Dipolar Filtered magic-sandwich-echoes as a tool for probing molecular motions using time domain NMR

We present a simple $^1$H NMR approach for characterizing intermediate to fast regime molecular motions using $^1$H time-domain NMR at low magnetic field. The method is based on a Goldmann Shen dipolar filter (DF) followed by a Mixed Magic Sandwich Echo (MSE). The dipolar filter suppresses the signals arising from molecular segments presenting sub kHz mobility, so only signals from mobile segments are detected. Thus, the temperature dependence of the signal intensities directly evidences the onset of molecular motions with rates higher than kHz. The DF-MSE signal intensity is described by an analytical function based on the Anderson Weiss theory, from where parameters related to the molecular motion (e.g. correlation times and activation energy) can be estimated when performing experiments as function of the temperature. Furthermore, we propose the use of the Tikhonov regularization for estimating the width of the distribution of correlation times.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figure

Two-point theory for the differential self-interrogation Feynman-alpha method

A Feynman-alpha formula has been derived in a two region domain pertaining the stochastic differential self-interrogation (DDSI) method and the differential die-away method (DDAA). Monte Carlo simulations have been used to assess the applicability of the variance to mean through determination of the physical reaction intensities of the physical processes in the two domains. More specifically, the branching processes of the neutrons in the two regions are described by the Chapman - Kolmogorov equation, including all reaction intensities for the various processes, that is used to derive a variance to mean relation for the process. The applicability of the Feynman-alpha or variance to mean formulae are assessed in DDSI and DDAA of spent fuel configurations.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures. Submitted to EPJ Plu

Endogenous Sanctioning Institutions and Migration Patterns: Experimental Evidence

We experimentally analyze the effect of the endogenous choice of sanctioning institutions on cooperation and migration patterns across societies. In our experiment, subjects are allocated to one of two groups, are endowed with group-specific preferences,and play a public goods game for 30 periods. Each period, subjects can move between groups and, at fixed intervals, can vote on whether to implement formal (centralized) sanctioning institutions in their group. We compare this environment to one in which only one group is exogenously endowed with sanctioning institutions. We find that subjects' ability to vote on institutions leads to (i) a more efficient partition of subjects between groups, (ii) a lower migration rate, (iii) an increase in overall payoffs, and (iv) a decrease in both inter- and intra-groups (payoff) inequality. Over time, subjects tend to vote for sanctioning institutions and contribute to the public good

Fluxtube model atmospheres and Stokes V zero-crossing wavelengths

First results of the inversion of Stokes I and V profiles from plage regions near disk center are presented. Both low and high spatial resolution spectra of FeI 6301.5 and FeI 6302.5 A obtained with the Advanced Stokes Polarimeter (ASP) have been considered for analysis. The thin flux tube approximation, implemented in an LTE inversion code based on response functions, is used to describe unresolved magnetic elements. The code allows the simultaneous and consistent inference of all atmospheric quantities determining the radiative transfer with the sole assumption of hydrostatic equilibrium. By considering velocity gradients within the tubes we are able to match the full ASP Stokes profiles. The magnetic atmospheres derived from the inversion are characterized by the absence of significant motions in high layers and strong velocity gradients in deeper layers. These are essential to reproduce the asymmetries of the observed profiles. Our scenario predicts a shift of the Stokes V zero-crossing wavelengths which is indeed present in observations made with the Fourier Transform Spectrometer.Comment: To appear in ApJ Letters (1997) (in press

Evaluación del lavado gástrico como herramienta para el análisis de la dieta en trucha común

Se ha estudiado la eficacia del método de extracción del contenido estomacal mediante el procedimiento de lavado estomacal a través de una bomba diseñada a partir del modelo original de Seaburg (1957). La efectividad del método no esta relacionada con el tamaño del pez, sino más bien con las propias características morfológicas de las presas, el estado de repleción del estómago y el grado de digestión del alimento. Así, la efectividad del método está inversamente relacionada con el estado de repleción. Además, presas de gran tamaño y que presentan estructuras rígidas como los Aeshnidae y los Tricópteros con estuches son más difíciles de expulsar. No obstante, las diferencias observadas en la efectividad de expulsión entre presas con las mismas características se deben al diferente grado de digestión de las mismas. Aún así, la efectividad media del método es elevada y superior al 80 %. Se trata pues de una metodología relativamente sencilla y eficaz, por lo que su uso es adecuado para la obtención de muestras de contenido estomacal en juveniles y adultos de trucha común.The efficacy of the method of extracting stomach content, by means of the procedure of stomach washing through a pump, based on Seaburg's original model (1957), has been studied. The effectiveness of the method is not related to the size of the fish, but rather to the prey's own morphological characteristics, the degree of repletion of the stomach and the extent of digestion of the food. Thus, the effectiveness of the method is inversely related to the degree of repletion. Furthermore, bigger prey having rigid structures, such as Aeshnidae and Caddisflies with cases are more difficult to expel. However, the observed differences in the effectiveness of expulsion between preys with similar characteristics are due to the extent of their digestion. Nevertheless, the average effectiveness of the method is high and in excess of 80 %. It is therefore a relatively simple and effective methodology and the reason why its use is appropriate for obtaining stomach content samples in young and adult brown trout

Alumina-zirconia coatings obtained by suspension plasma spraying from highly concentrated aqueous suspensions

Suspension plasma spraying (SPS) deposition represents an innovative technique to produce coatings that exhibit improved properties. However, the key to obtain coatings with superior functional properties relies on the investigation of the suspensions as starting materials. For this reason, the present work deals with the suspension preparation for SPS process and its influence on the resulting coatings. Laboratory-prepared 60/40 wt% alumina-zirconia suspensions were concentrated to avoid energy loss and were then successfully deposited by SPS technique. The liquid used was water instead of ethanol due to economical, environmental and safety reasons. The preparation of the suspension plays an important role in SPS process since stable and well-dispersed water suspensions are difficult to obtain. For this reason, colloidal behaviour characterisation of the starting particles as well as rheological optimisation of the feedstock suspensions were addressed in this research. Suspensions with different solid loadings (up to 30 vol.% or 72 wt%) were deposited using several spraying distances. All coatings displayed a bimodal microstructure consisting in partially melted zones surrounded by a fully melted matrix. α-Al2O3 and t’-ZrO2 constituted the main crystalline phases, but differences in the microstructure and properties of the coatings were observed. From these results, some relations between starting suspension and spraying parameters with coating characteristics were found. Thus the optimal spraying distance becomes shorter when the suspension solid loading increases.This work has been supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, MINECO, (project MAT2015-67586-C3-R). M.D. Salvador thanks to CAPES – Programa Ciências sem Fronteiras (Brazil) for the concession of a PVE project Nº A086/2013. A. Borrell acknowledges the MINECO for her Juan de la Cierva-Incorporación contract (IJCI-2014-19839) and the Program to Support Research and Development (PAID-00-15) of the Universitat Politècnica de València

Influencia del complejo de embalses Mequinenza-Ribarroja-Flix (Río Ebro) en la morfología del cauce situado aguas abajo

Cuando se construye un embalse, el cauce que se sitúa aguas abajo de la presa suele sufrir alteraciones de diversa índole fundamentalmente porque se modifican las características de su caudal líquido y sólido. En este trabajo se analiza el tipo de alteraciones que se han dado en el río Ebro a lo largo de un tramo de aproximadamente 40 km de longitud que se localiza aguas abajo del complejo de embalses de Mequinenza-Ribarroja-Flix. Las principales alteraciones reconocidas son: ausencia de sedimentación, degradación de barras en los puntos más próximos a la presa, revegetación de barras y orillas, y pérdida de sedimentos finos con el consiguiente acorazamiento del lecho y de las barras. Dos factores han propiciado tales modificaciones, que han conducido prácticamente a la estabilidad del cauce, son la presencia de abundantes gravas y una elevada tasa de asentamiento vegetal en la sección. Asimismo se analiza la evolución morfosedimentaria del río desde 1927 hasta la fecha de construcción de estos embalses, años sesenta, y se determina que dicha evolución estaba controlada por episodios de crecidas catastróficas. En el período de estudio se registraron dos eventos de esta naturaleza. En este trabajo se describen también tanto las consecuencias derivadas de los mismos, como el papel tan destacado que jugó en su desarrollo un afluente del Ebro, el río Ciurana. Finalmente, los resultados obtenidos referentes a la dinámica fluvial, anterior y posterior a la construcción de los embalses, se aplican a la evolución sedimentaria del Delta del Ebro, formado a poca distancia del tramo estudiado

Wave propagation and shock formation in different magnetic structures

Velocity oscillations "measured" simultaneously at the photosphere and the chromosphere -from time series of spectropolarimetric data in the 10830 A region- of different solar magnetic features allow us to study the properties of wave propagation as a function of the magnetic flux of the structure (i.e. two different-sized sunspots, a tiny pore and a facular region). While photospheric oscillations have similar characteristics everywhere, oscillations measured at chromospheric heights show different amplitudes, frequencies and stages of shock development depending on the observed magnetic feature. The analysis of the power and the phase spectra, together with simple theoretical modeling, lead to a series of results concerning wave propagation within the range of heights of this study. We find that, while the atmospheric cut-off frequency and the propagation properties of the different oscillating modes depend on the magnetic feature, in all the cases the power that reaches the high chromosphere above the atmospheric cut-off comes directly from the photosphere by means of linear vertical wave propagation rather than from non-linear interaction of modes.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal. 29 pages, 9 figures, 12pt, preprin

Milne-Eddington inversion of the Fe I line pair at 630~nm

The iron lines at 630.15 and 630.25 nm are often used to determine the physical conditions of the solar photosphere. A common approach is to invert them simultaneously under the Milne-Eddington approximation. The same thermodynamic parameters are employed for the two lines, except for their opacities, which are assumed to have a constant ratio. We aim at investigating the validity of this assumption, since the two lines are not exactly the same. We use magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the quiet Sun to examine the behavior of the ME thermodynamic parameters and their influence on the retrieval of vector magnetic fields and flow velocities. Our analysis shows that the two lines can be coupled and inverted simultaneously using the same thermodynamic parameters and a constant opacity ratio. The inversion of two lines is significantly more accurate than single-line inversions because of the larger number of observables.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics (Research Note