2,922 research outputs found

    Shape instabilities in vesicles: a phase-field model

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    A phase field model for dealing with shape instabilities in fluid membrane vesicles is presented. This model takes into account the Canham-Helfrich bending energy with spontaneous curvature. A dynamic equation for the phase-field is also derived. With this model it is possible to see the vesicle shape deformation dynamically, when some external agent instabilizes the membrane, for instance, inducing an inhomogeneous spontaneous curvature. The numerical scheme used is detailed and some stationary shapes are shown together with a shape diagram for vesicles of spherical topology and no spontaneous curvature, in agreement with known results

    Sidebranching induced by external noise in solutal dendritic growth

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    We have studied sidebranching induced by fluctuations in dendritic growth. The amplitude of sidebranching induced by internal (equilibrium) concentration fluctuations in the case of solidification with solutal diffusion is computed. This amplitude turns out to be significantly smaller than values reported in previous experiments.The effects of other possible sources of fluctuations (of an external origin)are examined by introducing non-conserved noise in a phase-field model. This reproduces the characteristics of sidebranching found in experiments. Results also show that sidebranching induced by external noise is qualitatively similar to that of internal noise, and it is only distinguished by its amplitude.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figure

    Vesicle formation induced by thermal fluctuations

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    The process of fission and vesicle formation depends on the geometry of the membrane that will split. For instance, a flat surface finds it difficult to form vesicles because of the lack of curved regions where to start the process. Here we show that vesicle formation can be promoted by temperature, by using a membrane phase field model with Gaussian curvature. We find a phase transition between fluctuating and vesiculation phases that depends on temperature, spontaneous curvature, and the ratio between bending and Gaussian moduli. We analysed the energy dynamical behaviour of these processes and found that the main driving ingredient is the Gaussian energy term, although the curvature energy term usually helps with the process as well. We also found that the chemical potential can be used to investigate the temperature of the system. Finally we address how temperature changes the condition for spontaneous vesiculation for all geometries, making it happen in a wider range of values of the Gaussian modulus.Comment: 31 pages, 10 figure

    Multi-site observations of Delta Scuti stars 7 Aql and 8 Aql (a new Delta Scuti variable): The twelfth STEPHI campaign in 2003

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    We present an analysis of the pulsation behaviour of the Delta Scuti stars 7 Aql (HD 174532) and 8 Aql (HD 174589) -- a new variable star -- observed in the framework of STEPHI XII campaign during 2003 June--July. 183 hours of high precision photometry were acquired by using four-channel photometers at three sites on three continents during 21 days. The light curves and amplitude spectra were obtained following a classical scheme of multi-channel photometry. Observations in different filters were also obtained and analyzed. Six and three frequencies have been unambiguously detected above a 99% confidence level in the range 0.090 mHz--0.300 mHz and 0.100 mHz-- 0.145 mHz in 7 Aql and 8 Aql respectively. A comparison of observed and theoretical frequencies shows that 7 Aql and 8 Aql may oscillate with p modes of low radial orders, typical among Delta Scuti stars. In terms of radial oscillations the range of 8 Aql goes from n=1 to n=3 while for 7 Aql the range spans from n=4 to n=7. Non-radial oscillations have to be present in both stars as well. The expected range of excited modes according to a non adiabatic analysis goes from n=1 to n=6 in both stars.Comment: 8 pages, 7 fugures, 5 tables, accepted for publication in Astronomical Journa

    Pulsational frequencies of the eclipsing delta-Scuti star HD 172189

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    The eclipsing delta-Scuti star HD 172189 is a probable member of the open cluster IC 4756 and a promising candidate target for the CoRoT mission. The detection of pulsation modes is the first step in the asteroseismological study of the star. Further, the calculation of the orbital parameters of the binary system allows us to make a dynamical determination of the mass of the star, which works as an important constraint to test and calibrate the asteroseismological models. From a detailed frequency analysis of 210 hours of photometric data of HD 172189 obtained from the STEPHI XIII campaign we have identified six pulsation frequencies with a confidence level of 99% and a seventh with a 65% confidence level in the range between 100-300 uHz. In addiction, three eclipses were observed during the campaign, allowing us to improve the determination of the orbital period of the system.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figure

    New multisite observations of Delta Scuti stars V624 Tauri and HD 23194

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    The preliminary results of STEPHI 2006 campaign are reported.Comment: To be published in Communications in Asteroseismolgy: Special Issu

    Study of the D^0 \to pi^-pi^+pi^-pi^+ decay

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    Using data from the FOCUS (E831) experiment at Fermilab, we present new measurements for the Cabibbo-suppressed decay mode D0ππ+ππ+D^0 \to \pi^-\pi^+\pi^-\pi^+. We measure the branching ratio Γ(D0π+ππ+π)/Γ(D0Kπ+ππ+)=0.0914±0.0018±0.0022\Gamma(D^0 \to\pi^+\pi^- \pi^+\pi^-)/\Gamma(D^0 \to K^-\pi^+\pi^-\pi^+) = 0.0914 \pm 0.0018 \pm 0.0022. An amplitude analysis has been performed, a first for this channel, in order to determine the resonant substructure of this decay mode. The dominant component is the decay D0a1(1260)+πD^0 \to a_1(1260)^+ \pi^-, accounting for 60% of the decay rate. The second most dominant contribution comes from the decay D0ρ(770)0ρ(770)0D^0 \to \rho(770)^0\rho(770)^0, with a fraction of 25%. We also study the a1(1260)a_1(1260) line shape and resonant substructure. Using the helicity formalism for the angular distribution of the decay D0ρ(770)0ρ(770)0D^0 \to \rho(770)^0\rho(770)^0, we measure a longitudinal polarization of PL=(71±4±2)P_L = (71 \pm 4\pm 2)%.Comment: 38 pages, 8 figures. accepted for publication in Physical Review

    A Study of D0 --> K0(S) K0(S) X Decay Channels

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    Using data from the FOCUS experiment (FNAL-E831), we report on the decay of D0D^0 mesons into final states containing more than one KS0K^0_S. We present evidence for two Cabibbo favored decay modes, D0KS0KS0Kπ+D^0\to K^0_SK^0_S K^- \pi^+ and D0KS0KS0K+πD^0\to K^0_SK^0_S K^+ \pi^-, and measure their combined branching fraction relative to D0Kˉ0π+πD^0\to \bar{K} ^0\pi^+\pi^- to be Γ(D0KS0KS0K±π)Γ(D0Kˉ0π+π)\frac{\Gamma(D^0\to K^0_SK^0_SK^{\pm}\pi^{\mp})}{\Gamma(D^0\to \bar{K} ^0\pi^+\pi^-)} = 0.0106 ±\pm 0.0019 ±\pm 0.0010. Further, we report new measurements of Γ(D0KS0KS0KS0)Γ(D0Kˉ0π+π)\frac{\Gamma(D^0\to K^0_SK^0_SK^0_S)}{\Gamma(D^0\to \bar{K} ^0\pi^+\pi^-)} = 0.0179 ±\pm 0.0027 ±\pm 0.0026, Γ(D0K0Kˉ0)Γ(D0Kˉ0π+π)\frac{\Gamma(D^0\to K^0\bar{K} ^0)}{\Gamma(D^0\to \bar{K} ^0\pi^+\pi^-)} = 0.0144 ±\pm 0.0032 ±\pm 0.0016, and Γ(D0KS0KS0π+π)Γ(D0Kˉ0π+π)\frac{\Gamma(D^0\to K^0_SK^0_S\pi^+\pi^-)}{\Gamma(D^0\to \bar{K} ^0\pi^+\pi^-)} = 0.0208 ±\pm 0.0035 ±\pm 0.0021 where the first error is statistical and the second is systematic.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, typos correcte

    A Measurement of the Ds+ Lifetime

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    A high statistics measurement of the Ds+ lifetime from the Fermilab fixed-target FOCUS photoproduction experiment is presented. We describe the analysis of the two decay modes, Ds+ -> phi(1020)pi+ and Ds+ -> \bar{K}*(892)0K+, used for the measurement. The measured lifetime is 507.4 +/- 5.5 (stat.) +/- 5.1 (syst.) fs using 8961 +/- 105 Ds+ -> phi(1020)pi+ and 4680 +/- 90 Ds+ -> \bar{K}*(892)0K+ decays. This is a significant improvement over the present world average.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables, submitted to PR
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