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At least 181 records · Page 10

Bayesian Estimation of Earth’s Undiscovered Mineralogical Diversity Using Noninformative Priors

Recently, statistical distributions have been explored to provide estimates of the mineralogical diversity of Earth, and Earth-like planets. In this paper, a Bayesian approach is introduced to estimate Earth’s undiscovered mineralogical diversity. Samples are generated from a posterior distribution of the model parameters using Markov chain Monte Carlo simulations such that estimates and inference are directly obtained. It was previously shown that the mineral species frequency distribution conforms to a generalized inverse Gauss–Poisson (GIGP) large number of rare events model. Even though the model fit was good, the population size estimate obtained by using this model was found to be unreasonably low by mineralogists. In this paper, several zero-truncated, mixed Poisson distributions are fitted and compared, where the Poisson-lognormal distribution is found to provide the best fit. Subsequently, the population size estimates obtained by Bayesian methods are compared to the empirical Bayes estimates. Species accumulation curves are constructed and employed to estimate the population size as a function of sampling size. Finally, the relative abundances, and hence the occurrence probabilities of species in a random sample, are calculated numerically for all mineral species in Earth’s crust using the Poisson-lognormal distribution. These calculations are connected and compared to the calculations obtained in a previous paper using the GIGP model for which mineralogical criteria of an Earth-like planet were given.

Bayesian statistics↗

( 6 Li, d) and ( 6 Li, t) reactions on 22 Ne and implications for s-process nucleosynthesis

We studied α cluster states in 26 Mg via the 22 Ne( 6 Li,dγ) 26 Mg reaction in inverse kinematics at an energy of 7 MeV/nucleon. States between E x = 4–14 MeV in 26 Mg were populated and relative α spectroscopic factors were determined. Some of these states correspond to resonances in the Gamow window of the 22 Ne(α,n) 25 Mg reaction, which is one of the main neutron sources in the astrophysical s-process. Using our new 22 Ne(α,n) 25 Mg and 22Ne(α,γ) 26 Mg reaction rates, we performed new s-process calculations for massive stars and asymptotic giant branch stars and compared the resulting abundances with the abundances obtained using other 22 Ne+α rates from the literature. We observe an impact on the s-process abundances up to a factor of three for intermediate-mass AGB stars and up to a factor of ten for massive stars. Additionally, states in 25 Mg at E x < 7.5 MeV are identified via the 22 Ne( 6 Li,t) 25 Mg reaction for the first time. We present the ( 6 Li, t) spectroscopic factors of these states and note similarities to the (d,p) reaction in terms of reaction selectivity.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Cherenkov Telescope Array sensitivity to the putative millisecond pulsar population responsible for the Galactic Centre excess

ABSTRACT The leading explanation of the Fermi Galactic Centre γ-ray excess is the extended emission from an unresolved population of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) in the Galactic bulge. Such a population would, along with the prompt γ-rays, also inject large quantities of electrons/positrons (e±) into the interstellar medium. These e± could potentially inverse-Compton (IC) scatter ambient photons into γ-rays that fall within the sensitivity range of the upcoming Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). In this article, we examine the detection potential of CTA to this signature by making a realistic estimation of the systematic uncertainties on the Galactic diffuse emission model at TeV-scale γ-ray energies. We forecast that, in the event that e± injection spectra are harder than E−2, CTA has the potential to robustly discover the IC signature of a putative Galactic bulge MSP population sufficient to explain the Galactic Centre excess for e± injection efficiencies in the range of ≈2.9–74.1 per cent, or higher, depending on the level of mismodelling of the Galactic diffuse emission components. On the other hand, for spectra softer than E−2.5, a reliable CTA detection would require an unphysically large e± injection efficiency of ${\gtrsim} 158{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$. However, even this pessimistic conclusion may be avoided in the plausible event that MSP observational and/or modelling uncertainties can be reduced. We further find that, in the event that an IC signal were detected, CTA can successfully discriminate between an MSP and a dark matter origin for the radiating e±.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Preparative electrophoresis of cultured human cells: Effect of cell cycle phase

Human epithelioid T-1E cells were cultured in suspension and subjected to density gradient electrophoresis upward in a vertical column. It is indicated that the most rapidly migrating cells were at the beginning of the cell cycle and the most slowly migrating cells were at the end of the cell cycle. The fastest migrating cells divided 24 hr later than the slowest migrating cells. Colonies developing from slowly migrating cells had twice as many cells during exponential growth as did the most rapidly migrating cells, and the numbers of cells per colony at any time was inversely related to the electrophoretic migration rate. The DNA measurements by fluorescence flow cytometry indicates that the slowest migrating cell populations are enriched in cells that have twice as much DNA as the fastest migrating cells. It is concluded that electrophoretic mobility of these cultured human cells declines steadily through the cell cycle and that the mobility is lowest at the end of G sub 2 phase and highest at the beginning of G sub 1 phase.

Kunze, M. E.↗

Non-Thermal Hard X-Ray Emission in Galaxy Clusters Observed with the BeppoSAX PDS

We study the X-ray emission in a Sample of galaxy clusters using the BeppoSAX PDS instrument in the 20 - 80 keV energy band. We estimate the non-thermal hard X-ray cluster emission (HXR) by modeling the thermal contribution from the cluster gas and the non-thermal contamination from the unobscured AGN in the clusters. We also evaluate the systematic uncertainties due to the background fluctuations. Assuming negligible contamination from the obscured AGN, the resulting non-thermal component is detected at a 2 sigma level in approx. 50% of the non-significantly AGN-contaminated clusters: A2142, A2199, A2256, A3376, Coma, Ophiuchus and Virgo. The data are consistent with a scenario whereby relaxed clusters have no hard X-ray component of non-thermal origin, whereas merger clusters do. The co-added spectrum of the above clusters indicates a power-law spectrum for the HXR with a photon index of 2.8+0.3-0.4 in the 12 - 115 keV band, and we find indication that it has extended distribution. These indications argue against significant contamination from obscured AGN, which have harder spectra and centrally concentrated distribution. These results are supportive of the assumption of the merger shock acceleration of electrons in clusters, which has been proposed as a possible origin of the non-thermal hard X-ray emission models. Assuming that the Cosmic Microwave Background photons experience Inverse Compton scattering from the merger-accelerated relativistic electrons, and thus produce the observed HXR, the measured hard X-ray slope corresponds to a differential momentum spectra of the relativistic electrons with a slope of mu = 3.8 - 5.0. In presence of cluster magnetic fields this relativistic electron population produces synchrotron emission with a spectral index of 1.4 - 2.1, consistent with radio halo observations of merger clusters. Thus both hard X-ray and radio observations of merger clusters are consistent with the Inverse Compton model. The observed slope of HXR is also consistent with that predicted by the non-thermal bremsstrahlung, which chus cannot be ruled by the fit to the current data, even though this model requires an extreme, untenable cluster energetics. Assuming centrally concentrated distribution of HXR, the data requires a harder slope for the HXR spectrum, which is consistent with secondary electron models, but this model yields a worse fit to the PDS data and thus seems to be disfavored over the primary electron Inverse Compton model.

Nevalainen, J.↗

Non-Thermal Hard X-Ray Emission in Galaxy Clusters Observed with the BeppoSAX PDS

We study the X-ray emission in a sample of galaxy clusters using the BeppoSAX PDS instrument in the 20-80 keV energy band. We estimate the nonthermal hard X-ray (HXR) cluster emission by modeling the thermal contribution from the cluster gas and the nonthermal contamination from the unobscured active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in the clusters. We also evaluate the systematic uncertainties due to the background fluctuations. Assuming negligible contamination from the obscured AGNs, the resulting nonthermal component is detected at a 2 sigma level in approx. 50% of the nonsignificantly AGN-contaminated clusters: A2142, A2199, A2256, A3376, Coma, Ophiuchus, and Virgo. The data are consistent with a scenario whereby relaxed clusters have no hard X-ray component of nonthermal origin, whereas merger clusters do, with a 20-80 keV luminosity of approx. 10(exp 43)-10(exp 44) h(sup -2 sub 50) ergs/s. The co-added spectrum of the above clusters indicates a power-law spectrum for the HXR emission with a photon index of 2.8(sup +0.3 sub -0.4) in the 12-115 keV band, and we find indication that it has extended distribution. These indications argue against significant contamination from obscured AGNs, which have harder spectra and a centrally concentrated distribution. These results are supportive of the assumption of the merger shock acceleration of electrons in clusters, which has been proposed as a possible origin of the nonthermal hard X-ray emission models. Assuming that the cosmic microwave background photons experience inverse Compton scattering from the merger-accelerated relativistic electrons and thus produce the observed HXR, the measured hard X-ray slope corresponds to a differential momentum spectra of the relativistic electrons with a slope of mu = 3.8-5.0. In presence of cluster magnetic fields this relativistic electron population produces synchrotron emission with a spectral index of 1.4-2.1, consistent with radio halo observations of merger clusters. Thus both hard X-ray and radio observations of merger clusters are consistent with the inverse Compton model.

Nevalainen, J.↗

Bayesian calibration of bubble size dynamics applied to CO 2 gas fermenters

To accelerate the scale-up of gaseous CO 2 fermentation reactors, computational models need to predict gas-to-liquid mass transfer which requires capturing the bubble size dynamics, i.e. bubble breakup and coalescence. However, the applicability of existing models beyond air–water mixtures remains to be established. Here, an inverse modeling approach, accelerated with a neural network surrogate, calibrates the breakup and coalescence closure models, that are used in class methods for population balance modeling (PBM). The calibration is performed based on experimental results obtained in a CO 2 -air–water-coflowing bubble column reactor. Bayesian inference is used to account for noise in the experimental dataset and bias in the simulation results. To accurately capture gas holdup and interphase mass transfer, the results show that the breakage rate needs to be increased by one order of magnitude. In conclusion, the inferred model parameters are then used on a separate configuration and shown to also improve bubble size distribution predictions.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Predicted performance of a tangential viewing hard x-ray camera for the DIII-D high field side lower hybrid current drive experiment

High field side launch of lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) has improved accessibility and penetration over low field side launch on DIII-D. Simulations predict single pass absorption under a wide range of plasma conditions. Hard x-ray (HXR) measurement of LHCD generated fast electron bremsstrahlung (50–250 keV) will validate wave propagation and absorption. Emissivity profiles are recovered from one-dimensional inversion of HXR brightness to determine LH damping location, fast electron slowing down time, and some indication of the fast electron energy. The camera will be implemented by populating 32 tangential sightlines of the existing Gamma Ray Imager with Kromek SPEARTM Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) detectors sensitive to 10–1000 keV photons with 10 keV energy resolution. Expected count rates allow for <0.5 ms time resolution. Pulses are processed using 50 ns shaping time Cremat CR-200 Gaussian shaping modules and are digitized by 25 MHz D-TACQ ACQ216 digitizers. The performance of the HXR camera is evaluated by comparing predicted fast electron density profiles and inverted synthetic brightnesses obtained from the ray-tracing/Fokker–Planck codes GENRAY/CQL3D. Inversions closely matched predicted fast electron profiles for a range of experimental parameters.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Limits on Leptonic TeV Emission from the Cygnus Cocoon with Swift-XRT

$\gamma$-ray observations of the Cygnus Cocoon, an extended source surrounding the Cygnus X star-forming region, suggest the presence of a cosmic ray accelerator reaching energies up to a few PeV. The very-high-energy (VHE; 0.1-100~TeV) $\gamma$-ray emission may be explained by the interaction of cosmic-ray hadrons with matter inside the Cocoon, but an origin of inverse Compton radiation by relativistic electrons cannot be ruled out. Inverse Compton $\gamma$-rays at VHE are accompanied by synchrotron radiation peaked in X-rays. Hence, X-ray observations may probe the electron population and magnetic field of the source. We observed eleven fields in or near the Cygnus Cocoon with the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory's X-Ray Telescope (Swift-XRT) totaling 110 ksec. We fit the fields to a Galactic and extra-galactic background model and performed a log-likelihood ratio test for an additional diffuse component. We found no significant additional emission and established upper limits in each field. By assuming that the X-ray intensity traces the TeV intensity and follows an dN/dE ∝ E -2.5 spectrum, we obtained a 90% upper limit of F X < 8.7 x 10 -11 erg cm -2 s -1 or 5.2 x10 -11 erg cm -2 s -1 on the X-ray flux of the entire Cygnus Cocoon between 2 and 10 keV depending on the choice of hydrogen column density model. This suggests that no more than one quarter of the $\gamma$-ray flux at 1 TeV is produced by inverse Compton scattering, when assuming an equipartition magnetic field of ~20 μG.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Cosmic Rays and Their Radiative Processes in Numerical Cosmology

A cosmological hydrodynamic code is described, which includes a routine to compute cosmic ray acceleration and transport in a simplified way. The routine was designed to follow explicitly diffusive, acceleration at shocks, and second-order Fermi acceleration and adiabatic loss in smooth flows. Synchrotron cooling of the electron population can also be followed. The updated code is intended to be used to study the properties of nonthermal synchrotron emission and inverse Compton scattering from electron cosmic rays in clusters of galaxies, in addition to the properties of thermal bremsstrahlung emission from hot gas. The results of a test simulation using a grid of 128 (exp 3) cells are presented, where cosmic rays and magnetic field have been treated passively and synchrotron cooling of cosmic ray electrons has not been included.

Ryu, Dongsu↗

Passive Microwave Signatures and Retrieval of High-Latitude Snowfall Over Open Oceans and Sea Ice: Insights From Coincidences of GPM and CloudSat Satellites

This article studies changes in microwave signals of oceanic snowfall in response to the formation of snow-covered sea ice using active and passive coincident data from the radar and radiometer onboard the CloudSat and the global precipitation measurement satellites. Using reanalysis data of liquid and ice water path as well as satellite retrievals of sea ice snow-cover depth, spectral regions are determined over which the snowfall signatures are likely to be obscured or falsely detected. Relying on an a priori database populated with the active–passive coincidences, a Bayesian snowfall retrieval algorithm is presented that links a k -nearest neighbor matching with the inverse Gaussian estimator used in the Goddard profiling algorithm. Without relying on any ancillary data of air temperature, the results demonstrate that over open oceans (sea ice), we can passively retrieve the CloudSat active snowfalls with a true positive rate of 92 (85%) and the root mean squared error of 0.24 (0.15) mm per h.

Sajad Vahedizade↗

Piezoelectric impedance-based high-accuracy damage identification using sparsity conscious multi-objective optimization inverse analysis

Two elements are essential in structural health monitoring utilizing dynamic responses: response measurement with high-frequency contents, i.e., small characteristic wavelengths, that can adequately reflect damage features, and effective inverse identification analysis that is however oftentimes under-determined. The advancement of smart structure integration has led to active interrogation through frequency-sweeping piezoelectric impedance measurement at high frequency range. In this research we develop a multi-objective optimization formulation for the identification of damage location and severity utilizing piezoelectric impedance. While one optimization objective is to match the response measurement with finite element model prediction in the damage parametric space, the other is the number of locations of damage, i.e., the sparsity of damage index as the solution vector, since damage usually occurs within a small number of locations. This multi-objective formulation fits well the under-determined nature of damage identification, as it naturally provides multiple solutions as basis for further elucidation. The challenge remaining is how to find a small solution set that can include the actual damage scenario. Here we develop a novel inverse identification framework utilizing the intelligent swarm optimizer which possesses flexibility for enhancement. We first embed a sparsity enforcement process into the population generation of the optimizer, which yields a solution repository intrinsically possessing sparsity. We then apply reinforcement learning so the agents can adaptively opt for local strategies with the aim of enriching the searching patterns to diversify the solutions. Through the incorporation of a Q-table, searching toward more promising directions will be rewarded. Our case analyses employing experimental data indicate that this sparsity-conscious multi-objective particle swarm optimization technique can lead to a small solution set which generally encompasses the true damage scenario. This effectively solves the structural damage identification problem with piezoelectric impedance measurement.

Yang Zhang↗

Spin-lattice relaxation and the calculation of gain, pump power, and noise temperature in ruby

The use of a quantitative analysis of the dominant source of relaxation in ruby spin systems to make predictions of key maser amplifier parameters is described. The spin-lattice Hamiltonian which describes the interaction of the electron spins with the thermal vibrations of the surrounding lattice is obtained from the literature. Taking into account the vibrational anisotropy of ruby, Fermi's rule is used to calculate the spin transition rates between the maser energy levels. The spin population rate equations are solved for the spin transition relaxation times, and a comparison with previous calculations is made. Predictions of ruby gain, inversion ratio, and noise temperature as a function of physical temperature are made for 8.4-GHz and 32-GHz maser pumping schemes. The theory predicts that ruby oriented at 90 deg will have approximately 50 percent higher gain in dB and slightly lower noise temperature than a 54.7-deg ruby at 32 GHz (assuming pump saturation). A specific calculation relating pump power to inversion ratio is given for a single channel of the 32-GHz reflected wave maser.

Lyons, J. R.↗

Color and population gradients in globular cluster cores

New observational results on color and population gradients in the cores of several highly concentrated globular clusters are reported. The gradients are in the sense of blueing toward the cluster center, and appear to be caused mostly or entirely by population gradients in the number of blue horizontal branch and red giant branch stars. Taken at face value, such gradients would imply an inverse mass segregation, but this interpretation is not fully secure. In any case, their dynamical understanding remains a problem.

Djorgovski, S.↗

An outer gap model of high-energy emission from rotation-powered pulsars

We describe a refined calculation of high-energy emission from rotation-powered pulsars based on the outer gap model of Cheng, Ho, & Ruderman (1986 a, b). In this calculation, vacuum gaps form in regions near the speed-of-light cylinder of the pulsar magnetosphere along the boundary between the closed and open field line zones. We have improved upon previous efforts to model the spectra from these pulsars (e.g., Cheng et al. 1986b; Ho 1989) by following the variation in particle production and radiation properties with position in the outer gap. Curvature, synchotron, and inverse-Compton scattering fluxes vary significantly over the gap, and their interactions via photon-photon pair production build up the radiating charge populations at varying rates. We have also incorporated an approximate treatment of the transport particle and photon fluxes between gap emission zones. These effects, along with improved computations of the particle and photon distribution, provide very important modifications of the model gamma-ray flux. In paticular, we attempt to make specific predictions of pulse profile shapes and spectral variations as a function of pulse phase and suggest further extensions to the model which may provide accurate computations of the observed high-energy emissions.

Chiang, James↗

Low-lying level structure of the neutron-unbound $\textit{N}$ = 7 isotones

This article reports on results of an experimental search for ground state shell inversion in the neutron-unbound $\textit{N}$ = 7 isotones 9 He and 10 Li. Two different radioactive ion beams ( 11 Be, E lab = 44 MeV/u and 12 B, E lab = 45 MeV/u) impinging on a beryllium target were used to directly and selectively populate unbound states of a given ℓ in the nuclides of interest. Be( 11 Be, 8 He + $\textit{n}$) and Be( 12 B, 8 He + $\textit{n}$) reactions populated unbound states in 9 He. Fragments and neutrons were detected in coincidence to reconstruct the decay energy of 9 He using invariant mass spectroscopy. Similarly, Be( 11 Be, 9 Li + $\textit{n}$) and Be( 12 B, 9 Li + $\textit{n}$) reactions were used to populate unbound states in 10 Li, and the time-of-flight method was used to determine the relative velocity of the 9 Li fragments and neutrons in coincidence. Various states in both 9 He and 10 Li were observed and characterized. Here, the data indicate possible ground state shell inversion in both cases.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Mechanical characterization of fine-grain dispersion-strengthened tungsten as a plasma facing material

Field-Assisted Sintering Technology (FAST) was used to produce fine-grained, dispersion-strengthened tungsten (W) materials. Investigated materials 4138, 4353, and 4355 composed of 3 wt% ZrC sintered at 1800 °C, 5 wt% ZrC sintered at 1800 °C, and 3 wt% ZrC sintered at 2000 °C, respectively. They were compared against ITER-grade W. A series of mechanical and thermal property testing and microstructure studies were conducted to study them as a potential plasma facing material (PFM) for fusion reactors. Hardness testing showed that manufacturing conditions substantially altered hardness. Material 4355 had an average HV10 value of 497.2 ± 16.8, slightly higher than ITER-grade at 378.5 ± 40.3. However, material 4353 was substantially higher with an HV10 value of 738.9 ± 31.7 over the investigated temperature range. Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) analysis showed that FAST produced substantially smaller grains than the hot-rolled ITER-grade W material, offering notable control over grain size. Materials 4353 and 4355 had grain sizes of 0.44 ± 0.20 µm and 3.67 ± 0.89 µm, respectively, whereas ITER-grade 27.14 ± 19.76 µm at room temperature. The fine grain structures showed no net coarsening after 1 hr. anneals up to 1800 °C, several hundred degrees above the 1100 – 1500 °C recrystallization range reported for conventional W. Inverse application of the Zener pinning relationship to the measured grain sizes indicates that these two FAST sintering conditions produce markedly different effective dispersoid populations, with effective particle diameters of approximately 90 nm at a peak sintering temperature of 1800 °C and approximately 460 nm at 2000 °C, respectively. This result demonstrates that the FAST thermal condition itself, and not the nominal ZrC content alone, governs the pinning effectiveness of the dispersion. Thermal diffusivity measurements support this finding independently. Materials of identical composition sintered at different temperatures differ by approximately 19% in measured thermal diffusivity with statistically indistinguishable density, while materials of different composition and sintering temperature converge to within approximately 2%. At a representative divertor heat flux of 10 MW/m², the lower thermal conductivity of the fine-grained materials corresponds to approximately 28 to 33 °C per millimeter of armor thickness relative to ITER-grade W, traded against a substantially larger margin to recrystallization-driven degradation. While high temperature tensile testing revealed likely contamination that motivates refinement of the manufacturing process, FAST-produced, fine-grained, dispersion-strengthened W offers process-controlled microstructural stability well above the operating temperatures of conventional W and supports its continued development as a PFM for economically viable commercial fusion power.

Parker, Gabe [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000190394100)↗

Stellar Neutrino Emission across the Mass–Metallicity Plane

We explore neutrino emission from nonrotating, single-star models across six initial metallicities and 70 initial masses from the zero-age main sequence to the final fate. Overall, across the mass spectrum, we find metal-poor stellar models tend to have denser, hotter, and more massive cores with lower envelope opacities, larger surface luminosities, and larger effective temperatures than their metal-rich counterparts. Across the mass–metallicity plane we identify the sequence (initial CNO → 14 N → 22 Ne → 25 Mg → 26 Al → 26 Mg → 30 P → 30 Si) as making primary contributions to the neutrino luminosity at different phases of evolution. For the low-mass models we find neutrino emission from the nitrogen flash and thermal pulse phases of evolution depend strongly on the initial metallicity. For the high-mass models, neutrino emission at He-core ignition and He-shell burning depends strongly on the initial metallicity. Antineutrino emission during C, Ne, and O burning shows a strong metallicity dependence with 22 Ne(α, n) 25 Mg providing much of the neutron excess available for inverse-β decays. We integrate the stellar tracks over an initial mass function and time to investigate the neutrino emission from a simple stellar population. We find average neutrino emission from simple stellar populations to be 0.5–1.2 MeV electron neutrinos. Lower metallicity stellar populations produce slightly larger neutrino luminosities and average β decay energies. This study can provide targets for neutrino detectors from individual stars and stellar populations. We provide convenient fitting formulae and open access to the photon and neutrino tracks for more sophisticated population synthesis models.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗