35,529 research outputs found
Solving non-perturbative flow equations
Non-perturbative exact flow equations describe the scale dependence of the
effective average action. We present a numerical solution for an approximate
form of the flow equation for the potential in a three-dimensional N-component
scalar field theory. The critical behaviour, with associated critical
exponents, can be inferred with good accuracy.Comment: Latex, 14 pages, 2 uuencoded figure
Does Positronium Form in the Universe ?
Positronium (the bound state of electron and positron) has been thought to be
formed after proton decay (yr) through collisional recombination and
then decays by pair annihilation, thereby changing the matter content of the
universe. We revisit the issue of the formation of positronium in the long-term
future of the universe in light of recent indication that the universe is
dominated by dark energy and dark matter. We find that if the equation of state
of dark energy is less than -1/3 (including the cosmological constant
), then the formation of positronium would not be possible, while it is
possible through bound-bound transitions for -1/3\siml w\siml-0.2, or through
collisional recombination for w\simg-0.2. The radiation from \epm pair
annihilation cannot dominate over \epm, while that from proton decay will
dominate over baryon and \epm for a while but not over dark matter.Comment: 13 pages, to appear in JCA
Emergence of intrinsic superconductivity below 1.178 K in the topologically non-trivial semimetal state of CaSn3
Topological materials which are also superconducting are of great current
interest, since they may exhibit a non-trivial topologically-mediated
superconducting phase. Although there have been many reports of pressure-tuned
or chemical-doping-induced superconductivity in a variety of topological
materials, there have been few examples of intrinsic, ambient pressure
superconductivity in a topological system having a stoichiometric composition.
Here, we report that the pure intermetallic CaSn3 not only exhibits topological
fermion properties but also has a superconducting phase at 1.178 K under
ambient pressure. The topological fermion properties, including the nearly zero
quasi-particle mass and the non-trivial Berry phase accumulated in cyclotron
motions, were revealed from the de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) quantum oscillation
studies of this material. Although CaSn3 was previously reported to be
superconducting at 4.2K, our studies show that the superconductivity at 4.2K is
extrinsic and caused by Sn on the degraded surface, whereas its intrinsic bulk
superconducting transition occurs at 1.178 K. These findings make CaSn3 a
promising candidate for exploring new exotic states arising from the interplay
between non-trivial band topology and superconductivity, e.g. topological
superconductivityComment: 20 pages,4 figure
Metastability and the Casimir Effect in Micromechanical Systems
Electrostatic and Casimir interactions limit the range of positional
stability of electrostatically-actuated or capacitively-coupled mechanical
devices. We investigate this range experimentally for a generic system
consisting of a doubly-clamped Au suspended beam, capacitively-coupled to an
adjacent stationary electrode. The mechanical properties of the beam, both in
the linear and nonlinear regimes, are monitored as the attractive forces are
increased to the point of instability. There "pull-in" occurs, resulting in
permanent adhesion between the electrodes. We investigate, experimentally and
theoretically, the position-dependent lifetimes of the free state (existing
prior to pull-in). We find that the data cannot be accounted for by simple
theory; the discrepancy may be reflective of internal structural instabilities
within the metal electrodes.Comment: RevTex, 4 pages, 4 figure
Composition algebras and the two faces of
We consider composition and division algebras over the real numbers: We note
two r\^oles for the group : as automorphism group of the octonions and
as the isotropy group of a generic 3-form in 7 dimensions. We show why they are
equivalent, by means of a regular metric. We express in some diagrams the
relation between some pertinent groups, most of them related to the octonions.
Some applications to physics are also discussed.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure
Weight Loss Corrosion Study of Some Metals in Acid Medium
This research was undertaken to examine the corrosion behavior of some metals in different acid solutions using weight loss technique. The magnitude of corrosion of these metals in 0.5 ĂąâŹâ 3.0 M of solutions of HCl, H2SO4, and HNO3 was studied for an exposure period of 100 minutes (at 20 minutes interval). Rate of corrosion in metals followed this order: zinc > galvanized iron > copper >, while rate of corrosion in aqueous media followed this order: HNO3 > H2SO4 > HCl. It has been obtained that concentration increase leads to increase in rate of corrosion. Further study on the corrosion kinetics has revealed that the rate of reaction of the metals increases with increase in solution concentration, while the half life decreases with increase in solution concentration
Adolescent Sleep and Cellular Phone Use: Recent Trends and Implications for Research
Adolescent sleep needs range from 8.5â10 hours per night, with older adolescents requiring less sleep than younger adolescents. On average, however, American adolescents receive between 7.5â8.5 hours of sleep per night, with many sleeping fewer than 6.5 hours on school nights. Cellular phone use is emerging as an important factor that interferes with both sleep quality and quantity, particularly as smartphones become more widely available to teens. This review paper has three objectives. First, we will describe adolescent sleep patterns and the effects of sleep deprivation on adolescent physical and mental health. Second, we will describe current trends in technology use among adolescents, making associations to how technology impacts sleep. Lastly, we will discuss some of the methodological barriers of conducting sleep and technology research with adolescents and young adults and offer suggestions for overcoming those barriers. We will also discuss implications for healthcare providers
Valence Quark Spin Distribution Functions
The hyperfine interactions of the constituent quark model provide a natural
explanation for many nucleon properties, including the Delta-N splitting, the
charge radius of the neutron, and the observation that the proton's quark
distribution function ratio d(x)/u(x)->0 as x->1. The hyperfine-perturbed quark
model also makes predictions for the nucleon spin-dependent distribution
functions. Precision measurements of the resulting asymmetries A_1^p(x) and
A_1^n(x) in the valence region can test this model and thereby the hypothesis
that the valence quark spin distributions are "normal".Comment: 16 pages, 2 Postscript figure
Critical equation of state from the average action
The scaling form of the critical equation of state is computed for
-symmetric models. We employ a method based on an exact flow equation for
a coarse grained free energy. A suitable truncation is solved numerically.Comment: Latex, 8 pages, 2 uuencoded figure
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