Non-thermal electron distributions, such as beams of electrons, are found in many laboratory and astrophysical plasma sources and can produce anisotropic and polarized emission. Theories used to model the emission require sublevel specific analysis, which can be difficult to verify experimentally. Using two polarization-sensitive Johann-type crystal spectrometers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) electron beam ion trap facility, we measured the linear polarization of well-known dielectronic recombination satellite transitions from Li-like Ar ions and two blended features from Be-like ions. The spectrometers observed the plasma at 90° relative to the electron beam propagation direction, and the crystal dispersion planes were oriented perpendicular relative to each other to allow for differing polarization sensitivities. Measurements were taken near the resonance energies of each line and compared with theoretical predictions based on relativistic magnetic sublevel atomic kinetics using the density-matrix theory. Most of the predictions are in excellent agreement with measured values.
Using particle-in-cell simulations, we investigate ion acceleration in the interaction of high intensity lasers with plasmas which transition from opaque to transparent during the interaction process. We show that the highest ion energies are achieved when the laser traverses the target around the peak intensity and re-heats the electron population responsible for the plasma expansion, enhancing the corresponding sheath electric field. This process can lead to an increase of up to 2x in ion energy when compared with the standard Target Normal Sheath Acceleration in opaque targets under the same laser conditions. A theoretical model is developed to predict the optimal target areal density as a function of laser intensity and pulse duration. A systematic parametric scan for a wide range of target densities and thicknesses is performed in 1D, 2D and 3D and shown consistent with the theory and with recent experimental results. These results open the way for a better optimization of the ion energy in future laser–solid experiments.
A geometric representation of the (N = 279) masses of quarks, leptons, hadrons and gauge bosons was introduced by employing a Riemann Sphere facilitating the interpretation of the N masses in terms of a single particle, the Masson, which might be in one of the N eigen-states. Geometrically, its mass is the radius of the Riemann Sphere. Dynamically, its derived mass is near the mass of the nucleon regardless of whether it is determined from all N particles of only the hadrons, the mesons or the baryons separately. Ignoring all the other properties of these particles, it is shown that the eigen-values, the polar representation θν of the masses on the Sphere, satisfy the symmetry θν + θN+1-ν = π within less than 1% relative error. In addition, these pair correlations include the pairs θγ + θtop ≃ π and θgluon + θH ≃ π as well as pairing the weak gauge bosons with the three neutrinos.
In reality there are various kinds of explanations for each type of extinction. This paper introduces a new theory to explain and to estimate the size and frequency of all extinctions over the entire period of 600 my of the fossil record. The central point was the search for a common pattern and even one common formula. The current explanation seemed to be excellent. We will demonstrate in what way death is a fact of life: by making calculations with the new formula: there is a constant margin of 10 pct, and about seven peaks with at least 25 pct of extinction victims. Those peaks occur each 85 million years, but their frequency has increased over time. In principle, the predictability of the next peak is limited, because of chaos (within the solar system and the ecosystem on Earth), the unpredictability of mutations in Nature, of innovations by Man, and let alone the disastrous impacts of asteroids. It also depends on the concept of whether life is cyclical or linear. Therefore, some predictions have a low likelihood of occurrence In the traditional theory or Old Vision there are many extinctions and even mass extinctions, each with various theories believed to be their cause. There is no single theory explaining all extinctions. Man was witness to and perhaps later on even guilty of extinctions. Even as early as in the Ice Ages he tried to find facts and continued later on in the Age of Science. But we still do not see extinctions in their right perspective, and it would be very useful to change this. The right perspective depends on the modern vision on the structure of the world, that is in the Chaotic Solar System, with changing orbits of the planets.
