Roth, I.

1990-01-01

Heating of heavy ions has been observed in the equatorial magnetosphere in GEOS 1 and 2 and ATS 6 data due to ion cyclotron waves generated by anisotropic hot ring current ions. A one-dimensional hybrid-Darwin code has been developed to study ion heating in the ring current. Here, a strong instability and heating of thermal ions is investigated in a plasma with a los cone distribution of hot ions. The linear growth rate calculation and particle simulations are conducted for cases with different loss cones and relative ion densities. The linear instability of the waves, the quasi-linear heating of cold ions and dependence on the thermal H(+)/He(+) density ratio are analyzed, as well as nonlinear parallel heating of thermal ions. Effects of thermal oxygen and hot oxygen are also studied.

Ethernet ring protection with managed FDB using APS payload

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Im, Jinsung; Ryoo, Jeong-dong; Joo, Bheom Soon; Rhee, J.-K. Kevin

2007-11-01

Ethernet ring protection (ERP) is a new technology based on OAM (operations, administration, and maintenance) being standardized by the ITU-T G.8032 working group. In this paper, we present the recent development of Ethernet ring protection which is called FDB (filtering database) flush scheme and propose a new Ethernet ring protection technique introducing a managed FDB using APS to deliver information how to fix FDB selectively. We discuss the current development of the ERP technology at ITU-T and performance comparisons between different proposals.

A Herschel-Resolved Debris Disk Around the Nearby G Star HIP 32480

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stapelfeldt, K.

2011-01-01

The Herschel Space Observatory is providing unprecedented sensitivity and angular resolution in the far-infrared. The DUNES Key Project (DUst around NEarby Stars, PI Carlos Eiroa) has finished its survey of 133 FGK stars within 25 pc of the Sun using the PACS photometer at 100 and 160 microns. We report the detection of a resolved debris ring around HIP 32480, a G0 star 16.5 parsecs distant. The ring is almost 300 AU in diameter and inclined 30 degrees from edge-on. We present a thermal emission model for the system that fits the Spitzer spectroscopy and Herschel images of the system. We find a minimum grainsize of approximately 4 microns in the main ring and a distinct warm dust population interior to it. Faint detached emission features just outside the ring may trace a separate, more distant ring in the system. The non-detection of the ring in archival HST/ACS coronagraphic images limits the dust grain albedo in the ring to be no more than 10%.

A Resolved Debris Disk Around the Nearby G Star HIP 32480

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stapelfeldt, K. R.; Bryden, G. C.; Marshall, J.; Eiroa, C.; Absil, O.; Mora, A.; Krist, J. E.; Su, K. Y. L.

2012-01-01

The Herschel Space Observatory is providing unprecedented sensitivity and angular resolution in the far-infrared. The DUNES Key Project (DUst around NEarby Stars, PI Carlos Eiroa) has finished its survey of 133 FGK stars within 25 pc of the Sun using the PACS photometer at 100 and 160 microns. We report the detection of a resolved debris ring around HIP 32480, a GO star 16.5 parsecs distant. The ring is almost 300 AU in diameter and inclined 30 degrees from edge-on. We present a thermal emission model for the system that fits the Spitzer spectroscopy and Herschel images of the system. We find a minimum grain-size of 4 microns in the main ring and a distinct warm dust population interior to it. Faint detached emission features just outside the ring may trace a separate, more distant ring in the system. The non-detection of the ring in archival HST/ACS coronagraphic images limits the dust grain albedo in the ring to be no more than 10%.

Self-consistent Model of Magnetospheric Ring Current and Propagating Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves. 2. Wave Induced Ring Current Precipitation and Thermal Electron Heating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khazanov, G. V.; Gamayunov, K. V.; Gallagher, D. L.; Kozyra, J. U.; Liemohn, M. W.

2007-01-01

This paper continues presentation and discussion of the results from our new global self-consistent theoretical model of interacting ring current ions and propagating electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves [Khazanov et al., 2006]. To study the effects of electromagnetic ion cyclotron wave propagation and refraction on the wave induced ring current precipitation and heating of the thermal plasmaspheric electrons, we simulate the May 1998 storm. The main findings after a simulation can be summarized as follows. Firstly, the wave induced ring current precipitation exhibits quite a lot of fine structure, and is highly organized by location of the plasmapause gradient. The strongest fluxes of about 4 x 10(exp 6) (cm(raised dot) s(raised dot) sr(raised dot) (sup -1)) are observed during the maill and early recovery phases of the storm. The very interesting and probably more important finding is that in a number of cases the most intense precipitating fluxes are not connected to the most intense waves in simple manner. The characteristics of the wave power spectral density distribution over the wave normal angle are extremely crucial for the effectiveness of the ring current ion scattering. Secondly, comparison of the global proton precipitating patterns with the results from RAM [Kozyra et al., 1997a] reveals that although we observe a qualitative agreement between the localizations of the wave induced precipitations in the models, there is no quantitative agreement between the magnitudes of the fluxes. The quantitative differences are mainly due to a qualitative difference between the characteristics of the wave power spectral density distributions over the wave normal angle in RAM and in our model. Thirdly, the heat fluxes to plasmaspheric electrons caused by Landau resonate energy absorption from electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves are observed in the postnoon-premidnight MLT sector, and can reach the magnitude of 10(exp 11) eV/(cm(sup 2)(raised dot)s). The Coulomb energy degradation of the RC H(+) and O(+) ions maximizes at about 10(exp 11) (eV/(cm(sup 2) (raised dot) s), and typically leads to electron energy deposition rates of about 2(raised dot) 10(exp 10) (eV/(cm(sup 2)(raised dot)s) which are observed during two periods; 32-48 hours, and 76-86 hours after 1 May, 0000 UT. The theoretically derived spatial structure of the thermal electron heating caused by interaction of the ring current with the plasmasphere is strongly supported by concurrent and conjugate plasma measurements from the plasmasphere, ring current, and topside ionosphere [Gurgiolo et al., 2005]. Finally, the wave induced intense electron heating has a structure of the spot-like patches along the most enhanced density gradients in the plasmasphere boundary layer and can be a possible driver to the observed but still not explained small-scale structures of enhanced emissions in the stable auroral red arcs.

Mesoscopic Vortex–Meissner currents in ring ladders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haug, Tobias; Amico, Luigi; Dumke, Rainer; Kwek, Leong-Chuan

2018-07-01

Recent experimental progress have revealed Meissner and Vortex phases in low-dimensional ultracold atoms systems. Atomtronic setups can realize ring ladders, while explicitly taking the finite size of the system into account. This enables the engineering of quantized chiral currents and phase slips in between them. We find that the mesoscopic scale modifies the current. Full control of the lattice configuration reveals a reentrant behavior of Vortex and Meissner phases. Our approach allows a feasible diagnostic of the currents’ configuration through time-of-flight measurements.

Saturn's Rings, the Yarkovsky Effects, and the Ring of Fire

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rubincam, David

2004-01-01

Saturn's icy ring particles, with their low thermal conductivity, are almost ideal for the operation of the Yarkovsky effects. The dimensions of Saturn's A and B rings may be determined by a near balancing of the seasonal Yarkovsky effect with the Yarkovsky- Schach effect. The two effects, which are photon thrust due to temperature gradients, may confine the A and B rings to within their observed dimensions. The C ring may be sparsely populated with icy particles because Yarkovsky drag has pulled them into Saturn, leaving the more slowly orbitally decaying rocky particles. Icy ring particles ejected from the B ring and passing through the C ring, as well as some of the slower rocky particles, should fall on Saturn's equator, where they may create a luminous "Ring of Fire" around Saturn's equator. This predicted Ring of Fire may be visible to Cassini's camera. Curiously, the speed of outwards Yarkovsky orbital evolution appears to peak near the Cassini Division. The connection between the two is not clear. D. Nesvorny has speculated that the resonance at the outer edge of the B ring may impede particles from evolving via Yarkovsky across the Division. If supply from the B ring is largely cut off, then Yarkovsky may push icy particles outward, away from the inner edge of the A ring, leaving only the rocky ones in the Division. The above scenarios depend delicately on the properties of the icy particles.

Nonlinear Gulf Stream Interaction with the Deep Western Boundary Current System: Observations and a Numerical Simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dietrich, David E.; Mehra, Avichal; Haney, Robert L.; Bowman, Malcolm J.; Tseng, Yu-Heng

2003-01-01

Gulf Stream (GS) separation near its observed Cape Hatteras (CH) separation location, and its ensuing path and dynamics, is a challenging ocean modeling problem. If a model GS separates much farther north than CH, then northward GS meanders, which pinch off warm core eddies (rings), are not possible or are strongly constrained by the Grand Banks shelfbreak. Cold core rings pinch off the southward GS meanders. The rings are often re-absorbed by the GS. The important warm core rings enhance heat exchange and, especially, affect the northern GS branch after GS bifurcation near the New England Seamount Chain. This northern branch gains heat by contact with the southern branch water upstream of bifurcation, and warms the Arctic Ocean and northern seas, thus playing a major role in ice dynamics, thermohaline circulation and possible global climate warming. These rings transport heat northward between the separated GS and shelf slope/Deep Western Boundary Current system (DWBC). This region has nearly level time mean isopycnals. The eddy heat transport convergence/divergence enhances the shelfbreak and GS front intensities and thus also increases watermass transformation. The fronts are maintained by warm advection by the Florida Current and cool advection by the DWBC. Thus, the GS interaction with the DWBC through the intermediate eddy field is climatologically important.

A Robust Current Pattern for the Detection of Intraventricular Hemorrhage in Neonates Using Electrical Impedance Tomography

PubMed Central

Tang, T.; Oh, Sungho; Sadleir, R. J.

2010-01-01

We compared two 16-electrode electrical impedance tomography (EIT) current patterns on their ability to reconstruct and quantify small amounts of bleeding inside a neonatal human head using both simulated and phantom data. The current patterns used were an adjacent injection RING pattern (with electrodes located equidistantly on the equator of a sphere) and an EEG current pattern based on the 10–20 EEG electrode layout. Structures mimicking electrically important structures in the infant skull were included in a spherical numerical forward model and their effects on reconstructions were determined. The EEG pattern was found to be a better topology to localize and quantify anomalies within lateral ventricular regions. The RING electrode pattern could not reconstruct anomaly location well, as it could not distinguish different axial positions. The quantification accuracy of the RING pattern was as good as the EEG pattern in noise-free environments. However, the EEG pattern showed better quantification ability than the RING pattern when noise was added. The performance of the EEG pattern improved further with respect to the RING pattern when a fontanel was included in forward models. Significantly better resolution and contrast of reconstructed anomalies was achieved when generated from a model containing such an opening and 50 dB added noise. The EEG method was further applied to reconstruct data from a realistic neonatal head model. Overall, acceptable reconstructions and quantification results were obtained using this model and the homogeneous spherical forward model. PMID:20238166

Causes of Ring-Related Leg Injuries in Birds – Evidence and Recommendations from Four Field Studies

PubMed Central

Griesser, Michael; Schneider, Nicole A.; Collis, Mary-Anne; Overs, Anthony; Guppy, Michael; Guppy, Sarah; Takeuchi, Naoko; Collins, Pete; Peters, Anne; Hall, Michelle L.

2012-01-01

One of the main techniques for recognizing individuals in avian field research is marking birds with plastic and metal leg rings. However, in some species individuals may react negatively to rings, causing leg injuries and, in extreme cases, the loss of a foot or limb. Here, we report problems that arise from ringing and illustrate solutions based on field data from Brown Thornbills (Acanthiza pusilla) (2 populations), Siberian Jays (Perisoreus infaustus) and Purple-crowned Fairy-wrens (Malurus coronatus). We encountered three problems caused by plastic rings: inflammations triggered by material accumulating under the ring (Purple-crowned Fairy-wrens), contact inflammations as a consequence of plastic rings touching the foot or tibio-tarsal joint (Brown Thornbills), and toes or the foot getting trapped in partly unwrapped flat-band colour rings (Siberian Jays). Metal rings caused two problems: the edges of aluminium rings bent inwards if mounted on top of each other (Brown Thornbills), and too small a ring size led to inflammation (Purple-crowned Fairy-wrens). We overcame these problems by changing the ringing technique (using different ring types or larger rings), or using different adhesive. Additionally, we developed and tested a novel, simple technique of gluing plastic rings onto metal rings in Brown Thornbills. A review of studies reporting ring injuries (N = 23) showed that small birds (<55 g body weight) are more prone to leg infections while larger birds (>35 g) tend to get rings stuck over their feet. We give methodological advice on how these problems can be avoided, and suggest a ringing hazard index to compare the impact of ringing in terms of injury on different bird species. Finally, to facilitate improvements in ringing techniques, we encourage online deposition of information regarding ringing injuries of birds at a website hosted by the European Union for Bird Ringing (EURING). PMID:23300574

Characteristics of persistent spin current components in a quasi-periodic Fibonacci ring with spin–orbit interactions: Prediction of spin–orbit coupling and on-site energy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patra, Moumita; Maiti, Santanu K., E-mail: santanu.maiti@isical.ac.in

In the present work we investigate the behavior of all three components of persistent spin current in a quasi-periodic Fibonacci ring subjected to Rashba and Dresselhaus spin–orbit interactions. Analogous to persistent charge current in a conducting ring where electrons gain a Berry phase in presence of magnetic flux, spin Berry phase is associated during the motion of electrons in presence of a spin–orbit field which is responsible for the generation of spin current. The interplay between two spin–orbit fields along with quasi-periodic Fibonacci sequence on persistent spin current is described elaborately, and from our analysis, we can estimate the strengthmore » of any one of two spin–orbit couplings together with on-site energy, provided the other is known. - Highlights: • Determination of Rashba and Dresselhaus spin–orbit fields is discussed. • Characteristics of all three components of spin current are explored. • Possibility of estimating on-site energy is given. • Results can be generalized to any lattice models.« less

Writing with ring currents: selectively hydrogenated polycyclic aromatics as finite models of graphene and graphane

PubMed Central

Fowler, Patrick W.; Gibson, Christopher M.; Bean, David E.

2014-01-01

Alternating partial hydrogenation of the interior region of a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon gives a finite model system representing systems on the pathway from graphene to the graphane modification of the graphene sheet. Calculations at the DFT and coupled Hartree–Fock levels confirm that sp2 cycles of bare carbon centres isolated by selective hydrogenation retain the essentially planar geometry and electron delocalization of the annulene that they mimic. Delocalization is diagnosed by the presence of ring currents, as detected by ipsocentric calculation and visualization of the current density induced in the π system by a perpendicular external magnetic field. These induced ‘ring’ currents have essentially the same sense, strength and orbital origin as in the free hydrocarbon. Subjected to the important experimental proviso of the need for atomic-scale control of hydrogenation, this finding predicts the possibility of writing single, multiple and concentric diatropic and/or paratropic ring currents on the graphene/graphane sheet. The implication is that pathways for free flow of ballistic current can be modelled in the same way. PMID:24611026

The peculiar ring galaxy HRG 54103 revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freitas-Lemes, P.; Krabbe, A. C.; Faúndez-Abans, M.; da Rocha-Poppe, P.; Rodrigues, I.; de Oliveira-Abans, M.; Fernandes-Martin, V. A.

2017-07-01

We present an observational study of the galaxy HRG 54103, a peculiar galaxy with an asymmetric disc ring. The main goal of this work is to study the stellar population and oxygen abundances for the inner bulge region. The kinematics derived from long-slit spectroscopy suggest that the line of nodes of the gaseous component of HRG 54103 is nearly along the galaxy ring minor axis. The gaseous disc seems to be kinematically decoupled relative to the morphology of the stellar ring. A small, but non-negligible, fraction of young stars (5-10 per cent) is estimated to contribute. This object is mainly dominated by old and intermediate stellar populations. The emission-line spectrum shows low-ionization nuclear emission-line region (LINER) type characteristics. We determined oxygen abundances using calibrations between this parameter and the strong emission line ratios known as the indices O3N2 and N2. Our results suggest a relatively homogeneous O/H across the minor axis of the galaxy, with average values of 12 + log(O/H) = 8.4 dex and 12 + log(O/H) = 8.7 dex, using the O3N2 and N2 parameters, respectively. These values are compatible with the few estimations of oxygen abundance for peculiar ring galaxies published in the literature. Implications on the formation history of HRG 54103 were investigated.

Slow Crack Growth Behavior and Life/Reliability Analysis of 96 wt % Alumina at Ambient Temperature With Various Specimen/Loading Configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, Sung R.; Powers, Lynn M.; Nemeth, Noel N.

2000-01-01

Extensive constant stress-rate testing for 96 wt % alumina was conducted in room-temperature distilled water using four different specimen/loading configurations: rectangular beam test specimens under four-point uniaxial flexure, square plate test specimens in ring-on-ring biaxial flexure, square plate test specimens in ball-on-ring biaxial flexure, and dog-boned tensile test specimens in pure tension. The slow crack growth (SCG) parameter n was almost independent of specimen/loading configurations, in either four-point uniaxial flexure, ring-on-ring biaxial flexure, ball-on-ring biaxial flexure, or pure tension, ranging from n = 35 to 47 with an average value of n = 41.1 +/- 4.5. The prediction of fatigue strength/reliability based on the four-point uniaxial flexure data by using the CARES/Life design code as well as a simple PIA model was in good agreement with both the ring-on-ring biaxial and the ball-on-ring biaxial flexure data. A poor prediction using the PIA model was observed for the dog-boned tensile test specimens, presumably due to different flaw population involved in the tensile test specimens.

Biological suppression of potato ring rot by fluorescent pseudomonads.

PubMed Central

de la Cruz, A R; Poplawsky, A R; Wiese, M V

1992-01-01

Three strains of fluorescent pseudomonads (IS-1, IS-2, and IS-3) isolated from potato underground stems with roots showed in vitro antibiosis against 30 strains of the ring rot bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus. On the basis of morphological and biochemical tests and fatty acid analysis, IS-1 and IS-2 were identified as Pseudomonas aureofaciens and IS-3 was identified as P. fluorescens biovar III. IS-1 was the most inhibitory to C. michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus strains in vitro, followed by IS-3 and IS-2. Suppression of ring rot by these antagonists was demonstrated in greenhouse trials with stem-cultured potato (cv. Russet Burbank) seedlings. Although each antagonist significantly reduced C. michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus populations, only IS-1 reduced infection by C. michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus. In a second experiment, treatment with IS-1 (10(9) CFU/ml) significantly reduced ring rot infection by 23.4 to 26.7% after 5 to 8 weeks. The average C. michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus population was also significantly reduced by 50 to 52%. Application of different combinations of antagonist strains was not more effective than single-strain treatment. Images PMID:1622275

TRACING REJUVENATION EVENTS IN NEARBY S0 GALAXIES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marino, Antonietta; Bianchi, Luciana; Thilker, David A.

2011-08-01

With the aim of characterizing rejuvenation processes in early-type galaxies, we analyzed five barred S0 galaxies showing a prominent outer ring in ultraviolet (UV) imaging. We analyzed Galaxy Evolution Explorer far-UV (FUV) and near-UV (NUV), and optical data using stellar population models and estimated the age and the stellar mass of the entire galaxies and the UV-bright ring structures. Outer rings consist of young ({approx}<200 Myr old) stellar populations, accounting for up to 70% of the FUV flux but containing only a few percent of the total stellar mass. Integrated photometry of the whole galaxies places four of these objectsmore » on the green valley, indicating a globally evolving nature. We suggest such galaxy evolution is likely driven by bar-induced instabilities, i.e., inner secular evolution, that conveys gas to the nucleus and the outer rings. At the same time, H I observations of NGC 1533 and NGC 2962 suggest external gas re-fueling can play a role in the rejuvenation processes of such galaxies.« less

Electronic States and Persistent Currents in Nanowire Quantum Ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kokurin, I. A.

2018-04-01

The new model of a quantum ring (QR) defined inside a nanowire (NW) is proposed. The one-particle Hamiltonian for electron in [111]-oriented NW QR is constructed taking into account both Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling (SOC). The energy levels as a function of magnetic field are found using the exact numerical diagonalization. The persistent currents (both charge and spin) are calculated. The specificity of SOC and arising anticrossings in energy spectrum lead to unusual features in persistent current behavior. The variation of magnetic field or carrier concentration by means of gate can lead to pure spin persistent current with the charge current being zero.

Cassini Thermal Observations of Saturn's Main Rings: Implications for Particle Rotation and Vertical Mixing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spilkera, Linda J.; Pilorz, Stuart H.; Wallis, Brad D.; Pearl, John C.; Cuzzi, Jeffrey N.; Brooks, Shawn M.; Altobelli, Nicolas; Edgington, Scott G.; Showalter, Mark; Flasar, F. Michael;

Laser collisional induced fluorescence electron density measurements as a function of ring bias and the onset of anode spot formation in a ring cusp magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arthur, N. A.; Foster, J. E.; Barnat, E. V.

2018-05-01

Two-dimensional electron density measurements are made in a magnetic ring cusp discharge using laser collisional induced fluorescence. The magnet rings are isolated from the anode structure such that they can be biased independently in order to modulate electron flows through the magnetic cusps. Electron density images are captured as a function of bias voltage in order to assess the effects of current flow through the cusp on the spatial extent of the cusp. We anticipated that for a fixed current density being funneled through the magnetic cusp, the leak width would necessarily increase. Unexpectedly, the leak width, as measured by LCIF images, does not increase. This suggests that the current density is not constant, and that possibly either electrons are being heated or additional ionization events are occurring within the cusp. Spatially resolving electron temperature would be needed to determine if electrons are being heated within the cusp. We also observe breakdown of the anode magnetosheath and formation of anode spots at high bias voltage.

Optical ferris wheel for ultracold atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franke-Arnold, S.; Leach, J.; Padgett, M. J.; Lembessis, V. E.; Ellinas, D.; Wright, A. J.; Girkin, J. M.; Ohberg, P.; Arnold, A. S.

2007-07-01

We propose a versatile optical ring lattice suitable for trapping cold and quantum degenerate atomic samples. We demonstrate the realisation of intensity patterns from pairs of Laguerre-Gauss (exp(iℓө) modes with different ℓ indices. These patterns can be rotated by introducing a frequency shift between the modes. We can generate bright ring lattices for trapping atoms in red-detuned light, and dark ring lattices suitable for trapping atoms with minimal heating in the optical vortices of blue-detuned light. The lattice sites can be joined to form a uniform ring trap, making it ideal for studying persistent currents and the Mott insulator transition in a ring geometry.

So Long, C Ring

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-11-13

Saturn's C ring is home to a surprisingly rich array of structures and textures. Much of the structure seen in the outer portions of Saturn's rings is the result of gravitational perturbations on ring particles by moons of Saturn. Such interactions are called resonances. However, scientists are not clear as to the origin of the structures seen in this image which has captured an inner ring region sparsely populated with particles, making interactions between ring particles rare, and with few satellite resonances. In this image, a bright and narrow ringlet located toward the outer edge of the C ring is flanked by two broader features called plateaus, each about 100 miles (160 kilometers) wide. Plateaus are unique to the C ring. Cassini data indicates that the plateaus do not necessarily contain more ring material than the C ring at large, but the ring particles in the plateaus may be smaller, enhancing their brightness. This view looks toward the sunlit side of the rings from about 53 degrees above the ring plane. The image was taken in green light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on Aug. 14, 2017. The view was acquired at a distance of approximately 117,000 miles (189,000 kilometers) from Saturn and at a Sun-Saturn-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 74 degrees. Image scale is 3,000 feet (1 kilometer) per pixel. The Cassini spacecraft ended its mission on Sept. 15, 2017. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21356

Modeling the superstorm in November 2003

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fok, Mei-Ching; Moore, Thomas E.; Slinker, Steve P.; Fedder, Joel A.; Delcourt, Dominique C.; Nosé, Masahito; Chen, Sheng-Hsien

2011-01-01

The superstorm on 20-21 November 2003 was the largest geomagnetic storm in solar cycle 23 as measured by Dst, which attained a minimum value of -422 nT. We have simulated this storm to understand how particles originating from the solar wind and ionosphere get access to the magnetosphere and how the subsequent transport and energization processes contribute to the buildup of the ring current. The global electromagnetic configuration and the solar wind H+ distribution are specified by the Lyon-Fedder-Mobarry (LFM) magnetohydrodynamics model. The outflow of H+ and O+ ions from the ionosphere are also considered. Their trajectories in the magnetosphere are followed by a test-particle code. The particle distributions at the inner plasma sheet established by the LFM model and test-particle calculations are then used as boundary conditions for a ring current model. Our simulations reproduce the rapid decrease of Dst during the storm main phase and the fast initial phase of recovery. Shielding in the inner magnetosphere is established at early main phase. This shielding field lasts several hours and then breaks down at late main phase. At the peak of the storm, strong penetration of ions earthward to L shell of 1.5 is revealed in the simulation. It is surprising that O+ is significant but not the dominant species in the ring current in our calculation for this major storm. It is very likely that substorm effects are not well represented in the models and O+ energization is underestimated. Ring current simulation with O+ energy density at the boundary set comparable to Geotail observations produces excellent agreement with the observed symH. As expected in superstorms, ring current O+ is the dominant species over H+ during the main to midrecovery phase of the storm.

Loss of ring current O+ ions due to interaction with Pc 5 waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hudson, Mary; Chan, Anthony; Roth, Ilan

1993-01-01

The behavior of ring current ions in low-frequency geomagnetic pulsations is investigated analytically and numerically. We focus primarily on ring current O+ ions, whose flux increases dramatically during geomagnetic storms and decays at a rate which is not fully explained by collisional processes. This paper presents a new loss mechanism for the O+ ions due to the combined effects of convection and corotation electric fields and interaction with Pc 5 waves (wave period: 150-600 s) via a magnetic drift-bounce resonance. A test particle code has been developed to calculate the motion of the ring current O+ ions in a time-independent dipole magnetic field, and convection and corotation electric fields, plus Pc 5 wave fields, for which a simple analytical model has been formulated based on spacecraft observations. For given fields, whether a particle gains or loses energy depends on its initial kinetic energy, pitch angle at the equatorial plane, and the position of its guiding center with respect to the azimuthal phase of the wave. The ring current O+ ions show a dispersion in energies and L values with decreasing local time across the dayside, and a bulk shift to lower energies and higher L values. The former is due to the wave-particle interaction causing the ion to gain or lose energy, while the latter is due to the convection electric field. Our simulations show that, due to the interaction with the Pc 5 waves, the particle's kinetic energy can drop below that required to overcome the convection potential and the particle will be lost to the dayside magnetopause by a sunward E×B drift. This may contribute to the loss of O+ ions at intermediate energies (tens of keV) observed during the recovery phase of geomagnetic storms.

TWO-DIMENSIONAL MAPPING OF YOUNG STARS IN THE INNER 180 pc OF NGC 1068: CORRELATION WITH MOLECULAR GAS RING AND STELLAR KINEMATICS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Storchi-Bergmann, Thaisa; Riffel, Rogerio; Vale, Tiberio Borges

We report the first two-dimensional mapping of the stellar population and non-stellar continua within the inner 180 pc (radius) of NGC 1068 at a spatial resolution of 8 pc, using integral field spectroscopy in the near-infrared. We have applied the technique of spectral synthesis to data obtained with the instrument NIFS and the adaptive optics module ALTAIR at the Gemini North Telescope. Two episodes of recent star formation are found to dominate the stellar population contribution: the first occurred 300 Myr ago, extending over most of the nuclear region; the second occurred just 30 Myr ago, in a ring-like structuremore » at Almost-Equal-To 100 pc from the nucleus, where it is coincident with an expanding ring of H{sub 2} emission. Inside the ring, where a decrease in the stellar velocity dispersion is observed, the stellar population is dominated by the 300 Myr age component. In the inner 35 pc, the oldest age component (age {>=} 2 Gyr) dominates the mass, while the flux is dominated by blackbody components with temperatures in the range 700 K {<=} T {<=} 800 K which we attribute to the dusty torus. We also find some contribution from blackbody and power-law components beyond the nucleus which we attribute to dust emission and scattered light.« less

Conditioning of BPM pickup signals for operations of the Duke storage ring with a wide range of single-bunch current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Wei; Li, Jing-Yi; Huang, Sen-Lin; Z. Wu, W.; Hao, H.; P., Wang; K. Wu, Y.

2014-10-01

The Duke storage ring is a dedicated driver for the storage ring based oscillator free-electron lasers (FELs), and the High Intensity Gamma-ray Source (HIGS). It is operated with a beam current ranging from about 1 mA to 100 mA per bunch for various operations and accelerator physics studies. High performance operations of the FEL and γ-ray source require a stable electron beam orbit, which has been realized by the global orbit feedback system. As a critical part of the orbit feedback system, the electron beam position monitors (BPMs) are required to be able to precisely measure the electron beam orbit in a wide range of the single-bunch current. However, the high peak voltage of the BPM pickups associated with high single-bunch current degrades the performance of the BPM electronics, and can potentially damage the BPM electronics. A signal conditioning method using low pass filters is developed to reduce the peak voltage to protect the BPM electronics, and to make the BPMs capable of working with a wide range of single-bunch current. Simulations and electron beam based tests are performed. The results show that the Duke storage ring BPM system is capable of providing precise orbit measurements to ensure highly stable FEL and HIGS operations.

Rotary motions and convection as a means of regulating primary production in warm core rings. [of ocean currents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yentsch, C. S.; Phinney, D. A.

1985-01-01

The term 'ring' is generally used in the case of a subdivision of ocean eddies. in the present investigation, it denotes mesoscale features which are spawned by the Gulf Stream. This investigation is concerned with the mechanism involved in the regulation of the growth of phytoplankton by the physical oceanographic features of rings. Gulf Stream rings were first observed by Parker (1971) and Fuglister (1972) as a result of extensive temperature measurements from ships in the Gulf Stream. Attention is given to changes in density boundaries associated with the rotation of rings, a synthetic model of a newly formed warm core ring, convection-stabilization, the role of light, the influence of convective overturn in adding nutrients to surface waters of warm core rings, and two major areas which require study.

Low-energy plasma observations at synchronous orbit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lennartsson, W.; Reasoner, D. L.

1978-01-01

The University of California at San Diego Auroral Particles Experiment on the ATS 6 satellite in synchronous orbit has detected a low-energy plasma population which is separate and distinct from both the ring current and the plasma sheet populations. The density and temperature of this low-energy population are highly variable, with temperatures in the range kT = 1-30 eV and densities ranging from less than 1 per cu cm to more than 10 per cu cm. The occurrence of a dense low-energy plasma is most likely in the afternoon and dusk local time sectors, whereas n greater than 1 per cu cm is seen in the local night sector only during magnetically quiet periods. These observations suggest that this plasma is the outer zone of the plasmasphere. During magnetically active periods this low-energy plasma is often observed flowing sunward. In the dusk sector, strong sunward plasma flow is often observed for 1-2 hours prior to the onset of a substorm-associated particle injection.

Obturator Artery Injury Resulting in Massive Hemorrhage From a Low-Energy Pubic Ramus Fracture.

PubMed

Solarz, Mark K; Kistler, Justin M; Rehman, Saqib

2017-05-01

Pelvic ring fractures are common in the elderly population and are usually a result of low-energy trauma, such as falls from standing. In most cases, low-energy pelvic ring injuries can be treated with appropriate analgesia and early mobilization. Arterial injury resulting in hemodynamic instability from a low-energy pelvic ring injury is rare but, given the poor compliance of vessels in the elderly population, possible. These patients must be carefully monitored after the initial injury. The purpose of this report is to describe an elderly patient who sustained a superior pubic ramus fracture and arterial injury following a low-energy fall from standing that required angiographic intervention. Elderly patients who sustain low-energy or pelvic insufficiency fractures are unlike the younger population with high-energy pelvic fractures and hemodynamic collapse. Elderly patients can have a delayed presentation of arterial injury and require careful physical examination and close monitoring. Additionally, the authors provide a review of the literature for low-energy pelvic fractures. [Orthopedics. 2017; 40(3):e546-e548.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

Magnetic storm of September 4, 1984 - A synthesis of ring current spectra and energy densities measured with AMPTE/CCE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krimigis, S. M.; Mcentire, R. W.; Potemra, T. A.; Gloeckler, G.; Scarf, F. L.; Shelley, E. G.

1985-01-01

Compositional studies of the equatorial distributions of ring current ions during the September 4, 1984 magnetic storm have been made possible by comprehensive energy, charge state, and mass coverage data from the Charge Composition Explorer satellite. An examination of ion spectra at an L value of about 4 on September 5, in the local evening sector, shows that energy density was dominated by protons, with O ions contributing about 27 percent at the peak of about 150 keV, while He ions contributed less than about 2 percent. September 6 ion spectra, taken during the recovery phase of the storm, indicate that ion densities at more than 20 keV had decreased markedly, and that the ring current energy density was primarily provided by protons.

Increasing operational life of brush-contact device in the turbine generator due to using lubricating molybdenum disulphide brushes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izotov, A. I.; Fominykh, A. A.; Nikulin, S. V.; Prokoshev, D. K.; Legoti, A. B.; Timina, N. V.

2018-01-01

A way of reducing irregular current distribution in multi-brush systems of sliding current transfer with its wear reduction due to installing lubricating molybdenum disulphide brushes on slip rings to ensure a greasing nano-sized cover on the slip ring surface is proposed. The authors give the results of industrial tests estimated on the performance effectiveness of lubricating brushes on slip rings of the TBB-320-2UZ-type turbine generator. The results showed that the lubricating brushes reduce a) the wear of 6110 OM+M and EG2AF+M brushes by 1.2 and 2.1 times respectively, b) current distribution irregularity in parallel operating brushes due to stabilizing the contact arc, and c) the temperature of the electrical brush-contact device due to the friction reduction in brushes.

The Inner Magnetosphere Plasma Response to Interplanetary Shocks: Van Allen Probes HOPE Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winter, L. M.; Denton, M.; Ferradas, C.; Henderson, M. G.; Larsen, B.; Reeves, G.; Skoug, R. M.; Thomsen, M. F.

2017-12-01

The Van Allen Probes' Helium, Oxygen, Proton, and Electron (HOPE) sensors measure ion and electron populations in the plasmasphere, plasma sheet, and lower-energy ring current, providing unique observations at low energies (0.001-50 keV) and low L-shell (down to 1.5 RE). We use the capabilities of these two spacecraft to probe changes in the low energy particles in response to interplanetary (IP) shocks. We focus on changes in the plasma energies, composition, and pitch angle distributions following IP shocks and storm sudden commencements from 2012-2017 through a comparison of HOPE observations preceding and post shock.

Deterministic phase slips in mesoscopic superconducting rings

PubMed Central

Petković, I.; Lollo, A.; Glazman, L. I.; Harris, J. G. E.

2016-01-01

The properties of one-dimensional superconductors are strongly influenced by topological fluctuations of the order parameter, known as phase slips, which cause the decay of persistent current in superconducting rings and the appearance of resistance in superconducting wires. Despite extensive work, quantitative studies of phase slips have been limited by uncertainty regarding the order parameter's free-energy landscape. Here we show detailed agreement between measurements of the persistent current in isolated flux-biased rings and Ginzburg–Landau theory over a wide range of temperature, magnetic field and ring size; this agreement provides a quantitative picture of the free-energy landscape. We also demonstrate that phase slips occur deterministically as the barrier separating two competing order parameter configurations vanishes. These results will enable studies of quantum and thermal phase slips in a well-characterized system and will provide access to outstanding questions regarding the nature of one-dimensional superconductivity. PMID:27882924

Deterministic phase slips in mesoscopic superconducting rings.

PubMed

Petković, I; Lollo, A; Glazman, L I; Harris, J G E

2016-11-24

The properties of one-dimensional superconductors are strongly influenced by topological fluctuations of the order parameter, known as phase slips, which cause the decay of persistent current in superconducting rings and the appearance of resistance in superconducting wires. Despite extensive work, quantitative studies of phase slips have been limited by uncertainty regarding the order parameter's free-energy landscape. Here we show detailed agreement between measurements of the persistent current in isolated flux-biased rings and Ginzburg-Landau theory over a wide range of temperature, magnetic field and ring size; this agreement provides a quantitative picture of the free-energy landscape. We also demonstrate that phase slips occur deterministically as the barrier separating two competing order parameter configurations vanishes. These results will enable studies of quantum and thermal phase slips in a well-characterized system and will provide access to outstanding questions regarding the nature of one-dimensional superconductivity.

Dielectronic recombination experiments at the storage rings: From the present CSR to the future HIAF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Z. K.; Wen, W. Q.; Xu, X.; Wang, H. B.; Dou, L. J.; Chuai, X. Y.; Zhu, X. L.; Zhao, D. M.; Li, J.; Ma, X. M.; Mao, L. J.; Yang, J. C.; Yuan, Y. J.; Xu, W. Q.; Xie, L. Y.; Xu, T. H.; Yao, K.; Dong, C. Z.; Zhu, L. F.; Ma, X.

2017-10-01

Dielectronic recombination (DR) experiments of highly charged ions at the storage rings have been developed as a precision spectroscopic tool to investigate the atomic structure as well as nuclear properties of stable and unstable nuclei. The DR experiment on lithium-like argon ions was successfully performed at main Cooler Storage Ring (CSRm) at Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou (HIRFL) accelerator complex. The DR experiments on heavy highly charged ions and even radioactive ions are currently under preparation at the experimental Cooler Storage Ring (CSRe) at HIRFL. The current status of DR experiments at the CSRm and the preparation of the DR experiments at the CSRe are presented. In addition, an overview of DR experiments by employing an electron cooler and a separated ultra-cold electron target at the upcoming High Intensity heavy ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF) will be given.

SIN accelerator, operational experience and improvement programs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Joho, W.; Olivo, M.; Stammbach, T.

1977-06-01

The SIN meson facility, in operation since 1974, consists of a 590 MeV ring cyclotron for protons and a 72 MeV injector cyclotron. The average beam current on target is presently about 50 ..mu..A, the peak being 112 ..mu..A. Extraction efficiency, once considered a severe handicap for cyclotrons, is now 99.6 to 99.9% for the ring cyclotron and about 90% for the injector. Many improvements in both accelerators allow single turn extraction in the ring cyclotron. The present current limit is given by the injector, while the ring itself could accept now a 600 ..mu..A beam, with 2 to 4more » mA as an ultimate limit. Some muon experiments require a pulsed beam with on-off times in the order of the lifetime of the muon. First trials with beam pulse frequencies of 200 and 400 kHz and a 50% duty cycle have been successful.« less

Double-ring structure formation of intense ion beams with finite radius in a pre-formed plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Zhang-Hu; Wang, Xiao-Juan; Zhao, Yong-Tao; Wang, You-Nian

2017-12-01

The dynamic structure evolution of intense ion beams with a large edge density gradient is investigated in detail with an analytical model and two-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations, with special attention paid to the influence of beam radius. At the initial stage of beam-plasma interactions, the ring structure is formed due to the transverse focusing magnetic field induced by the unneutralized beam current in the beam edge region. As the beam-plasma system evolves self-consistently, a second ring structure appears in the case of ion beams with a radius much larger than the plasma skin depth, due to the polarity change in the transverse magnetic field in the central regions compared with the outer, focusing field. Influences of the current-filamentation and two-stream instability on the ring structure can be clearly observed in PIC simulations by constructing two different simulation planes.

Deterministic phase slips in mesoscopic superconducting rings

DOE PAGES

Petković, Ivana; Lollo, A.; Glazman, L. I.; ...

2016-11-24

The properties of one-dimensional superconductors are strongly influenced by topological fluctuations of the order parameter, known as phase slips, which cause the decay of persistent current in superconducting rings and the appearance of resistance in superconducting wires. Despite extensive work, quantitative studies of phase slips have been limited by uncertainty regarding the order parameter’s free-energy landscape. Here we show detailed agreement between measurements of the persistent current in isolated flux-biased rings and Ginzburg–Landau theory over a wide range of temperature, magnetic field and ring size; this agreement provides a quantitative picture of the free-energy landscape. Furthermore, we also demonstrate thatmore » phase slips occur deterministically as the barrier separating two competing order parameter configurations vanishes. These results will enable studies of quantum and thermal phase slips in a well-characterized system and will provide access to outstanding questions regarding the nature of one-dimensional superconductivity.« less

Beta ray flux measuring device

DOEpatents

Impink, Jr., Albert J.; Goldstein, Norman P.

1990-01-01

A beta ray flux measuring device in an activated member in-core instrumentation system for pressurized water reactors. The device includes collector rings positioned about an axis in the reactor's pressure boundary. Activated members such as hydroballs are positioned within respective ones of the collector rings. A response characteristic such as the current from or charge on a collector ring indicates the beta ray flux from the corresponding hydroball and is therefore a measure of the relative nuclear power level in the region of the reactor core corresponding to the specific exposed hydroball within the collector ring.

Manufacturing Methods & Technology Project Execution Report. First CY 83.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-11-01

UCCURRENCE. H 83 5180 MMT FOR METAL DEWAR AND UNBONDED LEADS THE GOLD WIRE BONDED CONNECTIOkS ARE MADE BY HAND WHICH IS A TEDIOUS AND EXPENSIVE PROCESS. THE...ATTACHMENTS CURRENT FILAMENT WOUND COMPOSIIE ROCKET MOTOR CASES REQUIRE FORGED METAL POLE PIECESt NOZZLE CLOSURE ATTACHMENT RINGS, AND OTHER ATTACHMENT RINGS... ELASTOMER INSULATOR PROCESS LARGE TACTICAL ROCKET MOTOR INSULATORS ARE COSTLY, LACK DESIGN CHANGE FLEXIBILITY AND SUFFER LONG LEAD TIMES. CURRENT

International Symposium on Recent Observations and Simulations of the Sun-Earth System

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-10

the Energy Dependence the Relative Contributions Ionospheric and Solar Sources of the Ring Current Protons Kovtyukh A.S. Skobeltsyn...heavily dependent on solar activity, are energetic solar protons of MeV range energies . Therefore, it is necessary to consider available qualitative...70 15:10–15:25 B. Lavraud, V. Jordanova: Modeling the Effects of Cold-Dense and Hot-Tenuous Plasma Sheet on Proton Ring Current Energy

The Effects of Hydrogen Band EMIC Waves on Ring Current H+ Ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhiqiang; Zhai, Hao; Gao, Zhuxiu

2017-12-01

Hydrogen band electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves have received much attention recently because they are found to frequently span larger spatial areas than the other band EMIC waves. Using test particle simulations, we study the nonlinear effects of hydrogen band EMIC waves on ring current H+ ions. A dimensionless parameter R is used to characterize the competition between wave-induced and adiabatic motions. The results indicate that there are three regimes of wave-particle interactions for typical 35 keV H+ ions at L = 5: diffusive (quasi-linear) behavior when αeq ≤ 35° (R ≥ 2.45), the nonlinear phase trapping when 35° < αeq < 50° (0.75 < R < 2.45), and both the nonlinear phase bunching and phase trapping when αeq ≥ 50° (R ≤ 0.75). The phase trapping can transport H+ ions toward large pitch angle, while the phase bunching has the opposite effect. The phase-trapped H+ ions can be significantly accelerated (from 35 keV to over 500 keV) in about 4 min and thus contribute to the formation of high energy components of ring current ions. The results suggest that the effect of hydrogen band EMIC waves is not ignorable in the nonlinear acceleration and resonance scattering of ring current H+ ions.

Improving the Ionospheric Auroral Conductance in a Global Ring Current Model and the Effects on the Ionospheric Electrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Y.; Jordanova, V. K.; McGranaghan, R. M.; Solomon, S. C.

2017-12-01

The ionospheric conductance, height-integrated electric conductivity, can regulate both the ionospheric electrodynamics and the magnetospheric dynamics because of its key role in determining the electric field within the coupled magnetosphere-ionosphere system. State-of-the-art global magnetosphere models commonly adopt empirical conductance calculators to obtain the auroral conductance. Such specification can bypass the complexity of the ionosphere-thermosphere chemistry but on the other hand breaks the self-consistent link within the coupled system. In this study, we couple a kinetic ring current model RAM-SCB-E that solves for anisotropic particle distributions with a two-stream electron transport code (GLOW) to more self-consistently compute the height-dependent electric conductivity, provided the auroral electron precipitation from the ring current model. Comparisons with the traditional empirical formula are carried out. It is found that the newly coupled modeling framework reveals smaller Hall and Pedersen conductance, resulting in a larger electric field. As a consequence, the subauroral polarization streams demonstrate a better agreement with observations from DMSP satellites. It is further found that the commonly assumed Maxwellian spectrum of the particle precipitation is not globally appropriate. Instead, a full precipitation spectrum resulted from wave particle interactions in the ring current accounts for a more comprehensive precipitation spectrum.

The NGC 7742 star cluster luminosity function: a population analysis revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Grijs, Richard; Ma, Chao

2018-02-01

We re-examine the properties of the star cluster population in the circumnuclear starburst ring in the face-on spiral galaxy NGC 7742, whose young cluster mass function has been reported to exhibit significant deviations from the canonical power law. We base our reassessment on the clusters’ luminosities (an observational quantity) rather than their masses (a derived quantity), and confirm conclusively that the galaxy’s starburst-ring clusters—and particularly the youngest subsample, {log}(t {{{yr}}}-1)≤ 7.2—show evidence of a turnover in the cluster luminosity function well above the 90% completeness limit adopted to ensure the reliability of our results. This confirmation emphasizes the unique conundrum posed by this unusual cluster population.

The Reconstruction Potential of a 350 year-long, Mid-Elevation Proxy for PDSI in a Tree-Ring Record from Tropical North Queensland, Australia.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

English, N. B.; Duffy, R.; Balanzategui, D.; Baker, P. J.; Evans, M. N.

2014-12-01

In far northern Queensland (FNQ) there are only sporadic coral and speleothem precipitation proxy records, and only one annually resolved, terrestrial record of rainfall that predates 1850 CE. Black kauri pine, Agathis atropurpurea, is a large conifer present in isolated stands near 1000 masl in the wet tropical dividing range of FNQ. Little is known about its phenology or responses to climate, although its presence near the elevational limit of the dividing range may hinder its ability to respond to increased temperature or decreased precipitation through elevational migration. We hypothesize that in this energy-limited forest, increased (decreased) solar radiation leads to increased (decreased) ring widths, and higher (lower) evapotranspiration rates produce increases (decreases) in the oxygen isotopic composition (δ18O) of the a-cellulose component of wood. To test this hypothesis, we collected over 60 cores from 21 large (dbh = 56 to 186 cm) A. atropurpurea trees from Spurgeon Peak National Park. The resulting tree-ring chronology extends from 2013 to 1438 CE and shows high average mean sensitivity (0.642) although expressed population signal drops off at 1650 CE as sample depth decreases. Comparison of the most recent 100 years of ring widths and direct climate observations show a significant positive relationship (r2 = 0.4, p < 0.01) to PDSI in December through March, coinciding with the austral rainy season associated with onset of the northern Australian Monsoon. Annualized δ18Oxygen (a-cellulose) maxima for 1983-2013 show strong and significant spatial positive relationships to Tmax and Pacific seasurface temperatures. Work to refine the interpretation of the data is onoing, but the resulting dataset may enable extension of the terrestrial climate record of north Queensland two centuries beyond current tree-ring proxies and historical observations.

Fabrication and high temperature characteristics of ion-implanted GaAs bipolar transistors and ring-oscillators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doerbeck, F. H.; Yuan, H. T.; Mclevige, W. V.

1981-01-01

Ion implantation techniques that permit the reproducible fabrication of bipolar GaAs integrated circuits are studied. A 15 stage ring oscillator and discrete transistor were characterized between 25 and 400 C. The current gain of the transistor was found to increase slightly with temperature. The diode leakage currents increase with an activation energy of approximately 1 eV and dominate the transistor leakage current 1 sub CEO above 200 C. Present devices fail catastrophically at about 400 C because of Au-metallization.

Conductive atomic force microscopy studies on the transformation of GeSi quantum dots to quantum rings.

PubMed

Zhang, S L; Xue, F; Wu, R; Cui, J; Jiang, Z M; Yang, X J

2009-04-01

Conductive atomic force microscopy has been employed to study the topography and conductance distribution of individual GeSi quantum dots (QDs) and quantum rings (QRs) during the transformation from QDs to QRs by depositing an Si capping layer on QDs. The current distribution changes significantly with the topographic transformation during the Si capping process. Without the capping layer, the QDs are dome-shaped and the conductance is higher at the ring region between the center and boundary than that at the center. After capping with 0.32 nm Si, the shape of the QDs changes to pyramidal and the current is higher at both the center and the arris. When the Si capping layer increases to 2 nm, QRs are formed and the current of individual QRs is higher at the rim than that at the central hole. By comparing the composition distributions obtained by scanning Auger microscopy and atomic force microscopy combined with selective chemical etching, the origin of the current distribution change is discussed.

Measurement of Electron Density and Ion Collision Frequency with Dual Assisted Grounded Electrode DBD in Atmospheric Pressure Helium Plasma Jet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Qiujiao; Qi, Bing; Huang, Jianjun; Pan, Lizhu; Liu, Ying

2016-04-01

The properties of a helium atmospheric-pressure plasma jet (APPJ) are diagnosed with a dual assisted grounded electrode dielectric barrier discharge device. In the glow discharge, we captured the current waveforms at the positions of the three grounded rings. From the current waveforms, the time delay between the adjacent positions of the rings is employed to calculate the plasma bullet velocity of the helium APPJ. Moreover, the electron density is deduced from a model combining with the time delay and current intensity, which is about 1011 cm-3. In addition, The ion-neutral particles collision frequency in the radial direction is calculated from the current phase difference between two rings, which is on the order of 107 Hz. The results are helpful for understanding the basic properties of APPJs. supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 11105093), the Technological Project of Shenzhen, China (No. JC201005280485A), and the Planned S&T Program of Shenzhen, China (No. JC201105170703A)

Eddy current position indicating apparatus for measuring displacements of core components of a liquid metal nuclear reactor

DOEpatents

Day, Clifford K.; Stringer, James L.

1977-01-01

Apparatus for measuring displacements of core components of a liquid metal fast breeder reactor by means of an eddy current probe. The active portion of the probe is located within a dry thimble which is supported on a stationary portion of the reactor core support structure. Split rings of metal, having a resistivity significantly different than sodium, are fixedly mounted on the core component to be monitored. The split rings are slidably positioned around, concentric with the probe and symmetrically situated along the axis of the probe so that motion of the ring along the axis of the probe produces a proportional change in the probes electrical output.

Impedance spectroscopy of tripolar concentric ring electrodes with Ten20 and TD246 pastes.

PubMed

Nasrollaholhosseini, Seyed Hadi; Herrera, Daniel Salazar; Besio, Walter G

2017-07-01

Electrodes are used to transform ionic currents to electrical currents in biological systems. Modeling the electrode-electrolyte interface could help to optimize the performance of the electrode interface to achieve higher signal to noise ratios. There are previous reports of accurate models for single-element biomedical electrodes. In this paper, we measured the impedance on both tripolar concentric ring electrodes and standard cup electrodes by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) using both Ten20 and TD246 electrode paste. Furthermore, we applied the model to prove that the model can predict the performance of the electrode-electrolyte interface for tripolar concentric ring electrodes (TCRE) that are used to record brain signals.

Understanding tree growth in response to moisture variability: Linking 32 years of satellite based soil moisture observations with tree rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albrecht, Franziska; Dorigo, Wouter; Gruber, Alexander; Wagner, Wolfgang; Kainz, Wolfgang

2014-05-01

Climate change induced drought variability impacts global forest ecosystems and forest carbon cycle dynamics. Physiological drought stress might even become an issue in regions generally not considered water-limited. The water balance at the soil surface is essential for forest growth. Soil moisture is a key driver linking precipitation and tree development. Tree ring based analyses are a potential approach to study the driving role of hydrological parameters for tree growth. However, at present two major research gaps are apparent: i) soil moisture records are hardly considered and ii) only a few studies are linking tree ring chronologies and satellite observations. Here we used tree ring chronologies obtained from the International Tree ring Data Bank (ITRDB) and remotely sensed soil moisture observations (ECV_SM) to analyze the moisture-tree growth relationship. The ECV_SM dataset, which is being distributed through ESA's Climate Change Initiative for soil moisture covers the period 1979 to 2010 at a spatial resolution of 0.25°. First analyses were performed for Mongolia, a country characterized by a continental arid climate. We extracted 13 tree ring chronologies suitable for our analysis from the ITRDB. Using monthly satellite based soil moisture observations we confirmed previous studies on the seasonality of soil moisture in Mongolia. Further, we investigated the relationship between tree growth (as reflected by tree ring width index) and remotely sensed soil moisture records by applying correlation analysis. In terms of correlation coefficient a strong response of tree growth to soil moisture conditions of current April to August was observed, confirming a strong linkage between tree growth and soil water storage. The highest correlation was found for current April (R=0.44), indicating that sufficient water supply is vital for trees at the beginning of the growing season. To verify these results, we related the chronologies to reanalysis precipitation and temperature datasets. Precipitation was important during both the current and previous growth season. Temperature showed the strongest correlation for previous (R=0.12) and current October (R=0.21). Hence, our results demonstrated that water supply is most likely limiting tree growth during the growing season, while temperature is determining its length. We are confident that long-term satellite based soil moisture observations can bridge spatial and temporal limitations that are inherent to in situ measurements, which are traditionally used for tree ring research. Our preliminary results are a foundation for further studies linking remotely sensed datasets and tree ring chronologies, an approach that has not been widely investigated among the scientific community.

Population dynamics of ring-necked ducks in the Atlantic and Mississippi flyways

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conroy, M.J.

1982-01-01

Band-recovery data, harvest surveys, and spring and winter population surveys were used to estimate population parameters of ring-necked ducks (Aythya collaris). Mean annual survival rates of adult males (0.63 to 0.69) were higher (P < 0.05) than those of either adult females (0.48 to 0.58) or juveniles (0.31 to 0.41). Survival rates of winter-banded adult males were highest in the Mississippi Flyway (0.69), whereas those of females were highest in the Atlantic Flyway (0.58). Recovery rates varied little geographically, were similar for adult males and females, and were higher (P < 0.01) for juveniles. Survival rates of winter-banded adult males in the Mississippi Flyway were negatively correlated with annual harvest rate indices (r = -0.78, P < 0.01) and breeding population indices r = -0.68, P< 0.05). These results are contradictory, because the 1st correlation suggests an additive relationship between hunting and non-hunting mortality, whereas the 2nd suggests compensatory (density-dependent) mortality. Fall age-ratios of ring-necked ducks for 1961-80 were not significantly different between the Mississippi (1.29 young/adult) and the Atlantic (1.18 young/adult) Flyways. Estimated survival rates were used in conjunction with these age-ratios to project finite rates of increase at stable age distributions of approximately 1.0 for the Mississippi and the Atlantic Flyways. Mixing between the 2 Flyway populations and temporal variability in survival rates and age-ratios suggest a population with long-term stationarity but subject to large short-term fluctuations in growth rate. Breeding population surveys for 1960-80 corroborate these results, with breeding populations ranging from 200,000 to 800,000 ( = 500,000) but exhibiting no overall trends

Radiocarbon Records of Fossil Fuel Emissions From Urban Trees in the Greater Salt Lake Valley From Mid-Century to Present.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chritz, K.; Buchert, M.; Walker, J. C.; Mendoza, D.; Pataki, D. E.; Xu, X.; Lin, J. C.

2017-12-01

Generating long term records of fossil fuel emissions of urban environments is complicated by the fact that direct observations of emissions and urban atmospheric CO2 concentrations were only collected in the recent past. Radiocarbon (14C) in tree rings from urban trees can provide archives of fossil fuel emissions that may track population growth over time, as higher population density is typically correlated with increased vehicular traffic and associated CO2 emissions, which are radiocarbon dead. We present radiocarbon measurements (n=125) from five roadside green ash trees (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) located in three cities of northern Utah - Salt Lake City (urban, 2016 population: 193,744), Logan City (agricultural, 2016 population: 49,110) and Heber (rural, 2016 population: 14,969). Urban trees were cored in four cardinal directions and ring widths were measured and counted to establish a chronology. One ring from every third year in a single core from each tree was removed and holocellulose was extracted from bulk wood of individual rings for 14C analysis. Fraction CO2 from fossil fuel burning (CO2-ff) was calculated using a simple mass-balance calculation from measured 14C values and remote background atmospheric 14CO2 values for NH Zone 2. The data from all three cities indicate a general trend of increasing CO2-ff uptake by the trees from 1980s to present, as expected with increased population growth and vehicular traffic. However, records in all three cities show unique elevated CO2-ff prior to the 1980s, assuming similar climate patterns through time, diverging from historic population size. We employed atmospheric simulations from the STILT (Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport) models for each of these trees to create footprints to determine source areas for CO2. These footprints reveal that atmospheric sampling areas can be large for certain trees, and other sources of 14C dead carbon, such as coal and natural gas from industrial emissions, should also be considered when building these records.

Slide-Ring Materials Using Cyclodextrin.

PubMed

Ito, Kohzo

2017-01-01

We have recently synthesized slide-ring materials using cyclodextrin by cross-linking polyrotaxanes, a typical supramolecule. The slide-ring materials have polymer chains with bulky end groups topologically interlocked by figure-of-eight shaped junctions. This indicates that the cross-links can pass through the polymer chains similar to pulleys to relax the tension of the backbone polymer chains. The slide-ring materials also differ from conventional polymers in that the entropy of rings affects the elasticity. As a result, the slide-ring materials show quite small Young's modulus not proportional to the cross-linking density. This concept can be applied to a wide variety of polymeric materials as well as gels. In particular, the slide-ring materials show remarkable scratch-proof properties for coating materials for automobiles, cell phones, mobile computers, and so on. Further current applications include vibration-proof insulation materials for sound speakers, highly abrasive polishing media, dielectric actuators, and so on.

Planning and Prototyping for a Storage Ring Measurement of the Proton Electric Dipole Moment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Talman, Richard

2015-07-01

Electron and proton EDM's can be measured in "frozen spin" (with the beam polarization always parallel to the orbit, for example) storage rings. For electrons the "magic" kinetic energy at which the beam can be frozen is 14.5 MeV. For protons the magic kinetic energy is 230 MeV. The currently measured upper limit for the electron EDM is much smaller than the proton EDM upper limit, which is very poorly known. Nevertheless, because the storage ring will be an order of magnitude cheaper, a sensible plan is to first build an all-electric electron storage ring as a prototype. Such anmore » electron ring was successfully built at Brookhaven, in 1954, as a prototype for their AGS ring. This leaves little uncertainty concerning the cost and performance of such a ring. (This is documentedin one of the Physical Review papers mentioned above.)« less

A silicone elastomer vaginal ring for HIV prevention containing two microbicides with different mechanisms of action.

PubMed

Fetherston, Susan M; Boyd, Peter; McCoy, Clare F; McBride, Marcella C; Edwards, Karen-Leigh; Ampofo, Stephen; Malcolm, R Karl

2013-02-14

Vaginal rings are currently being developed for the long-term (at least 30 days) continuous delivery of microbicides against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Research to date has mostly focused on devices containing a single antiretroviral compound, exemplified by the 25mg dapivirine ring currently being evaluated in a Phase III clinical study. However, there is a strong clinical rationale for combining antiretrovirals with different mechanisms of action in a bid to increase breadth of protection and limit the emergence of resistant strains. Here we report the development of a combination antiretroviral silicone elastomer matrix-type vaginal ring for simultaneous controlled release of dapivirine, a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, and maraviroc, a CCR5-targeted HIV-1 entry inhibitor. Vaginal rings loaded with 25mg dapivirine and various quantities of maraviroc (50-400mg) were manufactured and in vitro release assessed. The 25mg dapivirine and 100mg maraviroc formulation was selected for further study. A 24-month pharmaceutical stability evaluation was conducted, indicating good product stability in terms of in vitro release, content assay, mechanical properties and related substances. This combination ring product has now progressed to Phase I clinical testing. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Charged dust in Saturn's magnetosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mendis, D. A.; Hill, J. R.; Houpis, H. L. F.

1983-01-01

The overall distribution of fine dust in the Saturnian magnetosphere, its behavior, the cosmogony of the Saturnian ring system, and observations of the magnetosphere and ring system are synthesized and explained using gravito-electrodynamics. Among the phenomena discussed are the formation of waves in the F-ring, the cause of eccentricities of certain isolated ringlets, and the origin and morphology of the broad diffuse E-ring. Magnetogravitational resonance of charged dust with nearby satellites, gyro-orbital resonances, and magnetogravitational capture of exogenic dust by the magnetosphere are used to explain individual observations. The effect of a ring current associated with the charged dust is evaluated. Finally, the cosmogonic implications of the magnetogravitational theory are discussed.

[Research advances in dendrochronology].

PubMed

Fang, Ke-Yan; Chen, Qiu-Yan; Liu, Chang-Zhi; Cao, Chun-Fu; Chen, Ya-Jun; Zhou, Fei-Fei

2014-07-01

Tree-ring studies in China have achieved great advances since the 1990s, particularly for the dendroclimatological studies which have made some influence around the world. However, because of the uneven development, limited attention has been currently paid on the other branches of dendrochronology. We herein briefly compared the advances of dendrochronology in China and of the world and presented suggestions on future dendrochronological studies. Large-scale tree-ring based climate reconstructions in China are highly needed by employing mathematical methods and a high quality tree-ring network of the ring-width, density, stable isotope and wood anatomy. Tree-ring based field climate reconstructions provide potentials on explorations of climate forcings during the reconstructed periods via climate diagnosis and process simulation.

Quantitative study of interactions between oxygen lone pair and aromatic rings: substituent effect and the importance of closeness of contact.

PubMed

Gung, Benjamin W; Zou, Yan; Xu, Zhigang; Amicangelo, Jay C; Irwin, Daniel G; Ma, Shengqian; Zhou, Hong-Cai

2008-01-18

Current models describe aromatic rings as polar groups based on the fact that benzene and hexafluorobenzene are known to have large and permanent quadrupole moments. This report describes a quantitative study of the interactions between oxygen lone pair and aromatic rings. We found that even electron-rich aromatic rings and oxygen lone pairs exhibit attractive interactions. Free energies of interactions are determined using the triptycene scaffold and the equilibrium constants were determined by low-temperature 1H NMR spectroscopy. An X-ray structure analysis for one of the model compounds confirms the close proximity between the oxygen and the center of the aromatic ring. Theoretical calculations at the MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ level corroborate the experimental results. The origin of attractive interactions was explored by using aromatic rings with a wide range of substituents. The interactions between an oxygen lone pair and an aromatic ring are attractive at van der Waals' distance even with electron-donating substituents. Electron-withdrawing groups increase the strength of the attractive interactions. The results from this study can be only partly rationalized by using the current models of aromatic system. Electrostatic-based models are consistent with the fact that stronger electron-withdrawing groups lead to stronger attractions, but fail to predict or rationalize the fact that weak attractions even exist between electron-rich arenes and oxygen lone pairs. The conclusion from this study is that aromatic rings cannot be treated as a simple quadrupolar functional group at van der Waals' distance. Dispersion forces and local dipole should also be considered.

The circumstellar ring of SN 1987A

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fransson, Claes; Migotto, Katia; Larsson, Josefin; Pesce, Dominic; Challis, Peter; Chevalier, Roger A.; France, Kevin; Kirshner, Robert P.; Leibundgut, Bruno; Lundqvist, Peter; McCray, Richard; Spyromilio, Jason; Taddia, Francesco; Jerkstrand, Anders; Mattila, Seppo; Smith, Nathan; Sollerman, Jesper; Wheeler, J. Craig; Crotts, Arlin; Garnavich, Peter; Heng, Kevin; Lawrence, Stephen S.; Panagia, Nino; Pun, Chun S. J.; Sonneborn, George; Sugerman, Ben

2016-06-01

The circumstellar ring of supernova 1987A first became visible a few months after the explosion due to photoionisation by the supernova flash. From 1995 hotspots appeared in the ring and their brightness increased nearly exponentially as a result of interaction with the supernova blast wave. Imaging and spectroscopic observations with the Hubble Space Telescope and the Very Large Telescope now show that both the shocked and the unshocked emission components from the ring have been decreasing since ~ 2009. In addition, the most recent images reveal the brightening of new spots outside the ring. These observations indicate that the hotspots are being dissolved by the shocks and that the blast wave is now expanding and interacting with dense clumps beyond the ring. Based on the currently observed decay we predict that the ring will be destroyed by ~ 2025, while the blast wave will reveal the distribution of gas as it expands outside the ring, thus tracing the mass-loss history of the supernova progenitor.

Boomerang Satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hesselbrock, Andrew; Minton, David A.

2017-10-01

We recently reported that the orbital architecture of the Martian environment allows for material in orbit around the planet to ``cycle'' between orbiting the planet as a ring, or as coherent satellites. Here we generalize our previous analysis to examine several factors that determine whether satellites accreting at the edge of planetary rings will cycle. In order for the orbiting material to cycle, tidal evolution must decrease the semi-major axis of any accreting satellites. In some systems, the density of the ring/satellite material, the surface mass density of the ring, the tidal parameters of the system, and the rotation rate of the primary body contribute to a competition between resonant ring torques and tidal dissipation that prevent this from occurring, either permanently or temporarily. Analyzing these criteria, we examine various bodies in our solar system (such as Saturn, Uranus, and Eris) to identify systems where cycling may occur. We find that a ring-satellite cycle may give rise to the current Uranian ring-satellite system, and suggest that Miranda may have formed from an early, more massive Uranian ring.

The IRAF Fabry-Perot analysis package: Ring fitting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shopbell, P. L.; Bland-Hawthorn, J.; Cecil, G.

1992-01-01

As introduced at ADASSI, a Fabry-Perot analysis package for IRAF is currently under development as a joint effort of ourselves and Frank Valdes of the IRAF group. Although additional portions of the package were also implemented, we report primarily on the development of a robust ring fitting task, useful for fitting the calibration rings obtained in Fabry-Perot observations. The general equation of an ellipse is fit to the shape of the rings, providing information on ring center, ellipticity, and position angle. Such parameters provide valuable information on the wavelength response of the etalon and the geometric stability of the system. Appropriate statistical weighting is applied to the pixels to account for increasing numbers with radius, the Lorentzian cross-section, and uneven illumination. The major problems of incomplete, non-uniform, and multiple rings are addressed with the final task capable of fitting rings regardless of center, cross-section, or completion. The task requires only minimal user intervention, allowing large numbers of rings to be fit in an extremely automated manner.

Time-lag and Correlation between ACE and RBSPICE Injection Event Observations during Storm Times

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madanian, H.; Patterson, J. D.; Manweiler, J. W.; Soto-chavez, A. R.; Gerrard, A. J.; Lanzerotti, L. J.

2017-12-01

The Radiation Belt Storm Probes Ion Composition Experiment (RBSPICE) on the Van Allen Probes mission measures energetic charged particles [ 20 keV to 1 MeV] in the inner magnetosphere and ring current. During geomagnetic storms, injections of energetic ions into the ring current change the ion population and produce geomagnetic field depressions on Earth's surface. We analyzed the magnetic field strength and particle composition in the interplanetary medium measured by instruments on the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft near the inner Lagrangian point. The Electron, Proton, and Alpha Monitor-Low Energy Magnetic Spectrometer (EPAM-LEMS) sensor on ACE measures energetic particles [ 50 keV to 5 MeV] in the interplanetary space. The SYM-H index is utilized to classify the storm events by magnitude and to select more than 60 storm events between 2013 and 2017. We cross-compared ACE observations at storm times, with the RBSPICE ion measurements at dusk to midnight magnetic local time and over the 3-6 L-shell range. We report on the relative composition of the solar particles and the relative composition of the inner magnetospheric hot plasma during storm times. The data correlation is accomplished by shifting the observation time from ACE to RBSPICE using the solar wind velocity at the time of the observation. We will discuss time lags between storm onset at the magnetopause and injection events measured for each storm.

ULF waves associated with enhanced subauroral proton precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Immel, Thomas J.; Mende, S. B.; Frey, H. U.; Patel, J.; Bonnell, J. W.; Engebretson, M. J.; Fuselier, S. A.

Several types of sub-auroral proton precipitation events have been identified using the Spectrographic Imager (SI) onboard the NASA-IMAGE satellite, including dayside subauroral proton flashes and detached proton arcs in the dusk sector. These have been observed at various levels of geomagnetic activity and solar wind conditions and the mechanism driving the precipitation has often been assumed to be scattering of protons into the loss cone by enhancement of ion-cyclotron waves in the interaction of the thermal plasmaspheric populations and more energetic ring current particles. Indeed, recent investigation of the detached arcs using the MPA instruments aboard the LANL geosynchronous satellites has shown there are nearly always heightened densities of cold plasma on high-altitude field lines which map down directly to the sub-auroral precipitation. If the ion-cyclotron instability is a causative mechanism, the enhancement of wave activity at ion-cyclotron frequencies should be measurable. It is here reported that magnetic pulsations in the Pc1 range occur in the vicinity of each of 4 detached arcs observed in 2000-2002, though with widely varying signatures. Additionally, longer period pulsations in the Pc5 ranges are also observed in the vicinity of the arcs, leading to the conclusion that a bounce-resonance of ring-current protons with the azimuthal Pc5 wave structure may also contribute to the detached precipitation.

Fabrication of optical ring resonators in silicon on insulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Headley, William R.; Reed, Graham T.; Liu, Ansheng; Cohen, Oded; Hak, D.; Paniccia, Mario J.; Howe, Simon; Huille, Inga

2004-07-01

In an effort to determine low-cost alternatives for components currently used in DWDM, optical ring resonators are currently being investigated. The well-known microfabrication techniques of silicon, coupled with the low propagation loss of single crystal silicon, make SOI an attractive material. Laterally coupled racetrack resonators utilising rib waveguides have been fabricated and preliminary results are discussed. An extinction ratio of 15.9 dB and a finesse of 11 have been measured.

Topological transport in Dirac nodal-line semimetals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rui, W. B.; Zhao, Y. X.; Schnyder, Andreas P.

2018-04-01

Topological nodal-line semimetals are characterized by one-dimensional Dirac nodal rings that are protected by the combined symmetry of inversion P and time-reversal T . The stability of these Dirac rings is guaranteed by a quantized ±π Berry phase and their low-energy physics is described by a one-parameter family of (2+1)-dimensional quantum field theories exhibiting the parity anomaly. Here we study the Berry-phase supported topological transport of P T -invariant nodal-line semimetals. We find that small inversion breaking allows for an electric-field-induced anomalous transverse current, whose universal component originates from the parity anomaly. Due to this Hall-like current, carriers at opposite sides of the Dirac nodal ring flow to opposite surfaces when an electric field is applied. To detect the topological currents, we propose a dumbbell device, which uses surface states to filter charges based on their momenta. Suggestions for experiments and device applications are discussed.

Electrostatic instability of ring current protons beyond the plasmapause during injection events

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coroniti, F. V.; Fredricks, R. W.; White, R.

1972-01-01

The stability of ring current protons with an injection spectrum modeled by an m = 2 mirror distribution function was examined for typical ring current parameters. It was found that the high frequency loss cone mode can be excited at wave numbers K lambda sub Di about = to 0.1 to 0.5, at frequencies omega about = to (0.2 to 0.6) omega sub pi and with growth rates up to gamma/omega about = to 0.03. These waves interact with the main body of the proton distribution and propagate nearly perpendicular to the local magnetic field. Cold particle partial densities tend to reduce the growth rate so that the waves are quenched at or near to the plasmapause boundary. Wave e-folding lengths are comparable to 0.1 R sub e, compared to the value of about 4 R sub e found for ion cyclotron waves at the same plasma conditions.

Prompt Disappearance and Emergence of Radiation Belt Magnetosonic Waves Induced by Solar Wind Dynamic Pressure Variations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Nigang; Su, Zhenpeng; Zheng, Huinan; Wang, Yuming; Wang, Shui

2018-01-01

Magnetosonic waves are highly oblique whistler mode emissions transferring energy from the ring current protons to the radiation belt electrons in the inner magnetosphere. Here we present the first report of prompt disappearance and emergence of magnetosonic waves induced by the solar wind dynamic pressure variations. The solar wind dynamic pressure reduction caused the magnetosphere expansion, adiabatically decelerated the ring current protons for the Bernstein mode instability, and produced the prompt disappearance of magnetosonic waves. On the contrary, because of the adiabatic acceleration of the ring current protons by the solar wind dynamic pressure enhancement, magnetosonic waves emerged suddenly. In the absence of impulsive injections of hot protons, magnetosonic waves were observable even only during the time period with the enhanced solar wind dynamic pressure. Our results demonstrate that the solar wind dynamic pressure is an essential parameter for modeling of magnetosonic waves and their effect on the radiation belt electrons.

UVIT observations of the star-forming ring in NGC 7252: Evidence of possible AGN feedback suppressing central star formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

George, K.; Joseph, P.; Mondal, C.; Devaraj, A.; Subramaniam, A.; Stalin, C. S.; Côté, P.; Ghosh, S. K.; Hutchings, J. B.; Mohan, R.; Postma, J.; Sankarasubramanian, K.; Sreekumar, P.; Tandon, S. N.

2018-05-01

Context. Some post-merger galaxies are known to undergo a starburst phase that quickly depletes the gas reservoir and turns it into a red-sequence galaxy, though the details are still unclear. Aims: Here we explore the pattern of recent star formation in the central region of the post-merger galaxy NGC 7252 using high-resolution ultraviolet (UV) images from the UVIT on ASTROSAT. Methods: The UVIT images with 1.2 and 1.4 arcsec resolution in the FUV and NUV are used to construct a FUV-NUV colour map of the central region. Results: The FUV-NUV pixel colour map for this canonical post-merger galaxy reveals a blue circumnuclear ring of diameter 10'' (3.2 kpc) with bluer patches located over the ring. Based on a comparison to single stellar population models, we show that the ring is comprised of stellar populations with ages ≲300 Myr, with embedded star-forming clumps of younger age (≲150Myr). Conclusions: The suppressed star formation in the central region, along with the recent finding of a large amount of ionised gas, leads us to speculate that this ring may be connected to past feedback from a central super-massive black hole that has ionised the hydrogen gas in the central 4'' 1.3 kpc.

Combined Genetic and Telemetry Data Reveal High Rates of Gene Flow, Migration, and Long-Distance Dispersal Potential in Arctic Ringed Seals (Pusa hispida)

PubMed Central

Martinez-Bakker, Micaela E.; Sell, Stephanie K.; Swanson, Bradley J.; Kelly, Brendan P.; Tallmon, David A.

2013-01-01

Ringed seals (Pusa hispida) are broadly distributed in seasonally ice covered seas, and their survival and reproductive success is intricately linked to sea ice and snow. Climatic warming is diminishing Arctic snow and sea ice and threatens to endanger ringed seals in the foreseeable future. We investigated the population structure and connectedness within and among three subspecies: Arctic (P. hispida hispida), Baltic (P. hispida botnica), and Lake Saimaa (P. hispida saimensis) ringed seals to assess their capacity to respond to rapid environmental changes. We consider (a) the geographical scale of migration, (b) use of sea ice, and (c) the amount of gene flow between subspecies. Seasonal movements and use of sea ice were determined for 27 seals tracked via satellite telemetry. Additionally, population genetic analyses were conducted using 354 seals representative of each subspecies and 11 breeding sites. Genetic analyses included sequences from two mitochondrial regions and genotypes of 9 microsatellite loci. We found that ringed seals disperse on a pan-Arctic scale and both males and females may migrate long distances during the summer months when sea ice extent is minimal. Gene flow among Arctic breeding sites and between the Arctic and the Baltic Sea subspecies was high; these two subspecies are interconnected as are breeding sites within the Arctic subspecies. PMID:24130843

Empirical Modeling of the Storm Time Innermost Magnetosphere Using Van Allen Probes and THEMIS Data: Eastward and Banana Currents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephens, G. K.; Sitnov, M. I.; Ukhorskiy, A. Y.; Roelof, E. C.; Tsyganenko, N. A.; Le, G.

2016-01-01

The structure of storm time currents in the inner magnetosphere, including its innermost region inside 4R(sub E), is studied for the first time using a modification of the empirical geomagnetic field model TS07D and new data from Van Allen Probes and Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms missions. It is shown that the model, which uses basis-function expansions instead of ad hoc current modules to approximate the magnetic field, consistently improves its resolution and magnetic field reconstruction with the increase of the number of basis functions and resolves the spatial structure and evolution of the innermost eastward current. This includes a connection between the westward ring current flowing largely at R > or approx. 3R(sub E) and the eastward ring current concentrated at R < or approx. 3R(sub E) resulting in a vortex current pattern. A similar pattern coined 'banana current' was previously inferred from the pressure distributions based on the energetic neutral atom imaging and first-principles ring current simulations. The morphology of the equatorial currents is dependent on storm phase. During the main phase, it is complex, with several asymmetries forming banana currents. Near SYM-H minimum, the banana current is strongest, is localized in the evening-midnight sector, and is more structured compared to the main phase. It then weakens during the recovery phase resulting in the equatorial currents to become mostly azimuthally symmetric.

Living marine resources of the Chukchi Sea: a resource report for the Chukchi Sea oil and gas lease sale Number 85. Technical memo

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morris, B.F.

1981-04-01

An area of the outer continental shelf of the northeastern Chukchi Sea is currently proposed by the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management for oil and gas leasing in February 1985. The report assesses the biological resources of the northeastern Chukchi Sea that may be at risk from petroleum exploration and development, and proposes research needs to minimize and avoid potential biological impacts. The Chukchi Sea supports large populations of marine mammals and seabirds, which depend on the fish and invertebrate populations of the region. The marine mammals of major importance in the region are the bowhead whale,more » gray whale, beluga whale, walrus, ringed seal, bearded seal, spotted seal, and polar bear. Less frequent but regular visitors to the area are the fin, minke, humpback, and killer whales, the harbor porpoise, and ribbon seals.« less

Modeling Electric Field Influences on Plasmaspheric Refilling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liemohn, M. W.; Kozyra, J. U.; Khazanov, G. V.; Craven, Paul D.

1998-01-01

We have a new model of ion transport that we have applied to the problem of plasmaspheric flux tube refilling after a geomagnetic disturbance. This model solves the Fokker-Planck kinetic equation by applying discrete difference numerical schemes to the various operators. Features of the model include a time-varying ionospheric source, self-consistent Coulomb collisions, field-aligned electric field, hot plasma interactions, and ion cyclotron wave heating. We see refilling rates similar to those of earlier observations and models, except when the electric field is included. In this case, the refilling rates can be quite different that previously predicted. Depending on the populations included and the values of relevant parameters, trap zone densities can increase or decrease. In particular, the inclusion of hot populations near the equatorial region (specifically warm pancake distributions and ring current ions) can dramatically alter the refilling rate. Results are compared with observations as well as previous hydrodynamic and kinetic particle model simulations.

A pulsed jumping ring apparatus for demonstration of Lenz's law

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanner, Paul; Loebach, Jeff; Cook, James; Hallen, H. D.

2001-08-01

Lenz's law is often demonstrated in classrooms by the use of Elihu Thomson's jumping ring. However, it is ironic that a thorough analysis of the physics of the ac jumping ring reveals that the operation is due mainly to a phase difference, not Lenz's law. A complete analysis of the physics behind the ac jumping ring is difficult for the introductory student. We present a design for a pulsed jumping ring which can be fully described by the application of Lenz's law. Other advantages of this system are that it lends itself to a rigorous analysis of the force balances and energy flow. The simple jumping ring apparatus closely resembles Thomson's, but is powered by a capacitor bank. The jump heights were measured for several rings as a function of energy stored in the capacitors. A simple model describes the data well. Currents in both the drive coil and ring are measured and that of the drive coil modeled to illuminate some properties of the capacitors. An analysis of the energy flow in the system explains the higher jump heights, to 2 m, when the ring is cooled.

Gastric marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue and signet ring cell carcinoma, synchronous collision tumour of the stomach: a case report.

PubMed

George, Smiley Annie; Junaid, T A

2014-01-01

To report a rare case of synchronous marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) signet ring cell carcinoma occurring as a collision tumour in the stomach. A 53-year-old man was diagnosed initially with signet ring cell carcinoma of the stomach. The microscopy of the subsequent total gastrectomy revealed a collision tumour of MALT lymphoma and signet ring cell carcinoma associated with Helicobacter pylori gastritis. This case highlighted the importance of a careful evaluation of the accompanying lymphoid population in the biopsy samples of gastric adenocarcinoma and underlined the need for multiple endoscopic biopsies to detect these rare synchronous tumours. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Gastric Marginal Zone Lymphoma of Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue and Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma, Synchronous Collision Tumour of the Stomach: A Case Report

PubMed Central

George, Smiley Annie; Junaid, T.A.

2014-01-01

Objective To report a rare case of synchronous marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) signet ring cell carcinoma occurring as a collision tumour in the stomach. Clinical Presentation and Intervention A 53-year-old man was diagnosed initially with signet ring cell carcinoma of the stomach. The microscopy of the subsequent total gastrectomy revealed a collision tumour of MALT lymphoma and signet ring cell carcinoma associated with Helicobacter pylori gastritis. Conclusion This case highlighted the importance of a careful evaluation of the accompanying lymphoid population in the biopsy samples of gastric adenocarcinoma and underlined the need for multiple endoscopic biopsies to detect these rare synchronous tumours. PMID:24247357

Voyager radio occultation by the Uranian rings: Structure, dynamics, and particle sizes. Ph.D. Thesis Final Technical Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gresh, Donna Leigh

1990-01-01

Diffraction of Voyager 2's 3.6 and 13 cm wavelength microwaves by the Uranian rings is removed through an inverse Fresnel transform filtering procedure that accommodates the significant eccentricity of the rings. Resulting 50 m resolution profiles at two observation longitudes: (1) reveal remarkably detailed and longitudinally varying structure, (2) provide eccentricity gradient profiles of Rings alpha, beta, and epsilon which bring into question current theoretical models for observed rigid precession, and (3) suggest that two possible unseen satellites may confine some of the very sharp edges observed via resonant interactions.

Laparoscopic-assisted extracorporeal ovarian cystectomy: a new technique.

PubMed

Ikuma, Kenichino; Amin, Magdy; Yukio, Yamada; Hisato, Okuo; Yoshihiro, Ito; Shintaro, Ueda; Masako, Tanaka; Yasuki, Koyasu

2004-01-01

An increasing number of adnexal masses are currently managed laparoscopically, which has hampered progress regarding the different techniques of laparoscopic surgery. In this chapter, a modified application of surgical instrument was described in laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy-we named this device, Lap-Disc Mini. This new instrument has three rings, an inner flexible ring fixed to a middle ring by a rubber corset, and an additional dynamic outer ring that has a rubbery-like iris opening, which allows the application of different-sized trocars and extracorporeal ovarian cystectomy. This technique has proved to be effective and safe, especially in removing large ovarian cyst.

Method for making a high current fiber brush collector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scuro, S. J.

1986-05-01

An axial-type homopolar motor having high density, high current fiber brush collectors affording efficient, low contact resistance and low operating temperatures is discussed. The collectors include a ring of concentric row of brushes in equally spaced beveled holes soldered in place using a fixture for heating the ring to just below the solder melting point at a soldering iron for the local application of additional heat at each brush. Prior to soldering, an oxide film is formed on the surfaces of the brushes and ring, and the bevels are burnished to form a wetting surface. Flux applied with the solder at each bevel removes to an effective soldering depth the oxide film on the brushes and the holes.

Acceleration and Pickup Ring of Energetic Electrons Observed in Relativistic Magnetic Reconnection Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ping, Y. L.; Zhong, J. Y.; Wang, X. G.; Sheng, Z. M.; Zhao, G.

2017-11-01

Pickup ring of energetic electrons found in relativistic magnetic reconnection (MR) driven by two relativistic intense femtosecond laser pulses is investigated by particle simulation in 3D geometry. Magnetic reconnection processes and configurations are characterized by plasma current density distributions at different axial positions. Two helical structures associated with the circular polarization of laser pulses break down in the reconnection processes to form a current sheet between them, where energetic electrons are found to pile up and the outflow relativistic electron jets are observed. In the field line diffusion region, electrons are accelerated to multi-MeV with a flatter power-law spectrum due to MR. The development of the pickup ring of energetic electrons is strongly dependent upon laser peak intensities.

Space charge tune shift, fast resonance traversal, and current limits in circular accelerators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rees, G.H.

1996-06-01

Space charge tune shifts, fast resonance traversals, and current limits are important design issues for low energy, high power circular accelerators. Areas of interest are accumulator rings and fast cycling synchrotrons, and typical applications are for pulsed spallation neutron sources, heavy ion fusion storage ring drivers, and booster injectors for high energy proton and ion facilities. Aspects of the three topics are discussed in the paper. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}

Electrode-electrolyte interface model of tripolar concentric ring electrode and electrode paste.

PubMed

Nasrollaholhosseini, Seyed Hadi; Steele, Preston; Besio, Walter G

2016-08-01

Electrodes are used to transform ionic currents to electrical currents in biological systems. Modeling the electrode-electrolyte interface could help to optimize the performance of the electrode interface to achieve higher signal to noise ratios. There are previous reports of accurate models for single-element biomedical electrodes. In this paper we develop a model for the electrode-electrolyte interface for tripolar concentric ring electrodes (TCRE) that are used to record brain signals.

Safe operating conditions for NSLS-II Storage Ring Frontends commissioning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Seletskiy, S.; Amundsen, C.; Ha, K.

2015-04-02

The NSLS-II Storage Ring Frontends are designed to safely accept the synchrotron radiation fan produced by respective insertion device when the electron beam orbit through the ID is locked inside the predefined Active Interlock Envelope. The Active Interlock is getting enabled at a particular beam current known as AI safe current limit. Below such current the beam orbit can be anywhere within the limits of the SR beam acceptance. During the FE commissioning the beam orbit is getting intentionally disturbed in the particular ID. In this paper we explore safe operating conditions for the Frontends commissioning.

TOSCA calculations and measurements for the SLAC SLC damping ring dipole magnet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Early, R. A.; Cobb, J. K.

1985-04-01

The SLAC damping ring dipole magnet was originally designed with removable nose pieces at the ends. Recently, a set of magnetic measurements was taken of the vertical component of induction along the center of the magnet for four different pole-end configurations and several current settings. The three dimensional computer code TOSCA, which is currently installed on the National Magnetic Fusion Energy Computer Center's Cray X-MP, was used to compute field values for the four configurations at current settings near saturation. Comparisons were made for magnetic induction as well as effective magnetic lengths for the different configurations.

Test Method Designed to Evaluate Cylinder Liner-Piston Ring Coatings for Advanced Heat Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Radil, Kevin C.

1997-01-01

Research on advanced heat engine concepts, such as the low-heat-rejection engine, have shown the potential for increased thermal efficiency, reduced emissions, lighter weight, simpler design, and longer life in comparison to current diesel engine designs. A major obstacle in the development of a functional advanced heat engine is overcoming the problems caused by the high combustion temperatures at the piston ring/cylinder liner interface, specifically at top ring reversal (TRR). Therefore, advanced cylinder liner and piston ring materials are needed that can survive under these extreme conditions. To address this need, researchers at the NASA Lewis Research Center have designed a tribological test method to help evaluate candidate piston ring and cylinder liner materials for advanced diesel engines.

Atmospheric, Ionospheric, and Energetic Radiation Environments of Saturn's Rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooper, J. F.; Kollmann, P.; Sittler, E. C., Jr.; Johnson, R. E.; Sturner, S. J.

2015-12-01

Planetary magnetospheric and high-energy cosmic ray interactions with Saturn's rings were first explored in-situ during the Pioneer 11 flyby in 1979. The following Voyager flybys produced a wealth of new information on ring structure and mass, and on spatial structure of the radiation belts beyond the main rings. Next came the Cassini Orbiter flyover of the rings during Saturn Orbital Insertion in 2004 with the first in-situ measurements of the ring atmosphere and plasma ionosphere. Cassini has since fully explored the radiation belt and magnetospheric plasma region beyond the main rings, discovering how Enceladus acts as a source of water group neutrals and water ions for the ion plasma. But do the main rings also substantially contribute by UV photolysis to water group plasma (H+, O+, OH+, H2O+, H3O+, O2+) and neutrals inwards from Enceladus? More massive rings, than earlier inferred from Pioneer 11 and Voyager observations, would further contribute by bulk ring ice radiolysis from interactions of galactic cosmic ray particles. Products of these interactions include neutron-decay proton and electron injection into the radiation belts beyond the main rings. How does radiolysis from moon and ring sweeping of the radiation belt particles compare with direct gas and plasma sources from the main rings and Enceladus? Can the magnetospheric ion and electron populations reasonably be accounted for by the sum of the ring-neutron-decay and outer magnetospheric inputs? Pioneer 11 made the deepest radial penetration into the C-ring, next followed by Cassini SOI. What might Cassini's higher-inclination proximal orbits reveal about the atmospheric, ionospheric, and energetic radiation environments in the D-ring and the proximal gap region? Recent modeling predicts a lower-intensity innermost radiation belt extending from the gap to the inner D-ring. Other remaining questions include the lifetimes of narrow and diffuse dust rings with respect to plasma and energetic particle irradiation processes, the mass flux of water group ions along planetary magnetic field lines into the Saturn planetary atmosphere, seasonal dust charging dynamics of the now-reappeared Saturn ring spokes, and the exchange of energy via energetic neutral atoms between the outer magnetosphere and the rings.

Mechanical improvement of metal reinforcement rings for a finite ring-shaped superconducting bulk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Chen-Guang; Zhou, You-He

2018-03-01

As a key technique, reinforcement of type-II superconducting bulks with metal rings can efficiently improve their mechanical properties to enhance the maximum trapped field. In this paper, we study the magnetostrictive and fracture behaviors of a finite superconducting ring bulk reinforced by three typical reinforcing structures composed of metal rings during the magnetizing process by means of the minimization of magnetic energy and the finite element method. After a field-dependent critical current density is adopted, the magnetostriction, pinning-induced stress, and crack tip stress intensity factor are calculated considering the demagnetization effects. The results show that the mechanical properties of the ring bulk are strongly dependent on the reinforcing structure and the material and geometrical parameters of the metal rings. Introducing the metal ring can significantly reduce the hoop stress, and the reduction effect by internal reinforcement is much improved relative to external reinforcement. By comparison, bilateral reinforcement seems to be the best candidate structure. Only when the metal rings have particular Young's modulus and radial thickness will they contribute to improve the mechanical properties the most. In addition, if an edge crack is pre-existing in the ring bulk, the presence of metal rings can effectively avoid crack propagation since it reduces the crack tip stress intensity factor by nearly one order of magnitude.

Analysis of variance to assess statistical significance of Laplacian estimation accuracy improvement due to novel variable inter-ring distances concentric ring electrodes.

PubMed

Makeyev, Oleksandr; Joe, Cody; Lee, Colin; Besio, Walter G

2017-07-01

Concentric ring electrodes have shown promise in non-invasive electrophysiological measurement demonstrating their superiority to conventional disc electrodes, in particular, in accuracy of Laplacian estimation. Recently, we have proposed novel variable inter-ring distances concentric ring electrodes. Analytic and finite element method modeling results for linearly increasing distances electrode configurations suggested they may decrease the truncation error resulting in more accurate Laplacian estimates compared to currently used constant inter-ring distances configurations. This study assesses statistical significance of Laplacian estimation accuracy improvement due to novel variable inter-ring distances concentric ring electrodes. Full factorial design of analysis of variance was used with one categorical and two numerical factors: the inter-ring distances, the electrode diameter, and the number of concentric rings in the electrode. The response variables were the Relative Error and the Maximum Error of Laplacian estimation computed using a finite element method model for each of the combinations of levels of three factors. Effects of the main factors and their interactions on Relative Error and Maximum Error were assessed and the obtained results suggest that all three factors have statistically significant effects in the model confirming the potential of using inter-ring distances as a means of improving accuracy of Laplacian estimation.

Plasticity in Dendroclimatic Response across the Distribution Range of Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis)

PubMed Central

de Luis, Martin; Čufar, Katarina; Di Filippo, Alfredo; Novak, Klemen; Papadopoulos, Andreas; Piovesan, Gianluca; Rathgeber, Cyrille B. K.; Raventós, José; Saz, Miguel Angel; Smith, Kevin T.

2013-01-01

We investigated the variability of the climate-growth relationship of Aleppo pine across its distribution range in the Mediterranean Basin. We constructed a network of tree-ring index chronologies from 63 sites across the region. Correlation function analysis identified the relationships of tree-ring index to climate factors for each site. We also estimated the dominant climatic gradients of the region using principal component analysis of monthly, seasonal, and annual mean temperature and total precipitation from 1,068 climatic gridpoints. Variation in ring width index was primarily related to precipitation and secondarily to temperature. However, we found that the dendroclimatic relationship depended on the position of the site along the climatic gradient. In the southern part of the distribution range, where temperature was generally higher and precipitation lower than the regional average, reduced growth was also associated with warm and dry conditions. In the northern part, where the average temperature was lower and the precipitation more abundant than the regional average, reduced growth was associated with cool conditions. Thus, our study highlights the substantial plasticity of Aleppo pine in response to different climatic conditions. These results do not resolve the source of response variability as being due to either genetic variation in provenance, to phenotypic plasticity, or a combination of factors. However, as current growth responses to inter-annual climate variability vary spatially across existing climate gradients, future climate-growth relationships will also likely be determined by differential adaptation and/or acclimation responses to spatial climatic variation. The contribution of local adaptation and/or phenotypic plasticity across populations to the persistence of species under global warming could be decisive for prediction of climate change impacts across populations. In this sense, a more complex forest dynamics modeling approach that includes the contribution of genetic variation and phenotypic plasticity can improve the reliability of the ecological inferences derived from the climate-growth relationships. PMID:24391786

Rings Research in the Next Decade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burns, J. A.; Tiscareno, M. S.

2009-12-01

The study of planetary ring systems forms a key component of planetary science for several reasons: 1) The evolution and current states of planets and their satellites are affected in many ways by rings, while 2) conversely, properties of planets and moons and other solar system populations are revealed by their effects on rings; 3) highly structured and apparently delicate ring systems may be bellwethers, constraining various theories of the origin and evolution of their entire planetary system; and finally, 4) planetary rings provide an easily observable analogue to other astrophysical disk systems, enabling real “ground truth” results applicable to disks much more remote in space and/or time, including proto-planetary disks, circum-stellar disks, and even galaxies. Significant advances have been made in rings science in the past decade. The highest-priority rings research recommendations of the last Planetary Science Decadal Survey were to operate and extend the Cassini orbiter mission at Saturn; this has been done with tremendous success, accounting for much of the progress made on key science questions, as we will describe. Important progress in understanding the rings of Saturn and other planets has also come from Earth-based observational and theoretical work, again as prioritized by the last Decadal Survey. However, much important work remains to be done. At Saturn, the Cassini Solstice Mission must be brought to a successful completion. Priority should also be placed on sending spacecraft to Neptune and/or Uranus, now unvisited for more than 20 years. At Jupiter and Pluto, opportunities afforded by visiting spacecraft capable of studying rings should be exploited. On Earth, the need for continued research and analysis remains strong, including in-depth analysis of rings data already obtained, numerical and theoretical modeling work, laboratory analysis of materials and processes analogous to those found in the outer solar system, and continued Earth-based observations. Members of the Rings White Paper Team include: Matthew S. Tiscareno (Cornell U), Nicole Albers (U of Colorado), Todd Bradley (U of Central Florida), André Brahic (U of Paris, France), Shawn Brooks (JPL), Joseph Burns (Cornell U), Carlos Chavez (UNAM, Mexico), Joshua Colwell (U of Central Florida), Jeff Cuzzi (NASA Ames), Imke de Pater (U of California), Luke Dones (SwRI), Richard Durisen (Indiana U), Michael Evans (Cornell U), Cecile Ferrari (CEA Saclay, France), Gianrico Filacchione (INAF-IASF, Italy), Silvia Giuliatti Winter (UNESP, Brazil), Mitch Gordon (SETI), Amara Graps (SwRI), Eberhard Gruen (MPI, Germany), Douglas Hamilton (U of Maryland), Matthew Hedman (Cornell U), Mihaly Horanyi (U of Colorado), Sascha Kempf (MPI, Germany), Harald Krueger (MPI, Germany), Steve Larson (U of Arizona), Mark Lewis (Trinity U), Jack Lissauer (NASA Ames), Colin Mitchell (CICLOPS/SSI), Carl Murray (QMUL, England), Philip Nicholson (Cornell U), Cathy Olkin (SwRI), Robert Pappalardo (JPL), Frank Postberg (MPI, Germany), Heikki Salo (U of Oulu, Finland), Juergen Schmidt (U of Potsdam, Germany), David Seal (JPL), Mark Showalter (SETI), Frank Spahn (U of Potsdam, Germany), Linda Spilker (JPL), Joseph Spitale (CICLOPS/SSI), Ralf Srama (MPI, Germany), Miodrag Sremcevic (U of Colorado), Glen Stewart (U of Colorado), John Weiss (Carleton College), Padma Yanamandra-Fisher (JPL)

How Bacterial Population Soliton Waves Can Defeat a Funnel Ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Austin, Robert; Morris, Ryan; Phan, Average; Black, Matthew; Lin, Ke-Chih; Bos, Julia

We have constructed using microfabrication a circular corral for bacteria made of rings of concentric funnels which channel motile bacteria outwards via non-hydrodynamic interactions with the funnel walls. Although initially bacteria do move rapidly outwards with the funnels, they are able with increasing cell density on the perimeter to defeat the physical constraints of the funnel by launching collective, soliton like waves of bacteria inwards against the funnel ring. We present the basic data and some non-linear modeling which can explain the basic way that bacterial population solitons propagate across a funnel landscape. There are three surprising aspects to the experiments: (1) The bifurcation of the population into motile bacteria which are pumped by the funnels and bacteria which are non-motile (i.e., not pumped); (2) The launching of a collective wave which rapidly circles the device and radiates inwards against the pumping action of the funnel; (3) the subsequent loss of motility by all the bacteria after this burst of very high motility. Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council [EP/J007404/1], National Cancer Institute (Grant No U54CA143803), and NSF PoLS program NSF PHY1521553.

Storage-ring Electron Cooler for Relativistic Ion Beams

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lin, Fanglei; Derbenev, Yaroslav; Douglas, David R.

Application of electron cooling at ion energies above a few GeV has been limited due to reduction of electron cooling efficiency with energy and difficulty in producing and accelerating a high-current high-quality electron beam. A high-current storage-ring electron cooler offers a solution to both of these problems by maintaining high cooling beam quality through naturally-occurring synchrotron radiation damping of the electron beam. However, the range of ion energies where storage-ring electron cooling can be used has been limited by low electron beam damping rates at low ion energies and high equilibrium electron energy spread at high ion energies. This papermore » reports a development of a storage ring based cooler consisting of two sections with significantly different energies: the cooling and damping sections. The electron energy and other parameters in the cooling section are adjusted for optimum cooling of a stored ion beam. The beam parameters in the damping section are adjusted for optimum damping of the electron beam. The necessary energy difference is provided by an energy recovering SRF structure. A prototype linear optics of such storage-ring cooler is presented.« less

Performance characteristics of ring-cusp thrusters with xenon propellant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, M. J.

1986-01-01

The performance characteristics and operating envelope of several 30-cm ring-cusp ion thrusters with xenon propellant were investigated. Results indicate a strong performance dependence on the discharge chamber boundary magnetic fields and resultant distribution of electron currents. Significant improvements in discharge performance over J-series divergent-field thrusters were achieved for large throttling ranges, which translate into reduced cathode emission currents and reduced power dissipation which should be of significant benefit for operation at thruster power levels in excess of 10 kW. Mass spectrometry of the ion beam was documented for both the ring-cusp and J-series thrusters with xenon propellant for determination of overall thruster efficiency, and lifetime. Based on the lower centerline values of doubly charged ions in the ion beam and the lower operating discharge voltage, the screen grid erosion rate of the ring-cusp thruster is expected to be lower than the divergent-field J-series thruster by a factor of 2.

Performance characteristics of ring-cusp thrusters with xenon propellant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patterson, M. J.

1986-01-01

The performance characteristics and operating envelope of several 30-cm ring-cusp ion thrusters with xenon propellant were investigated. Results indicate a strong performance dependence on the discharge chamber boundary magnetic fields and resultant distribution of electron currents. Significant improvements in discharge performance over J-series divergent-field thrusters were achieved for large throttling ranges, which translate into reduced cathode emission currents and reduced power dissipation which should be of significant benefit for operation at thruster power levels in excess of 10 kW. Mass spectrometer of the ion beam was documented for both the ring-cusp and J-series thrusters with xenon propellant for determination of overall thruster efficiency, and lifetime. Based on the lower centerline values of doubly charged ions in the ion beam and the lower operating discharge voltage, the screen grid erosion rate of the ring-cusp thruster is expected to be lower than the divergent-field J-series thruster by a factor of 2.

Research and Development of Natural Draft Ultra-Low Emissions Burners for Gas Appliances

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Therkelsen, Peter; Cheng, Robert; Sholes, Darren

Combustion systems used in residential and commercial cooking appliances must be robust and easy to use while meeting air quality standards. Current air quality standards for cooking appliances are far greater than other stationary combustion equipment. By developing an advanced low emission combustion system for cooking appliances, the air quality impacts from these devices can be reduced. This project adapted the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) Ring-Stabilizer Burner combustion technology for residential and commercial natural gas fired cooking appliances (such as ovens, ranges, and cooktops). LBNL originally developed the Ring-Stabilizer Burner for a NASA funded microgravity experiment. This natural draftmore » combustion technology reduces NOx emissions significantly below current SCAQMD emissions standards without post combustion treatment. Additionally, the Ring-Stabilizer Burner technology does not require the assistance of a blower to achieve an ultra-low emission lean premix flame. The research team evaluated the Ring-Stabilizer Burner and fabricated the most promising designs based on their emissions and turndown.« less

Readout of the atomtronic quantum interference device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haug, Tobias; Tan, Joel; Theng, Mark; Dumke, Rainer; Kwek, Leong-Chuan; Amico, Luigi

2018-01-01

A Bose-Einstein condensate confined in ring shaped lattices interrupted by a weak link and pierced by an effective magnetic flux defines the atomic counterpart of the superconducting quantum interference device: the atomtronic quantum interference device (AQUID). In this paper, we report on the detection of current states in the system through a self-heterodyne protocol. Following the original proposal of the NIST and Paris groups, the ring-condensate many-body wave function interferes with a reference condensate expanding from the center of the ring. We focus on the rf AQUID which realizes effective qubit dynamics. Both the Bose-Hubbard and Gross-Pitaevskii dynamics are studied. For the Bose-Hubbard dynamics, we demonstrate that the self-heterodyne protocol can be applied, but higher-order correlations in the evolution of the interfering condensates are measured to readout of the current states of the system. We study how states with macroscopic quantum coherence can be told apart analyzing the noise in the time of flight of the ring condensate.

Axial and radial water flow in the trunks of oak trees: a quantitative and qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Granier, A; Anfodillo, T; Sabatti, M; Cochard, H; Dreyer, E; Tomasi, M; Valentini, R; Bréda, N

1994-12-01

Axial water flow in the trunks of mature oak trees (Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl. and Q. robur L.) was studied by four independent techniques: water absorption from a cut trunk, sap flowmeters, heat pulse velocity (HPV) and thermoimaging. Estimation of the total water flow with sap flowmeters, HPV and water absorption yielded comparable results. We concluded from dye colorations, thermograms and axial profiles of sap flow and heat pulse velocity that, in intact trunks, most of the flow occurred in the current-year ring, where early-wood vessels in the outermost ring were still functional. Nevertheless, there was significant flow in the older rings of the xylem. Total water flow through the trunk was only slightly reduced when air embolisms were artificially induced in early-wood vessels, probably because there was little change in hydraulic conductance in the root-leaf sap pathway. Embolization of the current-year vessels reactivated transport in the older rings.

Pooled versus separate tree-ring δD measurements, and implications for reconstruction of the Arctic Oscillation in northwestern China.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaohong; An, Wenling; Treydte, Kerstin; Wang, Wenzhi; Xu, Guobao; Zeng, Xiaomin; Wu, Guoju; Wang, Bo; Zhang, Xuanwen

2015-04-01

Stable hydrogen isotope ratios (δD) in tree rings are an attractive but still rarely explored terrestrial archive of past climatic information. Because the preparation of the cellulose nitrate for δD measurements requires more wood and a longer preparation time than preparation techniques for other isotopes in cellulose (δ18O or δ13C), it is challenging to obtain high-resolution records, especially for slow-growing trees at high elevations and in boreal regions. Here, we tested whether annually pooled samples of Qinghai spruce (Picea crassifolia Kom.) trees from northwestern China provided results similar to those derived as the mean of individual measurements of the same trees and whether the resulting chronologies recorded useful climate information. Inter-tree variability of δD was higher than that of measured ring width for the same trees. We found higher and significant coherence between pooled and mean isotope chronologies than that among the individual series. It showed a logarithmic relationship between ring mass and δD; however, accounting for the influence of ring mass on δD values only slightly improved the strength of climatic signals in the pooled records. Tree-ring δD was significantly positively correlated with the mean, maximum, and minimum temperatures during the previous winter and with maximum temperature during the current August, and significantly negatively correlated with precipitation in the previous November to January and the current July. The winter climate signal seems to dominate tree-ring δD through the influence of large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns, i.e. the Arctic Oscillation. These results will facilitate reconstruction of winter atmospheric circulation patterns over northwestern China based on a regional tree-ring δD networks. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oz, E.; Myers, C. E.; Edwards, M. R.

The Princeton Field-Reversed Configuration (PFRC) experiment employs an odd-parity rotating magnetic field (RMFo) current drive and plasma heating system to form and sustain high-Β plasmas. For radial confinement, an array of coaxial, internal, passive, flux-conserving (FC) rings applies magnetic pressure to the plasma while still allowing radio-frequency RMFo from external coils to reach the plasma. The 3 ms pulse duration of the present experiment is limited by the skin time (τfc) of its room-temperature copper FC rings. To explore plasma phenomena with longer characteristic times, the pulse duration of the next-generation PFRC-2 device will exceed 100 ms, necessitating FC ringsmore » with (τfc > 300 ms. In this paper we review the physics of internal, discrete, passive FCs and describe the evolution of the PFRC's FC array. We then detail new experiments that have produced higher performance FC rings that contain embedded high-temperature superconducting (HTS) tapes. Several HTS tape winding configurations have been studied and a wide range of extended skin times, from 0.4 s to over 103 s, has been achieved. The new FC rings must carry up to 3 kA of current to balance the expected PFRC-2 plasma pressure, so the dependence of the HTS-FC critical current on the winding configuration and temperature was also studied. From these experiments, the key HTS-FC design considerations have been identified and HTS-FC rings with the desired performance characteristics have been produced.« less

Seeing ghosts - Photometry of Saturn's G Ring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Showalter, Mark R.; Cuzzi, Jeffrey N.

1993-01-01

Saturn's faint and narrow G Ring is only visible to the eye in two Voyager images, each taken at a rather high solar phase angle of about 160 deg. In this paper we introduce a new photometric technique for averaging across multiple Voyager images, and use it to detect the G Ring at several additional viewing geometries. The resultant phase curve suggests that the G Ring is composed of dust particles obeying a very steep power-law size distribution. The dust is generally smaller than that seen in other rings, ranging down to 0.03 micron. The G Ring occupies the region between orbital radii 166,000 and 173,000 km, and has a peak somewhat closer to the inner edge. Based on these limits, we demonstrate that Voyager 2 passed through and directly sampled this ring during its 1981 encounter with Saturn. Combined analysis of additional data sets suggests that a population of larger bodies is also present in the G Ring; these bodies occupy a narrower band near the observed peak and are likely the source for the visible dust. Based on some preliminary dynamical models, we propose that these larger bodies represent leftover debris from the collisional breakup of a small moon in Saturn's distant past.

The role of nitrogen ions in the ring current dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilie, R.; Liemohn, M. W.; Dandouras, I. S.

2017-12-01

Changes in the ion composition throughout the Earth's magnetosphere can have profound implications on plasma structures and dynamics, since it can modify the temperature and the magnetic field configuration, altering the convection patterns inside the magnetosphere. The ratio of hydrogen to oxygen ions has been shown to be highly dependent of geomagnetic activity, with the O+ content increasing with increasing activity. This suggests that ions of ionospheric origin can become the dominant species in the inner magnetosphere during disturbed times. Therefore, numerous studies have focused on the transport and energization of O+ through the ionosphere-magnetosphere system; however, relatively few have considered the contribution of N+, in addition to that of O+ to the near-Earth plasma dynamics, even though past observations have established that N+ is a significant ion species in the ionosphere and its presence in the magnetosphere is significant. Ring current observations from the Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorer (AMPTE) spacecraft show that high energy N+ fluxes are comparable to those of O+ during disturbed times, confirming the substantial presence of N+ions in the inner magnetosphere. In spite of only 12% mass difference, N+ and O+ have different ionization potentials, scale heights and charge exchange cross sections. The latter, together with the geocoronal density distribution, plays a key role in the formation of Energetic Neutral Atoms (ENAs), which in turn control the energy budget of the inner magnetosphere and the decay of the ring current. Numerical simulations using the Hot Electron and Ion Drift Integrator (HEIDI) model suggest that the contribution of N+ to the ring current dynamics is significant, as the presence of N+, in addition to that of O+, alters the development and the decay rate of the ring current. These findings suggest that differentiating the N+ transport from that of O+ in the near-Earth environment has a profound impact on global magnetosphere dynamics, as plasma composition affects both the local and the global properties of the plasma.

Self-Consistent Model of Magnetospheric Ring Current and Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves: The May 2-7, 1998, Storm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khazanov, G. V.; Gamayunov, K. V.; Jordanova, V. K.

2003-01-01

Complete description of a self-consistent model for magnetospheric ring current interacting with electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves is presented. The model is based on the system of two kinetic equations; one equation describes the ring current ion dynamics, and another equation describes the wave evolution. The effects on ring current ions interacting with electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves, and back on waves, are considered self-consistently by solving both equations on a global magnetospheric scale under non steady-state conditions. In the paper by Khazanov et al. [2002] this self-consistent model has only been shortly outlined, and discussions of many the model related details have been omitted. For example, in present study for the first time a new algorithm for numerical finding of the resonant numbers for quasilinear wave-particle interaction is described, or it is demonstrated that in order to describe quasilinear interaction in a multi-ion thermal plasma correctly, both e and He(+) modes of electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves should be employed. The developed model is used to simulate the entire May 2-7, 1998 storm period. Trapped number fluxes of the ring current protons are calculated and presented along with their comparison with the data measured by the 3D hot plasma instrument Polar/HYDRA. Examining of the wave (MLT, L shell) distributions produced during the storm progress reveals an essential intensification of the wave emissions in about two days after main phase of storm. This result is well consistent with the earlier ground-based observations. Also the theoretical shapes and the occurrence rates for power spectral densities of electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves are studied. It is found that in about 2 days after the storm main phase on May 4, mainly non Gaussian shapes of power spectral densities are produced.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Agafonov, A. I., E-mail: aai@isssph.kiae.ru

The inelastic scattering of cold neutrons by a ring leads to quantum jumps of a superconducting current which correspond to a decrease in the fluxoid quantum number by one or several units while the change in the ring energy is transferred to the kinetic energy of the scattered neutron. The scattering cross sections of transversely polarized neutrons have been calculated for a thin type-II superconductor ring, the thickness of which is smaller than the field penetration depth but larger than the electron mean free path.

Development of Thermal Barriers For Solid Rocket Motor Nozzle Joints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinetz, Bruce M.; Dunlap, Patrick H., Jr.

2000-01-01

Joints in the Space Shuttle solid rocket motors are sealed by O-rings to contain combustion gases inside the rocket that reach pressures of up to 900 psi and temperatures of up to 5500 F. To provide protection for the O-rings, the motors are insulated with either phenolic or rubber insulation. Gaps in the joints leading up to the O-rings are filled with polysulfide joint-fill compounds as an additional level of protection. The current RSRM nozzle-to-case joint design incorporating primary, secondary, and wiper O-rings experiences gas paths through the joint-fill compound to the innermost wiper O-ring in about one out of every seven motors. Although this does not pose a safety hazard to the motor, it is an undesirable condition that NASA and rocket manufacturer Thiokol want to eliminate. Each nozzle-to-case joint gas path results in extensive reviews and evaluation before flights can be resumed. Thiokol and NASA Marshall are currently working to improve the nozzle-to-case joint design by implementing a more reliable J-leg design that has been used successfully in the field and igniter joint. They are also planning to incorporate the NASA Glenn braided carbon fiber thermal barrier into the joint. The thermal barrier would act as an additional level of protection for the O-rings and allow the elimination of the joint-fill compound from the joint.

Excitation of O+ Band EMIC Waves Through H+ Ring Velocity Distributions: Van Allen Probe Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Xiongdong; Yuan, Zhigang; Huang, Shiyong; Yao, Fei; Wang, Dedong; Funsten, Herbert O.; Wygant, John R.

2018-02-01

A typical case of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) emissions with both He+ band and O+ band waves was observed by Van Allen Probe A on 14 July 2014. These emissions occurred in the morning sector on the equator inside the plasmasphere, in which region O+ band EMIC waves prefer to appear. Through property analysis of these emissions, it is found that the He+ band EMIC waves are linearly polarized and propagating quasi-parallelly along the background magnetic field, while the O+ band ones are of linear and left-hand polarization and propagating obliquely with respect to the background magnetic field. Using the in situ observations of plasma environment and particle data, excitation of these O+ band EMIC waves has been investigated with the linear growth theory. The calculated linear growth rate shows that these O+ band EMIC waves can be locally excited by ring current protons with ring velocity distributions. The comparison of the observed wave spectral intensity and the calculated growth rate suggests that the density of H+ rings providing the free energy for the instability has decreased after the wave grows. Therefore, this paper provides a direct observational evidence to the excitation mechanism of O+ band EMIC waves: ring current protons with ring distributions provide the free energy supporting the instability in the presence of rich O+ in the plasmasphere.

Connecting Stellar Substructures to the Oscillating Disk: Monoceros and A13

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheffield, Allyson; Tzanidakis, Anastasios; Johnston, Kathryn; Price-Whelan, Adrian

2018-01-01

Recent observations of stellar substructures in the Milky Way have challenged our view of where the traditional disk ends. By assessing the stellar populations in a stellar feature, particularly the fraction of RR Lyrae to M giant stars, an accretion scenario can be ruled out in favor of a kicked-out disk origin. A more definitive distinction can be made with the inclusion of high-resolution abundances. I will present evidence that two low latitude stellar substructures, the Monoceros Ring and A13, originated in the Galactic disk and were kicked out to their current location, in the outer regions of the stellar disk, due to a dynamic perturbation to the disk.

Long-term Hydroclimate and Pacific Salmon Population Linkages Across a Headwater-to-Coast Continuum in Northern British Columbia, Canada: A Perspective From Multiple Tree-Ring Proxy Records

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welsh, C.; Smith, D. J.; Edwards, T.; Prowse, T.

2016-12-01

Ongoing climate change is expected to have lasting impacts on the runoff behaviour of rivers in northern British Columbia, Canada. Of particular concern is the loss of mountain snowpack and greater rainfall totals altering hydrograph characteristics. Sustained deviations in seasonal streamflow will pose significant challenges for effective watershed management. These ongoing changes highlight the importance of improving our understanding of the long-term biophysical linkages between the storage and release of water and downstream freshwater ecosystems. Such integrated research is particularly relevant to fisheries management as fluctuations in populations of Pacific salmon represent a complex and management-relevant biophysical issue in northern Canada. Unfortunately, hydroclimate and salmon productivity records in this region are sparse and of short duration, constraining our understanding of the impact of climate-induced hydrologic changes and biological responses to the last century. Proxy records derived from tree-rings provide annually or seasonally resolved data and have played a prominent role in attempts to establish how hydroclimate has varied in the past. The objective of my doctoral research is to reconstruct the prehistoric hydroclimate and salmon population trends in the Skeena, Nass and Stikine Watersheds using multiple tree-ring proxies to investigate the long-term biophysical linkages extending across a headwater-to-coast continuum in northern British Columbia, Canada. Ring-width, wood density and stable isotope chronologies using a number of mid-to high-elevation tree species will be constructed across each basin and sub-basin area for the purposes of reconstrucing the predominent temperature and precipiation signature that influence streamflow. Preliminary tree-ring δ18O and δ13C-isotope results indicate a strong negative association with mean monthly relative humidity values, suggesting a physiological control by moisture loss. The results of this study highlight the importance of combining several tree-ring parameters and species in order to strengthen streamflow reconstructions. This study is ongoing and has an estimated completion timeframe of spring 2018.

Effects on cycle control and bodyweight of the combined contraceptive ring, NuvaRing, versus an oral contraceptive containing 30 microg ethinyl estradiol and 3 mg drospirenone.

PubMed

Milsom, I; Lete, I; Bjertnaes, A; Rokstad, K; Lindh, I; Gruber, C J; Birkhäuser, M H; Aubeny, E; Knudsen, T; Bastianelli, C

2006-09-01

The objective of this study was to compare cycle control, cycle-related characteristics and bodyweight effects of NuvaRing with those of a combined oral contraceptive (COC) containing 30 microg of ethinyl estradiol and 3 mg of drospirenone. A randomized, multicentre, open-label trial in which 983 women were treated (intent-to-treat population) with NuvaRing or the COC for 13 cycles. Breakthrough bleeding or spotting during cycles 2-13 was in general less frequent with NuvaRing than that with the COC (4.7-10.4%) and showed a statistically significant odds ratio of 0.61 (95% confidence interval: 0.46, 0.80) with longitudinal analysis. Intended bleeding was significantly better for all cycles with NuvaRing (55.2-68.5%) than that with the COC (35.6-56.6%) (P < 0.01). Changes from baseline in mean bodyweight and body composition parameters were relatively small for both groups with no notable between-group differences. NuvaRing was associated with better cycle control than the COC, and there was no clinically relevant difference between the two groups in bodyweight.

Energy spectra of quantum rings.

PubMed

Fuhrer, A; Lüscher, S; Ihn, T; Heinzel, T; Ensslin, K; Wegscheider, W; Bichler, M

2001-10-25

Quantum mechanical experiments in ring geometries have long fascinated physicists. Open rings connected to leads, for example, allow the observation of the Aharonov-Bohm effect, one of the best examples of quantum mechanical phase coherence. The phase coherence of electrons travelling through a quantum dot embedded in one arm of an open ring has also been demonstrated. The energy spectra of closed rings have only recently been studied by optical spectroscopy. The prediction that they allow persistent current has been explored in various experiments. Here we report magnetotransport experiments on closed rings in the Coulomb blockade regime. Our experiments show that a microscopic understanding of energy levels, so far limited to few-electron quantum dots, can be extended to a many-electron system. A semiclassical interpretation of our results indicates that electron motion in the rings is governed by regular rather than chaotic motion, an unexplored regime in many-electron quantum dots. This opens a way to experiments where even more complex structures can be investigated at a quantum mechanical level.

New Morphometric Measurements of Peak-Ring Basins on Mercury and the Moon: Results from the Mercury Laser Altimeter and Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, David M. H.; Head, James W.; Prockter, Louise M.; Fassett, Caleb I.; Neumann, Gregory A.; Smith, David E.; Solomon, Sean C.; Zuber, Maria T.; Oberst, Juergen; Preusker, Frank;

Development of a UC781 releasing polyethylene vinyl acetate vaginal ring.

PubMed

McConville, Christopher; Major, Ian; Friend, David R; Clark, Meredith R; Malcolm, R Karl

2012-12-01

UC781 is potent, hydrophobic, non-nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). UC781 is currently being investigated for use as a potential HIV microbicide. A study in rhesus macaques demonstrated that a 100-mg UC781-loaded silicone elastomer vaginal ring released limited amounts of UC781 into the vaginal fluid and tissue after 28 days. The reason for this was due to the hydrophobic nature and limited aqueous solubility of UC781. This study describes the manufacture of UC781-loaded polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA) vaginal rings, which have an improved in vitro release rate of UC781 when compared to UC781-loaded silicone elastomer vaginal rings. The study demonstrates that the UC781 in the PEVA rings is mostly in its amorphous form due to the rings being manufactured above UC781's melting point. Furthermore, the rings do not show any signs of UC781 degradation, such as the presence of UC22.

Vortex Ring Interaction with a Heated Screen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Jason; Krueger, Paul S.

2008-11-01

Previous examinations of vortex rings impinging on porous screens has shown the reformation of the vortex ring with a lower velocity after passing through the screen, the creation of secondary vortices, and mixing. A heated screen could, in principle, alter the vortex-screen interaction by changing the local liquid viscosity and density. In the present investigation, a mechanical piston-cylinder vortex ring generator was used to create vortex rings in an aqueous sucrose solution. The rings impinged on a screen of horizontal wires that were heated using electrical current. The flow was visualized with food color and video imaging. Tests with and without heat were conducted at a piston stroke-to-jet diameter ratio of 4 and a jet Reynolds number (Re) of 1000. The vortex rings slowed after passing through the screen, but in tests with heat, they maintained a higher fraction of their before-screen velocity due to reduction in fluid viscosity near the wires. In addition, small ``fingers'' that developed on the front of the vortex rings as they passed through the screen exhibited positive buoyancy effects in the heated case.

Contractile-Ring Assembly in Fission Yeast Cytokinesis: Recent Advances and New Perspectives

PubMed Central

Lee, I-Ju; Coffman, Valerie C.; Wu, Jian-Qiu

2017-01-01

The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is an excellent model organism to study cytokinesis. Here, we review recent advances on contractile-ring assembly in fission yeast. First, we summarize the assembly of cytokinesis nodes, the precursors of a normal contractile ring. IQGAP Rng2 and myosin essential light chain Cdc4 are recruited by the anillin-like protein Mid1, followed by the addition of other cytokinesis node proteins. Mid1 localization on the plasma membrane is stabilized by interphase node proteins. Second, we discuss proteins and processes that contribute to the search, capture, pull, and release mechanism of contractile-ring assembly. Actin filaments nucleated by formin Cdc12, the motor activity of myosin-II, the stiffness of the actin network, and severing of actin filaments by cofilin all play essential roles in contractile-ring assembly. Finally, we discuss the Mid1-independent pathway for ring assembly, and the possible mechanisms underlying the ring maturation and constriction. Collectively, we provide an overview of the current understanding of contractile-ring assembly and uncover future directions in studying cytokinesis in fission yeast. PMID:22887981

Contractile-ring assembly in fission yeast cytokinesis: Recent advances and new perspectives.

PubMed

Lee, I-Ju; Coffman, Valerie C; Wu, Jian-Qiu

2012-10-01

The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is an excellent model organism to study cytokinesis. Here, we review recent advances on contractile-ring assembly in fission yeast. First, we summarize the assembly of cytokinesis nodes, the precursors of a normal contractile ring. IQGAP Rng2 and myosin essential light chain Cdc4 are recruited by the anillin-like protein Mid1, followed by the addition of other cytokinesis node proteins. Mid1 localization on the plasma membrane is stabilized by interphase node proteins. Second, we discuss proteins and processes that contribute to the search, capture, pull, and release mechanism of contractile-ring assembly. Actin filaments nucleated by formin Cdc12, the motor activity of myosin-II, the stiffness of the actin network, and severing of actin filaments by cofilin all play essential roles in contractile-ring assembly. Finally, we discuss the Mid1-independent pathway for ring assembly, and the possible mechanisms underlying the ring maturation and constriction. Collectively, we provide an overview of the current understanding of contractile-ring assembly and uncover future directions in studying cytokinesis in fission yeast. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Polarization Studies for the eRHIC Electron Storage Ring

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gianfelice-Wendt, Eliana; Tepikian, S.

A hadron/lepton collider with polarized beams has been under consideration by the scientific community since some years, in the U.S. and Europe. Among the various proposals, those by JLAB and BNL with polarized electron and proton beams are currently under closer study in the U.S. Experimenters call for the simultaneous storage of electron bunches with both spin helicity. In the BNL based Ring-Ring design, electrons are stored at top energy in a ring to be accommodated in the existing RHIC tunnel. The transversely polarized electron beam is injected into the storage ring at variable energies, between 5 and 18 GeV.more » Polarization is brought into the longitudinal direction at the IP by a couple of spin rotators. In this paper results of first studies of the attainable beam polarization level and lifetime in the storage ring at 18 GeV are presented.« less

Performing an allreduce operation on a plurality of compute nodes of a parallel computer

DOEpatents

Faraj, Ahmad

2013-07-09

Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for performing an allreduce operation on a plurality of compute nodes of a parallel computer, each node including at least two processing cores, that include: establishing, for each node, a plurality of logical rings, each ring including a different set of at least one core on that node, each ring including the cores on at least two of the nodes; iteratively for each node: assigning each core of that node to one of the rings established for that node to which the core has not previously been assigned, and performing, for each ring for that node, a global allreduce operation using contribution data for the cores assigned to that ring or any global allreduce results from previous global allreduce operations, yielding current global allreduce results for each core; and performing, for each node, a local allreduce operation using the global allreduce results.

Butyl rubber O-ring seals: Revision of test procedures for stockpile materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Domeier, L.A.; Wagter, K.R.

1996-12-01

Extensive testing showed little correlation between test slab and O-ring performance. New procedures, comparable to those used with the traditional test slabs, were defined for hardness, compression set, and tensile property testing on sacrificial O-ring specimens. Changes in target performance values were made as needed and were, in one case, tightened to reflect the O-ring performance data. An additional study was carried out on O-ring and slab performance vs cure cycle and showed little sensitivity of material performance to large changes in curing time. Aging and spectra of certain materials indicated that two sets of test slabs from current vendormore » were accidently made from EPDM rather than butyl rubber. Random testing found no O-rings made from EPDM. As a result, and additional spectroscope test will be added to the product acceptance procedures to verify the type of rubber compound used.« less

Electrical Engineering (Selected Articles).

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-05-15

Homopolar Machine with Sodium-Potassium Ring-Shaped Contacts, by L.A. Sukhanov , G.A. Karmonov .......... 19 ACCESSION forWht hieSeto NTISuf ecine 1DOCS...3663 FACE 19 DIFECT-CURRENT HOMOPOLAS AACHIhI ITH SCIIUM-ECIASSIUM RING-SHAPED CONTACTS L. A. Sukhanov , Cand. tech. sciences, G. A. Karmanov, eng. ThA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Levin, Milton, E-mail: Milton.levin@uconn.edu

To better elucidate the potential immune-related health effects of exposure to environmentally persistent organic pollutants (POP), such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), in ringed seals (Pusa hispida), a sentinel Arctic species, we assessed 1) associations between mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation and in vivo tissue contaminant burdens, and 2) the concentration-response effects of in vitro exposure to PFASs and PCB congeners on mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation. Upon in vitro contaminant exposure, the non-coplanar PCB congeners CB 138, 153, and 180, but not the coplanar CB 169, significantly reduced lymphocyte proliferation between 10 and 20 µg g{sup −1} ww. The respectivemore » in vitro EC{sub 50} values for these congeners were 13.3, 20.7, 20.8, and 54.6 µg g{sup −1} ww. No modulation of lymphocyte proliferation was observed upon in vitro exposure to two individual PFASs, perfluorooctane sulphonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), at concentrations up to 1000 ng g-1. In addition, no significant correlations were found between lymphocyte proliferation and any blood or blubber contaminant measured. Taken together, these data suggest this population of ringed seals is not currently at high risk of altered lymphocyte proliferation from exposure to the POPs or PFASs in this study. - Highlights: • Assess relationships between tissue contaminants and changes in immune function. • Risk for contaminant-induced immunotoxicity in East Greenland ringed seal is low. • Weight of evidence suggest non-coplanar PCBs are immunotoxic at high concentrations.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sil’chenko, Olga K., E-mail: olga@sai.msu.su; Isaac Newton Institute, Chile, Moscow Branch

I analyze statistics of the stellar population properties for stellar nuclei and bulges of nearby lenticular galaxies in different environments by using panoramic spectral data of the integral-field spectrograph SAURON retrieved from the open archive of the Isaac Newton Group. I also estimate the fraction of nearby lenticular galaxies having inner polar gaseous disks by exploring the volume-limited sample of early-type galaxies of the ATLAS-3D survey. By inspecting the two-dimensional velocity fields of the stellar and gaseous components with the running tilted-ring technique, I have found seven new cases of inner polar disks. Together with those, the frequency of inner polar disks in nearby S0 galaxiesmore » reaches 10%, which is much higher than the frequency of large-scale polar rings. Interestingly, the properties of the nuclear stellar populations in the inner polar ring hosts are statistically the same as those in the whole S0 sample, implying similar histories of multiple gas-accretion events from various directions.« less

Foot preferences in wild-living ring-necked parakeets (Psittacula krameri, Psittacidae).

PubMed

Randler, Christoph; Braun, Michael; Lintker, Stephanie

2011-03-01

Evidence for foot preferences has been reported in parrots and the majority of parrot species uses the left foot to hold and process food objects. Here we assessed the footedness of ring-necked parakeets (Psittacula krameri) in a wild-living non-native population in Heidelberg, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. Observations were made when parrots fed on catalpa trees Catalpa sp., with 20- to 50-cm-long fruits. Parakeets tend to bite off catalpa fruits with their beak, using one foot holding the fruit. Further, we established an experimental set-up (feeding location) and prepared pieces of apple in an adequate size to force parrots to handle the food with one foot. From 184 individuals feeding on the catalpa trees, 102 were recorded using the left foot and 82 the right foot. At the feeding location, 24 individuals were left-footed and 11 were right-footed. These observations suggest a foot preference in the ring-necked parakeet both on the population level and on the individual level.

Design of a dual linear polarization antenna using split ring resonators at X-band

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, Sadiq; Chandra, Madhukar

2017-11-01

Dual linear polarization microstrip antenna configurations are very suitable for high-performance satellites, wireless communication and radar applications. This paper presents a new method to improve the co-cross polarization discrimination (XPD) for dual linear polarized microstrip antennas at 10 GHz. For this, three various configurations of a dual linear polarization antenna utilizing metamaterial unit cells are shown. In the first layout, the microstrip patch antenna is loaded with two pairs of spiral ring resonators, in the second model, a split ring resonator is placed between two microstrip feed lines, and in the third design, a complementary split ring resonators are etched in the ground plane. This work has two primary goals: the first is related to the addition of metamaterial unit cells to the antenna structure which permits compensation for an asymmetric current distribution flow on the microstrip antenna and thus yields a symmetrical current distribution on it. This compensation leads to an important enhancement in the XPD in comparison to a conventional dual linear polarized microstrip patch antenna. The simulation reveals an improvement of 7.9, 8.8, and 4 dB in the E and H planes for the three designs, respectively, in the XPD as compared to the conventional dual linear polarized patch antenna. The second objective of this paper is to present the characteristics and performances of the designs of the spiral ring resonator (S-RR), split ring resonator (SRR), and complementary split ring resonator (CSRR) metamaterial unit cells. The simulations are evaluated using the commercial full-wave simulator, Ansoft High-Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS).

Saturn and 4 Icy Moons in Natural Color

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-06-08

This approximate natural-color image shows Saturn, its rings, and four of its icy satellites. Three satellites (Tethys, Dione, and Rhea) are visible against the darkness of space, and another smaller satellite (Mimas) is visible against Saturn's cloud tops very near the left horizon and just below the rings. The dark shadows of Mimas and Tethys are also visible on Saturn's cloud tops, and the shadow of Saturn is seen across part of the rings. Saturn, second in size only to Jupiter in our Solar System, is 120,660 km (75,000 mi) in diameter at its equator (the ring plane) but, because of its rapid spin, Saturn is 10% smaller measured through its poles. Saturn's rings are composed mostly of ice particles ranging from microscopic dust to boulders in size. These particles orbit Saturn in a vast disk that is a mere 100 meters (330 feet) or so thick. The rings' thinness contrasts with their huge diameter--for instance 272,400 km (169,000 mi) for the outer part of the bright A ring, the outermost ring visible here. The pronounced concentric gap in the rings, the Cassini Division (named after its discoverer), is a 3500-km wide region (2200 mi, almost the width of the United States) that is much less populated with ring particles than the brighter B and A rings to either side of the gap. The rings also show some enigmatic radial structure ('spokes'), particularly at left. This image was synthesized from images taken in Voyager's blue and violet filters and was processed to recreate an approximately natural color and contrast. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00400

A Photometric Model of the Inclined F Ring of Saturn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scharringhausen, Britt; Nicholson, P. D.

2007-10-01

Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations of the August 1995 Saturn ring-plane crossing (RPX) by Earth revealed a surprising east-west asymmetry in ring brightness both before and after the RPX (Nicholson et al. 1996). Previous F-ring models (Poulet et al. 2000) used the overall ring brightness near RPX to probe the photometric thickness of the F ring. In the current work, we exploit the fact that the brightness asymmetry is sensitive to the inclination, node, and physical height of the F ring. We use the inclined F-ring orbit of Bosh et al. (2002), and treat the F ring as a longitudinally symmetric "ribbon" of uniform albedo and phase function with a vertical Gaussian distribution of radial optical depth that has a full height at half maximum of 13±7 km and an equivalent depth (i.e. radially-integrated normal optical depth) of 10±4 km. The model reproduces the observed asymmetry in ring brightness immediately after the RPX, when the Earth is on the sunlit side of the main rings. The F ring obscures the east ansa to a greater extent than the west ansa and the sense of the asymmetry then reverses as the Earth passes through the F-ring plane. Before the RPX, the model does not reproduce the small observed asymmetry in ring brightness, suggesting that the dark-side asymmetry is due to longitudinal variations in the F ring rather than blocking effects. The shapes of model radial profiles of ring brightness are a good match to the HST data both before and after the RPX. This work was supported by NASA.

Multidetector Computed Tomography for Congenital Anomalies of the Aortic Arch: Vascular Rings.

PubMed

García-Guereta, Luis; García-Cerro, Estefanía; Bret-Zurita, Montserrat

2016-07-01

The development of multidetector computed tomography has triggered a revolution in the study of the aorta and other large vessels and has replaced angiography in the diagnosis of congenital anomalies of the aortic arch, particularly vascular rings. The major advantage of multidetector computed tomography is that it permits clear 3-dimensional assessment of not only vascular structures, but also airway and esophageal compression. The current update aims to summarize the embryonic development of the aortic arch and the developmental anomalies leading to vascular ring formation and to discuss the current diagnostic and therapeutic role of multidetector computed tomography in this field. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Electrofriction method of manufacturing squirrel cage rotors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hsu, John S.

2005-04-12

A method of making a squirrel cage rotor of copper material for use in AC or DC motors, includes forming a core with longitudinal slots, inserting bars of conductive material in the slots, with ends extending out of opposite ends of the core, and joining the end rings to the bars, wherein the conductive material of either the end rings or the bars is copper. Various methods of joining the end rings to the bars are disclosed including electrofriction welding, current pulse welding and brazing, transient liquid phase joining and casting. Pressure is also applied to the end rings tomore » improve contact and reduce areas of small or uneven contact between the bar ends and the end rings. Rotors made with such methods are also disclosed.« less

In situ measurements of Saturn’s ionosphere show that it is dynamic and interacts with the rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahlund, J.-E.; Morooka, M. W.; Hadid, L. Z.; Persoon, A. M.; Farrell, W. M.; Gurnett, D. A.; Hospodarsky, G.; Kurth, W. S.; Ye, S.-Y.; Andrews, D. J.; Edberg, N. J. T.; Eriksson, A. I.; Vigren, E.

2018-01-01

The ionized upper layer of Saturn’s atmosphere, its ionosphere, provides a closure of currents mediated by the magnetic field to other electrically charged regions (for example, rings) and hosts ion-molecule chemistry. In 2017, the Cassini spacecraft passed inside the planet’s rings, allowing in situ measurements of the ionosphere. The Radio and Plasma Wave Science instrument detected a cold, dense, and dynamic ionosphere at Saturn that interacts with the rings. Plasma densities reached up to 1000 cubic centimeters, and electron temperatures were below 1160 kelvin near closest approach. The density varied between orbits by up to two orders of magnitude. Saturn’s A- and B-rings cast a shadow on the planet that reduced ionization in the upper atmosphere, causing a north-south asymmetry.

Two Way Coupling RAM-SCB to the Space Weather Modeling Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welling, D. T.; Jordanova, V. K.; Zaharia, S. G.; Toth, G.

2010-12-01

The Ring current Atmosphere interaction Model with Self-Consistently calculated 3D Magnetic field (RAM-SCB) has been used to successfully study inner magnetosphere dynamics during different solar wind and magnetosphere conditions. Recently, one way coupling of RAM-SCB with the Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF) has been achieved to replace all data or empirical inputs with those obtained through first-principles-based codes: magnetic field and plasma flux outer boundary conditions are provided by the Block Adaptive Tree Solar wind Roe-type Upwind Scheme (BATS-R-US) MHD code, convection electric field is provided by the Ridley Ionosphere Model (RIM), and ion composition is provided by the Polar Wind Outflow Model (PWOM) combined with a multi-species MHD approach. These advances, though creating a powerful inner magnetosphere virtual laboratory, neglect the important mechanisms through which the ring current feeds back into the whole system, primarily the stretching of the magnetic field lines and shielding of the convection electric field through strong region two Field Aligned Currents (FACs). In turn, changing the magnetosphere in this way changes the evolution of the ring current. To address this shortcoming, the coupling has been expanded to include feedback from RAM-SCB to the other coupled codes: region two FACs are returned to the RIM while total plasma pressure is used to nudge the MHD solution towards the RAM-SCB values. The impacts of the two way coupling are evaluated on three levels: the global magnetospheric level, focusing on the impact on the ionosphere and the shape of the magnetosphere, the regional level, examining the impact on the development of the ring current in terms of energy density, anisotropy, and plasma distribution, and the local level to compare the new results to in-situ measurements of magnetic and electric field and plasma. The results will also be compared to past simulations using the one way coupling and no coupling whatsoever. This work is the first to fully couple an anisotropic kinetic ring current code with a self-consistently calculated magnetic field to a set of global models.

Two way coupling RAM-SCB to the space weather modeling framework

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Welling, Daniel T; Jordanova, Vania K; Zaharia, Sorin G

The Ring current Atmosphere interaction Model with Self-Consistently calculated 3D Magnetic field (RAM-SCB) has been used to successfully study inner magnetosphere dynamics during different solar wind and magnetosphere conditions. Recently, one way coupling of RAM-SCB with the Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF) has been achieved to replace all data or empirical inputs with those obtained through first-principles-based codes: magnetic field and plasma flux outer boundary conditions are provided by the Block Adaptive Tree Solar wind Roe-type Upwind Scheme (BATS-R-US) MHO code, convection electric field is provided by the Ridley Ionosphere Model (RIM), and ion composition is provided by the Polarmore » Wind Outflow Model (PWOM) combined with a multi-species MHO approach. These advances, though creating a powerful inner magnetosphere virtual laboratory, neglect the important mechanisms through which the ring current feeds back into the whole system, primarily the stretching of the magnetic field lines and shielding of the convection electric field through strong region two Field Aligned Currents (FACs). In turn, changing the magnetosphere in this way changes the evolution of the ring current. To address this shortcoming, the coupling has been expanded to include feedback from RAM-SCB to the other coupled codes: region two FACs are returned to the RIM while total plasma pressure is used to nudge the MHO solution towards the RAMSCB values. The impacts of the two way coupling are evaluated on three levels: the global magnetospheric level, focusing on the impact on the ionosphere and the shape of the magnetosphere, the regional level, examining the impact on the development of the ring current in terms of energy density, anisotropy, and plasma distribution, and the local level to compare the new results to in-situ measurements of magnetic and electric field and plasma. The results will also be compared to past simulations using the one way coupling and no coupling whatsoever. This work is the first to fully couple an anisotropic kinetic ring current code with a selfconsistently calculated magnetic field to a set of global models.« less

Multi-peak electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT)-like transmission from bull's-eye-shaped metamaterial.

PubMed

Kim, Jaeyoun; Soref, Richard; Buchwald, Walter R

2010-08-16

We investigate the electromagnetic response of the concentric multi-ring, or the bull's eye, structure as an extension of the dual-ring metamaterial which exhibits electromagnetically-induced transparency (EIT)-like transmission characteristics. Our results show that adding inner rings produces additional EIT-like peaks, and widens the metamaterial's spectral range of operation. Analyses of the dispersion characteristics and induced current distribution further confirmed the peak's EIT-like nature. Impacts of structural and dielectric parameters are also investigated.

Mesoscopic Rings with Spin-Orbit Interactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berche, Bertrand; Chatelain, Christophe; Medina, Ernesto

2010-01-01

A didactic description of charge and spin equilibrium currents on mesoscopic rings in the presence of spin-orbit interaction is presented. Emphasis is made on the non-trivial construction of the correct Hamiltonian in polar coordinates, the calculation of eigenvalues and eigenfunctions and the symmetries of the ground-state properties. Spin…

Bunch Splitting Simulations for the JLEIC Ion Collider Ring

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Satogata, Todd J.; Gamage, Randika

2016-05-01

We describe the bunch splitting strategies for the proposed JLEIC ion collider ring at Jefferson Lab. This complex requires an unprecedented 9:6832 bunch splitting, performed in several stages. We outline the problem and current results, optimized with ESME including general parameterization of 1:2 bunch splitting for JLEIC parameters.

Conceptual techniques for reducing parasitic current gain of lateral pnp transistors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gallagher, R. C.; Scott, J. M.

1969-01-01

Two techniques have been conceptually proposed as possible means of reducing parasitic beta in lateral p-n-p transistors. One method uses a degenerate substrate and high concentration P /plus/ guard-ring diffusion, another places the base contact at the center of an annular ring structure.

Evaluation of SRB phenolic TPS material made by an alternate vendor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karu, Z. S.

1982-01-01

Tests conducted to evaluate the adequacy of solid rocket booster (SRB) phenolic thermal protection system (TPS) material supplied by an alternate vendor chosen by United Space Boosters, Inc. (USBI), to replace the current phenolic TPS sections used thus far on the first four Shuttle flights. The phenolic TPS is applied mainly to the attach and kick rings of the solid rocket booster (SRB). Full-scale sectional models of both the attach and kick ring structure were made up with 0.0265 in. thick stainless steel thin skin covers with thermocouples on them to determine the heating rates. Such models were made up for both the forward and rear faces of the kick ring which has a different configuration on each side. The thin skins were replaced with the alternate phenolic TPS sections cut from flight hardware configuration phenolic parts as supplied by the new vendor. Two tests were performed for each configuration of the attach and kick rings and the samples were exposed to the flow for a duration that gave a heat load equivalent to that obtained in the series of runs made for the current line of phenolic TPS. The samples performed very well with no loss of any phenolic layers. The post-test samples looked better than those used to verify the current phenolic TPS.

Multiple-Satellite Observation of Magnetic Dip Event During the Substorm on 10 October 2013

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

He, Zhaoguo; Chen, Lunjin; Zhu, Hui

Here, we present a multiple-satellite observation of the magnetic dip event during the substorm on 10 October 2013. The observation illustrates the temporal and spatial evolution of the magnetic dip and gives a compelling evidence that ring current ions induce the magnetic dip by enhanced plasma beta. The dip moves with the energetic ions in a comparable drift velocity and affects the dynamics of relativistic electrons in the radiation belt. In addition, the magnetic dip provides a favorable condition for the electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) wave generation based on the linear theory analysis. The calculated proton diffusion coefficients show thatmore » the observed EMIC wave can lead to the pitch angle scattering losses of the ring current ions, which in turn partially relax the magnetic dip in the observations. This study enriches our understanding of magnetic dip evolution and demonstrates the important role of the magnetic dip for the coupling of radiation belt and ring current.« less

Multiple-Satellite Observation of Magnetic Dip Event During the Substorm on 10 October 2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Zhaoguo; Chen, Lunjin; Zhu, Hui; Xia, Zhiyang; Reeves, G. D.; Xiong, Ying; Xie, Lun; Cao, Yong

2017-09-01

We present a multiple-satellite observation of the magnetic dip event during the substorm on 10 October 2013. The observation illustrates the temporal and spatial evolution of the magnetic dip and gives a compelling evidence that ring current ions induce the magnetic dip by enhanced plasma beta. The dip moves with the energetic ions in a comparable drift velocity and affects the dynamics of relativistic electrons in the radiation belt. In addition, the magnetic dip provides a favorable condition for the electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) wave generation based on the linear theory analysis. The calculated proton diffusion coefficients show that the observed EMIC wave can lead to the pitch angle scattering losses of the ring current ions, which in turn partially relax the magnetic dip in the observations. This study enriches our understanding of magnetic dip evolution and demonstrates the important role of the magnetic dip for the coupling of radiation belt and ring current.

Multiple-Satellite Observation of Magnetic Dip Event During the Substorm on 10 October 2013

DOE PAGES

He, Zhaoguo; Chen, Lunjin; Zhu, Hui; ...

2017-09-05

Here, we present a multiple-satellite observation of the magnetic dip event during the substorm on 10 October 2013. The observation illustrates the temporal and spatial evolution of the magnetic dip and gives a compelling evidence that ring current ions induce the magnetic dip by enhanced plasma beta. The dip moves with the energetic ions in a comparable drift velocity and affects the dynamics of relativistic electrons in the radiation belt. In addition, the magnetic dip provides a favorable condition for the electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) wave generation based on the linear theory analysis. The calculated proton diffusion coefficients show thatmore » the observed EMIC wave can lead to the pitch angle scattering losses of the ring current ions, which in turn partially relax the magnetic dip in the observations. This study enriches our understanding of magnetic dip evolution and demonstrates the important role of the magnetic dip for the coupling of radiation belt and ring current.« less

Magnetosphere-Ionosphere Coupling and Associated Ring Current Energization Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liemohn, M. W.; Khazanov, G. V.

2004-01-01

Adiabatic processes in the ring current are examined. In particular, an analysis of the factors that parameterize the net adiabatic energy gain in the inner magnetosphere during magnetic storms is presented. A single storm was considered, that of April 17, 2002. Three simulations were conducted with similar boundary conditions but with different electric field descriptions. It is concluded that the best parameter for quantifying the net adiabatic energy gain in the inner magnetosphere during storms is the instantaneous value of the product of the maximum westward electric field at the outer simulation boundary with the nightside plasma sheet density. However, all of the instantaneous magnetospheric quantities considered in this study produced large correlation coefficients. Therefore, they all could be considered useful predictors of the net adiabatic energy gain of the ring current. Long integration times over the parameters lessen the significance of the correlation. Finally, some significant differences exist in the correlation coefficients depending on the electric field description.

Kicker field simulation and measurement for the muon g-2 experiment at FNAL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Seung Pyo; Kim, Young Im; Choi, Jihoon; Semertzidis, Yannis; muon g-2 experiment Collaboration

2017-01-01

In the Muon g-2 experiment, muon beam is injected to the storage ring in a slightly tilted orbit whose center is 77 mm away from the center of the ring. The kicker is needed to send the muon beam to the central orbit. The magnetic kicker is designed for the experiment and about 0.1 Tm field integral is needed. The peak current pulse is 4200 A to make this field integral. This strong kicker pulse could make unwanted eddy current occur. This eddy current could spoil the main magnetic field of the storage ring. This could be a critical threat to the precision of experiment. The kicker field simulation has done using OPERA to estimate the effects. Also the kicker field should be measured based on Faraday effect. The measurement has tested in the lab before install the experiment area. In this presentation, the simulation and measurement results will be discussed. This work was supported by IBS-R017-D1-2016-a00.

Link between EMIC waves in a plasmaspheric plume and a detached sub-auroral proton arc with observations of Cluster and IMAGE satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Zhigang; Deng, Xiaohua; Lin, Xi; Pang, Ye; Zhou, Meng; Décréau, P. M. E.; Trotignon, J. G.; Lucek, E.; Frey, H. U.; Wang, Jingfang

2010-04-01

In this paper, we report observations from a Cluster satellite showing that ULF wave occurred in the outer boundary of a plasmaspheric plume on September 4, 2005. The band of observed ULF waves is between the He+ ion gyrofrequency and O+ ion gyrofrequency at the equatorial plane, implying that those ULF waves can be identified as EMIC waves generated by ring current ions in the equatorial plane and strongly affected by rich cold He+ ions in plasmaspheric plumes. During the interval of observed EMIC waves, the footprint of Cluster SC3 lies in a subauroral proton arc observed by the IMAGE FUV instrument, demonstrating that the subauroral proton arc was caused by energetic ring current protons scattered into the loss cone under the Ring Current (RC)-EMIC interaction in the plasmaspheric plume. Therefore, the paper provides a direct proof that EMIC waves can be generated in the plasmaspheric plume and scatter RC ions to cause subauroral proton arcs.

The Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) Energetic Particle, Composition, and Thermal plasma (ECT) Suite: Upcoming Opportunties for Testing Radiation Belt Acceleration Mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spence, Harlan; Reeves, Geoffrey

2012-07-01

The Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) mission will launch in late summer 2012 and begin its exploration of acceleration and dynamics of energetic particles in the inner magnetosphere. In this presentation, we discuss opportunities afforded by the RBSP Energetic Particle, Composition, and Thermal plasma (ECT) instrument suite to advance our understanding of acceleration processes in the radiation belts. The RBSP-ECT instrument suite comprehensively measures the electron and major ion populations of the inner magnetosphere, from the lowest thermal plasmas of the plasmasphere, to the hot plasma of the ring current, to the relativistic populations of the radiation belts. Collectively, the ECT measurements will reveal the complex cross-energy coupling of these colocated particle populations, which along with concurrent RBSP wave measurements, will permit various wave-particle acceleration mechanisms to be tested. We review the measurement capabilities of the RBSP-ECT instrument suite, and demonstrate several examples of how these measurements will be used to explore candidate acceleration mechanisms and dynamics of radiation belt particles.

Planetary Rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gordon, M. K.; Araki, S.; Black, G. J.; Bosh, A. S.; Brahic, A.; Brooks, S. M.; Charnoz, S.; Colwell, J. E.; Cuzzi, J. N.; Dones, L.; Durisen, R. H.; Esposito, L. W.; Ferrari, C.; Festou, M.; French, R. G.; Giuliatti-Winter, S. M.; Graps, A. L.; Hamilton, D. P.; Horanyi, M.; Karjalainen, R. M.; Krivov, A. V.; Krueger, H.; Larson, S. M.; Levison, H. F.; Lewis, M. C.; Lissauer, J. J.; Murray, C. D.; Namouni, F.; Nicholson, P. D.; Olkin, C. B.; Poulet, F.; Rappaport, N. J.; Salo, H. J.; Schmidt, J.; Showalter, M. R.; Spahn, F.; Spilker, L. J.; Srama, R.; Stewart, G. R.; Yanamandra-Fisher, P.

2002-08-01

The past two decades have witnessed dramatic changes in our view and understanding of planetary rings. We now know that each of the giant planets in the Solar System possesses a complex and unique ring system. Recent studies have identified complex gravitational interactions between the rings and their retinues of attendant satellites. Among the four known ring systems, we see elegant examples of Lindblad and corotation resonances (first invoked in the context of galactic disks), electromagnetic resonances, spiral density waves and bending waves, narrow ringlets which exhibit internal modes due to collective instabilities, sharp-edged gaps maintained via tidal torques from embedded moonlets, and tenuous dust belts created by meteoroid impact onto, or collisions between, parent bodies. Yet, as far as we have come, our understanding is far from complete. The fundamental questions confronting ring scientists at the beginning of the twenty-first century are those regarding the origin, age and evolution of the various ring systems, in the broadest context. Understanding the origin and age requires us to know the current ring properties, and to understand the dominant evolutionary processes and how they influence ring properties. Here we discuss a prioritized list of the key questions, the answers to which would provide the greatest improvement in our understanding of planetary rings. We then outline the initiatives, missions, and other supporting activities needed to address those questions, and recommend priorities for the coming decade in planetary ring science.

Voyager Observations of the Color of Saturn's Ring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estrada, Paul R.; Cuzzi, Jeffrey N.; Morrison, David (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

Previously unreduced high resolution Voyager 2 images of Saturn's main rings are used to generate reflectivity (I/F) profiles as a function of radius. Ratios of profiles taken from green, violet, orange, and UV filter images are then produced. The I/F ratios are diagnostic of composition, and provide us with information on the rings' present state of compositional evolution. The rings are extremely reddish in color which suggests that they could not be pure water ice. The most likely candidates for the non-icy components are silicates and organics. The sources of these pollutants are of extreme importance in determining the compositional history of the rings. The radial profiles of ring color ratio exhibit several very interesting properties: (a) broad-scale, fairly smooth, color variations which are only weakly correlated with underlying ring structure (optical depth variations) across the outer C ring and inner B ring as well as the Cassini division region. These variations are probably consistent with ballistic transport; (b) fine-scale, noise-Like (but unquestionably real) color variations across at least the outer two-thirds of the B ring. Not only the "redness" but the spectral shape varies. These variations are currently unexplained. Groundbased spectroscopic observations should be pursued to study the implied compositional heterogeneities on at least the larger scales. This data set will be used for modeling of the color and composition of the main rings using ballistic transport and radiative transfer theories.

Conformation and Dynamics of Human Urotensin II and Urotensin Related Peptide in Aqueous Solution.

PubMed

Haensele, Elke; Mele, Nawel; Miljak, Marija; Read, Christopher M; Whitley, David C; Banting, Lee; Delépée, Carla; Sopkova-de Oliveira Santos, Jana; Lepailleur, Alban; Bureau, Ronan; Essex, Jonathan W; Clark, Timothy

2017-02-27

Conformation and dynamics of the vasoconstrictive peptides human urotensin II (UII) and urotensin related peptide (URP) have been investigated by both unrestrained and enhanced-sampling molecular-dynamics (MD) simulations and NMR spectroscopy. These peptides are natural ligands of the G-protein coupled urotensin II receptor (UTR) and have been linked to mammalian pathophysiology. UII and URP cannot be characterized by a single structure but exist as an equilibrium of two main classes of ring conformations, open and folded, with rapidly interchanging subtypes. The open states are characterized by turns of various types centered at K 8 Y 9 or F 6 W 7 predominantly with no or only sparsely populated transannular hydrogen bonds. The folded conformations show multiple turns stabilized by highly populated transannular hydrogen bonds comprising centers F 6 W 7 K 8 or W 7 K 8 Y 9 . Some of these conformations have not been characterized previously. The equilibrium populations that are experimentally difficult to access were estimated by replica-exchange MD simulations and validated by comparison of experimental NMR data with chemical shifts calculated with density-functional theory. UII exhibits approximately 72% open:28% folded conformations in aqueous solution. URP shows very similar ring conformations as UII but differs in an open:folded equilibrium shifted further toward open conformations (86:14) possibly arising from the absence of folded N-terminal tail-ring interaction. The results suggest that the different biological effects of UII and URP are not caused by differences in ring conformations but rather by different interactions with UTR.

Simulation and 'TWINS Observations of the 22 July 2009 Storm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fok, Mei-Ching; Buzulukova, Natalia Y.; Chen, Sheng-Hsien; Valek, Phil; Goldstein, Jerry; McComas, David

2010-01-01

TWINS is the first mission to perform stereo imaging of the Earth's ring current. The magnetic storm on 22 July 2009 is the largest storm observed since TWINS began routine stereo imaging in June 2008. On 22 July 2009, the Dst dropped to nearly -80nT at 7:00 and 10:00 UT. During the main phase and at the peak of the storm, TWINS 1 and 2 were near apogee and moving from pre-dawn to post-dawn local time. The energetic neutral atom (ENA) imagers on the 2 spacecraft captured the storm intensification and the formation of the partial ring current. The peak of the ENA emissions was seen in the midnight-to-dawn local-time sector. The development of this storm has been simulated using the Comprehensive Ring Current Model (CRCM) to understand and interpret the observed signatures. We perform CRCM runs with constant and time-varying magnetic field. The model calculations are validated by comparing the simulated ENA and ion flux intensities with TWINS ENA images and in-situ ion data from THEMIS satellites. Simulation with static magnetic field produces a strong shielding electric field that skews the ion drift trajectories toward dawn. The model's corresponding peak ENA emissions are always eastward than those in the observed TWINS images. On the other hand, simulation with a dynamic magnetic field gives better spatial agreements with both ENA and insitu particle data, suggesting that temporal variations of the geomagnetic field exert a significant influence upon global ring current ion dynamics.

Super Star Clusters and H II Regions in Nuclear Rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filippenko, Alex

1996-07-01

We propose to obtain WFPC2 optical broad-band {F547M and F814W} and narrow-band Halpha+ionN2 {F658N} images of nuclear starburst rings in four nearby galaxies for which we already have ultraviolet {F220W} FOC data. Nuclear rings {or ``hot- spot'' regions} in barred spirals are some of the nearest and least obscured starburst regions, and HST images of nuclear rings in several galaxies show that the rings contain large populations of super star clusters similar to those recently discovered in other types of starburst systems. These compact clusters, many having luminosities exceeding that of the R136 cluster in 30 Doradus, represent a violent mode of star formation distinct from that seen in ordinary disk ionH2 regions, and the nuclear rings present us with an opportunity to study large numbers of these extreme clusters in relatively unobscured starburst environments. It has been suggested that super star clusters are present-day versions of young globular clusters. To evaluate this hypothesis, it is important to understand the physical properties and stellar contents of the clusters, but previous HST studies of nuclear ring galaxies have only used single-filter observations. Together with our UV data, new WFPC2 images will enable us to determine the H II region and cluster luminosity functions within nuclear rings, measure cluster radii, derive age and mass estimates for the clusters by comparison with evolutionary synthesis models, and study the structure and evolution of nuclear rings.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Araujo, R. A. N.; Sfair, R.; Winter, O. C., E-mail: ran.araujo@gmail.com, E-mail: rsfair@feg.unesp.br, E-mail: ocwinter@gmail.com

The Centaur population is composed of minor bodies wandering between the giant planets that frequently perform close gravitational encounters with these planets, leading to a chaotic orbital evolution. Recently, the discovery of two well-defined narrow rings was announced around the Centaur 10199 Chariklo. The rings are assumed to be in the equatorial plane of Chariklo and to have circular orbits. The existence of a well-defined system of rings around a body in such a perturbed orbital region poses an interesting new problem. Are the rings of Chariklo stable when perturbed by close gravitational encounters with the giant planets? Our approachmore » to address this question consisted of forward and backward numerical simulations of 729 clones of Chariklo, with similar initial orbits, for a period of 100 Myr. We found, on average, that each clone experiences during its lifetime more than 150 close encounters with the giant planets within one Hill radius of the planet in question. We identified some extreme close encounters that were able to significantly disrupt or disturb the rings of Chariklo. About 3% of the clones lose their rings and about 4% of the clones have their rings significantly disturbed. Therefore, our results show that in most cases (more than 90%), the close encounters with the giant planets do not affect the stability of the rings in Chariklo-like systems. Thus, if there is an efficient mechanism that creates the rings, then these structures may be common among these kinds of Centaurs.« less

In silico predictions of LH2 ring sizes from the crystal structure of a single subunit using molecular dynamics simulations.

PubMed

Janosi, Lorant; Keer, Harindar; Cogdell, Richard J; Ritz, Thorsten; Kosztin, Ioan

2011-07-01

Most of the currently known light-harvesting complexes 2 (LH2) rings are formed by 8 or 9 subunits. As of now, questions like "what factors govern the LH2 ring size?" and "are there other ring sizes possible?" remain largely unanswered. Here, we investigate by means of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and stochastic modeling the possibility of predicting the size of an LH2 ring from the sole knowledge of the high resolution crystal structure of a single subunit. Starting with single subunits of two LH2 rings with known size, that is, an 8-ring from Rs. moliscianum (MOLI) and a 9-ring from Rps. acidophila (ACI), and one with unknown size (referred to as X), we build atomic models of subunit dimers corresponding to assumed 8-, 9-, and 10-ring geometries. After inserting each of the dimers into a lipid-water environment, we determine the preferred angle between the corresponding subunits by three methods: (1) energy minimization, (2) free MD simulations, and (3) potential of mean force calculations. We find that the results from all three methods are consistent with each other, and when taken together, it allows one to predict with reasonable level of confidence the sizes of the corresponding ring structures. One finds that X and ACI very likely form a 9-ring, while MOLI is more likely to form an 8-ring than a 9-ring. Finally, we discuss both the merits and limitations of all three prediction methods. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Advancing dendrochronological studies of fire in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harley, Grant L.; Baisan, Christopher H.; Brown, Peter M.; Falk, Donald A.; Flatley, William T.; Grissino-Mayer, Henri D.; Hessl, Amy; Heyerdahl, Emily K.; Kaye, Margot W.; Lafon, Charles W.; Margolis, Ellis; Maxwell, R. Stockton; Naito, Adam T.; Platt, William J.; Rother, Monica T.; Saladyga, Thomas; Sherriff, Rosemary L.; Stachowiak, Lauren A.; Stambaugh, Michael C.; Sutherland, Elaine Kennedy; Taylor, Alan H.

2018-01-01

Dendroecology is the science that dates tree rings to their exact calendar year of formation to study processes that influence forest ecology (e.g., Speer 2010, Amoroso et al., 2017). Reconstruction of past fire regimes is a core application of dendroecology, linking fire history to population dynamics and climate effects on tree growth and survivorship. Since the early 20th century when dendrochronologists recognized that tree rings retained fire scars (e.g., Figure 1), and hence a record of past fires, they have conducted studies worldwide to reconstruct the historical range and variability of fire regimes (e.g., frequency, severity, seasonality, spatial extent), the influence of fire regimes on forest structure and ecosystem dynamics, and the top-down (e.g., climate) and bottom-up (e.g., fuels, topography) drivers of fire that operate at a range of temporal and spatial scales. As in other scientific fields, continued application of dendrochronological techniques to study fires has shaped new trajectories for the science. Here we highlight some important current directions in the United States (US) and call on our international colleagues to continue the conversation with perspectives from other countries.

GASP. V. Ram-pressure stripping of a ring Hoag's-like galaxy in a massive cluster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moretti, A.; Poggianti, B. M.; Gullieuszik, M.; Mapelli, M.; Jaffé, Y. L.; Fritz, J.; Biviano, A.; Fasano, G.; Bettoni, D.; Vulcani, B.; D'Onofrio, M.

2018-04-01

Through an ongoing MUSE program dedicated to study gas removal processes in galaxies (GAs Stripping Phenomena in galaxies with MUSE, GASP), we have obtained deep and wide integral field spectroscopy of the galaxy JO171. This galaxy resembles the Hoag's galaxy, one of the most spectacular examples of ring galaxies, characterized by a completely detached ring of young stars surrounding a central old spheroid. At odds with the isolated Hoag's galaxy, JO171 is part of a dense environment, the cluster Abell 3667, which is causing gas stripping along tentacles. Moreover, its ring counter-rotates with respect to the central spheroid. The joint analysis of the stellar populations and the gas/stellar kinematics shows that the origin of the ring was not due to an internal mechanism, but was related to a gas accretion event that happened in the distant past, prior to accretion on to Abell 3667, most probably within a filament. More recently, since infall in the cluster, the gas in the ring has been stripped by ram pressure, causing the quenching of star formation in the stripped half of the ring. This is the first observed case of ram-pressure stripping in action in a ring galaxy, and MUSE observations are able to reveal both of the events (accretion and stripping) that caused dramatic transformations in this galaxy.

Dynamical Models of the Solar System Formation and Evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, Glen R.

2002-01-01

Mark Lewis has extended his them is work by completing a series of N-body simulations of a narrow ring that: is in the location of Saturn's F-ring and is perturbed by a single satellite comparable to Prometheus, but on a circular orbit. We had previously shown how the satellite perturbations can cause a broadly distributed sparse population of ring particles to become concentrated into narrow rings that can be maintained outside of any resonance location. For low optical depths, the collisions between ring particles are highly localized in the peaks of the satellite wakes. The inelastic collisions therefore occur at a particular orbital phase angle so as to damp the azimuthal component of the relative velocities. Since particle positions are not changed by collisions, the semimajor axes of the particles are shifted toward the actual particle positions where the collisions occur. Thus, negative radial diffusion can occur while conserving orbital angular momentum so long as the forced eccentricity is continually re-excited by the satellite. We speculated that the separation between the final ringlets was largely determined by the magnitude of the forced eccentricities induced by the satellite at closest approach. We carried out a series of simulations with a variety of different satellite masses in order to vary the magnitude of the forced eccentricity. We found that indeed the final spacing of the ringlets does increase with the magnitude of the forced eccentricity (Lewis and Stewart 2002). This occurs because neighboring eccentric ringlets drift out of phase with one another due to Keplerian shear and eventually collide with one another, leading to a smaller number of more widely spaced ringlets, The time scale required to form narrow ringlets in these simulations is much shorter than one would expect from standard theories based upon the orbit-averaged torque produced by multiple passes by the satellite. We find that the initial ringlets form in less than two synodic periods and the final state is typically reached in 10 to 20 synodic periods. These studies move us closer to understanding the significantly more complex system of Saturn's F ring, where the perturbation magnitude varies over short temporal and spatial time scales due to the orbital eccentricities of the perturbing satellite. We are currently extending the simulation to allow for an eccentric orbit of the satellite.

Problem of Auroral Oval Mapping and Multiscale Auroral Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antonova, Elizaveta; Stepanova, Marina; Kirpichev, Igor; Vovchenko, Vadim; Vorobjev, Viachislav; Yagodkina, Oksana

The problem of the auroral oval mapping to the equatorial plane is reanalyzed taking into account the latest results of the analysis of plasma pressure distribution at low altitudes and at the equatorial plane. Statistical pictures of pressure distribution at low latitudes are obtained using data of DMSP observations. We obtain the statistical pictures of pressure distribution at the equatorial plane using data of THEMIS mission. Results of THEMIS observations demonstrate the existence of plasma ring surrounding the Earth at geocentric distances from ~6 till ~12Re. Plasma pressure in the ring is near to isotropic and its averaged values are larger than 0.2 nPa. We take into account that isotropic plasma pressure is constant along the field line and that the existence of field-aligned potential drops in the region of the acceleration of auroral electrons leads to pressure decrease at low altitudes. We show that most part of quite time auroral oval does not map to the real plasma sheet. It maps to the surrounding the Earth plasma ring. We also show that transverse currents in the plasma ring are closed inside the magnetosphere forming the high latitude continuation of the ordinary ring current. The obtained results are used for the explanation of ring like form of the auroral oval. We also analyze the processes of the formation of multiscale auroral structures including thin auroral arcs and discuss the difficulties of the theories of alfvenic acceleration of auroral electrons.

Energetic particle pressure in Saturn's magnetosphere measured with the Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument on Cassini

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sergis, N.; Krimigis, S. M.; Mitchell, D. G.; Hamilton, D. C.; Krupp, N.; Mauk, B. H.; Roelof, E. C.; Dougherty, M. K.

2009-02-01

The Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument on board Cassini has been providing measurements of energetic ion intensities, energy spectra, and ion composition, combining the Charge Energy Mass Spectrometer over the range 3 to 236 keV/e, the Low Energy Magnetospheric Measurements System for ions in the range 0.024 to 18 MeV, and the Ion and Neutral Camera for ions and energetic neutral atoms in the range 3 to > 200 keV. Results of the energetic (E > 3 keV) particle pressure distribution throughout the Saturnian magnetosphere and comparison with in situ measurements of the magnetic pressure are presented. The study offers a comprehensive depiction of the average, steady state hot plasma environment of Saturn over the 3 years since orbit insertion on 1 July 2004, with emphasis on ring current characteristics. The results may be summarized as follows: (1) The Saturnian magnetosphere possesses a dynamic, high-beta ring current located approximately between 8 and ~15 RS, primarily composed of O+ ions, and characterized by suprathermal (E > 3 keV) particle pressure, with typical values of 10-9 dyne/cm2. (2) The planetary plasma sheet shows significant asymmetries, with the dayside region being broadened in latitude (+/-50°) and extending to the magnetopause, and the nightside appearing well confined, with a thickness of ~10 RS and a northward tilt of some 10° with respect to the equatorial plane beyond ~20 RS. (3) The average radial suprathermal pressure gradient appears sufficient to modify the radial force balance and subsequently the azimuthal currents. (4) The magnetic perturbation due to the trapped energetic particle population is ~7 nT, similar to values from magnetic field-based studies (9 to 13 nT).

Circular lasers for telecommunications and rf/photonics applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griffel, Giora

2000-04-01

Following a review of ring resonator research in the past decade we shall report a novel bi-level etching technique that permits the use of standard photolithography for coupling to deeply-etched ring resonator structures. The technique is employed to demonstrate InGaAsP laterally- coupled racetrack ring resonators laser with record low threshold currents of 66 mA. The racetrack laser have curved sections of 150 micrometers radius with negligible bending loss. The lasers operate CW single mode up to nearly twice threshold with a 26 dB side-mode-suppression ratio. We shall also present a transfer matrix formalism for the analysis of ring resonator arrays and indicate application examples for flat band filter synthesis.

ONLINE MINIMIZATION OF VERTICAL BEAM SIZES AT APS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sun, Yipeng

In this paper, online minimization of vertical beam sizes along the APS (Advanced Photon Source) storage ring is presented. A genetic algorithm (GA) was developed and employed for the online optimization in the APS storage ring. A total of 59 families of skew quadrupole magnets were employed as knobs to adjust the coupling and the vertical dispersion in the APS storage ring. Starting from initially zero current skew quadrupoles, small vertical beam sizes along the APS storage ring were achieved in a short optimization time of one hour. The optimization results from this method are briefly compared with the onemore » from LOCO (Linear Optics from Closed Orbits) response matrix correction.« less

Invited review article: Large ring lasers for rotation sensing.

PubMed

Schreiber, Karl Ulrich; Wells, Jon-Paul R

2013-04-01

Over the last two decades a series of large ring laser gyroscopes have been built having an unparalleled scale factor. These upscaled devices have improved the sensitivity and stability for rotation rate measurements by six orders of magnitude when compared to previous commercial developments. This progress has made possible entirely new applications of ring laser gyroscopes in the fields of geophysics, geodesy, and seismology. Ring lasers are currently the only viable measurement technology, which is directly referenced to the instantaneous rotation axis of the Earth. The sensor technology is rapidly developing. This is evidenced by the first experimentally viable proposals to make terrestrial tests of general relativistic effects such as the frame dragging of the rotating Earth.

Possibility designing XNOR and NAND molecular logic gates by using single benzene ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbas, Mohammed A.; Hanoon, Falah H.; Al-Badry, Lafy F.

2017-09-01

This study focused on examining electronic transport through single benzene ring and suggested how such ring can be employed to design XNOR and NAND molecular logic gates. The single benzene ring was threaded by a magnetic flux. The magnetic flux and applied gate voltages were considered as the key tuning parameter in the XNOR and NAND gates operation. All the calculations are achieved by using steady-state theoretical model, which is based on the time-dependent Hamiltonian model. The transmission probability and the electric current are calculated as functions of electron energy and bias voltage, respectively. The application of the anticipated results can be a base for the progress of molecular electronics.

Physiological and modeling evidence for focal transcranial electrical brain stimulation in humans: A basis for high-definition tDCS

PubMed Central

Edwards, Dylan; Cortes, Mar; Datta, Abhishek; Minhas, Preet; Wassermann, Eric M.; Bikson, Marom

2015-01-01

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive, low-cost, well-tolerated technique producing lasting modulation of cortical excitability. Behavioral and therapeutic outcomes of tDCS are linked to the targeted brain regions, but there is little evidence that current reaches the brain as intended. We aimed to: (1) validate a computational model for estimating cortical electric fields in human transcranial stimulation, and (2) assess the magnitude and spread of cortical electric field with a novel High-Definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) scalp montage using a 4×1-Ring electrode configuration. In three healthy adults, Transcranial Electrical Stimulation (TES) over primary motor cortex (M1) was delivered using the 4×1 montage (4× cathode, surrounding a single central anode; montage radius ~3 cm) with sufficient intensity to elicit a discrete muscle twitch in the hand. The estimated current distribution in M1 was calculated using the individualized MRI-based model, and compared with the observed motor response across subjects. The response magnitude was quantified with stimulation over motor cortex as well as anterior and posterior to motor cortex. In each case the model data were consistent with the motor response across subjects. The estimated cortical electric fields with the 4×1 montage were compared (area, magnitude, direction) for TES and tDCS in each subject. We provide direct evidence in humans that TES with a 4×1-Ring configuration can activate motor cortex and that current does not substantially spread outside the stimulation area. Computational models predict that both TES and tDCS waveforms using the 4×1-Ring configuration generate electric fields in cortex with comparable gross current distribution, and preferentially directed normal (inward) currents. The agreement of modeling and experimental data for both current delivery and focality support the use of the HD-tDCS 4×1-Ring montage for cortically targeted neuromodulation. PMID:23370061

High-resolution imaging of Saturn's main rings during the Cassini Ring-Grazing Orbits and Grand Finale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiscareno, M. S.

2017-12-01

Cassini is ending its spectacular 13-year mission at Saturn with a two-part farewell, during which it has obtained the sharpest and highest-fidelity images ever taken of Saturn's rings. From December 2016 to April 2017, the spacecraft executed 20 near-polar orbits that passed just outside the outer edge of the main rings; these "Ring-Grazing Orbits" provided the mission's best viewing of the A and F rings and the outer B ring. From April to September 2017, the spacecraft is executing 22 near-polar orbits that pass between the innermost D ring and the planet's clouds; this "Grand Finale" provides the mission's best viewing of the C and D rings and the inner B ring. 1) Clumpy BeltsClumpy structure called "straw" was previously observed in parts of the main rings [Porco et al. 2005, Science]. New images show this structure with greater clarity. More surprisingly, new images reveal strong radial variations in the degree and character of clumpiness, which are probably an index for particle properties and interactions. Belts with different clumpiness characteristics are often adjacent to each other and not easily correlated with other ring characteristics. 2) PropellersA "propeller" is a local disturbance in the ring created by an embedded moon [Tiscareno et al. 2006, Nature; 2010, ApJL]. Cassini has observed two classes of propellers: small propellers that swarm in the "Propeller Belts" of the mid-A ring, and "Giant Propellers" whose individual orbits can be tracked in the outer A ring. Both are shown in unprecedented detail in new images. Targeted flybys of Giant Propellers were executed on both the lit and unlit sides of the ring (see figure), yielding enhanced ability to convert brightness to optical depth and surface density. 3) Impact Ejecta CloudsBeing a large and delicate system, Saturn's rings function as a detector of their planetary environment. Cassini images of impact ejecta clouds in the rings previously constrained the population of decimeter-to-meter-sized meteoroids in Saturn's vicinity [Tiscareno et al. 2013, Science]. Many more IECs are detected in new images, with color data that may constrain the particle-size distribution of the ejecta, and thus the fracture properties of ring material.

Friction melt distribution in a multi-ring impact basin.

PubMed

Spray, J G; Thompson, L M

1995-01-12

It is generally accepted that multi-ring basins are the consequence of very large impacts, but the mechanism by which they form is still a matter of contention. Most of what is currently known about multi-ring basins is based on remote studies of the Moon and, to a lesser extent, Mars and Mercury. But at least two multi-ring impact basins have been recognized on Earth--the Sudbury (Canada) and Vredefort (South Africa) impact structures--providing an opportunity to study their properties directly. Here we describe the distribution of friction melt (pseudotachylyte) in the floor of the Sudbury impact basin. Although the veins and dykes of pseudotachylyte decrease in both thickness and frequency of occurrence towards the basin periphery, the greatest volumes of friction melt appear to define four rings around the central impact melt sheet. Field evidence indicates that the rings originated as zones of large displacement, which facilitated localized frictional melting of the basin floor during the modification (collapse) stage of the cratering process. By analogy, we argue that the rings of other multi-ring impact basins are also likely to be the remnants of such large-displacement fault zones.

In situ measurements of Saturn's ionosphere show that it is dynamic and interacts with the rings.

PubMed

Wahlund, J-E; Morooka, M W; Hadid, L Z; Persoon, A M; Farrell, W M; Gurnett, D A; Hospodarsky, G; Kurth, W S; Ye, S-Y; Andrews, D J; Edberg, N J T; Eriksson, A I; Vigren, E

2018-01-05

The ionized upper layer of Saturn's atmosphere, its ionosphere, provides a closure of currents mediated by the magnetic field to other electrically charged regions (for example, rings) and hosts ion-molecule chemistry. In 2017, the Cassini spacecraft passed inside the planet's rings, allowing in situ measurements of the ionosphere. The Radio and Plasma Wave Science instrument detected a cold, dense, and dynamic ionosphere at Saturn that interacts with the rings. Plasma densities reached up to 1000 cubic centimeters, and electron temperatures were below 1160 kelvin near closest approach. The density varied between orbits by up to two orders of magnitude. Saturn's A- and B-rings cast a shadow on the planet that reduced ionization in the upper atmosphere, causing a north-south asymmetry. Copyright © 2018, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

National Synchrotron Light Source II storage ring vacuum systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hseuh, Hsiao-Chaun, E-mail: hseuh@bnl.gov; Hetzel, Charles; Leng, Shuwei

2016-05-15

The National Synchrotron Light Source II, completed in 2014, is a 3-GeV synchrotron radiation (SR) facility at Brookhaven National Laboratory and has been in steady operation since. With a design electron current of 500 mA and subnanometer radians horizontal emittance, this 792-m circumference storage ring is providing the highest flux and brightness x-ray beam for SR users. The majority of the storage ring vacuum chambers are made of extruded aluminium. Chamber sections are interconnected using low-impedance radiofrequency shielded bellows. SR from the bending magnets is intercepted by water-cooled compact photon absorbers resided in the storage ring chambers. This paper presents themore » design of the storage ring vacuum system, the fabrication of vacuum chambers and other hardware, the installation, the commissioning, and the continuing beam conditioning of the vacuum systems.« less

Translations on Eastern Europe, Scientific Affairs, Number 569

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-01-12

compensation of the plasma pres- sure is achieved by means of a magnetic field produced in conjunction with an induced high current flowing in the plasma ring (poloidal... plasma ring acts as the "secondary coil." -2 Inertial confinement is, in principle, simpler, but as yet realized technically only in the relatively

MHD Instabilities in Simple Plasma Configuration

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-01-01

current near the plasma boundary) which can be detected outside the plasma ring . A concept which has proved to b- of great significance for the stability...decrease in the major radius of the plasma ring , a significant loss of plasma energy and particles (from the core of the plasma) and a decrease in the

Herbivory, plant resistance, and climate in the tree ring record: Interactions distort climatic reconstructions

PubMed Central

Trotter, R. Talbot; Cobb, Neil S.; Whitham, Thomas G.

2002-01-01

To understand climate change, dendrochronologists have used tree ring analyses to reconstruct past climates, as well as ecological processes such as herbivore population dynamics. Such reconstructions, however, have been hindered by a lack of experiments that separate the influences of confounding impacts on tree rings, such as herbivores and the interactions of multiple factors. Our long-term experiments with scale insects on resistant and susceptible pines demonstrate three major points that are important to the application of this commonly used tool. (i) Herbivory reduced tree ring growth by 25–35%. (ii) The impact on ring growth distorted climate reconstruction, resulting in the overestimation of past moisture levels by more than 2-fold. Our data suggest that, if distortion because of herbivory has been a problem in previous reconstructions, estimates of the magnitude of recent climate changes are likely to be conservative. (iii) Our studies support a detectible plant resistance × herbivore × climate interaction in the tree ring record. Because resistance and susceptibility to herbivory are known to be genetically based in many systems, the potential exists to incorporate plant genetics into the field of dendrochronology, where it may be used to screen distortions from the tree ring record. PMID:12110729

Current's Fluctuations through Molecular Wires Composed of Thiophene Rings.

PubMed

Ojeda Silva, Judith Helena; Cortés Peñaranda, Juan Camilo; Gómez Castaño, Jovanny A; Duque, Carlos Alberto

2018-04-11

We study theoretically the electronic transport and quantum fluctuations in single-molecule systems using thiophene rings as integrated elementary functions, as well as the dependence of these properties with the increase of the coupled rings, i.e., as a quantum wire. In order to analyze the current flow through these molecular systems, the thiophene rings are considered to be connected to metal contacts, which, in general terms, will be related to the application of voltages (bias voltages or gate voltages) to generate non-equilibrium behavior between the contacts. Due to the nonlinear behavior that is generated when said voltages are applied, it is possible to observe quantum fluctuations in the transport properties of these molecular wires. For the calculation of the transport properties, we applied a tight-binding approach using the Landauer-Büttiker formalism and the Fischer-Lee relationship, by means of a semi-analytic Green's function method within a real-space renormalization (decimation procedure). Our results showed an excellent agreement with results using a tight-binding model with a minimal number of parameters reported so far for these molecular systems.

Prediction of aerodynamic noise in a ring fan based on wake characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sasaki, Soichi; Fukuda, Masaharu; Tsujino, Masao; Tsubota, Haruhiro

2011-06-01

A ring fan is a propeller fan that applies an axial-flow impeller with a ring-shaped shroud on the blade tip side. In this study, the entire flow field of the ring fan is simulated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD); the accuracy of the CFD is verified through a comparison with the aerodynamic characteristics of a propeller fan of current model. Moreover, the aerodynamic noise generated by the fan is predicted on the basis of the wake characteristics. The aerodynamic characteristic of the ring fan based on CFD can represent qualitatively the variation in the measured value. The main flow domain of the ring fan is formed at the tip side of the blade because blade tip vortex is not formed at that location. Therefore, the relative velocity of the ring fan is increased by the circumferential velocity. The sound pressure levels of the ring fan within the frequency band of less than 200 Hz are larger than that of the propeller fan. In the analysis of the wake characteristics, it revealed that Karman vortex shedding occurred in the main flow domain in the frequency domain lower than 200 Hz; the aerodynamic noise of the ring fan in the vortex shedding frequency enlarges due to increase in the relative velocity and the velocity fluctuation.

Plasma Disks and Rings with ``High'' Magnetic Energy Densities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coppi, B.; Rousseau, F.

2006-04-01

The nonlinear theory of rotating axisymmetric thin structures in which the magnetic field energy density is comparable with the thermal plasma energy density is formulated. The only flow velocity included in the theory is the velocity of rotation around a central object whose gravity is dominant. The periodic sequence, in the radial direction, of pairs of opposite current channels that can form is shown to lead to relatively large plasma density and pressure modulations, while the relevant magnetic surfaces can acquire a ``crystal structure.'' A new class of equilibria consisting of a series of plasma rings is identified, in the regimes where the plasma pressure is comparable to the magnetic pressure associated with the fields produced by the internal currents. The possible relevance of this result to the formation of dusty plasma rings is pointed out.

Saturn's Rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuzzi, J. N.

2014-12-01

The rings are changing before our eyes; structure varies on all timescales and unexpected things have been discovered. Many questions have been answered, but some answers remain elusive (see Cuzzi et al 2010 for a review). Here we highlight the major ring science progress over the mission to date, and describe new observations planned for Cassini's final three years. Ring Composition and particle sizes: The rings are nearly all water ice with no other ices - so why are they reddish? The C Ring and Cassini Division are "dirtier" than the more massive B and A Rings, as shown by near-IR and, recently, microwave observations. Particle sizes, from stellar and radio occultations, vary from place to place. Ring structure, micro and macro: numerous spiral density waves and ubiquitous "self-gravity wakes" reveal processes which fostered planet formation in the solar system and elsewhere. However, big puzzles remain regarding the main ring divisions, the C Ring plateau structures, and the B Ring irregular structure. Moonlets, inside and out, seen and unseen: Two gaps contain sizeable moonlets, but more gaps seem to contain none; even smaller embedded "propeller" objects wander, systematically or randomly, through the A ring. Rubble pile ringmoons just outside the rings may escaped from the rings, and the recently discovered "Peggy" may be trying this as we watch. Impact bombardment of the rings: Comet fragments set the rings to rippling on century-timescales, and boulders crash through hourly; meanwhile, the constant hail of infalling Kuiper belt material has a lower mass flux than previously thought. Origin and Age of the Rings: The ring mass and bombardment play key roles. The ring mass is well known everywhere but in the B Ring (where most of it is). New models suggest how tidal breakup of evolving moons may have formed massive ancient rings, of which the current ring is just a shadow. During its last three years, the Cassini tour profile will allow entirely new observations: direct measurement of the still-unknown ring mass; direct in-situ sampling of ring particle composition (targeting the iron- or carbon-based red nonicy component); and radar backscattering observations. Cuzzi, J. N. et al. (2010) An Evolving View of Saturn's Dynamic Rings; Science (Inv. Review) 19 March 2010: 327. no. 5972, pp. 1470 - 1475

Oscillatory persistent currents in self-assembled quantum rings.

PubMed

Kleemans, N A J M; Bominaar-Silkens, I M A; Fomin, V M; Gladilin, V N; Granados, D; Taboada, A G; García, J M; Offermans, P; Zeitler, U; Christianen, P C M; Maan, J C; Devreese, J T; Koenraad, P M

2007-10-05

We report the direct measurement of the persistent current carried by a single electron by means of magnetization experiments on self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum rings. We measured the first Aharonov-Bohm oscillation at a field of 14 T, in perfect agreement with our model based on the structural properties determined by cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy measurements. The observed oscillation magnitude of the magnetic moment per electron is remarkably large for the topology of our nanostructures, which are singly connected and exhibit a pronounced shape asymmetry.

Apse-Alignment of the Uranian Rings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mosqueira, I.; Estrada, P. R.

2000-01-01

An explanation of the dynamical mechanism for apse-alignment of the eccentric Uranian rings is necessary before observations can be used to determine properties such as ring masses, particle sizes, and elasticities. The leading model relies on the ring self-gravity to accomplish this task, yet it yields equilibrium masses which are not in accord with Voyager radio measurements. We explore possible solutions such that the self-gravity and the collisional terms are both involved in the process of apse-alignment. We consider limits that correspond to a hot and a cold ring, and show that pressure terms may play a significant role in the equilibrium conditions for the narrow Uranian rings. In the cold ring case, where the scale height of the ring near periapse is comparable to the ring particle size, we introduce a new pressure correction pertaining to a region of the ring where the particles are locked in their relative positions and jammed against their neighbors, and the velocity dispersion is so low that the collisions are nearly elastic. In this case, we find a solution such that the ring self-gravity maintains apse-alignment against both differential precession (m = 1 mode) and the fluid pressure. We apply this model to the Uranian alpha ring, and show that, compared to the previous self-gravity model, the mass estimate for this ring increases by an order of magnitude. In the case of a hot ring, where the scale height can reach a value as much as fifty times larger than a particle size, we find velocity dispersion profiles that result in pressure forces which act in such a way as to alter the ring equilibrium conditions, again leading to a ring mass increase of an order of magnitude; however, such a velocity dispersion profile would require a different mechanism than is currently envisioned for establishing heating/cooling balance in a finite-sized, inelastic particle ring. Finally, we introduce an important correction to the model of Chiang and Goldreich.

The Structure of Chariklo’s Rings from Stellar Occultations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bérard, D.; Sicardy, B.; Camargo, J. I. B.; Desmars, J.; Braga-Ribas, F.; Ortiz, J.-L.; Duffard, R.; Morales, N.; Meza, E.; Leiva, R.; Benedetti-Rossi, G.; Vieira-Martins, R.; Gomes Júnior, A.-R.; Assafin, M.; Colas, F.; Dauvergne, J.-L.; Kervella, P.; Lecacheux, J.; Maquet, L.; Vachier, F.; Renner, S.; Monard, B.; Sickafoose, A. A.; Breytenbach, H.; Genade, A.; Beisker, W.; Bath, K.-L.; Bode, H.-J.; Backes, M.; Ivanov, V. D.; Jehin, E.; Gillon, M.; Manfroid, J.; Pollock, J.; Tancredi, G.; Roland, S.; Salvo, R.; Vanzi, L.; Herald, D.; Gault, D.; Kerr, S.; Pavlov, H.; Hill, K. M.; Bradshaw, J.; Barry, M. A.; Cool, A.; Lade, B.; Cole, A.; Broughton, J.; Newman, J.; Horvat, R.; Maybour, D.; Giles, D.; Davis, L.; Paton, R. A.; Loader, B.; Pennell, A.; Jaquiery, P.-D.; Brillant, S.; Selman, F.; Dumas, C.; Herrera, C.; Carraro, G.; Monaco, L.; Maury, A.; Peyrot, A.; Teng-Chuen-Yu, J.-P.; Richichi, A.; Irawati, P.; De Witt, C.; Schoenau, P.; Prager, R.; Colazo, C.; Melia, R.; Spagnotto, J.; Blain, A.; Alonso, S.; Román, A.; Santos-Sanz, P.; Rizos, J.-L.; Maestre, J.-L.; Dunham, D.

2017-10-01

Two narrow and dense rings (called C1R and C2R) were discovered around the Centaur object (10199) Chariklo during a stellar occultation observed on 2013 June 3. Following this discovery, we planned observations of several occultations by Chariklo’s system in order to better characterize the physical properties of the ring and main body. Here, we use 12 successful occulations by Chariklo observed between 2014 and 2016. They provide ring profiles (physical width, opacity, edge structure) and constraints on the radii and pole position. Our new observations are currently consistent with the circular ring solution and pole position, to within the ±3.3 km formal uncertainty for the ring radii derived by Braga-Ribas et al. The six resolved C1R profiles reveal significant width variations from ˜5 to 7.5 km. The width of the fainter ring C2R is less constrained, and may vary between 0.1 and 1 km. The inner and outer edges of C1R are consistent with infinitely sharp boundaries, with typical upper limits of one kilometer for the transition zone between the ring and empty space. No constraint on the sharpness of C2R’s edges is available. A 1σ upper limit of ˜20 m is derived for the equivalent width of narrow (physical width < 4 km) rings up to distances of 12,000 km, counted in the ring plane.

Radial and local time structure of the Saturnian ring current, revealed by Cassini

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sergis, N.; Jackman, C. M.; Thomsen, M. F.; Krimigis, S. M.; Mitchell, D. G.; Hamilton, D. C.; Dougherty, M. K.; Krupp, N.; Wilson, R. J.

2017-02-01

We analyze particle and magnetic field data obtained between July 2004 and December 2013 in the equatorial magnetosphere of Saturn, by the Cassini spacecraft. The radial and local time distribution of the total (thermal and suprathermal) particle pressure and total plasma beta (ratio of particle to magnetic pressure) over radial distances from 5 to 16 Saturn radii (RS = 60,258 km) is presented. The average azimuthal current density Jϕ and its separate components (inertial, pressure gradient, and anisotropy) are computed as a function of radial distance and local time and presented as equatorial maps. We explore the relative contribution of different physical mechanisms that drive the ring current at Saturn. Results show that (a) the particle pressure is controlled by thermal plasma inside of 8 RS and by the hot ions beyond 12 RS, exhibiting strong local time asymmetry with higher pressures measured at the dusk and night sectors; (b) the plasma beta increases with radial distance and remains >1 beyond 8-10 RS for all local times; (c) the ring current is asymmetric in local time and forms a maximum region between 7 and 13 RS, with values up to 100-115 pA/m2; and (d) the ring current is inertial everywhere inside of 7 RS, exhibits a mixed nature between 7 and 11 RS and is pressure gradient driven beyond 11 RS, with the exception of the noon sector where the mixed nature persists. In the dawn sector, it appears strongly pressure gradient driven for a wider range of radial distance, consistent with fast return flow of hot, tenuous magnetospheric plasma following tail reconnection.

Validation of Salinity Data from the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) and Aquarius Satellites in the Agulhas Current System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Button, N.

2016-02-01

The Agulhas Current System is an important western boundary current, particularly due to its vital role in the transport of heat and salt from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, such as through Agulhas rings. Accurate measurements of salinity are necessary for assessing the role of the Agulhas Current System and these rings in the global climate system are necessary. With ESA's Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) and NASA's Aquarius/SAC-D satellites, we now have complete spatial and temporal (since 2009 and 2011, respectively) coverage of salinity data. To use this data to understand the role of the Agulhas Current System in the context of salinity within the global climate system, we must first understand validate the satellite data using in situ and model comparisons. In situ comparisons are important because of the accuracy, but they lack in the spatial and temporal coverage to validate the satellite data. For example, there are approximately 100 floats in the Agulhas Return Current. Therefore, model comparisons, such as the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM), are used along with the in situ data for the validation. For the validation, the satellite data, Argo float data, and HYCOM simulations were compared within box regions both inside and outside of the Agulhas Current. These boxed regions include the main Agulhas Current, Agulhas Return Current, Agulhas Retroflection, and Agulhas rings, as well as a low salinity and high salinity region outside of the current system. This analysis reveals the accuracy of the salinity measurements from the Aquarius/SAC-D and SMOS satellites within the Agulhas Current, which then provides accurate salinity data that can then be used to understand the role of the Agulhas Current System in the global climate system.

The leap-frog effect of ring currents in benzene.

PubMed

Ligabue, Andrea; Soncini, Alessandro; Lazzeretti, Paolo

2002-03-06

Symmetry arguments show that the ring-current model proposed by Pauling, Lonsdale, and London to explain the enhanced diamagnetism of benzene is flawed by an intrinsic drawback. The minimal basis set of six atomic 2p orbitals taken into account to develop such a model is inherently insufficient to predict a paramagnetic contribution to the perpendicular component of magnetic susceptibility in planar ring systems such as benzene. Analogous considerations can be made for the hypothetical H(6) cyclic molecule. A model allowing for extended basis sets is necessary to rationalize the magnetism of aromatics. According to high-quality coupled Hartree-Fock calculations, the trajectories of the current density vector field induced by a magnetic field perpendicular to the skeletal plane of benzene in the pi electrons are noticeably different from those typical of a Larmor diamagnetic circulation, in that (i) significant deformation of the orbits from circular to hexagonal symmetry occurs, which is responsible for a paramagnetic contribution of pi electrons to the out-of-plane component of susceptibility, and (ii) a sizable component of the pi current density vector parallel to the inducing field is predicted. This causes a waving motion of pi electrons; streamlines are characterized by a "leap-frog effect".

Plasma pressure distribution at the geocentric distances smaller than 15 Re and the structure of magnetospheric current systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirpichev, Igor; Antonova, Elizaveta

We analyzed the characteristics of the plasma region surrounding the Earth at the geocentric distances between 6 and 15 Re using the data of THEMIS mission. To calculate plasma pressure including ion and electron contributions we have used the particle spectra measured by ESA and SST instruments. The magnetic field was obtained from the FGM magnetometer data. We take into account the daytime compression of the magnetic field lines and the shift of the minimal value of the magnetic field to higher latitudes. The obtained averaged distributions of plasma pressure, of pressure anisotropy, and of magnetic field near the equatorial plane showed the presence of a ring-shaped structure surrounding the Earth at the geocentric distances till the dayside magnetopause near noon. Plasma pressure gradients in the analyzed region have mainly earthward direction which means the existence of westward directed transverse currents. We obtain the values of such current densities and integral currents along field lines during quite geomagnetic conditions suggesting the validity of the condition of the magnetostatic equilibrium. We show that transverse currents in the high latitude magnetosphere have the ring-like structure forming the high latitude continuation of the ordinary ring current. The obtained data base is used for the creation of the model of the pressure distribution during different IMF and solar wind conditions.

Infants' use of category knowledge and object attributes when segregating objects at 8.5 months of age.

PubMed

Needham, Amy; Cantlon, Jessica F; Ormsbee Holley, Susan M

2006-12-01

The current research investigates infants' perception of a novel object from a category that is familiar to young infants: key rings. We ask whether experiences obtained outside the lab would allow young infants to parse the visible portions of a partly occluded key ring display into one single unit, presumably as a result of having categorized it as a key ring. This categorization was marked by infants' perception of the keys and ring as a single unit that should move together, despite their attribute differences. We showed infants a novel key ring display in which the keys and ring moved together as one rigid unit (Move-together event) or the ring moved but the keys remained stationary throughout the event (Move-apart event). Our results showed that 8.5-month-old infants perceived the keys and ring as connected despite their attribute differences, and that their perception of object unity was eliminated as the distinctive attributes of the key ring were removed. When all of the distinctive attributes of the key ring were removed, the 8.5-month-old infants perceived the display as two separate units, which is how younger infants (7-month-old) perceived the key ring display with all its distinctive attributes unaltered. These results suggest that on the basis of extensive experience with an object category, infants come to identify novel members of that category and expect them to possess the attributes typical of that category.

Real-time track-less Cherenkov ring fitting trigger system based on Graphics Processing Units

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ammendola, R.; Biagioni, A.; Chiozzi, S.; Cretaro, P.; Cotta Ramusino, A.; Di Lorenzo, S.; Fantechi, R.; Fiorini, M.; Frezza, O.; Gianoli, A.; Lamanna, G.; Lo Cicero, F.; Lonardo, A.; Martinelli, M.; Neri, I.; Paolucci, P. S.; Pastorelli, E.; Piandani, R.; Piccini, M.; Pontisso, L.; Rossetti, D.; Simula, F.; Sozzi, M.; Vicini, P.

2017-12-01

The parallel computing power of commercial Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) is exploited to perform real-time ring fitting at the lowest trigger level using information coming from the Ring Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) detector of the NA62 experiment at CERN. To this purpose, direct GPU communication with a custom FPGA-based board has been used to reduce the data transmission latency. The GPU-based trigger system is currently integrated in the experimental setup of the RICH detector of the NA62 experiment, in order to reconstruct ring-shaped hit patterns. The ring-fitting algorithm running on GPU is fed with raw RICH data only, with no information coming from other detectors, and is able to provide more complex trigger primitives with respect to the simple photodetector hit multiplicity, resulting in a higher selection efficiency. The performance of the system for multi-ring Cherenkov online reconstruction obtained during the NA62 physics run is presented.

A Multi-ring Ionospheric Plasma Probe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheldon, J. W.

1972-01-01

An ionospheric plasma probe was constructed which consists of a long cylinder with the end facing the flow closed by an end plate made up of multiple annular rings and a center disk. A theoretical argument is given which yields the plasma potential and electron temperature in terms of known plasma parameters and the currents to the various rings of the end plate. This probe was successfully operated in an ionospheric flow simulation facility and the resulting plasma potential is in excellent agreement with the traditional Langmuir analysis (1.22 volts).

Evolution of the Janus-Epimetheus coorbital resonance due to torques from Saturn's rings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lissauer, J. J.; Goldreich, P.; Tremaine, S.

1985-01-01

The effects of the gravitational interactions between Saturn's rings and the coorbital satellites, Janus and Epimetheus, on the 1:1 horseshoe resonance between these moons is examined. It is shown that the 7:6 resonance of these moons, which presumably maintains the sharp outer edge of the A ring, leads to a rapid tightening of the coorbital lock. The results lead to the prediction that the orbital configuration might evolve from the current horseshoe-type lock to one of tadpole orbits around a single Lagrangian point in about 20 myr.

How to Reach a Thousand-Second in-Plane Polarization Lifetime with 0.97 - GeV / c Deuterons in a Storage Ring

DOE PAGES

Guidoboni, G.; Stephenson, E.; Andrianov, S.; ...

2016-07-28

Here, we observe a deuteron beam polarization lifetime near 1000 s in the horizontal plane of a magnetic storage ring (COSY). This long spin coherence time is maintained through a combination of beam bunching, electron cooling, sextupole field corrections, and the suppression of collective effects through beam current limits. This record lifetime is required for a storage ring search for an intrinsic electric dipole moment on the deuteron at a statistical sensitivity level approaching 10 -29 $e$ cm.

Top-Off Injection and Higher Currents at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bauer, Johannes M.; Liu, James C.; Prinz, Alyssa A.

2011-04-05

The Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is a 234 m circumference storage ring for 3 GeV electrons with its synchrotron radiation serving currently 13 beamlines with about 27 experimental stations. It operated for long time with 100 mA peak current provided by usually three injections per day. In July 2009, the maximum beam current was raised to 200 mA. Over the period from June 2009 to March 2010, Top-Off operation started at every beamline. Top-Off, i.e., the injection of electrons into the storage ring with injection stoppers open, is necessary for SSRL to reachmore » its design current of 500 mA. In the future, the maximal power of the injection current will also soon be raised from currently 1.5 W to 5 W. The Radiation Protection Department at SLAC worked with SSRL on the specifications for the safety systems for operation with Top-Off injection and higher beam currents.« less

Simulation of current-filament dynamics and relaxation in the Pegasus Spherical Tokamak

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O'Bryan, J. B.; Sovinec, C. R.; Bird, T. M.

Nonlinear numerical computation is used to investigate the relaxation of non-axisymmetric current-channels from washer-gun plasma sources into 'tokamak-like' plasmas in the Pegasus toroidal experiment [Eidietis et al. J. Fusion Energy 26, 43 (2007)]. Resistive MHD simulations with the NIMROD code [Sovinec et al. Phys. Plasmas 10(5), 1727-1732 (2003)] utilize ohmic heating, temperature-dependent resistivity, and anisotropic, temperature-dependent thermal conduction corrected for regions of low magnetization to reproduce critical transport effects. Adjacent passes of the simulated current-channel attract and generate strong reversed current sheets that suggest magnetic reconnection. With sufficient injected current, adjacent passes merge periodically, releasing axisymmetric current rings from themore » driven channel. The current rings have not been previously observed in helicity injection for spherical tokamaks, and as such, provide a new phenomenological understanding for filament relaxation in Pegasus. After large-scale poloidal-field reversal, a hollow current profile and significant poloidal flux amplification accumulate over many reconnection cycles.« less

Dust Hazard Management in the Outer Solar System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seal, David A.

2012-01-01

Most robotic missions to the outer solar system must grapple with the hazards posed by the dusty rings of the gas giants. Early assessments of these hazards led simply to ring avoidance due to insufficient data and high uncertainties on the dust population present in such rings. Recent approaches, principal among them the Cassini dust hazard management strategy, provide useful results from detailed modeling of spacecraft vulnerabilities and dust hazard regions, which along with the range of mission trajectories are used to to assess the risks posed by each passage through a zone of potential hazard. This paper shows the general approach used to implement the analysis for Cassini, with recommendations for future outer planet missions.

Surgical treatment of functional ischemic mitral regurgitation.

PubMed

Jensen, Henrik

2015-03-01

In many ways we are at a crossroad in terms of what constitutes optimal FIMR treatment: is CABG combined with mitral valve ring annuloplasty better than CABG alone in moderate FIMR? Is mitral valve repair really better than replacement? And does adding a valvular repair or subvalvular reverse remodeling procedure shift that balance? In the present thesis I aim to shed further light on these questions by addressing the current status and future perspectives of the surgical treatment of FIMR. CURRENT SURGICAL TREATMENT FOR FIMR. CABG alone: The overall impression from the literature is that patients are left with a high grade of persistent/recurrent FIMR from isolated CABG. CABG is most effective to treat FIMR in patients with viable myocardium (at least five viable segments) and absence of dyssynchrony between papillary muscles (< 60 ms). Mitral valve ring annuloplasty. A vast number of different designs are available to perform mitral valve ring annuloplasty with variations over the theme of complete/partial and rigid/semi-rigid/flexible. Also, the three-dimensional shape of the rigid and semi-rigid rings is the subject of great variation. A rigid or semi-rigid down-sized mitral valve ring annuloplasty is the most advocated treatment in chronic FIMR grade 2+ or higher. Combined CABG and mitral valve ring annuloplasty: CABG combined with mitral valve ring annuloplasty leads to reverse LV remodeling and reduced volumes. Despite this, the recurrence rate after combined CABG and mitral valve ring annuloplasty is 20-30% at 2-4 years follow-up. This is also true for studies strictly using down-sized mitral valve ring annuloplasty by two sizes. A number of preoperative risk factors to develop recurrent FIMR were identified, e.g. LVEDD > 65-70 mm, coaptation depth > 10 mm, anterior leaflet angle > 27-39.5°, posterior leaflet angle > 45° and interpapillary muscle distance > 20 mm. CABG alone vs. combined CABG and mitral valve ring annuloplasty: The current available literature, including three randomized studies and a meta analysis, indicate that combined CABG and mitral valve ring annuloplasty has no late survival difference compared with CABG alone, and early mortality might even be higher. Meanwhile, adding a mitral valve ring annuloplasty results in a lower NYHA functional class, most likely as a consequence of a lower incidence of persistent or recurrent FIMR. More randomized studies are being conducted to further address this topic. Mitral valve ring annuloplasty vs. mitral valve replacement. The early survival may be higher after repair compared with replacement, meanwhile, the literature is more ambiguous in terms of late survival advantages, and recent reports find no late survival advantage from repair over replacement. The recurrence rates after ring annuloplasty addressed above were also present in this subset of patients, whereas the incidence of recurrent FIMR after valve replacement is scarcely reported. There was an overall tendency of slightly higher incidence of reoperations after ring annuloplasty. The mitral valve annulus: Innovations in mitral valve ring annuloplasty: The latest innovation in mitral valve ring annuloplasty design includes adjustable rings, allowing adjustment of septo-lateral dimensions intra- or postoperatively. Minimally invasive ring annuloplasty using indirect coronary sinus devices, has been introduced, but so far have produced suboptimal results in terms of safety and efficacy. Also, first in man testing of direct percutaneous catheter based mitral annuloplasty techniques have been conducted. Leaflets and chordae: Direct repair techniques: Surgical methods have been developed to directly address the mitral valve leaflets and chordae tendineae to correct leaflet tethering in FIMR. Both the Alfieri stich and the minimally invasive MitraClip attaches the anterior and posterior leaflets, typically the A2-P2 region, to correct incomplete leaflet coaptation. Patch augmentation of the posterior leaflet in the P2-P3 region increases coaptation in the area most prone to cause FIMR. Chordal cutting of the secondary "strut" chordae releases the anterior leaflet from the tethering due to papillary muscle displacement and improves mitral valve geometry. The mitral subvalvular apparatus: Numerous subvalvular approaches to improve outcome in patients with FIMR have been introduced. They include very invasive techniques such as surgical ventricular restoration procedure, surgical techniques directly addressing the papillary muscle dis-placement, and beating heart procedures using transventricular and epicardial devices applied in a few minutes. The role of the transventricular and epicardial devices still remains to be defined and many of these devices seem to have a hard time ganing their footing in the clinical practise and until now only constitute a footnote in the surgical literature. Meanwhile, the current results with adjunct techniques to CABG and ring annuloplasty, such as the papillary muscle approximation technique introduced by Hvass et al and the papillary muscle relocation technique introduced by Kron et al and further developed by Langer et al are gaining continuing support in the surgical community since these techniques can be used with only little added time consumption but with very good clinical outcome.

Simulation and Twins Observations of the 22 July 2009 Storm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fok, M.-C.; Buzulukova, N.; Chen, S.-H.; Valek, P. W.; Goldstein, J.; McComas, D. J.

2011-01-01

TWINS is the first mission to perform stereo imaging of the Earth's ring current. The magnetic storm on 22 July 2009 was at the time the largest storm observed since TWINS began routine stereo imaging in June 2008. On 22 July 2009, the Dst dropped to nearly .80 nT at 0700 and 1000 UT. During the main phase, and at the peak of the storm, TWINS 1 and 2 were near apogee and moving between predawn and postdawn local time. The energetic neutral atom (ENA) imagers on the two spacecraft captured the storm intensification and the formation of the partial ring current. The peak of the high-altitude ENA emissions was seen in the midnight-to-dawn local time sector. The development of this storm has been simulated using the comprehensive ring current model (CRCM) to understand and interpret the observed signatures. We perform CRCM runs with constant and time-varying magnetic field. The model calculations are validated by comparing the simulated ENA and ion flux intensities with TWINS ENA images and in situ ion data from a THEMIS satellite. Simulation with a static magnetic field produces a strong shielding electric field that skews the ion drift trajectories toward dawn. The model's corresponding peak ENA emissions are always more eastward than those in the observed TWINS images. On the other hand, the simulation with a dynamic magnetic field gives better spatial agreement with both ENA and in situ particle data, suggesting that temporal variations of the geomagnetic field exert a significant influence upon global ring current ion dynamics.

Aromatic Ring Currents Illustrated--NMR Spectra of Tin(IV) Porphyrin Complexes. An Advanced Undergraduate Experiment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnold, Dennis P.

1988-01-01

Attempts to show that in the closed loops of cyclic structures the protons situated in conic regions above and below the ring will be shielded. Uses the diamagnetic and air stable octahedral tin(IV) complexes of porphyrins for study. Notes complexes crystallize easily and offer spectacular purple colors. (MVL)

Corrections for a constant radial magnetic field in the muon \\varvec{g}-2 and electric-dipole-moment experiments in storage rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silenko, Alexander J.

2017-10-01

We calculate the corrections for constant radial magnetic field in muon {g}-2 and electric-dipole-moment experiments in storage rings. While the correction is negligible for the current generation of {g}-2 experiments, it affects the upcoming muon electric-dipole-moment experiment at Fermilab.

Loss-free method of charging accumulator rings

DOEpatents

Maschke, Alfred W.

1979-01-01

A method for the production of high current pulses of heavy ions having an atomic weight greater than 100. Also a linear accelerator based apparatus for carrying out said method. Pulses formed by the method of the subject invention are suitable for storage in a storage ring. The accumulated pulses may be used in inertial fusion apparatus.

NMR analysis and tacticity determination of poly(lactic acid) in C5D5N

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this work tacticity assignments of poly(lactic acid), (PLA), are reported for the NMR peaks from CH carbon and CH3 proton at the tetrad level in deuterated pyridine. The methyl protons are better resolved in pyridine due to solvent effects such as ring current shielding of the aromatic ring and ...

The size distribution of Jupiter's main ring from Galileo imaging and spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brooks, Shawn M.; Esposito, Larry W.; Showalter, Mark R.; Throop, Henry B.

2004-07-01

Galileo's Solid State Imaging experiment (SSI) obtained 36 visible wavelength images of Jupiter's ring system during the nominal mission (Ockert-Bell et al., 1999, Icarus 138, 188-213) and another 21 during the extended mission. The Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) recorded an observation of Jupiter's main ring during orbit C3 at wavelengths from 0.7 to 5.2 μm; a second observation was attempted during orbit E4. We analyze the high phase angle NIMS and SSI observations to constrain the size distribution of the main ring's micron-sized dust population. This portion of the population is best constrained at high phase angles, as the light scattering behavior of small dust grains dominates at these geometries and contributions from larger ring particles are negligible. High phase angle images of the main ring obtained by the Voyager spacecraft covered phase angles between 173.8° and 176.9° (Showalter et al., 1987, Icarus 69, 458-498). Galileo images extend this range up to 178.6°. We model the Galileo phase curve and the ring spectra from the C3 NIMS ring observation as the combination of two power law distributions. Our analysis of the main ring phase curve and the NIMS spectra suggests the size distribution of the smallest ring particles is a power law with an index of 2.0±0.3 below a size of ˜15 μm that transitions to a power law with an index of 5.0±1.5 at larger sizes. This combined power law distribution, or "broken power law" distribution, yields a better fit to the NIMS data than do the power law distributions that have previously been fit to the Voyager imaging data (Showalter et al., 1987, Icarus 69, 458-498). The broken power law distribution reconciles the results of Showalter et al. (1987, Icarus 69, 458-498) and McMuldroch et al. (2000, Icarus 146, 1-11), who also analyzed the NIMS data, and can be considered as an obvious extension of a simple power law. This more complex size distribution could indicate that ring particle production rates and/or lifetimes vary with size and may relate to the physical processes that control their evolution. The significant near arm/far arm asymmetry reported elsewhere (see Showalter et al., 1987, Icarus 69, 458-498; Ockert-Bell et al., 1999, Icarus 138, 188-213) persists in the data even after the main ring is isolated in the SSI images. However, the sense of the asymmetry seen in Galileo images differs from that seen in Voyager images. We interpret this asymmetry as a broad-scale, azimuthal brightness variation. No consistent association with the magnetic field of Jupiter has been observed. It is possible that these longitudinal variations may be similar to the random brightness fluctuations observed in Saturn's F ring by Voyager (Smith et al., 1982, Science 215, 504-537) and during the 1995 ring plane crossings (Nicholson et al., 1996, Science 272, 509-515; Bosh and Rivkin, 1996, Science 272, 518-521; Poulet et al., 2000, Icarus 144, 135-148). Stochastic events may thus play a significant role in the evolution of the jovian main ring.

Application of ring tectonic theory to Mercury and other solar system bodies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mckinnon, W. B.

1981-01-01

It is pointed out that multiringed structures, by their presence or absence, provide a powerful tool for deciphering the thermal histories of the solid planets. The theory of ring tectonics considered by Melosh and McKinnon (1978) and Melosh et al. (1980) establishes the framework of that undertaking. The present investigation has the objective to apply this conceptualization in detail to the multiringed basins on Mercury, taking into account also a brief review concerning the current state of understanding of ring tectonics on the moon, Mars, earth, Ganymede, and Callisto. The small, icy satellites of Saturn are also discussed. The mechanics of multiple ring formation are related to the collapse of the transient basin cavity when the excavation depth and lithosphere thickness are comparable. Attention is given to the Caloris Basin on Mercury, the peak ring basins on Mercury, and the Argyre Basin on Mars.

RF System Requirements for a Medium-Energy Electron-Ion Collider (MEIC) at JLab

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rimmer, Robert A; Hannon, Fay E; Guo, Jiquan

2015-09-01

JLab is studying options for a medium energy electron-ion collider that could fit on the JLab site and use CEBAF as a full-energy electron injector. A new ion source, linac and booster would be required, together with collider storage rings for the ions and electrons. In order to achieve the maximum luminosity these will be high-current storage rings with many bunches. We present the high-level RF system requirements for the storage rings, ion booster ring and high-energy ion beam cooling system, and describe the technology options under consideration to meet them. We also present options for staging that might reducemore » the initial capital cost while providing a smooth upgrade path to a higher final energy. The technologies under consideration may also be useful for other proposed storage ring colliders or ultimate light sources.« less

National Synchrotron Light Source II storage ring vacuum systems

DOE PAGES

Hseuh, Hsiao-Chaun; Hetzel, Charles; Leng, Shuwei; ...

2016-04-05

The National Synchrotron Light Source II, completed in 2014, is a 3-GeV synchrotron radiation (SR) facility at Brookhaven National Laboratory and has been in steady operation since. With a design electron current of 500 mA and subnanometer radians horizontal emittance, this 792-m circumference storage ring is providing the highest flux and brightness x-ray beam for SR users. Also, the majority of the storage ring vacuum chambers are made of extruded aluminium. Chamber sections are interconnected using low-impedance radiofrequency shielded bellows. SR from the bending magnets is intercepted by water-cooled compact photon absorbers resided in the storage ring chambers. Finally, thismore » paper presents the design of the storage ring vacuum system, the fabrication of vacuum chambers and other hardware, the installation, the commissioning, and the continuing beam conditioning of the vacuum systems.« less

TARN II project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Katayama, T.

On the basis of the achievement of the accelerator studies at present TARN, it is decided to construct the new ring TARN II which will be operated as an accumulator, accelerator, cooler and stretcher. It has the maximum magnetic rigidity of 7 Txm corresponding to the proton energy 1.3 GeV and the ring diameter is around 23 m. Light and heavy ions from the SF cyclotron will be injected and accelerated to the working energy where the ring will be operated as a desired mode, for example a cooler ring mode. At the cooler ring operation, the strong cooling devicesmore » such as stochastic and electron beam coolings will work together with the internal gas jet target for the precise nuclear experiments. TARN II is currently under the contruction with the schedule of completion in 1986. In this paper general features of the project are presented.« less

Saturn's dynamic D ring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hedman, M.M.; Burns, J.A.; Showalter, M.R.; Porco, C.C.; Nicholson, P.D.; Bosh, A.S.; Tiscareno, M.S.; Brown, R.H.; Buratti, B.J.; Baines, K.H.; Clark, R.

2007-01-01

The Cassini spacecraft has provided the first clear images of the D ring since the Voyager missions. These observations show that the structure of the D ring has undergone significant changes over the last 25 years. The brightest of the three ringlets seen in the Voyager images (named D72), has transformed from a narrow, <40-km wide ringlet to a much broader and more diffuse 250-km wide feature. In addition, its center of light has shifted inwards by over 200 km relative to other features in the D ring. Cassini also finds that the locations of other narrow features in the D ring and the structure of the diffuse material in the D ring differ from those measured by Voyager. Furthermore, Cassini has detected additional ringlets and structures in the D ring that were not observed by Voyager. These include a sheet of material just interior to the inner edge of the C ring that is only observable at phase angles below about 60??. New photometric and spectroscopic data from the ISS (Imaging Science Subsystem) and VIMS (Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer) instruments onboard Cassini show the D ring contains a variety of different particle populations with typical particle sizes ranging from 1 to 100 microns. High-resolution images reveal fine-scale structures in the D ring that appear to be variable in time and/or longitude. Particularly interesting is a remarkably regular, periodic structure with a wavelength of ??? 30 ?? km extending between orbital radii of 73,200 and 74,000 km. A similar structure was previously observed in 1995 during the occultation of the star GSC5249-01240, at which time it had a wavelength of ??? 60 ?? km. We interpret this structure as a periodic vertical corrugation in the D ring produced by differential nodal regression of an initially inclined ring. We speculate that this structure may have formed in response to an impact with a comet or meteoroid in early 1984. ?? 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Small-Scale Structure in Saturn's Rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rehnberg, Morgan

2017-08-01

The rings of Saturn are the largest and most complex in the Solar System. Decades of observation from ground- and space-based observatories and spacecraft missions have revealed the broad structure of the rings and the intricate interactions between the planet's moons and its rings. Stellar occultations observed by the Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph's High Speed Photometer onboard the Cassini spacecraft now enable the direct study of the small-scale structure that results from these interactions. In this dissertation, I present three distinct phenomena resulting from the small-scale physics of the rings. Many resonance locations with Saturn's external satellites lie within the main (A and B) rings. Two of these satellites, Janus and Epimetheus, have a unique co-orbital relationship and move radially to switch positions every 4.0 years. This motion also moves the resonance locations within the rings. As the spiral density waves created at these resonances interact, they launch an enormous solitary wave every eight years. I provide the first-ever observations of this never-predicted phenomenon and detail a possible formation mechanism. Previous studies have reported a population of kilometer-scale aggregates in Saturn's F ring, which likely form as a result of self-gravitation between ring particles in Saturn's Roche zone. I expand the known catalog of features in UVIS occultations and provide the first estimates of their density derived from comparisons with the A ring. These features are orders of magnitude less dense than previously believed, a fact which reconciles them with detections made by other means. Theory and indirect observations indicate that the smallest regular structures in the rings are wavelike aggregates called self-gravity wakes. Using the highest-resolution occulta- tions, I provide the first-ever direct detection of these features by identifying the gaps that represent the minima of the wakes. I demonstrate that the distribution of these gaps is con- sistent with the broad brightness asymmetries previously observed in the rings. Furthermore, the presence of spiral density waves affects the formation of self-gravity waves.

Optimal control of quantum rings by terahertz laser pulses.

PubMed

Räsänen, E; Castro, A; Werschnik, J; Rubio, A; Gross, E K U

2007-04-13

Complete control of single-electron states in a two-dimensional semiconductor quantum-ring model is established, opening a path into coherent laser-driven single-gate qubits. The control scheme is developed in the framework of optimal-control theory for laser pulses of two-component polarization. In terms of pulse lengths and target-state occupations, the scheme is shown to be superior to conventional control methods that exploit Rabi oscillations generated by uniform circularly polarized pulses. Current-carrying states in a quantum ring can be used to manipulate a two-level subsystem at the ring center. Combining our results, we propose a realistic approach to construct a laser-driven single-gate qubit that has switching times in the terahertz regime.

How accurate is NETTO

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dupont, S.

1979-01-01

The historical origin and general history of vertical current total energy variometer, including its optimum airspeed selector ring are reviewed, and some later developments of it are discussed. Polars of three sailplanes of different spans are charted for straight and circling flight, then plotted to reveal their parabolic anomaly and the effect of circling flight sink rate. These effects are further analyzed for their influence on the transient compensation of NETTO variometers as well as the speed ring. Some other disturbances due to the quality of sailplane preparation and flight dynamics are listed. Conclusions are drawn about the problems to pilots from imperfect NETTO variometer compensation and its effect on the maximization of ground speed from the speed ring. A modification for improvements to the speed ring and computer is suggested.

Vortex rings from Sphagnum moss capsules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitaker, Dwight; Strassman, Sam; Cha, Jung; Chang, Emily; Guo, Xinyi; Edwards, Joan

2010-11-01

The capsules of Sphagnum moss use vortex rings to disperse spores to suitable habitats many kilometers away. Vortex rings are created by the sudden release of pressurized air when the capsule ruptures, and are an efficient way to carry the small spores with low terminal velocities to heights where they can be carried by turbulent wind currents. We will present our computational model of these explosions, which are carried out using a 2-D large eddy simulation (LES) on FLUENT. Our simulations can reproduce the observed motion of the spore clouds observed from moss capsules with high-speed videos, and we will discuss the roles of bursting pressure, cap mass, and capsule morphology on the formation and quality of vortex rings created by this plant.

TSR: A storage and cooling ring for HIE-ISOLDE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butler, P. A.; Blaum, K.; Davinson, T.; Flanagan, K.; Freeman, S. J.; Grieser, M.; Lazarus, I. H.; Litvinov, Yu. A.; Lotay, G.; Page, R. D.; Raabe, R.; Siesling, E.; Wenander, F.; Woods, P. J.

2016-06-01

It is planned to install the heavy-ion, low-energy ring TSR, currently at the Max-Planck-Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, at the HIE-ISOLDE facility in CERN, Geneva. Such a facility will provide a capability for experiments with stored, cooled secondary beams that is rich and varied, spanning from studies of nuclear ground-state properties and reaction studies of astrophysical relevance, to investigations with highly-charged ions and pure isomeric beams. In addition to experiments performed using beams recirculating within the ring, the cooled beams can be extracted and exploited by external spectrometers for high-precision measurements. The capabilities of the ring facility as well as some physics cases will be presented, together with a brief report on the status of the project.

Development of a bidirectional ring thermal actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stevenson, Mathew; Yang, Peng; Lai, Yongjun; Mechefske, Chris

2007-10-01

A new planar micro electrothermal actuator capable of bidirectional rotation is presented. The ring thermal actuator has a wheel-like geometry with eight arms connecting an outer ring to a central hub. Thermal expansion of the arms results in a rotation of the outer ring about its center. An analytical model is developed for the electrothermal and thermal-mechanical aspects of the actuator's operation. Finite element analysis is used to validate the analytic study. The actuator has been fabricated using the multi-user MEMS process and experimental displacement results are compared with model predictions. Experiments show a possible displacement of 7.4 µm in each direction. Also, by switching the current between the arms it is possible to achieve an oscillating motion.

Resonant circuit which provides dual frequency excitation for rapid cycling of an electromagnet

DOEpatents

Praeg, Walter F.

1984-01-01

Disclosed is a ring magnet control circuit that permits synchrotron repetition rates much higher than the frequency of the cosinusoidal guide field of the ring magnet during particle acceleration. the control circuit generates cosinusoidal excitation currents of different frequencies in the half waves. During radio frequency acceleration of the particles in the synchrotron, the control circuit operates with a lower frequency cosine wave and thereafter the electromagnets are reset with a higher frequency half cosine wave. Flat-bottom and flat-top wave shaping circuits maintain the magnetic guide field in a relatively time-invariant mode during times when the particles are being injected into the ring magnets and when the particles are being ejected from the ring magnets.

Quantum switching of π-electron rotations in a nonplanar chiral molecule by using linearly polarized UV laser pulses.

PubMed

Mineo, Hirobumi; Yamaki, Masahiro; Teranishi, Yoshiaki; Hayashi, Michitoshi; Lin, Sheng Hsien; Fujimura, Yuichi

2012-09-05

Nonplanar chiral aromatic molecules are candidates for use as building blocks of multidimensional switching devices because the π electrons can generate ring currents with a variety of directions. We employed (P)-2,2'-biphenol because four patterns of π-electron rotations along the two phenol rings are possible and theoretically determine how quantum switching of the π-electron rotations can be realized. We found that each rotational pattern can be driven by a coherent excitation of two electronic states under two conditions: one is the symmetry of the electronic states and the other is their relative phase. On the basis of the results of quantum dynamics simulations, we propose a quantum control method for sequential switching among the four rotational patterns that can be performed by using ultrashort overlapped pump and dump pulses with properly selected relative phases and photon polarization directions. The results serve as a theoretical basis for the design of confined ultrafast switching of ring currents of nonplanar molecules and further current-induced magnetic fluxes of more sophisticated systems.

The Role of Ionospheric O+ in Forming the Storm-time Ring Current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kistler, L. M.; Mouikis, C.; Menz, A.; Bingham, S.

2017-12-01

During storm times, the particle pressure that creates the storm-time ring current in the inner magnetosphere can be dominated by O+. This is surprising, as the immediate source for the ring current is the nightside plasma sheet, and O+ is usually not the dominant species in the plasma sheet. In this talk we examine the many factors that lead to this result. The O+ outflow is enhanced during geomagnetically active times. The transport paths of O+ and H+ are different, such that the O+ that reaches the near-earth plasma sheet is more energetic than H+. The source spectrum in the near-earth plasma sheet can be harder for O+ than for H+, perhaps due to substorm injections, so that the more energetic plasma has a higher O+/H+ ratio. And finally the plasma sheet O+ can be more abundant towards the beginning of the storm, when the convection is largest, so the enhanced O+ is brought the deepest into the inner magnetosphere. We will discuss the interrelationships between these different effects as well as the ways in which O+ itself may influence the system.

Ring Current He Ion Control by Bounce Resonant ULF Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hyomin; Gerrard, Andrew J.; Lanzerotti, Louis J.; Soto-Chavez, Rualdo; Cohen, Ross J.; Manweiler, Jerry W.

2017-12-01

Ring current energy He ion (˜65 keV to ˜520 keV) differential flux data from the Radiation Belt Storm Probe Ion Composition Experiment (RBSPICE) instrument aboard the Van Allan Probes spacecraft show considerable variability during quiet solar wind and geomagnetic time periods. Such variability is apparent from orbit to orbit (˜9 h) of the spacecraft and is observed to be ˜50-100% of the nominal flux. Using data from the Electric and Magnetic Field Instrument Suite and Integrated Science (EMFISIS) instrument, also aboard the Van Allen Probes spacecraft, we identify that a dominant source of this variability is from ULF waveforms with periods of tens of seconds. These periods correspond to the bounce resonant timescales of the ring current He ions being measured by RBSPICE. A statistical survey using the particle and field data for one full spacecraft precession period (approximately 2 years) shows that the wave and He ion flux variations are generally anticorrelated, suggesting the bounce resonant pitch angle scattering process as a major component in the scattering of He ions.

A transportable 50 kA dual mode lightning simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salisbury, K.; Lloyd, S.; Chen, Y. G.

1991-01-01

A transportable lightning simulator was designed, built and tested, which is capable of delivering more than 50 kA to an 8 micro-H test object. The simulator was designed to be a versatile device in the lightning laboratory while meeting the requirements of MIL-STD-1757A for component E current waveforms. The system is capable of operating in either a ringing mode with a Q greater than 5 and a nominal frequency of 160 kHz, or a unipolar mode with no hardware configuration changes. The ringing mode is obtained by the LCR series circuit formed by the pulse generator and test object. The unipolar mode is obtained by closing an electrically triggered crowbar switch at peak current. The simulator exceeds the peak current requirement and rate of rise requirements for MIL-STD-1757A in both the ringing and unipolar modes. The pulse half width in the unipolar mode is in excess of 50 microsec and the action is in excess of 10(exp 5) A(exp 2)s. The design, component values, and test results are presented.

Loss of ring current O(+) ions due to interaction with Pc 5 waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xinlin; Hudson, Mary; Chan, Anthony; Roth, Ilan

1993-01-01

A test particle code is used here to investigate ring current ion interaction with Pc 5 waves, combined with convection and corotation electric fields, with emphasis on the loss of O(+) ions over the dayside magnetosphere. A new loss mechanism for the O(+) ions due to the combined effects of convection and corotation electric fields and interactions with Pc 5 waves via a magnetic drift-bound resonance is presented. For given fields, whether a particle gains or losses energy depends on its initial kinetic energy, pitch angle at the equatorial plane, and the position of its guiding center with respect to the azimuthal phase of the wave. The ring current O(+) ions show a dispersion in energies and L values with decreasing local time across the dayside, and a bulk shift to lower energies and higher L values. Due to interaction with the Pc 5 waves, the particle's kinetic energy can drop below that required to overcome the convection potential and the particle is lost to the dayside magnetopause by a sunward E x B drift.

Energization of the Ring Current through Convection of Substorm Enhancements of the Plasma Sheet Source.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menz, A.; Kistler, L. M.; Mouikis, C.; Spence, H. E.; Henderson, M. G.; Matsui, H.

2017-12-01

It has been shown that electric field strength and night-side plasma sheet density are the two best predictors of the adiabatic energy gain of the ring current during geomagnetic storms (Liemohn and Khazanov, 2005). While H+ dominates the ring current during quiet times, O+ can contribute substantially during geomagnetic storms. Substorm activity provides a mechanism to enhance the energy density of O+ in the plasma sheet during geomagnetic storms, which is then convected adiabatically into the inner-magnetosphere. Using the Van Allen Probes data in the the plasma sheet source region (defined as L>5.5 during storms) and the inner magnetosphere, along with LANL-GEO data to identify substorm injection times, we show that adiabatic convection of O+ enhancements in the source region can explain the observed enhancements in the inner magnetosphere. We use the UNH-IMEF electric field model to calculate drift times from the source region to the inner magnetosphere to test whether enhancements in the inner-magnetosphere can be explained by dipolarization driven enhancements in the plasma sheet source hours before.

A dimensional approach to the phantom vibration and ringing syndrome during medical internship.

PubMed

Lin, Yu-Hsuan; Chen, Ching-Yen; Li, Peng; Lin, Sheng-Hsuan

2013-09-01

Phantom vibrations and ringing of mobile phones are prevalent hallucinations in the general population. They might be considered as a "normal" brain mechanism. The aim of this study was to determine if a dimensional approach to identify individuals suffering from these hallucinations was more important than a categorical approach. A prospective longitudinal study of 74 medical interns (male: 46, mean age: 24.8 ± 1.2) was carried out using repeated investigations of the severity of phantom vibrations and ringing, as well as accompanying symptoms of anxiety and depression as measured by Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) before, at the 3rd, 6th, and 12th month during internship, and 2 weeks after internship. We utilized the cognitive and somatic subscales of the BDI, as well as the subjective, somatic and panic subscales of the BAI. The correlation between phantom vibration and ringing was lowest before the internship but became moderate during the internship and high 2 weeks after it. Compared to interns with subclinical phantom ringing and vibrations, interns with severe phantom vibrations and ringing had higher subjective and somatic anxiety and somatic depressive scores at any time point throughout the internship. Only interns with severe phantom ringing had more cognitive/affective depression. A dimensional approach to the phantom vibration and ringing syndrome is a powerful way to identify their correlation, as well as their association with anxiety and depression. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multifunctional carbon nanoelectrodes fabricated by focused ion beam milling.

PubMed

Thakar, Rahul; Weber, Anna E; Morris, Celeste A; Baker, Lane A

2013-10-21

We report a strategy for fabrication of sub-micron, multifunctional carbon electrodes and application of these electrodes as probes for scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) and scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM). The fabrication process utilized chemical vapor deposition of parylene, followed by thermal pyrolysis to form conductive carbon and then further deposition of parylene to form an insulation layer. To achieve well-defined electrode geometries, two methods of electrode exposure were utilized. In the first method, carbon probes were masked in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to obtain a cone-shaped electrode. In the second method, the electrode area was exposed via milling with a focused ion beam (FIB) to reveal a carbon ring electrode, carbon ring/platinum disk electrode, or carbon ring/nanopore electrode. Carbon electrodes were batch fabricated (~35/batch) through the vapor deposition process and were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), and cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements. Additionally, Raman spectroscopy was utilized to examine the effects of Ga(+) ion implantation, a result of FIB milling. Constant-height, feedback mode SECM was performed with conical carbon electrodes and carbon ring electrodes. We demonstrate the utility of carbon ring/nanopore electrodes with SECM-SICM to simultaneously collect topography, ion current and electrochemical current images. In addition, carbon ring/nanopore electrodes were utilized in substrate generation/tip collection (SG/TC) SECM. In SG/TC SECM, localized delivery of redox molecules affords a higher resolution, than when the redox molecules are present in the bath solution. Multifunctional geometries of carbon electrode probes will find utility in electroanalytical applications, in general, and more specifically with electrochemical microscopy as discussed herein.

I-BIEM calculations of the frequency dispersion and ac current distribution at disk and ring-disk electrodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cahan, Boris D.

1991-01-01

The Iterative Boundary Integral Equation Method (I-BIEM) has been applied to the problem of frequency dispersion at a disk electrode in a finite geometry. The I-BIEM permits the direct evaluation of the AC potential (a complex variable) using complex boundary conditions. The point spacing was made highly nonuniform, to give extremely high resolution in those regions where the variables change most rapidly, i.e., in the vicinity of the edge of the disk. Results are analyzed with respect to IR correction, equipotential surfaces, and reference electrode placement. The current distribution is also examined for a ring-disk configuration, with the ring and the disk at the same AC potential. It is shown that the apparent impedance of the disk is inductive at higher frequencies. The results are compared to analytic calculations from the literature, and usually agree to better than 0.001 percent.

I-BIEM calculations of the frequency dispersion and AC current distribution at disk and ring-disk electrodes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cahan, Boris D.

1991-01-01

The Iterative Boundary Integral Equation Method (I-BIEM) has been applied to the problem of frequency dispersion at a disk electrode in a finite geometry. The I-BIEM permits the direct evaluation of the AC potential (a complex variable) using complex boundary conditions. The point spacing was made highly nonuniform, to give extremely high resolution in those regions where the variables change most rapidly, i.e., in the vicinity of the edge of the disk. Results are analyzed with respect to IR correction, equipotential surfaces, and reference electrode placement. The current distribution is also examined for a ring-disk configuration, with the ring and the disk at the same AC potential. It is shown that the apparent impedance of the disk is inductive at higher frequencies. The results are compared to analytic calculations from the literature, and usually agree to better than 0.001 percent.

Aharonov-Bohm oscillations, quantum decoherence and amplitude modulation in mesoscopic InGaAs/InAlAs rings.

PubMed

Ren, S L; Heremans, J J; Gaspe, C K; Vijeyaragunathan, S; Mishima, T D; Santos, M B

2013-10-30

Low-temperature Aharonov-Bohm oscillations in the magnetoresistance of mesoscopic interferometric rings patterned on an InGaAs/InAlAs heterostructure are investigated for their dependence on excitation current and temperature. The rings have an average radius of 650 nm, and a lithographic arm width of 300 nm, yielding pronounced interference oscillations over a wide range of magnetic fields. Apart from a current and temperature dependence, the oscillation amplitude also shows a quasi-periodic modulation with applied magnetic field. The phase coherence length is extracted by analysis of the fundamental and higher Fourier components of the oscillations, and by direct analysis of the amplitude and its dependence on parameters. It is concluded that the Thouless energy forms the measure of excitation energies for quantum decoherence. The amplitude modulation finds an explanation in the effect of the magnetic flux threading the finite width of the interferometer arms.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Petković, Ivana; Lollo, A.; Glazman, L. I.

The properties of one-dimensional superconductors are strongly influenced by topological fluctuations of the order parameter, known as phase slips, which cause the decay of persistent current in superconducting rings and the appearance of resistance in superconducting wires. Despite extensive work, quantitative studies of phase slips have been limited by uncertainty regarding the order parameter’s free-energy landscape. Here we show detailed agreement between measurements of the persistent current in isolated flux-biased rings and Ginzburg–Landau theory over a wide range of temperature, magnetic field and ring size; this agreement provides a quantitative picture of the free-energy landscape. Furthermore, we also demonstrate thatmore » phase slips occur deterministically as the barrier separating two competing order parameter configurations vanishes. These results will enable studies of quantum and thermal phase slips in a well-characterized system and will provide access to outstanding questions regarding the nature of one-dimensional superconductivity.« less

Birth of a Loop Current Eddy

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-05-24

The northern portion of the Gulf of Mexico Loop Current, shown in red, appears about to detach a large ring of current, creating a separate eddy. An eddy is a large, warm, clockwise-spinning vortex of water -- the ocean version of a cyclone.

The Effect of a Guide Field on the Structures of Magnetic Islands: 2D PIC Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, C.; Lu, Q.; Lu, S.; Wang, P.; Wang, S.

2014-12-01

Magnetic island plays an important role in magnetic reconnection. Using a series of 2D PIC simulations, we investigate the magnetic structures of a magnetic island formed during multiple X-line magnetic reconnection, considering the effects of the guide field in symmetric and asymmetric current sheets. In a symmetric current sheet, the current in the direction forms a tripolar structure inside a magnetic island during anti-parallel reconnection, which results in a quadrupole structure of the out-of-plane magnetic field. With the increase of the guide field, the symmetry of both the current system and out-of-plane magnetic field inside the magnetic island is distorted. When the guide field is sufficiently strong, the current forms a ring along the magnetic field lines inside magnetic island. At the same time, the current carried by the energetic electrons accelerated in the vicinity of the X lines forms another ring at the edge of the magnetic island. Such a dual-ring current system enhance the out-of-plane magnetic field inside the magnetic island with a dip in the center of the magnetic island. In an asymmetric current sheet, when there is no guide field, electrons flows toward the X lines along the separatrices from the side with a higher density, and are then directed away from the X lines along the separatrices to the side with a lower density. The formed current results in the enhancement of the out-of-plane magnetic field at one end of the magnetic island, and the attenuation at the other end. With the increase of the guide field, the structures of both the current system and the out-of-plane magnetic field are distorted.

The effect of a guide field on the structures of magnetic islands formed during multiple X line reconnections: Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Can; Lu, Quanming; Lu, San; Wang, Peiran; Wang, Shui

2014-02-01

A magnetic island plays an important role in magnetic reconnection. In this paper, using a series of two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, we investigate the magnetic structures of a magnetic island formed during multiple X line magnetic reconnections, considering the effects of the guide field in symmetric and asymmetric current sheets. In a symmetric current sheet, the current in the x direction forms a tripolar structure inside a magnetic island during antiparallel reconnection, which results in a quadrupole structure of the out-of-plane magnetic field. With the increase of the guide field, the symmetry of both the current system and out-of-plane magnetic field inside the magnetic island is distorted. When the guide field is sufficiently strong, the current forms a ring along the magnetic field lines inside a magnetic island. At the same time, the current carried by the energetic electrons accelerated in the vicinity of the X lines forms another ring at the edge of the magnetic island. Such a dual-ring current system enhances the out-of-plane magnetic field inside the magnetic island with a dip in the center of the magnetic island. In an asymmetric current sheet, when there is no guide field, electrons flow toward the X lines along the separatrices from the side with a higher density and are then directed away from the X lines along the separatrices to the side with a lower density. The formed current results in the enhancement of the out-of-plane magnetic field at one end of the magnetic island and the attenuation at the other end. With the increase of the guide field, the structures of both the current system and the out-of-plane magnetic field are distorted.

REVIEW OF AGING DATA ON EPDM O-RINGS IN THE H1616 SHIPPING PACKAGE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Skidmore, E.

Currently, all H1616 shipping package containers undergo annual re-verification testing, including containment vessel leak testing to verify leak-tightness (<1 x 10{sup -7} ref cc/sec air) as per ANSI N14.5. The purpose of this literature review is to supplement aging studies currently being performed by SRNL on the EPDM O-rings to provide the technical basis for extending annual re-verification testing for the H1616 shipping package and to predict the life of the seals at bounding service conditions. The available data suggest that the EPDM O-rings can retain significant mechanical properties and sealing force at or below bounding service temperatures (169 Fmore » or 76 C) beyond the 1 year maintenance period. Interpretation of available data suggests that a service life of at least 2 years and potentially 4-6 years may be possible at bounding temperatures. Seal lifetimes at lower, more realistic temperatures will likely be longer. Being a hydrocarbon elastomer, EPDM O-rings may exhibit an inhibition period due to the presence of antioxidants. Once antioxidants are consumed, mechanical properties and seal performance could decline at a faster rate. Testing is being performed to validate the assumptions outlined in this report and to assess the long-term performance of O-ring seals under actual service conditions.« less

Saturn Rings Origin: Quantum Trapping of Superconducting Iced Particles and Meissner Effect Lead to the Stable Rings System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viktorovich Tchernyi, Vladimir

2018-06-01

Saturn Rings Origin: Quantum Trapping of Superconducting Iced Particles and Meissner Effect Lead to the Stable Rings System Vladimir V. Tchernyi (Cherny), Andrew Yu. Pospelov Modern Science Institute, SAIBR, Moscow, Russia. E-mail: chernyv@bk.ruAbstractIt is demonstrated how superconducting iced particles of the protoplanetary cloud of Saturn are coming to magnetic equator plane and create the stable enough rings disk. There are two steps. First, after appearance of the Saturn magnetic field due to Meissner phenomenon all particles orbits are moving to the magnetic equator plane. Finally they become distributed as rings and gaps like iron particles around magnet on laboratory table. And they are separated from each other by the magnetic field expelled from them. It takes up to few tens of thousands years with ten meters rings disk thickness. Second, due to their quantum trapping all particles become to be trapped within magnetic well at the magnetic equator plane due to Abrikosov vortex for superconductor. It works even when particles have small fraction of superconductor. During the rings evolution some contribution to the disk also could come from the collision-generated debris of the current moon and from the geysers like it happened due to magnetic coupling of Saturn and Enceladus. The rings are relict of the early days of the magnetic field of Saturn system.

Hematology and Serum Biochemistry Reference Intervals for Six-Week-Old, Farm-Reared Chinese Ring-Necked Pheasants ( Phasianus colchicus ) from Minnesota.

PubMed

Dzikamunhenga, R S; Griffith, R W; Hostetter, S; Fisher, P; Larson, W

2017-06-01

Chinese ring-necked pheasants ( Phasianus colchicus ) are commonly farmed in intensive operations for purposes such as meat production, hunting preserves, or research. Under these conditions, pheasants frequently suffer medical ailments such as bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections or nutritional or metabolic disorders. Relatively little scientific information exists regarding clinical pathology reference intervals (RIs) for farm-reared pheasants. The objective of this study was to determine RIs for hematologic and serum biochemical variables for Chinese ring-necked pheasants from Minnesota at 6 wk of age. Blood samples from 119 clinically healthy Chinese ring-necked pheasants were analyzed using standard techniques. Reference intervals were generated in Microsoft® Excel® 2013 (Microsoft, Redmond, WA) using Reference Value Advisor freeware version 2.1 (Microsoft). Ninety-five percent RIs were determined using nonparametric methods that followed Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. These RIs will be useful for the monitoring of health and diagnosis of disease in confined Chinese ring-necked pheasant populations that are approximately 6 wk old.