| 1. |
- Librado, P., et al.
(author)
-
The origins and spread of domestic horses from the Western Eurasian steppes
- 2021
-
In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 598, s. 634-640
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Analysis of 273 ancient horse genomes reveals that modern domestic horses originated in the Western Eurasian steppes, especially the lower Volga-Don region. Domestication of horses fundamentally transformed long-range mobility and warfare(1). However, modern domesticated breeds do not descend from the earliest domestic horse lineage associated with archaeological evidence of bridling, milking and corralling(2-4) at Botai, Central Asia around 3500 bc(3). Other longstanding candidate regions for horse domestication, such as Iberia(5) and Anatolia(6), have also recently been challenged. Thus, the genetic, geographic and temporal origins of modern domestic horses have remained unknown. Here we pinpoint the Western Eurasian steppes, especially the lower Volga-Don region, as the homeland of modern domestic horses. Furthermore, we map the population changes accompanying domestication from 273 ancient horse genomes. This reveals that modern domestic horses ultimately replaced almost all other local populations as they expanded rapidly across Eurasia from about 2000 bc, synchronously with equestrian material culture, including Sintashta spoke-wheeled chariots. We find that equestrianism involved strong selection for critical locomotor and behavioural adaptations at the GSDMC and ZFPM1 genes. Our results reject the commonly held association(7) between horseback riding and the massive expansion of Yamnaya steppe pastoralists into Europe around 3000 bc(8,9) driving the spread of Indo-European languages(10). This contrasts with the scenario in Asia where Indo-Iranian languages, chariots and horses spread together, following the early second millennium bc Sintashta culture(11,12).
|
|
| 2. |
- Kiptily, V. G., et al.
(author)
-
Fast ion JET diagnostics : Confinement and losses
- 2008
-
In: BURNING PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS. - : AIP. ; , s. 283-290
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A study of magnetically confined fast ions in tokamaks plays an important role in burning plasma research. To reach ignition and steady burning of a reactor plasma an adequate confinement of energetic ions produced by NBI heating, accelerated with ICRF and born in fusion reactions is essential to provide efficient heating of the bulk plasma. Thus, investigation of the fast ion behaviour is an immediate task for present-day large machines, such as JET, in order to understand the main mechanisms of slowing down, redistribution and losses, and to develop optimal plasma scenarios. Today's JET has an enhanced suite of fast ion diagnostics both of confined and lost ions that enable to significantly contribute to this important area of research. Fast ion populations of p, d, t, 3He and 4He, made with ICRF, NBI, and fusion reactions have been investigated in experiments on JET with sophisticated diagnostics in conventional and shear-reversed plasmas, exploring a wide range of effects. This paper will introduce to the JET fast-ion diagnostic techniques and will give an overview of recent observations. A synergy of the unique diagnostic set was utilised in JET, and studies of the response of fast ions to MHD modes (e.g. tornado modes, sawtooth crashes), fast 3He-ions behaviour in shear-reversed plasmas are impressive examples of that. Some results on fast ion losses in JET experiments with various levels of the toroidal field ripple will be demonstrated.
|
|
| 3. |
- Kiptily, V., et al.
(author)
-
Doppler broadening of gamma ray lines and fast ion distribution in JET plasmas
- 2010
-
In: Nuclear Fusion. - : IOP Publishing. - 0029-5515 .- 1741-4326. ; 50:8, s. 084001-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Doppler broadening of individual γ-ray lines was measured with a high purity germanium detector in JET plasma experiments. High-resolution γ-ray spectrometry of nuclear reactions between energetic D, 3 He and 4 He ions accelerated by ion cyclotron resonance heating and main plasma impurities such as carbon and beryllium has been used. The nuclear reactions giving rise to γ-rays have been identified and an effective temperature of the heated ions has been obtained in JET discharges. This technique could be used for fast ion and fusion alpha-particle studies in ITER.
|
|
| 4. |
- Nocente, M., et al.
(author)
-
High-resolution gamma ray spectroscopy measurements of the fast ion energy distribution in JET He-4 plasmas
- 2012
-
In: Nuclear Fusion. - : IOP Publishing. - 0029-5515 .- 1741-4326. ; 52:6, s. 063009-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- High-resolution gamma-ray measurements were carried out on the Joint European Torus (JET) in an experiment aimed at accelerating He-4 ions in the MeV range by coupling third harmonic radio frequency heating to an injected He-4 beam. For the first time, Doppler broadening of gamma-ray peaks from the C-12(d, p gamma)C-13 and Be-9(alpha, n gamma)C-12 reactions was observed and interpreted with dedicated Monte Carlo codes based on the detailed nuclear physics of the processes. Information on the confined He-4 and deuteron energy distribution was inferred, and confined He-4 ions with energies as high as 6 MeV were assessed. A signature of MHD activity in gamma-ray traces was also detected. The reported results have a bearing on diagnostics for fast ions in the MeV range in next step fusion devices.
|
|
