One-electron atomic-molecular ions containing Lithium in a strong magnetic field

The one-electron Li-containing Coulomb systems of atomic type $(li, e)$ and molecular type $(li, li, e)$, $(li, \alpha, e)$ and $(li, p, e)$ are studied in the presence of a strong magnetic field $B \leq 10^{7}$ a.u. in the non-relativistic framework. They are considered at the Born-Oppenheimer approximation of zero order (infinitely massive centers) within the parallel configuration (molecular axis parallel to the magnetic field). The variational and Lagrange-mesh methods are employed in complement to each other. It is demonstrated that the molecular systems ${\rm LiH}^{3+}$, ${\rm LiHe}^{4+}$ and ${\rm Li}_{2}^{5+}$ can exist for sufficiently strong magnetic fields $B \gtrsim 10^{4}$ a.u. and that ${\rm Li}_{2}^{5+}$ can even be stable at magnetic fields typical of magnetars.Comment: 22 pages, 9 figures, 4 table

Climate Variability, Communities\u27 Perceptions and Land Management Strategies in Lay Gayint Woreda, Northwest Ethiopia

Climate variability is the fluctuation of climatic elements from the normal or baseline values. Agrarian communities are the most sensitive social groups to climate variability and associate extreme weather-induced hazards due to the fact that climate variability affects the two most important direct agricultural production inputs, such as rainfall and temperature. As Ethiopia is heavily dependent on agriculture its economic development is being hindered by climate variability coupled with many other deriving forces. Therefore, the objective of this study is to examine climate variability, local communities\u27 perceptions and land management strategies to reduce the adverse impact of climate variability in Lay Gayint Woreda, Ethiopia. Both primary and secondary data were used to complete this study. Primary data were collected and analyzed from a total of 200 randomly selected respondents reside in different agro-ecological areas. Metrology data were gathered from Nefas Mewcha Station from the years 1979 to 2010. Standardized rainfall anomaly index (SRAI), crop diversification index (CDI) and other descriptive statistical techniques were used to analyze the data. The results obtained from the climate data revealed an increase in temperature, and decrease and/or erratic in rainfall distribution. Time series SRAI from 1979 to 2010 indicates that 2002 and 2008 were characterized by extreme and severe dry conditions in order of importance with high impact on crop yields whist only 1984 and 1990 received near normal rainfall amount. Similarly, the survey result reveals that out of the total household heads, 87.5 % perceived that there was an increase in temperature over the last 20 years. The survey result also disclosed that significant numbers of households are more likely to adopt different land management strategies to reduce the negative impact of climate variability. Constructing terraces and check dams as well as planting trees were the major land management strategies used by the local communities. However, crop diversification index (CDI) was found to be 0.11 as the cultivated area is stanch to one crop indicating very low alternative crop production in the study area. Although the study area receives variable and inefficient rainfall the rugged topography and poor soil conditions have hindered the development of irrigation facilities. Local context-specific integrated watershed management activities, small-scale irrigation schemes and extension services need to be strengthened to reduce the impact of climate variability. Policy makers need also to substantially invest in establishing information dissemination systems in order to provide reliable weather information for farmers given that crop production is largely dependent on it

Radiative transitions of the helium atom in highly magnetized neutron star atmospheres

Recent observations of thermally emitting isolated neutron stars revealed spectral features that could be interpreted as radiative transitions of He in a magnetized neutron star atmosphere. We present Hartree-Fock calculations of the polarization-dependent photoionization cross sections of the He atom in strong magnetic fields ranging from 10^12 G to 10^14 G. Convenient fitting formulae for the cross sections are given as well as related oscillator strengths for various bound-bound transitions. The effects of finite nucleus mass on the radiative absorption cross sections are examined using perturbation theory.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures. Minor changes. MNRAS in pres

The disarrayed mutation results in cell cycle and neurogenesis defects during retinal development in zebrafish

BACKGROUND: The vertebrate retina is derived from proliferative neuroepithelial cells of the optic cup. During retinal development, cell proliferation and the processes of cell cycle exit and neurogenesis are coordinated in neuroepithelial progenitor cells. Previous studies have demonstrated reciprocal influences between the cell cycle and neurogenesis. However the specific mechanisms and exact relationships of cell cycle regulation and neurogenesis in the vertebrate retina remain largely unknown. RESULTS: We have isolated and characterized a zebrafish mutant, disarrayed (dry(a64)), which exhibits retinal defects in cell cycle regulation and neurogenesis. By 42 hours post fertilization, disarrayed mutants show small eyes and a reduced forebrain. Other aspects of development appear normal. Although retinogenesis is delayed, mutant retinal cells eventually differentiate to all major cell types. Examination of the disarrayed mitotic cycle using BrdU and direct imaging techniques revealed that retinal neuroepithelial cells have an extended cell cycle period and reduced rate of cell cycle exit and neurogenesis, despite the fact that neurogenesis initiates at the appropriate time of development. Genetic mosaic analyses indicate that the cell cycle phenotype of disarrayed is cell-non-autonomous. CONCLUSION: The disarrayed mutant shows defects in both cell cycle regulation and neurogenesis and provides insights into the coordinated regulation of these processes during retinal development

Interference effects in the Coulomb dissociation of 15,17,19C

In this work the semiclassical model of pure Coulomb excitation was applied to the breakup of 15,17,19C. The ground state wave functions were calculated in the particle-rotor model including core excitation. The importance of interference terms in the dipole strength arising after including core degrees of freedom is analyzed for each isotope. It is shown that Coulomb interference effects are important for the case of 17C.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures accepted to Physical Review

A generalized Tullock contest

We construct a generalized Tullock contest under complete information where contingent upon winning or losing, the payoff of a player is a linear function of prizes, own effort, and the effort of the rival. This structure nests a number of existing contests in the literature and can be used to analyze new types of contests. We characterize the unique symmetric equilibrium and show that small parameter modifications may lead to substantially different types of contests and hence different equilibrium effort levels

Relation between widths of proton resonances and neutron asymptotic normalization coefficients in mirror states of light nuclei in a microscopic cluster model

It has been suggested recently ({\it Phys. Rev. Lett.} 91, 232501 (2003)) that the widths of narrow proton resonances are related to neutron Asymptotic Normalization Coefficients (ANCs) of their bound mirror analogs because of charge symmetry of nucleon-nucleon interactions. This relation is approximated by a simple analytical formula which involves proton resonance energies, neutron separation energies, charges of residual nuclei and the range of their strong interaction with the last nucleon. In the present paper, we perform microscopic-cluster model calculations for the ratio of proton widths to neutron ANCs squared in mirror states for several light nuclei. We compare them to predictions of the analytical formula and to estimates made within a single-particle potential model. A knowledge of this ratio can be used to predict unknown proton widths for very narrow low-lying resonances in the neutron-deficient region of the $sd$- and $pf$-shells, which is important for understanding the nucleosynthesis in the $rp$-process.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PR

Microscopic description of the beta delayed deuteron emission from \bbox{^6}He

The beta delayed deuteron emission from $^6$He is studied in a dynamical microscopic cluster model. This model gives a reasonably good description for all the subsystems of $^6$He and $^6$Li in a coherent way, without any free parameter. The beta decay transition probability to the $^6$Li ground state is underestimated by a few percents. The theoretical beta delayed deuteron spectrum is close to experiment but it is also underestimated by about a factor 1.7. We argue that, in spite of their different magnitudes, both underestimations might have a common origin. The model confirms that the neutron halo part of the $^6$He wave function plays a crucial role in quenching the beta decay toward the $\alpha$ + d channel.Comment: LATEX with REVTEX, Submitted to Phys. Rev. C, 11 pages, 3 figures (not included) are available upon request. ATOMKI-93/