More Like this

1. Effects of Chain Ends on Thermal and Mechanical Properties and Recyclability of Poly( γ ‐butyrolactone)

   https://doi.org/10.1002/pola.29180  

   Tang, Jing; Chen, Eugene Y. ‐X. (September 2018, Journal of Polymer Science Part A: Polymer Chemistry)

   ABSTRACT This work investigates effects of poly(γ‐butyrolactone) (PγBL) with different initiation and termination chain ends on five types of materials properties, including thermal stability, thermal transitions, thermal recyclability, hydrolytic degradation, and dynamic mechanical behavior. Four different chain‐end‐capped polymers with similar molecular weights, BnO‐[C(=O)(CH₂)₃O]_n‐R, R = C(=O)Me, C(=O)CH=CH₂, C(=O)Ph, and SiMe₂CMe₃, along with a series of uncapped polymers R′O‐[C(=O)(CH₂)₃O]_n‐H (R′ = Bn, Ph₂CHCH₂) withM_nranging from low (4.95 kg mol⁻¹) to high (83.2 kg mol⁻¹), have been synthesized. The termination chain end R showed a large effect on polymer decomposition temperature and hydrolytic degradation, relative to H. Overall, for those properties sensitive to the chain ends, chain‐end capping renders R‐protected linear PγBL behaving much like cyclic PγBL. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem.2018,56, 2271–2279 

   more » « less
2. A Generalized H‐κ Method With Harmonic Corrections on Ps and Its Crustal Multiples in Receiver Functions

   https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JB016356  

   Li, Jiangtao; Song, Xiaodong; Wang, Pan; Zhu, Lupei (April 2019, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth)

   Abstract TheH‐κmethod (Zhu & Kanamori, 2000,https://doi.org/10.1029/1999JB900322) has been widely used to estimate the crustal thickness (H) and the ratio ofPtoSvelocities (V_P/V_Sratio,κ) with receiver functions. However, in regions where the crustal structure is complicated, the method may produce biased results, arising particularly from dipping Moho and/or crustal anisotropy.H‐κstacking in case of azimuthal or radial anisotropy with flat Moho has been proposed but not for cases with plunging anisotropy and dipping Moho. Here we propose a generalizedH‐κmethod calledH‐κ‐c, which corrects for these effects first before stacking. We consider rather general cases, including plunging anisotropy and dipping interfaces of multiple layers, and use harmonic functions to correct for arrival time variations ofPsand its crustal multiples with back azimuth (θ). Systematic synthetic tests show that the arrival time variations can be well fitted by cosθand cos2θfunctions even for very complex crustal structures. Correcting for the back azimuthal variations significantly enhancesH‐κstacking. We verify the feasibility of theH‐κ‐c method by applying it to 40 permanent stations in various geological setting across the Mainland China. The results show clear improvement after the harmonic corrections, with clearer multiples and stronger stacking energy, as well as more reliableH‐κvalues. Large differences inH(up to 5.0 km) andκ(up to 0.09) between the new and traditional methods occur mostly in mountainous regions, where the crustal structure tends to be more complex. We caution in particular about systematic bias when the traditional method is used in the presence of dipping interfaces. The modified method is simple and applicable anywhere in the world. 

   more » « less
3. Total Solar Eclipse White-light Images as a Benchmark for Potential Field Source Surface Coronal Magnetic Field Models: An In-depth Analysis over a Solar Cycle

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad71c6  

   Benavitz, Luke_Fushimi; Boe, Benjamin; Habbal, Shadia_Rifai (October 2024, The Astrophysical Journal)

   Abstract Potential field source surface (PFSS) models are widely used to simulate coronal magnetic fields. PFSS models use the observed photospheric magnetic field as the inner boundary condition and assume a perfectly radial field beyond a “source surface” (R_ss). At present, total solar eclipse (TSE) white-light images are the only data that delineate the coronal magnetic field from the photosphere out to several solar radii (R_⊙). We utilize a complete solar cycle span of these images between 2008 and 2020 as a benchmark to assess the reliability of PFSS models. For a quantitative assessment, we apply the Rolling Hough Transform to the eclipse data and corresponding PFFS models to measure the difference, Δθ, between the data and model magnetic field lines throughout the corona. We find that the average Δθ, 〈Δθ〉, can be minimized for a given choice ofR_ssdepending on the phase within a solar cycle. In particular,R_ss≈ 1.3R_⊙is found to be optimal for solar maximum, whileR_ss≈ 3R_⊙yields a better match at solar minimum. Regardless, large (〈Δθ〉 > 10°) discrepancies between TSE data and PFSS-generated coronal field lines remain regardless of the choice of source surface. However, implementation of solar-cycle-dependentR_ssoptimal values does yield more reliable PFSS-generated coronal field lines for use in models and for tracing in situ measurements back to their sources at the Sun. 

   more » « less
4. New insights into the correlation between soil thermal conductivity and water retention in unsaturated soils

   https://doi.org/10.1002/vzj2.20297  

   Fu, Yongwei; Ghanbarian, Behzad; Horton, Robert; Heitman, Joshua (December 2023, Vadose Zone Journal)

   Abstract The heat transfer and water retention in soils, governed by soil thermal conductivity (λ) and soil water retention curve (SWRC), are coupled. Soil water content (θ) significantly affects λ. Several models have been developed to describe λ(θ) relationships for unsaturated soils. Ghanbarian and Daigle presented a percolation‐based effective‐medium approximation (P‐EMA) for λ(θ) with two parameters: scaling exponent (t_s) and critical water content (θ_c). In this study, we explored the new insights into the correlation between soil thermal conductivity and water retention using the P‐EMA and van Genuchten models. The θ_cwas strongly correlated to selected soil hydraulic and physical properties, such as water contents at wilting point (θ_pwp), inflection point (θ_i), and hydraulic continuity (θ_hc) determined from measured SWRCs for a 23‐soil calibration dataset. The established relationships were then evaluated on a seven‐soil validation dataset to estimate θ_c. Results confirmed their robustness with root mean square error ranging from 0.011 to 0.015 cm³cm⁻³, MAE ranging from 0.008 to 0.013 cm³cm⁻³, andR²of 0.98. Further discussion investigated the underlying mechanism for the correlation between θ_cwith θ_hcwhich dominate both heat transfer and water flow. More importantly, this study revealed the possibility to further investigate the general relationship between λ(θ) and SWRC data in the future. 

   more » « less
5. Bottom quark energy loss and hadronization with B+ and $$ {\textrm{B}}_{\textrm{s}}^0 $$ nuclear modification factors using pp and PbPb collisions at $$ \sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}} $$ = 5.02 TeV

   https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP02(2025)195  

   Hayrapetyan, A; Tumasyan, A; Adam, W; Andrejkovic, J W; Bergauer, T; Chatterjee, S; Damanakis, K; Dragicevic, M; Hussain, P S; Jeitler, M; et al (February 2025, Journal of High Energy Physics)

   A<sc>bstract</sc> The production cross sections of$$ {\textrm{B}}_{\textrm{s}}^0 $$ $B_s^0$and B⁺mesons are reported in proton-proton (pp) collisions recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC with a center-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 302 pb⁻¹. The cross sections are based on measurements of the$$ {\textrm{B}}_{\textrm{s}}^0 $$ $B_s^0$→J/ψ(μ⁺μ⁻)ϕ(1020)(K⁺K⁻) and B⁺→J/ψ(μ⁺μ⁻)K⁺decay channels. Results are presented in the transverse momentum (p_T) range 7–50 GeV/cand the rapidity interval |y|<2.4 for the B mesons. The measuredp_T-differential cross sections of B⁺and$$ {\textrm{B}}_{\textrm{s}}^0 $$ $B_s^0$in pp collisions are well described by fixed-order plus next-to-leading logarithm perturbative quantum chromodynamics calculations. Using previous PbPb collision measurements at the same nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy, the nuclear modification factors,R_AA, of the B mesons are determined. Forp_T>10 GeV/c, both mesons are found to be suppressed in PbPb collisions (withR_AAvalues significantly below unity), with less suppression observed for the$$ {\textrm{B}}_{\textrm{s}}^0 $$ $B_s^0$mesons. In thisp_Trange, theR_AAvalues for the B⁺mesons are consistent with those for inclusive charged hadrons and D⁰mesons. Below 10 GeV/c, both B⁺and$$ {\textrm{B}}_{\textrm{s}}^0 $$ $B_s^0$are found to be less suppressed than either inclusive charged hadrons or D⁰mesons, with the$$ {\textrm{B}}_{\textrm{s}}^0 $$ $B_s^0$R_AAvalue consistent with unity. TheR_AAvalues found for the B⁺and$$ {\textrm{B}}_{\textrm{s}}^0 $$ $B_s^0$are compared to theoretical calculations, providing constraints on the mechanism of bottom quark energy loss and hadronization in the quark-gluon plasma, the hot and dense matter created in ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions. 

   more » « less