Effects of the transversely nonuniform plasma density in a blowout regime of a plasma wakefield accelerator.

We present an analytical study on the effects of the transverse plasma gradient in the blowout regime of a plasma wakefield accelerator. The analysis departs from a simple ballistic model of plasma electrons and allows us to derive a complete analytic solution for the pseudopotential and, consequently, for the wakefield. We demonstrate that the transverse plasma gradient modifies the bubble shape and affects the wakefield; namely, the dipole plasma gradient results in a dipole component of the wakefield. Analysis suggests that, despite the asymmetry, the instability due to the fixed transverse plasma gradient is unlikely, as the total wakefield has a single stable point inside the bubble. The only effect that occurs is the shift of the electromagnetic center. We point out that random fluctuation of the transverse plasma gradient could become an issue.

Suppression of Deflecting Forces in Planar-Symmetric Dielectric Wakefield Accelerating Structures with Elliptical Bunches.

Wakefield based accelerators capable of accelerating gradients 2 orders of magnitude higher than present accelerators offer a path to compact high energy physics instruments and light sources. However, for high gradient accelerators, beam instabilities driven by commensurately high transverse wakefields limit beam quality. Previously, it has been theoretically shown that transverse wakefields can be reduced by elliptically shaping the transverse sizes of beams in dielectric structures with planar symmetry. Here, we report experimental measurements that demonstrate reduced transverse wakefields for elliptical beams in planar symmetric structures which are consistent with theoretical models. These results may enable the design of gigavolt-per-meter gradient wakefield based accelerators that produce and stably accelerate high quality beams.

Observation of High Transformer Ratio of Shaped Bunch Generated by an Emittance-Exchange Beam Line.

Collinear wakefield acceleration has been long established as a method capable of generating ultrahigh acceleration gradients. Because of the success on this front, recently, more efforts have shifted towards developing methods to raise the transformer ratio (TR). This figure of merit is defined as the ratio of the peak acceleration field behind the drive bunch to the peak deceleration field inside the drive bunch. TR is always less than 2 for temporally symmetric drive bunch distributions and therefore recent efforts have focused on generating asymmetric distributions to overcome this limitation. In this Letter, we report on using the emittance-exchange method to generate a shaped drive bunch to experimentally demonstrate a TR≈5 in a dielectric wakefield accelerator.

Cherenkov radiation from short relativistic bunches: general approach.

In recent years new interest in Cherenkov radiation has arisen based on progress in its new applications like biomedical imaging, photonic structures, metamaterials, and beam physics. These new applications require Cherenkov radiation theory of short bunches to be extended to rather more complicated media and structures than considered originally. We present a new general approach to the analysis of Cherenkov fields and loss factors for relativistic short bunches in arbitrary slow wave guiding systems. This new formalism is obtained by considering a general integral relation that allows calculation of the fields in the vicinity of the charge. The proposed approach dramatically simplifies simulations using analytical fields near the moving source of Cherenkov radiation.

Terahertz radiation from an ultra-relativistic charge exiting the open end of a waveguide with a dielectric layer.

We analyze radiation produced by an ultrarelativistic charge as it exits the open end of a cylindrical waveguide with a dielectric lining. The end of the waveguide can be either orthogonal to the structure axis or skewed. To obtain terahertz radiation from waveguides with centimeter or millimeter radii, we consider high order TM(0m) modes driven by the beam. We obtain an integral representation which describes the radiation produced by a single waveguide mode in the Fraunhofer zone. We perform a series of numerical calculations for structures which look promising for generation of THz radiation. It is shown that for a mode with large mode number, the aperture of the vacuum channel gives the main contribution to the field if the skew angle of the waveguide aperture is not too small. Simple expressions for the angle of the main pattern lobe maximum are obtained.

Experimental demonstration of energy-chirp compensation by a tunable dielectric-based structure.

A tunable energy-chirp compensator was used to remove a correlated energy chirp from the 60-MeV beam at the Brookhaven National Laboratory Accelerator Test Facility. The compensator operates through the interaction of the wakefield of the electron bunch with itself and consists of a planar structure comprised of two alumina bars with copper-plated backs separated by an adjustable beam aperture. By changing the gap size, the correlated energy chirp of the electron bunch was completely removed. Calculations show that this device, properly scaled to account for the electron bunch charge and length, can be used to remove residual correlated energy spread at the end of the linacs used for free-electron lasers. The experimental results are shown to be in good agreement with numerical simulations. Application of this technique can significantly simplify linac design and improve free-electron lasers performance.

[Agamospermy in outbred crosses of Fragaria vesca L. (Rosaceae)].

The seed progeny obtained in European wood strawberry Fragaria vesca L. (2n = 2x = 14) via outbred crosses proved to include matromorphic diploid plants, whose proportion varied from 10.0 to 21.0%. To allow their identification, the crosses were performed using recessive dihomozygotes (variety Alexandria) as a maternal form and dominant dihomozygotes as a paternal form. Generation of parthenogenetic plants in ourbred crosses with known genetic markers suggested pseudogamous agamospermy. The question is discussed as to whether seed development via agamospermy is possible in wild-growing F. vesca populations of Siberia. The capability of forming some seeds via agamospermy is considered to result from successful adaptation of the F. vesca reproductive system to stressful growth conditions.

[Identification of the apomixis in Poa pratensis L. using SDS-electrophoresis of endosperm reserve proteins]. / Identifikatsiia apomiksisa u Poa pratensis L. pri pomoshchi SDS-élektroforeza zapasnykh belkov éndosperma.

To determine the characteristics of variability of seed reproduction in the Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), individual seed variability with respect to the composition of endospermal reserve proteins was studied. Comparative analysis of caryopses obtained by self-fertilization and free fertilization of plants I1 (no. 2-4) and I2 (no. 2-4-7) of the wild-type specimen Murmanskii-95 was performed using SDS-PAGE. Using a cytoembryological express method, we demonstrated that facultative stimulation-autonomous apomeiotic apomixis, along with the formation of meiotic megasporocytes, is characteristic of the Kentucky bluegrass. This method made it possible to determine the consequences of meiotic processes in the maternal plant and to reveal the hybrid nature of seed endosperm.

[Prolonged peridural block in the overall treatment of the infectious-allergic form of bronchial asthma]. / Dlitel'naia peridural'naia blokada v kompleksnom lechenii infektsion-no-allergicheskoi formy bronkhial'noi astmy.

The authors describe the treatment of 23 patients with a severe form of infectional-allergic bronchial asthma by continuous peridural blockade. Positive results of the peridural injection of the anesthetic drug was observed in cases with localization of the autosensibilization in the broncho-pulmonary system. The peridural blockade was not found to be effective for the treatment of bronchial asthma against the background of chronic diseases of otorhinolaryngologic organs. The effect of peridural blockade was most pronounced and stable in restricted forms of chronic bronchitis or pneumonia without exacerbation.