Two-way coupling model for shock-induced laminar boundary-layer flows of a dusty gas

The present paper describes a numerical two-way coupling model for shock-induced laminar boundary-layer flows of a dust-laden gas and studies the transverse migration of fine particles under the action of Saffman lift force. The governing equations are formulated in the dilute two-phase continuum framework with consideration of the finiteness of the particle Reynolds and Knudsen numbers. The full Lagrangian method is explored for calculating the dispersed-phase flow fields (including the number density of particles) in the regions of intersecting particle trajectories. The computation results show a significant reaction of the particles on the two-phase boundary-layer structure when the mass loading ratio of particles takes finite values.

Distribución de "coxiella burnetii" en los rumiantes domésticos y en la fauna silvestre de la Comunidad Atutónoma Vasca. Evaluacióndel efecto del tratamiento antibiótico y de la vacunación en el control de la fiebre Q en rebaños ovinos naturalmente infectados

243 p. : il.

Detailed properties of high redshift galaxies

Galaxies evolve throughout the history of the universe from the first star-forming sources, through gas-rich asymmetric structures with rapid star formation rates, to the massive symmetrical stellar systems observed at the present day. Determining the physical processes which drive galaxy formation and evolution is one of the most important questions in observational astrophysics. This thesis presents four projects aimed at improving our understanding of galaxy evolution from detailed measurements of star forming galaxies at high redshift.

We use resolved spectroscopy of gravitationally lensed z ≃ 2 - 3 star forming galaxies to measure their kinematic and star formation properties. The combination of lensing with adaptive optics yields physical resolution of ≃ 100 pc, sufficient to resolve giant Hii regions. We find that ~ 70 % of galaxies in our sample display ordered rotation with high local velocity dispersion indicating turbulent thick disks. The rotating galaxies are gravitationally unstable and are expected to fragment into giant clumps. The size and dynamical mass of giant Hii regions are in agreement with predictions for such clumps indicating that gravitational instability drives the rapid star formation. The remainder of our sample is comprised of ongoing major mergers. Merging galaxies display similar star formation rate, morphology, and local velocity dispersion as isolated sources, but their velocity fields are more chaotic with no coherent rotation.

We measure resolved metallicity in four lensed galaxies at z = 2.0 − 2.4 from optical emission line diagnostics. Three rotating galaxies display radial gradients with higher metallicity at smaller radii, while the fourth is undergoing a merger and has an inverted gradient with lower metallicity at the center. Strong gradients in the rotating galaxies indicate that they are growing inside-out with star formation fueled by accretion of metal-poor gas at large radii. By comparing measured gradients with an appropriate comparison sample at z = 0, we demonstrate that metallicity gradients in isolated galaxies must flatten at later times. The amount of size growth inferred by the gradients is in rough agreement with direct measurements of massive galaxies. We develop a chemical evolution model to interpret these data and conclude that metallicity gradients are established by a gradient in the outflow mass loading factor, combined with radial inflow of metal-enriched gas.

We present the first rest-frame optical spectroscopic survey of a large sample of low-luminosity galaxies at high redshift (L < L*, 1.5 < z < 3.5). This population dominates the star formation density of the universe at high redshifts, yet such galaxies are normally too faint to be studied spectroscopically. We take advantage of strong gravitational lensing magnification to compile observations for a sample of 29 galaxies using modest integration times with the Keck and Palomar telescopes. Balmer emission lines confirm that the sample has a median SFR ∼ 10 M_sun yr^−1 and extends to lower SFR than has been probed by other surveys at similar redshift. We derive the metallicity, dust extinction, SFR, ionization parameter, and dynamical mass from the spectroscopic data, providing the first accurate characterization of the star-forming environment in low-luminosity galaxies at high redshift. For the first time, we directly test the proposal that the relation between galaxy stellar mass, star formation rate, and gas phase metallicity does not evolve. We find lower gas phase metallicity in the high redshift galaxies than in local sources with equivalent stellar mass and star formation rate, arguing against a time-invariant relation. While our result is preliminary and may be biased by measurement errors, this represents an important first measurement that will be further constrained by ongoing analysis of the full data set and by future observations.

We present a study of composite rest-frame ultraviolet spectra of Lyman break galaxies at z = 4 and discuss implications for the distribution of neutral outflowing gas in the circumgalactic medium. In general we find similar spectroscopic trends to those found at z = 3 by earlier surveys. In particular, absorption lines which trace neutral gas are weaker in less evolved galaxies with lower stellar masses, smaller radii, lower luminosity, less dust, and stronger Lyα emission. Typical galaxies are thus expected to have stronger Lyα emission and weaker low-ionization absorption at earlier times, and we indeed find somewhat weaker low-ionization absorption at higher redshifts. In conjunction with earlier results, we argue that the reduced low-ionization absorption is likely caused by lower covering fraction and/or velocity range of outflowing neutral gas at earlier epochs. This result has important implications for the hypothesis that early galaxies were responsible for cosmic reionization. We additionally show that fine structure emission lines are sensitive to the spatial extent of neutral gas, and demonstrate that neutral gas is concentrated at smaller galactocentric radii in higher redshift galaxies.

The results of this thesis present a coherent picture of galaxy evolution at high redshifts 2 ≲ z ≲ 4. Roughly 1/3 of massive star forming galaxies at this period are undergoing major mergers, while the rest are growing inside-out with star formation occurring in gravitationally unstable thick disks. Star formation, stellar mass, and metallicity are limited by outflows which create a circumgalactic medium of metal-enriched material. We conclude by describing some remaining open questions and prospects for improving our understanding of galaxy evolution with future observations of gravitationally lensed galaxies.

Terahertz time domain spectroscopy of amino acids and sugars

A time-domain spectrometer for use in the terahertz (THz) spectral range was designed and constructed. Due to there being few existing methods of generating and detecting THz radiation, the spectrometer is expected to have vast applications to solid, liquid, and gas phase samples. In particular, knowledge of complex organic chemistry and chemical abundances in the interstellar medium (ISM) can be obtained when compared to astronomical data. The THz spectral region is of particular interest due to reduced line density when compared to the millimeter wave spectrum, the existence of high resolution observatories, and potentially strong transitions resulting from the lowest-lying vibrational modes of large molecules.

The heart of the THz time-domain spectrometer (THz-TDS) is the ultrafast laser. Due to the femtosecond duration of ultrafast laser pulses and an energy-time uncertainty relationship, the pulses typically have a several-THz bandwidth. By various means of optical rectification, the optical pulse carrier envelope shape, i.e. intensity-time profile, can be transferred to the phase of the resulting THz pulse. As a consequence, optical pump-THz probe spectroscopy is readily achieved, as was demonstrated in studies of dye-sensitized TiO₂, as discussed in chapter 4. Detection of the terahertz radiation is commonly based on electro-optic sampling and provides full phase information. This allows for accurate determination of both the real and imaginary index of refraction, the so-called optical constants, without additional analysis. A suite of amino acids and sugars, all of which have been found in meteorites, were studied in crystalline form embedded in a polyethylene matrix. As the temperature was varied between 10 and 310 K, various strong vibrational modes were found to shift in spectral intensity and frequency. Such modes can be attributed to intramolecular, intermolecular, or phonon modes, or to some combination of the three.

Situation awareness application

This thesis describes the design and implementation of a situation awareness application. The application gathers data from sensors including accelerometers for monitoring earthquakes, carbon monoxide sensors for monitoring fires, radiation detectors, and dust sensors. The application also gathers Internet data sources including data about traffic congestion on daily commute routes, information about hazards, news relevant to the user of the application, and weather. The application sends the data to a Cloud computing service which aggregates data streams from multiple sites and detects anomalies. Information from the Cloud service is then displayed by the application on a tablet, computer monitor, or television screen. The situation awareness application enables almost all members of a community to remain aware of critical changes in their environments.

Cloud computing services for seismic networks

This thesis describes a compositional framework for developing situation awareness applications: applications that provide ongoing information about a user's changing environment. The thesis describes how the framework is used to develop a situation awareness application for earthquakes. The applications are implemented as Cloud computing services connected to sensors and actuators. The architecture and design of the Cloud services are described and measurements of performance metrics are provided. The thesis includes results of experiments on earthquake monitoring conducted over a year. The applications developed by the framework are (1) the CSN --- the Community Seismic Network --- which uses relatively low-cost sensors deployed by members of the community, and (2) SAF --- the Situation Awareness Framework --- which integrates data from multiple sources, including the CSN, CISN --- the California Integrated Seismic Network, a network consisting of high-quality seismometers deployed carefully by professionals in the CISN organization and spread across Southern California --- and prototypes of multi-sensor platforms that include carbon monoxide, methane, dust and radiation sensors.

The ^(26)Al(p,γ)^(27)Si reaction : stellar origins of galactic ^(26)Al

To explain the ^(26)Mg isotopic anomaly seen in meteorites (^(26)Al daughter) as well as the observation of 1809-keV γ rays in the interstellar medium (live decay of 26Al) one must know, among other things, the destruction rate of ^(26)Al. Properties of states in ^(27)Si just above the ^(26)Al + p mass were investigated to determine the destruction rate of ^(26)Al via the ^(26)Al(p,γ)^(27)Si reaction at astrophysical temperatures.

Twenty micrograms of ^(26)Al were used to produce two types of Al_2O_3 targets by evaporation of the oxide. One was onto a thick platinum backing suitable for (p,γ) work, and the other onto a thin carbon foil for the (^3He,d) reaction.

The ^(26)Al(p,γ)^(27)Si excitation function, obtained using a germanium detector and voltage-ramped target, confirmed known resonances and revealed new ones at 770, 847, 876, 917, and 928 keV. Possible resonances below the lowest observed one at E_p = 286 keV were investigated using the ^(26)Al(^3He,d)^(27)Si proton-transfer reaction. States in 27Si corresponding to 196- and 286-keV proton resonances were observed. A possible resonance at 130 keV (postulated in prior work) was shown to have a strength of wγ less than 0.02 µeV.

By arranging four large Nal detector as a 47π calorimeter, the 196-keV proton resonance, and one at 247 keV, were observed directly, having wγ = 55± 9 and 10 ± 5 µeV, respectively.

Large uncertainties in the reaction rate have been reduced. At novae temperatures, the rate is about 100 times faster than that used in recent model calculations, casting some doubt on novae production of galactic ^(26)Al.

Observational and theoretical advances in cosmological foreground emission

Observational and theoretical work towards the separation of foreground emission from the cosmic microwave background is described. The bulk of this work is in the design, construction, and commissioning of the C-Band All-Sky Survey (C-BASS), an experiment to produce a template of the Milky Way Galaxy's polarized synchrotron emission. Theoretical work is the derivation of an analytical approximation to the emission spectrum of spinning dust grains.

The performance of the C-BASS experiment is demonstrated through a preliminary, deep survey of the North Celestial Pole region. A comparison to multiwavelength data is performed, and the thermal and systematic noise properties of the experiment are explored. The systematic noise has been minimized through careful data processing algorithms, implemented both in the experiment's Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) based digital backend and in the data analysis pipeline. Detailed descriptions of these algorithms are presented.

The analytical function of spinning dust emission is derived through the application of careful approximations, with each step tested against numerical calculations. This work is intended for use in the parameterized separation of cosmological foreground components and as a framework for interpreting and comparing the variety of anomalous microwave emission observations.

Wind-driven desertification: process modeling, remote monitoring, and forecasting

Arid and semiarid landscapes comprise nearly a third of the Earth's total land surface. These areas are coming under increasing land use pressures. Despite their low productivity these lands are not barren. Rather, they consist of fragile ecosystems vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbance.

The purpose of this thesis is threefold: (I) to develop and test a process model of wind-driven desertification, (II) to evaluate next-generation process-relevant remote monitoring strategies for use in arid and semiarid regions, and (III) to identify elements for effective management of the world's drylands.

In developing the process model of wind-driven desertification in arid and semiarid lands, field, remote sensing, and modeling observations from a degraded Mojave Desert shrubland are used. This model focuses on aeolian removal and transport of dust, sand, and litter as the primary mechanisms of degradation: killing plants by burial and abrasion, interrupting natural processes of nutrient accumulation, and allowing the loss of soil resources by abiotic transport. This model is tested in field sampling experiments at two sites and is extended by Fourier Transform and geostatistical analysis of high-resolution imagery from one site.

Next, the use of hyperspectral remote sensing data is evaluated as a substantive input to dryland remote monitoring strategies. In particular, the efficacy of spectral mixture analysis (SMA) in discriminating vegetation and soil types and detennining vegetation cover is investigated. The results indicate that hyperspectral data may be less useful than often thought in determining vegetation parameters. Its usefulness in determining soil parameters, however, may be leveraged by developing simple multispectral classification tools that can be used to monitor desertification.

Finally, the elements required for effective monitoring and management of arid and semiarid lands are discussed. Several large-scale multi-site field experiments are proposed to clarify the role of wind as a landscape and degradation process in dry lands. The role of remote sensing in monitoring the world's drylands is discussed in terms of optimal remote sensing platform characteristics and surface phenomena which may be monitored in order to identify areas at risk of desertification. A desertification indicator is proposed that unifies consideration of environmental and human variables.

1976 step in the Pacific climate: forty environmental changes between 1968-1975 and 1977-1984

Examination of 40 time series of multidisciplinary environmental variables from the Pacific Ocean and the Americas, collected in 1968 to 1984, demonstrated the remarkable consistency of a major climate-related, step-like change in 1976. To combine the 40 variables (e.g., air and water temperatures, Southern Oscillation, chlorophyll, geese, salmon, crabs, glaciers, atmospheric dust, coral, carbon dioxide, winds, ice cover, Bering Strait transport) into a single time series, standard variants of individual annual values (subtracting the mean and dividing by a standard deviation) were averaged. Analysis of the resulting time series showed that the single step in 1976, separating the 1968-1975 period from the 1977-1984 period, accounted for 89% of variance within the composite time series. Apparently, one of the Earth's large ecosystems occasionally undergoes large abrupt shifts.

I. Foehn winds of southern California. II. Foehn wind cyclo-genesis. III. Weather conditions associated with the Akron disaster. IV. The Los Angeles storm of December 30, 1933 to January 1, 1934

I. Foehn winds of southern California.
An investigation of the hot, dry and dust laden winds occurring in the late fall and early winter in the Los Angeles Basin and attributed in the past to the influences of the desert regions to the north revealed that these currents were of a foehn nature. Their properties were found to be entirely due to dynamical heating produced in the descent from the high level areas in the interior to the lower Los Angeles Basin. Any dust associated with the phenomenon was found to be acquired from the Los Angeles area rather than transported from the desert. It was found that the frequency of occurrence of a mild type foehn of this nature during this season was sufficient to warrant its classification as a winter monsoon. This results from the topography of the Los Angeles region which allows an easy entrance to the air from the interior by virtue of the low level mountain passes north of the area. This monsoon provides the mild winter climate of southern California since temperatures associated with the foehn currents are far higher than those experienced when maritime air from the adjacent Pacific Ocean occupies the region.

II. Foehn wind cyclo-genesis.
Intense anticyclones frequently build up over the high level regions of the Great Basin and Columbia Plateau which lie between the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountains to the west and the Rocky Mountains to the east. The outflow from these anticyclones produce extensive foehns east of the Rockies in the comparatively low level areas of the middle west and the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Normally at this season of the year very cold polar continental air masses are present over this territory and with the occurrence of these foehns marked discontinuity surfaces arise between the warm foehn current, which is obliged to slide over a colder mass, and the Pc air to the east. Cyclones are easily produced from this phenomenon and take the form of unstable waves which propagate along the discontinuity surface between the two dissimilar masses. A continual series of such cyclones was found to occur as long as the Great Basin anticyclone is maintained with undiminished intensity.

III. Weather conditions associated with the Akron disaster.
This situation illustrates the speedy development and propagation of young disturbances in the eastern United States during the spring of the year under the influence of the conditionally unstable tropical maritime air masses which characterise the region. It also furnishes an excellent example of the superiority of air mass and frontal methods of weather prediction for aircraft operation over the older methods based upon pressure distribution.

IV. The Los Angeles storm of December 30, 1933 to January 1, 1934.
This discussion points out some of the fundamental interactions occurring between air masses of the North Pacific Ocean in connection with Pacific Coast storms and the value of topographic and aerological considerations in predicting them. Estimates of rainfall intensity and duration from analyses of this type may be made and would prove very valuable in the Los Angeles area in connection with flood control problems.

Measurement of the galactic cosmic ray antiproton flux from 0.25 gev to 3.11 gev with the isotope matter antimatter experiment (imax)

The intensities and relative abundances of galactic cosmic ray protons and antiprotons have been measured with the Isotope Matter Antimatter Experiment (IMAX), a balloon-borne magnet spectrometer. The IMAX payload had a successful flight from Lynn Lake, Manitoba, Canada on July 16, 1992. Particles detected by IMAX were identified by mass and charge via the Cherenkov-Rigidity and TOP-Rigidity techniques, with measured rms mass resolution ≤0.2 amu for Z=1 particles.

Cosmic ray antiprotons are of interest because they can be produced by the interactions of high energy protons and heavier nuclei with the interstellar medium as well as by more exotic sources. Previous cosmic ray antiproton experiments have reported an excess of antiprotons over that expected solely from cosmic ray interactions.

Analysis of the flight data has yielded 124405 protons and 3 antiprotons in the energy range 0.19-0.97 GeV at the instrument, 140617 protons and 8 antiprotons in the energy range 0.97-2.58 GeV, and 22524 protons and 5 antiprotons in the energy range 2.58-3.08 GeV. These measurements are a statistical improvement over previous antiproton measurements, and they demonstrate improved separation of antiprotons from the more abundant fluxes of protons, electrons, and other cosmic ray species.

When these results are corrected for instrumental and atmospheric background and losses, the ratios at the top of the atmosphere are p/p=3.21(+3.49, -1.97)x10^(-5) in the energy range 0.25-1.00 GeV, p/p=5.38(+3.48, -2.45) x10^(-5) in the energy range 1.00-2.61 GeV, and p/p=2.05(+1.79, -1.15) x10^(-4) in the energy range 2.61-3.11 GeV. The corresponding antiproton intensities, also corrected to the top of the atmosphere, are 2.3(+2.5, -1.4) x10^(-2) (m^2 s sr GeV)^(-1), 2.1(+1.4, -1.0) x10^(-2) (m^2 s sr GeV)^(-1), and 4.3(+3.7, -2.4) x10^(-2) (m^2 s sr GeV)^(-1) for the same energy ranges.

The IMAX antiproton fluxes and antiproton/proton ratios are compared with recent Standard Leaky Box Model (SLBM) calculations of the cosmic ray antiproton abundance. According to this model, cosmic ray antiprotons are secondary cosmic rays arising solely from the interaction of high energy cosmic rays with the interstellar medium. The effects of solar modulation of protons and antiprotons are also calculated, showing that the antiproton/proton ratio can vary by as much as an order of magnitude over the solar cycle. When solar modulation is taken into account, the IMAX antiproton measurements are found to be consistent with the most recent calculations of the SLBM. No evidence is found in the IMAX data for excess antiprotons arising from the decay of galactic dark matter, which had been suggested as an interpretation of earlier measurements. Furthermore, the consistency of the current results with the SLBM calculations suggests that the mean antiproton lifetime is at least as large as the cosmic ray storage time in the galaxy (~10^7 yr, based on measurements of cosmic ray ^(10)Be). Recent measurements by two other experiments are consistent with this interpretation of the IMAX antiproton results.

An investigation of techniques for the measurement and interpretation of cosmic ray isotopic abundances

An instrument, the Caltech High Energy Isotope Spectrometer Telescope (HEIST), has been developed to measure isotopic abundances of cosmic ray nuclei in the charge range 3 ≤ Z ≤ 28 and the energy range between 30 and 800 MeV/nuc by employing an energy loss -- residual energy technique. Measurements of particle trajectories and energy losses are made using a multiwire proportional counter hodoscope and a stack of CsI(TI) crystal scintillators, respectively. A detailed analysis has been made of the mass resolution capabilities of this instrument.

Landau fluctuations set a fundamental limit on the attainable mass resolution, which for this instrument ranges between ~.07 AMU for z~3 and ~.2 AMU for z~2b. Contributions to the mass resolution due to uncertainties in measuring the path-length and energy losses of the detected particles are shown to degrade the overall mass resolution to between ~.1 AMU (z~3) and ~.3 AMU (z~2b).

A formalism, based on the leaky box model of cosmic ray propagation, is developed for obtaining isotopic abundance ratios at the cosmic ray sources from abundances measured in local interstellar space for elements having three or more stable isotopes, one of which is believed to be absent at the cosmic ray sources. This purely secondary isotope is used as a tracer of secondary production during propagation. This technique is illustrated for the isotopes of the elements O, Ne, S, Ar and Ca.

The uncertainties in the derived source ratios due to errors in fragmentation and total inelastic cross sections, in observed spectral shapes, and in measured abundances are evaluated. It is shown that the dominant sources of uncertainty are uncorrelated errors in the fragmentation cross sections and statistical uncertainties in measuring local interstellar abundances.

These results are applied to estimate the extent to which uncertainties must be reduced in order to distinguish between cosmic ray production in a solar-like environment and in various environments with greater neutron enrichments.

Observations of nitrogen and oxygen isotopes in the low energy cosmic rays

The isotopic composition of the enhanced low energy nitrogen and oxygen cosmic rays can provide information regarding the source of these particles. Using the Caltech Electron/Isotope Spectrometer aboard the IMP-7 satellite, a measurement of this isotopic composition was made. To determine the isotope response of the instrument, a calibration was performed, and it was determined that the standard range-energy tables were inadequate to calculate the isotope response. From the calibration, corrections to the standard range-energy tables were obtained which can be used to calculate the isotope response of this and similar instruments.

The low energy nitrogen and oxygen cosmic rays were determined to be primarily ^(14)N and ^(16)O. Upper limits were obtained for the abundances of the other stable nitrogen and oxygen isotopes. To the 84% confidence level the isotopic abundances are: ^(15)N/N ≤ 0.26 (5.6- 12.7 MeV/nucleon), ^(17)0/0 ≤ 0.13 (7.0- 11.8 MeV/nucleon), (18)0/0 ≤ 0.12 (7.0 - 11.2 MeV/nucleon). The nitrogen composition differs from higher energy measurements which indicate that ^(15)N, which is thought to be secondary, is the dominant isotope. This implies that the low energy enhanced cosmic rays are not part of the same population as the higher energy cosmic rays and that they have not passed through enough material to produce a large fraction of ^(15)N. The isotopic composition of the low energy enhanced nitrogen and oxygen is consistent with the local acceleration theory of Fisk, Kozlovsky, and Ramaty, in which interstellar material is accelerated to several MeV/nucleon. If, on the other hand, the low energy nitrogen and oxygen result from nucleosynthesis in a galactic source, then the nucleosynthesis processes which produce an enhancement of nitrogen and oxygen and a depletion of carbon are restricted to producing predominantly ^(14)N and ^(16)O.

The abundances of ultraheavy elements in the cosmic radiation

Analysis of the data from the Heavy Nuclei Experiment on the HEAO-3 spacecraft has yielded the cosmic ray abundances of odd-even element pairs with atomic number, Z, in the range 33 ≤ Z ≤60, and the abundances of broad element groups in the range 62 ≤ Z ≤83, relative to iron. These data show that the cosmic ray source composition in this charge range is quite similar to that of the solar system provided an allowance is made for a source fractionation based on first ionization potential. The observations are inconsistent with a source composition which is dominated by either r-process or s-process material, whether or not an allowance is made for first ionization potential. Although the observations do not exclude a source containing the same mixture of r- and s-process material as in the solar system. the data are best fit by a source having an r- to s-process ratio of 1.22^(+0.25)_(0.21), relative to the solar system The abundances of secondary elements are consistent with the leaky box model of galactic propagation, implying a pathlength distribution similar to that which explains the abundances of nuclei with Z<29.

The energy spectra of the even elements in the range 38 ≤ Z ≤ 60 are found to have a deficiency of particles in the range ~1.5 to 3 GeV/amu, compared to iron. This deficiency may result from ionization energy loss in the interstellar medium, and is not predicted by propagation models which ignore such losses. ln addition, the energy spectra of secondary elements are found to be different to those of the primary elements. Such effects are consistent with observations of lighter nuclei, and are in qualitative agreement with galactic propagation models using a rigidity dependent escape length. The energy spectra of secondaries arising from the platinum group are found to be much steeper than those of lower Z. This effect may result from energy dependent fragmentation cross sections.