1,510 research outputs found
Pinning dependent field driven domain wall dynamics and thermal scaling in an ultrathin Pt/Co/Pt magnetic film
Magnetic field-driven domain wall motion in an ultrathin Pt/Co(0.45nm)/Pt
ferromagnetic film with perpendicular anisotropy is studied over a wide
temperature range. Three different pinning dependent dynamical regimes are
clearly identified: the creep, the thermally assisted flux flow and the
depinning, as well as their corresponding crossovers. The wall elastic energy
and microscopic parameters characterizing the pinning are determined. Both the
extracted thermal rounding exponent at the depinning transition, 0.15,
and the Larkin length crossover exponent, 0.24, fit well with the
numerical predictions.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Blockade of adenosine A2A receptors prevents protein phosphorylation in the striatum induced by cortical stimulation
©2006 Society for NeurosciencePrevious studies have shown that cortical stimulation selectively activates extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation and immediate early gene expression in striatal GABAergic enkephalinergic neurons. In the present study, we demonstrate that blockade of adenosine A2A receptors with caffeine or a selective A2A receptor antagonist counteracts the striatal activation of cAMP–
protein kinase A cascade (phosphorylation of the Ser845 residue of the glutamate receptor 1 subunit of the AMPA receptor) and mitogenactivated protein kinase (ERK1/2 phosphorylation) induced by the in vivo stimulation of corticostriatal afferents. The results indicate that A2A receptors strongly modulate the efficacy of glutamatergic synapses on striatal enkephalinergic neurons.This work was supported by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Department of Health and Human Services
On the Stellar Kinematics and Mass of the Virgo Ultra-Diffuse Galaxy VCC 1287
Here, we present a kinematical analysis of the Virgo cluster ultra-diffuse
galaxy (UDG) VCC 1287 based on data taken with the Keck Cosmic Web Imager
(KCWI). We confirm VCC 1287's association both with the Virgo cluster and its
globular cluster (GC) system, measuring a recessional velocity of $1116 \pm 2\
\mathrm{km\ s^{-1}}19 \pm 6\
\mathrm{km\ s^{-1}}1.11^{+0.81}_{-0.81}
\times 10^{9} \ \mathrm{M_{\odot}}13^{+11}_{-11}$)
within the half light radius (4.4 kpc). This places VCC 1287 slightly above the
well established relation for normal galaxies, with a higher mass to light
ratio for its dynamical mass than normal galaxies. We use our dynamical mass,
and an estimate of GC system richness, to place VCC 1287 on the GC number --
dynamical mass relation, finding good agreement with a sample of normal
galaxies. Based on a total halo mass derived from GC counts, we then infer that
VCC 1287 likely resides in a cored or low concentration dark matter halo. Based
on the comparison of our measurements to predictions from simulations, we find
that strong stellar feedback and/or tidal effects are plausibly the dominant
mechanisms in the formation of VCC 1287. Finally, we compare our measurement of
the dynamical mass with those for other UDGs. These dynamical mass estimates
suggest relatively massive halos and a failed galaxy origin for at least some
UDGs.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures with an additional 5 pages and 5 figures in
appendices. Accepted for publication in MNRAS. v2: with small updates from
publication formatting and a minor plotting fix for Fig. 1
Dynamics of magnetic domain wall motion after nucleation: Dependence on the wall energy
The dynamics of magnetic domain wall motion in the FeNi layer of a
FeNi/Al2O3/Co trilayer has been investigated by a combination of x-ray magnetic
circular dichroism, photoelectron emission microscopy, and a stroboscopic
pump-probe technique. The nucleation of domains and subsequent expansion by
domain wall motion in the FeNi layer during nanosecond-long magnetic field
pulses was observed in the viscous regime up to the Walker limit field. We
attribute an observed delay of domain expansion to the influence of the domain
wall energy that acts against the domain expansion and that plays an important
role when domains are small.Comment: Accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter
Bridging the gap in the mass-size relation of compact galaxies with MaNGA
We present the analysis of the full MaNGA DR17 sample to characterize its
population of compact galaxies. We focus on galaxies that fill the stellar mass
(M) gap between compact elliptical galaxies (cEs; ) and compact massive galaxies
(CMGs; ). We study their
stellar populations and kinematics to reveal how their properties depend on
stellar mass. We select compact galaxies in the MaNGA DR17 sample according to
their effective radius () and stellar mass. 37 galaxies fulfill our
selection criteria in the bridging region between cEs and CMGs. We derive their
kinematics and stellar population parameters from the stacked spectra at
1~ using a full spectral fitting routine. We then classify the selected
compact galaxies in three main groups based on their stellar population
properties. One of the groups shows characteristics compatible with relic
galaxies, i.e. galaxies that have remained mostly unchanged since their early
formation epoch (). Another group shows more extended and continuous
star formation histories (SFHs). The third group shows a low star-forming rate
at initial times, which increases at around Gyr. We compare the derived
properties of the selected galaxies with those of previously studied compact
galaxies at different mass ranges. The selected galaxies successfully fill the
mass gap between cEs and CMGs. Their properties are compatible with the
assumption that the scaling relations of compact galaxies at different mass
ranges are related, although galaxies in the first group are clear outliers in
the fundamental plane, suggesting different formation mechanisms for this relic
population.Comment: 16 pages, 14 figures, 2 table
Impact of 40 years poplar cultivation on soil carbon stocks and greenhouse gas fluxes
International audienceWithin the JRC Kyoto Experiment in the Regional Park and UN-Biosphere Reserve "Parco Ticino" (North-Italy, near Pavia), the soil carbon stocks and fluxes of CO2, N2O, and CH4 were measured in a poplar plantation in comparison with a natural mesohygrophilous deciduous forest nearby, which represents the pristine land cover of the area. Soil fluxes were measured using the static and dynamic closed chamber techniques for CH4 N2O, and CO2, respectively. We made further a pedological study to relate the spatial variability found with soil parameters. Annual emission fluxes of N2O and CO2 and deposition fluxes of CH4 were calculated for the year 2003 for the poplar plantation and compared to those measured at the natural forest site. N2O emissions at the poplar plantation were 0.15$plusmn;0.1 g N2O m-2 y-1 and the difference to the emissions at the natural forest of 0.07±0.06 g N2O m-2 y-1 are partly due to a period of high emissions after the flooding of the site at the end of 2002. CH4 consumption at the natural forest was twice as large as at the poplar plantation. In comparison to the relict forest, carbon stocks in the soil under the poplar plantation were depleted by 61% of surface (10 cm) carbon and by 25% down the profile under tillage (45 cm). Soil respiration rates were not significant different at both sites with 1608±1053 and 2200±791 g CO2 m-2 y-1 at the poplar plantation and natural forest, respectively, indicating that soil organic carbon is much more stable in the natural forest. In terms of the greenhouse gas budget, the non-CO2 gases contributed minor to the overall soil balance with only 0.9% (N2O) and -0.3% (CH4 of CO2-eq emissions in the natural forest, and 2.7% (N2O) and -0.2% of CO2-eq. emissions in the poplar plantation. The very high spatial variability of soil fluxes within the two sites was related to the morphology of the floodplain area, which was formed by the historic course of the Ticino river and led to a small-scale (tenth of meters) variability in soil texture and to small-scale differences in elevation. Differences of site conditions are reflected by differences of inundation patterns, ecosystem productivity, CO2 and N2O emission rates, and soil contents of carbon and nitrogen. Additional variability was observed during a flooding event and after fertilisation at the poplar site. Despite of this variability, the two sites are comparable as both originate from alluvial deposits. The study shows that changes in soil carbon stocks and related fertility are the most visible phenomena after 40 years of land use change from a pristine forest to a fast growing poplar plantation. Therefore, the conservation and careful management of existing carbon stocks deserves highest priority in the context of the Kyoto Protocol
Deformation and magnetic fabrics in ductile shear zones: A review
The Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility (AMS) is a well-established petrofabric tool for indicating relative strain and microstructural character and has been validated on various rock types and different structural settings. The magnetic susceptibility of a rock (K) depends primarily on the nature and abundance of magnetic minerals. The physical arrangement and lattice-preferred orientation of these magnetic minerals give rise to magnetic anisotropy. The AMS scalar parameters most commonly used to constrain strain include the corrected degree of anisotropy (P'> 1), a proxy for fabric intensity, and the shape factor (- 1 ≤ T≤ + 1), an indicator of the magnetic fabric symmetry (prolate vs. oblate).A number of studies have shown that a positive correlation generally exists between P' and strain. Thus, the AMS shows a great potential as a tool for examining deformation in geologic structures characterized by large strain gradients such as shear zones. However, a number of caveats exist: (i) The increase of P' with strain cannot be solely attributed to deformation because P' also increases with K regardless of deformation; (ii) Strain across shear zones is typically heterogeneous and is often localized in units of different lithology, thus making the separation of the lithological and strain controls on AMS difficult; also, deformation is commonly accompanied by mineral segregation or fluid-rock interaction that induces changes in magnetic mineralogy; (iii) Even if the undeformed lithology was uniform across a shear zone, variations in strain rate or temperature may result in different deformation mechanisms; hence, the relationship between P' and strain depends strongly on both the mineral carriers of AMS and on deformation mechanisms; and (iv) The AMS is unable to resolve composite fabrics, such as those resulting from S-C structures, where minerals on the C and S planes, respectively, contribute to AMS
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