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.

The impact of exospheric neutral dynamics on ring current decay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilie, R.; Liemohn, M. W.; Skoug, R. M.; Funsten, H. O.; Gruntman, M.; Bailey, J. J.; Toth, G.

2015-12-01

The geocorona plays an important role in the energy budget of the Earth's inner magnetosphere since charge exchange of energetic ions with exospheric neutrals makes the exosphere act as an energy sink for ring current particles. Long-term ring current decay following a magnetic storm is mainly due to these electron transfer reactions, leading to the formation energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) that leave the ring current system on ballistic trajectories. The number of ENAs emitted from a given region of space depends on several factors, such as the energy and species of the energetic ion population in that region and the density of the neutral gas with which the ions undergo charge exchange. However, the density and structure of the exosphere are strongly dependent on changes in atmospheric temperature and density as well as charge exchange with the ions of plasmaspheric origin, which depletes the geocorona (by having a neutral removed from the system). Moreover, the radiation pressure exerted by solar far-ultraviolet photons pushes the geocoronal hydrogen away from the Earth in an anti-sunward direction to form a tail of neutral hydrogen. TWINS ENA images provide a direct measurement of these ENA losses and therefore insight into the dynamics of the ring current decay through interactions with the geocorona. We assess the influence of geocoronal neutrals on ring current formation and decay by analysis of the predicted ENA emissions using 6 different geocoronal models and simulations from the HEIDI ring current model during storm time. Comparison with TWINS ENA images shows that the location of the peak ENA enhancements is highly dependent on the distribution of geocoronal hydrogen density. We show that the neutral dynamics has a strong influence on the time evolution of the ring current populations as well as on the formation of energetic neutral atoms.

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 ...

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)

Bingham, S.; Mouikis, C.; Kistler, L. M.; Fok, M. C. H.; Glocer, A.; Farrugia, C. J.; Gkioulidou, M.; Spence, H. E.

2016-12-01

The ring current responds differently to the different solar and interplanetary storm drivers such as coronal mass injections, (CMEs), and co-rotating interaction regions (CIRs). Delineating the differences in the ring current development between these two drivers will aid our understanding of the ring current dynamics. 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. In addition, we identify the populations (energy and species) responsible. We find that during the storm main phase and the early recovery phase the plasma sheet particles (10-80 keV) convecting from the nightside contribute the most on the ring current pressure and current density. However, during these phases, the main difference between CMEs and CIRs is in the O+ contribution. This empirical model is compared to the results of CIMI simulations of CMEs and CIRs where the model input is comprised of the superposed epoch solar wind conditions of the storms that comprise the empirical model, while different inner magnetosphere boundary conditions will be tested in order to match the empirical model results. Comparing the model and simulation results will fill our understanding of the ring current dynamics as part of the highly coupled inner magnetosphere system.

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 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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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

The source of O+ in the storm time ring current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kistler, L. M.; Mouikis, C. G.; Spence, H. E.; Menz, A. M.; Skoug, R. M.; Funsten, H. O.; Larsen, B. A.; Mitchell, D. G.; Gkioulidou, M.; Wygant, J. R.; Lanzerotti, L. J.

2016-06-01

A stretched and compressed geomagnetic field occurred during the main phase of a geomagnetic storm on 1 June 2013. During the storm the Van Allen Probes spacecraft made measurements of the plasma sheet boundary layer and observed large fluxes of O+ ions streaming up the field line from the nightside auroral region. Prior to the storm main phase there was an increase in the hot (>1 keV) and more isotropic O+ ions in the plasma sheet. In the spacecraft inbound pass through the ring current region during the storm main phase, the H+ and O+ ions were significantly enhanced. We show that this enhanced inner magnetosphere ring current population is due to the inward adiabatic convection of the plasma sheet ion population. The energy range of the O+ ion plasma sheet that impacts the ring current most is found to be from ~5 to 60 keV. This is in the energy range of the hot population that increased prior to the start of the storm main phase, and the ion fluxes in this energy range only increase slightly during the extended outflow time interval. Thus, the auroral outflow does not have a significant impact on the ring current during the main phase. The auroral outflow is transported to the inner magnetosphere but does not reach high enough energies to affect the energy density. We conclude that the more energetic O+ that entered the plasma sheet prior to the main phase and that dominates the ring current is likely from the cusp.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.…

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Decay of equatorial ring current ions and associated aeronomical consequences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fok, M.-C.; Kozyra, J. U.; Nagy, A. F.; Rasmussen, C. E.; Khazanov, G. V.

1993-01-01

The decay of the major ion species which constitute the ring current is studied by solving the time evolution of their distribution functions during the recovery phase of a moderate geomagnetic storm. In this work, only equatorially mirroring particles are considered. Particles are assumed to move subject to E x B and gradient drifts. They also experience loses along their drift paths. Two loss mechanisms are considered: charge exchange with neutral hydrogen atoms and Coulomb collisions with thermal plasma in the plasmasphere. Thermal plasma densities are calculated with a plasmaspheric model employing a time-dependent convection electric field model. The drift-loss model successfully reproduces a number of important and observable features in the distribution function. Charge exchange is found to be the major loss mechanism for the ring current ions; however the important effects of Coulomb collisions on both the ring current and thermal populations are also presented. The model predicts the formation of a low-energy (less than 500 eV) ion population as a result of energy degradation caused by Coulomb collision of the ring current ions with the plasmaspheric electrons; this population may be one source of the low-energy ions observed during active and quiet periods in the inner magnetosphere. The energy transferred to plasmaspheric electrons through Coulomb collisions with ring current ions is believed to be the energy source for the electron temperature enhancement and the associated 6300 A (stable auroral red (SAR) arc) emission in the subauroral region. The calculated energy deposition rate is sufficient to produce a subauroral electron temperature enhancement and SAR arc emissions that are consistent with observations of these quantities during moderate magnetic activity levels.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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)

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

A correlative comparison of the ring current and auroral electrojects usig geomagnetic indices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cade, W. B., III; Sojka, J. J.; Zhu, L.

1995-01-01

From a study of the 21 largest geomagnetic storms during solar cycle 21, a strong correlation is established between the ring current index Dst and the time-weighted accumulation of the 1-hour auroral electrojets indices, AE and AL. The time-weighted accumulation corresponds to convolution of the auroral electrojet indices with an exponential weighting function with an e-folding time of 9.4 hours. The weighted indices AE(sub w) and AL(sub w) have correltation coefficients against Dst ranging between 0.8 and 0.95 for 20 of the 21 storms. Correlation over the entire solar cycle 21 database is also strong but not as strong as for an individual storm. A set of simple Dst prediction functions provide a first approximation of the inferred dependence, but the specific functional relationship of Dst (AL(sub w)) or Dst (AL(sub w)) varies from one storm to the next in a systematic way. This variation reveals a missing parametric dependence in the transfer function. However, our results indicate that auroral electroject indices are potentially useful for predicting storm time enhancements of ring current intensity with a few hours lead time.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

C/NOFS Measurements of Magnetic Perturbations in the Low-Latitude Ionosphere During Magnetic Storms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Le, Guan; Burke, William J.; Pfaff, Robert F.; Freudenreich, Henry; Maus, Stefan; Luhr, Hermann

2011-01-01

The Vector Electric Field Investigation suite on the C/NOFS satellite includes a fluxgate magnetometer to monitor the Earth s magnetic fields in the low-latitude ionosphere. Measurements yield full magnetic vectors every second over the range of +/-45,000 nT with a one-bit resolution of 1.37 nT (16 bit A/D) in each component. The sensor s primary responsibility is to support calculations of both V x B and E x B with greater accuracy than can be obtained using standard magnetic field models. The data also contain information about large-scale current systems that, when analyzed in conjunction with electric field measurements, promise to significantly expand understanding of equatorial electrodynamics. We first compare in situ measurements with the POMME (Potsdam Magnetic Model of the Earth) model to establish in-flight sensor "calibrations" and to compute magnetic residuals. At low latitudes the residuals are predominately products of the storm time ring current. Since C/NOFS provides a complete coverage of all local times every 97 min, magnetic field data allow studies of the temporal evolution and local time variations of storm time ring current. The analysis demonstrates the feasibility of using instrumented spacecraft in low-inclination orbits to extract a timely proxy for the provisional Dst index and to specify the ring current s evolution.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Sub-keV ring current ions as the tracer of substorm injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamauchi, M.; Lundin, R.

2006-03-01

The dynamics of the energy-latitude dispersed sub-keV trapped ions inside the ring current region, the so-called wedge-like dispersions structure, were statistically studied using Viking satellite data. Probabilities with/without these signatures at various local times in the dayside are obtained in terms of different time-lags from the substorm activity monitored by the AE index. The structure appears in the early morning sector within a few hours after the substorm, and it slowly propagates eastward while decaying with a time scale of several hours. The result qualitatively confirmed the previous model that the wedge-like dispersions are originated from past substorm-related plasma injections into the nightside ring current region, and that the dispersion is formed when these injected plasma slowly moves eastward to the dayside by the drift motion (E×B (eastward), grad-<|B| (westward), and curvature (westward) drifts). However, the appearance of the structure is twice or three times faster than the model prediction, and some structure reaches even to the evening sector. The results indicate that the start location of the drift is not as far as midnight and that the drift speed is slightly faster than the model prediction. The former means that the substorm-related increase of hot plasma in the ring current region shifts or extends to the early morning sector for large substorms, and the latter means that the substantial electric field driving the sub-keV ion drift is slightly different from the model field. We also detected the evacuating effect starting right after the substorm (or storm) onset. The electric field imposed in the dayside magnetosphere seems to remove the remainder of trapped ions.

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.

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.

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.

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.

C/NOFS Measurements of Stormtime Magnetic Perturbations in the Low-latitude Ionosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Le, Guan; Burke, William J.; Pfaff, Robert F.; Freudenreich, Henry; Maus, Stefan; Luehr, Hermann

2012-01-01

The Vector Electric Field Investigation suite on the C/NOFS satellite includes a fluxgate magnetometer to monitor the Earth's magnetic fields in the low-latitude ionosphere. Measurements yield full magnetic vectors every second over the range of +/- 45,000 nT with a one-bit resolution of 1.37 nT (16 bit AID) in each component. The sensor's primary responsibility is to support calculations of both VxB and ExB with greater accuracy than can be obtained using standard magnetic field models. The data also contain information about large-scale current systems, that, when analyzed in conjunction with electric field measurements, promise to significantly expand understanding of equatorial electrodynamics. We first compare in situ measurements with the POMME (POtsdam Magnetic Model of the Earth) model to establish in-flight sensor "calibrations" and to compute magnetic residuals. At low latitudes the residuals are predominately products of the stormtime ring current. Since C/NOFS provides a complete coverage of all local times every 97 minutes, magnetic field data allow studies of the temporal evolution and local-time variations of stormtime ring current. The analysis demonstrates the feasibility of using instrumented spacecraft in low-inclination orbits to extract a timely proxy for the provisional Dst index and to specify the ring current's evolution.

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.

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.

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

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].

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.

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.

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.

Video-guided calibration of an augmented reality mobile C-arm.

PubMed

Chen, Xin; Naik, Hemal; Wang, Lejing; Navab, Nassir; Fallavollita, Pascal

2014-11-01

The augmented reality (AR) fluoroscope augments an X-ray image by video and provides the surgeon with a real-time in situ overlay of the anatomy. The overlay alignment is crucial for diagnostic and intra-operative guidance, so precise calibration of the AR fluoroscope is required. The first and most complex step of the calibration procedure is the determination of the X-ray source position. Currently, this is achieved using a biplane phantom with movable metallic rings on its top layer and fixed X-ray opaque markers on its bottom layer. The metallic rings must be moved to positions where at least two pairs of rings and markers are isocentric in the X-ray image. The current "trial and error" calibration process currently requires acquisition of many X-ray images, a task that is both time consuming and radiation intensive. An improved process was developed and tested for C-arm calibration. Video guidance was used to drive the calibration procedure to minimize both X-ray exposure and the time involved. For this, a homography between X-ray and video images is estimated. This homography is valid for the plane at which the metallic rings are positioned and is employed to guide the calibration procedure. Eight users having varying calibration experience (i.e., 2 experts, 2 semi-experts, 4 novices) were asked to participate in the evaluation. The video-guided technique reduced the number of intra-operative X-ray calibration images by 89% and decreased the total time required by 59%. A video-based C-arm calibration method has been developed that improves the usability of the AR fluoroscope with a friendlier interface, reduced calibration time and clinically acceptable radiation doses.

The Abort Kicker System for the PEP-II Storage Rings at SLAC.

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

Delamare, Jeffrey E

2003-06-20

The PEP-II project has two storage rings. The HER (High Energy Ring) has up to 1.48 A of election beam at 9 GeV, and the LER (Low Energy Ring) has up to 2.14 A of positron beam at 3.1 GeV. To protect the HER and LER beam lines in the event of a ring component failure, each ring has an abort kicker system which directs the beam into a dump when a failure is detected. Due to the high current of the beams, the beam kick is tapered from 100% to 80% in 7.33 {micro}S (the beam transit time aroundmore » the ring). This taper distributes the energy evenly across the window which separates the ring from the beam dump such that the window is not damaged. The abort kicker trigger is synchronized with the ion clearing gap of the beam allowing for the kicker field to rise from 0-80% while there is no beam in the kicker magnet. Originally the kicker system was designed for a rise time of 370nS [1], but because the ion clearing gap was reduced in half, so was the rise time requirement for the kicker. This report discusses the design of the system interlocks, diagnostics, and modulator with the modifications necessary to accommodate an ion clearing gap of 185nS.« less

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

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 and plasma sheet sources. [magnetic storms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyons, L. R.

1984-01-01

The source of the energized plasma that forms in geomagnetic storm ring currents, and ring current decay are discussed. The dominant loss processes for ring current ions are identified as charge exchange and resonant interactions with ion-cyclotron waves. Ring current ions are not dominated by protons. At L4 and energies below a few tens of keV, O+ is the most abundant ion, He+ is second, and protons are third. The plasma sheet contributes directly or indirectly to the ring current particle population. An important source of plasma sheet ions is earthward streaming ions on the outer boundary of the plasma sheet. Ion interactions with the current across the geomagnetic tail can account for the formation of this boundary layer. Electron interactions with the current sheet are possibly an important source of plasma sheet electrons.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Effect of anode ring arrangement on the spectroscopic characteristics of the NASA Lewis Bumpy Torus plasma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richardson, R. W.

1974-01-01

The modified Penning discharge in the NASA Lewis Bumpy Torus is normally produced by an anode ring at high voltage in each of the 12 magnetic mirror midplanes. For this investigation, the plasma was run with 12, 6, 3, and 1 anode rings. When 3 anode rings were used, the spectroscopically determined relative electron density and mean ion residence time increased by factors of 10 and 5, respectively, in one mode of operation. The discharge is observed to uniformly fill all bumps around the torus regardless of the anode arrangement and number. A plasma density on axis of 100 billion per cu cm is estimated for the 3-anode case in one mode of operation based on an observed discharge current to ion loss rate correlation and a measured mean ion residence time of .5 msec.

Effect of anode ring arrangement on the spectroscopic characteristics of the NASA Lewis bumpy torus plasma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richardson, R. W.

1974-01-01

The modified Penning discharge in the NASA Lewis Bumpy Torus is normally produced by an anode ring at high voltage in each of the 12 magnetic mirror midplanes. For this investigation, the plasma was run with 12, 6, 3, and 1 anode rings. When 3 anode rings were used, the spectroscopically determined relative electron density and mean ion residence time increase by factors of 10 and 5, respectively, in one mode of operation. The discharge is observed to uniformly fill all bumps around the torus regardless of the anode arrangement and number. A plasma density on axis of 10 to the 11th power cm/3 is estimated for the 3 anode case in one mode of operation based on an observed discharge current to ion loss rate correlation and a measured mean ion residence time of .5 msec.

Preparing the MAX IV storage rings for timing-based experiments

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

Stråhlman, C., E-mail: Christian.Strahlman@maxlab.lu.se; Olsson, T., E-mail: Teresia.Olsson@maxlab.lu.se; Leemann, S. C.

2016-07-27

Time-resolved experimental techniques are increasingly abundant at storage ring facilities. Recent developments in accelerator technology and beamline instrumentation allow for simultaneous operation of high-intensity and timing-based experiments. The MAX IV facility is a state-of-the-art synchrotron light source in Lund, Sweden, that will come into operation in 2016. As many storage ring facilities are pursuing upgrade programs employing strong-focusing multibend achromats and passive harmonic cavities (HCs) in high-current operation, it is of broad interest to study the accelerator and instrumentation developments required to enable timing-based experiments at such machines. In particular, the use of hybrid filling modes combined with pulse pickingmore » by resonant excitation or pseudo single bunch has shown promising results. These methods can be combined with novel beamline instrumentation, such as choppers and instrument gating. In this paper we discuss how these techniques can be implemented and employed at MAX IV.« less

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

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.

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

Storage Rings in the Sky: Gamma Ray Bursts and Galactic Gravitational Collapse Stored Energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greyber, H. D.

2004-05-01

The recent discovery of almost 100% polarization of the prompt gamma ray emission from GRB021206, (1), confirms my 44 year old ``Strong" Magnetic Field" model (SMF) for galactic dynamics. In SMF, Storage Ring particles were accelerated long ago during the original gravitational collapse of the pregalactic/prequasar plasma cloud that is permeated by an almost uniform primordial magnetic field (2,3) The enormous, intense, slender, relativistic, stable, completely coherent Storage Ring stores a very small fraction of the huge galactic gravitational collapse energy in an almost radiationless state, unless disturbed. The concept of an Astrophysical Storage Ring was introduced by me in l961. At first it was to explain galactic structure, but soon it proved useful to explain active galactic nuclei (AGN) and the dynamics of quasar/AGN jets. AGN and galactic morphology, energetics and dynamics vary as the ratio of magnetic energy to rotational energy in the particular object. Gamma ray bursts (GRB) are due simply to a ``rock". i.e. a white dwarf, ordinary star, neutron sstar, asteroid, planet, etc. falling rapidly through the Storage Ring and being almost instantly vaporized into a hot plasma fireball, causing an electromagnetic shower (2) Then the fireball speeds into the huge organized magnetic field surrounding the current ring, thus generating very highly polarized prompt gamma ray emission (as seen in GRB021206) from the synchrotron radiation process. The timing fits the GRB observations nicely. For instance, a ``rock" racing at 1000 kilometers per second across a 20,000 km. path in the beam would produce a twenty second burst. Other times, a target might track across a short chord for a short burst. Space missions have shown that often typical currents in space plasmas are made up of slender filaments. Thus the puzzling less than one millisecond spikes observed in some GRB are simply describing the structure of that particular ring current at that particular time. 1. W. Coburn and S.E. Boggs, Nature, 423, 415, (2003) 2. H. D. Greyber in a book, After the Dark Ages: When Galaxies Were Young, eds. S.S. Holt and E. P. Smith, AIP Conference Proceedings 470, 388-396. (1998) 3. H. D. Greyber in a Space Telescope Science Institute Report: Poster Papers from their 2001 Spring Symposium, ``The Dark Universe: Matter, Energy and Gravity," ed. Mario Livio, published March 2003, (34-39)

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.

Transport of Energetic Ions in the Ring Current During Geomagnetic Storms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kistler, Lynn M.; Kaufmann, Richard

2001-01-01

In the final year (plus no-cost extentions) of this grant, we have: Used the particle tracing code to perform a systematic study of the expected energy spectra over the full range of local times in the ring current using a variety of electric and magnetic field models. Shown that the Weimer electric field is superior to the Volland-Stern electric field in reproducing the observed energy spectra on the AMPTE CCE spacecraft. Redone our analysis of the pitch angle spectra of energetic ions during storms in the magnetosphere, using a larger data set, and a more reliable classification technique.

Structure, stratigraphy, and eruption chronology of the Hanauma Bay Tuff Ring, Oahu, Hawaii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rottas, K. M.; Houghton, B. F.

2010-12-01

The Hanauma Bay-Koko Head Complex is one of several volcanic landforms along the Koko fissure, in southeastern Oahu, that formed during rejuvenated volcanism. The Hanauma Bay region of the complex is comprised of two nested tuff rings. The internal structure of the inner tuff ring is well exposed due to subsequent breaching and wave erosion and is described in detail here for the first time. The inner tuff ring is currently believed to have formed during a single eruption episode. However, field observations, detailed photography, structural mapping in both the vertical and horizontal planes, extensive measurements of bedding attitudes, and stratigraphic analysis suggest that there were a minimum of five distinct intervals of deposition, which also blanketed the deposits of the outer tuff ring with ejecta. These intervals of sedimentation were separated by significant collapses, generating major unconformities that cross the inner wall of the inner ring. The planes of failure are marked by smaller steep-walled channels and gullies, eroded by rainfall-induced runoff and suggesting the failures were each followed by short time breaks with erosion. Within each pyroclastic sequence there are also smaller slump scars and local unconformities. The inner tuff ring was predominately formed by pyroclastic surges, although the beds of Phase 3 are primarily fall deposits. From ballistic trajectories and bedding features, it is apparent that the eruption locus shifted a minimum of two times during tuff ring growth. Ballistic blocks in the final Phase 5 indicate that the Hanauma Bay eruption was contemporaneous with a separate eruption to the north, most likely that of the Kahauloa tuff ring 880 meters away.

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.

Modeling the near-Earth interaction between ring current ions and exospheric neutrals: escape through energetic neutral atoms (ENAs)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LLera, K.; Goldstein, J.; McComas, D. J.; Valek, P. W.

2016-12-01

The two major loss processes for ring current decay are precipitation and energetic neutral atoms (ENAs). Since the exospheric neutral density increases with decreasing altitudes, precipitating ring current ions (reaching down to 200 - 800 km in altitude) also produce low-altitude ENA signatures that can be stronger than the ring current emission at equatorial distances ( 2 - 9 Re). The higher density results in multiple collisions between the ring current ions and exospheric oxygen. The affect on hydrogen ions is the focus of this study. Since the H particle sustains energy loss ( 36 eV) at each neutralizing or re-ionizing interaction, the escaped ENAs do not directly reflect the ring current properties. We model the energy loss due to multiple charge exchange and electron stripping interactions of 1 - 100 keV precipitating ring current ions undergo before emerging as low-altitude ENAs. The H particle is either an ion or an ENA throughout the simulation. Their lifetime is analytically determined by the length of one mean free path. We track the ion state with Lorentz motion while the ENA travels ballistically across the geomagnetic field. Our simulations show the energy loss is greater than 20% for hydrogen ring current ions below 30 keV (60 keV for the simulations that wander equatorward). This is the first quantification of the energy loss associated with the creation of low-altitude ENAs. Our model (currently constrained in the meridional plane) has revealed characteristics on how precipitation is affected by the near-Earth neutral exosphere. This ion-neutral interaction removes particles from the loss cone but promotes loss through ENA generation. These findings should be implemented in models predicting the ring current decay and used as an analysis tool to reconstruct the ring current population from observed low-altitude ENAs.

The Role of Substorms in Storm-time Particle Acceleration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daglis, Ioannis A.; Kamide, Yohsuke

The terrestrial magnetosphere has the capability to rapidly accelerate charged particles up to very high energies over relatively short times and distances. Acceleration of charged particles is an essential ingredient of both magnetospheric substorms and space storms. In the case of space storms, the ultimate result is a bulk flow of electric charge through the inner magnetosphere, commonly known as the ring current. Syun-Ichi Akasofu and Sydney Chapman, two of the early pioneers in space physics, postulated that the bulk acceleration of particles during storms is rather the additive result of partial acceleration during consecutive substorms. This paradigm has been heavily disputed during recent years. The new case is that substorm acceleration may be sufficient to produce individual high-energy particles that create auroras and possibly harm spacecraft, but it cannot produce the massive acceleration that constitutes a storm. This paper is a critical review of the long-standing issue of the storm-substorm relationship, or—in other words—the capability or necessity of substorms in facilitating or driving the build-up of the storm-time ring current. We mainly address the physical effect itself, i.e. the bulk acceleration of particles, and not the diagnostic of the process, i.e. the Dst index, which is rather often the case. Within the framework of particle acceleration, substorms retain their storm-importance due to the potential of substorm-induced impulsive electric fields in obtaining the massive ion acceleration needed for the storm-time ring current buildup.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Radial transport of high-energy oxygen ions into the deep inner magnetosphere observed by Van Allen Probes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitani, K.; Seki, K.; Keika, K.; Gkioulidou, M.; Lanzerotti, L. J.; Mitchell, D. G.; Kletzing, C.

2017-12-01

It is known that proton is main contributor of the ring current and oxygen ions can make significant contribution during major magnetic storms. Ions are supplied to the ring current by radial transport from the plasma sheet. Convective transport of lower-energy protons and diffusive transport of higher-energy protons were reported to contribute to the storm-time and quiet-time ring current respectively [e.g., Gkioulidou et al., 2016]. However, supply mechanisms of the oxygen ions are not clear. To characterize the supply of oxygen ions to the ring current during magnetic storms, we studied the properties of energetic proton and oxygen ion phase space densities (PSDs) for specific magnetic moment (μ) during the April 23-25, 2013, geomagnetic storm observed by the Van Allen Probes mission. We here report on radial transport of high-energy (μ ≥ 0.5 keV/nT) oxygen ions into the deep inner magnetosphere during the late main phase of the magnetic storm. Since protons show little change during this period, this oxygen radial transport is inferred to cause the development of the late main phase. Enhancement of poloidal magnetic fluctuations is simultaneously observed. We estimated azimuthal mode number ≤5 by using cross wavelet analysis with ground-based observation of IMAGE ground magnetometers. The fluctuations can resonate with drift and bounce motions of the oxygen ions. The results suggest that combination of the drift and drift-bounce resonances is responsible for the radial transport of high-energy oxygen ions into the deep inner magnetosphere. We also report on the radial transport of the high-energy oxygen ions into the deep inner magnetosphere during other magnetic storms.

Network protocols for real-time applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Marjory J.

1987-01-01

The Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) and the SAE AE-9B High Speed Ring Bus (HSRB) are emerging standards for high-performance token ring local area networks. FDDI was designed to be a general-purpose high-performance network. HSRB was designed specifically for military real-time applications. A workshop was conducted at NASA Ames Research Center in January, 1987 to compare and contrast these protocols with respect to their ability to support real-time applications. This report summarizes workshop presentations and includes an independent comparison of the two protocols. A conclusion reached at the workshop was that current protocols for the upper layers of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) network model are inadequate for real-time applications.

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.

Magnetic Field Measurement on the C/NOFS Satellite: Geomagnetic Storm Effects in the Low Latitude Ionosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Le, Guan; Pfaff, Rob; Kepko, Larry; Rowland, Doug; Bromund, Ken; Freudenreich, Henry; Martin, Steve; Liebrecht, C.; Maus, S.

2010-01-01

The Vector Electric Field Investigation (VEFI) suite onboard the Communications/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) spacecraft includes a sensitive fluxgate magnetometer to measure DC and ULF magnetic fields in the low latitude ionosphere. The instrument includes a DC vector measurement at 1 sample/sec with a range of +/- 45,000 nT whose primary objective is to provide direct measurements of both V x B and E x B that are more accurate than those obtained using a simple magnetic field model. These data can also be used for scientific research to provide information of large-scale ionospheric and magnetospheric current systems, which, when analyzed in conjunction with the C/NOFS DC electric field measurements, promise to advance our understanding of the electrodynamics of the low latitude ionosphere. In this study, we use the magnetic field data to study the temporal and local time variations of the ring currents during geomagnetic storms. We first compare the in situ measurements with the POMME (the POtsdam Magnetic Model of the Earth) model in order to provide an in-flight "calibration" of the data as well as compute magnetic field residuals essential for revealing large scale external current systems. We then compare the magnetic field residuals observed both during quiet times and during geomagnetic storms at the same geographic locations to deduce the magnetic field signatures of the ring current. As will be shown, the low inclination of the C/NOFS satellite provides a unique opportunity to study the evolution of the ring current as a function of local time, which is particularly insightful during periods of magnetic storms. This paper will present the initial results of this study.

An Occultation by Saturn's Rings on 1991 October 2-3 October 2-3 Observed with the Hubble Space Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elliot, J. L.; Bosh, A. S.; Cooke, M. L.; Bless, R. C.; Nelson, M. J.; Percival, J. W.; Taylor, M. J.; Dolan, J. F.; Robinson, E. L.; Van Citters, G. W.

1993-01-01

An occultation of the star GSC 6323-01396 (V = 11.9) by Saturn's rings was observed with the High-Speed Photometer on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) on 1991 October 2-3. This occultation occurred when Saturn was near a stationary point, so the apparent motion of Saturn relative to the star was dominated by the HST orbital motion (8 km/s). Data were recorded simultaneously at effective wavelengths of 3200 and 7500 A, with an integration time of 0.15 s. Fifteen segments of occultation data, totaling 6.8 h, were recorded in 13 successive orbits during the 20.0 h interval from UTC 1991 October 2, 19:35 until UTC 1991 October 3, 15:35. Occultations by 43 different features throughout the classical rings were unambiguously identified in the light curve, with a second occultation by 24 of them occurring due to spacecraft orbital parallax during this extremely slow event. Occultation times for features currently presumed circular were measured and employed in a geometrical model for the rings. This model, relating the observed occultation times to feature radii and longitudes, is presented here and is used in a least-squares fit for the pole direction and radius scale of Saturn's ring system.

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.

1393 Ring Bus at JPL: Description and Status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wysocky, Terry R.

2007-01-01

Completed Ring Bus IC V&V Phase - Ring Bus Test Plan Completed for SIM Project - Applicable to Other Projects Implemented a Avionics Bus Based upon the IEEE 1393 Standard - Excellent Starting Point for a General Purpose High-Speed Spacecraft Bus - Designed to Meet SIM Requirements for - Real-time deterministic, distributed systems. - Control system requirements - Fault detection and recovery Other JPL Projects Considering Implementation F'light Software Ring Bus Driver Module Began in 2006, Continues Participating in Standard Revision. Search for Earth-like planets orbiting nearby stars and measure the masses and orbits of the planets it finds. Survey 2000 nearby stars for planetary systems to learn whether our Solar System is unusual, or typical. Make a new catalog of star position 100 times more accurate than current measurements. Learn how our galaxy formed and will evolve by studying the dynamics of its stars. Critically test models of exactly how stars shine, including exotic objects like black holes, neutron stars and white dwarfs.

Urea-Aromatic Stacking and Concerted Urea Transport: Conserved Mechanisms in Urea Transporters Revealed by Molecular Dynamics.

PubMed

Padhi, Siladitya; Priyakumar, U Deva

2016-10-11

Urea transporters are membrane proteins that selectively allow urea molecules to pass through. It is not clear how these transporters allow rapid conduction of urea, a polar molecule, in spite of the presence of a hydrophobic constriction lined by aromatic rings. The current study elucidates the mechanism that is responsible for this rapid conduction by performing free energy calculations on the transporter dvUT with a cumulative sampling time of about 1.3 μs. A parallel arrangement of aromatic rings in the pore enables stacking of urea with these rings, which, in turn, lowers the energy barrier for urea transport. Such interaction of the rings with urea is proposed to be a conserved mechanism across all urea-conducting proteins. The free energy landscape for the permeation of multiple urea molecules reveals an interplay between interurea interaction and the solvation state of the urea molecules. This is for the first time that multiple molecule permeation through any small molecule transporter has been modeled.

Experiments on Diffusion Flame Structure of a Laminar Vortex Ring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Shin-Juh; Dahm, Werner J. A.

1999-01-01

The study of flame-vortex interactions provides one of the means to better understand turbulent combustion, and allows for canonical configurations that contain the fundamental elements found in turbulent flames, These include concentrated vorticity, entrainment and mixing, strain and nonequilibrium phenomena, diffusion and differential diffusion, partial premixing and diluent effects, and heat release effects. In flame- vortex configurations, these fundamental elements can be studied under more controlled conditions than is possible in direct investigations of turbulent flames. Since the paper of Marble, the problem of the flame-vortex interaction has received considerable attention theoretically, numerically and experimentally. Several configurations exist for study of the premixed flame/vortex ring interaction but more limited results have been obtained to date for the diffusion flame/vortex ring case. The setup of Chen and Dahm, which is conceptually similar to that of Karagozian and Manda and Karagozian, Suganuma and Strom where the ring is composed of fuel and air and combustion begins during the ring formation process, is used in the current study. However, it is essential to conduct the experiments in microgravity to remove the asymmetries caused by buoyancy and thus obtain highly symmetric and repeatable interactions. In previous studies it was found that the flame structure of the vortex ring was similar to that obtained analytically by Karagozian and Manda. Dilution of propane with nitrogen led mainly to a reduction in flame luminosities, flame burnout times were affected by both fuel volumes and amount of dilution, and a simple model of the burnout times was developed. In this paper, a discussion on reacting ring displacement and flame burnout time will be given, and the flame structures of vortex rings containing ethane and air will be compared to those of propane reacting in air.

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.

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

Design of a High Luminosity 100 TeV Proton Antiproton Collider

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

Oliveros Tuativa, Sandra Jimena

2017-04-01

Currently new physics is being explored with the Large Hadron Collider at CERN and with Intensity Frontier programs at Fermilab and KEK. The energy scale for new physics is known to be in the multi-TeV range, signaling the need for a future collider which well surpasses this energy scale. A 10more » $$^{\\,34}$$ cm$$^{-2}$$ s$$^{-1}$$ luminosity 100 TeV proton-antiproton collider is explored with 7$$\\times$$ the energy of the LHC. The dipoles are 4.5\\,T to reduce cost. A proton-antiproton collider is selected as a future machine for several reasons. The cross section for many high mass states is 10 times higher in $$p\\bar{p}$$ than $pp$ collisions. Antiquarks for production can come directly from an antiproton rather than indirectly from gluon splitting. The higher cross sections reduce the synchrotron radiation in superconducting magnets and the number of events per bunch crossing, because lower beam currents can produce the same rare event rates. Events are also more centrally produced, allowing a more compact detector with less space between quadrupole triplets and a smaller $$\\beta^{*}$$ for higher luminosity. To adjust to antiproton beam losses (burn rate), a Fermilab-like antiproton source would be adapted to disperse the beam into 12 different momentum channels, using electrostatic septa, to increase antiproton momentum capture 12 times. At Fermilab, antiprotons were stochastically cooled in one Debuncher and one Accumulator ring. Because the stochastic cooling time scales as the number of particles, two options of 12 independent cooling systems are presented. One electron cooling ring might follow the stochastic cooling rings for antiproton stacking. Finally antiprotons in the collider ring would be recycled during runs without leaving the collider ring, by joining them to new bunches with snap bunch coalescence and synchrotron damping. These basic ideas are explored in this work on a future 100 TeV proton-antiproton collider and the main parameters are presented.« less

Evolution of Structure and Composition in Saturn's Rings Due to Ballistic Transport of Micrometeoroid Impact Ejecta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Estrada, P. R.; Durisen, R. H.; Cuzzi, J. N.

2014-04-01

We introduce improved numerical techniques for simulating the structural and compositional evolution of planetary rings due to micrometeoroid bombardment and subsequent ballistic transport of impact ejecta. Our current, robust code, which is based on the original structural code of [1] and on the pollution transport code of [3], is capable of modeling structural changes and pollution transport simultaneously over long times on both local and global scales. We provide demonstrative simulations to compare with, and extend upon previous work, as well as examples of how ballistic transport can maintain the observed structure in Saturn's rings using available Cassini occultation optical depth data.

Development and evaluation of accelerated drug release testing methods for a matrix-type intravaginal ring.

PubMed

Externbrink, Anna; Eggenreich, Karin; Eder, Simone; Mohr, Stefan; Nickisch, Klaus; Klein, Sandra

2017-01-01

Accelerated drug release testing is a valuable quality control tool for long-acting non-oral extended release formulations. Currently, several intravaginal ring candidates designed for the long-term delivery of steroids or anti-infective drugs are being in the developing pipeline. The present article addresses the demand for accelerated drug release methods for these formulations. We describe the development and evaluation of accelerated release methods for a steroid releasing matrix-type intravaginal ring. The drug release properties of the formulation were evaluated under real-time and accelerated test conditions. Under real-time test conditions drug release from the intravaginal ring was strongly affected by the steroid solubility in the release medium. Under sufficient sink conditions that were provided in release media containing surfactants drug release was Fickian diffusion driven. Both temperature and hydro-organic dissolution media were successfully employed to accelerate drug release from the formulation. Drug release could be further increased by combining the temperature effect with the application of a hydro-organic release medium. The formulation continued to exhibit a diffusion controlled release kinetic under the investigated accelerated conditions. Moreover, the accelerated methods were able to differentiate between different prototypes of the intravaginal ring that exhibited different release profiles under real-time test conditions. Overall, the results of the present study indicate that both temperature and hydro-organic release media are valid parameters for accelerating drug release from the intravaginal ring. Variation of either a single or both parameters yielded release profiles that correlated well with real-time release. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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.

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.

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.

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.

EM Diffusion for a Time-Domain Airborne EM System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, C.; Qiu, C.; Liu, Y.; Cai, J.

2014-12-01

Visualization of EM diffusion for an airborne EM (AEM) system is important for understanding the transient procedure of EM diffusion. The current distribution and diffusion features also provide effective means to evaluate EM footprint, depth of exploration and further help AEM system design and data interpretation. Most previous studies on EM diffusion (or "smoke ring" effect) are based on the static presentation of EM field, where the dynamic features of EM diffusion were not visible. For visualizing the dynamic feature of EM diffusion, we first calculate in this paper the frequency-domain EM field by downward continuation of the EM field at the EM receiver to the deep earth. After that, we transform the results to time-domain via a Fourier transform. We take a homogeneous half-space and a two-layered earth induced by a step pulse to calculate the EM fields and display the EM diffusion in the earth as 3D animated vectors or time-varying contours. The "smoke ring" effect of EM diffusion, dominated by the resistivity distribution of the earth, is clearly observed. The numerical results for an HCP (vertical magnetic dipole) and a VCX (horizontal magnetic dipole) transmitting coil above a homogeneous half-space of 100 ohm-m are shown in Fig.1. We display as example only the distribution of EM field inside the earth for the diffusion time of 0.05ms. The detailed EM diffusion will be shown in our future presentation. From the numerical experiments for different models, we find that 1) the current for either an HCP or a VCX transmitting dipole propagates downward and outward with time, becoming wider and more diffuse, forming a "smoke ring"; 2) for a VCX transmitter, the underground current forms two ellipses, corresponding to the two polarities of the magnetic flux of a horizontal magnetic dipole, injecting into or ejected from the earth; 3) for a HCP transmitter, however, the underground current forms only one circle, corresponding to the polarity of the magnetic flux for a vertical magnetic dipole, injecting into the earth; 4) there exists no vertical current in an isotropic homogeneous half-space. The currents for both HCP and VCX transmitting dipole flow horizontally.

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.

Individualistic and Time-Varying Tree-Ring Growth to Climate Sensitivity

PubMed Central

Carrer, Marco

2011-01-01

The development of dendrochronological time series in order to analyze climate-growth relationships usually involves first a rigorous selection of trees and then the computation of the mean tree-growth measurement series. This study suggests a change in the perspective, passing from an analysis of climate-growth relationships that typically focuses on the mean response of a species to investigating the whole range of individual responses among sample trees. Results highlight that this new approach, tested on a larch and stone pine tree-ring dataset, outperforms, in terms of information obtained, the classical one, with significant improvements regarding the strength, distribution and time-variability of the individual tree-ring growth response to climate. Moreover, a significant change over time of the tree sensitivity to climatic variability has been detected. Accordingly, the best-responder trees at any one time may not always have been the best-responders and may not continue to be so. With minor adjustments to current dendroecological protocol and adopting an individualistic approach, we can improve the quality and reliability of the ecological inferences derived from the climate-growth relationships. PMID:21829523

Dst and a map of average equivalent ring current: 1958-2007

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Love, J. J.

2008-12-01

A new Dst index construction is made using the original hourly magnetic-observatory data collected over the years 1958-2007; stations: Hermanus South Africa, Kakioka Japan, Honolulu Hawaii, and San Juan Puerto Rico. The construction method we use is generally consistent with the algorithm defined by Sugiura (1964), and which forms the basis for the standard Kyoto Dst index. This involves corrections for observatory baseline shifts, subtraction of the main-field secular variation, and subtraction of specific harmonics that approximate the solar-quiet (Sq) variation. Fourier analysis of the observatory data reveals the nature of Sq: it consists primarily of periodic variation driven by the Earth's rotation, the Moon's orbit, the Earth's orbit, and, to some extent, the solar cycle. Cross coupling of the harmonics associated with each of the external periodic driving forces results in a seemingly complicated Sq time series that is sometimes considered to be relatively random and unpredictable, but which is, in fact, well described in terms of Fourier series. Working in the frequency domain, Sq can be filtered out, and, upon return to the time domain, the local disturbance time series (Dist) for each observatory can be recovered. After averaging the local disturbance time series from each observatory, the global magnetic disturbance time series Dst is obtained. Analysis of this new Dst index is compared with that produced by Kyoto, and various biases and differences are discussed. The combination of the Dist and Dst time series can be used to explore the local-time/universal-time symmetry of an equivalent ring current. Individual magnetic storms can have a complicated disturbance field that is asymmetrical in longitude, presumably due to partial ring currents. Using 50 years of data we map the average local-time magnetic disturbance, finding that it is very nearly proportional to Dst. To our surprise, the primary asymmetry in mean magnetic disturbance is not between midnight and noon, but rather between dawn and dusk, with greatest mean disturbance occurring at dusk. As a result, proposed corrections to Dst for magnetopause and tail currents might be reasonably reconsidered.

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.

Ballistic Transport: After the Cassini Grand Finale, is there a Final Consensus on Ring Origin and Age?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Estrada, P. R.; Durisen, R. H.; Cuzzi, J. N.

2017-12-01

As the Cassini mission comes to its much anticipated end, somewhat befittingly to be immortalized and enshrined for all time within the gaseous confines of a planet named for the Greek god of time (Kronos), we find the time appropriate to return to the subject of ring age and origin. During Cassini's remarkable tenure, important measurements have been obtained that can help to elucidate and perhaps settle the debate once and for all on whether the rings are young or old. At the forefront lie the results of the Cassini Dust Analyzer (CDA) experiment which indicate that the range of the micrometeoroid flux at infinity for Saturn are comparable to the nominal value of the meteoroid flux value currently adopted for use in ballistic transport (BT) applications and models (Estrada et al., 2015, 2017). Moreover, the source of the micrometeoroid flux has been localized to the Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt (EKB) and is not cometary in origin as previously assumed (Altobelli et al., 2015). A major consequence of these measurements is that the EKB flux is much more gravitationally focused increasing the impact flux on the rings by a factor of ˜25 relative to cometary. This implies that the process of micrometeoroid bombardment and BT is likely even more influential in the rings' structural and compositional evolution over time. This measurement taken together with recent analysis of the bulk mass fraction of non-icy constituents (Zhang et al., 2017a,b) using Cassini radiometry data argue strongly for young rings. Another observation that will help to provide a constraint (though not absolute) is the pending measurement of the (B) ring mass. A high mass estimate as argued by some does not necessarily mean old rings, whereas a low mass ring would certainly imply as much. There are several factors that can offer insight on to the age of the rings from BT modeling, such as saturation of the ramp(s), color differences across the B-C (A-CD) boundaries, color differences across plateaus, in addition to the (hopefully) soon to be known mass of the B ring vis-à-vis the observed non-icy constituent mass fractions, which we will be discussed.

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.

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.

Self-Consistent Ring Current Modeling with Propagating Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves in the Presence of Heavy Ions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khazanov, George V.

2006-01-01

The self-consistent treatment of the RC ion dynamics and EMIC waves, which are thought to exert important influences on the ion dynamical evolution, is an important missing element in our understanding of the storm-and recovery-time ring current evolution. Under certain conditions, relativistic electrons, with energies 21 MeV, can be removed from the outer radiation belt by EMIC wave scattering during a magnetic storm. That is why the modeling of EMIC waves is critical and timely issue in magnetospheric physics. To describe the RC evolution itself this study uses the ring current-atmosphere interaction model (RAM). RAM solves the gyration and bounce-averaged Boltzmann-Landau equation inside of geosynchronous orbit. Originally developed at the University of Michigan, there are now several branches of this model currently in use as describe by Liemohn namely those at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center This study will generalize the self-consistent theoretical description of RC ions and EMIC waves that has been developed by Khazanov and include the heavy ions and propagation effects of EMIC waves in the global dynamic of self-consistent RC - EMIC waves coupling. The results of our newly developed model that will be presented at GEM meeting, focusing mainly on the dynamic of EMIC waves and comparison of these results with the previous global RC modeling studies devoted to EMIC waves formation. We also discuss RC ion precipitations and wave induced thermal electron fluxes into the ionosphere.

Target studies for the neutrino factory at the Rutherford Appleton laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drumm, Paul; Densham, Chris; Bennett, Roger

2001-10-01

Target studies at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory have concentrated on studies of a solid heavy metal target. The suggestion to use a radiatively cooled target which rotates in beam was made shortly after the first NuFact workshop as a means of dissipating large amounts of power at a high temperature, and as an alternative to the proposed water-cooled rotating band and liquid metal jet targets. This paper examines the proposed drive scheme for the target ring, which uses induced currents and magnetic forces to both levitate and drive the target. Estimates of the power required to levitate and drive the target ring and the forces exerted on the moving ring as it enters the target capture solenoid are given. One of the principle concerns in the operation of a solid target is the severe shock stress experienced due to the impact of an intense energetic proton beam in a short time compared to the transit time of sound in the material. Calculations of the stresses induced in the target ring and their evolution with time as well as an initial estimation of the expected power densities and stresses in an existing high power density target are presented.

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.

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.

Global Effects of Transmitted Shock Wave Propagation Through the Earth's Inner Magnetosphere: First Results from 3-D Hybrid Kinetic Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lipatov, A. S.; Sibeck, D. G.

2016-01-01

We use a new hybrid kinetic model to simulate the response of ring current, outer radiation belt, and plasmaspheric particle populations to impulsive interplanetary shocks. Since particle distributions attending the interplanetary shock waves and in the ring current and radiation belts are non-Maxwellian, waveparticle interactions play a crucial role in energy transport within the inner magnetosphere. Finite gyroradius effects become important in mass loading the shock waves with the background plasma in the presence of higher energy ring current and radiation belt ions and electrons. Initial results show that shocks cause strong deformations in the global structure of the ring current, radiation belt, and plasmasphere. The ion velocity distribution functions at the shock front, in the ring current, and in the radiation belt help us determine energy transport through the Earth's inner magnetosphere.

Data-based Modeling of the Dynamical Inner Magnetosphere During Strong Geomagnetic Storms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsyganenko, N.; Sitnov, M.

2004-12-01

This work builds on and extends our previous effort [Tsyganenko et al., 2003] to develop a dynamical model of the storm-time geomagnetic field in the inner magnetosphere, using space magnetometer data taken during 37 major events in 1996--2000 and concurrent observations of the solar wind and IMF. The essence of the approach is to derive from the data the temporal variation of all major current systems contributing to the geomagnetic field during the entire storm cycle, using a simple model of their growth and decay. Each principal source of the external magnetic field (magnetopause, cross-tail current sheet, axisymmetric and partial ring currents, Birkeland currents) is controlled by a separate driving variable that includes a combination of geoeffective parameters in the form Nλ Vβ Bsγ , where N, V, and Bs are the solar wind density, speed, and the magnitude of the southward component of the IMF, respectively. Each source was also assumed to have an individual relaxation timescale and residual quiet-time strength, so that its partial contribution to the total field was calculated for any moment as a time integral, taking into account the entire history of the external driving of the magnetosphere during each storm. In addition, the magnitudes of the principal field sources were assumed to saturate during extremely large storms with abnormally strong external driving. All the parameters of the model field sources, including their magnitudes, geometrical characteristics, solar wind/IMF driving functions, decay timescales, and saturation thresholds were treated as free variables, to be derived from the data by the least squares. The relaxation timescales of the individual magnetospheric field sources were found to largely differ between each other, from as large as ˜30 hours for the symmetrical ring current to only ˜50 min for the region~1 Birkeland current. The total magnitudes of the currents were also found to dramatically vary in the course of major storms, with the peak values as large as 5--8 MA for the symmetric ring current and region 1 field-aligned current. At the peak of the main phase, the total partial ring current can largely exceed the symmetric one, reaching ˜10 MA and even more, but it quickly subsides as the external solar wind driving disappears, with the relaxation time ≤2 hours. The tail current dramatically increases during the main phase and shifts earthward, so that the peak current concentrates at unusually close distances ˜4-6RE. This is accompanied by a significant thinning of the current sheet and enormous tailward stretching of the inner geomagnetic field lines. As an independent consistency test, we calculated the expected Dst-variation based on the model output at Earth's surface and compared it with the actual observed Dst. A good agreement (cumulative correlation coefficient R=0.92) was found, in spite of that ˜90% of the spacecraft data used in the fitting were taken at synchronous orbit and beyond, while only 3.7% of those data came from distances 2.5≤ R≤4 RE. The obtained results demonstrate the possibility to develop a dynamical model of the magnetic field, based on magnetospheric and interplanetary data and allowing one to reproduce and forecast the entire process of a geomagnetic storm, as it unfolds in time and space. Reference: N. A. Tsyganenko, H. J. Singer, J. C. Kasper, Storm-time distortion of the inner magnetosphere: How severe can it get ? J. Geophys. Res., v. 108(A5), 1209, 2003.

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

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

1978-01-01

The analysis of the measured ion fluxes during the several day storm recovery period and the assumption that beside hydrogen other ions were present and that the decays were exponential in nature, it was possible to establish three separate lifetimes for the ions. 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. This inference technique, thus, establishes the presence of measurable and appreciable quantities of oxygen and helium ions as well as protons in the storm-time ring current. Indications that He(+) may also be present under these same conditions were found.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

EMIC Wave Scale Size in the Inner Magnetosphere: Observations From the Dual Van Allen Probes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blum, L. W.; Bonnell, J. W.; Agapitov, O.; Paulson, K.; Kletzing, C.

2017-01-01

Estimating the spatial scales of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves is critical for quantifying their overall scattering efficiency and effects on thermal plasma, ring current, and radiation belt particles. Using measurements from the dual Van Allen Probes in 2013-2014, we characterize the spatial and temporal extents of regions of EMIC wave activity and how these depend on local time and radial distance within the inner magnetosphere. Observations are categorized into three types: waves observed by only one spacecraft, waves measured by both spacecraft simultaneously, and waves observed by both spacecraft with some time lag. Analysis reveals that dayside (and H+ band) EMIC waves more frequently span larger spatial areas, while nightside (and He+ band) waves are more often localized but can persist many hours. These investigations give insight into the nature of EMIC wave generation and support more accurate quantification of their effects on the ring current and outer radiation belt.

EMIC wave scale size in the inner magnetosphere: Observations from the dual Van Allen Probes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blum, L. W.; Bonnell, J. W.; Agapitov, O.; Paulson, K.; Kletzing, C.

2017-02-01

Estimating the spatial scales of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves is critical for quantifying their overall scattering efficiency and effects on thermal plasma, ring current, and radiation belt particles. Using measurements from the dual Van Allen Probes in 2013-2014, we characterize the spatial and temporal extents of regions of EMIC wave activity and how these depend on local time and radial distance within the inner magnetosphere. Observations are categorized into three types—waves observed by only one spacecraft, waves measured by both spacecraft simultaneously, and waves observed by both spacecraft with some time lag. Analysis reveals that dayside (and H+ band) EMIC waves more frequently span larger spatial areas, while nightside (and He+ band) waves are more often localized but can persist many hours. These investigations give insight into the nature of EMIC wave generation and support more accurate quantification of their effects on the ring current and outer radiation belt.

5.0 kV breakdown-voltage vertical GaN p-n junction diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohta, Hiroshi; Hayashi, Kentaro; Horikiri, Fumimasa; Yoshino, Michitaka; Nakamura, Tohru; Mishima, Tomoyoshi

2018-04-01

A high breakdown voltage of 5.0 kV has been achieved for the first time in vertical GaN p-n junction diodes by using our newly developed guard-ring structures. A resistance device was inserted between the main diode portion and the guard-ring portion in a ring-shaped p-n diode to generate a voltage drop over the resistance device by leakage current flowing through the guard-ring portion under negatively biased conditions before breakdown. The voltage at the outer mesa edge of the guard-ring portion, where the electric field intensity is highest and the destructive breakdown usually occurs, is decreased by the voltage drop, so the electric field concentration in the portion is reduced. By adopting this structure, the breakdown voltage (V B) is raised by about 200 V. Combined with a low measured on-resistance (R on) of 1.25 mΩ cm2, Baliga’s figure of merit (V\\text{B}2/R\\text{on}) was as high as 20 GW/cm2.

Design of a High Luminosity 100 TeV Proton-Antiproton Collider

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliveros Tautiva, Sandra Jimena

Currently new physics is being explored with the Large Hadron Collider at CERN and with Intensity Frontier programs at Fermilab and KEK. The energy scale for new physics is known to be in the multi-TeV range, signaling the need for a future collider which well surpasses this energy scale. A 10 34 cm-2 s-1 luminosity 100 TeV proton-antiproton collider is explored with 7x the energy of the LHC. The dipoles are 4.5 T to reduce cost. A proton-antiproton collider is selected as a future machine for several reasons. The cross section for many high mass states is 10 times higher in pp than pp collisions. Antiquarks for production can come directly from an antiproton rather than indirectly from gluon splitting. The higher cross sections reduce the synchrotron radiation in superconducting magnets and the number of events per bunch crossing, because lower beam currents can produce the same rare event rates. Events are also more centrally produced, allowing a more compact detector with less space between quadrupole triplets and a smaller beta* for higher luminosity. To adjust to antiproton beam losses (burn rate), a Fermilab-like antiproton source would be adapted to disperse the beam into 12 different momentum channels, using electrostatic septa, to increase antiproton momentum capture 12 times. At Fermilab, antiprotons were stochastically cooled in one Debuncher and one Accumulator ring. Because the stochastic cooling time scales as the number of particles, two options of 12 independent cooling systems are presented. One electron cooling ring might follow the stochastic cooling rings for antiproton stacking. Finally antiprotons in the collider ring would be recycled during runs without leaving the collider ring, by joining them to new bunches with snap bunch coalescence and synchrotron damping. These basic ideas are explored in this work on a future 100 TeV proton-antiproton collider and the main parameters are presented.

BEAM DIAGNOSTICS USING BPM SIGNALS FROM INJECTED AND STORED BEAMS IN A STORAGE RING

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

Wang, G.M.; Shaftan; T.

2011-03-28

Many modern light sources are operating in top-off injection mode or are being upgraded to top-off injection mode. The storage ring always has the stored beam and injected beam for top-off injection mode. So the BPM data is the mixture of both beam positions and the injected beam position cannot be measured directly. We propose to use dedicated wide band BPM electronics in the NSLS II storage ring to retrieve the injected beam trajectory with the singular value decomposition (SVD) method. The beam position monitor (BPM) has the capability to measure bunch-by-bunch beam position. Similar electronics can be used tomore » measure the bunch-by-bunch beam current which is necessary to get the injection beam position. The measurement precision of current needs to be evaluated since button BPM sum signal has position dependence. The injected beam trajectory can be measured and monitored all the time without dumping the stored beam. We can adjust and optimize the injected beam trajectory to maximize the injection efficiency. We can also measure the storage ring acceptance by mapping the injected beam trajectory.« less

Queueing models for token and slotted ring networks. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peden, Jeffery H.

1990-01-01

Currently the end-to-end delay characteristics of very high speed local area networks are not well understood. The transmission speed of computer networks is increasing, and local area networks especially are finding increasing use in real time systems. Ring networks operation is generally well understood for both token rings and slotted rings. There is, however, a severe lack of queueing models for high layer operation. There are several factors which contribute to the processing delay of a packet, as opposed to the transmission delay, e.g., packet priority, its length, the user load, the processor load, the use of priority preemption, the use of preemption at packet reception, the number of processors, the number of protocol processing layers, the speed of each processor, and queue length limitations. Currently existing medium access queueing models are extended by adding modeling techniques which will handle exhaustive limited service both with and without priority traffic, and modeling capabilities are extended into the upper layers of the OSI model. Some of the model are parameterized solution methods, since it is shown that certain models do not exist as parameterized solutions, but rather as solution methods.

Family of the Sun-and-Stars Time-Determining Instruments (Ilseong-jeongsi-ui) Invented During the Joseon Dynasty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Yong Sam; Kim, Sang Hyuk; Mihn, Byeong-Hee

2016-09-01

We analyze the design and specifications of the Sun-and-Stars Time-Determining group of instruments (Ilseong-jeongsi-ui, 日星定時儀) made during the Joseon dynasty. According to the records of the Sejong Sillok (Veritable Records of King Sejong), Sun-and-Stars Time-Determining Instruments measure the solar time of day and the sidereal time of night through three rings and an alidade. One such instrument, the Simplified Time-Determining Instrument (So-jeongsi-ui, 小定時儀), is made without the essential component for alignment with the celestial north pole. Among this group of instruments, only two bronze Hundred-Interval-Ring Sundials (Baekgak-hwan-Ilgu, 百刻環日晷) currently exist. A comparison of the functions of these two relics with two Time-Determining Instruments suggests that the Hundred-Interval-Ring Sundial is a Simplified Sundial (So-ilyeong, 小日影), as recorded in the Sejong Sillok and the Seongjong Sillok (Veritable Records of King Seongjong). Furthermore, the Simplified Sundial is a model derived from the Simplified Time-Determining Instrument. During the King Sejong reign, the Sun-and-Stars Time-Determining Instruments were used in military camps of the kingdom’s frontiers, in royal ancestral rituals, and in royal astronomical observatories.

Multi-level multi-thermal-electron FDTD simulation of plasmonic interaction with semiconducting gain media: applications to plasmonic amplifiers and nano-lasers.

PubMed

Chen, X; Bhola, B; Huang, Y; Ho, S T

2010-08-02

Interactions between a semiconducting gain medium and confined plasmon-polaritons are studied using a multilevel multi-thermal-electron finite-difference time-domain (MLMTE-FDTD) simulator. We investigated the amplification of wave propagating in a plasmonic metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) waveguide filled with semiconductor gain medium and obtained the conditions required to achieve net optical gain. The MSM gain waveguide is used to form a plasmonic semiconductor nano-ring laser(PSNRL) with an effective mode volume of 0.0071 microm3, which is about an order of magnitude smaller than the smallest demonstrated integrated photonic crystal based laser cavities. The simulation shows a lasing threshold current density of 1kA/cm2 for a 300 nm outer diameter ring cavity with 80 nm-wide ring. This current density can be realistically achieved in typical III-V semiconductor, which shows the experimental feasibility of the proposed PSNRL structure.

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-->∞).

Modeling and Simulation of a 5.8kV SiC PiN Diode for Inductive Pulsed Plasma Thruster Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Toftul, Alexandra; Hudgins, Jerry L.; Polzin, Kurt A.; Martin, Adam K.

2014-01-01

Current ringing in an Inductive Pulsed Plasma Thruster (IPPT) can lead to reduced energy efficiency, excess heating, and wear on circuit components such as capacitors and solid state devices. Clamping off the current using a fast turn-off power diode is an effective way to reduce current ringing and increase energy efficiency. A diode with a shorter reverse recovery time will allow the least amount of current to ring back through the circuit, as well as minimize switching losses. The reverse recovery response of a new 5.8 kilovolt SiC PiN diode from Cree, Inc. in the IPPT plasma drive circuit is investigated using a physicsbased Simulink model, and compared with that of a 5SDF 02D6004 5.5 kilovolt fast-switching Si diode from ABB. Parameter extraction was carried out for each diode using both datasheet specifications and experimental waveforms, in order to most accurately adapt the model to the specific device. Further experimental data will be discussed using a flat-plate IPPT developed at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and used to verify the simulation results. A final quantitative measure of circuit efficiency will be described for both the Si and SiC diode configuration.

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

Short-Term Forecasting of Radiation Belt and Ring Current

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fok, Mei-Ching

2007-01-01

A computer program implements a mathematical model of the radiation-belt and ring-current plasmas resulting from interactions between the solar wind and the Earth s magnetic field, for the purpose of predicting fluxes of energetic electrons (10 keV to 5 MeV) and protons (10 keV to 1 MeV), which are hazardous to humans and spacecraft. Given solar-wind and interplanetary-magnetic-field data as inputs, the program solves the convection-diffusion equations of plasma distribution functions in the range of 2 to 10 Earth radii. Phenomena represented in the model include particle drifts resulting from the gradient and curvature of the magnetic field; electric fields associated with the rotation of the Earth, convection, and temporal variation of the magnetic field; and losses along particle-drift paths. The model can readily accommodate new magnetic- and electric-field submodels and new information regarding physical processes that drive the radiation-belt and ring-current plasmas. Despite the complexity of the model, the program can be run in real time on ordinary computers. At present, the program can calculate present electron and proton fluxes; after further development, it should be able to predict the fluxes 24 hours in advance

Modeling Earth's Ring Current Using The CIMI Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Craven, J. D., II; Perez, J. D.; Buzulukova, N.; Fok, M. C. H.

2015-12-01

Earth's ring current is a result of the injection of charged particles trapped in the magnetosphere from solar storms. The enhancement of the ring current particles produces magnetic depressions and disturbances to the Earth's magnetic field known as geomagnetic storms, which have been modeled using the comprehensive inner magnetosphere-ionosphere (CIMI) model. The purpose of this model is to identify and understand the physical processes that control the dynamics of the geomagnetic storms. The basic procedure was to use the CIMI model for the simulation of 15 storms since 2009. Some of the storms were run multiple times, but with varying parameters relating to the dynamics of the Earth's magnetic field, particle fluxes, and boundary conditions of the inner-magnetosphere. Results and images were placed in the TWINS online catalog page for further analysis and discussion. Particular areas of interest were extreme storm events. A majority of storms simulated had average DST values of -100 nT; these extreme storms exceeded DST values of -200 nT. The continued use of the CIMI model will increase knowledge of the interactions and processes of the inner-magnetosphere as well as lead to a better understanding of extreme solar storm events for the future advancement of space weather physics.

Peculiarity of convergence of shock wave generated by underwater electrical explosion of ring-shaped wire

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

Shafer, D.; Toker, G. R.; Gurovich, V. Tz.

2013-05-15

Nanosecond timescale underwater electrical wire explosions of ring-shaped Cu wires were investigated using a pulsed generator with a current amplitude up to 50 kA. It was shown that this type of wire explosion results in the generation of a toroidal shock wave (SW). Time- and space-resolved optical diagnostics were used to determine azimuthal uniformity of the shock wave front and its velocity. It was found that the shock wave preserves its circular front shape in the range of radii 50μm

Chromatic induction in space and time.

PubMed

Coia, Andrew J; Shevell, Steven K

2018-04-01

The color appearance of a light depends on variation in the complete visual field over both space and time. In the spatial domain, a chromatic stimulus within a patterned chromatic surround can appear a different hue than the same stimulus within a uniform surround. In the temporal domain, a stimulus presented as an element of a continuously changing chromaticity can appear a different color compared to the identical stimulus, presented simultaneously but viewed alone. This is the flash-lag effect for color, which has an analog in the domain of motion: a pulsed object seen alone can appear to lag behind an identical pulsed object that is an element of a motion sequence. Studies of the flash-lag effect for motion have considered whether it is mediated by a neural representation for the moving physical stimulus or, alternatively, for the perceived motion. The current study addresses this question for the flash-lag effect for color by testing whether the color flash lag depends on a representation of only the changing chromatic stimulus or, alternatively, its color percept, which can be altered by chromatic induction. baseline measurements for spatial chromatic induction determined the chromaticity of a flashed ring within a uniform surround that matched a flashed ring within a patterned surround. Baseline measurements for the color flash-lag effect determined the chromaticity of a pulsed ring presented alone (within a uniform surround) that matched a pulsed ring presented in a sequence of changing chromaticity over time (also within a uniform surround). Finally, the main experiments combined chromatic induction from a patterned surround and the flash-lag effect, in three conditions: (1) both the changing and pulsed rings were within a patterned chromatic surround; (2) the changing ring was within a patterned surround and the pulsed ring within a uniform surround; and (3) the changing ring was within a uniform surround and the pulsed ring within a patterned surround. the flash-lag measurements for a changing chromaticity were affected by perceptual changes induced by the surrounding chromatic pattern. Thus, the color shifts induced by a chromatic surround are incorporated in the neural representation mediating the flash-lag effect for color.

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.

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.

Accelerated path-integral simulations using ring-polymer interpolation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buxton, Samuel J.; Habershon, Scott

2017-12-01

Imaginary-time path-integral (PI) molecular simulations can be used to calculate exact quantum statistical mechanical properties for complex systems containing many interacting atoms and molecules. The limiting computational factor in a PI simulation is typically the evaluation of the potential energy surface (PES) and forces at each ring-polymer "bead"; for an n-bead ring-polymer, a PI simulation is typically n times greater than the corresponding classical simulation. To address the increased computational effort of PI simulations, several approaches have been developed recently, most notably based on the idea of ring-polymer contraction which exploits either the separation of the PES into short-range and long-range contributions or the availability of a computationally inexpensive PES which can be incorporated to effectively smooth the ring-polymer PES; neither approach is satisfactory in applications to systems modeled by PESs given by on-the-fly ab initio calculations. In this article, we describe a new method, ring-polymer interpolation (RPI), which can be used to accelerate PI simulations without any prior assumptions about the PES. In simulations of liquid water modeled by an empirical PES (or force field) under ambient conditions, where quantum effects are known to play a subtle role in influencing experimental observables such as radial distribution functions, we find that RPI can accurately reproduce the results of fully-converged PI simulations, albeit with far fewer PES evaluations. This approach therefore opens the possibility of large-scale PI simulations using ab initio PESs evaluated on-the-fly without the drawbacks of current methods.

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 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.

Cell Phone Ring Suppression and HUD Caller ID: Effectiveness in Reducing Momentary Driver Distraction under Varying Workload Levels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nowakowski, C.; Friedman, D.; Green, P.

2001-10-01

The purpose of the current experiment is to provide a preliminary driving simulator assessment of several hands-free design solutions with regard to the task of answering the phone while driving. Specifically, the following questions were examined: (1) Does the location of a caller ID display and the phone buttons (two HUD (Head Up Display) locations vs. phone cradle) affect either the time to answer the phone or driving performance; (2) Does the presence or absence of a ring affect either the time to answer the phone or driving performance; (3) Does increased driving workload (visual demand) affect either the time to answer the phone or driving performance; (4) What were the initial driver reactions to a HUD-based call timer.

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.

Field and plasma periodicities in Saturn's equatorial middle magnetosphere: Links between the asymmetric ring current and plasma circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kivelson, Margaret; Southwood, David

Superimposed on the predominantly dipolar field of Saturn's middle magnetosphere (here taken as between 5 and 10 RS) are perturbations of a few nT amplitude that vary with the SKR periodicity. Andrews and coworkers (2008) have determined that averages of the perturbations of the radial and azimuthal field components vary roughly sinusoidally and in quadrature, with the radial component leading. Thus these two components of the magnetic perturbations can be represented as an approximately uniform field rotating in the sense of Saturn's rotation (Espinosa et al., 2003). This perturbation field is referred to by Southwood and Kivelson (2007) as the cam field. Andrews et al. (2008) show that perturbation of the theta component, (theta is colatitude) is also nearly sinusoidal and in-phase with the radial perturbations. It follows that near the equator variations of the field magnitude are also in phase with the radial perturbations. Provan et al. (2009) and Khurana et al. (2009) have attributed the periodicity of the field magnitude to an asymmetric ring current. Saturn's asymmetric ring current is not fixed in local time,as it is at Earth, but rotates quasi-rigidly at the SKR period. A distributed, rotating field-aligned current (FAC) system must develop between regions with an excess of or a dearth of azimuthal current but, because those FACs spread over a large spatial region, the associated current density will be smaller than the current density of the more localized cam current system. Thus, it is the electrons associated with the latter currents that are likely to drive the periodically modulated SKR signals. The ring current of the middle magnetosphere is dominated by inertial currents carried by the thermal plasma (Sergis et al., 2010), but the variation of azimuthal current may arise either from density variations or variations of plasma beta. In either case, the current pattern must drive a circulation of the plasma in the middle magnetosphere. [A circulating plasma pattern in the inner magnetosphere at distances less than 5 RS has been described by Gurnett et al. (2007) but has not yet been related to the analysis of this talk.] Because of the local time asymmetry of the magnetosphere, the flows and some of the magnetic perturbations are expected to increase in magnitude when the outward flow sector rotates into the post dusk magnetosphere, a phenomenon possibly related to the recurrent energization of plasma in the midnight-to-dawn quadrant of Saturn's magnetosphere described by Mitchell et al (2009). In this talk we expand on the description of this abstract and analyze the consequences for plasma circulation of the rotating asymmetry in field and particles in Saturn's middle magnetosphere.

IMAGE Observations of Plasmasphere/Ring Current Interactions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gallagher, D. L.; Adrian, M. L.; Perez, J.; Sandel, B. R.

2003-01-01

Evidence has been found in IMAGE observations that overlap of the plasmasphere and the ring current may lead to enhanced loss of plasma into the ionosphere. It has long been anticipated that this mixing of plasma leads to coupling and resulting consequences on both populations. Wave generation, pitch angle scattering, and heating are some of the consequences that are anticipated. IMAGE plasmasphere ring current, and auroral observations will be presented and used to explore these interactions and their effects.

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.

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.

Baroclinic flows, transports, and kinematic properties in a cyclonic-anticyclonic-cyclonic ring triad in the Gulf of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vidal, VíCtor M. V.; Vidal, Francisco V.; HernáNdez, Abel F.; Meza, Eustorgio; PéRez-Molero, José M.

1994-04-01

During October-November 1986 the baroclinic circulation of the central and western Gulf of Mexico was dominated by an anticyclonic ring that was being bisected by two north and south flanking cyclonic rings. The baroclinic circulation revealed a well-defined cyclonic-anticyclonic-cyclonic triad system. The anticyclone's collision against the western gulf continental slope at 22.5°N, 97°W originated the north and south flanking cyclonic rings. The weakening of the anticyclone's relative vorticity, during the collision, was compensated by along-shelf north (26 cm s-1) and south (58 cm s-1) jet currents and by the anticyclone's flanking water mass's gain of cyclonic vorticity from lateral shear contributed by east (56 cm s-1) and west (42 cm s-1) current jets with individual mass transports of ˜18 Sv. Within the 0-1000 and 0-500 dbar layers and across 96°W the magnitudes of the colliding westward transports were 17.80 and 8.59 Sv, respectively. These corresponding transports were 85 and 94% balanced by along-shelf jet currents north and south of the anticyclone's collision zone. This indicates that only minor amounts (<15%) of the anticyclone's colliding westward transports might have flowed into the western gulf's continental shelf water mass or else they sank into deeper water along the continental slope during the anticyclone's collision event. The resultant effect of the coupled interaction between the anticyclone and the cyclonic pair was the surging of the water mass in the cyclones and its sinking in the anticyclone. This mechanism controlled the magnitude, direction, location of vertical advection, and transfer of kinetic energy from the upper to the deeper water layers. Our vertical transport estimates through the 1000-m-depth surface revealed a net vertical descending transport of 0.4 Sv for the ring triad system. This mass flux occurred primordially within the south central gulf region and most likely constituted a principal mechanism that propelled the gulf's deep horizontal circulation. The volume renewal time is ˜5 years for the ring triad system within 0-1000 dbar. The volume renewal time for the gulf's deep water layer (2000-3000 dbar), estimated as a function of its horizontal outflowing mass flux (1.96 Sv), is of the same order of magnitude and reveals that the deeper layer of the Gulf of Mexico is as well ventilated as its upper layer (0-1000 dbar). The ring triad's surface kinematic properties were derived from the sea surface baroclinic circulation field referenced to 500 dbar. Within this layer, individual ring geometries were conserved. Maximum tangential ring velocities were 60 and 58 cm s-1, for the north and south cyclones respectively, and 30 cm s-1 for the anticyclone. The corresponding periods of revolution were 16, 19, and 26 days, and vertical velocities calculated at the rings' peripheries, where maximum horizontal divergence was encountered, were 1.5, 1.0, and -1.0 m d-1.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Study of the storm time fluxes of heavy ions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

The characteristics of the storm time ring current ions in the energy range of 0.5 to 16 keV were investigated. Data were processed and analyzed from the energetic ion mass spectrometer aboard the S3-3 satellite. Results are used for planning and operating the ion mass spectrometer experiment on the ISEE spacecraft, for selecting and processing the ISEE ion data, and for planning and conducting coordinated satellite experiments in support of the International Magnetospheric Study (IMS). It is established from the S3-3 ion data that relatively large fluxes of energetic (keV) 0(+) and H(+) ions are frequently flowing upward from the ionosphere along magnetic field lines in the polar auroral regions. Also, from investigations with the same instrument during the main phase of three moderate (D sub ST approximately 100) magnetic storms, it is found that the number density of 0(+) ions in the ring current was comparable to H(+) ion density the range 0.5 to 15 keV.

Identification of the different magnetic field contributions during a geomagnetic storm in magnetosphere and at ground.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piersanti, M.; Alberti, T.; Vecchio, A.; Lepreti, F.; Villante, U.; Carbone, V.; De Michelis, P.

2015-12-01

Geomagnetic storms (GS) are global geomagnetic disturbances that result from the interaction between magnetized plasma that propagates from the Sun and plasma and magnetic fields in the near-Earth space plasma environment. The Dst (Disturbance Storm Time) global Ring Current index is still taken to be the definitive representation for geomagnetic storm and is used widely by researcher. Recent in situ measurements by satellites passing through the ring-current region (i.e. Van Allen probes) and computations with magnetospheric field models showed that there are many other field contributions on the geomagnetic storming time variations at middle and low latitudes. Appling the Empirical Mode Decomposition [Huang et al., 1998] to magnetospheric and ground observations, we detect the different magnetic field contributions during a GS and introduce the concepts of modulated baseline and fluctuations of the geomagnetic field. This allows to define local geomagnetic indices that can be used in discriminating the ionospheric from magnetospheric origin contribution.

Electrodes for high-definition transcutaneous DC stimulation for applications in drug delivery and electrotherapy, including tDCS.

PubMed

Minhas, Preet; Bansal, Varun; Patel, Jinal; Ho, Johnson S; Diaz, Julian; Datta, Abhishek; Bikson, Marom

2010-07-15

Transcutaneous electrical stimulation is applied in a range of biomedical applications including transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). tDCS is a non-invasive procedure where a weak direct current (<2 mA) is applied across the scalp to modulate brain function. High-definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) is a technique used to increase the spatial focality of tDCS by passing current across the scalp using <12 mm diameter electrodes. The purpose of this study was to design and optimize "high-definition" electrode-gel parameters for electrode durability, skin safety and subjective pain. Anode and cathode electrode potential, temperature, pH and subjective sensation over time were assessed during application of 2 mA direct current, for up to 22 min on agar gel or subject forearms. A selection of five types of solid-conductors (Ag pellet, Ag/AgCl pellet, rubber pellet, Ag/AgCl ring and Ag/AgCl disc) and seven conductive gels (Signa, Spectra, Tensive, Redux, BioGel, Lectron and CCNY-4) were investigated. The Ag/AgCl ring in combination with CCNY-4 gel resulted in the most favorable outcomes. Under anode stimulations, electrode potential and temperature rises were generally observed in all electrode-gel combinations except for Ag/AgCl ring and disc electrodes. pH remained constant for all solid-conductors except for both Ag and rubber pellet electrodes with Signa and CCNY-4 gels. Sensation ratings were independent of stimulation polarity. Ag/AgCl ring electrodes were found to be the most comfortable followed by Ag, rubber and Ag/AgCl pellet electrodes across all gels. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrodes for high-definition transcutaneous DC stimulation for applications in drug-delivery and electrotherapy, including tDCS

PubMed Central

Minhas, Preet; Bansal, Varun; Patel, Jinal; Ho, Johnson S.; Diaz, Julian; Datta, Abhishek; Bikson, Marom

2010-01-01

Transcutaneous electrical stimulation is applied in a range of biomedical applications including Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS). tDCS is a non-invasive procedure where a weak direct current (<2 mA) is applied across the scalp to modulate brain function. High-Definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) is a technique used to increase the spatial focality of tDCS by passing current across the scalp using <12 mm diameter electrodes. The purpose of this study was to design and optimize “high-definition” electrode-gel parameters for electrode durability, skin safety, and subjective pain. Anode and cathode electrode potential, temperature, pH, and subjective sensation over time were assessed during application of 2 mA direct current, for up to 22 minutes on agar gel or subject forearms. A selection of 5 types of solid-conductors (Ag pellet, Ag/AgCl pellet, Rubber pellet, Ag/AgCl ring, and Ag/AgCl disc) and 7 conductive gels (Signa, Spectra, Tensive, Redux, BioGel, Lectron, and CCNY-4) were investigated. The Ag/AgCl ring in combination with CCNY-4 gel resulted in the most favorable outcomes. Under anode stimulations, electrode potential and temperature rises were generally observed in all electrode-gel combinations except for Ag/AgCl ring and disc electrodes. pH remained constant for all solid-conductors except for both Ag and Rubber pellet electrodes with Signa and CCNY-4 gels. Sensation ratings were independent of stimulation polarity. Ag/AgCl ring electrodes were found to be the most comfortable followed by Ag, Rubber, and Ag/AgCl pellet electrodes across all gels. PMID:20488204

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.

New methods to quantify the cracking performance of cementitious systems made with internal curing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlitter, John L.

The use of high performance concretes that utilize low water-cement ratios have been promoted for use in infrastructure based on their potential to increase durability and service life because they are stronger and less porous. Unfortunately, these benefits are not always realized due to the susceptibility of high performance concrete to undergo early age cracking caused by shrinkage. This problem is widespread and effects federal, state, and local budgets that must maintain or replace deterioration caused by cracking. As a result, methods to reduce or eliminate early age shrinkage cracking have been investigated. Internal curing is one such method in which a prewetted lightweight sand is incorporated into the concrete mixture to provide internal water as the concrete cures. This action can significantly reduce or eliminate shrinkage and in some cases causes a beneficial early age expansion. Standard laboratory tests have been developed to quantify the shrinkage cracking potential of concrete. Unfortunately, many of these tests may not be appropriate for use with internally cured mixtures and only provide limited amounts of information. Most standard tests are not designed to capture the expansive behavior of internally cured mixtures. This thesis describes the design and implementation of two new testing devices that overcome the limitations of current standards. The first device discussed in this thesis is called the dual ring. The dual ring is a testing device that quantifies the early age restrained shrinkage performance of cementitious mixtures. The design of the dual ring is based on the current ASTM C 1581-04 standard test which utilizes one steel ring to restrain a cementitious specimen. The dual ring overcomes two important limitations of the standard test. First, the standard single ring test cannot restrain the expansion that takes place at early ages which is not representative of field conditions. The dual ring incorporates a second restraining ring which is located outside of the sample to provide restraint against expansion. Second, the standard ring test is a passive test that only relies on the autogenous and drying shrinkage of the mixture to induce cracking. The dual ring test can be an active test because it has the ability to vary the temperature of the specimen in order to induce thermal stress and produce cracking. This ability enables the study of the restrained cracking capacity as the mixture ages in order to quantify crack sensitive periods of time. Measurements made with the dual ring quantify the benefits from using larger amounts of internal curing. Mixtures that resupplied internal curing water to match that of chemical shrinkage could sustain three times the magnitude of thermal change before cracking. The second device discussed in this thesis is a large scale slab testing device. This device tests the cracking potential of 15' long by 4" thick by 24" wide slab specimens in an environmentally controlled chamber. The current standard testing devices can be considered small scale and encounter problems when linking their results to the field due to size effects. Therefore, the large scale slab testing device was developed in order to calibrate the results of smaller scale tests to real world field conditions such as a pavement or bridge deck. Measurements made with the large scale testing device showed that the cracking propensity of the internally cured mixtures was reduced and that a significant benefit could be realized.

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.

Wide-range and fast thermally-tunable silicon photonic microring resonators using the junction field effect.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaoxi; Lentine, Anthony; DeRose, Christopher; Starbuck, Andrew L; Trotter, Douglas; Pomerene, Andrew; Mookherjea, Shayan

2016-10-03

Tunable silicon microring resonators with small, integrated micro-heaters which exhibit a junction field effect were made using a conventional silicon-on-insulator (SOI) photonic foundry fabrication process. The design of the resistive tuning section in the microrings included a "pinched" p-n junction, which limited the current at higher voltages and inhibited damage even when driven by a pre-emphasized voltage waveform. Dual-ring filters were studied for both large (>4.9 THz) and small (850 GHz) free-spectral ranges. Thermal red-shifting was demonstrated with microsecond-scale time constants, e.g., a dual-ring filter was tuned over 25 nm in 0.6 μs 10%-90% transition time, and with efficiency of 3.2 μW/GHz.

Possibility designing half-wave and full-wave molecular rectifiers by using single benzene molecule

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbas, Mohammed A.; Hanoon, Falah H.; Al-Badry, Lafy F.

2018-02-01

This work focused on possibility designing half-wave and full-wave molecular rectifiers by using single and two benzene rings, respectively. The benzene rings were threaded by a magnetic flux that changes over time. The quantum interference effect was considered as the basic idea in the rectification action, the para and meta configurations were investigated. All the calculations are performed by using steady-state theoretical model, which is based on the time-dependent Hamiltonian model. The electrical conductance and the electric current are considered as DC output signals of half-wave and full-wave molecular rectifiers. The finding in this work opens up the exciting potential to use these molecular rectifiers in molecular electronics.

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

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.

Effective count rates for PET scanners with reduced and extended axial field of view

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacDonald, L. R.; Harrison, R. L.; Alessio, A. M.; Hunter, W. C. J.; Lewellen, T. K.; Kinahan, P. E.

2011-06-01

We investigated the relationship between noise equivalent count (NEC) and axial field of view (AFOV) for PET scanners with AFOVs ranging from one-half to twice those of current clinical scanners. PET scanners with longer or shorter AFOVs could fulfill different clinical needs depending on exam volumes and site economics. Using previously validated Monte Carlo simulations, we modeled true, scattered and random coincidence counting rates for a PET ring diameter of 88 cm with 2, 4, 6, and 8 rings of detector blocks (AFOV 7.8, 15.5, 23.3, and 31.0 cm). Fully 3D acquisition mode was compared to full collimation (2D) and partial collimation (2.5D) modes. Counting rates were estimated for a 200 cm long version of the 20 cm diameter NEMA count-rate phantom and for an anthropomorphic object based on a patient scan. We estimated the live-time characteristics of the scanner from measured count-rate data and applied that estimate to the simulated results to obtain NEC as a function of object activity. We found NEC increased as a quadratic function of AFOV for 3D mode, and linearly in 2D mode. Partial collimation provided the highest overall NEC on the 2-block system and fully 3D mode provided the highest NEC on the 8-block system for clinically relevant activities. On the 4-, and 6-block systems 3D mode NEC was highest up to ~300 MBq in the anthropomorphic phantom, above which 3D NEC dropped rapidly, and 2.5D NEC was highest. Projected total scan time to achieve NEC-density that matches current clinical practice in a typical oncology exam averaged 9, 15, 24, and 61 min for the 8-, 6-, 4-, and 2-block ring systems, when using optimal collimation. Increasing the AFOV should provide a greater than proportional increase in NEC, potentially benefiting patient throughput-to-cost ratio. Conversely, by using appropriate collimation, a two-ring (7.8 cm AFOV) system could acquire whole-body scans achieving NEC-density levels comparable to current standards within long, but feasible, scan times.

Development of Thermal Barriers for Solid Rocket Motor Nozzle Joints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinetz, Bruce M.; Dunlap, Patrick H., Jr.

1999-01-01

The Space Shuttle solid rocket motor case assembly joints are sealed using conventional 0-ring seals. The 5500+F combustion gases are kept a safe distance away from the seals by thick layers of insulation. Special joint-fill compounds are used to fill the joints in the insulation to prevent a direct flowpath to the seals. On a number of occasions. NASA has observed in several of the rocket nozzle assembly joints hot gas penetration through defects in the joint- fill compound. The current nozzle-to-case joint design incorporates primary, secondary and wiper (inner-most) 0-rings and polysulfide joint-fill compound. In the current design, 1 out of 7 motors experience hot gas to the wiper 0-ring. Though the condition does not threaten motor safety, evidence of hot gas to the wiper 0-ring results in extensive reviews before resuming flight. NASA and solid rocket motor manufacturer Thiokol are working to improve the nozzle-to-case joint design by implementing a more reliable J-leg design and a thermal barrier, This paper presents burn-resistance, temperature drop, flow and resiliency test results for several types of NASA braided carbon-fiber thermal barriers. Burn tests were performed to determine the time to burn through each of the thermal barriers when exposed to the flame of an oxy-acetylene torch (5500 F), representative of the 5500 F solid rocket motor combustion temperatures. Thermal barriers braided out of carbon fibers endured the flame for over 6 minutes, three times longer than solid rocket motor burn time. Tests were performed on two thermal barrier braid architectures, denoted Carbon-3 and Carbon-6, to measure the temperature drop across and along the barrier in a compressed state when subjected to the flame of an oxyacetylene torch. Carbon-3 and Carbon-6 thermal barriers were excellent insulators causing temperature drops through their diameter of up to a 2800 and 2560 F. respectively. Gas temperature 1/4" downstream of the thermal barrier were within the downstream Viton 0-ring temperature limit of 600 F. Carbon-6 performed extremely well in subscale rocket "char" motor tests when subjected to hot gas at 3200 F for an 11 second rocket firing, simulating the maximum downstream joint cavity fill time. The thermal barrier reduced the incoming hot gas temperature by 2200 F in an intentionally oversized gap defect, spread the incoming jet flow, and blocked hot slag, thereby offering protection to the downstream 0-rings.

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.

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.

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.

Saturn Ring-Plane Crossing, may 1995

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bosh, Amanda

1995-07-01

In 1995-1996, the Earth and the Sun will pass through Saturn's ring plane. The Earth will pass through 3 times (22 May 1995, 10 August 1995, 11 Feb 1996), and the Sun will pass through once (19 November 1995). All but the 11 Feb 1996 event will be visible from HST. During the crossings of the Earth through Saturn's ring plane, the rings will become very thin and dark. By monitoring the brightness of the rings as they become very thin, we will be able to determine the time of ring-plane crossing and the residual brightness of the rings at this time. The time of the ring- plane crossing will place additional constraints on the precession rate of Saturn's pole. The recent occultations by Saturn's rings have produced a measurement of this value, but it is not known very well (French et al., 1993; Bosh, 1994; Elliot et al., 1993). A measure of the brightness of the rings in their edge-on configuration, combined with photometric properties of the rings derived from early calibration observations will allow us to determine the thickness of the rings.

Foucault pendulum with eddy-current damping of the elliptical motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mastner, G.; Vokurka, V.; Maschek, M.; Vogt, E.; Kaufmann, H. P.

1984-10-01

A newly designed Foucault pendulum is described in which the mechanical Charron ring, used throughout in previous designs for damping of the elliptical motion of the pendulum, is replaced by an electromagnetic eddy-current brake, consisting of a permanent magnet attached to the bottom of the bob and a metallic ring. This damping device is very efficient, as it is self-aligning, symmetrical in the damping effect, and never wears out. The permanent magnet is also used, together with a coil assembly and an electronic circuitry, for the dipole-torque drive of the pendulum as well as for accurate stabilization of the amplitude of the swing. A latched time display, controlled by Hall probes activated by the magnet, is used to visualize the Foucault rotation. The pendulum system and its associated electronic circuitry are described in detail. The optimizing of the drive mode is discussed. Measurements of deviations from theoretical value of the Foucault rotation velocity made automatically in a continuous run show a reproducible accuracy of ±1% or better in individual 360° rotations during the summer months. The quality factor of the pendulum as mechanical resonator was measured as a function of the amplitude in the presence of the eddy-current damping ring.

A double-cusp type electrostatic analyzer for high-cadence ring current ion measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogasawara, K.; Allegrini, F.; Burch, J. L.; Desai, M. I.; Ebert, R. W.; Goldstein, J.; John, J. M.; Livi, S. A.; McComas, D. J.

2015-12-01

Detailed observations of a variety of ion species at a sufficiently high temporal resolution are essential to understanding the loss and acceleration processes of ring current ions. For example, CRESS/MICS observations indicated that the energy density of suprathermal O+ exceeds that of H+ in large magnetic storms (Daglis et al., 1997), while the H+ energy density dominates under quiet conditions. However, the primary ion loss processes during the storm recovery phase are still incompletely understood. The mechanisms to accelerate upflowing ions, regularly observed with energies of a few keV at ~1000 km altitude, up to the 100s-keV range in the geospace are also not fully understood. Our novel electrostatic analyzer (ESA) employs a toroidal double-shell structure to cover the entire ring current ion range of ~3-250 keV/Q with high temporal resolution (<1 minute with a necessary counting statistics for the quiet time), while saving significant resources in mass and size. In this presentation, we discuss the operation principle and the proof of concept study of the ESA in terms of numerical calculations and ion beam calibration activities. This presentation comprehensively covers the expected sensor performance important for the in-flight capabilities, such as sensor parameters (G-factor, K-factor, and energy resolution), cross-shell contaminations, and UV background counts.

Does switching contraceptive from oral to a patch or vaginal ring change the likelihood of timely prescription refill?

PubMed

Law, Amy; Lee, Yi-Chien; Gorritz, Magdaliz; Plouffe, Leo

2014-08-01

This study evaluated contraceptive refill patterns of women insured commercially in the US who switched from oral contraceptives (OCs) to the patch or vaginal ring and assessed if switching contraceptive methods changes refill patterns. Women aged 15-44 with ≥2 patch or ring prescriptions and ≥2 OC prescriptions before the first patch/ring prescription were identified from the MarketScan® Commercial database (1/1/2002-6/30/2011). Refill patterns 1-year pre- and postindex date (first patch/ring prescription) were evaluated, and women were categorized as timely or delayed refillers on OCs and patch/ring. Regression modeling was used to investigate the association between refill patterns and contraceptive methods and switching effects on refill patterns. Of 17,814 women identified, 7901 switched to the patch, and 9913 switched to the ring. Among timely OC refillers, the percentage of timely refills decreased (patch: 95.6% to 79.4%, p<.001; ring: 96.5% to 74.3%, p<.001). However, among delayed OC refillers, the percentage of timely refills improved (patch: 47.9% to 72.2%, p<.001; ring: 50.4% to 64.0%, p<.001) during patch/ring use. Nonetheless, compared to timely OC refillers, women who were delayed OC refillers had 1.68-fold [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.52-1.84, p<.001] and 1.85-fold greater odds (CI: 1.69-2.02, p<.001) of being a delayed refiller while on the patch and ring, respectively. Switching to the patch or ring may improve refill behavior for women who have problems refilling OCs timely; however, the magnitude of the improvement may fail to improve ultimate contraceptive efficacy by simply switching to the patch or ring. The impact on timely refills of switching from OCs to either the patch or ring is complex and varies depending on the pattern of timely refills on OCs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Time-Variable Phenomena in the Jovian System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Belton, Michael J. S. (Editor); West, Robert A. (Editor); Rahe, Jurgen (Editor); Pereyda, Margarita

1989-01-01

The current state of knowledge of dynamic processes in the Jovian system is assessed and summaries are provided of both theoretical and observational foundations upon which future research might be based. There are three sections: satellite phenomena and rings; magnetospheric phenomena, Io's torus, and aurorae; and atmospheric phenomena. Each chapter discusses time dependent theoretical framework for understanding and interpreting what is observed; others describe the evidence and nature of observed changes or their absence. A few chapters provide historical perspective and attempt to present a comprehensive synthesis of the current state of knowledge.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Compositional Evolution of Saturn's Rings Due to Meteoroid Bombardment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cuzzi, J.; Estrada, P.; Young, Richard E. (Technical Monitor)

1997-01-01

In this paper we address the question of compositional evolution in planetary ring systems subsequent to meteoroid bombardment. The huge surface area to mass ratio of planetary rings ensures that this is an important process, even with current uncertainties on the meteoroid flux. We develop a new model which includes both direct deposition of extrinsic meteoritic "pollutants", and ballistic transport of the increasingly polluted ring material as impact ejecta. Our study includes detailed radiative transfer modeling of ring particle spectral reflectivities based on refractive indices of realistic constituents. Voyager data have shown that the lower optical depth regions in Saturn's rings (the C ring and Cassini Division) have darker and less red particles than the optically thicken A and B rings. These coupled structural-compositional groupings have never been explained; we present and explore the hypothesis that global scale color and compositional differences in the main rings of Saturn arise naturally from extrinsic meteoroid bombardment of a ring system which was initially composed primarily, but not entirely, of water ice. We find that the regional color and albedo differences can be understood if all ring material was initially identical (primarily water ice, based on other data, but colored by tiny amounts of intrinsic reddish, plausibly organic, absorber) and then evolved entirely by addition and mixing of extrinsic, nearly neutrally colored. plausibly carbonaceous material. We further demonstrate that the detailed radial profile of color across the abrupt B ring - C ring boundary can.constrain key unknown parameters in the model. Using new alternates of parameter values, we estimate the duration of the exposure to extrinsic meteoroid flux of this part of the rings, at least, to be on the order of 10(exp 8) years. This conclusion is easily extended by inference to the Cassini Division and its surroundings as well. This geologically young "age" is compatible with timescales estimated elsewhere based on the evolution of ring structure due to ballistic transport, and also with other "short timescales" estimated on the grounds of gravitational torques. However, uncertainty in the flux of interplanetary debris and in the ejects yield may preclude ruling out a ring age as old as the solar system at this time.

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.

Platelets to rings: Influence of sodium dodecyl sulfate on Zn-Al layered double hydroxide morphology

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

Yilmaz, Ceren; Unal, Ugur; Koc University, Chemistry Department, Rumelifeneri yolu, Sariyer 34450, Istanbul

2012-03-15

In the current study, influence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) on the crystallization of Zn-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) was investigated. Depending on the SDS concentration coral-like and for the first time ring-like morphologies were obtained in a urea-hydrolysis method. It was revealed that the surfactant level in the starting solution plays an important role in the morphology. Concentration of surfactant equal to or above the anion exchange capacity of the LDH is influential in creating different morphologies. Another important parameter was the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the surfactant. Surfactant concentrations well above CMC value resulted in ring-like structures.more » The crystallization mechanism was discussed. - Graphical abstract: Dependence of ZnAl LDH Morphology on SDS concentration. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer In-situ intercalation of SDS in ZnAl LDH was achieved via urea hydrolysis method. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Morphology of ZnAl LDH intercalated with SDS depended on the SDS concentration. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ring like morphology for SDS intercalated ZnAl LDH was obtained for the first time. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Growth mechanism was discussed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Template assisted growth of ZnAl LDH was proposed.« less

Nine Hundred Years of Weekly Streamflows: Stochastic Downscaling of Ensemble Tree-Ring Reconstructions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sauchyn, David; Ilich, Nesa

2017-11-01

We combined the methods and advantages of stochastic hydrology and paleohydrology to estimate 900 years of weekly flows for the North and South Saskatchewan Rivers at Edmonton and Medicine Hat, Alberta, respectively. Regression models of water-year streamflow were constructed using historical naturalized flow data and a pool of 196 tree-ring (earlywood, latewood, and annual) ring-width chronologies from 76 sites. The tree-ring models accounted for up to 80% of the interannual variability in historical naturalized flows. We developed a new algorithm for generating stochastic time series of weekly flows constrained by the statistical properties of both the historical record and proxy streamflow data, and by the necessary condition that weekly flows correlate between the end of a year and the start of the next. A second innovation, enabled by the density of our tree-ring network, is to derive the paleohydrology from an ensemble of 100 statistically significant reconstructions at each gauge. Using paleoclimatic data to generate long series of weekly flow estimates augments the short historical record with an expanded range of hydrologic variability, including sequences of wet and dry years of greater length and severity. This unique hydrometric time series will enable evaluation of the reliability of current water supply and management systems given the range of hydroclimatic variability and extremes contained in the stochastic paleohydrology. It also could inform evaluation of the uncertainty in climate model projections, given that internal hydroclimatic variability is the dominant source of uncertainty.

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…

The Formation of Lunar Impact Basins: Observational Constraints from LRO Datasets and Comparisons with Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, D. M. H.; Head, J. W., III

2016-12-01

Impact basins provide windows into the subsurface and through time on a planetary body. However, meaningful geologic interpretations rely on a detailed understanding of their formation and the origin of basin materials. Data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) have been critical to advancing our understanding of the formation of impact basins. We present a number of recent observations, including measurements of basin morphometry, mineralogy, and gravity anomalies, which provide a framework for constraining current formation models. Image data from the LRO Wide Angle Camera (WAC) and altimetry data from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) were used to refine the recognition of both fresh and degraded impact basins, including their ring structures. Analyses of gravity anomalies from the GRAIL mission show that mantle uplifts confined within the inner basin rings are characteristics that basins acquire from the onset. We used LOLA data to also make new measurements of basin morphometry. Small basins possessing two concentric rings ("peak-ring basins") have unique topographic signatures, consisting of inner depressions bounded by a peak ring and a higher annulus that grades to steeper wall material. LRO Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) images and Diviner rock abundance maps were used to identify boulder-rich outcrops in basin rings, which focused mineralogical analyses using Moon Mineralogy Mapper hyperspectral data. Crystalline plagioclase and candidate shock plagioclase outcrops were found to be abundant within basins of all sizes. These observations combined with crater scaling laws and lunar crustal thickness constrain the depth of origin of basin peak rings to be near the maximum depth of excavation. Comparisons between iSALE numerical models and observations show important consistencies and inconsistencies that can help to refine current models. In particular, improvements in the match between observed and modeled morphometry of craters transitional between complex craters with central peaks and peak-ring basins are needed. Models of the predicted gravity signature for a range of basin sizes could also benefit from additional comparisons with those observed. This work also provides a framework for understanding the degraded impact-basin record on Earth, including the Chicxulub basin.

Design, fabrication, and measurement of two silicon-based ultraviolet and blue-extended photodiodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Changping; Wang, Han; Jiang, Zhenyu; Jin, Xiangliang; Luo, Jun

2014-12-01

Two silicon-based ultraviolet (UV) and blue-extended photodiodes are presented, which were fabricated for light detection in the ultraviolet/blue spectral range. Stripe-shaped and octagon-ring-shaped structures were designed to verify parameters of the UV-responsivity, UV-selectivity, breakdown voltage, and response time. The ultra-shallow lateral pn junction had been successfully realized in a standard 0.5-μm complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process to enlarge the pn junction area, enhance the absorption of UV light, and improve the responsivity and quantum efficiency. The test results illustrated that the stripe-shaped structure has the lower breakdown voltage, higher UV-responsicity, and higher UV-selectivity. But the octagon-ring-shaped structure has the lower dark current. The response time of both structures was almost the same.

Energy correlations of photon pairs generated by a silicon microring resonator probed by Stimulated Four Wave Mixing.

PubMed

Grassani, Davide; Simbula, Angelica; Pirotta, Stefano; Galli, Matteo; Menotti, Matteo; Harris, Nicholas C; Baehr-Jones, Tom; Hochberg, Michael; Galland, Christophe; Liscidini, Marco; Bajoni, Daniele

2016-04-01

Compact silicon integrated devices, such as micro-ring resonators, have recently been demonstrated as efficient sources of quantum correlated photon pairs. The mass production of integrated devices demands the implementation of fast and reliable techniques to monitor the device performances. In the case of time-energy correlations, this is particularly challenging, as it requires high spectral resolution that is not currently achievable in coincidence measurements. Here we reconstruct the joint spectral density of photons pairs generated by spontaneous four-wave mixing in a silicon ring resonator by studying the corresponding stimulated process, namely stimulated four wave mixing. We show that this approach, featuring high spectral resolution and short measurement times, allows one to discriminate between nearly-uncorrelated and highly-correlated photon pairs.

Simulating Sources of Superstorm Plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fok, Mei-Ching

2008-01-01

We evaluated the contributions to magnetospheric pressure (ring current) of the solar wind, polar wind, auroral wind, and plasmaspheric wind, with the surprising result that the main phase pressure is dominated by plasmaspheric protons. We used global simulation fields from the LFM single fluid ideal MHD model. We embedded the Comprehensive Ring Current Model within it, driven by the LFM transpolar potential, and supplied with plasmas at its boundary including solar wind protons, polar wind protons, auroral wind O+, and plasmaspheric protons. We included auroral outflows and acceleration driven by the LFM ionospheric boundary condition, including parallel ion acceleration driven by upward currents. Our plasmasphere model runs within the CRCM and is driven by it. Ionospheric sources were treated using our Global Ion Kinetics code based on full equations of motion. This treatment neglects inertial loading and pressure exerted by the ionospheric plasmas, and will be superceded by multifluid simulations that include those effects. However, these simulations provide new insights into the respective role of ionospheric sources in storm-time magnetospheric dynamics.

A Constant Energy-Per-Cycle Ring Oscillator Over a Wide Frequency Range for Wireless Sensor Nodes

PubMed Central

Lee, Inhee; Sylvester, Dennis; Blaauw, David

2016-01-01

This paper presents an energy-efficient oscillator for wireless sensor nodes (WSNs). It avoids short-circuit current by minimizing the time spent in the input voltage range from Vthn to [Vdd − |Vthp|]. A current-feeding scheme with gate voltage control enables the oscillator to operate over a wide frequency range. A test chip is fabricated in a 0.18 μm CMOS process. The measurements show that the proposed oscillator achieves a constant energy-per-cycle (EpC) of 0.8 pJ/cycle over the 21–60 MHz frequency range and is more efficient than a conventional current-starved ring oscillator (CSRO) below 300 kHz at 1.8 V supply voltage. As an application example, the proposed oscillator is implemented in a switched-capacitor DC–DC converter. The converter is 11%–56% more efficient for load power values ranging from 583 pW to 2.9 nW than a converter using a conventional CSRO. PMID:27546899

A Constant Energy-Per-Cycle Ring Oscillator Over a Wide Frequency Range for Wireless Sensor Nodes.

PubMed

Lee, Inhee; Sylvester, Dennis; Blaauw, David

2016-03-01

This paper presents an energy-efficient oscillator for wireless sensor nodes (WSNs). It avoids short-circuit current by minimizing the time spent in the input voltage range from V thn to [ V dd - | V thp |]. A current-feeding scheme with gate voltage control enables the oscillator to operate over a wide frequency range. A test chip is fabricated in a 0.18 μm CMOS process. The measurements show that the proposed oscillator achieves a constant energy-per-cycle (EpC) of 0.8 pJ/cycle over the 21-60 MHz frequency range and is more efficient than a conventional current-starved ring oscillator (CSRO) below 300 kHz at 1.8 V supply voltage. As an application example, the proposed oscillator is implemented in a switched-capacitor DC-DC converter. The converter is 11%-56% more efficient for load power values ranging from 583 pW to 2.9 nW than a converter using a conventional CSRO.

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

Combined Structural and Compositional Evolution of Planetary Rings Due to Micrometeoroid Impacts and Ballistic Transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estrada, Paul R.; Durisen, Richard H.; Cuzzi, Jeffrey N.; Morgan, Demitri A.

2015-01-01

We introduce improved numerical techniques for simulating the structural and compositional evolution of planetary rings due to micrometeoroid bombardment and subsequent ballistic transport of impact ejecta. Our current, robust code is capable of modeling structural changes and pollution transport simultaneously over long times on both local and global scales. In this paper, we describe the methodology based on the original structural code of Durisen et al. (1989, Icarus 80, 136-166) and on the pollution transport code of Cuzzi and Estrada (1998, Icarus 132, 1-35). We provide demonstrative simulations to compare with, and extend upon previous work, as well as examples of how ballistic transport can maintain the observed structure in Saturn's rings using available Cassini occultation optical depth data. In particular, we explicitly verify the claim that the inner B (and presumably A) ring edge can be maintained over long periods of time due to an ejecta distribution that is heavily biased in the prograde direction through a balance between the sharpening effects of ballistic transport and the broadening effects of viscosity. We also see that a "ramp"-like feature forms over time just inside that edge. However, it does not remain linear for the duration of the runs presented here unless a less steep ejecta velocity distribution is adopted. We also model the C ring plateaus and find that their outer edges can be maintained at their observed sharpness for long periods due to ballistic transport. We hypothesize that the addition of a significant component of a retrograde-biased ejecta distribution may help explain the linearity of the ramp and is probably essential for maintaining the sharpness of C ring plateau inner edges. This component would arise for the subset of micrometeoroid impacts which are destructive rather than merely cratering. Such a distribution will be introduced in future work.

Combined structural and compositional evolution of planetary rings due to micrometeoroid impacts and ballistic transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Estrada, Paul R.; Durisen, Richard H.; Cuzzi, Jeffrey N.; Morgan, Demitri A.

2015-05-01

We introduce improved numerical techniques for simulating the structural and compositional evolution of planetary rings due to micrometeoroid bombardment and subsequent ballistic transport of impact ejecta. Our current, robust code is capable of modeling structural changes and pollution transport simultaneously over long times on both local and global scales. In this paper, we describe the methodology based on the original structural code of Durisen et al. (Durisen, R.H. et al. [1989]. Icarus 80, 136-166) and on the pollution transport code of Cuzzi and Estrada (Cuzzi, J.N., Estrada, P.R. [1998]. Icarus 132, 1-35). We provide demonstrative simulations to compare with, and extend upon previous work, as well as examples of how ballistic transport can maintain the observed structure in Saturn's rings using available Cassini occultation optical depth data. In particular, we explicitly verify the claim that the inner B (and presumably A) ring edge can be maintained over long periods of time due to an ejecta distribution that is heavily biased in the prograde direction through a balance between the sharpening effects of ballistic transport and the broadening effects of viscosity. We also see that a "ramp"-like feature forms over time just inside that edge. However, it does not remain linear for the duration of the runs presented here unless a less steep ejecta velocity distribution is adopted. We also model the C ring plateaus and find that their outer edges can be maintained at their observed sharpness for long periods due to ballistic transport. We hypothesize that the addition of a significant component of a retrograde-biased ejecta distribution may help explain the linearity of the ramp and could provide a mechanism for maintaining the sharpness of C ring plateau inner edges. This component would arise for the subset of micrometeoroid impacts which are destructive rather than merely cratering. Such a distribution will be introduced in future work.

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.

Recent developments in guided wave travel time tomography

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

Zon, Tim van; Volker, Arno

The concept of predictive maintenance using permanent sensors that monitor the integrity of an installation is an interesting addition to the current method of periodic inspections. Guided wave tomography had been developed to create a map of the wall thickness using the travel times of guided waves. It can be used for both monitoring and for inspection of pipe-segments that are difficult to access, for instance at the location of pipe-supports. An important outcome of the tomography is the minimum remaining wall thickness, as this is critical in the scheduling of a replacement of the pipe-segment. In order to improvemore » the sizing accuracy we have improved the tomography scheme. A number of major improvements have been realized allowing to extend the application envelope to pipes with a larger wall thickness and to larger distances between the transducer rings. Simulation results indicate that the sizing accuracy has improved and that is now possible to have a spacing of 8 meter between the source-ring and the receiver-ring. Additionally a reduction of the number of sensors required might be possible as well.« less

NATIONAL SYNCHROTRON LIGHT SOURCE ACTIVITY REPORT 1998.

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

ROTHMAN,E.

1999-05-01

In FY 1998, following the 50th Anniversary Year of Brookhaven National Laboratory, Brookhaven Science Associates became the new Managers of BNL. The new start is an appropriate time to take stock of past achievements and to renew or confirm future goals. During the 1998 NSLS Annual Users Meeting (described in Part 3 of this Activity Report), the DOE Laboratory Operations Board, Chaired by the Under Secretary for Energy, Ernest Moniz met at BNL. By chance all the NSLS Chairmen except Martin Blume (acting NSLS Chair 84-85) were present as recorded in the picture. Under their leadership the NSLS has improvedmore » dramatically: (1) The VUV Ring current has increased from 100 mA in October 1982 to nearly 1 A today. For the following few years 10 Ahrs of current were delivered most weeks - NSLS now exceeds that every day. (2) When the first experiments were performed on the X-ray ring during FY1985 the electron energy was 2 GeV and the current up to 100 mA - the X-Ray Ring now runs routinely at 2.5 GeV and at 2.8 GeV with up to 350 mA of current, with a very much longer beam half-life and improved reliability. (3) Starting in FY 1984 the proposal for the Phase II upgrade, mainly for a building extension and a suite of insertion devices and their associated beamlines, was pursued - the promises were delivered in full so that for some years now the NSLS has been running with two undulators in the VUV Ring and three wigglers and an undulator in the X-Ray Ring. In addition two novel insertion devices have been commissioned in the X13 straight. (4) At the start of FY 1998 the NSLS welcomed its 7000th user - attracted by the opportunity for pursuing research with high quality beams, guaranteed not to be interrupted by 'delivery failures', and welcomed by an efficient and caring user office and first class teams of PRT and NSLS staff. R & D have lead to the possibility of running the X-Ray Ring at the higher energy of 2.8 GeV. Figure 1 shows the first user beam, which was provided thereafter for half of the running time in FY 1998. In combination with the development of narrow gap undulators this mode opens the possibility of new undulators which could produce hard X-rays in the fundamental, perhaps up to 10 keV. On 27 September 1998, a low horizontal emittance lattice became operational at 2.584 GeV. This results in approximately a 50% decrease in the horizontal beam-size on dipole bending magnet beamlines, and somewhat less of a decrease on the insertion device lines. The beam lifetime is not degraded by the low emittance lattice. This represents an important achievement, enhancing for all users the x-ray ring brightness. The reduced horizontal emittance electron beam will produce brighter x-ray beams for all the beamlines, both bending magnets and insertion devices, adding to other recent increases in the X-Ray ring brightness. During FY 1999 users will gain experience of the new running mode and plans are in place to do the same at 2.8GeV during further studies sessions. Independent evidence of the reduced emittance is shown in Figure 2. This is a pinhole camera scan showing the X-ray beam profile, obtained on the diagnostic beamline X28. Finally, work has begun to update and refine the proposal of the Phase III upgrade endorsed by the Birgeneau panel and BESAC last year. With the whole NSLS facility in teenage years and with many demonstrated enhancements available, the time has come to herald in the next stage of life at the Light Source.« less

Quantum time crystal by decoherence: Proposal with an incommensurate charge density wave ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakatsugawa, K.; Fujii, T.; Tanda, S.

2017-09-01

We show that time translation symmetry of a ring system with a macroscopic quantum ground state is broken by decoherence. In particular, we consider a ring-shaped incommensurate charge density wave (ICDW ring) threaded by a fluctuating magnetic flux: the Caldeira-Leggett model is used to model the fluctuating flux as a bath of harmonic oscillators. We show that the charge density expectation value of a quantized ICDW ring coupled to its environment oscillates periodically. The Hamiltonians considered in this model are time independent unlike "Floquet time crystals" considered recently. Our model forms a metastable quantum time crystal with a finite length in space and in time.

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.

The persistent current and energy spectrum on a driven mesoscopic LC-circuit with Josephson junction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pahlavanias, Hassan

2018-03-01

The quantum theory for a mesoscopic electric circuit including a Josephson junction with charge discreteness is studied. By considering coupling energy of the mesoscopic capacitor in Josephson junction device, a Hamiltonian describing the dynamics of a quantum mesoscopic electric LC-circuit with charge discreteness is introduced. We first calculate the persistent current on a quantum driven ring including Josephson junction. Then we obtain the persistent current and energy spectrum of a quantum mesoscopic electrical circuit which includes capacitor, inductor, time-dependent external source and Josephson junction.

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

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.

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.

Lectures on algebraic system theory: Linear systems over rings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kamen, E. W.

1978-01-01

The presentation centers on four classes of systems that can be treated as linear systems over a ring. These are: (1) discrete-time systems over a ring of scalars such as the integers; (2) continuous-time systems containing time delays; (3) large-scale discrete-time systems; and (4) time-varying discrete-time systems.

Energetic Proton Spectra Measured by the Van Allen Probes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Summers, Danny; Shi, Run; Engebretson, Mark J.; Oksavik, Kjellmar; Manweiler, Jerry W.; Mitchell, Donald G.

2017-10-01

We test the hypothesis that pitch angle scattering by electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves can limit ring current proton fluxes. For two chosen magnetic storms, during 17-20 March 2013 and 17-20 March 2015, we measure proton energy spectra in the region 3 ≤ L ≤ 6 using the RBSPICE-B instrument on the Van Allen Probes. The most intense proton spectra are observed to occur during the recovery periods of the respective storms. Using proton precipitation data from the POES (NOAA and MetOp) spacecraft, we deduce that EMIC wave action was prevalent at the times and L-shell locations of the most intense proton spectra. We calculate limiting ring current proton energy spectra from recently developed theory. Comparisons between the observed proton energy spectra and the theoretical limiting spectra show reasonable agreement. We conclude that the measurements of the most intense proton spectra are consistent with self-limiting by EMIC wave scattering.

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.

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.

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.

Tissue carbon incorporation rates and diet-to-tissue discrimination in ectotherms: tortoises are really slow.

PubMed

Murray, Ian W; Wolf, Blair O

2012-01-01

Abstract Understanding carbon incorporation rates and diet-to-tissue discrimination (Δ(13)C(tissue-diet)) in animals is necessary to interpret stable isotope data collected from animals in the field. Our current understanding of the carbon dynamics in terrestrial ectotherms such as snakes, lizards, and turtles is poorly developed. Here we use a diet switch experiment to estimate carbon incorporation rates and diet-to-tissue discrimination factors in growing desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii). Average carbon retention times for red blood cells (RBCs) and plasma were 126.7 ± 40.3 and 32.9 ± 14.5 days, respectively. Tissue carbon incorporation rates were affected by both growth and metabolism, with growth accounting for 50% of the carbon turnover in RBCs and 13% of carbon turnover in plasma. At equilibrium, scute keratin (0.8 ± 0.1) and plasma (1.0 ± 0.2) showed enriched discrimination values (Δ(13)C) compared to the test diet, but RBC Δ(13)C values were indistinguishable from diet (0.2 ± 0.3). We also found that new keratin continued to contribute significant material to previously grown keratin rings on the tortoise's shell. Changes in the δ(13)C of previously laid down growth rings indicated that the old rings closest to the region of new growth received about 73% of the carbon from the current diet; these data suggest that the interpretation of dietary history using growth rings must recognize that each ring may represent the weighted average of the diet over several seasons. These results continue to highlight the importance of laboratory experiments in interpreting isotopic data derived from field studies.

Self-Consistent Model of Magnetospheric Ring Current and Propagating Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves: Waves in Multi-Ion Magnetosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

2006-01-01

The further development of a self-consistent theoretical model of interacting ring current ions and electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves (Khazanov et al., 2003) is presented In order to adequately take into account wave propagation and refraction in a multi-ion magnetosphere, we explicitly include the ray tracing equations in our previous self-consistent model and use the general form of the wave kinetic equation. This is a major new feature of the present model and, to the best of our knowledge, the ray tracing equations for the first time are explicitly employed on a global magnetospheric scale in order to self-consistently simulate the spatial, temporal, and spectral evolution of the ring current and of electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves To demonstrate the effects of EMIC wave propagation and refraction on the wave energy distribution and evolution, we simulate the May 1998 storm. The main findings of our simulation can be summarized as follows. First, owing to the density gradient at the plasmapause, the net wave refraction is suppressed, and He+-mode grows preferably at the plasmapause. This result is in total agreement with previous ray tracing studies and is very clearly found in presented B field spectrograms. Second, comparison of global wave distributions with the results from another ring current model (Kozyra et al., 1997) reveals that this new model provides more intense and more highly plasmapause-organized wave distributions during the May 1998 storm period Finally, it is found that He(+)-mode energy distributions are not Gaussian distributions and most important that wave energy can occupy not only the region of generation, i.e., the region of small wave normal angles, but all wave normal angles, including those to near 90 . The latter is extremely crucial for energy transfer to thermal plasmaspheric electrons by resonant Landau damping and subsequent downward heat transport and excitation of stable auroral red arcs.

Self-Consistent Model of Magnetospheric Ring Current and Propagating Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves. 1; Waves in Multi Ion Magnetosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khazanov, G. V.; Gumayunov, K. V.; Gallagher, D. L.; Kozyra, J. U.

2006-01-01

The further development of a self-consistent theoretical model of interacting ring current ions and electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves [Khazanov et al., 2003] is presented. In order to adequately take into account the wave propagation and refraction in a multi-ion plasmasphere, we explicitly include the ray tracing equations in our previous self-consistent model and use the general form of the wave kinetic equation. This is a major new feature of the present model and, to the best of our knowledge, the ray tracing equations for the first time are explicitly employed on a global magnetospheric scale in order to self-consistently simulate spatial, temporal, and spectral evolutions of the ring current and electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves. To demonstrate the effects of EMIC wave propagation and refraction on the EMIC wave energy distributions and evolution we simulate the May 1998 storm. The main findings of our simulation can be summarized as follows. First, due to the density gradient at the plasmapause, the net wave refraction is suppressed, and He(+)-mode grows preferably at plasmapause. This result is in a total agreement with the previous ray tracing studies, and very clear observed in presented B-field spectrograms. Second, comparison the global wave distributions with the results from other ring current model [Kozyra et al., 1997] reveals that our model provides more intense and higher plasmapause organized distributions during the May, 1998 storm period. Finally, the found He(+)-mode energy distributions are not Gaussian distributions, and most important that wave energy can occupy not only the region of generation, i. e. the region of small wave normal angles, but the entire wave normal angle region and even only the region near 90 degrees. The latter is extremely crucial for energy transfer to thermal plasmaspheric electrons by resonant Landau damping, and subsequent downward heat transport and excitation of stable auroral red arcs.

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

Wide-range and fast thermally-tunable silicon photonic microring resonators using the junction field effect

DOE PAGES

Wang, Xiaoxi; Lentine, Anthony; DeRose, Christopher; ...

2016-09-26

Tunable silicon microring resonators with small, integrated micro-heaters which exhibit a junction field effect were made using a conventional silicon-on-insulator (SOI) photonic foundry fabrication process. The design of the resistive tuning section in the microrings included a “pinched” p-n junction, which limited the current at higher voltages and inhibited damage even when driven by a pre-emphasized voltage waveform. Dual-ring filters were studied for both large (>4.9 THz) and small (850 GHz) free-spectral ranges. In conclusion, thermal red-shifting was demonstrated with microsecond-scale time constants, e.g., a dual-ring filter was tuned over 25 nm in 0.6 μs 10%–90% transition time, and withmore » efficiency of 3.2 μW/GHz.« less

SAPS/SAID revisited: A causal relation to the substorm current wedge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishin, Evgeny; Nishimura, Yukitoshi; Foster, John

2017-08-01

We present multispacecraft observations of enhanced flow/electric field channels in the inner magnetosphere and conjugate subauroral ionosphere, i.e., subauroral polarization streams (SAPS) near dusk and subauroral ion drifts (SAID) near midnight. The channels collocate with ring current (RC) injections lagging the onset of substorms by a few to ˜20 min, i.e., significantly shorter than the gradient-curvature drift time of tens of keV ions. The time lag is of the order of the propagation time of reconnection-injected hot plasma jets to the premidnight plasmasphere and the substorm current wedge (SCW) to dusk. The observations confirm and expand on the previous results on the SAID features that negate the paradigm of voltage and current generators. Fast-time duskside SAPS/RC injections appear intimately related to a two-loop circuit of the substorm current wedge (SCW2L). We suggest that the poleward electric field inherent in the SCW2L circuit, which demands closure of the Region 1 and Region 2 sense field-aligned currents via meridional currents, is the ultimate cause of fast RC injections and SAPS on the duskside.

SAID/SAPS Revisited: A Causal Relation to the Substorm Current Wedge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishin, E. V.

2017-12-01

We present multi-spacecraft observations of enhanced flow/electric field channels in the inner magnetosphere and conjugate subauroral ionosphere, i.e., subauroral polarization streams (SAPS) near dusk and subauroral ion drifts (SAID) near midnight. The channels collocate with ring current (RC) injections lagging the onset of substorms by a few to ˜20 minutes, i.e., significantly shorter than the gradient-curvature drift time of tens of keV ions. The time lag is of the order of the propagation time of reconnection-injected hot plasma jets to the premidnight plasmasphere and the substorm current wedge (SCW) to dusk. The observations confirm and expand on the previous results on the SAID features that negate the paradigm of voltage and current generators. Fast-time duskside SAPS/RC injections appear intimately related to a two-loop circuit of the substorm current wedge (SCW2L). We suggest that the poleward electric field inherent in the SCW2L circuit, which demands closure of the Region 1- and Region 2-sense field-aligned currents via meridional currents, is the ultimate cause of fast RC injections and SAPS on the duskside.

The Dynamical History of 2060 Chiron and Its Proposed Ring System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2018-01-01

The surprising discovery of a ring system around the Centaur 10199 Chariklo in 2013 led to a reanalysis of archival stellar occultation data for the Centaur 2060 Chiron by Ortiz et al. One possible interpretation of that data is that a system of rings exists around Chiron. In this work, we study the dynamical history of the proposed Chiron ring system by integrating nearly 36,000 clones of the Centaur backward in time for 100 Myr under the influence of the Sun and the four giant planets. The severity of all close encounters between the clones and planets while the clones are in the Centaur region is recorded, along with the mean time between close encounters. We find that severe and extreme close encounters are very rare, making it possible that the Chiron ring system has remained intact since its injection into the Centaur region, which we find likely occurred within the past 8.5 Myr. Our simulations yield a backward dynamical half-life for Chiron of 0.7 Myr. The dynamical classes of a sample of clones are found. It is found that, on average, the Centaur lifetimes of resonance hopping clones are twice those of random-walk clones because of resonance sticking in mean motion resonances. In addition, we present MEGNO and chaotic lifetime maps of the region bound by 13 au ≤slant a≤slant 14 au and e≤slant 0.5. We confirm that the current mean orbital parameters of Chiron are located in a highly chaotic region of a - e phase space.

Ring trial 2016 for Bluetongue virus detection by real-time RT-PCR in France.

PubMed

Sailleau, Corinne; Viarouge, Cyril; Breard, Emmanuel; Vitour, Damien; Zientara, Stephan

2017-05-01

Since the unexpected emergence of BTV-8 in Northern Europe and the incursion of BTV-8 and 1 in France in 2006-2007, molecular diagnosis has considerably evolved. Several real-time RT-PCR (rtRT-PCR) methods have been developed and published, and are currently being used in many countries across Europe for BTV detection and typing. In France, the national reference laboratory (NRL) for orbiviruses develops and validates 'ready-to-use' kits with private companies for viral RNA detection. The regional laboratories network that was set up to deal with a heavy demand for analyses has used these available kits. From 2007, ring tests were organized to monitor the performance of the French laboratories. This study presents the results of 63 regional laboratories in the ring trial organized in 2016. Blood samples were sent to the laboratories. Participants were asked to use the rtRT-PCR methods in place in their laboratory, for detection of all BTV serotypes and specifically BTV-8. The French regional laboratories are able to detect and genotype BTV in affected animals. Despite the use of several methods (i.e. RNA extraction and different commercial rtRT-PCRs), the network is homogeneous. The ring trial demonstrated that the French regional veterinary laboratories have reliable and robust BTV diagnostic tools for BTV genome detection.

Analysis and correction of linear optics errors, and operational improvements in the Indus-2 storage ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Husain, Riyasat; Ghodke, A. D.

2017-08-01

Estimation and correction of the optics errors in an operational storage ring is always vital to achieve the design performance. To achieve this task, the most suitable and widely used technique, called linear optics from closed orbit (LOCO) is used in almost all storage ring based synchrotron radiation sources. In this technique, based on the response matrix fit, errors in the quadrupole strengths, beam position monitor (BPM) gains, orbit corrector calibration factors etc. can be obtained. For correction of the optics, suitable changes in the quadrupole strengths can be applied through the driving currents of the quadrupole power supplies to achieve the desired optics. The LOCO code has been used at the Indus-2 storage ring for the first time. The estimation of linear beam optics errors and their correction to minimize the distortion of linear beam dynamical parameters by using the installed number of quadrupole power supplies is discussed. After the optics correction, the performance of the storage ring is improved in terms of better beam injection/accumulation, reduced beam loss during energy ramping, and improvement in beam lifetime. It is also useful in controlling the leakage in the orbit bump required for machine studies or for commissioning of new beamlines.

The anatomical relationships between the avian eye, orbit and sclerotic ring: implications for inferring activity patterns in extinct birds

PubMed Central

Hall, Margaret I

2008-01-01

Activity pattern, or the time of day when an animal is awake and active, is highly associated with that animal's ecology. There are two principal activity patterns: diurnal, or awake during the day in a photopic, or high light level, environment; and nocturnal, awake at night in scotopic, or low light level, conditions. Nocturnal and diurnal birds exhibit characteristic eye shapes associated with their activity pattern, with nocturnal bird eyes optimized for visual sensitivity with large corneal diameters relative to their eye axial lengths, and diurnal birds optimized for visual acuity, with larger axial lengths of the eye relative to their corneal diameters. The current study had three aims: (1) to quantify the nature of the relationship between the avian eye and its associated bony anatomy, the orbit and the sclerotic ring; (2) to investigate how activity pattern is reflected in that bony anatomy; and (3) to identify how much bony anatomy is required to interpret activity pattern reliably for a bird that does not have the soft tissue available for study, specifically, for a fossil. Knowledge of extinct avian activity patterns would be useful in making palaeoecological interpretations. Here eye, orbit and sclerotic ring morphologies of 140 nocturnal and diurnal bird species are analysed in a phylogenetic context. Although there is a close relationship between the avian eye and orbit, activity pattern can only be reliably interpreted for bony-only specimens, such as a fossil, that include both measurements of the sclerotic ring and orbit depth. Any missing data render the fossil analysis inaccurate, including fossil specimens that are flat and therefore do not have an orbit depth available. For example, activity pattern cannot be determined with confidence for Archaeopteryx lithographica, which has a complete sclerotic ring but no orbit depth measurement. Many of the bird fossils currently available that retain a good sclerotic ring tend to be flat specimens, while three-dimensionally preserved bird fossils tend not to have a well-preserved sclerotic ring or a well-defined optic foramen, necessary for delimiting the orbit depth. PMID:18510506

Exploration of a High Luminosity 100 TeV Proton Antiproton Collider

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

Oliveros, Sandra J.; Summers, Don; Cremaldi, Lucien

New physics is being explored with the Large Hadron Collider at CERN and with Intensity Frontier programs at Fermilab and KEK. The energy scale for new physics is known to be in the multi-TeV range, signaling the need for a future collider which well surpasses this energy scale. We explore a 10more » $$^{\\,34}$$ cm$$^{-2}$$ s$$^{-1}$$ luminosity, 100 TeV $$p\\bar{p}$$ collider with 7$$\\times$$ the energy of the LHC but only 2$$\\times$$ as much NbTi superconductor, motivating the choice of 4.5 T single bore dipoles. The cross section for many high mass states is 10 times higher in $$p\\bar{p}$$ than $pp$ collisions. Antiquarks for production can come directly from an antiproton rather than indirectly from gluon splitting. The higher cross sections reduce the synchrotron radiation in superconducting magnets and the number of events per beam crossing, because lower beam currents can produce the same rare event rates. Events are more centrally produced, allowing a more compact detector with less space between quadrupole triplets and a smaller $$\\beta^{*}$$ for higher luminosity. A Fermilab-like $$\\bar p$$ source would disperse the beam into 12 momentum channels to capture more antiprotons. Because stochastic cooling time scales as the number of particles, 12 cooling ring sets would be used. Each set would include phase rotation to lower momentum spreads, equalize all momentum channels, and stochastically cool. One electron cooling ring would follow the stochastic cooling rings. Finally antiprotons would be recycled during runs without leaving the collider ring by joining them to new bunches with synchrotron damping.« less

Distilling allometric and environmental information from time series of conduit size: the standardization issue and its relationship to tree hydraulic architecture.

PubMed

Carrer, Marco; von Arx, Georg; Castagneri, Daniele; Petit, Giai

2015-01-01

Trees are among the best natural archives of past environmental information. Xylem anatomy preserves information related to tree allometry and ecophysiological performance, which is not available from the more customary ring-width or wood-density proxy parameters. Recent technological advances make tree-ring anatomy very attractive because time frames of many centuries can now be covered. This calls for the proper treatment of time series of xylem anatomical attributes. In this article, we synthesize current knowledge on the biophysical and physiological mechanisms influencing the short- to long-term variation in the most widely used wood-anatomical feature, namely conduit size. We also clarify the strong mechanistic link between conduit-lumen size, tree hydraulic architecture and height growth. Among the key consequences of these biophysical constraints is the pervasive, increasing trend of conduit size during ontogeny. Such knowledge is required to process time series of anatomical parameters correctly in order to obtain the information of interest. An appropriate standardization procedure is fundamental when analysing long tree-ring-related chronologies. When dealing with wood-anatomical parameters, this is even more critical. Only an interdisciplinary approach involving ecophysiology, wood anatomy and dendrochronology will help to distill the valuable information about tree height growth and past environmental variability correctly. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Evolution of Saturn's Rings Under the Influence of the Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt Micrometeoroid Flux: Tightening the Constraints on Ring Age

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Estrada, Paul R.; Durisen, Richard H.; Cuzzi, Jeffrey N.

2016-10-01

Results of the Cassini Dust Analyzer (CDA) experiment indicate that the determined range of the micrometeoroid flux at infinity for Saturn (Altobelli et al., 2015) may be comparable to the nominal value of the incident, flat-plate and one-sided meteoroid flux value currently adopted for use in ballistic transport applications and models (e.g., Estrada et al., 2015). Moreover, the source of the micrometeoroid flux has been localized to the Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt (EKB) and is not cometary in origin as previously assumed. Apart from suggesting an altogether different composition for the ring pollutant, a major consequence of these new measurements is that the EKB flux is much more gravitationally focused than the cometary case because it is isotropic in the planet rather than the heliocentric frame. Thus, the lower velocities at infinity that characterize the EKB flux can increase the impact flux on the rings by a factor of ˜25. This means that even for the lower bound of the range of the newly measured flux, the amount of material hitting the rings may be considerably higher and thus the process of micrometeoroid bombardment and ballistic transport is likely even more influential in the rings' structural and compositional evolution over time. Here, we calculate the new EKB ejecta distribution using the model of Cuzzi and Durisen (1990) and compare this with the nominal cometary one, and then demonstrate using new simulations the consequences of the EKB flux on the evolution of ring composition and structure. The constraining of the micrometeoroid flux represents a very important step in being able to associate an absolute age for the rings. We argue that the new EKB flux poses a serious problem for "primordial" or "old" ring origin scenarios and favors more a scenario in which the rings, at least the way we see them today, cannot be much older than a few 100 Myrs.

Thermal Barrier/Seal for Extreme Temperature Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinetz, Bruce M.; Dunlap, Patrick H., Jr.; Phelps, Jack; Bauer, Paul; Bond, Bruce; McCool, Alex (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Large solid rocket motors, as found on the Space Shuttle, are fabricated in segments for manufacturing considerations, bolted together, and sealed using conventional Viton O-ring seals. Similarly the nine large solid rocket motor nozzles are assembled from several different segments, bolted together, and sealed at six joint locations using conventional O-ring seals. The 5500 F combustion gases are generally kept a safe distance away from the seals by thick layers of phenolic or rubber insulation. Joint-fill compounds, including RTV (room temperature vulcanized compound) and polysulfide filler, are used to fill the joints in the insulation to prevent a direct flow-path to the O-rings. Normally these two stages of protection are enough to prevent a direct flow-path of the 900-psi hot gases from reaching the temperature-sensitive O-ring seals. However, in the current design 1 out of 15 Space Shuttle solid rocket motors experience hot gas effects on the Joint 6 wiper (sacrificial) O-rings. Also worrisome is the fact that joints have experienced heat effects on materials between the RTV and the O-rings, and in two cases O-rings have experienced heat effects. These conditions lead to extensive reviews of the post-flight conditions as part of the effort to monitor flight safety. We have developed a braided carbon fiber thermal barrier to replace the joint fill compounds in the Space Shuttle solid rocket motor nozzles to reduce the incoming 5500 F combustion gas temperature and permit only cool (approximately 100 F) gas to reach the temperature-sensitive O-ring seals. Implementation of this thermal barrier provides more robust, consistent operation with shorter turn around times between Shuttle launches.

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.

Solar-Terrestrial Signal Record in Tree Ring Width Time Series from Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rigozo, Nivaor Rodolfo; Lisi, Cláudio Sergio; Filho, Mário Tomazello; Prestes, Alan; Nordemann, Daniel Jean Roger; de Souza Echer, Mariza Pereira; Echer, Ezequiel; da Silva, Heitor Evangelista; Rigozo, Valderez F.

2012-12-01

This work investigates the behavior of the sunspot number and Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) signal recorded in the tree ring time series for three different locations in Brazil: Humaitá in Amazônia State, Porto Ferreira in São Paulo State, and Passo Fundo in Rio Grande do Sul State, using wavelet and cross-wavelet analysis techniques. The wavelet spectra of tree ring time series showed signs of 11 and 22 years, possibly related to the solar activity, and periods of 2-8 years, possibly related to El Niño events. The cross-wavelet spectra for all tree ring time series from Brazil present a significant response to the 11-year solar cycle in the time interval between 1921 to after 1981. These tree ring time series still have a response to the second harmonic of the solar cycle (5.5 years), but in different time intervals. The cross-wavelet maps also showed that the relationship between the SOI x tree ring time series is more intense, for oscillation in the range of 4-8 years.

Dynamics of rings around elongated bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sicardy, Bruno; Leiva, Rodrigo; Ortiz, Jose Luis; Santos Sanz, Pablo; Renner, Stefan; El Moutamid, Maryame; Berard, Diane; Desmars, Josselin; Meza, Erick; Rossi, Gustavo; Braga-Ribas, Felipe; Camargo, Julio; Vieira-Martins, Roberto; Morales, Nicolas; Duffard, Rene; Colas, Francois; Maquet, Lucie; Bouley, Sylvain; Bath, Karl-Ludwig; Beisker, Wolfgang; Dauverge, Jean-Luc; Kretlow, Mike; Chariklo Occultations Team; Haumea Occultation Team

2017-10-01

Dense and narrow rings are encountered around small bodies like the Centaur object Chariklo, and possibly Chiron. The rings and central bodies can be studied in great details thanks to stellar occultations, which accuracies at the km-level. Here we present new results from three high-quality occultations by Chariklo observed in 2017. They provide new insights on the ring geometry and Chariklo's shape. Data are currently being analyzed, but preliminary results are consistent with a triaxial model for Chariklo, with semi-axes a>b>c, where (a-b) may reach values as large as 10-15 km, depending on the model.Such large values induce a strong coupling between the body and an initial collisional debris disk from which the rings emerged. This coupling stems from Lindblad resonances between the ring particle mean motion and Chariklo's spin rate. We find that the resonances clear the corotation zone (estimated to lie at about 215 km from Chariklo's center) in very short time scales (centuries) and pushes the material well beyond the 3/2 resonance - that lies at an estimated radius of 280 km, thus consistent with the radius of Chariklo's main ring C1R, 390 km.Other cases will be examined in view of multi-chord stellar occultations by Trans-Neptunian Objects successfully observed in 2017, as they provide constraints for the presence of material around these bodies. Results and dynamical implications will be presented.Part of this work has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Community's H2020 2014-2020 ERC grant Agreement n°669416 "Lucky Star"

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.

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)

Cassini Radio Occultations of Saturn's Rings: Scattered Signal and Particle Sizes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomson, F.; Wong, K.; Marouf, E.; French, R.; Rappaport, N.; McGhee, C.; Anabtawi, A.; Asmar, S.; Barbinis, E.; Fleischman, D.; Goltz, G.; Johnston, D.; Rochblatt, D.

2005-08-01

Eight Cassini radio occultations of Saturn's rings were conducted from May 3 to September 5, 2005. During any given occultation, Cassini transmits Ka-, X-, and S-band sinusoidal signals (0.94, 3.6, and 13 cm-wavelength) through the rings. Spectral analysis of the perturbed signals received at stations of the Deep Space Network (DSN) reveals two distinct signal components. The first is the direct signal, a narrowband component representing the incident sinusoid emerging from the rings reduced in amplitude and changed in phase. The second is the scattered signal, a broadband component, representing near-forward scattering by ring particles. After reconstruction to remove diffraction effects, time history of the direct signal yields profiles of ring structure at resolution approaching ˜50 m. Of primary concern here is the broadband component. For the first time ever, clearly detectable scattered signals were observed at all three (Ka/X/S) bands. A single X/S radio occultation by Voyager 1 in 1980 detected scattered signal at X-band only, primarily because of the small ring opening angle B=5.9o at the time, compared with 19.1 ≤ B ≤ 23.6o for Cassini. Time histories of the observed spectra (spectrograms) and their dependence on wavelength provide important information about physical ring properties, including abundance of meter-size particles, particle crowding, clustering, spatial anisotropy, vertical ring profile and thickness. Cassini occultation orbits were optimized to map scattering by individual ring features into nearly non-overlapping spectral bands, allowing unambiguous identification of the contribution of ring features to the computed spectrograms. We present Ka/X/S spectrograms over the full extent of the ring system and relate their behavior to observed ring structure. The spectrograms imply presence of meters-size particles throughout the ring system. Preliminary results regarding the particle size distribution and vertical ring profile of selected ring features are presented. Contributions of personnel of the DSN are gratefully acknowledged.

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.

Particle tracing modeling of ion fluxes at geosynchronous orbit

DOE PAGES

Brito, Thiago V.; Woodroffe, Jesse; Jordanova, Vania K.; ...

2017-10-31

The initial results of a coupled MHD/particle tracing method to evaluate particle fluxes in the inner magnetosphere are presented. This setup is capable of capturing the earthward particle acceleration process resulting from dipolarization events in the tail region of the magnetosphere. On the period of study, the MHD code was able to capture a dipolarization event and the particle tracing algorithm was able to capture our results of these disturbances and calculate proton fluxes in the night side geosynchronous orbit region. The simulation captured dispersionless injections as well as the energy dispersion signatures that are frequently observed by satellites atmore » geosynchronous orbit. Currently, ring current models rely on Maxwellian-type distributions based on either empirical flux values or sparse satellite data for their boundary conditions close to geosynchronous orbit. In spite of some differences in intensity and timing, the setup presented here is able to capture substorm injections, which represents an improvement regarding a reverse way of coupling these ring current models with MHD codes through the use of boundary conditions.« less

Merging-compression formation of high temperature tokamak plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gryaznevich, M. P.; Sykes, A.

2017-07-01

Merging-compression is a solenoid-free plasma formation method used in spherical tokamaks (STs). Two plasma rings are formed and merged via magnetic reconnection into one plasma ring that then is radially compressed to form the ST configuration. Plasma currents of several hundred kA and plasma temperatures in the keV-range have been produced using this method, however until recently there was no full understanding of the merging-compression formation physics. In this paper we explain in detail, for the first time, all stages of the merging-compression plasma formation. This method will be used to create ST plasmas in the compact (R ~ 0.4-0.6 m) high field, high current (3 T/2 MA) ST40 tokamak. Moderate extrapolation from the available experimental data suggests the possibility of achieving plasma current ~2 MA, and 10 keV range temperatures at densities ~1-5  ×  1020 m-3, bringing ST40 plasmas into a burning plasma (alpha particle heating) relevant conditions directly from the plasma formation. Issues connected with this approach for ST40 and future ST reactors are discussed

Particle tracing modeling of ion fluxes at geosynchronous orbit

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

Brito, Thiago V.; Woodroffe, Jesse; Jordanova, Vania K.

The initial results of a coupled MHD/particle tracing method to evaluate particle fluxes in the inner magnetosphere are presented. This setup is capable of capturing the earthward particle acceleration process resulting from dipolarization events in the tail region of the magnetosphere. On the period of study, the MHD code was able to capture a dipolarization event and the particle tracing algorithm was able to capture our results of these disturbances and calculate proton fluxes in the night side geosynchronous orbit region. The simulation captured dispersionless injections as well as the energy dispersion signatures that are frequently observed by satellites atmore » geosynchronous orbit. Currently, ring current models rely on Maxwellian-type distributions based on either empirical flux values or sparse satellite data for their boundary conditions close to geosynchronous orbit. In spite of some differences in intensity and timing, the setup presented here is able to capture substorm injections, which represents an improvement regarding a reverse way of coupling these ring current models with MHD codes through the use of boundary conditions.« less

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.

Electron cooling for the Fermilab recycler: Present concept and provisional parameters

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

Nagaitsev, S.

1997-09-01

In all scenarios of the possible Tevatron upgrades, luminosity is essentially proportional to the number of antiprotons. Thus, a tenfold increase in luminosity could be achieved by putting five times more protons on the antiproton production target and gaining an additional factor of two from recycling antiprotons left over from the previous store. Stacking and storing ten times more antiprotons puts an unbearable burden on the stochastic cooling system of the existing Accumulator Ring. Thus, one is led to consider an additional stage of antiproton storage the so called Recycler Ring. Electron cooling of the 8 GeV antiprotons in themore » Recycler could provide an attractive way around the problems of large stacks. Such a system would look much like the IUCF proposal to cool 12 GeV protons in the SSC Medium Energy Booster. Although electron cooling has now become a routine tool in many laboratories, its use has been restricted to lower energy accelerators (< 500 MeV/nucleon). An R&D program is currently underway at Fermilab to extend electron cooling technology to the GeV range. This paper describes the electron cooling system design as well as the Recycler ring parameters required to accommodate this system.« less

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.

Large-scale Observations of a Subauroral Polarization Stream by Midlatitude SuperDARN Radars: Instantaneous Longitudinal Velocity Variations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clausen, L. B. N.; Baker, J. B. H.; Sazykin, S.; Ruohoniemi, J. M.; Greenwald, R. A.; Thomas, E. J.; Shepherd, S. G.; Talaat, E. R.; Bristow, W. A.; Zheng, Y.;

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.

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.

A magnetospheric magnetic field model with flexible current systems driven by independent physical parameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hilmer, Robert V.; Voigt, Gerd-Hannes

1995-01-01

A tilt-dependent magnetic field model of the Earth's magnetosphere with variable magnetopause standoff distance is presented. Flexible analytic representations for the ring and cross-tail currents, each composed of the elements derived from the Tsyganenko and Usmanov (1982) model, are combined with the fully shielded vacuum dipole configurations of Voigt (1981). Although the current sheet does not warp in the y-z plane, changes in the shape and position of the neutral sheet with dipole tilt are consistent with both MHD equilibrium theory and observations. In addition, there is good agreement with observed Delta B profiles and the average equatorial contours of magnetic field magnitude. While the dipole field is rigorously shielded within the defined magnetopause, the ring and cross-tails currents are not similarly confined, consequently, the model's region of validity is limited to the inner magnetosphere. The model depends on four independent external parameters. We present a simple but limited method of simulating several substorm related magnetic field changes associated with the disrupion of the near-Earth cross-tail current sheet and collapse of the midnight magnetotail field region. This feature further facilitates the generation of magnetic field configuration time sequences useful in plasma convection simulations of real magnetospheric events.

Engineering and Design of the Steady Inductive Helicity Injected Torus (HIT--SI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sieck, P. E.; Jarboe, T. R.; Nelson, B. A.; Rogers, J. A.; Shumlak, U.

1999-11-01

Steady Inductive Helicity Injection (SIHI) is an inductive helicity injection method that injects helicity at a nearly constant rate, without open field lines, and without removing any helicity or magnetic energy from the plasma.(T.R. Jarboe, Fusion Technology, 36) (1), p. 85, 1999 SIHI directly produces a rotating magnetic field structure, and in the frame of the rotating field the current profile is nearly time independent. The Steady Inductive Helicity Injected Torus (HIT--SI) is a spheromak designed to implement SIHI so that the current profile in the rotating frame is optimized. The geometry of HIT--SI will be presented, including the manufacturing techniques and metallurgical processes planned for construction of the close-fitting flux conserver. The flux conserver is made of aged chromium copper with 80% the conductivity of pure copper. The detailed electrical insulation requirements in the helicity injector design lead to a complex o-ring seal and a plasma-sprayed alumina insulation coating. This has prompted the construction of an o-ring prototype test fixture having the main features of the o-ring design and the alumina coating. The design and evaluation of this fixture will also be presented with vacuum and voltage test results.

Equatorial measurement of SAID electric fields and relation with the plasmapause location

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishimura, Y.; Wygant, J.; Ono, T.; Iizima, M.; Kumamoto, A.; Brautigam, D.; Rich, F.

2007-12-01

In order to investigate the equatorial source of subauroral ion drifts (SAID) and its association with the plasmapause position, multi-spacecraft measurements of SAID are presented using the CRRES, Akebono, and DMSP. Direct measurement of the convection electric field and plasmapause density close to the equator is measured by the electric field instrument onboard the CRRES satellite, and the plasmasheet electrons and low energy part of the ring current ions are measured by the low energy plasma instrument. The CRRES satellite is on the dusk inner magnetosphere, and the DMSP-F8 and Akebono satellites are approximately on the same field line. Associated with a substorm onset at 16:40 UT on February 20, 1991, the DMSP-F8 satellite at 19 MLT measures SAID with a maximum westward velocity of 1,500 m/s. The CRRES satellite is on outbound in the inner magnetosphere at ~21 MLT and ~5 RE at the onset of the substorm. It measures increase of DC electric field with 0.4 mV/m in the plasmasphere just after the substorm onset. Thirty minutes later, injection of ring current ions are observed in the plasmasphere with Bz decrease. After the crossing of the plasmapause, the electric field increases to 0.8 mV/m. At the same time, the spacecraft enters the plasmasheet, and the DC electric field disappears. The same time sequence is also identified in other SAID events detected on the dusk inner magnetosphere. The above CRRES measurement indicates that DC electric field is intensified in a narrow region between the ring current and electron plasmasheet after the onset of the substorm. Although the E*B drift points sunward in this region, this region with enhanced electric field is filled with plasmaspheric plasma without abrupt density change. The position where the convection electric field is equal to the corotation electric field locates inside the plasmapause. The plasmapause coincides with inner edge of the plasmasheet. This association suggests that the plasmaspheric plasma is depleted by the plasmasheet electrons, possibly by the enhanced E*B drift earthward of the plasmasheet. During the SAID event on 16:40 UT on February 20, 1991, the Akebono satellite was approximately on the same field line of the CRRES satellite (21 MLT and 5 RE) 40 minutes later the substorm onset. It measures enhancement of electric field with 2 mV/m between L=5 and 6. The inner edge of the electric field corresponds to the inner edge of ring current ions, and the outer edge coincides with the plasmasheet electrons. This signature of the electric field intensification in the charge-separated region is in accordance with the CRRES measurement. This study has clarified that the equatorial source of SAID electric fields is charge separation of ring current ions and plasmasheet electrons by electric field associated with substorms. This is consistent with the theoretical study by Southwood and Wolf [1978] and low-altitude measurements by Anderson et al. [2001] by that the charge separation provides current and voltage sources and the electric field is increased by the low conductance of the subauroral ionosphere.

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.

Description and evaluation of the Acoustic Profiling of Ocean Currents (APOC) system used on R. V. Oceanus cruise 96 on 11-22 May 1981

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joyce, T. M.; Rintoul, S. R., Jr.; Barbour, R. L.

1982-01-01

The underway current profiling system which consists of a microprocessor controlled data logger that collects and formats data from a four beam Ametek-Straza 300 kHz acoustic Doppler current profiler, heading from the ship's gyrocompass, and navigation information from a Loran-C receiver and a satellite navigation unit is discussed. Data are recorded on magnetic tape and real time is calculated. Time averaging is required to remove effects of ship motion. An intercomparison is made with a moored vector measuring current meter (VMCM). The mean difference in hourly averaged APOC and VMCM currents over the four hour intercomparison is a few mm s minus including: two Gulf Stream crossings, a warm core ring survey, and shallow water in a frontal zone to the east of Nantucket Shoals.

Saturn's E, G, and F rings - Modulated by the plasma sheet?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

1983-01-01

Saturn's broad E ring, the narrow G ring, and the structured and apparently time-variable F ring(s) contain many micron and submicron-sized particles, which make up the 'visible' component. These rings (or ring systems) are in direct contact with magnetospheric plasma. Fluctuations in the plasma density and/or mean energy, due to magnetospheric and solar wind processes, may induce stochastic charge variations on the dust particles, which in turn lead to an orbit perturbation and spatial diffusion. In addition, Coulomb drag forces may be important, in particular for the E ring. The possibility that electromagnetic effects may play a role in determining the F ring structure and its possible time variations is critically examined. Sputtering of micron-sized dust particles in the E ring by magnetospheric ions yields lifetimes of 100 to 10,000 years. This effect as well as the plasma induced transport processes require an active source for the E ring, probably Enceladus.

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.

Dendroclimatological spring rainfall reconstruction for an inner Alpine dry valley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oberhuber, W.; Kofler, W.

Estimates of spring precipitation for the inner Alpine dry valley of the upper Inn (Tyrol, Austria) are made back to A.D. 1724 using a ring width chronology of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) as predictor. A highly significant agreement in year-to-year ring width changes exists between several chronologies along the dry valley. The dendroclimatic model used for climate reconstruction is a simple linear transfer function that estimates April-June precipitation from current tree-ring width. All verification statistics commonly used in dendroclimatological research are significant ( p<0.01) and indicate that the reconstructed time series provides valuable information on past spring precipitation variability. Reconstructed spring rainfall deficiencies and surpluses >=20% compared to the long-term mean in 1819, 1832, 1834, 1865, 1885, and in 1780, 1782, 1821, 1853, 1910, respectively, are also documented by local historical records. Furthermore, a comparison is made with an independent climate reconstruction based on historical weather indices valid for the northern side of the Swiss Alps. A fairly good agreement is found between both spring rainfall reconstructions at low frequency intervals during 1755-1862 and 1919-1981. This preliminary study shows that tree-rings can be used to reconstruct spring rainfall variability for inner Alpine dry valleys.

Clumps in the F Ring

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-12

Scientists have only a rough idea of the lifetime of clumps in Saturn's rings - a mystery that Cassini may help answer. The latest images taken by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft show clumps seemingly embedded within Saturn's narrow, outermost F ring. The narrow angle camera took the images on Feb. 23, 2004, from a distance of 62.9 million kilometers (39 million miles). The two images taken nearly two hours apart show these clumps as they revolve about the planet. The small dot at center right in the second image is one of Saturn's small moons, Janus, which is 181 kilometers, (112 miles) across. Like all particles in Saturn's ring system, these clump features orbit the planet in the same direction in which the planet rotates. This direction is clockwise as seen from Cassini's southern vantage point below the ring plane. Two clumps in particular, one of them extended, is visible in the upper part of the F ring in the image on the left, and in the lower part of the ring in the image on the right. Other knot-like irregularities in the ring's brightness are visible in the image on the right. The core of the F ring is about 50 kilometers (31miles) wide, and from Cassini's current distance, is not fully visible. The imaging team enhanced the contrast of the images and magnified them to aid visibility of the F ring and the clump features. The camera took the images with the green filter, which is centered at 568 nanometers. The image scale is 377 kilometers (234 miles) per pixel. NASA's two Voyager spacecraft that flew past Saturn in 1980 and 1981 were the first to see these clumps. The Voyager data suggest that the clumps change very little and can be tracked as they orbit for 30 days or more. No clump survived from the time of the first Voyager flyby to the Voyager 2 flyby nine months later. Scientists are not certain of the cause of these features. Among the theories proposed are meteoroid bombardments and inter-particle collisions in the F ring. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA05382

A simulation of the global ocean circulation with resolved eddies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semtner, Albert J.; Chervin, Robert M.

1988-12-01

A multilevel primitive-equation model has been constructed for the purpose of simulating ocean circulation on modern supercomputing architectures. The model is designed to take advantage of faster clock speeds, increased numbers of processors, and enlarged memories of machines expected to be available over the next decade. The model allows global eddy-resolving simulations to be conducted in support of the World Ocean Circulation Experiment. Furthermore, global ocean modeling is essential for proper representation of the full range of oceanic and climatic phenomena. The first such global eddy-resolving ocean calculation is reported here. A 20-year integration of a global ocean model with ½° grid spacing and 20 vertical levels has been carried out with realistic geometry and annual mean wind forcing. The temperature and salinity are constrained to Levitus gridded data above 25-m depth and below 710-m depth (on time scales of 1 month and 3 years, respectively), but the values in the main thermocline are unconstrained for the last decade of the calculation. The final years of the simulation allow the spontaneous formation of waves and eddies through the use of scale-selective viscosity and diffusion. A quasi-equilibrium state shows many realistic features of ocean circulation, including unstable separating western boundary currents, the known anomalous northward heat transport in the South Atlantic, and a global compensation for the abyssal spread of North Atlantic Deep Water via a long chain of thermocline mass transport from the tropical Pacific, through the Indonesian archipelago, across the Indian Ocean, and around the southern tip of Africa. This chain of thermocline transport is perhaps the most striking result from the model, and eddies and waves are evident along the entire 20,000-km path of the flow. The modeled Gulf Stream separates somewhat north of Cape Hatteras, produces warm- and cold-core rings, and maintains its integrity as a meadering thermal front as far east as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The Florida Current near the Yucatan peninsula sheds warm-core rings into the Gulf of Mexico. The East Australia Current produces warm rings which travel southward where the main current turns eastward. The Kuroshio and Oyashio currents are modeled as separate and distinct, each capable of producing warm and cold rings, but neither of them being distinguishable more than 1500 km offshore. A number of frontal regions in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current also exhibit spontaneous variability. Some specific areas of vigorous eddy activity have been identified in the South Atlantic by examining regional enlargements of the southwest Atlantic and of the southeast Atlantic over a simulated span of 225 days, using color raster animations of the volume transport stream function and of the temperature at 160-m depth. The Agulhas Current spawns mainly warm-core rings which enter the large-scale gyre circulation of the South Atlantic after rounding the tip of Africa and moving to the northwest. The Drake Passage has two thermal fronts, the northern of which is strongly unstable and generates ring pairs at about a 140-day period, whose net effect is to transport heat poleward. The confluence of the Brazil Current and the Malvinas (Falkland) Current forces each to turn abruptly eastward and exhibit ring formation near the continental shelf break, with unstable meandering farther downstream. It appears that each separated jet has a distinct core for generating unstable waves with periods of roughly 60 days. More quantitative results on global dynamics will be forthcoming as seasonally forced simulations, including ones with ⅓° × ⅖° grid spacing, are obtained and as the simulated variability and eddy transports are analyzed in a systematic fashion.

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.

Saturn ring spokes: an overview of their near-infrared spectral properties from Cassini/VIMS data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Aversa, E.; Bellucci, G.; Nicholson, P. D.; Brown, R. H.; Altieri, F.; Carrozzo, F. G.

2013-09-01

The B ring of Saturn is known to periodically host weak elongated features called spokes. They have been clearly detected by the Voyagers, by the Hubble Space Telescope and by Cassini instruments ISS and VIMS. These observations were conducted during three different Saturn equinoxes in 1980, 1995, and 2009 respectively, bringing to the current view of the spoke's physical nature: thin clouds of fine electrically-charged grains levitating over the larger ring boulders. In respect to the previous available datasets, the VIMS one has widened our view of spokes outside the visible spectral range for the first time (longward of 1 micron). On the other hand, the VIMS spatial resolution is often comparable with the typical sizes of spokes, and considerable image processing is needed in order to enhance the spoke images and for the spectra extraction. Here we will report about advances in the spoke spectral analysis with VIMS data and will discuss the possible physical interpretations under the assumption of low spoke optical thickness.

Slowing down of ring polymer diffusion caused by inter-ring threading.

PubMed

Lee, Eunsang; Kim, Soree; Jung, YounJoon

2015-06-01

Diffusion of long ring polymers in a melt is much slower than the reorganization of their internal structures. While direct evidence for entanglements has not been observed in the long ring polymers unlike linear polymer melts, threading between the rings is suspected to be the main reason for slowing down of ring polymer diffusion. It is, however, difficult to define the threading configuration between two rings because the rings have no chain end. In this work, evidence for threading dynamics of ring polymers is presented by using molecular dynamics simulation and applying a novel analysis method. The simulation results are analyzed in terms of the statistics of persistence and exchange times that have proved useful in studying heterogeneous dynamics of glassy systems. It is found that the threading time of ring polymer melts increases more rapidly with the degree of polymerization than that of linear polymer melts. This indicates that threaded ring polymers cannot diffuse until an unthreading event occurs, which results in the slowing down of ring polymer diffusion. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Dissecting the space-time structure of tree-ring datasets using the partial triadic analysis.

PubMed

Rossi, Jean-Pierre; Nardin, Maxime; Godefroid, Martin; Ruiz-Diaz, Manuela; Sergent, Anne-Sophie; Martinez-Meier, Alejandro; Pâques, Luc; Rozenberg, Philippe

2014-01-01

Tree-ring datasets are used in a variety of circumstances, including archeology, climatology, forest ecology, and wood technology. These data are based on microdensity profiles and consist of a set of tree-ring descriptors, such as ring width or early/latewood density, measured for a set of individual trees. Because successive rings correspond to successive years, the resulting dataset is a ring variables × trees × time datacube. Multivariate statistical analyses, such as principal component analysis, have been widely used for extracting worthwhile information from ring datasets, but they typically address two-way matrices, such as ring variables × trees or ring variables × time. Here, we explore the potential of the partial triadic analysis (PTA), a multivariate method dedicated to the analysis of three-way datasets, to apprehend the space-time structure of tree-ring datasets. We analyzed a set of 11 tree-ring descriptors measured in 149 georeferenced individuals of European larch (Larix decidua Miller) during the period of 1967-2007. The processing of densitometry profiles led to a set of ring descriptors for each tree and for each year from 1967-2007. The resulting three-way data table was subjected to two distinct analyses in order to explore i) the temporal evolution of spatial structures and ii) the spatial structure of temporal dynamics. We report the presence of a spatial structure common to the different years, highlighting the inter-individual variability of the ring descriptors at the stand scale. We found a temporal trajectory common to the trees that could be separated into a high and low frequency signal, corresponding to inter-annual variations possibly related to defoliation events and a long-term trend possibly related to climate change. We conclude that PTA is a powerful tool to unravel and hierarchize the different sources of variation within tree-ring datasets.

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.

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.

Probability Density Functions of the Solar Wind Driver of the Magnetopshere-Ionosphere System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horton, W.; Mays, M. L.

2007-12-01

The solar-wind driven magnetosphere-ionosphere system is a complex dynamical system in that it exhibits (1) sensitivity to initial conditions; (2) multiple space-time scales; (3) bifurcation sequences with hysteresis in transitions between attractors; and (4) noncompositionality. This system is modeled by WINDMI--a network of eight coupled ordinary differential equations which describe the transfer of power from the solar wind through the geomagnetic tail, the ionosphere, and ring current in the system. The model captures both storm activity from the plasma ring current energy, which yields a model Dst index result, and substorm activity from the region 1 field aligned current, yielding model AL and AU results. The input to the model is the solar wind driving voltage calculated from ACE solar wind parameter data, which has a regular coherent component and broad-band turbulent component. Cross correlation functions of the input-output data time series are computed and the conditional probability density function for the occurrence of substorms given earlier IMF conditions are derived. The model shows a high probability of substorms for solar activity that contains a coherent, rotating IMF with magnetic cloud features. For a theoretical model of the imprint of solar convection on the solar wind we have used the Lorenz attractor (Horton et al., PoP, 1999, doi:10.10631.873683) as a solar wind driver. The work is supported by NSF grant ATM-0638480.

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.

Distribution and mixing of old and new nonstructural carbon in two temperate trees.

PubMed

Richardson, Andrew D; Carbone, Mariah S; Huggett, Brett A; Furze, Morgan E; Czimczik, Claudia I; Walker, Jennifer C; Xu, Xiaomei; Schaberg, Paul G; Murakami, Paula

2015-04-01

We know surprisingly little about whole-tree nonstructural carbon (NSC; primarily sugars and starch) budgets. Even less well understood is the mixing between recent photosynthetic assimilates (new NSC) and previously stored reserves. And, NSC turnover times are poorly constrained. We characterized the distribution of NSC in the stemwood, branches, and roots of two temperate trees, and we used the continuous label offered by the radiocarbon (carbon-14, (14) C) bomb spike to estimate the mean age of NSC in different tissues. NSC in branches and the outermost stemwood growth rings had the (14) C signature of the current growing season. However, NSC in older aboveground and belowground tissues was enriched in (14) C, indicating that it was produced from older assimilates. Radial patterns of (14) C in stemwood NSC showed strong mixing of NSC across the youngest growth rings, with limited 'mixing in' of younger NSC to older rings. Sugars in the outermost five growth rings, accounting for two-thirds of the stemwood pool, had a mean age < 1 yr, whereas sugars in older growth rings had a mean age > 5 yr. Our results are thus consistent with a previously-hypothesized two-pool ('fast' and 'slow' cycling NSC) model structure. These pools appear to be physically distinct. © 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

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.

A Preliminary Evaluation of Near-Transducer Velocities Collected with Low-Blank Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gartner, J.W.; Ganju, N.K.; ,

2002-01-01

Many streams and rivers for which the US Geological Survey must provide discharge measurements are too shallow to apply existing acoustic Doppler current profiler techniques for flow measurements of satisfactory quality. Because the same transducer is used for both transmitting and receiving acoustic signals in most Doppler current profilers, some small time delay is required for acoustic "ringing" to be damped out of transducers before meaningful measurements can be made. The result of that time delay is that velocity measurements cannot be made close to the transducer thus limiting the usefulness of these instruments in shallow regions. Manufacturers and users are constantly striving for improvements to acoustic instruments which would permit useful discharge measurements in shallow rivers and streams that are still often measured with techniques and instruments more than a century old. One promising area of advance appeared to be reduction of time delay (blank) required between transmitting and receiving signals during acoustic velocity measurements. Development of a low- or zero-blank transducer by RD Instruments3 held promise that velocity measurements could be made much closer to the transducer and thus in much shallower water. Initial experience indicates that this is not the case; limitation of measurement quality appears to be related to the physical presence of the transducer itself within the flow field. The limitation may be the result of changes to water flow pattern close to the transducer rather than transducer ringing characteristics as a function of blanking distance. Results of field experiments are discussed that support this conclusion and some minimum measurement distances from transducer are suggested based on water current speed and ADCP sample modes.

Our Magnetic Universe: The Nature of High Polarization Prompt Gamma Ray Bursts and the Origin of Dark Energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greyber, Howard D.

2011-01-01

The author's "Strong” Magnetic Field model (SMF), created in 1961, is an approach identical to that urged for study by Zel'dovich in 1983. SMF is described in my 2005 paper, published in the CD of the Proceedings of the 22nd Texas Relativistic Astrophysics Symposium (also existing in Astro-ph0509223). A first order phase transition called the Spinodal Decomposition Instability causes a rapid exponential growth of the fluctuations at Combination Time. One of several important results from SMF is the very early generation, soon after Combination Time, of an intense, relativistic stable "storage current loop” in most active galaxies and quasars that was formed by gravitational collapse of the huge pre-galactic plasma cloud in the presence of the primordial magnetic field. This suggests that gamma ray bursts (GRB) are created, similar to what happens on Earth at an accelerator, by a beam on target (BOT) process. A dense target, like a white dwarf, neutron star, planet, et al, crossing the beam, causes the optical transient or "fireball” that is observed at the site of a gamma ray burst (GRB). The extremely powerful "storage current ring", or loop current, heats the target into a plasma blob. The plasma blob is accelerated, exits the current ring, passing through the enormous ordered magnetic field around the current loop, thus inducing the polarization that has been observed. An Appendix explains the Origin of Dark Energy according to the SMF model, which, uniquely, derives the Origin of Magnetic Fields occurring at Combination Time, (NOT far later when galaxies form, as believed by most astrophysicists for over eight decades), and also uses a comment by Albert Einstein. That result produces the unique Supercluster Topology where almost all the mass is on a shell surrounding an extremely high vacuum, explaining the current Accelerating Expansion observed in our universe.

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.

Enumeration method for tree-like chemical compounds with benzene rings and naphthalene rings by breadth-first search order.

PubMed

Jindalertudomdee, Jira; Hayashida, Morihiro; Zhao, Yang; Akutsu, Tatsuya

2016-03-01

Drug discovery and design are important research fields in bioinformatics. Enumeration of chemical compounds is essential not only for the purpose, but also for analysis of chemical space and structure elucidation. In our previous study, we developed enumeration methods BfsSimEnum and BfsMulEnum for tree-like chemical compounds using a tree-structure to represent a chemical compound, which is limited to acyclic chemical compounds only. In this paper, we extend the methods, and develop BfsBenNaphEnum that can enumerate tree-like chemical compounds containing benzene rings and naphthalene rings, which include benzene isomers and naphthalene isomers such as ortho, meta, and para, by treating a benzene ring as an atom with valence six, instead of a ring of six carbon atoms, and treating a naphthalene ring as two benzene rings having a special bond. We compare our method with MOLGEN 5.0, which is a well-known general purpose structure generator, to enumerate chemical structures from a set of chemical formulas in terms of the number of enumerated structures and the computational time. The result suggests that our proposed method can reduce the computational time efficiently. We propose the enumeration method BfsBenNaphEnum for tree-like chemical compounds containing benzene rings and naphthalene rings as cyclic structures. BfsBenNaphEnum was from 50 times to 5,000,000 times faster than MOLGEN 5.0 for instances with 8 to 14 carbon atoms in our experiments.

Self-Consistent Model of Magnetospheric Electric Field, Ring Current, Plasmasphere, and Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves: Initial Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gamayunov, K. V.; Khazanov, G. V.; Liemohn, M. W.; Fok, M.-C.; Ridley, A. J.

2009-01-01

Further development of our self-consistent model of interacting ring current (RC) ions and electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves is presented. This model incorporates large scale magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling and treats self-consistently not only EMIC waves and RC ions, but also the magnetospheric electric field, RC, and plasmasphere. Initial simulations indicate that the region beyond geostationary orbit should be included in the simulation of the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. Additionally, a self-consistent description, based on first principles, of the ionospheric conductance is required. These initial simulations further show that in order to model the EMIC wave distribution and wave spectral properties accurately, the plasmasphere should also be simulated self-consistently, since its fine structure requires as much care as that of the RC. Finally, an effect of the finite time needed to reestablish a new potential pattern throughout the ionosphere and to communicate between the ionosphere and the equatorial magnetosphere cannot be ignored.

Precision Navigation of Cassini Images Using Rings, Icy Satellites, and Fuzzy Bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

French, Robert S.; Showalter, Mark R.; Gordon, Mitchell K.

2016-10-01

Before images from the Cassini spacecraft can be analyzed, errors in the published pointing information (up to ~110 pixels for the Imaging Science Subsystem Narrow Angle Camera) must be corrected so that the line of sight vector for each pixel is known. This complicated and labor-intensive process involves matching the image contents with known features such as stars, rings, or moons. Metadata, such as lighting geometry or ring radius and longitude, must be computed for each pixel as well. Both steps require mastering the SPICE toolkit, a highly capable piece of software with a steep learning curve. Only after these steps are completed can the actual scientific investigation begin.We have embarked on a three-year project to perform these steps for all 400,000+ Cassini ISS images as well as images taken by the VIMS, UVIS, and CIRS instruments. The result will be a series of SPICE kernels that include accurate pointing information and a series of backplanes that include precomputed metadata for each pixel. All data will be made public through the PDS Ring-Moon Systems Node (http://www.pds-rings.seti.org). We expect this project to dramatically decrease the time required for scientists to analyze Cassini data.In a previous poster (French et al. 2014, DPS #46, 422.01) we discussed our progress navigating images using stars, simple ring models, and well-defined icy bodies. In this poster we will report on our current progress including the use of more sophisticated ring models, navigation of "fuzzy" bodies such as Titan and Saturn, and use of crater matching on high-resolution images of the icy satellites.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Saturn's E Ring in Ultraviolet Light

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Visible from Earth only at times of ring plane crossing, Saturn's tenuous E Ring was discovered during the 1966 crossings and imaged again in 1980. From these observations, its color is known to be distinctively blue. The E Ring was captured in ultraviolet light for the first time in this image taken with HST's Wide Field and Planetary Camera on 9 August 1995. Five individual images taken with a broadband 3000 A filter were combined, amounting to a total exposure time of 2200 sec. Shorter exposure images were also obtained with blue, red and infrared filters in order to characterize the ring's color. The peak brightness of the E Ring occurs at 3.9 Saturn radii (235,000 km), coinciding with the orbit of Enceladus. In the HST images it can be traced out to a maximum distance of approximately 8 Rs (480,000 km). The vertical thickness of the ring, on the other hand, is smallest at Enceladus' orbit, with the ring puffing up noticeably at larger distances to 15,000 km or more thick. Also visible in this image, between the E Ring and the overexposed outermost part of the main rings near the lower edge of the frame, is the tenuous, thin, 6000 km-wide G Ring at 2.8 Rs (170,000 km). This is among the first earth-based observations of the G Ring, which was discovered by the Pioneer 11 spacecraft in 1979. Noticeably thinner than the E Ring and more neutral in color, the G Ring is thought to be composed of larger, macroscopic particles, and to pose a significant hazard to spacecraft. The faint diagonal band in the lower right part of the image is due to diffracted light from the heavily-overexposed planet. Credit: Phil Nicholson (Cornell University), Mark Showalter (NASA-Ames/Stanford) and NASA

Auroral field-aligned current observations during the Cassini F-ring and Proximal orbits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2017-12-01

Cassini's F-ring and Proximal orbits have provided a fantastic opportunity to examine Saturn's magnetic field closer to the planet than ever before. It is critical to understand external contributions to the azimuthal field component, as it can provide information on any asymmetry of the internal field. However, signatures of the auroral field-aligned currents are also present in this field component. Here we will identify and discuss these current signatures in the dawn and dusk sections in the northern and southern hemispheres, respectively. Previous results from observations during 2008 showed that in southern hemisphere these currents were strongly modulated by the southern planetary period oscillation (PPO) system. While the northern hemisphere data was modulated by both northern and southern PPOs, thus giving the first direct evidence of inter-hemispheric PPO currents. In both hemispheres, the PPO currents that give rise to the 10.7 h magnetic field oscillations observed throughout Saturn's magnetosphere, were separated from the PPO-independent (e.g. subcorotation) currents. These results provide a framework to which the Grand Finale orbits can be examined within. Here, we will assess how the field-aligned currents have evolved in comparison to the 2008 dataset. We will show that for the most part the observed field-aligned currents agree with the theoretical expectations. However, we will discuss the differences in terms of the PPO modulation, seasonal, and local time changes between the two datasets. Finally, we will discuss the implications of the azimuthal magnetic field contributions of these field-aligned currents on the data from the Proximal orbits.

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.

Nitrogen Rings and Cages Stabilized by Metallic Atoms

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-18

1 UNIVERSIDAD DE GUANAJUATO DEPARTAMENTO DE QUIMICA DIVISION DE CIENCIAS NATURALES Y EXACTAS Dr. Gabriel Merino NORIA ALTA s/n...this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data...collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. 1 . REPORT

Engineering photonic and plasmonic light emission enhancement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawrence, Nathaniel

Semiconductor photonic devices are a rapidly maturing technology which currently occupy multi-billion dollar markets in the areas of LED lighting and optical data communication. LEDs currently demonstrate the highest luminous efficiency of any light source for general lighting. Long-haul optical data communication currently forms the backbone of the global communication network. Proper design of light management is required for photonic devices, which can increase the overall efficiency or add new device functionality. In this thesis, novel methods for the control of light propagation and confinement are developed for the use in integrated photonic devices. The first part of this work focuses on the engineering of field confinement within deep subwavelength plasmonic resonators for the enhancement of light-matter interaction. In this section, plasmonic ring nanocavities are shown to form gap plasmon modes confined to the dielectric region between two metal layers. The scattering properties, near-field enhancement and photonic density of states of nanocavity devices are studied using analytic theory and 3D finite difference time domain simulations. Plasmonic ring nanocavities are fabricated and characterized using photoluminescence intensity and decay rate measurements. A 25 times increase in the radiative decay rate of Er:Si02 is demonstrated in nanocavities where light is confined to volumes as small as 0.01( ln )3. The potential to achieve lasing, due to the enhancement of stimulated emission rate in ring nanocavities, is studied as a route to Si-compatible plasmon-enhanced nanolasers. The second part of this work focuses on the manipulation of light generated in planar semiconductor devices using arrays of dielectric nanopillars. In particular, aperiodic arrays of nanopillars are engineered for omnidirectional light extraction enhancement. Arrays of Er:SiNx, nanopillars are fabricated and a ten times increase in light extraction is experimentally demonstrated, while simultaneously controlling far-field radiation patterns in ways not possible with periodic arrays. Additionally, analytical scalar diffraction theory is used to study light propagation from Vogel spiral arrays and demonstrate generation of OAM. Using phase shifting interferometry, the presence of OAM is experimentally verified. The use of Vogel spirals presents a new method for the generation of OAM with applications for secure optical communications.

Evidence of solar activity and El Niño signals in tree rings of Araucaria araucana and A. angustifolia in South America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perone, A.; Lombardi, F.; Marchetti, M.; Tognetti, R.; Lasserre, B.

2016-10-01

Tree rings reveal climatic variations through years, but also the effect of solar activity in influencing the climate on a large scale. In order to investigate the role of solar cycles on climatic variability and to analyse their influences on tree growth, we focused on tree-ring chronologies of Araucaria angustifolia and Araucaria araucana in four study areas: Irati and Curitiba in Brazil, Caviahue in Chile, and Tolhuaca in Argentina. We obtained an average tree-ring chronology of 218, 117, 439, and 849 years for these areas, respectively. Particularly, the older chronologies also included the period of the Maunder and Dalton minima. To identify periodicities and trends observable in tree growth, the time series were analysed using spectral, wavelet and cross-wavelet techniques. Analysis based on the Multitaper method of annual growth rates identified 2 cycles with periodicities of 11 (Schwebe cycle) and 5.5 years (second harmonic of Schwebe cycle). In the Chilean and Argentinian sites, significant agreement between the time series of tree rings and the 11-year solar cycle was found during the periods of maximum solar activity. Results also showed oscillation with periods of 2-7 years, probably induced by local environmental variations, and possibly also related to the El-Niño events. Moreover, the Morlet complex wavelet analysis was applied to study the most relevant variability factors affecting tree-ring time series. Finally, we applied the cross-wavelet spectral analysis to evaluate the time lags between tree-ring and sunspot-number time series, as well as for the interaction between tree rings, the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) and temperature and precipitation. Trees sampled in Chile and Argentina showed more evident responses of fluctuations in tree-ring time series to the variations of short and long periodicities in comparison with the Brazilian ones. These results provided new evidence on the solar activity-climate pattern-tree ring connections over centuries.

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

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

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

Solar and Climate Variation Relationships Analyzed from Chile Tree Ring Width Time Series (1587 - 1994 A.D.)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rigozo, Nr; Nordemann, Djr; Faria, Hh; Echer, E.; Vieira, Lea; Prestes, A.

This work presents a study of the relations between solar and climate variations during the last four centuries by spectral analysis of tree ring index and sunspot number time series. Trees used for this study were Pilgerodendron cupressoides from Glaciar Pio XI, in Chile. The spectral analysis of tree ring index shows that 11, 22 and 80 year periodicities of the solar cycle were present in this tree ring data with 0.95 confidence level. This result suggests a solar modulation of climate variations, as recorded by the tree ring growth. Short-term variations, between 2 - 7 years, are also present in tree ring data. Therefore spectral analysis clearly shows that both, solar and climate factors, are recorded in the tree ring data.

Innovative real-time and non-destructive method of beam profile measurement under large beam current irradiation for BNCT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takada, M.; Kamada, S.; Suda, M.; Fujii, R.; Nakamura, M.; Hoshi, M.; Sato, H.; Endo, S.; Hamano, T.; Arai, S.; Higashimata, A.

2012-10-01

We developed a real-time and non-destructive method of beam profile measurement on a target under large beam current irradiation, and without any complex radiation detectors or electrical circuits. We measured the beam profiles on a target by observing the target temperature using an infrared-radiation thermometer camera. The target temperatures were increased and decreased quickly by starting and stopping the beam irradiation within 1 s in response speed. Our method could trace beam movements rapidly. The beam size and position were calibrated by measuring O-ring heat on the target. Our method has the potential to measure beam profiles at beam current over 1 mA for proton and deuteron with the energy around 3 MeV and allows accelerator operators to adjust the beam location during beam irradiation experiments without decreasing the beam current.

Vortex Ring Dynamics in Radially Confined Domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, Kelley; Niebel, Casandra; Jung, Sunghwan; Vlachos, Pavlos

2010-11-01

Vortex ring dynamics have been studied extensively in semi-infinite quiescent volumes. However, very little is known about vortex-ring formation in wall-bounded domains where vortex wall interaction will affect both the vortex ring pinch-off and propagation velocity. This study addresses this limitation and studies vortex formation in radially confined domains to analyze the affect of vortex-ring wall interaction on the formation and propagation of the vortex ring. Vortex rings were produced using a pneumatically driven piston cylinder arrangement and were ejected into a long cylindrical tube which defined the confined downstream domain. A range of confinement domains were studied with varying confinement diameters Velocity field measurements were performed using planar Time Resolved Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (TRDPIV) and were processed using an in-house developed cross-correlation PIV algorithm. The experimental analysis was used to facilitate the development of a theoretical model to predict the variations in vortex ring circulation over time within confined domains.

Particles Co-orbital to Janus and to Epimetheus: A Firefly Planetary Ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winter, Othon C.; Souza, Alexandre P. S.; Sfair, Rafael; Giuliatti Winter, Silvia M.; Mourão, Daniela C.; Foryta, Dietmar W.

2018-01-01

The Cassini spacecraft found a new and unique ring that shares the trajectory of Janus and Epimetheus, co-orbital satellites of Saturn. Performing image analysis, we found this to be a continuous ring. Its width is between 30% and 50% larger than previously announced. We also verified that the ring behaves like a firefly. It can only be seen from time to time, when Cassini, the ring, and the Sun are arranged in a particular geometric configuration, in very high phase angles. Otherwise, it remains “in the dark,” invisible to Cassini’s cameras. Through numerical simulations, we found a very short lifetime for the ring particles, less than a couple of decades. Consequently, the ring needs to be constantly replenished. Using a model of particle production due to micrometeorites impacts on the surfaces of Janus and Epimetheus, we reproduce the ring, explaining its existence and the “firefly” behavior.

The electrons and ion characteristics of Saturn's plasma disk inside the Enceladus orbit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morooka, Michiko; Wahlund, Jan-Erik; Ye, Sheng-Yi; Kurth, William; Persoon, Ann; Holmberg, Mika

2017-04-01

Cassini observations revealed that Saturn's icy moon Enceladus and surrounding E ring are the significant plasma source of the magnetosphere. However, the observations sometimes show the electron density enhancement even inside the Enceladus orbiting distance, 4RS. Further plasma contribution from the inner rings, the G and the F rings and main A ring are the natural candidate as an additional plasma source. The Cassini/RPWS Langmuir Probe (LP) measurement provides the characteristics of the electrons and ions independently in a cold dense plasma. The observations near the center of the E ring showed that the ion density being larger than the electron density, indicating that there is additional particle as a negative charge carrier. Those are the small nm and μm sized dust grains that are negatively charged by the electron attachments. The faint F and G rings, located at R=2RS and 3RS, consist of small grains and similar electron/ion density discrepancies can be expected. We will show different types of the LP observations when Cassini traveled the equator region of the plasma disk down to 3RS. One with the electron density increasing inside 4RS, and another with the electron density decreasing inside 4RS. During the orbit 016 (2005 doy-284/285), the electron density continued to increase toward the planet. On the other hand, the ion currents, the LP measured currents from the negative bias voltage, turn to decreasing inside 4RS, implying the density decrease of the ions. By comparing the observed LP ion current characteristics and the modeled values using the obtained electron density, we found that the characteristic ion mass can be several times larger than the water ions (AMU=18) that we expected in this region. During the orbit 015 (2005 doy-266/267), on the other hand, the LP observed sharp electron density drop near 3RS. The dust signals from the RPWS antenna showed the density enhancement of the μm sized grains coincide the electron density drop and we have estimated that the characteristic ion mass can exceed AMU=100. Throughout the whole Cassini observation near the equator inside 4RS, we didn't find the case with the ion densities larger than the electron densities as were found near the E ring and the Enceladus plume. We suggest that Saturn's plasmadisk inside the Enceladus orbit is dynamic in ion characteristics where the water molecules coagulate and grow into a small icy dust grains. In the presentation we discuss the relationship between the electron/ion density and the density of the nm and μm sized grains.

Continuous measurement of an atomic current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laflamme, C.; Yang, D.; Zoller, P.

2017-04-01

We are interested in dynamics of quantum many-body systems under continuous observation, and its physical realizations involving cold atoms in lattices. In the present work we focus on continuous measurement of atomic currents in lattice models, including the Hubbard model. We describe a Cavity QED setup, where measurement of a homodyne current provides a faithful representation of the atomic current as a function of time. We employ the quantum optical description in terms of a diffusive stochastic Schrödinger equation to follow the time evolution of the atomic system conditional to observing a given homodyne current trajectory, thus accounting for the competition between the Hamiltonian evolution and measurement back action. As an illustration, we discuss minimal models of atomic dynamics and continuous current measurement on rings with synthetic gauge fields, involving both real space and synthetic dimension lattices (represented by internal atomic states). Finally, by "not reading" the current measurements the time evolution of the atomic system is governed by a master equation, where—depending on the microscopic details of our CQED setups—we effectively engineer a current coupling of our system to a quantum reservoir. This provides interesting scenarios of dissipative dynamics generating "dark" pure quantum many-body states.

Robust gap repair in the contractile ring ensures timely completion of cytokinesis

PubMed Central

Maiato, Helder; Pinto, Inês Mendes; Rubinstein, Boris

2016-01-01

Cytokinesis in animal cells requires the constriction of an actomyosin contractile ring, whose architecture and mechanism remain poorly understood. We use laser microsurgery to explore the biophysical properties of constricting rings in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. Laser cutting causes rings to snap open. However, instead of disintegrating, ring topology recovers and constriction proceeds. In response to severing, a finite gap forms and is repaired by recruitment of new material in an actin polymerization–dependent manner. An open ring is able to constrict, and rings repair from successive cuts. After gap repair, an increase in constriction velocity allows cytokinesis to complete at the same time as controls. Our analysis demonstrates that tension in the ring increases while net cortical tension at the site of ingression decreases throughout constriction and suggests that cytokinesis is accomplished by contractile modules that assemble and contract autonomously, enabling local repair of the actomyosin network. Consequently, cytokinesis is a highly robust process impervious to discontinuities in contractile ring structure. PMID:27974482

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.

Vortex formation in magnetic narrow rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bland, J. A. C.

2002-03-01

Underlying the current interest in magnetic elements is the possibility such systems provide both for the study of fundamental phenomena in magnetism (such as domain wall trapping and spin switching) and for technological applications, such as high density magnetic storage or magnetic random access memories (MRAM). One key issue is to control the magnetic switching precisely. To achieve this one needs first to have a well defined and reproducible remanent state, and second the switching process itself must be simple and reproducible. Among the many studied geometries, rings are shown to exhibit several advantages over other geometries, in that they show relatively simple stable magnetic states at remanence, with fast and simple magnetisation switching mechanisms. This is borne out of our systematic investigation of the magnetic properties of epitaxial and polycrystalline Co rings, where both the static, dynamic and transport properties have been studied. Magnetic measurements and micromagnetic simulations show that for appropriate ring structures a two step switching process occurs at high fields, indicating the existence of two different stable states. In addition to the vortex state, which occurs at intermediate fields, we have identified a new bi-domain state, which we term the `onion state', corresponding to opposite circulation of the magnetisation in each half of the ring. The magnetic elements were fabricated using a new technique based on the pre-patterning of Si ring structures and subsequent epitaxial growth of Cu/Co/Cu sandwich films on top of the Si elements. This technique has allowed the growth of epitaxial fcc Co(001) structures and in contrast to conventional lithographic methods, no damage to the magnetic layer structure is introduced by the patterning process [1,2]. We have studied the magnetic switching properties of arrays of narrow Co(100) epitaxial ring magnets, with outer diameters between 1 μm and 2 μm, varying inner diameters and varying film thickness, using magneto-optic Kerr effect (MOKE) magnetometry. The data indicates that the outer diameter of the ring only plays a minor role in determining the value of the switching field. As a general trend, the switching field decreases with increasing ring width and with decreasing film thickness. In particular, the dependence of the switching field on ring width becomes more pronounced for smaller ring widths. This stems from the fact that the vortex state becomes more stable for the narrower rings due to the exchange energy contribution to the barrier for reversal to the onion state. Thicker films also favour the vortex state over the onion state, since the magnetostatic energy associated with the latter state increases with film thickness [3]. Using micromagnetic simulations we show also that the magnetisation reversal in narrow rings can take place via a nucleation-free domain wall motion process when a field pulse is applied in the plane of the film and perpendicular to the net magnetisation. Switching times of the order of 400 ps can be achieved with this approach. A lower bound for the depinning time of the domain walls and a weak dependence of the domain wall velocity with the applied field are described [4]. The magnetic nanostructure of epitaxial fcc Co/Cu(001) circular elements has been imaged with scanning electron microscopy with polarisation analysis (SEMPA) [5]. The elements vary from disks to rings according to the dimensions of the inner diameter of the ring structure and have a nominal composition 4 nm Au/2 nm Cu/34 nm Co/100 nm Cu. In this study the outer diameter was fixed at 1.7 μm while the smallest ring width varies in the range 0.3-0.5 μm. A closed flux quadrant configuration is observed for some of the disks, characteristic of systems with cubic anisotropy (i.e., near vortex structure), besides other more complex configurations at remanence. The width of the 90^o domain wall in the disks is around 0.20 ± 0.05 μm. This value is larger than what expected for continuous films and is a result of the constraints imposed by the geometry of the element. The value is in good agreement with micromagnetic calculations. For the rings we observe directly the `onion-state', the closest configuration to saturation that these structures allow [1]. The results prove that this state is stable in zero applied field. The internal structure of the two head-to-head domain walls in the onion state is analysed. Wider rings (ring width w=0.5 μm) present vortex walls, whereas thinner ones (ring width w=0.3 μm) exhibit transverse walls [6]. This is in good agreement with micromagnetic simulations. We have also investigated the magnetic states and the switching properties of magnetic rings using magneto-resistance (MR) measurements. We chose narrow rings, where particularly simple magnetic states are expected. Some of the rings have notches of different sizes that help to pin, and thereby define, the positions of domain walls. The rings were fabricated using a multi-stage lift-off process, where six non-magnetic contacts in different positions of the ring were made. The rings consist of polycrystalline Co or Ni_80Fe_20 3-30 nm thick capped with 6 nm Au, with outer ring diameter 1.4 μm, ring width 80 nm, and notches of different sizes. Conventional MR-H loop measurements with a fixed magnetic field direction, and measurements with rotating constant field magnitude were performed. In one example of the first type of MR measurements, the direction of the field and the contacts were chosen so that at saturation the magnetization is perpendicular to the current. As expected, at saturation the resistance is low whereas at remanence it is high. There is a clear two-step switching process between the `onion' state and the vortex state as expected from previous studies on rings [1]. During the first switching the resistance increases, corresponding to the transition into the vortex state. Since no domain wall is present between the contacts, the magnetization is everywhere parallel to the current, and the resistance is high. After the second switching into the reverse `onion' state a domain wall is now present between the contacts. This means some of the magnetization in the transverse domain wall is perpendicular to the current and hence the resistance decreases. This shows that one can clearly distinguish between the onion and vortex state using MR measurements. In addition, using the field dependent voltage drop between different contacts, the switching field at which each part of the ring reverses can be determined. >From the second type of measurements clear hysteretic behaviour is seen, indicating that there is some domain wall pinning. This demonstrates that the position of the domain walls can be identified by looking at the voltage drop between different contacts. By measuring at different magnitudes of the applied field the pinning strength of the domain walls is determined, and in particular the dependence of the domain wall pinning on the notch size. Furthermore the structure of the domain wall changes for different notch sizes, and hence the contribution of the wall to the resistance changes as well. Real-time measurements between different contacts might allow for domain wall speed measurements and other domain wall propagation studies. References: [1] J. Rothman, M. Kläui, L. Lopez-Diaz, C.A.F. Vaz, A. Bleloch, J.A.C. Bland, Z. Cui, R. Speaks, Phys. Rev. Lett. 86 (2001) 1098. [2] Z. Cui, J. Rothman, M. Kläui, L. Lopez-Diaz, C.A.F. Vaz, J.A.C. Bland, to be published. [3] M. Kläui, L. Lopez-Diaz, J. Rothman, C.A.F. Vaz, J.A.C. Bland, Z. Cui, J. Magn. Magn. Mat., to be published. [4] L. Lopez-Diaz, J. Rothman, M. Kläui, J.A.C. Bland, IEEE Trans. Mag. 36 (2000) 3155. [5] C.A.F. Vaz, L. Lopez-Diaz, M. Kläui, J.A.C. Bland, T.L. Monchesky, J. Unguris, Z. Cui, 46th MMM Conference, Seattle, 2001. [6] R. D. McMichael and M. J. Donahue, IEEE Trans. Mag. 33, 4167-4169 (1997).

Storm time plasma transport in a unified and inter-coupled global magnetosphere model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilie, R.; Liemohn, M. W.; Toth, G.

2014-12-01

We present results from the two-way self-consistent coupling between the kinetic Hot Electron and Ion Drift Integrator (HEIDI) model and the Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF). HEIDI solves the time dependent, gyration and bounced averaged kinetic equation for the phase space density of different ring current species and computes full pitch angle distributions for all local times and radial distances. During geomagnetic times the dipole approximation becomes unsuitable even in the inner magnetosphere. Therefore the HEIDI model was generalized to accommodate an arbitrary magnetic field and through the coupling with SWMF it obtains a magnetic field description throughout the HEIDI domain along with a plasma distribution at the model outer boundary from the Block Adaptive Tree Solar Wind Roe Upwind Scheme (BATS-R-US) magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) model within SWMF. Electric field self-consistency is assured by the passing of convection potentials from the Ridley Ionosphere Model (RIM) within SWMF. In this study we test the various levels of coupling between the 3 physics based models, highlighting the role that the magnetic field, plasma sheet conditions and the cross polar cap potential play in the formation and evolution of the ring current. We show that the dynamically changing geospace environment itself plays a key role in determining the geoeffectiveness of the driver. The results of the self-consistent coupling between HEIDI, BATS-R-US and RIM during disturbed conditions emphasize the importance of a kinetic self-consistent approach to the description of geospace.

Shallow-water gaseohydrothermal plume studies after massive eruption at Panarea, Aeolian Islands, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tudino, T.; Bortoluzzi, G.; Aliani, S.

2014-03-01

Marine water dynamics in the near field of a massive gas eruption near Panarea (Aeolian Islands volcanic arc, SE Tyrrhenian Sea) is described. ADCP current-meters were deployed during the paroxysmal phase in 2002 and 2003 a few meters from the degassing vent, recording day-long time series. Datasets were sorted to remove errors and select good quality ensembles over the entire water column. Standard deviation of error velocity was considered a proxy for inhomogeneous velocity fields over beams. Time series intervals had been selected when the basic ADCP assumptions were fulfilled and random errors minimized. Backscatter data were also processed to identify bubbles in the water column with the aim of locating bubble-free ensembles. Reliable time series are selected combining these data. Two possible scenarios have been described: firstly, a highly dynamic situation with visible surface diverging rings of waves, entrainment on the lower part of the gas column, detrainment in the upper part and a stagnation line (SL) at mid depth where currents were close to zero and most of the gas bubbles spread laterally; secondly, a less dynamic situation with water entraining into the gas plume at all depths and no surface rings of diverging waves. Reasons for these different dynamics may be ascribed to changes in gas fluxes (one order of magnitude higher in 2002). Description of SL is important to quantify its position in the water column and timing for entrainment-detrainment, and it can be measured by ADCP and calculated from models.

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.

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).

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.

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.

Impact of Near-Earth Plasma Sheet Dynamics on the Ring Current Composition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kistler, L. M.; Mouikis, C.; Menz, A.; Spence, H. E.; Mitchell, D. G.; Gkioulidou, M.; Lanzerotti, L. J.; Skoug, R. M.; Larsen, B.; Claudepierre, S. G.; Fennell, J. F.; Blake, J. B.

2014-12-01

How the dynamics in the near-earth plasma sheet affects the heavy ion content, and therefore the ion pressure, of the ring current in Earth's magnetosphere is an outstanding question. Substorms accelerate plasma in the near-earth region and drive outflow from the aurora, and both these processes can preferentially enhance the population of heavy ions in this region. These heavy ions are then driven into the inner magnetosphere during storms. Thus understanding how the composition of the ring current changes requires simultaneous observations in the near-earth plasma sheet and in the inner magnetosphere. We use data from the CODIF instrument on Cluster and HOPE, RBSPICE, and MagEIS instruments on the Van Allen Probes to study the acceleration and transport of ions from the plasma sheet into the ring current. During the main phase of a geomagnetic storm on Aug 4-6, 2013, the Cluster spacecraft were moving inbound in the midnight central plasma sheet, while the apogees of the two Van Allen Probes were located on the duskside. The Cluster spacecraft measure the composition and spectral changes in the plasma sheet, while the Van Allen Probes measure the ions that reach the inner magnetosphere. A strong increase in 1-40 keV O+ was observed at the Cluster location during the storm main phase, and the Van Allen Probes observed both H+ and O+ being driven deep into the inner magnetosphere. By comparing the variations in phase space density (PSD) vs. magnetic moment at the Cluster and the Van Allen Probes locations, we examine how the composition changes non-adiabatically in the near-earth plasma sheet, and how those changes are propagated into the inner magnetosphere, populating the hto ion ring current.

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.

Beam On Target (BOT) Produces Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) Fireballs and Afterglows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greyber, H. D.

1997-12-01

Unlike the myriads of ad hoc models that have been offered to explain GRB, the BOT process is simply the very common process used worldwide in accelerator laboratories to produce gamma rays. The Strong Magnetic Field (SMF) model postulates an extremely intense, highly relativistic current ring formed during the original gravitational collapse of a distant galaxy when the plasma cloud was permeated by a primordial magnetic field. GRB occur when solid matter (asteroid, white dwarf, neutron star, planet) falls rapidly through the Storage Ring beam producing a very strongly collimated electromagnetic shower, and a huge amount of matter from the target, in the form of a giant, hot, expanding plasma cloud, or ``Fireball,'' is blown off. BOT satisfies all the ``severe constraints imposed on the source of this burst --'' concluded by the CGRO team (Sommer et al, Astrophys. J. 422 L63 (1994)) for the huge intense burst GRB930131, whereas neutron star merger models are ``difficult to reconcile.'' BOT expects the lowest energy gamma photons to arrive very slightly later than higher energy photons due to the time for the shower to penetrate the target. The millisecond spikes in bursts are due to the slender filaments of current that make up the Storage Ring beam. Delayed photons can be explained by a broken target ``rock.'' See H. Greyber in the book ``Compton Gamma Ray Observatory,'' AIP Conf. Proc. 280, 569 (1993).

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.

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.

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.

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

Ten Ghz YBa2Cu3O(7-Delta) Superconducting Ring Resonators on NdGaO3 Substrates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

To, H. Y.; Valco, G. J.; Bhasin, K. B.

1993-01-01

YBa2Cu3O(7-delta) thin films were formed on NdGaO3 substrates by laser ablation. Critical temperatures greater than 89 K and critical current densities exceeding 2 x 10(exp 8) Acm(sub -2) at 77 K were obtained. The microwave performance of films patterned into microstrip ring resonators with gold ground planes was measured. An unloaded quality factor six times larger than that of a gold resonator of identical geometry was achieved. The unloaded quality factor decreased below 70 K for both the superconducting and gold resonators due to increasing dielectric losses in the substrate. The temperature dependence of the loss tangent of NdGaO3 was extracted from the measurements.

Raman non-coincidence effect of boroxol ring: The interplay between repulsion and attraction forces in the glassy, supercooled and liquid state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalampounias, Angelos G.; Papatheodorou, George N.

2018-06-01

Temperature dependent Raman spectra of boric oxide have been measured in a temperature range covering the glassy, supercooled and liquid state. The shift of the isotropic band assigned to boroxol rings relative to the anisotropic component upon heating the glass is measured and attributed to the Raman non-coincidence effect. The measured shift is associated with the competition between attraction and repulsion forces with increasing temperature. The relation of dephasing and orientational relaxation times to the non-coincidence effect of the condensed phases has been examined. We discuss our results in the framework of the current phenomenological status of the field in an attempt to separate the attraction and repulsion contributions corresponding to the observed non-coincidence effect.

Irregular synchronous activity in stochastically-coupled networks of integrate-and-fire neurons.

PubMed

Lin, J K; Pawelzik, K; Ernst, U; Sejnowski, T J

1998-08-01

We investigate the spatial and temporal aspects of firing patterns in a network of integrate-and-fire neurons arranged in a one-dimensional ring topology. The coupling is stochastic and shaped like a Mexican hat with local excitation and lateral inhibition. With perfect precision in the couplings, the attractors of activity in the network occur at every position in the ring. Inhomogeneities in the coupling break the translational invariance of localized attractors and lead to synchronization within highly active as well as weakly active clusters. The interspike interval variability is high, consistent with recent observations of spike time distributions in visual cortex. The robustness of our results is demonstrated with more realistic simulations on a network of McGregor neurons which model conductance changes and after-hyperpolarization potassium currents.

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.

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.

Kinematics and dynamics of vortex rings in a tube

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brasseur, J. G.

1979-01-01

Kinematic theory and flow visualization experiments were combined to examine the dynamic processes which control the evolution of vortex rings from very low to very high Reynolds numbers, and to assess the effects of the wall as a vortex ring travels up a tube. The kinematic relationships among the size, shape, speed, and strength of vortex rings in a tube were computed from the theory. Relatively simple flow visualization measurements were used to calculate the total circulation of a vortex rings at a given time. Using this method, the strength was computated and plotted as a function of time for experimentally produced vortex rings. Reynolds number relationships are established and quantitative differences among the three Reynolds number groups are discussed.

Record of the Solar Activity and of Other Geophysical Phenomenons in Tree Ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rigozo, Nivaor Rodolfo

1999-01-01

Tree ring studies are usually used to determine or verify climatic factors which prevail in a given place or region and may cause tree ring width variations. Few studies are dedicated to the geophysical phenomena which may underlie these tree ring width variations. In order to look for periodicities which may be associated to the solar activity and/or to other geophysical phenomena which may influence tree ring growth, a new interactive image analysis method to measure tree ring width was developed and is presented here. This method makes use of a computer and a high resolution flatbed scanner; a program was also developed in Interactive Data Language (IDL 5.0) to study ring digitized images and transform them into time series. The main advantage of this method is the tree ring image interactive analysis without needing complex and high cost instrumentation. Thirty-nine samples were collected: 12 from Concordia - S. C., 9 from Canela - R. S., 14 from Sao Francisco de Paula - R. S., one from Nova Petropolis - R. S., 2 from Sao Martinho da Serra - R. S. e one from Chile. Fit functions are applied to ring width time series to obtain the best long time range trend (growth rate of every tree) curves and are eliminated through a standardization process that gives the tree ring index time series from which is performed spectral analysis by maximum entropy method and iterative regression. The results obtained show periodicities close to 11 yr, 22 yr Hale solar cycles and 5.5 yr for all sampling locations 52 yr and Gleissberg cycles for Concordia - S. C. and Chile samples. El Nino events were also observed with periods around 4 e 7 yr.

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

Currents and Flows in Distant Magnetospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kivelson, Margaret Galland

2000-01-01

Space scientists have explored, described, and explained the terrestrial magnetosphere for four decades. Rarely do they point out that the planetary and solar wind parameters controlling the size, shape, and activity of Earth's magnetosphere map out only a small portion of the space of dimensionless parameters that govern magnetospheric properties. With the discovery of Ganymede's magnetosphere, the range of parameters relevant to magnetospheric studies has grown by orders of magnitude. Consider the extremes of Ganymede's and Jupiter's magnetospheres. Jupiter's magnetosphere forms within a plasma flowing at super-Alfvenic speed, whereas Ganymede's forms in a sub-Alfvenic flow. The scale sizes of these magnetospheres, characterized by distances to the magnetopause of order 7x10(exp 6) km and 5x10(exp 3) km, respectively, differ by three orders of magnitude, ranging from 100 to 0.1 times the scale of Earth's magnetosphere. The current systems that control the structure and dynamics of a magnetosphere depend on specific plasma and field properties. Magnetopause currents at Ganymede differ greatly from the forms familiar for Earth and Jupiter, principally because the Mach number of the ambient plasma flow greatly influences the shape of the magnetosphere. A magnetodisk current, present at Jupiter because of its rapid rotation, is absent at Earth and Ganymede. The ring current, extensively investigated at Earth, is probably unimportant at Ganymede because the dynamical variations of the external flow are slow. The ring current is subsumed within the magnetodisk current at Jupiter. This paper describes and contrasts aspects of these and other current systems for the three bodies.

Self-Consistent Ring Current Modeling with Propagating Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves in the Presence of Heavy Ions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

2006-01-01

The self-consistent treatment of the RC ion dynamics and EMlC waves, which are thought to exert important influences on the ion dynamical evolution, is an important missing element in our understanding of the storm-and recovery-time ring current evolution. Under certain conditions, relativistic electrons, with energies greater than or equal to 1 MeV, can be removed from the outer radiation belt by EMlC wave scattering during a magnetic storm (Summers and Thorne, 2003; Albert, 2003). That is why the modeling of EMlC waves is critical and timely issue in magnetospheric physics. This study will generalize the self-consistent theoretical description of RC ions and EMlC waves that has been developed by Khazanov et al. [2002, 2003] and include the heavy ions and propagation effects of EMlC waves in the global dynamic of self-consistent RC - EMlC waves coupling. The results of our newly developed model that will be presented at Huntsville 2006 meeting, focusing mainly on the dynamic of EMlC waves and comparison of these results with the previous global RC modeling studies devoted to EMlC waves formation. We also discuss RC ion precipitations and wave induced thermal electron fluxes into the ionosphere.

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.

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.

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

Vortex ring formation at the open end of a shock tube: A particle image velocimetry study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arakeri, J. H.; Das, D.; Krothapalli, A.; Lourenco, L.

2004-04-01

The vortex ring generated subsequent to the diffraction of a shock wave from the open end of a shock tube is studied using particle image velocimetry. We examine the early evolution of the compressible vortex ring for three-exit shock Mach numbers, 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3. For the three cases studied, the ring formation is complete at about tUb/D=2, where t is time, Ub is fluid velocity behind shock as it exits the tube and D is tube diameter. Unlike in the case of piston generated incompressible vortex rings where the piston velocity variation with time is usually trapezoidal, in the shock-generated vortex ring case the exit fluid velocity doubles from its initial value Ub before it slowly decays to zero. At the end of the ring formation, its translation speed is observed to be about 0.7 Ub. During initial formation and propagation, a jet-like flow exists behind the vortex ring. The vortex ring detachment from the tailing jet, commonly referred to as pinch-off, is briefly discussed.

Effects of repeated gas sterilization on closure rates of ameroid ring constrictors in vitro.

PubMed

Kimberlin, William W; Wardlaw, Jennifer L; Madsen, Richard W

2016-01-01

To determine the effect of repeated gas sterilization on rate of closure of ameroid ring constrictors in vitro. Twenty-four 3.5-mm ameroid ring constrictors. Ameroid ring constrictors were allocated to 1 of 4 treatment groups (6/group) to undergo gas sterilization 0, 1, 5, or 10 times. After sterilization, constrictors were incubated in canine plasma at a protein concentration of 3 g/dL for 27 days. A digital camera was used to obtain images of the constrictors prior to and at various points during incubation, and lumen diameter was measured. Mean ± SD percentage of lumen closure for all groups of ameroid ring constrictors combined was 85.2 ± 1.6% at day 0 (prior to plasma incubation) and 95.4 ± 0.8% at day 27. Mean lumen area was 3.64 ± 0.43 mm(2) (95% confidence interval, 2.67 to 4.77 mm(2)) at day 0 and 1.32 ± 0.25 mm(2) (95% confidence interval, 0.76 to 2.04 mm(2)) at day 27. None of the ameroid ring constrictors had closed completely by day 27. Overall closure rates for ameroid ring constrictors appeared to be unaffected by repeated gas sterilization up to 10 times. Findings suggested that veterinary surgeons can resterilize ameroid ring constrictors up to 10 times with confidence that ring properties would remain suitable for clinical use.

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.

Control Circuit For Two Stepping Motors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ratliff, Roger; Rehmann, Kenneth; Backus, Charles

1990-01-01

Control circuit operates two independent stepping motors, one at a time. Provides following operating features: After selected motor stepped to chosen position, power turned off to reduce dissipation; Includes two up/down counters that remember at which one of eight steps each motor set. For selected motor, step indicated by illumination of one of eight light-emitting diodes (LED's) in ring; Selected motor advanced one step at time or repeatedly at rate controlled; Motor current - 30 mA at 90 degree positions, 60 mA at 45 degree positions - indicated by high or low intensity of LED that serves as motor-current monitor; Power-on reset feature provides trouble-free starts; To maintain synchronism between control circuit and motors, stepping of counters inhibited when motor power turned off.

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.

Characterization of the Micro Textures in a Friction Stir Weld

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, Judy; Nunes, Arthur C.

2004-01-01

In friction stir welding (FSW), a rotating threaded pin tool is inserted into a weld seam and literally stirs the edges of the seam together. The Dynamically-Recrystallized-Zone (DXZ) of a polished and etched FSW cross-section exhibits contrasting bands (the "onion-ring" structure), the origins of which are unclear. An orientation image mapping (OIM) study suggests that the corresponding bands may correspond respectively to a "straight-through" current of metal bypassing the pin tool in a single rotation or less and a "maelstrom" current rotating a number of times around the pin tool.

The Inner Magnetosphere Imager mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gallagher, D. L.

1994-01-01

The Inner Magnetosphere Imager (IMI) mission will carry instruments to globally image energetic neutral atoms, far and extreme ultraviolet light, and X-rays. These imagers will see the ring current, inner plasmasheet, plasmasphere, aurora, and geocorona. With these observations it will be possible, for the first time, to develop an understanding of the global shape of the inner magnetosphere and the interrelationships between its parts. Seven instruments are currently envisioned on a single spinning spacecraft with a despun platform. IMI will be launched into an elliptical, polar orbit with an apogee of approximately 7 Earth radii altitude and perigee of 4800 km altitude.

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.

Simulating the Smallest Ring World of Chariklo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michikoshi, Shugo; Kokubo, Eiichiro

2017-03-01

A ring system consisting of two dense narrow rings has been discovered around Centaur Chariklo. The existence of these rings around a small object poses various questions about their origin, stability, and lifetime. In order to understand the nature of Chariklo’s rings, we perform global N-body simulations of the self-gravitating collisional particle rings for the first time. We find that Chariklo should be denser than the ring material in order to avoid the rapid diffusion of the rings. If Chariklo is denser than the ring material, fine spiral structures called self-gravity wakes occur in the inner ring. These wakes accelerate the viscous spreading of the ring significantly and typically occur on timescales of about 100 {years} for m-sized ring particles, which is considerably shorter than the timescales suggested in previous studies. The existence of these narrow rings implies smaller ring particles or the existence of shepherding satellites.

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.

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.

Charged Particle In-Situ Measurements in the Inner Saturnian Magnetosphere during the "grand Finale" of Cassini in 2016/2017

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krupp, N.; Roussos, E.; Mitchell, D. G.; Kollmann, P.; Paranicas, C.; Krimigis, S. M.; Hedman, M. M.; Dougherty, M. K.

2017-12-01

After 13 years in orbit around Saturn Cassini came to an end on 15 September 2017. The last phase of the mission was called the "Grand Finale" and consisted of high latitude orbits crossing the F-Ring 22 times between Nov 2016 and April 2017 followed by the so called proximal orbits passing the ring plane inside the D-ring. The roughly 7-day long F-ring orbits with periapsis at nearly the same local time allowed to study temporal variations of the particle distributions in the inner part of Saturn's magnetosphere while during the proximal orbits Cassini measured for the first time the charged particle environment in-situ inside the D-ring up to 2500 km above the 1-bar cloud level of the planet. In this presentation first results of the Low Energy Magnetospheric Measurement System LEMMS, part of the Magnetosphere Imaging Instrument MIMI during the "Grand Finale" will be summarized in detail, including the discovery of MeV particles close to Saturn, higher intensities of charged particles when Cassini was magnetically connected to the D-Ring, sharp dropouts at the inner edge of the D-ring as well as unexpected features and asymmetries in the particle measurements related to newly discovered ring arcs in the inner magnetosphere.

O-Ring-Testing Fixture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turner, James E.; Mccluney, D. Scott

1991-01-01

Fixture tests O-rings for sealing ability under dynamic conditions after extended periods of compression. Hydraulic cylinder moves plug in housing. Taper of 15 degrees on plug and cavity of housing ensures that gap created between O-ring under test and wall of cavity. Secondary O-rings above and below test ring maintain pressure applied to test ring. Evaluates effects of variety of parameters, including temperature, pressure, rate of pressurization, rate and magnitude of radial gap movement, and pretest compression time.

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.

One last look from the dark side: Cassini's final views of Saturn's rings from with the planet's shadow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hedman, Matthew M.; Burns, Joseph A.; Nicholson, Philip D.; Tiscareno, Matthew S.; Evans, Michael W.; Baker, Emily

2017-10-01

Around the start of Cassini's Grand Finale, the spacecraft passed a dozen times through Saturn's shadow, enabling its cameras and spectrometers to observe the ring system at extremely high phase angles. These opportunities yielded the best combination of signal-to-noise and resolution for many parts of Saturn's fainter dusty rings, and allowed the main rings to be viewed from previously inaccessible lighting geometries. We will highlight some of the surprising features found in the data obtained by Cassini's Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) and Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) during these time periods, and discuss what they might be able to tell us about the structure and dynamics of Saturn's various ring systems. For example, ISS captured global views of the entire ring system that reveal previously unseen structures in dust-filled regions like the D ring and the zone between Saturn's F and G rings, as well as novel fine-scale structures in the core of the E ring near Enceladus' orbit. These structures provide new insights into the forces that sculpt these tenuous rings. ISS and VIMS also detected an unexpected brightening and highly unusual spectra of the main rings at extremely high phase angles. These data may provide novel information about the distribution of small grains and particles in these denser rings.

15N in tree rings as a bio-indicator of changing nitrogen cycling in tropical forests: an evaluation at three sites using two sampling methods

PubMed Central

van der Sleen, Peter; Vlam, Mart; Groenendijk, Peter; Anten, Niels P. R.; Bongers, Frans; Bunyavejchewin, Sarayudh; Hietz, Peter; Pons, Thijs L.; Zuidema, Pieter A.

2015-01-01

Anthropogenic nitrogen deposition is currently causing a more than twofold increase of reactive nitrogen input over large areas in the tropics. Elevated 15N abundance (δ15N) in the growth rings of some tropical trees has been hypothesized to reflect an increased leaching of 15N-depleted nitrate from the soil, following anthropogenic nitrogen deposition over the last decades. To find further evidence for altered nitrogen cycling in tropical forests, we measured long-term δ15N values in trees from Bolivia, Cameroon, and Thailand. We used two different sampling methods. In the first, wood samples were taken in a conventional way: from the pith to the bark across the stem of 28 large trees (the “radial” method). In the second, δ15N values were compared across a fixed diameter (the “fixed-diameter” method). We sampled 400 trees that differed widely in size, but measured δ15N in the stem around the same diameter (20 cm dbh) in all trees. As a result, the growth rings formed around this diameter differed in age and allowed a comparison of δ15N values over time with an explicit control for potential size-effects on δ15N values. We found a significant increase of tree-ring δ15N across the stem radius of large trees from Bolivia and Cameroon, but no change in tree-ring δ15N values over time was found in any of the study sites when controlling for tree size. This suggests that radial trends of δ15N values within trees reflect tree ontogeny (size development). However, for the trees from Cameroon and Thailand, a low statistical power in the fixed-diameter method prevents to conclude this with high certainty. For the trees from Bolivia, statistical power in the fixed-diameter method was high, showing that the temporal trend in tree-ring δ15N values in the radial method is primarily caused by tree ontogeny and unlikely by a change in nitrogen cycling. We therefore stress to account for tree size before tree-ring δ15N values can be properly interpreted. PMID:25914707

(15)N in tree rings as a bio-indicator of changing nitrogen cycling in tropical forests: an evaluation at three sites using two sampling methods.

PubMed

van der Sleen, Peter; Vlam, Mart; Groenendijk, Peter; Anten, Niels P R; Bongers, Frans; Bunyavejchewin, Sarayudh; Hietz, Peter; Pons, Thijs L; Zuidema, Pieter A

2015-01-01

Anthropogenic nitrogen deposition is currently causing a more than twofold increase of reactive nitrogen input over large areas in the tropics. Elevated (15)N abundance (δ(15)N) in the growth rings of some tropical trees has been hypothesized to reflect an increased leaching of (15)N-depleted nitrate from the soil, following anthropogenic nitrogen deposition over the last decades. To find further evidence for altered nitrogen cycling in tropical forests, we measured long-term δ(15)N values in trees from Bolivia, Cameroon, and Thailand. We used two different sampling methods. In the first, wood samples were taken in a conventional way: from the pith to the bark across the stem of 28 large trees (the "radial" method). In the second, δ(15)N values were compared across a fixed diameter (the "fixed-diameter" method). We sampled 400 trees that differed widely in size, but measured δ(15)N in the stem around the same diameter (20 cm dbh) in all trees. As a result, the growth rings formed around this diameter differed in age and allowed a comparison of δ(15)N values over time with an explicit control for potential size-effects on δ(15)N values. We found a significant increase of tree-ring δ(15)N across the stem radius of large trees from Bolivia and Cameroon, but no change in tree-ring δ(15)N values over time was found in any of the study sites when controlling for tree size. This suggests that radial trends of δ(15)N values within trees reflect tree ontogeny (size development). However, for the trees from Cameroon and Thailand, a low statistical power in the fixed-diameter method prevents to conclude this with high certainty. For the trees from Bolivia, statistical power in the fixed-diameter method was high, showing that the temporal trend in tree-ring δ(15)N values in the radial method is primarily caused by tree ontogeny and unlikely by a change in nitrogen cycling. We therefore stress to account for tree size before tree-ring δ(15)N values can be properly interpreted.

On the formation modes in vortex interaction for multiple co-axial co-rotating vortex rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Suyang; Liu, Hong; Xiang, Yang

2018-01-01

Interaction among multiple vortices is of particular importance to biological locomotion. It plays an essential role in the force and energy capture. This study examines the motion and dynamics of multiple co-axial co-rotating vortex rings. The vortex rings, which have the same formation time, are successively generated in a piston-cylinder apparatus by accurately controlling the interval time. The flow fields are visualized by the finite-time Lyapunov exponent and then repelling Lagrangian coherent structures (r-LCSs) are determined. Two types of vortex interactions ("strong" and "weak") are defined by investigating the r-LCSs: a strong interaction is indicated by connected r-LCSs showing a channel for fluid transport (termed as a "flux window"); a weak interaction is indicated by disconnected r-LCSs between the vortex rings. For strong interaction, leapfrogging and merger of vortex rings can happen in the later stage of the evolution process; however, the rings are separated for weak interaction. Two distinct formation modes, the formation enhancement mode (FEM) and formation restraint mode (FRM), refer to the effect of one or multiple vortex ring(s) on the initial circulation of the subsequently formed vortex ring. In the FEM, the circulation of a vortex ring is larger than that of an isolated (without interaction) vortex ring. On the other hand, the situation is opposite in the FRM. A dimensionless number reflecting the interaction mechanism, "structure stretching number" S*, is proposed, which evaluates the induced effect of the wake vortices on the formation of a vortex ring. A limiting S* (SL*=(2 ±0.4 ) ×1 0-4) is the bifurcation point of the two formation modes. The augmentation of circulation reaches up to 10% for the FEM when S*SL*), the circulation decreases for at most 20%. The newly defined formation modes and number could shed light on the understanding of the dynamics of multiple vortex ring flows.

A randomised trial of a contraceptive vaginal ring in women at risk of HIV infection in Rwanda: Safety of intermittent and continuous use

PubMed Central

Van Nuil, Jennifer Ilo; Uwineza, Mireille; Umulisa, Marie Michelle; Mwambarangwe, Lambert; Ndagijimana, Jean Claude; De Baetselier, Irith; Buyze, Jozefien; Delvaux, Thérèse; Crucitti, Tania; Jespers, Vicky

2018-01-01

Background Contraceptive vaginal rings could play a role in expanding the contraceptive method mix and in preparing communities for the introduction of HIV prevention and multipurpose rings. Methods We conducted an open label single-centre randomised clinical trial of intermittent versus continuous use of NuvaRing® in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2013–2014. We randomised 120 HIV-negative women 1:1 to intermittent use (three rings with a ring-free week in between rings) or continuous use (four rings without ring-free weeks). Women underwent an interview, counselling, and a speculum examination, and were tested for pregnancy, bacterial vaginosis (BV) by Nugent scoring, yeasts and trichomonads on wet mount, and sexually transmitted infections. Findings Only one woman withdrew early. Deliberate ring removals were rare, but spontaneous ring expulsions occurred during 14% of ring use periods. There were no incident pregnancies, serious adverse events, serious social harms, or early discontinuations for safety reasons. Systemic side effects were uncommon, and local side effects were not significantly differently distributed between groups except for lower abdominal pain (P = 0.013). The incidence of vaginal yeasts during ring use was high: 22% of intermittent users and 27% of continuous users had incident vaginal yeasts at one or multiple ring removal visits (P = 0.666), and symptomatic vaginal yeast cases were more common in the continuous than intermittent users (P = 0.031). In contrast, mean Nugent scores improved over time in both groups. Conclusions Intermittent and continuous NuvaRing® use were safe in Rwandan women and improved Nugent scores over time. However, attention should be paid to ring expulsions and to a potential increased risk of vaginal candidiasis. PMID:29856848

REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDELINES FOR NSLS EXPERIMENTAL BEAM LINE VACUUM SYSTEMS-REVISION B.

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

FOERSTER,C.

Typical beam lines are comprised of an assembly of vacuum valves and shutters referred to as a ''front end'', optical elements to monochromatize, focus and split the photon beam, and an experimental area where a target sample is placed into the photon beam and data from the interaction is detected and recorded. Windows are used to separate sections of beam lines that are not compatible with storage ring ultra high vacuum. Some experimental beam lines share a common vacuum with storage rings. Sections of beam lines are only allowed to vent up to atmospheric pressure using pure nitrogen gas aftermore » a vacuum barrier is established to protect ring vacuum. The front end may only be bled up when there is no current in the machine. This is especially true on the VUV storage ring where for most experiments, windows are not used. For the shorter wavelength, more energetic photons of the x-ray ring, beryllium windows are used at various beam line locations so that the monochromator, mirror box or sample chamber may be used in a helium atmosphere or rough vacuum. The window separates ring vacuum from the environment of the downstream beam line components. The stored beam lifetime in the storage rings and the maintenance of desirable reflection properties of optical surfaces depend upon hydrocarbon-free, ultra-high vacuum systems. Storage ring vacuum systems will operate at pressures of {approximately} 1 x 10{sup {minus}10} Torr without beam and {approximately} 1 x 10{sup {minus}9} Torr with beam. Systems are free of hydrocarbons in the sense that no pumps, valves, etc. containing organics are used. Components are all-metal, chemically cleaned and bakeable. To the extent that beam lines share a common vacuum with the storage ring, the same criteria will hold for beam line components. The design philosophy for NSLS beam lines is to use all-metal, hydrocarbon-free front end components and recommend that experimenters use this approach for common vacuum hardware downstream of front ends. O-ring-sealed valves, if used, are not permitted upstream of the monochromator exit aperture. It will be the responsibility of users to demonstrate that their experiment will not degrade the pressure or quality of the storage ring vacuum. As a matter of operating policy, all beam lines will be monitored for prescribed pressure and the contribution of high mass gases to this pressure each time a beam line has been opened to ring vacuum.« less

Planetary rings: Structure and history

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esposito, L.

The composition and structure of planetary rings provide the key evidence to understand their origin and evolution. Before the first space observations, we were able to maintain an idealized view of the rings around Saturn, the only known ring system at that time. Rings were then discovered around Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune. Saturn's F ring was discovered by Pioneer 11. Our ideal view of circular, planar, symmetric and unchanging rings was shattered by observations of inclined, eccentric rings, waves and wavy edges, and numerous processes acting at rates that give timescales much younger than the solar system. Moons within and near the rings sculpt them and are the likely progenitors of future rings. The moonlet lifetimes are much less than Saturn's age. The old idea of ancient rings gave rise to youthful rings, that are recently created by erosion and destruction of small nearby moons. Although this explanation may work well for most rings, Saturn's massive ring system provides a problem. It is extremely improbable that Saturn's rings were recently created by the destruction of a moon as large as Mimas, or even by the breakup of a large comet that passed too close to Saturn. The history of Saturn's rings has been a difficult problem, now made even more challenging by the close-up Cassini measurements. Cassini observations show unexpected ring variability in time and space. Time variations are seen in ring edges, in the thinner D and F rings, and in the neutral oxygen cloud, which outweighs the E ring in the same region around Saturn. The rings are inhomogeneous, with structures on all scales, sharp gradients and edges. Compositional gradients are sharper than expected, but nonetheless cross structural boundaries. This is evidence for ballistic transport that has not gone to completion. The autocovariance maximizes in the middle of the A ring, with smaller structure near the main rings' outer edge. Density wave locations have a fresher ice composition. The processes of collisions, diffusion and transport should have homogenized the rings over the age of the solar system. Instead, these differences persist. The mass density in the Cassini division inferred from density waves is so low, that the material there would be ground to 1 dust in 30,000 years. The observed moons that cause such interesting structure in the rings have short lifetimes against disruption by cometary bombardment and against the angular momentum transfers that push them away from the rings. These rapid processes evident in the Cassini data have been taken as evidence that the rings were recently created, perhaps from a comet that passed too close to Saturn. Instead, an alternative is that primordial material may have been re-used and recycled. In the zone near the Roche limit where rings are found, limited accretion is possible, with the larger bodies able to recapture smaller fragments. The `propeller' structures, the self-gravity wakes, and the size distribution of clumps in Saturn's F ring are all indications of the accretion process. Recycling could extend the ring lifetime almost indefinitely. The variety evident in the latest observations and the low mass density inferred for the largest bodies are both consistent with extensive recycling of ring material as the explanation of the apparent youth of Saturn's rings. Similar processes are likely occurring tin the other ring systems and in the formation of planets around other stars. 2

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.

Magnetopause Losses of Radiation Belt Electrons During a Recent Magnetic Storm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemon, C. L.; Chen, M.; Roeder, J. L.; Fennell, J. F.; Mulligan, T. L.; Claudepierre, S. G.

2013-12-01

We present results from Van Allen Probes observations during the magnetic storm of June 1, 2013, and compare them with simulations of the same event using the RCM-E model. The RCM-E calculates ion and electron transport in self-consistently computed electric and magnetic fields. We examine the effect of the perturbed ring current magnetic field on the transport of energetic electrons, and the significance of this transport for explaining the observed evolution of radiation belt fluxes during this event. The event is notable because it is a relatively simple storm in which strong convection persists for approximately 7 hours, injecting a moderately strong ring current (minimum Dst of -120 nT); convection then quickly shuts off, leading to a long and smooth recovery phase. We use RCM-E simulations, constrained by Van Allen Probes data, to asses the rate of magnetopause losses of electrons (magnetopause shadowing), and to calculate electron drift times and the evolution of electron phase space densities during the storm event. We recently modified the RCM-E plasma drift calculations to include relativistic treatment of electrons and a more realistic electron loss model. The new electron loss model, although still somewhat simplistic, gives much more accurate loss rates in the inner magnetosphere (including the radiation belts), which significantly affects the resulting electron fluxes compared to previous simulations. This, in turn, modifies the transport of ions and electrons via feedback with both the electric and magnetic fields. Our results highlight the effect of the ring current on the evolution of the radiation belt electrons, with particular emphasis on the role that magnetopause losses play in the observed variation of radiation belt electron fluxes during the storm.

Comparison of disposable sutureless silicone ring and traditional metal ring in 23-gauge vitrectomy combined with cataract surgery

PubMed Central

Wu, Jian-Guo; Wei, Rui-Hua; Liu, Ai-Hua; Zhou, Xiao-Xu; Sun, Guo-Ling; Li, Xiao-Rong

2011-01-01

Background: The purpose of this prospective, interventional, comparative case series was to evaluate the efficiency and feasibility of a disposable sutureless silicone lens ring for corneal contact lens stabilization during combined 23-gauge vitrectomy and cataract surgery. Methods: We developed a ring consisting of a single silicone component with three footplates along the ring margin to fit cannulae for holding conventional contact lenses. Thirty eyes from 30 patients with cataract and vitreoretinal disease were included, and divided into two matched groups according to disease type and ring used. In Group A, we used a 23-gauge transconjunctival vitrectomy system and a disposable sutureless silicone lens ring (n = 15). In Group B, we used a 23-gauge transconjunctival vitrectomy system and a conventional metal lens ring (n = 15). The main outcome measures were: time required for vitrectomy preparation, rate of intraoperative corneal limbus bleeding, and limbus scar rate at the final follow-up visit. Results: Thirty cases were successfully completed. The average vitrectomy preparation time was less in Group A than in Group B (P < 0.01), and the average preparation time saved was 3.94 minutes. None of the Group A patients had intraoperative bleeding or postoperative scarring, whereas all 15 Group B cases had bleeding and five had scarring. There was a statistically significant difference between Group A and Group B for these complications (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: This report demonstrates the advantages of using a sutureless silicone ring during combined 23-gauge vitrectomy and cataract surgery. Using this method could allow extra time for the surgeon to pay more attention to complex vitreoretinal procedures. PMID:21760720

Comparison of disposable sutureless silicone ring and traditional metal ring in 23-gauge vitrectomy combined with cataract surgery.

PubMed

Wu, Jian-Guo; Wei, Rui-Hua; Liu, Ai-Hua; Zhou, Xiao-Xu; Sun, Guo-Ling; Li, Xiao-Rong

2011-01-01

The purpose of this prospective, interventional, comparative case series was to evaluate the efficiency and feasibility of a disposable sutureless silicone lens ring for corneal contact lens stabilization during combined 23-gauge vitrectomy and cataract surgery. We developed a ring consisting of a single silicone component with three footplates along the ring margin to fit cannulae for holding conventional contact lenses. Thirty eyes from 30 patients with cataract and vitreoretinal disease were included, and divided into two matched groups according to disease type and ring used. In Group A, we used a 23-gauge transconjunctival vitrectomy system and a disposable sutureless silicone lens ring (n = 15). In Group B, we used a 23-gauge transconjunctival vitrectomy system and a conventional metal lens ring (n = 15). The main outcome measures were: time required for vitrectomy preparation, rate of intraoperative corneal limbus bleeding, and limbus scar rate at the final follow-up visit. Thirty cases were successfully completed. The average vitrectomy preparation time was less in Group A than in Group B (P < 0.01), and the average preparation time saved was 3.94 minutes. None of the Group A patients had intraoperative bleeding or postoperative scarring, whereas all 15 Group B cases had bleeding and five had scarring. There was a statistically significant difference between Group A and Group B for these complications (P ≤ 0.05). This report demonstrates the advantages of using a sutureless silicone ring during combined 23-gauge vitrectomy and cataract surgery. Using this method could allow extra time for the surgeon to pay more attention to complex vitreoretinal procedures.

Temperature Variations of Saturn Rings with Viewing Geometries from Prime to Equinox Cassini Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deau, E. A.; Spilker, L. J.; Morishima, R.; Brooks, S.; Pilorz, S.; Altobelli, N.

2011-01-01

After more than six years in orbit around Saturn, the Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) has acquired an extensive set of measurements of Saturn's main rings (A, B, C and Cassini Division) in the thermal infrared. Temperatures were retrieved for the lit and unlit rings over a variety of ring geometries that include phase angle, solar and spacecraft elevations and local time. We show that some of these parameters (solar and spacecraft elevations, phase angle) play a role in the temperature variations in the first order, while the others (ring and particle local time) produced second order effects. The results of this comparison will be presented.

Investigation of half-quantized fluxoid states in strontium ruthenate mesoscopic superconducting rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Joonho

Spin-triplet superconductors can support exotic objects, such as chiral edge currents and half-quantum vortices (HQVs) characterized by the nontrivial winding of the spin structure. In this dissertation, we present cantilever magnetometry measurements performed on mesoscopic samples of Sr2RuO 4, a spin-triplet superconductor. Satisfying the total anti-symmetric property of the Cooper pair wave function, Sr2RuO4 is theoretically suggested to have angular momentum L = 1 and form domain structure with px +/- ipy order parameter that corresponds to Lz = +/-1. For micron-size samples, only a few number of domains would exist and signatures of domain walls and edge currents are expected to be measurable with current sensitivity. From the measurements of fluctuations of magnetic signal and the signatures of vortex entries, we found no evidence to support broken time-reversal symmetry (TRS) in these crystals. We argue that various scenarios exist to explain the negative result while still assuming the TRS breaking chiral order parameter. Also, micron-size annular-shaped Sr2RuO4 crystals were used to observe transitions between fluxoid states. Our observation of half-integer transitions is consistent with the existence of HQVs in a spin-triplet superconductor. Stability of the half states with an in-plane magnetic field is explained by the spin polarization in consequence of a differential phase winding of up and down spin components. These spin and charge dynamics can also be revealed in the current response to phase winding across a weak-link junction. The junctions were fabricated within ring geometry. The phase is varied by the external magnetic field and the current is calculated by measuring the magnetic moments of the ring. The current response shows second harmonics when the in-plane magnetic field is applied, and the data are successfully fitted when Gibbs free energy is expressed with additional spin degree of freedom. Our observations are consistent with spin-triplet pairing of the Sr 2RuO4, while requiring more investigations to confirm px +/- ipy order parameter in the crystal.

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.

Drift-resonant, relativistic electron acceleration at the outer planets: Insights from the response of Saturn's radiation belts to magnetospheric storms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roussos, E.; Kollmann, P.; Krupp, N.; Paranicas, C.; Dialynas, K.; Sergis, N.; Mitchell, D. G.; Hamilton, D. C.; Krimigis, S. M.

2018-05-01

The short, 7.2-day orbital period of Cassini's Ring Grazing Orbits (RGO) provided an opportunity to monitor how fast the effects of an intense magnetospheric storm-time period (days 336-343/2016) propagated into Saturn's electron radiation belts. Following the storms, Cassini's MIMI/LEMMS instrument detected a transient extension of the electron radiation belts that in subsequent orbits moved towards the inner belts, intensifying them in the process. This intensification was followed by an equally fast decay, possibly due to the rapid absorption of MeV electrons by the planet's main rings. Surprisingly, all this cycle was completed within four RGOs, effectively in less than a month. That is considerably faster than the year-long time scales of Saturn's proton radiation belt evolution. In order to explain this difference, we propose that electron radial transport is partly controlled by the variability of global scale electric fields which have a fixed local time pointing. Such electric fields may distort significantly the orbits of a particular class of energetic electrons that cancel out magnetospheric corotation due to their westward gradient and curvature drifts (termed "corotation-resonant" or "local-time stationary" electrons) and transport them radially between the ring current and the radiation belts within several days and few weeks. The significance of the proposed process is highlighted by the fact that corotation resonance at Saturn occurs for electrons of few hundred keV to several MeV. These are the characteristic energies of seed electrons from the ring current that sustain the radiation belts of the planet. Our model's feasibility is demonstrated through the use of a simple test-particle simulation, where we estimate that uniform but variable electric fields with magnitudes lower that 1.0 mV/m can lead to a very efficient transport of corotation resonant electrons. Such electric fields have been consistently measured in the magnetosphere, and here we provide additional evidence showing that they may be constantly present all the way down to the outer edge of Saturn's main rings, further supporting our model. The implications of our findings are not limited to Saturn. Corotation resonance at Jupiter occurs for electrons with energies above about 10 MeV throughout the quasi-dipolar, energetic particle-trapping region of the magnetosphere. The proposed process could in principle then lead to rapid transport and adiabatic acceleration electrons into ultra-relativistic energies. The observation by Galileo's EPD/LEMMS instrument of an intense Jovian acceleration event at the orbital distance of Ganymede during the mission's C22 orbit, when > 11 MeV electron fluxes were preferentially enhanced, provides additional support to our transport model and insights on the origin of that orbit's extreme energetic electron environment. Finally, if the mode of radial transport that we describe here is a dominant one, radial diffusion coefficients (DLL) would be subject to strong energy, pitch angle and species dependencies.

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.

Ring current-energy balance during intense magnetic storms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clua de Gonzalez, A. L.; Gonzalez, W. D.

2013-12-01

The energy-rate balance that governs the storm-time ring current is analyzed in terms of the Burton-McPherron-Russell equation (Burton et al., 1975). This is a first order differential equation relating the time variation of the pressure corrected Dst index, with the energy input to the magnetosphere. Based on the Burton et al. equation, we have analyzed in detail the geomagnetic storm of February 11, 2004. The energy input is taken proportional to the interplanetary electric field, Q(t) = αBsV, where Bs is the southward component of the interplanetary magnetic field in GSM coordinates, V is the flow speed of the solar wind and α a constant. The equation is integrated using the OMNI-combined interplanetary data and, the value of the decay time is estimated from a best fit of the response to the observed curve. For this storm we also use a rectangular approximation for the energy input function, thus allowing an analytical solution of the Burton et al. equation. The results from this approximation are then compared to the numerical solution. The study is also extended to the geomagnetic storm of April 22, 2001. This analysis seems to indicate that the Burton et al. equation should contain also a corrective term proportional to the second time derivative of the Dst index. This corrective term might become important for intense storms, with an effect of counteracting the growth of |Dst| before the energy input from the interplanetary medium declines, such that the value of |Dst| starts to decrease instead of continuing to grow.

Self-Consistent Ring Current/Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khazanov, G. V.; Gamayunov, K. V.; Gallagher, D. L.

2006-01-01

The self-consistent treatment of the RC ion dynamics and EMIC waves, which are thought to exert important influences on the ion dynamical evolution, is an important missing element in our understanding of the storm-and recovery-time ring current evolution. For example, the EMlC waves cause the RC decay on a time scale of about one hour or less during the main phase of storms. The oblique EMIC waves damp due to Landau resonance with the thermal plasmaspheric electrons, and subsequent transport of the dissipating wave energy into the ionosphere below causes an ionosphere temperature enhancement. Under certain conditions, relativistic electrons, with energies 21 MeV, can be removed from the outer radiation belt by EMIC wave scattering during a magnetic storm. That is why the modeling of EMIC waves is critical and timely issue in magnetospheric physics. This study will generalize the self-consistent theoretical description of RC ions and EMIC waves that has been developed by Khazanov et al. [2002, 2003] and include the heavy ions and propagation effects of EMIC waves in the global dynamic of self-consistent RC - EMIC waves coupling. The results of our newly developed model that will be presented at the meeting, focusing mainly on the dynamic of EMIC waves and comparison of these results with the previous global RC modeling studies devoted to EMIC waves formation. We also discuss RC ion precipitations and wave induced thermal electron fluxes into the ionosphere.

Microwave Hybrid Integrated Circuit Applicatins of High Transition Temperature Superconductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Shih-Lin

This research work involves microwave characterization of high Tc superconducting (HTS) thin film using microstrip ring resonators, studying the nonlinear properties of HTS thin film transmission lines using two-tone intermodulation technique, coupling mechanisms and coupling factors of microstrip ring resonators side coupled to a microstrip line, two-port S-parameters measurements of GaAs MESFET at low temperature, and the design and implementation of hybrid ring resonator stabilized microwave oscillator using both metal films and superconducting films. A microstrip ring resonators operating at 10 GHz have been fabricated from YBCO HTS thin films deposited on one side of LaAl_2O_3 substrates. Below 60^circ Kelvin the measured unloaded Q of the HTS thin film microstrip ring resonators are more than 1.5 times that of gold film resonators. The two distinct but very close resonance peaks of a ring resonator side coupled to a microstrip line are experimentally identified as due to odd-mode and even-mode coupling. These two mechanisms have different characteristic equivalent circuit models and lead to different coupling coefficients and loaded resonance frequencies. The coupling factors for the two coupling modes are calculated using piecewise coupled line approximations. The two-port S-parameters measurement techniques and GaAs MESFET low temperature DC and microwave characteristics have been investigated. A system errors model including the errors caused by the line constriction at low temperature has been proposed and a temperature errors correction procedure has been developed for the two-port microwave S-parameters measurements at low temperature. The measured GaAs MESFET DC characteristics shows a 20% increase in transconductance at 77^circ K. There is also a 2 db increase in /S21/ at 77^circ K. The microwave oscillator stabilized with both metal and HTS thin film ring resonators have been studied. The tuning ability of the oscillator by a varactor diode has also been investigated. The phase noise performance of one side of the high Tc film oscillator does not show appreciable improvement over the gold film oscillator. With a varactor diode, the oscillator tuning range can be 300 MHz more. Two-tone intermodulation distortion (IMD) at 6.3 GHz in an HTS YBCO superconducting thin film microstrip transmission line on LaAl_2O _3 substrates are experimentally studied. At fixed input power, the 3rd order IMD power as function of temperature shows a minimum at a temperature around 60^circ Kelvin. With DC current applied, the second order IMD is observed and shows a strong functional dependance to the applied DC current and input power.

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.

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.

Force on a storage ring vacuum chamber after sudden turn-off of a magnet power supply

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinha, Gautam; Prabhu, S. S.

2011-10-01

We are commissioning a 2.5 GeV synchrotron radiation source (SRS) where electrons travel in high vacuum inside the vacuum chambers made of aluminum alloys. These chambers are kept between the pole gaps of magnets and are made to facilitate the radiation coming out of the storage ring to the experimental station. These chambers are connected by metallic bellows. During the commissioning phase of the SRS, the metallic bellows became ruptured due to the frequent tripping of the dipole magnet power supply. The machine was down for quite some time. In the case of a power supply trip, the current in the magnets decays exponentially. It was observed experimentally that the fast B field decay generates a large eddy current in the chambers and consequently the chambers are subjected to a huge Lorentz force. This motivated us to develop a theoretical model to study the force acting on a metallic plate when exposed to an exponentially decaying field and then to extend it for a rectangular vacuum chamber. The problem is formulated using Maxwell’s equations and converted to the inhomogeneous Helmholtz equation. After taking the Laplace transform, the equation is solved with appropriate boundary conditions. Final results are obtained after taking the appropriate inverse Laplace transform. The expressions for eddy current contour and magnetic field produced by the eddy current are also derived. Variations of the force on chambers of different wall thickness due to spatially varying and exponentially time decaying field are presented. The result is a general theory which can be applied to different geometries and calculation of power loss as well. Comparisons are made with results obtained by simulation using a finite element based code, for quick verification of the theoretical model.

Self-Consistent Field Theory of Gaussian Ring Polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jaeup; Yang, Yong-Biao; Lee, Won Bo

2012-02-01

Ring polymers, being free from chain ends, have fundamental importance in understanding the polymer statics and dynamics which are strongly influenced by the chain end effects. At a glance, their theoretical treatment may not seem particularly difficult, but the absence of chain ends and the topological constraints make the problem non-trivial, which results in limited success in the analytical or semi-analytical formulation of ring polymer theory. Here, I present a self-consistent field theory (SCFT) formalism of Gaussian (topologically unconstrained) ring polymers for the first time. The resulting static property of homogeneous and inhomogeneous ring polymers are compared with the random phase approximation (RPA) results. The critical point for ring homopolymer system is exactly the same as the linear polymer case, χN = 2, since a critical point does not depend on local structures of polymers. The critical point for ring diblock copolymer melts is χN 17.795, which is approximately 1.7 times of that of linear diblock copolymer melts, χN 10.495. The difference is due to the ring structure constraint.

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

Enhancement of pumped current in quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramos, Juan Pablo; Foa, Luis; Apel, Victor Marcelo; Orellana, Pedro

A direct current usually requires the application of a non-zero potential difference between source and drain, but on nanoscale systems (NSS) it is possible to obtain a non-zero current while the potential difference is zero. The effect is known as quantum charge pumping (QCP) and it is due to the interference provided by the existence of a time-dependent potential (TDP). QCP can be generated by a TDP in non-adiabatic limit. An example of this is a system composed by a ring with a dot embedded on it, under the application of an oscillating TDP. By the action of a magnetic field across the system, a pumped current is generated, since time reversal symmetry is broken. Decoherence is crucial, both from a scientific and technological point of view. In NSS it is expected that decoherence, among others things, decreases the QCP amplitude. In this context, we study what is the effect of a bath on the pumped current in our system. We find that for certain values of magnetic flux, the bath-system produce amplification of the pumped current.

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

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.

Ring cavity for a Raman capillary waveguide amplifier

DOEpatents

Kurnit, N.A.

1981-01-27

A regenerative ring amplifier and regenerative ring oscillator are described which function to feed back a portion of the Stokes signal to complete the ring cavity. The ring cavity configuration allows the CO/sub 2/ laser pump signal and Stokes signal to copropagate through the Raman capillary waveguide amplifier. A Raman capillary waveguide amplifier is also provided in the return leg of the ring cavity to increase gain without increasing the round trip time. Additionally, the ring cavity can be designed such that the amplified Stokes signal is synchronous with the mode-locked spikes of the incoming CO/sub 2/ laser pump signal.

Ring cavity for a Raman capillary waveguide amplifir

DOEpatents

Kurnit, N.A.

1981-01-27

A regenerative ring amplifier and regenerative ring oscillator are described which function to feed back a portion of the Stokes signal to complete the ring cavity. The ring cavity configuration allows the CO/sub 2/ laser pump signal and Stokes signal to copropagate through the Raman capillary waveguide amplifier. A Raman capillary waveguide amplifier is also provided in the return leg of the ring cavity to increase gain without increasing the round trip time. Additionally, the ring cavity can be designed such that the amplified Stokes signal is synchronous with the mode-locked spikes of the incoming CO/sub 2/ laser pump signal.

Ring cavity for a raman capillary waveguide amplifier

DOEpatents

Kurnit, Norman A.

1983-07-19

A regenerative ring amplifier and regenerative ring oscillator which function to feed back a portion of the Stokes signal to complete the ring cavity. The ring cavity configuration allows the CO.sub.2 laser pump signal and Stokes signal to copropagate through the Raman capillary waveguide amplifier. A Raman capillary waveguide amplifier is also provided in the return leg of the ring cavity to increase gain without increasing the round trip time. Additionally, the ring cavity can be designed such that the amplifier Stokes signal is synchronous with the mode-locked spikes of the incoming CO.sub.2 laser pump signal.

The radii of Uranian rings alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon, eta, 4, 5, and 6 from their occultations of SAO 158687

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elliot, J. L.; Dunham, E.; Wasserman, L. H.; Millis, R. L.; Churms, J.

1978-01-01

All available timing data for the occultations of SAO 158687 on March 10, 1977, by the cited rings of Uranus are analyzed. Least-squares fits to the data are performed using a model which postulates that rings alpha, beta, gamma, and delta are circular and coplanar. A solution obtained under the assumption that the ring plane coincides with the plane of the satellite orbits is adopted which yields radii of 44,844 km for ring alpha, 45,799 km for ring beta, 47,746 km for ring gamma, and 48,423 km for ring delta. The uncertainties in these values are discussed along with the apparent shapes and inclinations of these main rings. The mean radii estimated for the other rings are: 47,323 km for ring eta, 42,663 km for ring 4, 42,360 km for ring 5, and 41,980 km for ring 6.

Test of time-reversal invariance at COSY (TRIC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eversheim, D.; Valdau, Yu.; Lorentz, B.

2013-03-01

At the Cooler Synchrotron COSY a novel (P-even, T-odd) null test of time-reversal invariance to an accuracy of 10 - 6 is planned as an internal target transmission experiment. The parity conserving time-reversal violating observable is the total cross-section asymmetry Ay,xz. This quantity is measured using a polarized proton beam with an energy of 135 MeV and an internal tensor polarized deuteron target from the PAX atomic beam source. The reaction rate will be measured by means of an integrating beam current transformer. Thus, in this experiment the cooler synchroton ring serves as ideal forward spectrometer, as a detector, and an accelerator.

Dynamics of Clumps in Saturn's F Ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showalter, M. R.

1997-07-01

An exhaustive analysis of the Voyager image data sets reveals the F Ring to be the most dynamic ring in the solar system. Principal properties are as follows. (1) At any given time, the ring holds 2--3 extremely bright clumps (each several times brighter than the local average for the ring) and perhaps 20--40 identifiable smaller clumps. In practice, the closer one looks at the rings, the finer detail one finds. (2) No major clumps persist for the nine months between the Voyager encounters, but most survive for the ~ 6 weeks they can be detected during a single encounter. (3) A few major clumps are seen to appear or disappear very quickly, on time scales as brief as days. One clump appears to spread longitudinally after it first appears, but other clumps stay roughly fixed in longitudinal extend. The processes behind clump formation and destruction are unknown. (4) Clumps propagate at different mean motions; there is no evidence for a discrete set of rates that might correspond to the individual ``strands'' described in some models. Motions range from 581.81(deg) /day to 582.41(deg) /day, implying that the F Ring's clumps span a semimajor axis range of ~ 80 km. (5) Some sections of the ring show a distinct 3.2(deg) periodicity in clump spacing, as expected from the gravitational perturbations by Prometheus. Others do not. (6) In the Voyager 2 images, a single prominent clump seems to eject smaller clumps behind it on time scales of ~ 2 weeks. However, nothing analogous is observed in Voyager 1 data.

The VOrtex Ring Transit EXperiment (VORTEX) GAS project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bilen, Sven G.; Langenderfer, Lynn S.; Jardon, Rebecca D.; Cutlip, Hansford H.; Kazerooni, Alexander C.; Thweatt, Amber L.; Lester, Joseph L.; Bernal, Luis P.

1995-01-01

Get Away Special (GAS) payload G-093, also called VORTEX (VOrtex Ring Transit EXperiment), is an investigation of the propagation of a vortex ring through a liquid-gas interface in microgravity. This process results in the formation of one or more liquid droplets similar to earth based liquid atomization systems. In the absence of gravity, surface tension effects dominate the drop formation process. The Shuttle's microgravity environment allows the study of the same fluid atomization processes as using a larger drop size than is possible on Earth. This enables detailed experimental studies of the complex flow processes encountered in liquid atomization systems. With VORTEX, deformations in both the vortex ring and the fluid surface will be measured closely for the first time in a parameters range that accurately resembles liquid atomization. The experimental apparatus will record images of the interactions for analysis after the payload has been returned to earth. The current design of the VORTEX payload consists of a fluid test cell with a vortex ring generator, digital imaging system, laser illumination system, computer based controller, batteries for payload power, and an array of housekeeping and payload monitoring sensors. It is a self-contained experiment and will be flown on board the Space Shuttle in a 5 cubic feet GAS canister. The VORTEX Project is entirely run by students at the University of Michigan but is overseen by a faculty advisor acting as the payload customer and the contact person with NASA. This paper summarizes both the technical and programmatic aspects of the VORTEX Project.

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.

Response of Tree Rings Growth to Various Climatological Indices in the Sierra Nevada Mountains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shamir, E.; Kaliff, R.; Graham, R.; Lepley, K. S.; Meko, D. M.; Touchan, R.

2017-12-01

Tree rings properties have been used to reconstruct historic regional climatological proxies. In this study, we examine whether tree rings can inform us on the basin scale spatial variability of the snow pack and soil moisture. Cores from seven sites and nine tree species of conifers were sampled in a vertical transect along the American River watershed at the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The tree cores were then cross-dated and chronologies of total ring width, early wood width, late wood width and late wood density measured by blue intensity methodology were developed. For each sampling site, a high-resolution land surface model was implemented to simulate 6-hour climatological time series of snow and soil moisture that are congruent in time and space for 1912- 2016. These time series were then used to derive independent indices that represent key climatological features that were thought to impact the tree growth. These indices include for example the duration of the dormancy season (winter), the duration of the growth season (spring), the duration of the dry season (summer) and the available seasonal soil moisture at the root zone. A comprehensive analysis of these indices with respect to the tree chronologies revealed that although different sites responded differently to these indices, all the sites were relatively insensitive to the winter temperature. Initial results suggest that warming condition and early spring onset as during the recent (2012-2015) drought increase growth in the high elevation that had a short winter with ample moisture while suppressing growth in lower elevation that experiences long dry summers. It is also interesting to note that the growth at the high elevation sites was found to be associated with the available moisture from the previous year, while in lower elevations growth responded to moisture conditions of the current year.

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.

High-speed digitization readout of silicon photomultipliers for time of flight positron emission tomography

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

Ronzhin, A.; Los, S.; Martens, M.

2011-02-01

We report on work to develop a system with about 100 picoseconds (ps) time resolution for time of flight positron emission tomography [TOF-PET]. The chosen photo detectors for the study were Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPM's). This study was based on extensive experience in studying timing properties of SiPM's. The readout of these devices used the commercial high speed digitizer DRS4. We applied different algorithms to get the best time resolution of 155 ps Guassian (sigma) for a LYSO crystal coupled to a SiPM. We consider the work as a first step in building a prototype TOF-PET module. The field of positron-emission-tomographymore » (PET) has been rapidly developing. But there are significant limitations in how well current PET scanners can reconstruct images, related to how fast data can be acquired, how much volume they can image, and the spatial and temporal resolution of the generated photons. Typical modern scanners now include multiple rings of detectors, which can image a large volume of the patient. In this type of scanner, one can treat each ring as a separate detector and require coincidences only within the ring, or treat the entire region viewed by the scanner as a single 3 dimensional volume. This 3d technique has significantly better sensitivity since more photon pair trajectories are accepted. However, the scattering of photons within the volume of the patient, and the effect of random coincidences limits the technique. The advent of sub-nanosecond timing resolution detectors means that there is potentially much better rejection of scattered photon events and random coincidence events in the 3D technique. In addition, if the timing is good enough, then the origin of photons pairs can be determined better, resulting in improved spatial resolution - so called 'Time-of-Flight' PET, or TOF-PET. Currently a lot of activity has occurred in applications of SiPMs for TOF-PET. This is due to the devices very good time resolution, low profile, lack of high voltage needed, and their non-sensitivity to magnetic fields. While investigations into this technique have begun elsewhere, we feel that the extensive SiPM characterization and data acquisition expertise of Fermilab, and the historical in-depth research of PET imaging at University of Chicago will combine to make significant strides in this field. We also benefit by a working relationship with the SiPM producer STMicroelectronics (STM).« less

Cassini First Diametric Radio Occultation of Saturn's Rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marouf, E.; French, R.; Rappaport, N.; Kliore, A.; Flasar, M.; Nagy, A.; Ambrosini, R.; McGhee, C.; Schinder, P.; Anabtawi, A.; Barbinis, E.; Goltz, G.; Thomson, F.; Wong, K.

2005-05-01

We present preliminary results expected from the first planned Cassini radio occultation observation of Saturn's rings, to be conducted on May 3rd, 2005. The path of Cassini as seen from Earth (the occultation track) has been designed to cross the rings from the west to the east ansa almost diametrically, allowing for occultation of all major ring features at two widely separated longitudes (about 180 deg apart). The duration of the geometric occultation is about 1.5 hours on each side. During the occultation, Cassini transmits through the rings three coherent monochromatic radio signals of wavelength 0.94, 3.6, and 13 cm (Ka-, X-, and S-band respectively), a capability unique to Cassini. The perturbed signals received at the Earth are recorded at the NASA DSN complexes at Goldstone and Canberra. Both direct and forward-scattered components of the signal may be identified in spectrograms of the received signals. The time history of the extinction of the direct signal is expected to yield high-spatial-resolution optical depth and phase shift profiles of ring structure. The timing of the occultation was optimized to allow probing the rings when the ring-opening-angle B (the angle between the line-of-sight and the ring plane) is relatively large (B = 23 deg), hence maximizing chances of measuring for the first time the structure of the relatively optically thick Ring B. In a similar experiment by Voyager in 1980, excessive signal attenuation along the long path within the nearly closed rings (B = 5.9 deg) limited the utility of the observations in relatively thick ring regions, in particular the main Ring B. For the Cassini optimized occultation geometry, a large B, slow radial velocity along the occultation track, and much improved phase stability of the reference ultrastable oscillator (USO) on board Cassini combine to promise achievable radial resolution approaching 100 m over a good fraction of the rings. Measurement of the amplitude and phase of the diffracted signal enables reconstruction of the observations to remove diffraction effects. Reliable high resolution profiling of ring structure at multiple ring longitudes is at the heart of investigating ring kinematics and dynamics, a major scientific objective of this experiment. In addition, observations of the scattered signal combined with measurements of the differential extinction of the three radio signals are expected to yield complementary information about ring physical properties, including particle size distribution and thickness, another major scientific objective.

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.

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

Earth Rings for Planetary Environment Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearson, Jerome; Oldson, John; Levin, Eugene; Carroll, Joseph

2002-01-01

For most of its past, large parts of the Earth have experienced subtropical climates, with high sea levels and no polar icecaps. This warmer environment was punctuated 570, 280, and 3 million years ago with periods of glaciation that covered temperate regions with thick ice for millions of years. At the end of the current ice age, a warmer climate could flood coastal cities, even without human-caused global warming. In addition, asteroids bombard the Earth periodically, with impacts large enough to destroy most life on Earth, and the sun is warming inexorably. This paper proposes a concept to solve these problems simultaneously, by creating an artificial planetary ring about the Earth to shade it. Past proposals for space climate control have depended on gigantic engineering structures launched from Earth and placed in Earth orbit or at the Earth-Sun L1 libration point, requiring fabrication, large launch masses and expense, constant control, and repair. Our solution is to begin by using lunar material, and then mine and remove Earth-orbit-crossing asteroids and discard the tailings into Earth orbit, to form a broad, flat ring like those of Saturn. This solution is evaluated and compared with other alternatives. Such ring systems can persist for thousands of years, and can be maintained by shepherding satellites or by continual replenishment from new asteroids to replace the edges of the ring lost by diffusion. An Earth ring at R = 1.3-1.83 RE would shade only the equatorial regions, moderating climate extremes, and could reverse a century of global warming. It could also absorb particles from the radiation belts, making trips to high Earth orbit and GEO safer for humans and for electronics. It would also light the night many times as bright as the full moon. A preliminary design of the ring is developed, including its location, mass, composition, stability, and timescale required. A one-dimensional climate model is used to evaluate the Earth ring performance. Earth, lunar, and asteroidal material sources are evaluated; asteroid retrieval is addressed, along with techniques for processing and forming the ring to the proper thickness and density. The ring could consist of particles, or fabricated satellite structures. Environmental concerns and effects on existing satellites in various Earth orbits are addressed. There are uncertainties in our understanding of climate and its control. But it appears that the Earth ring could control the Earth's temperature and its latitudinal variation, make dangerous asteroids useful, reduce the intensity of the Van Allen radiation belts, provide nighttime illumination without power, and create an artificial ionosphere for radio communication.

Nardò Ring, Italy

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-04-08

The Nardò Ring is a striking visual feature from space, and astronauts have photographed it several times. The Ring is a race car test track in Italy. This image was acquired by NASA Terra satellite on August 17. 2007.

Self-Alining Quick-Connect Joint

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lucy, M. H.

1983-01-01

Quick connect tapered joint used with minimum manipulation and force. Split ring retainer holds locking ring in place. Minimal force required to position male in female joint, at which time split-ring retainers are triggered to release split locking rings. Originally developed to assemble large space structures, joint is simple, compact, strong, lightweight, self alining, and has no loose parts.

SEVENTH INTERIM STATUS REPORT: MODEL 9975 PCV O-RING FIXTURE LONG-TERM LEAK PERFORMANCE

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

Daugherty, W.

2012-08-30

A series of experiments to monitor the aging performance of Viton® GLT O-rings used in the Model 9975 package has been ongoing since 2004 at the Savannah River National Laboratory. Seventy tests using mock-ups of 9975 Primary Containment Vessels (PCVs) were assembled and heated to temperatures ranging from 200 to 450 ºF. They were leak-tested initially and have been tested periodically to determine if they meet the criterion of leak-tightness defined in ANSI standard N14.5-97. Fourteen additional tests were initiated in 2008 with GLT-S O-rings heated to temperatures ranging from 200 to 400 ºF. High temperature aging continues for 23more » GLT O-ring fixtures at 200 – 270 ºF. Room temperature leak test failures have been experienced in all of the GLT O-ring fixtures aging at 350 ºF and higher temperatures, and in 8 fixtures aging at 300 ºF. The remaining GLT O-ring fixtures aging at 300 ºF have been retired from testing following more than 5 years at temperature without failure. No failures have yet been observed in GLT O-ring fixtures aging at 200 ºF for 54-72 months, which is still bounding to O-ring temperatures during storage in K-Area Complex (KAC). Based on expectations that the fixtures aging at 200 ºF will remain leak-tight for a significant period yet to come, 2 additional fixtures began aging in 2011 at an intermediate temperature of 270 ºF, with hopes that they may reach a failure condition before the 200 ºF fixtures. High temperature aging continues for 6 GLT-S O-ring fixtures at 200 – 300 ºF. Room temperature leak test failures have been experienced in all 8 of the GLT-S O-ring fixtures aging at 350 and 400 ºF. No failures have yet been observed in GLT-S O-ring fixtures aging at 200 - 300 ºF for 30 - 36 months. For O-ring fixtures that have failed the room temperature leak test and been disassembled, the O-rings displayed a compression set ranging from 51 – 96%. This is greater than seen to date for any packages inspected during KAC field surveillance (24% average). For GLT O-rings, separate service life estimates have been made based on the O-ring fixture leak test data and based on compression stress relaxation (CSR) data. These two predictive models show reasonable agreement at higher temperatures (350 – 400 ºF). However, at 300 ºF, the room temperature leak test failures to date experienced longer aging times than predicted by the CSRbased model. This suggests that extrapolations of the CSR model predictions to temperatures below 300 ºF will provide a conservative prediction of service life relative to the leak rate criterion. Leak test failure data at lower temperatures are needed to verify this apparent trend. Insufficient failure data exist currently to perform a similar comparison for GLT-S O-rings. Aging and periodic leak testing will continue for the remaining PCV O-ring fixtures.« less

Origin of Quantum Ring Formation During Droplet Epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Z. Y.; Zheng, C. X.; Tang, W. X.; Tersoff, J.; Jesson, D. E.

2013-07-01

Droplet epitaxy of GaAs is studied in real time using in situ surface electron microscopy. The resulting movies motivate a theoretical model for quantum ring formation which can explain the origin of nanoscale features such as double rings observed under a variety of experimental conditions. Inner rings correspond to GaAs deposition at the droplet edge, while outer rings result from the reaction of Ga and As atoms diffusing along the surface. The observed variety of morphologies primarily reflects relative changes in the outer rings with temperature and As flux.

Study of the time evolution of correlation functions of the transverse Ising chain with ring frustration by perturbative theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Zhen-Yu; Li, Peng

2018-04-01

We consider the time evolution of two-point correlation function in the transverse-field Ising chain (TFIC) with ring frustration. The time-evolution procedure we investigated is equivalent to a quench process in which the system is initially prepared in a classical kink state and evolves according to the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. Within a framework of perturbative theory (PT) in the strong kink phase, the evolution of the correlation function is disclosed to demonstrate a qualitatively new behavior in contrast to the traditional case without ring frustration.

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).

Pseudo-single-bunch mode for a 100 MHz storage ring serving soft X-ray timing experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olsson, T.; Leemann, S. C.; Georgiev, G.; Paraskaki, G.

2018-06-01

At many storage rings for synchrotron light production there is demand for serving both high-flux and timing users simultaneously. Today this is most commonly achieved by operating inhomogeneous fill patterns, but this is not preferable for rings that employ passive harmonic cavities to damp instabilities and increase Touschek lifetime. For these rings, inhomogeneous fill patterns could severely reduce the effect of the harmonic cavities. It is therefore of interest to develop methods to serve high-flux and timing users simultaneously without requiring gaps in the fill pattern. One such method is pseudo-single-bunch (PSB), where one bunch in the bunch train is kicked onto another orbit by a fast stripline kicker. The light emitted from the kicked bunch can then be separated by an aperture in the beamline. Due to recent developments in fast kicker design, PSB operation in multibunch mode is within reach for rings that operate with a 100 MHz RF system, such as the MAX IV and Solaris storage rings. This paper describes machine requirements and resulting performance for such a mode at the MAX IV 1.5 GeV storage ring. A solution for serving all beamlines is discussed as well as the consequences of beamline design and operation in the soft X-ray energy range.

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.

Investigating the Development of Abnormal Subauroral Ion Drift (ASAID) and Abnormal Subauroral Polarization Stream (ASAPS) During the Magnetically Active Times of September 2003

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horvath, Ildiko; Lovell, Brian C.

2018-02-01

This study investigates two recently reported subauroral phenomena: the abnormal subauroral ion drift (ASAID) appearing as an inverted SAID and the shielding-E—SAID structure depicting a SAID feature on the poleward side of a small eastward or antisunward flow channel that is the shielding electric (E) field's signature. We have analyzed polar cross sections, constructed with multi-instrument Defense Meteorological Satellite Program data, for the development of these subauroral phenomena. New results show the features of abnormal subauroral polarization stream (ASAPS) and ASAID-ASAPS comprised by a narrow ASAID embedded in a wider ASAPS. We have identified undershielding, perfect shielding, and overshielding events. Our observational results demonstrate SAPS development during undershielding, the absence of subauroral flow channel during perfect shielding, and ASAID/ASAPS and shielding-E—SAID/SAPS development during overshielding. The appearance of an ASAID-ASAPS structure together with a pair of dayside-nightside eastward auroral flow channels implies the intensification of region 2 field-aligned currents via the westward traveling surge and thus the strengthening of overshielding conditions. From the observational results presented we conclude for the magnetically active time period studied that (i) the shielding E field drove the wider ASAPS flow channel, (ii) the ASAID-ASAPS structure's narrow antisunward flow channel developed due to the injections of hot ring current ions in a short-circuited system wherein the hot ring current plasma was closer to the Earth than the cold plasmaspheric plasma, and (iii) overshielding created this hot-cold plasma configuration via the development of a plasmaspheric shoulder.

Large-Scale Structure and Dynamics of the Sub-Auroral Polarization Stream (SAPS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, J. B. H.; Nishitani, N.; Kunduri, B.; Ruohoniemi, J. M.; Sazykin, S. Y.

2017-12-01

The Sub-Auroral Polarization Stream (SAPS) is a narrow channel of high-speed westward ionospheric convection which appears equatorward of the duskside auroral oval during geomagnetically active periods. SAPS is generally thought to occur when the partial ring current intensifies and enhanced region-2 field-aligned currents (FACs) are forced to close across the low conductance region of the mid-latitude ionospheric trough. However, recent studies have suggested SAPS can also occur during non-storm periods, perhaps associated with substorm activity. In this study, we used measurements from mid-latitude SuperDARN radars to examine the large-scale structure and dynamics of SAPS during several geomagnetically active days. Linear correlation analysis applied across all events suggests intensifications of the partial ring current (ASYM-H index) and auroral activity (AL index) are both important driving influences for controlling the SAPS speed. Specifically, SAPS flows increase, on average, by 20-40 m/s per 10 nT of ASYM-H and 10-30 m/s per 100 nT of AL. These dependencies tend to be stronger during the storm recovery phase. There is also a strong local time dependence such that the strength of SAPS flows decrease by 70-80 m/s for each hour of local time moving from dusk to midnight. By contrast, the evidence for direct solar wind control of SAPS speed is much less consistent, with some storms showing strong correlations with the interplanetary electric field components and/or solar wind dynamic pressure, while others do not. These results are discussed in the context of recent simulation results from the Rice Convection Model (RCM).

Differential Resonant Ring YIG Tuned Oscillator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parrott, Ronald A.

2010-01-01

A differential SiGe oscillator circuit uses a resonant ring-oscillator topology in order to electronically tune the oscillator over multi-octave bandwidths. The oscillator s tuning is extremely linear, because the oscillator s frequency depends on the magnetic tuning of a YIG sphere, whose resonant frequency is equal to a fundamental constant times the DC magnetic field. This extremely simple circuit topology uses two coupling loops connecting a differential pair of SiGe bipolar transistors into a feedback configuration using a YIG tuned filter creating a closed-loop ring oscillator. SiGe device technology is used for this oscillator in order to keep the transistor s 1/f noise to an absolute minimum in order to achieve minimum RF phase noise. The single-end resonant ring oscillator currently has an advantage in fewer parts, but when the oscillation frequency is greater than 16 GHz, the package s parasitic behavior couples energy to the sphere and causes holes and poor phase noise performance. This is because the coupling to the YIG is extremely low, so that the oscillator operates at near the unloaded Q. With the differential resonant ring oscillator, the oscillation currents are just in the YIG coupling mechanisms. The phase noise is even better, and the physical size can be reduced to permit monolithic microwave integrated circuit oscillators. This invention is a YIG tuned oscillator circuit making use of a differential topology to simultaneously achieve an extremely broadband electronic tuning range and ultra-low phase noise. As a natural result of its differential circuit topology, all reactive elements, such as tuning stubs, which limit tuning bandwidth by contributing excessive open loop phase shift, have been eliminated. The differential oscillator s open-loop phase shift is associated with completely non-dispersive circuit elements such as the physical angle of the coupling loops, a differential loop crossover, and the high-frequency phase shift of the n-p-n transistors. At the input of the oscillator s feedback loop is a pair of differentially connected n-p-n SiGe transistors that provides extremely high gain, and because they are bulk-effect devices, extremely low 1/f noise (leading to ultralow RF phase noise). The 1/f corner frequency for n-p-n SiGe transistors is approximately 500 Hz. The RF energy from the transistor s collector output is connected directly to the top-coupling loop (the excitation loop) of a single-sphere YIG tuned filter. A uniform magnetic field to bias the YIG must be at a right angle to any vector associated with an RF current in a coupling loop in order for the precession to interact with the RF currents.

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.

Real-Time Terahertz Imaging Using a Quantum Cascade Laser and Uncooled Microbolometer Focal Plane Array

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-01

reverse magnetron ” design (in which the polarity of the magnetron elements are reversed—such that the cathode constitutes the outer ring; the anode ...included as inset frames within Fig. 20. The dual nature of this figure (reporting both voltage and intensity vs. bias current) is useful in that it...tuned micro- magnetrons [60]-[61]. Conventional magnetrons (such as those used to generate microwaves) have physical dimensions which are excessively