All polarization-maintaining Er:fiber-based optical frequency comb for frequency comparison of optical clocks

In this research, we demonstrate an optical frequency comb (OFC) based on a turnkey mode-locked laser with a figure-9 structure and polarization-maintaining fibers for frequency comparison between optical clocks with wavelengths of 698 nm, 729 nm, 1068 nm and 1156 nm. We adopt a multi-branch approach in order to produce high power OFC signals at these specific wavelengths, enabling the signal-to-noise ratio of the beatnotes between the OFC and the clock lasers beyond 30 dB at a resolution bandwidth of 300 kHz. This approach makes the supercontinuum spectra generating process much easier in comparison to a single branch OFC; however, more out-of-loop fibers degrade the long term frequency instability due to thermal drift. To minimize the thermal drift effect, we set the fiber lengths of different branches to be similar, and we stabilize the temperature as well. The out-of-loop frequency instability of the OFC due to the incoherence of the multi-branch is about 5.5×10-19 @ 4000 s, while the in-loop frequency instability of f ceo and that of f beat are 7.5×10-18 @1 s and 8.5×10-18 @1 s, respectively. The turnkey OFC meets the requirement of frequency comparison between the best optical clocks.

Exploring potential applications of optical lattice clocks in a plate subduction zone

Optical clocks improved the accuracy of state-of-the-art cesium clocks by more than two orders of magnitude and enabled frequency comparison with a fractional uncertainty of one part in 1018. Gravitational redshift of two such clocks allows determining their height difference with an uncertainty of 1 cm. In Europe, chronometric leveling has been extensively conducted for unifying the height reference systems. Temporal response of the leveling, which affords monitoring a cm height variation within hours of averaging time, may offer new opportunities to explore seismology and volcanology. Superb stability of optical lattice clocks will be best used for such applications. This article outlines the prospects of chronometric leveling in Japan. Combining optical lattice clocks with an existing observation network of GNSS, crustal deformations may be monitored with unprecedented accuracy in the future.

Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 variants alterations in Nice neighborhoods by wastewater nanopore sequencing

Background: Wastewater surveillance has been proposed as an epidemiological tool to define the prevalence and evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemics. However, most implemented SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance projects were relying on qPCR measurement of virus titers and did not address the mutational spectrum of SARS-CoV-2 circulating in the population. Methods: We have implemented a nanopore RNA sequencing monitoring system in the city of Nice (France, 550,000 inhabitants). Between October 2020 and March 2021, we monthly analyzed the SARS-CoV-2 variants in 113 wastewater samples collected in the main wastewater treatment plant and 20 neighborhoods. Findings: We initially detected the lineages predominant in Europe at the end of 2020 (B.1.160, B.1.177, B.1.367, B.1.474, and B.1.221). In January, a localized emergence of a variant (Spike:A522S) of the B.1.1.7 lineage occurred in one neighborhood. It rapidly spread and became dominant all over the city. Other variants of concern (B.1.351, P.1) were also detected in some neighborhoods, but at low frequency. Comparison with individual clinical samples collected during the same week showed that wastewater sequencing correctly identified the same lineages as those found in COVID-19 patients. Interpretation: Wastewater sequencing allowed to document the diversity of SARS-CoV-2 sequences within the different neighborhoods of the city of Nice. Our results illustrate how sequencing of sewage samples can be used to track pathogen sequence diversity in the current pandemics and in future infectious disease outbreaks.

A broadband VLBI system using transportable stations for geodesy and metrology: an alternative approach to the VGOS concept

We have developed a broadband VLBI (very long baseline interferometry) system inspired by the concept of the VLBI Global Observing System (VGOS). The new broadband VLBI system was implemented in the Kashima 34 m antenna and in two transportable stations utilizing 2.4 m diameter antennas. The transportable stations have been developed as a tool for intercontinental frequency comparison but are equally useful for geodesy. To enable practical use of such small VLBI stations in intercontinental VLBI, we have developed the procedure of node-hub style VLBI: In joint observation with a large, high sensitivity ‘hub’ antenna, the closure delay relation provides a virtual delay observable between ‘node’ stations. This overcomes the limited sensitivity of the small diameter node antennas, while error sources associated with large diameter antennas, such as gravitational deformation and delay changes in necessarily long signal cables, are eliminated. We show that this scheme does not result in an increased sensitivity to radio source structure if one side of the baseline triangle is kept short. We have performed VLBI experiments utilizing this approach over both short range and intercontinental distance. This article describes the system components, signal processing procedure, experiment, and results in terms of baseline repeatability. Our measurements reveal signatures of structure effects in the correlation amplitude of several of the observed radio sources. We present a model of the frequency-dependent source size for 1928+738 derived from correlation amplitude data observed in four frequency bands.

Point-to-point stabilized optical frequency transfer with active optics

Timescale comparison between optical atomic clocks over ground-to-space and terrestrial free-space laser links will have enormous benefits for fundamental and applied sciences. However, atmospheric turbulence creates phase noise and beam wander that degrade the measurement precision. Here we report on phase-stabilized optical frequency transfer over a 265 m horizontal point-to-point free-space link between optical terminals with active tip-tilt mirrors to suppress beam wander, in a compact, human-portable set-up. A phase-stabilized 715 m underground optical fiber link between the two terminals is used to measure the performance of the free-space link. The active optical terminals enable continuous, cycle-slip free, coherent transmission over periods longer than an hour. In this work, we achieve residual instabilities of 2.7 × 10−6 rad2 Hz−1 at 1 Hz in phase, and 1.6 × 10−19 at 40 s of integration in fractional frequency; this performance surpasses the best optical atomic clocks, ensuring clock-limited frequency comparison over turbulent free-space links.

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CARE OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS FOR EXTERNAL CAUSES IN EMERGENCY SERVICE

ABSTRACT Objective to analyze the characteristics of children and adolescents treated for external causes in an emergency service. Method this is a retrospective, analytical study, developed in the emergency department of a sentinel hospital in southern Brazil. Seventy-nine children and adolescents, victims of external causes, participated in June to December 2018. Data were collected through access to medical records in May 2019. Descriptive analysis, frequency comparison and Odds Ratio were used to measure the association between the variables studied. Confidence Interval (CI) of 95% and P value of 5% were used. Results approximately 9.3% of pediatric emergency and emergency care were due to external causes; of these, 57% of the victims are under 12 years old and most of them are male (67%). Accidents are the most frequent events (71%), but violence is more frequent (61%) among women (p=0.002). The chance of violence is four times higher in women, especially self-inflicted violence/suicide attempts. Conclusion one out of ten pediatric emergency care is due to external causes, and emerging situations of violence and self-inflicted injuries stand out, a direct implication for public policies.

Frequency Comparison Function Method for Real-Time Identification of Breathing Crack at Welding Joint

In this research, the frequency comparison function (FCF) method is proposed and studied to realize high-sensitive real-time crack identification at the welding joint area for a beam-type structure. This method is derived from the frequency response function (FRF). During FCF, we use the response signal collected from the designated point of the structure instead of the excitation. The standard deviation of the FCF amplitude curve is calculated to detect and evaluate the possible crack and its induced vibration perturbations afterward. Vibration responses are simulated in ANSYS by the use of the finite element analysis of a welded beam structure, and these signals are then analyzed with the FCF algorithm. It is concluded that FCF is an efficient method for breathing crack identification and can be easily applied under different excitation conditions, including harmonic and random ones. Meanwhile, FCF can be applied without any pre-processing algorithms such as filtering and smoothing. So, it can be used for real-time crack identification. By combining the FCF with the smart coating sensor composed of piezoelectric layers, the crack identification with high sensitivity is realized. The crack is detectable at its very early stage (starting from 3% of the beam thickness). Experimental studies under harmonic and random excitations are processed, and the results prove high sensitivity and feasibility of the proposed crack detection method.