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At least 1,495 records · Page 83

A Durable Reduction of Cosmic Ray Intensity in the Outer Heliosphere

This paper reports Pioneer 10 (P10) and Pioneer 11 (P11) observations of the intensity J(E(sub p) greater than 80 MeV) of galactic cosmic rays in the heliosphere near the heliographic equator during the 24-year period 1972-1996 and out to a heliocentric radial distance of 65 AU. It updates previous P10/P11 determinations of the time dependence of the radial gradient of intensity and emphasizes the recent 10-year period, especially the consequences of the great Forbush decrease in 1991. A fresh analysis compares P10 and P11 data with comparable data from IMP 8 at 1.0 AU. For this purpose, we have made a critical study of the data from three different instruments on IMP 8 and have developed a new time-dependent reference level of intensity at 1.0 AU for the period 1974-1996. Using this reference, we find that as of late 1996, recovery of intensity following the 1991 Forbush decrease has been markedly less complete in the outer heliosphere than at 1.0 AU. As a consequence, the mean radial gradient between 4 and 65 AU is now only about +0.3% 1/AU. Our findings favor the latitudinal wedge model of the heliosphere (Van Allen and Mihalov, 1990) and suggest that the modulation boundary of the heliosphere is far beyond 65 AU. Generally concordant, but less decisive, evidence of a similar nature has been reported previously by Van Allen (1993), Van Allen (1996), and Webber and Lockwood (1995b).

VanAllen, James A.↗

Electron-impact ionization of the Pb atom

Electron-impact ionization cross sections are calculated for the ground configuration of the Pb atom. Time-dependent close-coupling cross sections for the direct ionization of the 6 s and 6 p subshells leading to single ionization are calculated with and without a polarization potential. Configuration-average distorted-wave cross sections for the direct ionization of the 6 s and 6 p subshells leading to single ionization are also calculated with and without a polarization potential. We find the time-dependent close-coupling cross sections using a polarization potential to be in good agreement with convergent-close-coupling cross sections using a polarization potential. The total direct ionization cross sections are compared to two sets of experimental measurements. The differences between the direct ionization cross sections and the experimental measurements are mainly due to indirect ionization cross sections coming from the 6 s 2 6 p 2 → 6 s 6 p 3 excitation followed by autoionization..

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Coronal Plumes in the Fast Solar Wind

The expansion of a coronal hole filled with a discrete number of higher density coronal plumes is simulated using a time-dependent two-dimensional code. A solar wind model including an exponential coronal heating function and a flux of Alfven waves propagating both inside and outside the structures is taken as a basic state. Different plasma plume profiles are obtained by using different scale heights for the heating rates. Remote sensing and solar wind in situ observations are used to constrain the parameter range of the study. Time dependence due to plume ignition and disappearance is also discussed. Velocity differences of the order of approximately 50 km/s, such as those found in microstreams in the high-speed solar wind, may be easily explained by slightly different heat deposition profiles in different plumes. Statistical pressure balance in the fast wind data may be masked by the large variety of body and surface waves which the higher density filaments may carry, so the absence of pressure balance in the microstreams should not rule out their interpretation as the extension of coronal plumes into interplanetary space. Mixing of plume-interplume material via the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability seems to be possible within the parameter ranges of the models defined here, only at large di stances from the Sun, beyond 0.2-0.3 AU. Plasma and composition measurements in the inner heliosphere, such as those which will become available with Solar Orbiter and Solar Probe Plus, should therefore definitely be able to identify plume remnants in the solar wind.

Velli, Marco↗

Nature's Autonomous Oscillators

Nonlinearity is required to produce autonomous oscillations without external time dependent source, and an example is the pendulum clock. The escapement mechanism of the clock imparts an impulse for each swing direction, which keeps the pendulum oscillating at the resonance frequency. Among nature's observed autonomous oscillators, examples are the quasi-biennial oscillation and bimonthly oscillation of the Earth atmosphere, and the 22-year solar oscillation. The oscillations have been simulated in numerical models without external time dependent source, and in Section 2 we summarize the results. Specifically, we shall discuss the nonlinearities that are involved in generating the oscillations, and the processes that produce the periodicities. In biology, insects have flight muscles, which function autonomously with wing frequencies that far exceed the animals' neural capacity; Stretch-activation of muscle contraction is the mechanism that produces the high frequency oscillation of insect flight, discussed in Section 3. The same mechanism is also invoked to explain the functioning of the cardiac muscle. In Section 4, we present a tutorial review of the cardio-vascular system, heart anatomy, and muscle cell physiology, leading up to Starling's Law of the Heart, which supports our notion that the human heart is also a nonlinear oscillator. In Section 5, we offer a broad perspective of the tenuous links between the fluid dynamical oscillators and the human heart physiology.

Mayr, H. G.↗

Multi-fluid and kinetic models of partially ionized magnetic reconnection

Magnetic reconnection in partially ionized plasmas is a ubiquitous and important phenomenon in both laboratory and astrophysical systems. Here, simulations of partially ionized magnetic reconnection with well-matched initial conditions are performed using both multi-fluid and fully-kinetic approaches. Despite similar initial conditions, the time-dependent evolution differs between the two models. In multi-fluid models, the reconnection rate locally obeys either a decoupled Sweet–Parker scaling, where neutrals are unimportant, or a fully coupled Sweet–Parker scaling, where neutrals and ions are strongly coupled, depending on the resistivity. In contrast, kinetic models show a faster reconnection rate that is proportional to the fully-coupled, bulk Alfvén speed, $v^*_A$. In this work, these differences are interpreted as the result of operating in different collisional regimes. Multi-fluid simulations are found to maintain $ν_{ni}L/v^*_A$ ≳1, where $ν_{ni}$ is the neutral–ion collision frequency and L is the time-dependent current sheet half-length. This strongly couples neutrals to the reconnection outflow, while kinetic simulations evolve to allow $ν_{ni}L/v^*_A$ <1, decoupling neutrals from the reconnection outflow. Differences in the way reconnection is triggered may explain these discrepancies.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Applications of NASTRAN to nuclear problems

The extent to which suitable solutions may be obtained for one physics problem and two engineering type problems is traced. NASTRAN appears to be a practical tool to solve one-group steady-state neutron diffusion equations. Transient diffusion analysis may be performed after new levels that allow time-dependent temperature calculations are developed. NASTRAN piecewise linear anlaysis may be applied to solve those plasticity problems for which a smooth stress-strain curve can be used to describe the nonlinear material behavior. The accuracy decreases when sharp transitions in the stress-strain relations are involved. Improved NASTRAN usefulness will be obtained when nonlinear material capabilities are extended to axisymmetric elements and to include provisions for time-dependent material properties and creep analysis. Rigid formats 3 and 5 proved to be very convenient for the buckling and normal-mode analysis of a nuclear fuel element.

Spreeuw, E.↗

Transient analysis of phase-locked tracking systems in the presence of noise.

This paper is concerned with the problem of obtaining time-dependent solutions to a class of Fokker-Planck equations that arise in the analysis and synthesis of a variety of first-order synchronization systems employing the phase-lock principle. These include the classical sinusoidal phase-locked loop, squaring and Costas loops, data-aided loops, hybrid loops, various symbol synchronizer mechanizations, and tunnel-diode oscillators. By analyzing the spectral properties of the associated time-dependent Fokker-Planck boundary value problem, eigenfunction expansions of the reduced modulo-2-pi phase-error-transition probability-density function are developed for a class of first-order synchronization systems.

La Frieda, J. R.↗

Computation of acoustic waves in a jet

A numerical treatment of acoustic waves in a jet is described. The full time dependent Euler equations are used in both linear and nonlinear formulations. The computational region of integration is artificially bounded and boundary conditions are developed to simulate outgoing waves and to enable the computational domain to be substantially restricted. Higher order methods and coordinate transformations are introduced to further reduce the number of grid points as well as to increase the efficiency of the program. Numerical results are presented for time harmonic sources as well as for sources with more complicated time dependence.

Bayliss, A.↗

Computational Considerations for the Simulation of Discontinuous Flows

The numerical study of aeroacoustic problems places stringent demands on the choice of a computational algorithm, because it requires the ability to propagate disturbances of small amplitude and short wavelength. The demands are particularly high when shock waves are involved, because the chosen algorithm must also resolve discontinuities in the solution. In a previous work the capabilities and deficiencies of shock-capturing methods for aeroacoustic problems were demonstrated using a high-order essentially nonoscillatory (ENO) numerical method. It was shown that first-order results are obtained when simulating time-dependent flows with discontinuities. The present study reaffirms this conclusion by comparing the ENO results with those obtained using a conventional linear scheme. A sixth-order-accurate compact implicit finite difference scheme is used to investigate various discontinuous flows. The design order of accuracy is achieved in the smooth regions of a steady-state, quasi-one-dimensional Euler test case, as well as in the time-dependent Burgers' equation. However, in the unsteady Euler sound-shock interaction, first-order results are obtained downstream of the shock. A comparison is made between the linear and nonlinear results, noting the advantages of each method. A discontinuous linear model problem is then used to identify the cause of the first-order results. Here, the nature of the solution error is quantified as being predominantly a numerical phase shift, and a post-processing procedure is demonstrated which increases the solution accuracy downstream of the discontinuity to second-order.

Carpenter Mark H.↗

Multi-Fluid and Kinetic Models of Partially Ionized Magnetic Reconnection

Magnetic reconnection in partially ionized plasmas is a ubiquitous and important phenomena in both laboratory and astrophysical systems. Here, simulations of partially ionized magnetic reconnection with well-matched initial conditions are performed using both multi-fluid and fully-kinetic approaches. Despite similar initial conditions, the time-dependent evolution differs between the two models. In multi-fluid models, the reconnection rate locally obeys either a decoupled Sweet-Parker scaling, where neutrals are unimportant, or a fully coupled Sweet-Parker scaling, where neutrals and ions are strongly coupled, depending on the resistivity. In contrast, kinetic models show a faster reconnection rate that is proportional to the fully-coupled, bulk Alfv\'en speed, $v_A^\star$. These differences are interpreted as the result of operating in different collisional regimes. Multi-fluid simulations are found to maintain $\nu_{ni}L/v_A^\star \gtrsim 1$, where $\nu_{ni}$ is the neutral-ion collision frequency and $L$ is the time-dependent current sheet half-length. This strongly couples neutrals to the reconnection outflow, while kinetic simulations evolve to allow $\nu_{ni}L/v_A^\star < 1$, decoupling neutrals from the reconnection outflow. Differences in the way reconnection is triggered may explain these discrepancies.

Magnetic reconnection↗

Soft X-ray emission from electron-beam-heated solar flares

Using time-dependent numerical simulations and Solar Maximum Mission observations of a solar flare on 1985 January 23, a study is conducted of the ability of an electron-beam-heating model to reproduce the rise phase of a flare as observed in soft X-ray lines of Ca XIX. The electron beam is parameterized by a peak flux, a low-energy cutoff, and a spectral index, and has a time dependence similar to the observed hard X-ray burst. For a spectral index of 6, only models with a low-energy cutoff of 20 keV reproduce the observed peak emission in the Ca XIX line complex. All models with a low-energy cutoff of 15 keV produce too much emission, while all models with a 25-keV cutoff too little emission. None of the models reproduces the temporal behavior of the soft X-ray emission. The electron-beam-heated component is theorized to only represent a small fraction of the energy released in the impulsive phase of this flare.

Mariska, John T.↗

Lessons Learned from the Arecibo Observatory Auxiliary M4N Socket Analysis and Implications for Future Observatory Designs

The Arecibo Observatory collapsed after a progressive structural failure stemming from the failure of a single socket joint cable termination. A failure investigation was conducted to identify the cause of the first failed cable termination socket. Due to the nature of the suspended observatory receiver, the dominant source of loading in the suspension cables was due to deadload, with secondary contributions coming from environmental effects and observatory operation. The high ratio of deadload vs. live load applied to the cable over many years resulted in a creep failure mode of the cast zinc within the socket which further induced stress into the highly stress wires at the entrance of the socket. The design of the socket joint did not explicitly consider socket constituent stress margins and time-dependent damage mechanisms such as creep. Lessons learned from this investigation led to recommendations for revising civil engineering cable standards, and recommendations for manufacturers and designers. The design of cables employing socket terminations should consider the cumulative damage effects from creep and cyclic loading identify their corresponding worst-case inspectable defects or establish a sufficiently high factor of safety so that the design is sufficiently robust to defects and time-dependent failure modes. The design should specify end-of-life capability and set service life inspection intervals with pass/fail inspection criteria. Finally, trial studies on design iterations were conducted to increase the reliability of cables with socket joints.

Pavel Babuska↗

Conductive damping of coronal motions

Time-dependent motions in the solar corona are subject to modification through conductive transport of thermal energy away from compression regions and into rarefaction regions. The evolution depends on how the energy is introduced - by an essentially thermal perturbation or by a density perturbation. The net effect of thermal conduction is to convert local kinetic energy in the transient into widely distributed thermal energy, which then may in turn be partially converted into kinetic energy of the bulk flow. Local motion in the transient is thereby damped. These effects are modeled here using a numerical solution of the time-dependent solar wind equations for single-fluid thermally conductive flow. The simulations of transient phenomena are made for ordinary collisional thermal conduction and compared with similar simulations done using polytropic flow. Between one and five solar radii, the gross character in the two cases is very similar. However, there are effects with thermal conduction that cannot be modeled with polytropic flow, illustrated here by temperature and velocity forerunners and a delayed and large-amplitude trailing velocity low. If thermal conduction is artificially inhibited by simple reduction of the thermal conduction coefficient, relative velocity amplitudes remain larger in approximate proportion to the amount the coefficient is reduced.

Suess, S. T.↗

Trajectory Based Heating and Ablation Calculations for MESUR Pathfinder Aeroshell

Based on the geometry of Mars Environment Survey (MESUR) Pathfinder aeroshell and an estimated Mars entry trajectory, two-dimensional axisymmetric time dependent calculations have been obtained using GIANTS (Gauss-Siedel Implicit Aerothermodynamic Navier-Stokes code with Thermochemical Surface Conditions) code and CMA (Charring Material Thermal Response and Ablation) Program for heating analysis and heat shield material sizing. These two codes are interfaced using a loosely coupled technique. The flowfield and convective heat transfer coefficients are computed by the GIANTS code with a species balance condition for an ablating surface, and the time dependent in-depth conduction with surface blowing is simulated by the CMA code with a complete surface energy balance condition. In this study, SLA-561V has been selected as heat shield material. The solutions, including the minimum heat shield thicknesses over aeroshell forebody, pyrolysis gas blowing rates, surface heat fluxes and temperature distributions, flowfield, and in-depth temperature history of SLA-561V, are presented and discussed in detail.

Chen, Y. K.↗

Rescuing a black hole in the large- q coupled SYK model

In this paper, we develop a general effective theory for two copies of the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) model with a time-dependent bilinear coupling. For a quantum quench problem with an initial state of the thermofield double state, we show how the evolution of the system is described by a complex reparametrization field with a classical Hamiltonian. We study correlation functions in this system and compare the large-q theory with the bulk low energy effective theory. In particular, we study the special case of a “rescued black hole”, which describes how a time-evolved thermofield double state can evolve to the ground state of a coupled SYK model by a carefully tuned time-dependent coupling. In the low energy region, there is a holographic dual interpretation, which is a geometry that crosses over from an eternal black hole to a global AdS2 vacuum. This family of geometries allow us to access the bulk region that would be the black hole interior without the rescue process. By comparing the large-q and low energy theory, we find that even in the low energy region the deviation from the low energy theory cannot be neglected if the rescue process starts late. This provides evidence that the low energy effective theory of the bulk fails near the inner horizon of the black hole. We note the possibility of a connection to a two-dimensional analog of the higher-dimensional black hole singularity.

2D Gravity↗

Insights into the mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 main protease autocatalytic maturation from model precursors

A critical step for SARS-CoV-2 assembly and maturation involves the autoactivation of the main protease (MPro WT ) from precursor polyproteins. Upon expression, a model precursor of MPro WT mediates its own release at its termini rapidly to yield a mature dimer. A construct with an E290A mutation within MPro exhibits time dependent autoprocessing of the accumulated precursor at the N-terminal nsp4/nsp5 site followed by the C-terminal nsp5/nsp6 cleavage. In contrast, a precursor containing E290A and R298A mutations (MPro M ) displays cleavage only at the nsp4/nsp5 site to yield an intermediate monomeric product, which is cleaved at the nsp5/nsp6 site only by MPro WT . MPro M and the catalytic domain (MPro 1-199 ) fused to the truncated nsp4 region also show time-dependent conversion in vitro to produce MPro M and MPro 1-199 , respectively. The reactions follow first-order kinetics indicating that the nsp4/nsp5 cleavage occurs via an intramolecular mechanism. These results support a mechanism involving an N-terminal intramolecular cleavage leading to an increase in the dimer population and followed by an intermolecular cleavage at the C-terminus. Thus, targeting the predominantly monomeric MPro precursor for inhibition may lead to the identification of potent drugs for treatment.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Linearized unsteady jet analysis

The introduction of a time dependency into a jet flow to change the rate at which it mixes with a coflowing stream or ambient condition is investigated. The advantages and disadvantages of the unsteady flow are discussed in terms of steady state mass and momentum transfer. A linear system which is not limited by frequency constraints and evolves through a simplification of the equations of motion is presented for the analysis of the unsteady flow field generated by the time dependent jet.

Viets, H.↗

Stochastic equation of motion approach to fermionic dissipative dynamics. I. Formalism

In this work, we establish formally exact stochastic equation of motion (SEOM) theory to describe the dissipative dynamics of fermionic open systems. The construction of the SEOM is based on a stochastic decoupling of the dissipative interaction between the system and fermionic environment, and the influence of environmental fluctuations on the reduced system dynamics is characterized by stochastic Grassmann fields. Meanwhile, numerical realization of the time-dependent Grassmann fields has remained a long-standing challenge. To solve this problem, we propose a minimal auxiliary space (MAS) mapping scheme with which the stochastic Grassmann fields are represented by conventional c-number fields along with a set of pseudo-levels. This eventually leads to a numerically feasible MAS-SEOM method. The important properties of the MAS-SEOM are analyzed by making connection to the well-established time-dependent perturbation theory and the hierarchical equations of motion theory. The MAS-SEOM method provides a potentially promising approach for the accurate and efficient simulation of fermionic open systems at ultra-low temperatures.

Han, Lu (ORCID:0000000339002225)↗