Robustness of Majorana Fermion induced Fractional Josephson Effect

It is shown in previous works that the coupling between two Majorana end states in superconducting quantum wires leads to fractional Josephson effect. However, in realistic experimental conditions, multiple bands of the wires are occupied and the Majorana end states are accompanied by other fermionic end states. This raises the question concerning the robustness of fractional Josephson effect in these situations. In this work, we show that the absence of the avoided energy crossing which gives rise to the fractional Josephson effect is robust, even when the Majorana fermions are coupled with arbitrary strengths to other fermions. Moreover, we calculate the temperature dependence of the fractional Josephson current and show that it is suppressed by thermal excitations to the other fermion bound states.Comment: 4+ pages, 3 figure

The LuckyCam Survey for Very Low Mass Binaries II: 13 new M4.5-M6.0 Binaries

We present results from a high-angular-resolution survey of 78 very low mass (VLM) binary systems with 6.0 = 0.15 arcsec/yr. 21 VLM binaries were detected, 13 of them new discoveries. The new binary systems range in separation between 0.18 arcsec and 1.3 arcsec. The distance-corrected binary fraction is 13.5% (+6.5%/-4%), in agreement with previous results. 9 of the new binary systems have orbital radii > 10 AU, including a new wide VLM binary with 27 AU projected orbital separation. One of the new systems forms two components of a 2300 AU separation triple system. We find that the orbital radius distribution of the binaries with V-K < 6.5 in this survey appears to be different from that of redder (lower-mass) objects, suggesting a possible rapid change in the orbital radius distribution at around the M5 spectral type. The target sample was also selected to investigate X-ray activity among VLM binaries. There is no detectable correlation between excess X-Ray emission and the frequency and binary properties of the VLM systems.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures. Submitted to MNRA

Counter-Intuitive Vacuum-Stimulated Raman Scattering

Vacuum-stimulated Raman scattering in strongly coupled atom-cavity systems allows one to generate free-running single photon pulses on demand. Most properties of the emitted photons are well defined, provided spontaneous emission processes do not contribute. Therefore, electronic excitation of the atom must not occur, which is assured for a system adiabatically following a dark state during the photon-generation process. We experimentally investigate the conditions that must be met for adiabatic following in a time-of-flight driven system, with atoms passing through a cavity and a pump beam oriented transverse to the cavity axis. From our results, we infer the optimal intensity and relative pump-beam position with respect to the cavity axis.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Wave attenuation and dispersion due to floating ice covers

Experiments investigating the attenuation and dispersion of surface waves in a variety of ice covers are performed using a refrigerated wave flume. The ice conditions tested in the experiments cover naturally occurring combinations of continuous, fragmented, pancake and grease ice. Attenuation rates are shown to be a function of ice thickness, wave frequency, and the general rigidity of the ice cover. Dispersion changes were minor except for large wavelength increases when continuous covers were tested. Results are verified and compared with existing literature to show the extended range of investigation in terms of incident wave frequency and ice conditions

Thinking beyond the hybrid:“actually-existing” cities “after neoliberalism” in Boyle <i>et al.</i>

In their article, ‘The spatialities of actually existing neoliberalism in Glasgow, 1977 to present’, Mark Boyle, Christopher McWilliams and Gareth Rice (2008) usefully problematise our current understanding of neoliberal urbanism. Our response is aimed at developing a sympathetic but critical approach to Boyle et al's understanding of neoliberal urbanism as illustrated by the Glasgow example. In particular, the counterposing by Boyle et al of a 'hybrid, mutant' model to a 'pure' model of neoliberalism for us misrepresents existing models of neoliberalism as a perfectly finished object rather than a roughly mottled process. That they do not identify any ‘pure’ model leads them to create a straw construct against which they can claim a more sophisticated, refined approach to the messiness of neoliberal urbanism. In contrast, we view neoliberalism as a contested and unstable response to accumulation crises at various scales of analysis

Quantum fluctuations in coupled dark solitons in trapped Bose-Einstein condensates

We show that the quantum fluctuations associated with the Bogoliubov quasiparticle vacuum can be strongly concentrated inside dark solitons in a trapped Bose Einstein condensate. We identify a finite number of anomalous modes that are responsible for such quantum phenomena. The fluctuations in these anomalous modes correspond to the `zero-point' oscillations in coupled dark solitons.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

A Generalization of the Goldberg-Sachs Theorem and its Consequences

The Goldberg-Sachs theorem is generalized for all four-dimensional manifolds endowed with torsion-free connection compatible with the metric, the treatment includes all signatures as well as complex manifolds. It is shown that when the Weyl tensor is algebraically special severe geometric restrictions are imposed. In particular it is demonstrated that the simple self-dual eigenbivectors of the Weyl tensor generate integrable isotropic planes. Another result obtained here is that if the self-dual part of the Weyl tensor vanishes in a Ricci-flat manifold of (2,2) signature the manifold must be Calabi-Yau or symplectic and admits a solution for the source-free Einstein-Maxwell equations.Comment: 14 pages. This version matches the published on