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  1. Stasis in an expanding universe: A recipe for stable mixed-component cosmological eras

    Dienes, Keith R. ; Heurtier, Lucien ; Huang, Fei ; ... - Physical Review. D.
    One signature of an expanding universe is the time variation of the cosmological abundances of its different components. For example, a radiation-dominated universe inevitably gives way to a matter-dominated universe, and critical moments such as matter-radiation equality are fleeting. In this paper, we point out that this lore is not always correct and that it is possible to obtain a form of “stasis” in which the relative cosmological abundances $$Ω_i$$ of the different components remain unchanged over extended cosmological epochs, even as the universe expands. Moreover, here we demonstrate that such situations are not fine-tuned but are actually global attractorsmore » within certain cosmological frameworks, with the universe naturally evolving toward such long-lasting periods of stasis for a wide variety of initial conditions. The existence of this kind of stasis therefore gives rise to a host of new theoretical possibilities across the entire cosmological timeline, ranging from potential implications for primordial density perturbations, dark-matter production, and structure formation all the way to early reheating, early matter-dominated eras, and even the age of the Universe.« less

  2. Hybrid particle-in-cell simulations of electromagnetic coupling and waves from streaming burst debris

    Keenan, Brett D. ; Le, Ari Yitzchak ; Winske, Dan ; ... - Physics of Plasmas
    Various systems can be modeled as a point-like explosion of ionized debris into a magnetized, collisionless background plasma-including astrophysical examples, active experiments in space, and laser-driven laboratory experiments. Debris streaming from the explosion parallel to the magnetic field may drive multiple resonant and non-resonant ion-ion beam instabilities, some of which can efficiently couple the debris energy to the background and may even support the formation of shocks. We present a large-scale hybrid (kinetic ions + fluid electrons) particle-in-cell simulation, extending hundreds of ion inertial lengths from a 3D explosion, that resolves these instabilities. We show that the character of thesemore » instabilities differs notably from the 1D equivalent by the presence of unique transverse structure. Additional 2D simulations explore how the debris beam length, width, density, and speed affect debris-background coupling, with implications for the generation of quasi-parallel shocks.« less

  3. A Multiyear Gridded Data Ensemble of Surface Biogenic Carbon Fluxes for North America: Evaluation and Analysis of Results

    Zhou, Yu ; Williams, Christopher A. ; Lauvaux, Thomas ; ... - Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences
    Accurate and fine-scale estimates of biogenic carbon fluxes are critical for measuring and monitoring the biosphere's responses and feedback to the climate system. Currently available data products from flux towers and model-intercomparison projects struggle to adequately represent spatiotemporal dynamics of surface biogenic carbon fluxes, and to quantify their uncertainties, which also are crucial to atmospheric inversion systems. To address these gaps, we introduce a new perturbed-parameter model ensemble with the CASA model to estimate surface biogenic carbon fluxes at monthly and 3-hourly scales for North America at ~500-m and 5-km resolutions. We first use the Extended Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Testingmore » to choose the three most sensitive parameters to be perturbed, maximum light use efficiency (Emax), optimal temperature of photosynthesis (Topt), and temperature response of respiration (Q10). The initial range for each parameter is broadly sampled for the L1 ensemble, but then we pruned Emax with site-level primary productivity to derive an L2 ensemble with narrower uncertainty ranges. Ensembles are strongly correlated with site-level results at both monthly and 3-hourly scales, and the spread across L1/L2 ensemble members encompasses the range of AmeriFlux observations. Monthly variability in the L2 ensemble mean is 85% of the observed variability. The L2 ensemble outperforms diverse data products with the highest Taylor skill scores at diurnal to annual scales. Finally, the ensemble's seasonality agrees well with other models for most biome types and in high and middle latitudes, but inconsistencies are found in subtropical and tropical ecoregions and for annual totals over North America.« less

  4. A primer on criticality safety

    Costa, David A. ; Cournoyer, Michael E. ; Merhege, James F. ; ... - Journal of Chemical Health and Safety
    Criticality is the state of a nuclear chain reacting medium when the chain reaction is just self-sustaining (or critical). Criticality is dependent on nine interrelated parameters. Moreover, we design criticality safety controls in order to constrain these parameters to minimize fissions and maximize neutron leakage and absorption in other materials, which makes criticality more difficult or impossible to achieve. We present the consequences of criticality accidents are discussed, the nine interrelated parameters that combine to affect criticality are described, and criticality safety controls used to minimize the likelihood of a criticality accident are presented.

  5. Level density inputs in nuclear reaction codes and the role of the spin cutoff parameter

    Voinov, A. V. ; Grimes, S. M. ; Brune, C. R. ; ... - Nuclear Data Sheets
    Here, the proton spectrum from the 57Fe(α,p) reaction has been measured and analyzed with the Hauser-Feshbach model of nuclear reactions. Different input level density models have been tested. It was found that the best description is achieved with either Fermi-gas or constant temperature model functions obtained by fitting them to neutron resonance spacing and to discrete levels and using the spin cutoff parameter with much weaker excitation energy dependence than it is predicted by the Fermi-gas model.

  6. Vibrational Branching Ratios and Asymmetry Parameters in the Photoionization of CO2 in the Region Between 650 Å and 840 Å

    Parr, A. C. ; West, J. B. ; King, M. R. F. ; ... - Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
    The vibrational branching ratios and asymmetry parameters for CO2 have been determined in the wavelength region of 650 Å to near the ionization onset at about 840 Å. The study was performed using synchrotron radiation from the Daresbury storage ring that was dispersed with a 5 m grating monochomator that afforded resolution of 0.1 Å to 0.2 Å. This resolution allowed the study of the branching ratios and asymmetry parameters with enough detail to see the changes in the parameters within the pronounced autoionization structure in CO2 in this wavelength region. While the electron spectrometer resolution was not sufficient tomore » resolve the spin orbit and Renner-Teller splitting in the photoelectron spectra, we are able to fit the data with a model that identifies the major structure in terms of the symmetric stretch and elements of the asymmetric stretch and bending modes. A calculation of the expected relative vibrational excitations based upon the Franck-Condon principle clearly showed non-Franck-Condon behavior in some of the vibrational-electronic transitions.« less
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