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At least 433 records · Page 24

Revisiting particle dry deposition and its role in radiative effect estimates

Wet and dry deposition remove aerosols from the atmosphere, and these processes control aerosol lifetime and thus impact climate and air quality. Dry deposition is a significant source of aerosol uncertainty in global chemical transport and climate models. Dry deposition parameterizations in most global models were developed when few particle deposition measurements were available. However, new measurement techniques have enabled more size-resolved particle flux observations. We combined literature measurements with data that we collected over a grassland in Oklahoma and a pine forest in Colorado to develop a dry deposition parameterization. We find that relative to observations, previous parameterizations overestimated deposition of the accumulation and Aitken mode particles, and underestimated in the coarse mode. These systematic differences in observed and modeled accumulation mode particle deposition velocities are as large as an order of magnitude over terrestrial ecosystems. As accumulation mode particles form most of the cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) that influence the indirect radiative effect, this model-measurement discrepancy in dry deposition alters modeled CCN and radiative forcing. We present a revised observationally driven parameterization for regional and global aerosol models. Using this revised dry deposition scheme in the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS)-Chem chemical transport model, we find that global surface accumulation-mode number concentrations increase by 62% and enhance the global combined anthropogenic and natural aerosol indirect effect by −0.63 W m −2 . Our observationally constrained approach should reduce the uncertainty of particle dry deposition in global chemical transport models.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Bounds on Lorentz Invariance Violation from Muon Fluctuations at the Pierre Auger Observatory

Quantum gravity theories often modify spacetime symmetries. In particular, Lorentz invariance may be violated when approaching the Planck scale. Although the scales at which interactions occur in extensive air showers induced by ultra-high-energy cosmic rays in the atmosphere are many orders of magnitude below the Planck scale, these violations might still be observable. In this Letter, the fluctuations in the number of muons in the extensive air showers measured at the Pierre Auger Observatory are exploited, for the first time, to constrain Lorentz invariance violations. The bounds derived in the hadronic sector are the strongest ever obtained, and do not rely on assumptions about the mass composition of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays. The fluctuations in the number of muons constitute a new and powerful observable to further explore Lorentz invariance in a region of the parameter space not accessible to other observables.

Abdul Halim, A. [Adelaide U.] (ORCID:0000000312181↗

Cross Sections for Coherent Elastic and Inelastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering

The prospects of extracting new physics signals in coherent elastic neutrino–nucleus scattering (CEνNS) processes are limited by the precision with which the underlying nuclear structure physics, embedded in the weak nuclear form factor, is known. We present calculations of charge and weak nuclear form factors and CEνNS cross sections on 12C, 16O, 40Ar, 56Fe and 208Pb nuclei. We obtain the proton and neutron densities, and charge and weak form factors by solving Hartree–Fock (HF) equations with a Skyrme (SkE2) nuclear potential. We validate our approach by comparing 208Pb and 40Ar charge form factor predictions with available elastic electron scattering data. Since CEνNS experiments at stopped-pion sources are also well suited to measure inelastic charged–current and neutral–current neutrino–nucleus cross sections, we also present calculations for these processes, incorporating a continuum Random Phase Approximation (CRPA) description on top of the HF–SkE2 picture of the nucleus. Providing both coherent as well as inelastic cross sections in a consistent framework, we aim at obtaining a reliable and detailed comparison of the strength of these processes in the energy region below 100 MeV. Furthermore, we attempt to gauge the level of theoretical uncertainty pertaining to the description of the 40Ar form factor and CEνNS cross sections by comparing relative differences between recent microscopic nuclear theory and widely-used phenomenological form factor predictions. Future precision measurements of CEνNS will potentially help in constraining these nuclear structure details that will in turn improve prospects of extracting new physics.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Cosmic Reionization on Computers: Physical Origin of Long Dark Gaps in Quasar Absorption Spectra

I explore the properties of “dark gaps” - regions in quasar absorption spectra without significant transmission - with several simulations from the Cosmic Reionization On Computers (CROC) project. The CROC simulations in the largest available boxes (120 cMpc) come close to matching both the distribution of mean opacities and the frequency of dark gaps, but alas not in the same model: the run that matches the mean opacities fails to contain enough dark gaps and vice versa. Nevertheless, the run that matches the dark gap distributions serves as a counterexample to claims in the literature that the dark gap statistics requires a late end to reionization - in that run reionization ends at z = 6.7 (likely too early). While multiple factors contribute to the frequency of large dark gaps in the simulations, the primary factor that controls the overall shape of the dark gap distribution is the ionization level in voids—the lowest-density regions produce the highest transmission spikes that terminate long gaps. As the result, the dark gap distribution correlates strongly with the fraction of the spectrum above the gap detection threshold and the observed distribution is matched by the simulation in which this fraction is 2%. Hence, the gap distribution by itself does not constrain the timing of reionization, although it may do so in combination with the distribution of mean opacities.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Dark Radiation Constraints on Heavy QCD Axions

The naturalness problem of PQ symmetry motivates study of the heavy QCD axion, with masses m a > 1 MeV generated at scales above the QCD scale, and low values of the PQ symmetry breaking scale, ƒ a . We compute the abundance of such axions in a model-independent way, assuming only that they freeze-out after reheating from inflation, and are not subsequently diluted by new physics. If these axions decay between neutrino decoupling and the last scatter era of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), they dilute the neutrinos and their abundance is constrained by CMB measurements of the energy density in dark radiation, N eff . We accurately compute this bound using a numerical code to evolve the axion momentum distribution, including many key processes and effects previously ignored. We assume that the only relevant axion decays are to final states involving Standard Model particles. We determine regions of (m a , ƒ a ) that will give a signal in N eff at CMB Stage 4 experiments. We similarly compute the N eff bound and CMB Stage 4 signal for heavy axions that can decay to light mirror photons. Finally, we compute the bounds on heavy axions with mass below 1 MeV that decay after the era of CMB last scatter, from their contribution to cold or hot dark matter or N eff at this era.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

A search for optical and near-infrared counterparts of the compact binary merger GW190814

Here, we report on our observing campaign of the compact binary merger GW190814, detected by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors on 2019 August 14. This signal has the best localization of any observed gravitational wave (GW) source, with a 90 per cent probability area of 18.5 deg 2 , and an estimated distance of ≈240 Mpc. We obtained wide-field observations with the Deca-Degree Optical Transient Imager (DDOTI) covering 88 per cent of the probability area down to a limiting magnitude of w = 19.9 AB. Nearby galaxies within the high probability region were targeted with the Lowell Discovery Telescope (LDT), whereas promising candidate counterparts were characterized through multicolour photometry with the Reionization and Transients InfraRed (RATIR) and spectroscopy with the Gran Telescopio de Canarias (GTC). We use our optical and near-infrared limits in conjunction with the upper limits obtained by the community to constrain the possible electromagnetic counterparts associated with the merger. A gamma-ray burst seen along its jet’s axis is disfavoured by the multiwavelength data set, whereas the presence of a burst seen at larger viewing angles is not well constrained. Although our observations are not sensitive to a kilonova similar to AT2017gfo, we can rule out high-mass (>0.1 M ⊙ ) fast-moving (mean velocity ≥0.3c) wind ejecta for a possible kilonova associated with this merger.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

X-ray emission from a rapidly accreting narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy at z = 6.56

The space density of X-ray-luminous, blindly selected active galactic nuclei (AGN) traces the population of rapidly accreting super-massive black holes through cosmic time. It is encoded in the X-ray luminosity function, whose bright end remains poorly constrained in the first billion years after the Big Bang as X-ray surveys have thus far lacked the required cosmological volume. With the eROSITA Final Equatorial-Depth Survey (eFEDS), the largest contiguous and homogeneous X-ray survey to date, X-ray AGN population studies can now be extended to new regions of the luminosity–redshift space (L 2 - 10 keV > 10 45 erg s -1 and z > 6). The current study aims at identifying luminous quasars at z > 5.7 among X-ray-selected sources in the eFEDS field in order to place a lower limit on black hole accretion well into the epoch of re-ionisation. A secondary goal is the characterisation of the physical properties of these extreme coronal emitters at high redshifts. Cross-matching eFEDS catalogue sources to optical counterparts from the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys, we confirm the low significance detection with eROSITA of a previously known, optically faint z = 6.56 quasar from the Subaru High-z Exploration of Low-luminosity Quasars (SHELLQs) survey. We obtained a pointed follow-up observation of the source with the Chandra X-ray telescope in order to confirm the low-significance eROSITA detection. Using new near-infrared spectroscopy, we derived the physical properties of the super-massive black hole. Finally, we used this detection to infer a lower limit on the black hole accretion density rate at z > 6. The Chandra observation confirms the eFEDS source as the most distant blind X-ray detection to date. The derived X-ray luminosity is high with respect to the rest-frame optical emission of the quasar. With a narrow MgII line, low derived black hole mass, and high Eddington ratio, as well as its steep photon index, the source shows properties that are similar to local narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies, which are thought to be powered by young super-massive black holes. In combination with a previous high-redshift quasar detection in the field, we show that quasars with L 2 - 10 keV > 10 45 erg s -1 dominate accretion onto super-massive black holes at z ~ 6.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Modeling of small tungsten dust grains in EAST tokamak with NDS-BOUT ++

In order to investigate the transport of small dusts as well as their evolution property along their trajectories, the NDS module is developed under the BOUT++ framework, a highly desirable C++ code package to perform parallel plasma fluid simulations with an arbitrary number of equations in three-dimensional curvilinear coordinates. Due to the severe dust ablation in fusion plasmas, the dust size would decrease from micrometer to nanometer, resulting in impurities. Small dusts in the simulations here are specified as tungsten spheres with the radii on or below the order of submicrometer. The Rayleigh limit is included in the charging process when the dust is ablated to the droplet phase. The simulation results from the NDS module show that a 200 nm radius spherical tungsten dust originated from upper divertor region of EAST Tokamak is ablated completely due to the intense heating from the incoming plasma inside the core region, well consistent with the CCD footage of EAST shot # 81459. Furthermore it is found that the magnetic field dominates the dust transport when the dust radius is below 100 nm during the ablation along the trajectory. Our simulations predict that a 10 nm radius spherical tungsten dust injected from the inner midplane is well constrained by the magnetic field, and it reaches the inner divertor target with a velocity on the order of km/s.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Clarity through the neutrino fog: constraining new forces in dark matter detectors

The PandaX-4T and XENONnT experiments present indications of Coherent Elastic Neutrino Nucleus Scattering (CEνNS) from 8 B solar neutrinos at 2.6σ and 2.7σ, respectively. This constitutes the first observation of the neutrino “floor” or “fog”, an irreducible background that future dark matter searches in terrestrial detectors will have to contend with. Here, we first discuss the contributions from neutrino–electron scattering and from the Migdal effect in the region of interest of these experiments, and we argue that they are non-negligible. Second, we make use of the recent PandaX-4T and XENONnT data to derive novel constraints on light scalar and vector mediators coupling to neutrinos and quarks. We demonstrate that these experiments already provide world-leading laboratory constraints on new light mediators in some regions of parameter space.

neutrino interactions↗

A Novel Emergent Constraint Approach for Refining Regional Climate Model Projections of Peak Flow Timing

Abstract Global climate models (GCMs) are unable to produce detailed runoff conditions at the basin scale. Assumptions are commonly made that dynamical downscaling can resolve this issue. However, given the large magnitude of the biases in downscaled GCMs, it is unclear whether such projections are credible. Here, we use an ensemble of dynamically downscaled GCMs to evaluate this question in the Sierra‐Cascade mountain range of the western US. Future projections across this region are characterized by earlier seasonal shifts in peak flow, but with substantial inter‐model uncertainty (−25 ± 34.75 days, 95% confidence interval (CI)). We apply the emergent constraint (EC) method for the first time to dynamically downscaled projections, leading to a 39% (−28.25 ± 20.75 days, 95% CI) uncertainty reduction in future peak flow timing. While the constrained results can differ from bias corrected projections, the EC is based on GCM biases in historical peak flow timing and has a strong physical underpinning.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Crustal and uppermost mantle structure near the Gloria Fault, North Atlantic, from ocean bottom seismometer surface wave observations

SUMMARY In this work, we present both 1-D and 3-D shear wave velocity (Vs) models of the oceanic crust and uppermost mantle below the Deep OCean Test ARray area, located ∼ 70 km north of the central section of the Gloria Fault, in the eastern North-Atlantic Ocean. The velocity models are inferred from the dispersion of surface waves recorded on ocean bottom seismometers. Dispersion measurements are obtained from the analysis of ambient seismic noise at short periods (< 14 s) and teleseismic surface waves at long periods (> 14 s) using the two-station method. The 1-D Vs model is inferred from the joint inversion of Rayleigh wave phase velocities and Love wave group and phase velocities. The 3-D tomographic model is obtained by inversion of 2-D Love wave group velocity maps as a function of depth, further constrained by the average of Love wave phase velocities obtained from ambient noise (4–9 s) and the average Rayleigh and Love wave phase velocities calculated from teleseismic data (14–44 s). The 1-D Vs model shows a sediment layer with a low velocity of 1.05 km s−1, similar to previous studies in the region. Below the sediments, we find an oceanic crust with velocities ranging from 3.3 to 4.5 km s−1. The model reaches an unusually high velocity of 4.9 km s−1 in a 20 km thick layer at depths between 16 and 36 km. We interpret this fast velocity layer as indicative of the presence of harzburgite, a residue of enhanced melting that might have been formed by the proximity between the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the Azores mantle plume. At greater depths the velocity decreases, forming a low-velocity zone that reaches a minimum at ∼ 70 km depth, which we interpret as the maximum depth for the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary. The 3-D model shows a structure that is mostly horizontally layered, with Vs isocontours at 3.5–4.5 km s−1 highlighting oscillations of the crustal structure with wavelengths of ∼25–30 km. These oscillations may be due to changes in the rate of mantle upwelling and magma supply rate.

Pinzón, Juan I. (ORCID:0000000338078068)↗

Gaussian-process generative model for the QCD equation of state

We develop a generative model for the nuclear matter equation of state at zero net baryon density using the Gaussian process regression method. We impose first-principles theoretical constraints from lattice quantum chromodynamics and hadron resonance gas at high- and low-temperature regions, respectively. By allowing the trained Gaussian process regression model to vary freely near the phase transition region, we generate random smooth crossover equations of state with different speeds of sound that do not rely on specific parametrizations. Here, we explore a collection of experimental observable dependencies on the generated equations of state, which paves the groundwork for future Bayesian inference studies to use experimental measurements from relativistic heavy-ion collisions to constrain the nuclear matter equation of state.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

PASSAT: particle accelerator helioScopes for Slim Axion-like-particle deTection

We propose a novel method to search for axion-like particles (ALPs) at particle accelerator experiments. ALPs produced at the target via the Primakoff effect subsequently enter a region with a magnetic field, where they are converted to photons that are then detected. Dubbed Particle Accelerator helioScopes for Slim Axion-like-particle deTection (PASSAT), our proposal uses the principle of the axion helioscope but replaces ALPs produced in the Sun with those produced in a target material. Since we rely on ALP-photon conversions , our proposal probes light (slim) ALPs that are otherwise inaccessible to laboratory-based experiments which rely on ALP decay, and complements astrophysical probes that are more model-dependent. As a first application, we reinterpret existing data from the NOMAD experiment in light of PASSAT, and constrain the parameter space for ALPs lighter than $$\sim 100~\mathrm{eV}$$ ~ 100 eV and ALP-photon coupling larger than $$\sim 10^{-4}~\mathrm{GeV}^{-1}$$ ~ 10 - 4 GeV - 1 . As benchmarks of feasible low-cost experiments improving over the NOMAD limits, we study the possibility of re-using the magnets of the CAST and the proposed BabyIAXO experiments and placing them at the proposed BDF facility at CERN, together with some new detectors. We find that these realizations of PASSAT allow for a direct probe of the parameter space for ALPs lighter than $$\sim 100~\mathrm{eV}$$ ~ 100 eV and ALP-photon coupling larger than $$\sim 4\times 10^{-6}~\mathrm{GeV}^{-1}$$ ~ 4 × 10 - 6 GeV - 1 , which are regions that have not been probed yet by experiments with laboratory-produced ALPs. In contrast to other proposals aiming at detecting single or two-photon only events in hadronic beam dump environments, that rely heavily on Monte Carlo simulations, the background in our proposal can be directly measured in-situ , its suppression optimized, and the irreducible background statistically subtracted. Sensitivity evaluations with other beams will be the subject of a future paper. The measurements suggested in this paper represent an additional physics case for the BDF at CERN beyond those already proposed.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Observations of the Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer’s Response to a Solar Eclipse

The atmospheric response to the solar eclipse of 8 April 2024 in North America is investigated with a specific focus on the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL). We leverage measurements collected during the Third Wind Forecast Improvement Project (WFIP3), including Doppler lidars, sonic anemometers, and thermodynamic profiler data to investigate the atmospheric response across sites that experienced partial eclipse conditions with nearly 90% obscuration. Using these measurements, we examine eclipse-induced changes in key meteorological parameters, such as temperature, wind speed, and turbulent fluxes. Most previous eclipse studies have been conducted over land, whereas this study provides new observations for both coastal and marine environments, offering additional insight into eclipse-driven variability in the MABL. The findings confirm a notable decrease in downwelling shortwave radiation during the eclipse, which results in rapid cooling of surface air. The temperature reduction ranges from $1.2^\circ \text {C}$ to $1.4^\circ \text {C}$ in coastal regions and from $0.3^\circ \text {C}$ to $0.5^\circ \text {C}$ over the ocean. This analysis suggests that the MABL’s higher thermal inertia compared to coastal regions moderates the temperature decrease during the eclipse. Wind speed exhibits a more complex behavior, as it is influenced by both the MABL and preexisting synoptic conditions. Although a reduction in wind speed is observable up to approximately 140 m above ground level (AGL) at more inland sites, at other locations closer to the coast, this reduction is constrained to the lowest 100 m AGL. Turbulence parameters retrieved from sonic anemometers, such as turbulence kinetic energy, turbulent heat flux, and friction velocity, decrease during the eclipse at coastal sites, accompanied by a brief transition of atmospheric stability from unstable to neutral or weakly stable conditions. For the open-ocean sites, the variability in turbulence statistics and atmospheric stability is minimal during the occurrence of the eclipse.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

Modeling the Contribution of Precipitation Loss to a Radiation Belt Electron Dropout Observed by Van Allen Probes

A drift-diffusion model is used to simulate the low-altitude electron distribution, accounting for azimuthal drift, pitch angle diffusion, and atmospheric backscattering effects during a rapid electron dropout event on 21st August 2013, at L = 4.5. Additional external loss effects are introduced during times when the low-altitude electron distribution cannot be reproduced by diffusion alone. Here, the model utilizes low-altitude electron count rate data from five POES/MetOp satellites to quantify pitch angle diffusion rates. Low-altitude data provides critical constraint on the model because it includes the drift loss cone region where the electron distribution in longitude is highly dependent on the balance between azimuthal drift and pitch angle diffusion. Furthermore, a newly derived angular response function for the detectors onboard POES/MetOp is employed to accurately incorporate the bounce loss cone measurements, which have been previously contaminated by electrons from outside the nominal field-of-view. While constrained by low-altitude data, the model also shows reasonable agreement with high-altitude data. Pitch angle diffusion rates during the event are quantified and are faster at lower energies. Precipitation is determined to account for all of the total loss observed for 450 keV electrons, 88% for 600 keV and 38% for 900 keV. Predictions made in the MeV range are deemed unreliable as the integral energy channels E3 and P6 fail to provide the necessary constraint at relativistic energies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Angular analysis of B → K * e + e − in the low- q 2 region with new electron identification at Belle

We perform an angular analysis of the B → K * e + e − decay for the dielectron mass squared, q 2 , range of 0.0008 – 1.1200 GeV 2 / c 4 using the full Belle dataset in the K * 0 → K + π − and K * + → K S 0 π + channels, incorporating new methods of electron identification to improve the statistical power of the dataset. This analysis is sensitive to contributions from right-handed currents from physics beyond the Standard Model by constraining the Wilson coefficients C 7 ( ′ ) . We perform a fit to the B → K * e + e − differential decay rate and measure the imaginary component of the transversality amplitude to be A T Im = − 1.27 ± 0.52 ± 0.12 , and the K * transverse asymmetry to be A T ( 2 ) = 0.52 ± 0.53 ± 0.11 , with F L and A T Re fixed to the Standard Model values. The resulting constraints on the value of C 7 ′ are consistent with the Standard Model within a 2 σ confidence interval. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Ferlewicz, D. (ORCID:0000000243741234)↗

Real-Time Multiregional Market-to-Market Congestion Management Through Exchange of Relief Cost Curve

This paper introduces a novel method for multiregional market-to-market (M2M) coordinated congestion management. It identifies shortcomings in existing M2M approaches, where Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) exchange shadow prices and relief requests to optimize congestion relief allocations across interconnected regions. Two methods are proposed to enhance flow and price convergence. The first method proposes that both Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) use state-estimator flows directly to determine relief requirements, eliminating delays and potential oscillations caused by using market flows calculated from the prior period under existing M2M approach. The second method involves exchanging transmission relief cost curves, enabling each RTOs to integrate other RTOs' relief costs curve into its real-time security-constrained economic dispatch (SCED). This method can effectively extend the coordination to multiple transmission lines and across more than two RTOs. The alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) is also applied to the M2M coordination problem and compared with the proposed methods. Case studies on small and large-scale systems demonstrate the effectiveness of these approaches.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Multi-Factor-Coupled, Ahead-of-Time Aggregation of Power Flexibility Under Forecast Uncertainty

The increasing penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs) is significantly reshaping the role of distribution systems under active energy management. To aggregate the active-reactive power flexibility of DERs dispersed at the feeder and provide capacity support to the transmission system, it is essential to efficiently identify feasible substation power injection trajectories. This paper introduces a novel ahead-of-time flexibility characterization method to address it. First, a polyhedral non-feeder-level power flexibility region (PFR) is constructed, accounting for various time-dependent, power-coupled, and forecast error uncertainties. Then, a polyhedral feeder-level PFR is analytically derived through a coordinate transformation, which can reveal the uncertainty propagation path, i.e., how uncertainty applies to the feeder-level PFR. To facilitate the high-level application, a tractable chance-constrained Chebyshev centering optimization model is further developed to find a ball-shaped inner approximation of the feeder-level PFR. Finally, the proposed method is validated on a modified IEEE 123-bus test system. Here, both theoretical and experimental results show that, with appropriate robustness parameter settings, the proposed method can make the approximated PFR less conservative with abundant robustness against forecast error uncertainty.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗