Collisional radiative model for the evaluation of the Thermal Helium Beam diagnostic at ASDEX Upgrade

The thermal helium beam diagnostic at ASDEX Upgrade is used to infer the electron density ne and temperature Te in the scrape-off layer and the pedestal region from the emission of visible lines of the locally injected helium. The link between ne and Te and the emission is provided by a collisional radiative model, which delivers the evolution of the populations of the relevant excited states as the He atoms travel through the plasma. A computationally efficient method with just three effective states is shown to provide a good approximation of the population dynamics. It removes an artificial rise of Te at the plasma edge when using a simple static model. Furthermore, the re-absorption of the vacuum ultra-violet resonance lines has been introduced as additional excitation mechanism being mainly important in the region close to the injection point. This extra excitation leads to a much better fit of the measured line ratios in this region for larger puff rates.

Stray-Light Correction Methodology for the Precision Solar Spectroradiometer

A stray-light correction methodology for the Precision Solar Spectroradiometer (PSR) is presented. The correction is based on laboratory-measured line spread functions also taking into account the radiation from the 2nd and 3rd grating orders. The efficiency of the correction is validated on solar and lamp measurement data. The results are compared to those obtained with a PSR equipped with an order-sorting filter and with a Precision Filter Radiometer.

Determination of adjusted range corrections measured by electro-optical systems

Electromagnetic radiation used to determine ranges passes through media with different characteristics that affect the electromagnetic waves propagation speed and, accordingly, the accuracy of distance determination. The problem of the radio signal delay due to the influence of the atmosphere is an urgent problem, the solution of which is currently limited mainly to the calculation of range corrections using various atmospheric models. Depending on the required accuracy, the length of the measured line, the range of zenith distances, the availability of information about the state of the atmosphere, a flat, spherical, ellipsoidal model of atmospheres is used to determine the range corrections. In view of the fact that the parameters of the atmosphere characterizing its state along the electromagnetic wave path at the time of measurement, as a rule, are unknown, it becomes necessary to apply one or another hypothesis about the distribution of atmospheric parameters with height. In this paper, we propose a solution to the problem of determining corrections to the measured ranges from the known parameters of the atmosphere only at the initial and final points of the electromagnetic waves’ trajectory.

Probing dark contents in globular clusters with timing effects of pulsar acceleration

We investigate pulsar timing residuals due to the coupling effect of the pulsar transverse acceleration and the Römer delay. The effect is relatively small and usually negligible. Only for pulsars in globular clusters, it is possibly important. The maximum residual amplitude, which is from the pulsar near the surface of the core of the cluster, is about tens of nanoseconds, and may hardly be identified for most globular clusters currently. However, an intermediate-mass black hole in the center of a cluster can apparently increase the timing residual magnitudes. Particularly for pulsars in the innermost core region, their residual magnitudes may be significant. The high-magnitude residuals, which are above critical lines of each cluster, are strong evidence for the presence of a black hole or dark remnants of comparable total mass in the center of the cluster. We also explored the timing effects of line-of-sight accelerations for the pulsars. The distribution of measured line-of-sight accelerations are simulated with a Monte Carlo method. Two-dimensional Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests are performed to reexamine the consistency of distributions of the simulated and reported data for various values of parameters of the clusters. It is shown that the structure parameters of Terzan 5 can be constrained well by comparing the distribution of measured line-of-sight accelerations with the distributions from Monte Carlo simulations. We find that the cluster has an upper limit on the central black hole/dark remnant mass of ∼ 6000 M ⊙.

Population Kinetics Modeling of Low-Temperature Argon Plasma

Optical emission spectroscopy has been widely used in low-temperature argon plasma diagnostics. A coronal model is usually used to analyze the measured line ratios for diagnostics with a single temperature and density. However, many plasma processing conditions deviate from single temperature and density, optically thin conditions, or even coronal plasma conditions due to cascades from high-lying states. In this paper, we present a collisional-radiative model to investigate the validity of coronal approximations over a range of plasma conditions of Te = 1–4 eV and Ne = 108–1013 cm−3. The commonly used line ratios are found to change from a coronal limit where they are independent of Ne to a collisional-radiative regime where they are not. The effects of multiple-temperature plasma, radiation trapping, wall neutralization, and quenching on the line ratios are investigated to identify the plasma conditions under which these effects are significant. This study demonstrates the importance of the completeness of atomic datasets in applying a collisional-radiative model to low-temperature plasma diagnostics.

Reduction in Glomerular Filtration Rate Following Live Kidney Transplant Donor

Aim: Renal replacement therapy is best possible treatment for end stage renal failure, but current research suggestive of augmented long-term risk in renal function for the donor. Methods:At this time, we evaluate the subjects for the risk of decreased (eGFR) estimated glomerular filtration rate within old 50 giver, who undergo pre-donation assessment and live benefactor nephrectomyamong 2007 and 2015by multiple centers of Pakistan. Results:The mean pursuepoint in time was 8.5 years (0.9–28.2). Inco relational analysis, subject age and status of hypertension (arterial) by thereference line were considerablylinked witha elevatedhazard of unfavorable renal effect, in particular, eGFR <60mL/min/1.73m2 (age/year: hazard ratio (HR) 1.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04–1.08, (HTN): HR 1.09, 95% CI 1.21–4.0), eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 and a turn down of _39% from the initial measured line (age: HR 1.07, 95% CI 1.03–1.13,HTN: HR 4.22, 95% CI 1.71–10.35), and, eGFR <45mL/min/1.73m2. Age and HTN HR 2.13, 95% CI1.04–1.21, HR 4.05, 95% CI 1.47–18.15 respectively, Adding together, eGFR levels at occasion of contribution was linked with a lesserhazard of eGFR <60 mL/min and eGFR <40 mL/min. The only significantpredictor for adverse renal outcomes was Age. Conclusion: Arterial hypertension, lower level of eGFR, and age at the time of donation are powerful prognosticating factor for undesirable kidney adverse effects in live renaldonor. Keywords: eGFR (per mL/min/1.73 m2) Estimated glomerular filtration rate, arterial hypertension HTN; ESRD

Flywheel calibration of a continuous-wave coherent Doppler wind lidar

A rig for calibrating a continuous-wave coherent Doppler wind lidar has been constructed. The rig consists of a rotating flywheel on a frame together with an adjustable lidar telescope. The laser beam points toward the rim of the wheel in a plane perpendicular to the wheel's rotation axis, and it can be tilted up and down along the wheel's periphery and thereby measure different projections of the tangential speed. The angular speed of the wheel is measured using a high-precision measuring ring fitted to the periphery of the wheel and synchronously logged together with the lidar speed. A simple geometrical model shows that there is a linear relationship between the measured line-of-sight speed and the beam tilt angle, and this is utilised to extrapolate to the tangential speed as measured by the lidar. An analysis of the uncertainties based on the model shows that a standard uncertainty on the measurement of about 0.1 % can be achieved, but also that the main source of uncertainty is the width of the laser beam and its associated uncertainty. Measurements performed with different beam widths confirm this. Other measurements with a minimised beam radius show that the method in this case performs about equally well for all the tested reference speeds ranging from about 3 to 18 m s−1.

Consistency of total column ozone measurements between the Brewer and Dobson spectroradiometers of the LKO Arosa and PMOD/WRC Davos

Total column ozone measured by Brewer and Dobson spectroradiometers at Arosa and Davos, Switzerland, have systematic seasonal variations of around 1.5 % using the standard operational data processing. Most of this variability can be attributed to the temperature sensitivity of approx. +0.1 %/K of the ozone absorption coefficient of the Dobson spectroradiometer (in this study D101). While the currently used Bass&amp;Paur ozone absorption cross-sections produce inconsistent results for Dobson and Brewer, the use of the ozone absorption cross-sections from Serdyuchenko et al. (2013) in conjunction with an effective ozone temperature dataset produces excellent agreement between the investigated four Brewers (of which two double Brewers), and Dobson D101. Even though other ozone absorption cross-sections available in the literature are able to reduce the seasonal variability, all of those investigated produce systematic biases in total column ozone between Brewer and Dobson of 1.1 % to 3.1 %. The highest consistency of total column ozone from Brewers and Dobson D101 at Arosa/Davos of 0.1 % is obtained by applying the Rayleigh scattering cross-sections from Bodhaine et al. (1999), the ozone absorption cross-sections from Serdyuchenko et al. (2013), the effective ozone temperature from either ozonesondes or ECMWF, and the measured line-spread functions of Brewer and Dobson. The variability between Brewer and Dobson for single measurements of 0.9 % can be reduced to less than 0.5 % for monthly means and 0.3 % on yearly means. As show here, the proposed methodology produces consistent total column ozone datasets between Brewer and Dobson spectroradiometers of better than 1 %. For colocated Brewer and Dobson spectroradiometers, as is the case for the Arosa/Davos total column ozone times series, this allows the merging of these two distinct datasets to produce a homogeneous time series of total column ozone measurements. Furthermore, it guarantees the long-term future of this longest total column ozone time-series, by proposing a methodology how to eventually replace the ageing Dobson spectroradiometer with the state-of-the art Brewer spectroradiometer.

Flywheel calibration of a continuous-wave coherent Doppler wind lidar

A rig for calibrating a continuous-wave coherent Doppler wind lidar has been constructed. The rig consists of a rotating flywheel on a frame together with an adjustable lidar telescope. The laser beam points toward the rim of the wheel in a plane perpendicular to the wheel's rotation axis, and it can be tilted up and down along the wheel periphery and thereby measure different projections of the tangential speed. The angular speed of the wheel is measured using a high-precision measuring ring fitted to the periphery of the wheel and synchronously logged together with the lidar speed. A simple, geometrical model shows that there is a linear relationship between the measured line-of-sight speed and the beam tilt angle and this is utilised to extrapolate to the tangential speed as measured by the lidar. An analysis of the uncertainties based on the model shows that a standard uncertainty on the measurement of about 0.1 % can be achieved, but also that the main source of uncertainty is the width of the laser beam and it's associated uncertainty. Measurements performed with different beam widths confirms this. Other measurements with a minimised beam radius shows that the method in this case performs about equally well for all the tested reference speeds ranging from about 3 m/s to 18 m/s.

A New Reference to Evaluate Syndesmosis in Sagittal Plane Radiographs of the Ankle: The Lateral Posterior Ankle Ratio

Background: Confirmation of anatomical reduction of ankle syndesmosis is mandatory because improper reduction leads to poor functional results. Coronal plane evaluation of syndesmosis is well described in the literature, but there is little information about sagittal plane evaluation. We sought to evaluate the relationship of fibula and tibia in the sagittal plane and create a new reference that can be applied easily and reliably. Methods: Lateral ankle radiographs of 337 individuals with no history of ankle fracture were evaluated. A line was drawn between the anterior and posterior cortices of the distal lateral tibia, and the length of this line was measured (line 1). The distance between the anterior and posterior cortices of the fibula on this line was measured, and the center of this second distance was identified and marked. The posterior half of the fibular width was divided by line 1 and was named the lateral posterior ankle ratio (LPAR). Statistical analysis was performed by side and sex. Results: Mean patient age was 38.6 years; mean LPAR was 0.48. There was a significant difference between men and women by age (P &lt; .001) and LPAR (P = .01). There was no significant difference between right and left ankles by age (P = .63) and LPAR (P = .64). The LPAR was less than 0.40 in 6.8% of the radiographs, 0.40 to 0.50 in 57.9%, and greater than 0.50 to 0.60 in 32.9%. Conclusions: The LPAR should approximate 50% in normal lateral ankle images and, by extrapolation, after syndesmotic reduction.