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Discusses an argument that the creation of a soliton pulse train in a nonlinear-dispersive system can be used for the generation of high-power microwave bursts. Details on a proposed modulated transmission line with an appropriate nonlinear dielectric; Analysis of the nonlinear wave evolution; Information on problems associated with the materials.

Gallium nitride-based semiconductors have demonstrated their usefulness as efficient light absorbers with fast kinetics for photoelectrochemical water splitting, but they still need to demonstrate long lifetime stability in aqueous solutions. It is therefore necessary to understand how corrosion reaction potentials relate to the water splitting reactions, and to the conduction and valence bands of the semiconductor light absorber/reactor. In this study the previously established acidic media photocorrosion reaction of GaN to Ga3+ and 1/2N2 is electrochemically investigated. By using Mott–Schottky analysis the photocorrosion potential is found to be −0.66 ± 0.07 V vs. RHE (pH 1) relating it to Ga surface states acting as hole traps. The photocorrosion potential found by Mott–Schottky analysis is found to also relate to the Fermi level of GaN before and after etching as determined by XPS. SEM imaging is additionally used to confirm the photocorrosion potential, and shows that introducing hole scavengers to the electrolyte can limit the rate of photocorrosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study which provided experimental and numerical evidence of temporal contraction of electromagnetic pulses propagating in nonuniform, nonlinear dispersive transmission lines. Analysis of the depicted transmission line; Methodology of the study; Results and discussion.

We studied three-dimensional (3-D) vesicle size distributions by X-ray microtomography in scoria collected during the relatively quiescent Phase II of the April-May 2010 eruption at Eyjafjallajökull volcano, Iceland. Our goal was to compare cumulative vesicle size distributions (VSDs) measured in these samples with those found in Stromboli volcano, Italy. Stromboli was chosen because its VSDs are well-characterized and show a correlation with eruption intensity: typical Strombolian activity produces VSDs with power-law exponents near 1, whereas larger and more energetic vulcanian-type explosions and Plinian eruptions produce VSDs with power-law exponents near 1.5. The first hypothesis to be tested was whether or not the samples studied in this work would contain VSDs similar to normal Strombolian products, display higher power-law exponents, or be described by exponential functions. Before making this comparison, we tested a second hypothesis, which was that the magma-water interactions in the Eyjafjallajökull eruption might have a significant effect on the VSDs. We performed 1 bar bubble-growth experiments in which the samples were inundated with water and compared them to similar control experiments without water inundation. No significant differences between the VSDs of the two sets of experiments were found, and the second hypothesis is not supported by the experimental evidence. The Phase II Eyjafjallajökull VSDs are described by power-law exponents of ~ 0.8, typical of normal Strombolian eruptions, and support the first hypothesis. The comparable VSDs and behavior of Phase II of the Eyjafjallajökull 2010 eruption to Stromboli are interpreted to be a reflection of similar conduit systems in both volcanoes that are being constantly fed by the ascent of mingled/mixed magma from depth. Such behavior implies that continued activity during Phase II of the Eyjafjallajökull eruption could be expected and would have been predicted, had our VSDs been measured in real time during the eruption. However, the products studied show no peculiar feature that could herald the renewed eruption intensity observed in the following Phase III of the eruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apatite is a cumulate phase in the upper parts of some mafic layered intrusions and anorthositic complexes. We investigated the effect of pressure and fluorine on apatite saturation in mafic magmas to better understand under which conditions this mineral crystallizes. Apatite saturation gives information about the formation of silicate rocks, and is of interest in explaining the formation of apatite–oxide-rich rocks (e.g. nelsonites comprising approximately, one-third apatite and two-third Fe–Ti oxide). Two models of formation are proposed for this rock type: crystal fractionation followed by accumulation of apatite and Fe–Ti oxides and liquid immiscibility. New experiments carried out with mafic compositions at 500 MPa confirm that the most important variables on phosphate saturation are SiO2 and CaO. Fluorine addition leads to apatite saturation at lower SiO2 and higher CaO concentrations. Comparison of our results with those of previous experimental studies on liquid–liquid immiscibility at upper-to-mid-crustal conditions allows us to investigate the relative importance of apatite saturation versus liquid–liquid immiscibility in the petrogenesis of nelsonites and similar rocks. The liquid line of descent of three natural examples studied (the Sept-Îles intrusive suite, the anorthositic Complex of the Lac-St-Jean and the Skaergaard layered intrusion) do not cross the liquid–liquid immiscibility field before they reach apatite saturation. Thus, the apatite–oxide-rich rock associated with these three intrusive suites are best explained by crystal fractionation followed by accumulation of apatite and Fe–Ti oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using off-axis electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD), self-consistent integrated advanced tokamak operation has been demonstrated on DIII-D [Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research, 1986 (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1987), Vol. I, p. 159], combining high beta; (>3%) at high q (q[SUBmin] > 2.0) with good energy confinement (H[SUB89] ∼ 2.5) and high noninductive current fraction (f[SUBBS] ∼55%,f[SUBNI] ∼ 90%). Modification of the current profile by ECCD led to internal transport barrier formation even in the presence of type I edge localized modes. Improvements were observed in all transport channels, and increased peaking of profiles led to higher bootstrap current in the core. Separate experiments have shown the ability to maintain a nearly steady-state current profile for up to 1 s with q[SUBmin] > 1.5. Modeling indicates that this favorable current profile can be maintained indefinitely at a higher β[SUBN] using tools available to the near-term DIII-D program. Modeling and simulation have become essential tools for the experimental program in interpreting the data and developing detail plans for new experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is shown that an appropriate expansion of the drift kinetic equation with an accompanying set of approximations allows the derivation of an expression for the particle flux which is in qualitative agreement with the experimental result that the density profile has the shape of (qH)[sup -0.8], where q the usual tokamak safety factor and H is a slowly varying geometric factor. This procedure reproduces a result which was previously obtained by expressing the Vlasov equation in Lagrangian coordinates, which are the actions of the motion. These actions are the magnetic moment, the parallel momentum invariant and the poloidal flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustained stabilization of the n=1 kink mode by plasma rotation at beta approaching twice the stability limit calculated without a wall has been achieved in DIII-D by a combination of error field reduction and sufficient rotation drive. Previous experiments have transiently exceeded the no-wall beta limit. However, demonstration of sustained rotational stabilization has remained elusive because the rotation has been found to decay whenever the plasma is wall stabilized. Recent theory [Boozer, Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 5059 (2001)] predicts a resonant response to error fields in a plasma approaching marginal stability to a low-n kink mode. Enhancement of magnetic nonaxisymmetry in the plasma leads to strong damping of the toroidal rotation, precisely in the high-beta regime where it is needed for stabilization. This resonant response, or “error field amplification” is demonstrated in DIII-D experiments: applied n=1 radial fields cause enhanced plasma response and strong rotation damping at beta above the no wall limit but have little effect at lower beta. The discovery of an error field amplification has led to sustained operation above the no-wall limit through improved magnetic field symmetrization using an external coil set. The required symmetrization is determined both by optimizing the external currents with respect to the plasma rotation and by use of feedback to detect and minimize the plasma response to nonaxisymmetric fields as beta increases. Ideal stability analysis and rotation braking experiments at different beta values show that beta is maintained 50% higher than the no wall stability limit for durations greater than 1 s, and approaches beta twice the no-wall limit in several cases, with steady-state rotation levels. The results suggest that improved magnetic-field symmetry could allow plasmas to be maintained well above no-wall beta limit for as long as sufficient torque is provided. © 2002 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of rotation on the heat and particle transport is measured in the DIII–D tokamak [Fusion Technol. 8, 441 (1985)] for high-confinement mode (H-mode) plasmas with edge localized modes. In a novel experiment, transport is compared for nearly identical scans of the relative gyroradius in co- and counter-rotating plasmas. Since the plasma profiles are the same, the difference in the transport scaling can be attributed to changes in the sheared E×B flow caused by the shift in the toroidal plasma velocity. The ion heat and particle transport are found to be sensitive to the change in the rotation direction and magnitude whereas the electron heat transport is not. Simulations using a gyroLandau-fluid drift wave transport model show that the variation in the ion heat transport for co/counter rotation is due to changes in the E×B shear stabilization, but the electrons appear to be governed by a different transport mechanism. © 2002 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analysis of experimentally measured particle transport in tokamak plasmas with negative central magnetic shear is presented. The analysis is presented in terms of a simple model for turbulent transport which allows the separation of diagonal and off diagonal terms and allows the direct comparison of particle and energy transport. Comparing the measured fluxes to the fluxes predicted by a simple quasi analytical model which specifies a relation between the diagonal and off diagonal terms allows an understanding of the reason for the difference between energy and particle fluxes. In the center of discharges with a region of enhanced confinement (or internal transport barrier), the ion thermal diffusivity becomes small and comparable to neoclassical values and the particle diffusivity also becomes small and approaches the neoclassical values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particle confinement was compared for the high confinement mode plasmas with the edge localized mode in the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute Tokamak-60 Upgrade (JT-60U) [S. Ishida, JT-60 Team, Nucl. Fusion 39, 1211 (1999)] and the DIII-D tokamak [J. L. Luxon et al., Plasma Physics and Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research 1986 (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1987), Vol. 1, p. 159] considering separate confinement times for particles supplied by neutral beam injection (NBI) (center fueling) and by recycling and gas-puffing (edge fueling). Similar dependence on the NBI power was obtained in JT-60U and DIII-D. The particle confinement time for center fueling in DIII-D was smaller by a factor of 4 in the low density discharges and by a factor of 1.8 in the high density discharges than JT-60U scaling, respectively, suggesting the stronger dependence on the density in DIII-D. The particle confinement time for edge fueling in DIII-D was comparable with JT-60U scaling in the low density discharges. However, it decreased to a much smaller value in the high density discharges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant progress has been made in obtaining high-performance discharges for many energy confinement times in the DIII-D tokamak [J. L. Luxon et al., Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion Research (International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1987), Vol. I, p. 159]. Normalized performance (measured by the product of β[sub N]H[sub 89] and indicative of the proximity to both conventional β limits and energy confinement quality, respectively) ∼10 has been sustained for >5 τ[sub E] with q[sub min] > 1.5. These edge localized modes (ELMing) H-mode discharges have &beta∼5%, which is limited by the onset of resistive wall modes slightly above the ideal no-wall n = 1 limit, with approximately 75% of the current driven noninductively. The remaining Ohmic current is localized near the half-radius. The DIII-D electron cyclotron heating system is being upgraded to replace this inductively driven current with localized electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD). Density control, which is required for effective ECCD, has been successfully demonstrated in long-pulse high-performance ELMing H-mode discharges with &beta[sub N]H[sub 89]∼ 7 for up to 6.3 s. In plasma shapes compatible with good density control in the present divertor configuration, the achieved β[sub N] is somewhat less than that in the high β[sub N]H[sub 89] = 10 discharges. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The purpose of this manuscript is to describe the clinical and imaging findings in children who have single-system ureteroceles. Materials and methods. We reviewed the urology records and imaging studies in 32 consecutive infants and children who were diagnosed in our department with single-system ureteroceles. Results. There were 35 ureteroceles in the 32 patients – 29 were unilateral (14 right-sided, 15 left-sided) and 3 were bilateral. Twenty-five patients were boys (78 %) and 7 girls. Mean age at presentation was 0.7 years (0–9.2 years). Prenatally detected hydronephrosis or cystic renal dysplasia was the most common presentation (24 patients). Four presented with urinary infection, 2 with abdominal mass, 1 had myelomeningocele, and 1 had hypospadias. Three patients also had multiple non-urologic, congenital anomalies. Thirty-three ureteroceles were intravesical, and 2 were ectopic to the bladder neck. Twenty-four ureteroceles were associated with ipsilateral hydroureteronephrosis and 10 with ipsilateral multicystic dysplastic kidney. One patient had a normal ipsilateral kidney and a contralateral multicystic dysplastic kidney. The ureterocele was identified on at least one imaging study in each patient. Sixteen ureteroceles (47 %) everted at VCUG, mimicking paraureteral diverticula. Other variations included ureterocele prolapse and inadvertent ureterocele catheterization (1 each). Conclusions. Single-system ureterocele is an important, although uncommon cause of hydronephrosis and renal dysplasia in infants and children. Single-system ureterocele is distinguished clinically from the more common duplex-system ureterocele by its frequent occurrence in boys and its association with multicystic dysplastic kidney. Because these ureteroceles are frequently small and have a propensity to evert at VCUG, they can be mistaken for paraureteral diverticula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In DIII-D [J. L. Luxon and L. G. Davis, Fusion Technol. 8, 441 (1985)] tokamak plasmas with an internal transport barrier (ITB), the comparison of gyrokinetic linear stability (GKS) predictions with experiments in both low and strong negative magnetic shear plasmas provide improvedunderstanding for electron thermal transport within the plasma. Within a limited region just inside the ITB, the electron temperature gradient (ETG) modes appear to control the electron temperature gradient and, consequently, the electron thermal transport. The increase in the electron temperature gradient with more strongly negative magnetic shear is consistent with the increase in the ETG mode marginal gradient. Closer to the magnetic axis the T3 profile flattens and the ETG modes are predicted to be stable. With additional core electron heating, FIR scattering measurements near the axis show the presence of high k fluctuations (12 cm-1), rotating in the electron diamagnetic drift direction. This turbulence could impact electron transport and possibly also ion transport. Thermal diffusivities for electrons, and to a lesser degree ions, increase. The ETG mode can exist at this wave number, but it is computed to be robustly stable near the axis. Consequently, in the plasmas we have examined, calculations of drift wave linear stability do not explain the observed transport near the axis in plasmas with or without additional electron heating, and there are probably other processes controling transport in this region.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lymphocyte function in rheumatoid arthritis has been assessed by the mixed lymphocyte culture assay. In contrast to previous studies, no difference was found between lymphocytes from healthy volunteers and patients with rheumatoid arthritis. An occasional patient's lymphocytes failed to respond on a given day, but were normal on restudy. All 44 arthritic patient's lymphocytes underwent blast transformation on stimulation with lymphocytes from unrelated donors. By reaction in mixed lymphocyte culture, lymphocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis appear to be normal and no different from normal cells studied simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

To apply a complete energy balance to the computation of evaporation or snowmelt, radiation data are necessary. At present there is a reasonably adequate network of incident solar radiation stations. However, a network of all-wave radiometers does not exist. It is therefore evident that to apply the energy budget technique to hydrological problems, incident long-wave radiation has to be estimated. An empirical equation is developed by which incident long-wave radiation can be computed from observations of surface air temperature, vapor pressure, and incident solar radiation. Based on comparisons of estimated and observed incident long-wave radiation at six locations, the following conclusions seem warranted: (1) The equation should give results comparable within a few percent on a long-term basis (six months or longer); (2) For any specific atmospheric condition, there seems to be no tendency for the equation to over or under compute or to give increased scatter; (3) When data for periods of six-months or more were analyzed, correlation coefficients of approximately 0.90 were obtained between computed and observed daily radiation values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mutual affinity between bubbles and oxide crystals (especially magnetite) is well established and their tendency to remain in contact once they become connected (either by nucleation of one upon the other, or by attachment) has led to models of oxide transport via bubbles in natural melts. However, despite the widespread acceptance of bubble–oxide association, there is little direct textural evidence for these processes. We present results from a series of decompression experiments on andesitic melts, during which aggregates of bubbles and oxides formed because of hydrogen loss through the capsule walls causing oxidation of the melt. Experimental charges were imaged using 3D X-ray computed tomography that revealed complex bubble + oxide aggregates, with small oxide crystals coating part of the outer bubble surfaces in a shell-like morphology. These shells have smooth inner and rugose outer surfaces. Sometimes, additional concentric shells or partial shells can be found around bubbles, in the glass between the bubble wall and another shell. We quantified the volumes of bubbles and oxides and the oxides' compositions. We measured the surface area where the bubbles and oxides are in contact, thus quantifying their interface in 3D, and used these measurements to investigate the process of oxide shell formation. The complexity of the oxide textures when studied in 3D reveals a range of bubble–oxide interactions, from continuous generation, detachment and disintegration. These processes carry important implications on why such textures seem to have a low preservation potential in natural environments. Nevertheless, we have found natural samples that resemble our experimental results in a range of rock compositions from different geological environments that could have formed either due to rapid oxidation via the fluid phase or by bubbles harvesting different crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ion thermal diffusivities (χ[sub i]) in DIII-D [J. L. Luxon and L. G. Davis, Fusion Technol. 8, 441 (1985)] discharges exhibit a strong nonlinear dependence on the measured temperature gradients. In low confinement mode (L-mode) discharges with low toroidal rotation, the ion thermal diffusivity, χ[sub i], has an approximately Heaviside function dependence on the major radius divided by the radial scale length of the ion temperature, R/L[sub Ti]. When R/L[sub Ti] is less than a critical value, the χ[sub i]’s are very small. When R/L[sub Ti] is about equal to the critical value, χ[sub i] increases rapidly. Although the gradient profiles for high confinement (H-mode) have a different shape, they still show a critical gradient type of behavior. This type of dependence is consistent with the predictions for transport, which is dominated by ion temperature gradient modes and is a strong indicator that these modes are the main contributors toward L-mode transport in DIII-D and a major contributor to transport in a certain region of DIII-D H-mode discharges. When strong rotational shear is present, the thermal confinement is improved in regions of the plasma. In these regions, the dependence of the diffusivities on the gradients is changed. The type of change is consistent with the physical picture that when the E×B shearing frequency is greater than the maximum linear growth rate of the modes as calculated without shear, then the modes are stabilized and the transport is reduced. © 2001 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]