Measurements Of Fluctuations Research Articles

Decreases in Sympathetic Activity Due to Low-Intensity Extremely Low-Frequency Electric Field Treatment Revealed by Measurement of Spontaneous Fluctuations in Skin Conductance in Healthy Subjects

Decreases in Sympathetic Activity Due to Low-Intensity Extremely Low-Frequency Electric Field Treatment Revealed by Measurement of Spontaneous Fluctuations in Skin Conductance in Healthy Subjects

Origin of the type III radiation observed near the Sun

Aims. We investigate processes associated with the generation of type III radiation using Parker Solar Probe measurements. Methods. We measured the amplitudes and phase velocities of electric and magnetic fields and their associated plasma density fluctuations. Results. 1. There are slow electrostatic waves near the Langmuir frequency and at as many as six harmonics, the number of which increases with the amplitude of the Langmuir wave. Their electrostatic nature is shown by measurements of the plasma density fluctuations. From these density fluctuations and the electric field magnitude, the k-value of the Langmuir wave is estimated to be 0.14 and kλd = 0.4. Even with the large uncertainty in this quantity (more than a factor of two), the phase velocity of the Langmuir wave was < 10 000 km/s. 2. The electromagnetic wave near the Langmuir frequency has a phase velocity lower than 50 000 km/s. 3. We cannot determine whether there are electromagnetic waves at the harmonics of the Langmuir frequency. If they existed, their magnetic field components would be below the noise level of the measurement. 4. The rapid (less than one millisecond) amplitude variations typical of the Langmuir wave and its harmonics are artifacts resulting from the addition of two waves, one of which has small frequency variations that arise because the wave travels through density irregularities. None of these results are expected in or consistent with the conventional model of the three-wave interaction of two counter-streaming Langmuir waves that coalesce to produce the type III wave. They are consistent with a new model in which electrostatic antenna waves are produced at the harmonics by radiation of the Langmuir wave, after which at least the first harmonic wave evolved through density irregularities such that its wave number decreased and it became the type III radiation.

Turbulent fluxes of aerosol and heat in a desertified area during intermittent emission of dust aerosol

Based on fluctuations measurement results in the components of wind speed, air temperature and concentration of aerosol particles on a desertified area in the Astrakhan region under conditions of intermittent emission of dust aerosol, vertical turbulent fluxes of dust aerosol and heat were determined. Using spectral analysis, the temporal variability of the horizontal and vertical components of wind speed, air temperature and concentration of dust aerosol particles was characterized. It is shown that the intermittent emission of the dust aerosol is determined by low-frequency convective-induced variations in the horizontal component of wind speed when the threshold saltation speed is exceeded. Significant differences in the spatiotemporal variability of vertical heat transfer and dust aerosol were revealed. The 30-minute average values of heat fluxes (90–158 W/m2) and dust aerosol (7.2–27.5 cm–2cm–1), as well as the rate of heat removal (14–21 cm/s) and dust aerosol (10–16 cm/s).

Magnetic field effect on hadron yield ratios and fluctuations in a hadron resonance gas

This work studies the influence of an external magnetic field on hadron yields and fluctuations in a hadron resonance gas by performing calculations within an updated version of the open-source package. The presence of the magnetic field has a sizable influence on certain hadron yield ratios. Most notably, it leads to enhanced p/π and suppressed n/p ratios, which may serve as a magnetometer in heavy-ion collisions. By attributing the centrality dependence of the p/π ratio in Pb-Pb collisions at 5.02 TeV measured by the ALICE Collaboration entirely to the magnetic field, its maximal strength at freezeout is estimated to be eB≃0.12GeV2≃6.3mπ2 in peripheral collisions. The magnetic field also enhances various conserved charge susceptibilities, which is qualitatively consistent with recent lattice QCD data and is driven in the HRG model by the increase of hadron densities. However, the variances of hadrons do not show any enhancement when normalized by the means, therefore, measurements of second-order fluctuations in heavy-ion collisions appear to offer limited additional information about the magnetic field relative to mean multiplicities. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

The TRGB-SBF Project. I. A Tip of the Red Giant Branch Distance to the Fornax Cluster with JWST

Differences between the local value of the Hubble constant measured via the distance ladder versus the value inferred from the cosmic microwave background with the assumption of the standard ΛCDM model have reached over 5σ significance. To determine if this discrepancy is due to new physics or more mundane systematic errors, it is essential to remove as many sources of systematic uncertainty as possible, by developing high-precision distance ladders that are independent of the traditional Cepheid and Type Ia supernova route. Here, we present JWST observations of three early-type Fornax Cluster galaxies, the first of 14 observations from a Cycle 2 JWST program. Our modest integration times allow us to measure highly precise tip of the red giant branch (TRGB) distances and they will also be used to perform measurements of surface brightness fluctuations (SBFs). From these three galaxies, we determine an average TRGB distance modulus to the Fornax Cluster of μ = 31.424 ± 0.077 mag or D = 19.3 ± 0.7 Mpc. With 11 more scheduled observations in nearby elliptical galaxies, our program will allow us to set the zero-point of the SBF scale to better than 2% for more distant measurements, charting a path toward a high-precision measurement of H 0 that is independent of the traditional Cepheid–supernova Ia distance ladder.

Spatiotemporal Koopman decomposition of second mode instability from a hypersonic schlieren video

Data-driven modal analysis methods provide a powerful way to decompose data into a sum of modes. The spatiotemporal Koopman decomposition (STKD) enables the computation of modes defined by global frequencies and growth rates in various spatial dimensions and time. The method is an extension of the dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) and higher-order dynamic mode decomposition (HODMD) that represents the data as a sum of standing and traveling, possibly growing or decaying, waves. In this paper, the STKD with HODMD is applied to schlieren video highlighting second mode instability waves traveling down the length of a 3-degree half-angle cone and a 7-degree half-angle cone, both at a freestream Mach number of 6. The HODMD is able to compute dominant modes and frequencies that align with those from associated experimental measurements of unsteady pressure fluctuations, and whose mode shapes clearly show the intensifying wavepacket structure of the waves. The STKD algorithm is used to compute streamwise wavenumbers, spatial growth rates, and wave speeds. The spatial growth rates from the STKD and the magnitudes of the HODMD mode shapes are used to compute the N-factor for waves of several frequencies. Overall, the STKD with HODMD is shown to be a useful tool for extracting spatiotemporal disturbance growth from a schlieren video.

Fast photodiode arrays for high frequency fluctuation measurements of reconnecting flux ropes.

An array of compact, high-bandwidth (>200MHz) and low-cost optical photodiodes has been developed and implemented on the PHASe MApping (PHASMA) experiment. Using purpose-built electronics, an array of 16 photodetectors was constructed and used to monitor broadband (1-5MHz) fluctuations in light intensity emitted by flux ropes undergoing electron-only magnetic reconnection. These measurements reveal a swath of oscillatory behavior, including wave propagation inward toward the diffusion region at approximately the local electron Alfvén speed. Custom 3D-printed collection optics and mounting hardware allow quick reconfiguration of the array for radial or axial measurements. The electronics design is flexible enough to be used with other current-sourcing transducers, such as avalanche photodiodes; silicon photomultipliers; and infrared, x-ray, and UV photodiodes. A noise-rejecting electrical layout allows for low-noise operation close to pulsed plasma discharges. A 16-channel, 64-pixel tomographic array was constructed and initial reconstructions are presented.

Applicability of alkali beam emission spectroscopy on NSTX-U.

Understanding fast pedestal dynamics and turbulent transport in the edge and scrape-off layer (SOL) plasma of spherical tokamaks is crucial for the design and operation of future fusion reactors. The alkali beam emission spectroscopy diagnostic technique offers a means to measure the absolute electron density radial profile and fluctuation amplitude in these regions. In this study, we demonstrate that injecting a sodium neutral beam radially into the plasma and analyzing the light emission from its 3p-3s atomic transition using near-orthogonal viewing angles allows for accurate measurement of the electron density profile and fluctuations in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) Upgrade spherical tokamak. Our findings indicate a peak signal-to-noise ratio of 118 in the pedestal and 12 in the SOL under typical NSTX plasma conditions. The spatial resolution for the electron density profile is estimated to be between 2 and 8mm, while for fluctuation measurements, it ranges from 12 to 15mm.

New high-field side magnetic probe array system for three-dimensional magnetic fluctuation measurements on EAST

To better study the magnetic fluctuations in the high-field side of EAST tokamak, a new high-field side magnetic probe array (HFS-MPA) has been developed on EAST recently. The HFS-MPA consists of 12 identical three-dimensional (3D) magnetic probes, which are mounted on the HFS wall with carefully designed arrangement. The HFS-MPA magnetic probes bring additional toroidal magnetic fluctuation measurements compared with the HFS regular magnetic probes which can only provide poloidal and radial magnetic fluctuation measurements. The upper limits of frequency and toroidal mode number (n) measurements of the magnetic fluctuations have been improved by comparing HFS-MPA with the HFS regular magnetic probes, i.e., 650 kHz vs 100 kHz and n = 23 vs n = 1. In developing the HFS-MPA diagnostic system, many practical challenges have been overcome and many special designs have been developed. These will be mentioned in the main subsystem description of the HFS-MPA diagnostic in this paper, which might be useful for developing new magnetic probe diagnostics in the future on EAST or other magnetically confined fusion devices. The calibration of the effective area and frequency response of the HFS-MPA is also described. The preliminary application in studying the frequency and propagation characteristics of the magnetic fluctuations with HFS-MPA compared with EAST regular magnetic probes shows that the HFS-MPA is well developed for plasma physics studies.

Development of a toroidally resolved broadband ECE imaging system for measurement of turbulent fluctuations on the KSTAR.

The two electron cyclotron emission imaging (ECEI) systems installed at adjacent ports (G and H) on the KSTAR tokamak incorporate large-aperture mm-wave optics, broadband electronics, and high speed digitization (up to 1 MSa/s) for 2D and quasi-3D visualization of MHD-scale fluid dynamics. Recently, the ECEI systems have been proved to be capable of visualization of smaller scale fluctuations albeit with a limited spatiotemporal resolution and even capable of measurement of ion cyclotron harmonic waves by direct high-speed sampling of the ECE IF signals. A four-channel prototype subsystem with a higher sampling rate up to 16 GS/s has been integrated into the G-port ECEI system, enabling the measurement of plasma waves in the GHz range in the form of modulated ECE signals and characterization of high-frequency turbulence during the evolution of pedestal. To achieve higher toroidal resolution in the turbulence measurement, the H-port ECEI system is now being upgraded to have a toroidally dual detector array of 2(toroidal) × 12(vertical) × 8(radial) channel configuration and a high-speed subsystem of 2(toroidal) × 4 channel configuration. The new mm-wave optics has been designed via beam propagation simulation, and the measured performance of the fabricated lens indicates a toroidal resolution of 8-10cm depending on the focus position and zoom factor, allowing for the measurement of parallel wavenumber up to k‖ ∼ 0.8cm-1.

Impact of dark sector preheating on CMB observables

The prediction of a nearly scale-invariant spectrum of curvature and tensor fluctuations is among the main features of cosmic inflation. The current measurements of the primordial fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) provide tight constraints on the amplitude of the scalar and tensor spectra, and the scalar tilt. However, the precise connection between these observables and a given inflationary model, depends on the expansion history between the end of inflation and the beginning of the radiation dominated era, which corresponds to the reheating epoch. This mapping between horizon exit and reentry of fluctuations, parametrized by the number of e-folds N*, can therefore be affected by the presence of a transient epoch of non-perturbative particle production during reheating (preheating). Using a combination of perturbative and lattice computations, we quantify the impact of preheating in a non-equilibrated dark matter sector on the CMB observables, under the assumption of a simultaneous perturbative decay of the inflaton into Standard Model particles. Combined with structure formation constraints, this allows us to impose stringent bounds on the post-inflationary reheating temperature.

A Q-band frequency tunable Doppler backscattering (DBS) system for pedestal and scrape-off layer density fluctuation and flow measurements in the DIII-D tokamak.

We present the design and laboratory tests for a new Q-band frequency tunable Doppler backscattering (DBS) system suitable for probing poloidal wavenumber kñ = 6-8cm-1 density fluctuations and their flow velocities in the pedestal and scape-off layer (SOL) of the DIII-D tokamak. This system will provide new measurements in the increasingly important and under-diagnosed far pedestal and SOL plasma regions. These results are important for experimental transport studies and necessary for the validation of transport models, both of which are important to fusion energy research. The use of a single tunable frequency reduces the complexity and potential failure points as compared to a multichannel system. This new system utilizes a 33-50GHz tunable source and will be integrated into the current V-band DBS in DIII-D using a broadband Q- and V-band multiplexer. A full-scale mockup of the quasi-optical system was used to test and optimize the performance. These tests include beam profile measurements at different distances (and angles) from a paraboloidal focusing and steering mirror. The measurements cover the full frequency range 33-75GHz of the integrated/combined Q-V band DBS system and target a large radial coverage of the low-field side of the plasma from ρ = 1.1 to ρ = 0.5, where ρ is the normalized flux surface radial coordinate.

Design of radial interferometer-polarimeter for internal magnetic and density fluctuation measurements at multiple space-time scales in the National Spherical Torus Experiment-Upgrade (NSTX-U).

A Faraday-effect radial interferometer-polarimeter is designed for the National Spherical Torus Experiment-Upgrade (NSTX-U) to measure multiscale magnetic and density fluctuations critical to understanding fusion plasma confinement and stability, including those originating from magnetohydrodynamic instabilities, energetic particle-driven modes, and turbulence. The diagnostic will utilize the three-wave technique with 5MHz bandwidth to simultaneously measure line-integrated magnetic and density fluctuations up to the ion-cyclotron frequency. Probe beams will be launched radially from the low-field side at the NSTX-U midplane, where the measured Faraday fluctuations mainly correspond to radial magnetic fluctuations that directly link to magnetic transport. A correlation technique will be employed to reduce the measurement noise to below 0.01° enabling detection of small amplitude fluctuations. Two toroidally displaced chords with 7° separation will be installed to measure toroidal mode numbers up to n = 25 for mode identification. Solid-state microwave sources operating at 321μm (935GHz) will be used to minimize the impact of the Cotton-Mouton effect.

Retraction Note: Plasma Magnetic Fluctuations Measurement on the Outer Surface of IR-T1 Tokamak

Retraction Note: Plasma Magnetic Fluctuations Measurement on the Outer Surface of IR-T1 Tokamak

Inter-ELM pedestal turbulence dynamics dependence on q95 and temperature gradient

A series of dedicated experiments from the DIII-D tokamak provide spatially and temporally resolved measurements of electron density and temperature, and multiscale and multichannel fluctuations over a wide range of conditions. Measurements of long wavelength density fluctuations in the type-I ELMing H-mode pedestals routinely reveal a coexistence of multiple instabilities that exhibit dramatic different dynamic behaviors as q95 and temperature gradients are varied, apparently responsible for limiting pedestal temperature profiles. Two distinct frequency bands of density fluctuations are modulated by an ELM cycle with frequency above 200 kHz propagating in the electron diamagnetic direction in the lab frame (electron mode) and below 200 kHz propagating in the ion diamagnetic direction (ion mode). The electron mode amplitude peaks near the electron temperature gradient region and increases with q95 which seems to be correlated with the increased χe at higher q95, similar to the characteristics expected for the micro-tearing mode (MTM). At higher q95, during the inter-ELM period, the ion mode decays at the later phase of the ELM cycle. Consistently, the poloidal correlation length of the ion mode is also found to reduce, which suggests the possible E × B flow shear suppression of the ion mode at the later phase of the ELM cycle as the Er well recovers. In contrast, the electron mode grows during the ELM cycle and reaches saturation at around 50%–60% of the ELM period. Linear gyrokinetic simulations find the MTMs to be the most unstable mode in the pedestal electron temperature gradient region. The higher q95 and lower magnetic shear destabilize the MTMs. These observations provide key insights into the underlying physics of multifield properties and a rich dataset of experimental ‘fingerprints’ that enable new tests of theoretical pedestal models and lead to the development of a predictive model for pedestal formation on the ITER and future burning plasma experiments.

Real-time confinement regime detection in fusion plasmas with convolutional neural networks and high-bandwidth edge fluctuation measurements

A real-time detection of the plasma confinement regime can enable new advanced plasma control capabilities for both the access to and sustainment of enhanced confinement regimes in fusion devices. For example, a real-time indication of the confinement regime can facilitate transition to the high-performing wide-pedestal (WP) quiescent H-mode, or avoid unwanted transitions to lower confinement regimes that may induce plasma termination. To demonstrate real-time confinement regime detection, we use the 2D beam emission spectroscopy (BES) diagnostic system to capture localized density fluctuations of long wavelength turbulent modes in the edge region at a 1 MHz sampling rate. BES data from 330 discharges in either L-mode, H-mode, quiescent H (QH)-mode, or WP QH-mode were collected from the DIII-D tokamak and curated to develop a high-quality database to train a deep-learning classification model for real-time confinement detection. We utilize the 6×8 spatial configuration with a time window of 1024 µs and recast the input to obtain spectral-like features via fast Fourier transform preprocessing. We employ a shallow 3D convolutional neural network for the multivariate time-series classification task and utilize a softmax in the final dense layer to retrieve a probability distribution over the different confinement regimes. Our model classifies the global confinement state on 44 unseen test discharges with an average F 1 score of 0.94, using only ∼1 ms snippets of BES data at a time. This activity demonstrates the feasibility for real-time data analysis of fluctuation diagnostics in future devices such as ITER, where the need for reliable and advanced plasma control is urgent.

Multi-Perspective Heterodyne Digital Holography For High-Speed Imaging Of Density Fluctuations In Supersonic Flow

Density fluctuation measurements with high spatio-temporal resolution provide meaningful insights into the dynamics of turbulent structures in shear layers, boundary layers, and disturbances that influence the transition to turbulence. The current contribution presents a new multiple perspective digital holographic imaging technique that aims to resolve high-frequency density fluctuations with spatial discrimination along the line of sight. A key element of the proposed method is the generation of a beamlet array of varying view angles that is spatially overlapped within the measurement zone. We present the first experimental realization of this approach using a 7-element hexagonally packed fly’s eye lens array and analyze results for a pair of mutually perpendicular and axially offset sonic jets. The experimental apparatus also incorporates heterodyne detection with a heterodyne frequency set to 1/4 of the imaging frame rate. The optical system performance is evaluated for a crossing jet flow and key design considerations for the multi-perspective optical system are discussed.

Nanometer-precision measurements of geometric fluctuations via momentum-filtered spectroscopy

In this work, we report ultra-sensitive detection of geometric fluctuations of semiconductor nanostructures using momentum-filtered spectroscopy. Our strategy is developed based on angle-resolved photoluminescence/absorption spectroscopic imaging technique. By filtering out signals with non-zero in-plane momentum using a confocal pinhole, ultra-sensitive detection of tiny geometric fluctuations with nanometer precision was made possible. In this way, we could optically detect geometric fluctuations of semiconductor nanostructures in real-time with a spatial resolution as high as ∼0.2 nm. Moreover, this technique is widely applicable to nanostructures where optical resonance can be formed.

Early internal detection of magnetic tearing and implications for tokamak magnetohydrodynamic stability

Internal fluctuation measurements with Faraday-effect polarimetry in the DIII-D tokamak reveal the onset of a tearing mode with toroidal mode number n = 3 well before it is detected by the sensing coils external to the plasma. This mode appears before the n = 2, 1 modes and is first detected with internal measurements at a lower value of the ideal-wall kink beta limit than is indicated at the time of first detection by the sensing coils. When the mode is first detected, the linear resistive stability parameter, Δ′, indicates marginal stability and continues to do so until later when the mode amplitude begins increasing linearly with time—together suggesting a neoclassical origin for this mode.

Thermoacoustic parametric instability of premixed ammonia flames propagating downwards in an open-closed tube

This work investigates the self-excited thermoacoustic parametric instability of downward propagating laminar premixed ammonia flames in an open-closed combustion tube. NH3/O2/N2 flames were propagated at different laminar burning velocities at equivalence ratios of ɸ = 0.8 and ɸ = 1.2. Different unstable flame regimes were observed through pressure fluctuation measurements and synchronized high-speed imaging capturing the lateral and longitudinal perspectives of flame propagation. The observed propagation speed of quasi-planar flames showed a strong correlation with the calculated laminar burning velocities of NH3/O2/N2 mixtures. For the first time, the cellular structures of laminar premixed ammonia flames at the onset of parametric instability were clearly observed from the present experimental approach. The experimental cellular flame wavenumbers and acoustic velocity fluctuation amplitudes at the onset of parametric instability are in qualitative agreement with the theory of stability of laminar flames under acoustic excitation. Experiments have shown that NH3/O2/N2 flames are more unstable than CH4/O2/N2 flames at the same laminar burning velocity independent of Lewis number within the range of tested conditions. The influence of activation energy on parametric instability is investigated through a comparative thermoacoustic analysis between two different fuels at varied equivalence ratios. Ammonia flames are characterized by large overall activation energy and Zeldovich numbers compared to hydrocarbon flames. This work elucidates how this unique property characterizes the acoustic instability of downward propagating premixed ammonia flames in a tube based on classical theories on acoustic instability of laminar premixed flames.