The influence of Galactic aberration on precession parameters determined from VLBI observations

The influence of proper motions of sources due to Galactic aberration on precession models based on VLBI data is determined. Comparisons of the linear trends in the coordinates of the celestial pole obtained with and without taking into account Galactic aberration indicate that this effect can reach 20 $\mu$as per century, which is important for modern precession models. It is also shown that correcting for Galactic aberration influences the derived parameters of low-frequency nutation terms. It is therefore necessary to correct for Galactic aberration in the reduction of modern astrometric observations

Analysis of the Accuracy of Prediction of the Celestial Pole Motion

VLBI observations carried out by global networks provide the most accurate values of the precession-nutation angles determining the position of the celestial pole; as a rule, these results become available two to four weeks after the observations. Therefore, numerous applications, such as satellite navigation systems, operational determination of Universal Time, and space navigation, use predictions of the coordinates of the celestial pole. In connection with this, the accuracy of predictions of the precession- nutation angles based on observational data obtained over the last three years is analyzed for the first time, using three empiric nutation models---namely, those developed at the US Naval Observatory, the Paris Observatory, and the Pulkovo Observatory. This analysis shows that the last model has the best of accuracy in predicting the coordinates of the celestial pole. The rms error for a one-month prediction proposed by this model is below 100 microarcsecond.Comment: 13 p

Backward Raman amplification in the Langmuir wavebreaking regime

In plasma-based backward Raman amplifiers, the output pulse intensity increases with the input pump pulse intensity, as long as the Langmuir wave mediating energy transfer from the pump to the seed pulse remains intact. However, at high pump intensity, the Langmuir wave breaks, at which point the amplification efficiency may no longer increase with the pump intensity. Numerical simulations presented here, employing a 1D Vlasov-Maxwell code, show that, although the amplification efficiency remains high when the pump only mildly exceeds the wavebreaking threshold, the efficiency drops precipitously at larger pump intensities

19F nuclear spin relaxation and spin diffusion effects in the single ion magnet LiYF4:Ho3+

Temperature and magnetic field dependences of the 19F nuclear spin-lattice relaxation in a single crystal of LiYF4 doped with holmium are described by an approach based on a detailed consideration of the magnetic dipole-dipole interactions between nuclei and impurity paramagnetic ions and nuclear spin diffusion processes. The observed non-exponential long time recovery of the nuclear magnetization after saturation at intermediate temperatures is in agreement with predictions of the spin-diffusion theory in a case of the diffusion limited relaxation. At avoided level crossings in the spectrum of electron-nuclear states of the Ho3+ ion, rates of nuclear spin-lattice relaxation increase due to quasi-resonant energy exchange between nuclei and paramagnetic ions, in contrast to the predominant role played by electronic cross-relaxation processes in the low-frequency ac-susceptibility.Comment: 27 pages total, 5 figures, accepted for publication, Eur. Phys. J.

Simulations of magnetic and magnetoelastic properties of Tb2Ti2O7 in paramagnetic phase

Magnetic and magnetoelastic properties of terbium titanate pyrochlore in paramagnetic phase are simulated. The magnetic field and temperature dependences of magnetization and forced magnetostriction in Tb2Ti2O7 single crystals and polycrystalline samples are calculated in the framework of exchange charge model of crystal field theory and a mean field approximation. The set of electron-deformation coupling constants has been determined. Variations of elastic constants with temperature and applied magnetic field are discussed. Additional strong softening of the crystal lattice at liquid helium temperatures in the magnetic field directed along the rhombic symmetry axis is predicted.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, 2 table

Empiric Models of the Earth's Free Core Nutation

Free core nutation (FCN) is the main factor that limits the accuracy of the modeling of the motion of Earth's rotational axis in the celestial coordinate system. Several FCN models have been proposed. A comparative analysis is made of the known models including the model proposed by the author. The use of the FCN model is shown to substantially increase the accuracy of the modeling of Earth's rotation. Furthermore, the FCN component extracted from the observed motion of Earth's rotational axis is an important source for the study of the shape and rotation of the Earth's core. A comparison of different FCN models has shown that the proposed model is better than other models if used to extract the geophysical signal (the amplitude and phase of FCN) from observational data.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures; minor update of the journal published versio

Structural and Magnetic Investigations of Single-Crystals of the Neodymium Zirconate Pyrochlore, Nd2Zr2O7

We report structural and magnetic properties studies of large high quality single-crystals of the frustrated magnet, Nd$_2$Zr$_2$O$_7$. Powder x-ray diffraction analysis confirms that Nd$_2$Zr$_2$O$_7$ adopts the pyrochlore structure. Room-temperature x-ray diffraction and time-of-flight neutron scattering experiments show that the crystals are stoichiometric in composition with no measurable site disorder. The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility shows no magnetic ordering at temperatures down to 0.5 K. Fits to the magnetic susceptibility data using a Curie-Weiss law reveal a ferromagnetic coupling between the Nd moments. Magnetization versus field measurements show a local Ising anisotropy along the axes of the Nd$^{3+}$ ions in the ground state. Specific heat versus temperature measurements in zero applied magnetic field indicate the presence of a thermal anomaly below $T\sim7$ K, but no evidence of magnetic ordering is observed down to 0.5 K. The experimental temperature dependence of the single-crystal bulk dc susceptibility and isothermal magnetization are analyzed using crystal field theory and the crystal field parameters and exchange coupling constants determined.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, 4 tables. Accepted for publication in Physical Review

Symplectic structure of the moduli space of flat connections on a Riemann surface

We consider canonical symplectic structure on the moduli space of flat {\g}-connections on a Riemann surface of genus $g$ with $n$ marked points. For {\g} being a semisimple Lie algebra we obtain an explicit efficient formula for this symplectic form and prove that it may be represented as a sum of $n$ copies of Kirillov symplectic form on the orbit of dressing transformations in the Poisson-Lie group $G^{*}$ and $g$ copies of the symplectic structure on the Heisenberg double of the Poisson-Lie group $G$ (the pair ($G,G^{*}$) corresponds to the Lie algebra {\g}).Comment: 20 page