In this paper, we study how pixel size influences energy resolution for a proposed pixelated detector—a high sensitivity, low cost, and real-time radon monitor based on a Topmetal-Ⅱ^- time projection chamber(TPC). T...In this paper, we study how pixel size influences energy resolution for a proposed pixelated detector—a high sensitivity, low cost, and real-time radon monitor based on a Topmetal-Ⅱ^- time projection chamber(TPC). This monitor was designed to improve spatial resolution for detecting radon alpha particles using Topmetal-Ⅱ^- sensors assembled by a 0.35 lm CMOS integrated circuit process.Owing to concerns that small pixel size might have the side effect of worsening energy resolution due to lower signalto-noise ratio, a Geant4-based simulation was used to investigate the dependence of energy resolution on pixel sizes ranging from 60 to 600 lm. A non-monotonic trend in this region shows the combined effect of pixel size and threshold on pixels, analyzed by introducing an empirical expression. Pixel noise contributes 50 keV full-width at half-maximum energy resolution for 400 lm pixel size at 1–4σ threshold that is comparable to the energy resolution caused by energy fluctuations in the TPC ionization process( ~20 keV). The total energy resolution after combining both factors is estimated to be 54 keV for a pixel size of 400 lm at 1–4σ threshold. The analysis presented in this paper would help choosing suitable pixel size for future pixelated detectors.展开更多
Two important questions are addressed in this paper using the Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS) from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP): (1) How many ensemble members are needed to be...Two important questions are addressed in this paper using the Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS) from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP): (1) How many ensemble members are needed to better represent forecast uncertainties with limited computational resources? (2) What is tile relative impact on forecast skill of increasing model resolution and ensemble size? Two-month experiments at T126L28 resolution were used to test the impact of varying the ensemble size from 5 to 80 members at the 500- hPa geopotential height. Results indicate that increasing the ensemble size leads to significant improvements in the performance for all forecast ranges when measured by probabilistic metrics, but these improvements are not significant beyond 20 members for long forecast ranges when measured by deterministic metrics. An ensemble of 20 to 30 members is the most effective configuration of ensemble sizes by quantifying the tradeoff between ensemble performance and the cost of computational resources. Two representative configurations of the GEFS the T126L28 model with 70 members and the T190L28 model with 20 members, which have equivalent computing costs--were compared. Results confirm that, for the NCEP GEFS, increasing the model resolution is more (less) beneficial than increasing the ensemble size for a short (long) forecast range.展开更多
For a scintillating-fiber array fast-neutron radiography system,a point-spread-function computing model was introduced,and the simulation code was developed. The results of calculation show that fast-neutron radiograp...For a scintillating-fiber array fast-neutron radiography system,a point-spread-function computing model was introduced,and the simulation code was developed. The results of calculation show that fast-neutron radiographs vary with the size of fast neutron sources,the size of fiber cross-section and the imaging geometry. The results suggest that the following qualifications are helpful for a good point spread function: The cross-section of scintillating fibers not greater than 200 μm×200 μm,the size of neutron source as small as a few millimeters,the distance between the source and the scintillating fiber array greater than 1 m,and inspected samples placed as close as possible to the array. The results give suggestions not only to experiment considerations but also to the estimation of spatial resolution for a specific system.展开更多
The effects of surface resistivity of the high voltage provider on the space dispersion of the induced charge of a prototype Resistive Plate Chamber (RPC) have been studied experimentally and theoretically. The resu...The effects of surface resistivity of the high voltage provider on the space dispersion of the induced charge of a prototype Resistive Plate Chamber (RPC) have been studied experimentally and theoretically. The results of both experiment and theory agree and confirm that a two-Gaussian function can be used to fit the dispersion of the induced charge of the RPC. It is shown that the Gaussian function with the narrower width is mainly due to the expansion of the avalanche charge in the gas gap of the RPC, and the Gaussian function with the larger width is due to the charge dispersion when it passes through the resistive carbon film. This will be useful in the RPC design when one wants to make an RPC with high position resolution.展开更多
Rainfall extremes have strong connotations to socio-economic activities and human well-being in Uganda’s Lake Victoria Basin (LVB). Reliable prediction and dissemination of extreme rainfall events are therefore of pa...Rainfall extremes have strong connotations to socio-economic activities and human well-being in Uganda’s Lake Victoria Basin (LVB). Reliable prediction and dissemination of extreme rainfall events are therefore of paramount importance to the region’s development agenda. The main objective of this study was to contribute to the prediction of rainfall extremes over this region using a numerical modelling approach. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model was used to simulate a 20-day period of extremely heavy rainfall that was observed in the March to May season of 2008. The underlying interest was to investigate the performance of different combinations of cumulus and microphysical parameterization along with the model grid resolution and domain size. The model output was validated against rainfall observations from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) using 5 metrics;the rainfall distribution, root mean square error, mean error, probability of detection and false alarm ratio. The results showed that the model was able to simulate extreme rainfall and the most satisfactory skill was obtained with a model setup using the Grell 3D cumulus scheme combined with the SBU_YLin microphysical scheme. This study concludes that the WRF model can be used for simulating extreme rainfall over western LVB. In the other 2 regions, central and eastern LVB, its performance is limited by failure to simulate nocturnal rainfall. Furthermore, increasing the model grid resolution showed good potential for improving the model simulation especially when a large domain is used.展开更多
A variety of landscape properties have been modeled successfully using topographic indices such as topographic wetness index (TWI), defined as ln(a/tanβ), where a is the specific upslope area and β is the surface sl...A variety of landscape properties have been modeled successfully using topographic indices such as topographic wetness index (TWI), defined as ln(a/tanβ), where a is the specific upslope area and β is the surface slope. In this study, 25 m spatial resolution from digital elevation models (DEM) data were used to investigate the scale-dependency of TWI values when converting DEMs to 50 and 100 m. To investigate the impact of different spatial resolution, the two lower resolution DEMs were interpolated to the original 25 m grid size. In addition, to compare different flow-direction algorithms, a second objective was to evaluate differences in spatial patterns. Thus the values of TWI were compared in two different ways: 1) distribution functions and their statistics;and 2) cell by cell comparison of DEMs with the same spatial resolution but different flow- directions. As in previous TWI studies, the computed specific upstream is smaller, on average, at higher resolution. TWI variation decreased with increasing grid size. A cell by cell comparison of the TWI values of the 50 and 100 m DEMs showed a low correlation with the TWI based on the 25 m DEM. The results showed significant differences between different flow-diretction algorithms computed for DEMs with 25, 50 and 100 m spatial resolution.展开更多
We investigate the influence of the interaction volume on the energy resolution of a velocity map imaging spectrometer. The simulation results show that the axial interaction size has a significant influence on the re...We investigate the influence of the interaction volume on the energy resolution of a velocity map imaging spectrometer. The simulation results show that the axial interaction size has a significant influence on the resolution. This influence is increased for a higher kinetic energy. We further show that the radial interaction size has a minor influence on the energy resolution for the electron or ion with medium energy, but it is crucial for the resolution of the electron or ion With low kinetic energy. By tracing the flight trajectories we show how the electron or ion energy resolution is influenced by the interaction size.展开更多
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51365014)the Industrial Support Key Project of Jiangxi Province,China(No.20161BBE50072)
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.U1732271)
文摘In this paper, we study how pixel size influences energy resolution for a proposed pixelated detector—a high sensitivity, low cost, and real-time radon monitor based on a Topmetal-Ⅱ^- time projection chamber(TPC). This monitor was designed to improve spatial resolution for detecting radon alpha particles using Topmetal-Ⅱ^- sensors assembled by a 0.35 lm CMOS integrated circuit process.Owing to concerns that small pixel size might have the side effect of worsening energy resolution due to lower signalto-noise ratio, a Geant4-based simulation was used to investigate the dependence of energy resolution on pixel sizes ranging from 60 to 600 lm. A non-monotonic trend in this region shows the combined effect of pixel size and threshold on pixels, analyzed by introducing an empirical expression. Pixel noise contributes 50 keV full-width at half-maximum energy resolution for 400 lm pixel size at 1–4σ threshold that is comparable to the energy resolution caused by energy fluctuations in the TPC ionization process( ~20 keV). The total energy resolution after combining both factors is estimated to be 54 keV for a pixel size of 400 lm at 1–4σ threshold. The analysis presented in this paper would help choosing suitable pixel size for future pixelated detectors.
文摘Two important questions are addressed in this paper using the Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS) from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP): (1) How many ensemble members are needed to better represent forecast uncertainties with limited computational resources? (2) What is tile relative impact on forecast skill of increasing model resolution and ensemble size? Two-month experiments at T126L28 resolution were used to test the impact of varying the ensemble size from 5 to 80 members at the 500- hPa geopotential height. Results indicate that increasing the ensemble size leads to significant improvements in the performance for all forecast ranges when measured by probabilistic metrics, but these improvements are not significant beyond 20 members for long forecast ranges when measured by deterministic metrics. An ensemble of 20 to 30 members is the most effective configuration of ensemble sizes by quantifying the tradeoff between ensemble performance and the cost of computational resources. Two representative configurations of the GEFS the T126L28 model with 70 members and the T190L28 model with 20 members, which have equivalent computing costs--were compared. Results confirm that, for the NCEP GEFS, increasing the model resolution is more (less) beneficial than increasing the ensemble size for a short (long) forecast range.
基金Supported by the Foundation of Double-Hundred Talents of China Academy of Engineering Physics (Grant No. 2004R0301)
文摘For a scintillating-fiber array fast-neutron radiography system,a point-spread-function computing model was introduced,and the simulation code was developed. The results of calculation show that fast-neutron radiographs vary with the size of fast neutron sources,the size of fiber cross-section and the imaging geometry. The results suggest that the following qualifications are helpful for a good point spread function: The cross-section of scintillating fibers not greater than 200 μm×200 μm,the size of neutron source as small as a few millimeters,the distance between the source and the scintillating fiber array greater than 1 m,and inspected samples placed as close as possible to the array. The results give suggestions not only to experiment considerations but also to the estimation of spatial resolution for a specific system.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (10875071)
文摘The effects of surface resistivity of the high voltage provider on the space dispersion of the induced charge of a prototype Resistive Plate Chamber (RPC) have been studied experimentally and theoretically. The results of both experiment and theory agree and confirm that a two-Gaussian function can be used to fit the dispersion of the induced charge of the RPC. It is shown that the Gaussian function with the narrower width is mainly due to the expansion of the avalanche charge in the gas gap of the RPC, and the Gaussian function with the larger width is due to the charge dispersion when it passes through the resistive carbon film. This will be useful in the RPC design when one wants to make an RPC with high position resolution.
文摘Rainfall extremes have strong connotations to socio-economic activities and human well-being in Uganda’s Lake Victoria Basin (LVB). Reliable prediction and dissemination of extreme rainfall events are therefore of paramount importance to the region’s development agenda. The main objective of this study was to contribute to the prediction of rainfall extremes over this region using a numerical modelling approach. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model was used to simulate a 20-day period of extremely heavy rainfall that was observed in the March to May season of 2008. The underlying interest was to investigate the performance of different combinations of cumulus and microphysical parameterization along with the model grid resolution and domain size. The model output was validated against rainfall observations from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) using 5 metrics;the rainfall distribution, root mean square error, mean error, probability of detection and false alarm ratio. The results showed that the model was able to simulate extreme rainfall and the most satisfactory skill was obtained with a model setup using the Grell 3D cumulus scheme combined with the SBU_YLin microphysical scheme. This study concludes that the WRF model can be used for simulating extreme rainfall over western LVB. In the other 2 regions, central and eastern LVB, its performance is limited by failure to simulate nocturnal rainfall. Furthermore, increasing the model grid resolution showed good potential for improving the model simulation especially when a large domain is used.
文摘A variety of landscape properties have been modeled successfully using topographic indices such as topographic wetness index (TWI), defined as ln(a/tanβ), where a is the specific upslope area and β is the surface slope. In this study, 25 m spatial resolution from digital elevation models (DEM) data were used to investigate the scale-dependency of TWI values when converting DEMs to 50 and 100 m. To investigate the impact of different spatial resolution, the two lower resolution DEMs were interpolated to the original 25 m grid size. In addition, to compare different flow-direction algorithms, a second objective was to evaluate differences in spatial patterns. Thus the values of TWI were compared in two different ways: 1) distribution functions and their statistics;and 2) cell by cell comparison of DEMs with the same spatial resolution but different flow- directions. As in previous TWI studies, the computed specific upstream is smaller, on average, at higher resolution. TWI variation decreased with increasing grid size. A cell by cell comparison of the TWI values of the 50 and 100 m DEMs showed a low correlation with the TWI based on the 25 m DEM. The results showed significant differences between different flow-diretction algorithms computed for DEMs with 25, 50 and 100 m spatial resolution.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11234004 and 61275126)
文摘We investigate the influence of the interaction volume on the energy resolution of a velocity map imaging spectrometer. The simulation results show that the axial interaction size has a significant influence on the resolution. This influence is increased for a higher kinetic energy. We further show that the radial interaction size has a minor influence on the energy resolution for the electron or ion with medium energy, but it is crucial for the resolution of the electron or ion With low kinetic energy. By tracing the flight trajectories we show how the electron or ion energy resolution is influenced by the interaction size.