on CMS information server CMS NOTE 1997 / 061 The Compact Muon Solenoid Experiment
The high radiation environment at the LHC will require the use of radiation hardened microelectronics for the readout of inner detectors. Two such technologies are a Harris bulk CMOS process and the DMILL mixed technology process. Transistors have been fabricated in both of these and have been tested before and after irradiation to 10 Mrads, the total dose expected in the innermost silicon microstrip layers. Several processing runs of Harris transistors have been carried out and samples from one have also been irradiated to 100 Mrads. A preamplifier-shaper circuit, to be used for readout of the CMS microstrip tracker, has been tested and the noise performance is compared with individual transistors.
Radiation Environment Simulations for the CMS Detector
This paper provides an overview of the most important radiation issues at the CMS experiment at LHC and gives a review of the simulations performed and the main results obtained with the FLUKA code during the last three years. The main emphasis is put on recent results, reported in the CMS Technical Proposal or those obtained thereafter. It is shown that for most of the CMS subdetectors proper radiation shielding is vital in order to guarantee a reliable operation and sufficient life span of the detectors. In addition new results on induced activity are presented.
Inhibition of Root Growth and Polyamine Metabolism in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) Seedlings Under Cadmium and Copper Stress
Although sunflower is usually regarded as a highly tolerant crop, impairment of root growth at initial stages of plant development may result in poor crop establishment and higher susceptibility to pathogen attack. In order to evaluate if Cd2+ and Cu2+ may impact on sunflower germination and initial root development, a pot experiment under controlled conditions was carried out. Possible involvement of polyamine metabolism in sunflower response to these stressors was also investigated. Although Cd2+ and Cu2+ treatments affect neither seed germination nor radicle emergence, sunflower seedlings grown in the presence of these heavy metals showed significant inhibition of root growth, being this inhibition greater for Cd2+. Both metals caused significant increases in proline contents at the highest concentrations tested (0.5 and 1 mM), and these increments were more pronounced for Cd2+ treatments, especially between days 3 and 10. Metals also increased putrescine (Put) contents at all concentrations assayed from the seventh day onward, causing no variations on this polyamine time-course pattern. Spermine and spermidine contents, however, were increased only by 1 mM Cd2+. Arginine decarboxylase seems to have been the enzyme responsible for Put increases under both metal treatments. This work demonstrates that initial root growth of sunflower seedlings may be significantly impaired in Cd2+ or Cu2+ contaminated soils. It also shows that polyamines are key biological compounds, which are probably involved in signaling pathways triggered under stress environmental conditions.