The fluorescence detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Pierre Auger Observatory is a hybrid detector for ultra-high energy cosmic rays. It combines a surface array to measure secondary particles at ground level together with a fluorescence detector to measure the development of air showers in the atmosphere above the array. The fluorescence detector comprises 24 large telescopes specialized for measuring the nitrogen fluorescence caused by charged particles of cosmic ray air showers. In this paper we describe the components of the fluorescence detector including its optical system, the design of the camera, the electronics, and the systems for relative and absolute calibration. We also discuss the operation and the monitoring of the detector. Finally, we evaluate the detector performance and precision of shower reconstructions. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

Measurement of the energy spectrum of cosmic rays above 10(18) eV using the Pierre Auger Observatory

We report a measurement of the flux of cosmic rays with unprecedented precision and Statistics using the Pierre Auger Observatory Based on fluorescence observations in coincidence with at least one Surface detector we derive a spectrum for energies above 10(18) eV We also update the previously published energy spectrum obtained with the surface detector array The two spectra are combined addressing the systematic uncertainties and, in particular. the influence of the energy resolution on the spectral shape The spectrum can be described by a broken power law E(-gamma) with index gamma = 3 3 below the ankle which is measured at log(10)(E(ankle)/eV) = 18 6 Above the ankle the spectrum is described by a power law with index 2 6 followed by a flux suppression, above about log(10)(E/eV) = 19 5, detected with high statistical significance (C) 2010 Elsevier B V All rights reserved

Two-photon absorption spectrum of the photoinitiator Lucirin TPO-L

Two-photon absorption induced polymerization provides a powerful method for the fabrication of intricate three-dimensional microstructures. Recently, Lucirin TPO-L was shown to be a photoinitiator with several advantageous properties for two-photon induced polymerization. Here we measure the two-photon absorption cross-section spectrum of Lucirin TPO-L, which presents a maximum of 1.2 GM at 610 nm. Despite its small two-photon absorption cross-section, it is possible to fabricate excellent microstructures by two-photon polymerization due to the high polymerization quantum yield of Lucirin TPO-L. These results indicate that optimization of the two-photon absorption cross-section is not the only material parameter to be considered when searching for new photoinitiators for microfabrication via two-photon absorption.

A renewable copper electrode as an amperometric flow detector for nitrate determination in mineral water and soft drink samples

A novel approach was developed for nitrate analysis in a FIA configuration with amperometric detection (E=-0.48 V). Sensitive and reproducible current measurements were achieved by using a copper electrode activated with a controlled potential protocol. The response of the FIA amperometric method was linear over the range from 0.1 to 2.5 mmol L(-1) nitrate with a detection limit of 4.2 mu mol L(-1) (S/N = 3). The repeatability of measurements was determined as 4.7% (n=9) at the best conditions (flow rate: 3.0 mL min(-1), sample volume: 150 mu L and nitrate concentration: 0.5 mmol L(-1)) with a sampling rate of 60 samples h(-1). The method was employed for the determination of nitrate in mineral water and soft drink samples and the results were in agreement with those obtained by using a recommended procedure. Studies towards a selective monitoring of nitrite were also performed in samples containing nitrate by carrying out measurements at a less negative potential (-0.20 V). (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A compact and high-resolution version of a capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detector

An all-in-one version of a capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detector is introduced. The absence of moving parts (potentiometers and connectors) makes it compact (6.5 cm(3)) and robust. A local oscillator, working at 1.1 MHz, was optimized to use capillaries of id from 20 to 100 lam. Low noise circuitry and a high-resolution analog-to-digital converter (ADC) (21 bits effective) grant good sensitivities for capillaries and background electrolytes currently used in capillary electrophoresis. The fixed frequency and amplitude of the signal generator is a drawback that is compensated by the steady calibration curves for conductivity. Another advantage is the possibility of determining the inner diameter of a capillary by reading the ADC when air and subsequently water flow through the capillary. The difference of ADC reading may be converted into the inner diameter by a calibration curve. This feature is granted by the 21-bit ADC, which eliminates the necessity of baseline compensation by hardware. In a typical application, the limits of detection based on the 3 sigma criterion (without baseline filtering) were 0.6, 0.4, 0.3, 0.5, 0.6, and 0.8 mu mol/L for K(+), Ba(2+), Ca(2+), Na(+), Mg(2+), and Li(+), respectively, which is comparable to other high-quality implementations of a capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detector.

Fast and reliable analyses of sulphite in fruit juices using a supramolecular amperometric detector encompassing in flow gas diffusion unit

A new compact system encompassing in flow gas diffusion unit and a wall-jet amperometric FIA detector, coated with a supramolecular porphyrin film, was specially designed as an alternative to the time-consuming Monier-Williams method, allowing fast, reproducible and accurate analyses of free sulphite species in fruit juices. In fact, a linear response between 0.64 and 6.4 ppm of sodium sulphite. LOD = 0.043 ppm, relative standard deviation of +/- 1.5% (n = 10) and analytical frequency of 85 analyses/h were obtained utilising optimised conditions. That superior analytical performance allows the precise evaluation of the amount of free sulphite present in foods, providing an important comparison between the standard addition and the standard injection methods. Although the first one is most frequently used, it was strongly influenced by matrix effects because of the unexpected reactivity of sulphite ions with the juice matrixes, leading to its partial consumption soon after addition. In contrast, the last method was not susceptible to matrix effects yielding accurate results, being more reliable for analytical purposes. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

April 2002: Counting the Cost: Human and Financial Resources

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Doubly charged Higgs through photon-photon collisions in 3-3-1 models

We study the production and signatures of doubly charged Higgs bosons (DCHBs) in the process gamma gamma <-> H(--)H(++) at the e(-)e(+) International Linear Collider and CERN Linear Collider, where the intermediate photons are given by the Weizsacker-Willians and laser backscattering distributions.

Investigation of the two-photon absorption cross-section in perylene tetracarboxylic derivatives: Nonlinear spectra and molecular structure

We investigated the 2PA absorption spectrum of a family of perylene tetracarboxylic derivatives ( PTCDs): bis( benzimidazo) perylene ( AzoPTCD), bis( benzimidazo) thioperylene ( Monothio BZP), n-pentylimidobenzimidazoperylene ( PazoPTCD), and bis( n-butylimido) perylene ( BuPTCD). These compounds present extremely high two-photon absorption, which makes them attractive for applications in photonics devices. The two-photon absorption cross-section spectra of perylene derivatives obtained via Z-scan technique were fitted by means of a sum-over-states ( SOS) model, which described with accuracy the different regions of the 2PA cross-section spectra. Frontier molecular orbital calculations show that all molecules present similar features, indicating that nonlinear optical properties in PTCDs are mainly determined by the central portion of the molecule, with minimal effect from the lateral side groups. In general, our results pointed out that the differences in the 2PA cross-sections among the compounds are mainly due to the nonlinearity resonance enhancement.

Two-photon absorption in perylene derivatives

This work reports on the two-photon absorption (2PA) cross-section for bis (n-butylimido) perylene (BuPTCD), bis (benzimidazo) perylene (AzoPTCD), bis (benzimidazo) thioperylene (Monothio BZP), bis (phenethylimido) perylene (PhPTCD), bis (benzylimido) perylene (BePTCD) and n-pentylimido-benzimidazo perylene (PAzoPTCD) solutions measured using the Z-scan technique with femtosecond laser pulses at 775 nm. All perylene derivatives studied present large 2PA cross-sections, only comparable to the best ones reported in the literature. The experimental 2PA cross-sections obtained for each PTCD compound are in good agreement with a simplified sum-over-state calculation. The results of the present work indicates perylene derivatives as promising materials for two-photon applications. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.