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At least 703 records · Page 39

Evidence of isospin-symmetry violation in high-energy collisions of atomic nuclei

Strong interactions preserve an approximate isospin symmetry between up (u) and down (d) quarks, part of the more general flavor symmetry. In the case of K meson production, if this isospin symmetry were exact, it would result in equal numbers of charged (K + and K − ) and neutral (K 0 and ${\overline{K}}^{0}$) mesons produced in collisions of isospin-symmetric atomic nuclei. Here, we report results on the relative abundance of charged over neutral K meson production in argon and scandium nuclei collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 11.9 GeV per nucleon pair. We find that the production of K + and K − mesons at mid-rapidity is (18.4 ± 6.1)% higher than that of the neutral K mesons. Although with large uncertainties, earlier data on nucleus-nucleus collisions in the collision center-of-mass energy range $2.6 \, < \, \sqrt{{s}_{NN}} \, < \, 200$ GeV are consistent with the present result. Using well-established models for hadron production, we demonstrate that known isospin-symmetry breaking effects and the initial nuclei containing more neutrons than protons lead only to a small (few percent) deviation of the charged-to-neutral kaon ratio from unity at high energies. Thus, they cannot explain the measurements. The significance of the flavor-symmetry violation beyond the known effects is 4.7σ when the compilation of world data with uncertainties quoted by the experiments is used. New systematic, high-precision measurements and theoretical efforts are needed to establish the origin of the observed large isospin-symmetry breaking.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Accuracy of power spectra in dissipationless cosmological simulations

Abstract We exploit a suite of large N-body simulations (up to N = 40963) performed with abacus, of scale-free models with a range of spectral indices n, to better understand and quantify convergence of the matter power spectrum. Using self-similarity to identify converged regions, we show that the maximal wavenumber resolved at a given level of accuracy increases monotonically as a function of time. At 1 per cent level it starts at early times from a fraction of $k_\Lambda$, the Nyquist wavenumber of the initial grid, and reaches at most, if the force softening is sufficiently small, ${\sim}2{-}3 k_\Lambda$ at the very latest times we evolve to. At the $5{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ level, accuracy extends up to wavenumbers of order $5k_\Lambda$ at late times. Expressed as a suitable function of the scale-factor, accuracy shows a very simple n-dependence, allowing a extrapolation to place conservative bounds on the accuracy of N-body simulations of non-scale-free models like LCDM. We note that deviations due to discretization in the converged range are not well modelled by shot noise, and subtracting it in fact degrades accuracy. Quantitatively our findings are broadly in line with the conservative assumptions about resolution adopted by recent studies using large cosmological simulations (e.g. Euclid Flagship) aiming to constrain the mildly non-linear regime. On the other hand, we remark that conclusions about small-scale clustering (e.g. concerning the validity of stable clustering) obtained using PS data at wavenumbers larger than a few $k_\Lambda$ may need revision in light of our convergence analysis.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Regime dependence of cloud condensate variability observed at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Sites

Microphysical processes and cloud–radiation interaction occur on spatial scales of variability smaller than those represented explicitly in global weather forecasting and climate models. It is therefore necessary to parametrize the unresolved heterogeneity of humidity and cloud condensate in order to predict process rates accurately. Ground‐based observations from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement sites located in various climatic regions of the world provide a source of high‐temporal‐resolution observations of cloud condensate. A number of different retrieval products for cloud condensate are assessed for the different geographical regions, years and seasons. The retrieval reliability varies with cloud type, but for cloud categories largely unaffected by precipitation a comparison across sites and longer time periods is possible. These observations confirm previously documented variability behaviour as a function of cloud fraction, but also reveal a systematic regime dependence that is not captured by existing parametrizations. Condensate variability measured as a fractional standard deviation (FSD) in warm boundary‐layer clouds is greater in the Tropics than in mid and high latitudes for scenes with comparable cloud type and fraction, with the observed FSD varying from 1.2 in the Tropics to 0.4 in the Arctic. A parametrization of the FSD of cloud liquid condensate based on the grid‐box mean total water amount and cloud fraction is formulated and shown to capture the observed range of FSD values better across different geographical sites and different seasons. The regime dependence of FSD for cirrus cloud is less pronounced than that for liquid clouds and is found largely to agree with FSD values previously derived from satellite observations.

Ahlgrimm, Maike↗

The G‐JF Thermostat for Accurate Configurational Sampling in Soft‐Matter Simulations

Abstract We implement the statistically sound G‐JF thermostat for Langevin dynamics simulations into the ESPResSo molecular package for large‐scale simulations of soft‐matter systems. The implemented integration method is tested against the integrator currently used by the molecular package in simulations of a fluid bilayer membrane. While the latter exhibits deviations in the sampling statistics that increase with the integration time step dt , the former reproduces near‐correct configurational statistics for all dt within the stability range of the simulations. We conclude that, with very modest revisions to existing codes, one can significantly improve the performance of statistical sampling using Langevin thermostats.

Arad, Evyatar↗

Probing late-stage hadronic interactions at high baryon density via $K^{⁎0}$ production in the RHIC beam energy scan program

A precision measurement of the $K^{⁎0}$ meson yield is reported in Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 7.7, 11.5, 14.6, 19.6, and 27 GeV using the high-statistics data sample collected by the STAR experiment during the Beam Energy Scan II (BES-II) program at RHIC. The transeverse momentum (p T )-integrated yield ratios $\large{(}K^{⁎0} + \overline{K^{⁎0}}\large{)}/(K^+ + K^{-})$ in central collisions show a suppression relative to peripheral collisions at the (1.7–3.6) σ level, while a thermal model without final-stage rescattering overpredicts this ratio with a deviation of (6.9–8.2) σ. These results indicate a loss of the measured $K^{⁎0}$ signal in central collisions due to re-scattering of its hadronic decay products in the hadronic phase. The p T -integrated yield of charged kaons exhibits an approximate scaling with charged-particle multiplicity, independent of collision energy and system size. A similar trend is observed for the short-lived $K^{⁎0}$ resonance, although significant deviations emerge at lower energies. At BES energies, the $K^{⁎0}/K$ ratio shows stronger suppression than at the highest RHIC and LHC energies within a given multiplicity bin, particularly in central and mid-central collisions. This behavior is consistent with changes in the effective hadronic interaction cross section and is supported by transport model calculations, which indicate dominant meson–baryon interactions at lower energies and meson–meson interactions at higher energies.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Transformation of electronic properties and structural phase transition from HfN to Hf 3 N 4

Here, we report investigation of the structural phase transition and electronic properties of Hf 1-x N (0 <= x <= 0.25) using first principles calculations. The defective NaCl-type structure with Hf vacancies (V Hf ) is found to be stable over a large phase region. Hf 3 N 4 with the Zr 3 N 4 -type structure is only stable in relative small region and readily destabilized when the stoichiometric ratio of N to Hf deviates from 4/3. The electronic and optic properties of Hf 1-x N are controlled by the concentration of V Hf . Finally, the full depletion of excess free electrons from Hf atoms results in the structural phase transition of Hf 3 N 4 .

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

A General N -Moment Normalization Method for Deriving Raindrop Size Distribution Scaling Relationships

A general drop size distribution (DSD) normalization method is formulated in terms of generalized power series relating any DSD moment to any number and combination of reference moments. This provides a consistent framework for comparing the variability of normalized DSD moments using different sets of reference moments, with no explicit assumptions about the DSD functional form (e.g., gamma). It also provides a method to derive any unknown moment plus an estimate of its uncertainty from one or more known moments, which is relevant to remote sensing retrievals and bulk microphysics schemes in weather and climate models. Herein, the approach is applied to a large dataset of disdrometer-observed and bin microphysics-modeled DSDs. As expected, the spread of normalized moments decreases as the number of reference moments is increased, quantified by the logarithmic standard deviation of the normalized moments, σ. Averaging σ for all combinations of reference moments and normalized moments of integer order 0–10, 42.9%, 81.3%, 93.7%, and 96.9% of spread are accounted for applying one-, two-, three-, and four-moment normalizations, respectively. Thus, DSDs can be well characterized overall using three reference moments, whereas adding a fourth reference moment contributes little independent information. The spread of disdrometer-observed DSD moments from uncertainty associated with drop count statistics generally lies between values of σ using two- and three-moment normalizations. However, this uncertainty has little impact on the derived DSD scaling relationships or σ when considered.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Theoretical Understanding of the Linear Relationship between Convective Updrafts and Cloud-Base Height for Shallow Cumulus Clouds. Part II: Continental Conditions

This is the Part II of a two-part study that seeks a theoretical understanding of an empirical relationship for shallow cumulus clouds: subcloud updraft velocity covaries linearly with the cloud-base height. This work focuses on continental cumulus clouds that are more strongly forced by surface fluxes and more deviated from equilibrium than those over oceans (Part I). We use a simple analytical model for shallow cumulus that is well tested against a high-resolution (25 m in the horizontal) large-eddy simulation model. Consistent with a conventional idea, we find that surface Bowen ratio is the key variable that regulates the covariability of both parameters: under the same solar insolation, a drier surface allows for stronger buoyancy flux, triggering stronger convection that deepens the subcloud layer. We find that the slope of the Bowen-ratio-regulated relationship between the two parameters (defined as λ) is dependent on both the local time and the stability of the lower free atmosphere. The value of λ decreases with time exponentially from sunrise to early afternoon and linearly from early afternoon to sunset. The value of λ is larger in a more stable atmosphere. In addition, continental λ in the early afternoon more than doubles the oceanic λ. Validation of the theoretical results against ground observations over the Southern Great Plains shows a reasonable agreement. Physical mechanisms underlying the findings are explained from the perspective of different time scales at which updrafts and cloud-base height respond to a surface flux forcing.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

The impact of the $\text{WHIM}$ on the $\text{IGM}$ thermal state determined from the low- z Lyman $\alpha$ forest

At z ≲ 1, shock heating caused by large-scale velocity flows and possibly violent feedback from galaxy formation, converts a significant fraction of the cool gas (T ~ 10 4 K) in the intergalactic medium (IGM) into warm–hot phase (WHIM) with T > 10 5 K, resulting in a significant deviation from the previously tight power-law IGM temperature–density relationship, T = T 0 (P/$\bar{p}$) γ-1 ⁠. This study explores the impact of the WHIM on measurements of the low-z IGM thermal state, [T 0 , γ], based on the b–NH 1 distribution of the Ly α forest. Exploiting a machine learning-enabled simulation-based inference method trained on Nyx hydrodynamical simulations, we demonstrate that [T 0 , γ] can still be reliably measured from the b–NH 1 distribution at z = 0.1, notwithstanding the substantial WHIM in the IGM. To investigate the effects of different feedback, we apply this inference methodology to mock spectra derived from the IllustrisTNG and Illustris simulations at z = 0.1. The results suggest that the underlying [T 0 , γ] of both simulations can be recovered with biases as low as |Δlog(T 0 /K)| ≲ 0.05 dex, |Δγ| ≲ 0.1, smaller than the precision of a typical measurement. Given the large differences in the volume-weighted WHIM fractions between the three simulations (Illustris 38 percent, IllustrisTNG 10 percent, and Nyx 4 per cent), we conclude that the b–N H1 distribution is not sensitive to the WHIM under realistic conditions. Finally, we investigate the physical properties of the detectable Ly α absorbers, and discover that although their T and Δ distributions remain mostly unaffected by feedback, they are correlated with the photoionization rate used in the simulation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Detectability of cosmic dark flow in the type ia supernova redshift-distance relation

We reanalyze the detectability of large-scale dark flow (or local bulk flow) with respect to the CMB background based upon the redshift–distance relation for SN Ia. We made two independent analyses: one based upon identifying the three Cartesian velocity components; and the other based upon the cosine dependence of the deviation from Hubble flow on the sky. We apply these analyses to the Union2.1 SN Ia data and to the SDSS-II supernova survey. For both methods, results for low redshift, z<0.05, are consistent with previous searches. We find a local bulk flow of v {sub bf} ∼ 300 km s{sup −1} in the direction of (l, b) ∼ (270, 35)°. However, the search for a dark flow at z>0.05 is inconclusive. Based upon simulated data sets, we deduce that the difficulty in detecting a dark flow at high redshifts arises mostly from the observational error in the distance modulus. Thus, even if it exists, a dark flow is not detectable at large redshift with current SN Ia data sets. We estimate that a detection would require both significant sky coverage of SN Ia out to z = 0.3 and a reduction in the effective distance modulus error from 0.2 mag to ≲0.02 mag. We estimate that a greatly expanded data sample of ∼10{sup 4} SN Ia might detect a dark flow as small as 300 km s{sup −1} out to z = 0.3 even with a distance modulus error of 0.2 mag. This may be achievable in a next generation large survey like LSST.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

A new coupling of a GPU-resident large-eddy simulation code with a multiphysics wind turbine simulation tool

The development of new wind farm control strategies can benefit from combined analysis of flow dynamics in the farm and the behavior of individual turbines within one simulation environment. In this work, we present such an environment by developing a new coupling between the large-eddy simulation (LES) code GRASP and the multiphysics wind turbine simulation tool OpenFAST via an actuator line model (ALM). In addition, the implementation of the recently proposed filtered actuator line model (FALM) within the coupling is described. The new ALM implementation is cross-verified with results from four other commonly used research LES codes. The results for the blade loads and the near wake obtained with the new coupling are consistent with the other codes. Deviations are observed in the far wake. The results further indicate that the FALM is able to reduce the lift and power overprediction from which the traditional ALM suffers on coarse LES grids. This new simulation environment paves the way for future wind farm simulations under realistic weather conditions by leveraging GRASP's ability to impose data from large-scale meteorological models as boundary conditions.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

An extended magnetohydrodynamics model for relativistic weakly collisional plasmas

Black holes that accrete far below the Eddington limit are believed to accrete through a geometrically thick, optically thin, rotationally supported plasma that we will refer to as a radiatively inefficient accretion flow (RIAF). RIAFs are typically collisionless in the sense that the Coulomb mean free path is large compared to GM/c{sup 2}, and relativistically hot near the event horizon. In this paper we develop a phenomenological model for the plasma in RIAFs, motivated by the application to sources such as Sgr A* and M87. The model is derived using Israel–Stewart theory, which considers deviations up to second order from thermal equilibrium, but modified for a magnetized plasma. This leads to thermal conduction along magnetic field lines and a difference in pressure, parallel and perpendicular to the field lines (which is equivalent to anisotropic viscosity). In the non-relativistic limit, our model reduces to the widely used Braginskii theory of magnetized, weakly collisional plasmas. We compare our model to the existing literature on dissipative relativistic fluids, describe the linear theory of the plasma, and elucidate the physical meaning of the free parameters in the model. We also describe limits of the model when the conduction is saturated and when the viscosity implies a large pressure anisotropy. In future work, the formalism developed in this paper will be used in numerical models of RIAFs to assess the importance of non-ideal processes for the dynamics and radiative properties of slowly accreting black holes.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Impact of Advection Schemes on Tracer Interrelationships in Large-Eddy Simulations of Deep Convection

This study investigates the preservation of tracer interrelationships during advection in large-eddy simulations of an idealized deep convective cloud, which is particularly relevant to chemistry, aerosol, and cloud microphysics models. Employing the Cloud Model 1, advection is represented using third-, fifth-, and seventh-order weighted essentially non-oscillatory schemes. As a simplified analogy for cloud hydrometeors and aerosols, several inert passive tracers following linear and nonlinear relationships are initialized after the cloud reaches ~6-km depth. Numerical mixing in the simulated turbulent convective clouds leads to significant deviations from the initial nonlinear relationships between tracers. In these simulations, a considerable fraction of the grid points where the tracers’ nonlinear relationships are altered from advection are classified as unrealistic (e.g., ~13% for the environmental tracers on average), including errors from range-preserving unmixing and overshooting. Errors in the sum of three tracers are also relatively large, ranging between ~1% and 16% for 5% of the grid points in and near the cloud. The magnitude of unrealistic mixing and errors in the sum of three tracers generally increase with the order of accuracy of the advection scheme. These results are consistent across model grid spacings ranging from 50 to 200 m, and across three different flow realizations for each combination of grid spacing and advection scheme tested. Tests employing a previously proposed scalar normalization procedure show substantially reduced errors in the sum of three tracers with a relatively small negative impact on other tracer relationships. This analysis, therefore, suggests efficacy of the normalization procedure when applied to turbulent three-dimensional cloud simulations.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Studies of Zγ production in association with a high-mass dijet system in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV with the ATLAS detector

The production of a Z boson and a photon in association with a high-mass dijet system is studied using 20.2 fb -1 of proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 8 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector in 2012 at the Large Hadron Collider. Final states with a photon and a Z boson decaying into a pair of either electrons, muons, or neutrinos are analysed. Electroweak and total pp → Zγjj cross-sections are extracted in two fiducial regions with different sensitivities to electroweak production processes. Quartic couplings of vector bosons are studied in regions of phase space with an enhanced contribution from pure electroweak production, sensitive to vector-boson scattering processes VV → Zγ. Finally, no deviations from Standard Model predictions are observed and constraints are placed on anomalous couplings parameterized by higher-dimensional operators using effective field theory.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Quality Control Analysis in Real-time (QC-ART): A Tool for Real-time Quality Control Assessment of Mass Spectrometry-based Proteomics Data

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based proteomics studies of large sample cohorts can easily require from months to years to complete. Acquiring consistent, high-quality data in such large-scale studies is challenging because of normal variations in instrumentation performance over time, as well as artifacts introduced by the samples themselves, such as those due to collection, storage and processing. Existing quality control methods for proteomics data primarily focus on post-hoc analysis to remove low-quality data that would degrade downstream statistics; they are not designed to evaluate the data in near real-time, which would allow for interventions as soon as deviations in data quality are detected. In addition to flagging analyses that demonstrate outlier behavior, evaluating how the data structure changes over time can aide in understanding typical instrument performance or identify issues such as a degradation in data quality due to the need for instrument cleaning and/or re-calibration. To address this gap for proteomics, we developed Quality Control Analysis in Real-Time (QC-ART), a tool for evaluating data as they are acquired in order to dynamically flag potential issues with instrument performance or sample quality. QC-ART has similar accuracy as standard post-hoc analysis methods with the additional benefit of real-time analysis. We demonstrate the utility and performance of QC-ART in identifying deviations in data quality due to both instrument and sample issues in near real-time for LC-MS-based plasma proteomics analyses of a sample subset of The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young cohort. We also present a case where QC-ART facilitated the identification of oxidative modifications, which are often underappreciated in proteomic experiments.

Stanfill, Bryan A.↗

Microstructure in matrix elements

We investigate the simple model of Pennington, Shenker, Stanford and Yang for modeling the density matrix of Hawking radiation, but further include dynamics for EOW branes behind the horizon. This allows interactions that scatter one interior state to another, and also allows EOW loops. At strong coupling, we find that EOW states are no longer random; the ensemble has collapsed, and coupling constants encode the microscopic matrix elements of Hawking radiation. This suggests strong interior dynamics are important for understanding evaporating black holes, without any ensemble average. In this concrete model the density matrix of the radiation deviates from the thermal state, small off-diagonal fluctuations encode equivalences between naively orthogonal states, and bound the entropy from above. For almost evaporated black holes the off-diagonal terms become as large as the diagonal ones, eventually giving a pure state. We also find the unique analytic formula for all Renyi entropies.

2D gravity↗

Extrusion control for high quality printing on Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) systems

Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) is a large format additive manufacturing (AM) process. The size scale has enabled many new applications for AM. However, at this scale, lack of high print resolution and extruder flowrate control lead to potentially significant geometric deviations in the printed part. This paper examines strategies to improve geometric quality in BAAM parts. Multi-resolution printing, extrusion diversion, and feedforward extruder control are examined herein. Furthermore, these methods were all found to be effective in mitigating phenomena detrimental to geometric part quality on the BAAM process.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Effects of magnetic fields on HPGe tracking detectors

Here, we present a study of magnetic fields effects on the position resolution and energy response of hyper-pure germanium detectors. Our results provide realistic estimates of the potential impact on the resolving power of tracking-arrays from (fringe) magnetic fields present when operating together with large spectrometers. By solving the equations of motion for the electron and holes in the presence of both electric and magnetic fields, we analyzed the drift trajectories of the charge carriers to determine the deviations in the positions at the end point of the trajectories, as well as changes in drift lengths affecting the energy resolution and peak shift due to trapping. Our results show that the major effect is in the deviation of the transverse (to the electric field direction) position and suggest that, if no corrective action is taken in the pulse-shape and tracking data analysis procedures, a field strength ≳ 0.1 T will start to impact the intrinsic position resolution of 2 mm (RMS). At fields above ~1 T, the degradation of the energy response becomes observable.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗