17,517 research outputs found
Constraints on models for the initial collision geometry in ultra relativistic heavy ion collisions
Monte Carlo (MC) simulations are used to compute the centrality dependence of
the collision zone eccentricities (), for both spherical and
deformed ground state nuclei, for different model scenarios. Sizable model
dependent differences are observed. They indicate that measurements of the
and order Fourier flow coefficients ,
expressed as the ratio , can provide robust constraints
for distinguishing between different theoretical models for the initial-state
eccentricity. Such constraints could remove one of the largest impediments to a
more precise determination of the specific viscosity from precision
measurements at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC).Comment: 4 pages, 3 figs - version accepted for publicatio
Energy loss for heavy quarks in relation to light partons; is radiative energy loss for heavy quarks anomalous?
The scaling properties of jet suppression measurements are compared for
non-photonic electrons () and neutral pions () in Au + Au
collisions at GeV. For a broad range of transverse momenta
and collision centralities, the comparison is consistent with jet quenching
dominated by radiative energy loss for both heavy and light partons. Less
quenching is indicated for heavy quarks via ; this gives an
independent estimate of the transport coefficient that agrees with
its magnitude obtained from quenching of light partons via 's.Comment: Published versio
Qualitative Analysis of Universes with Varying Alpha
Assuming a Friedmann universe which evolves with a power-law scale factor,
, we analyse the phase space of the system of equations that describes
a time-varying fine structure 'constant', , in the
Bekenstein-Sandvik-Barrow-Magueijo generalisation of general relativity. We
have classified all the possible behaviours of in ever-expanding
universes with different and find new exact solutions for . We
find the attractors points in the phase space for all . In general, will be a non-decreasing function of time that increases logarithmically in
time during a period when the expansion is dust dominated (), but
becomes constant when . This includes the case of negative-curvature
domination (). also tends rapidly to a constant when the
expansion scale factor increases exponentially. A general set of conditions is
established for to become asymptotically constant at late times in an
expanding universe.Comment: 26 pages, 6 figure
Tropical polyhedra are equivalent to mean payoff games
We show that several decision problems originating from max-plus or tropical
convexity are equivalent to zero-sum two player game problems. In particular,
we set up an equivalence between the external representation of tropical convex
sets and zero-sum stochastic games, in which tropical polyhedra correspond to
deterministic games with finite action spaces. Then, we show that the winning
initial positions can be determined from the associated tropical polyhedron. We
obtain as a corollary a game theoretical proof of the fact that the tropical
rank of a matrix, defined as the maximal size of a submatrix for which the
optimal assignment problem has a unique solution, coincides with the maximal
number of rows (or columns) of the matrix which are linearly independent in the
tropical sense. Our proofs rely on techniques from non-linear Perron-Frobenius
theory.Comment: 28 pages, 5 figures; v2: updated references, added background
materials and illustrations; v3: minor improvements, references update
Promote cooperation by localised small-world communication
The emergence and maintenance of cooperation within sizable groups of
unrelated humans offer many challenges for our understanding. We propose that
the humans' capacity of communication, such as how many and how far away the
fellows can build up mutual communications, may affect the evolution of
cooperation. We study this issue by means of the public goods game (PGG) with a
two-layered network of contacts. Players obtain payoffs from five-person public
goods interactions on a square lattice (the interaction layer). Also, they
update strategies after communicating with neighbours in learning layer, where
two players build up mutual communication with a power law probability
depending on their spatial distance. Our simulation results indicate that the
evolution of cooperation is indeed sensitive to how players choose others to
communicate with, including the amount as well as the locations. The tendency
of localised communication is proved to be a new mechanism to promote
cooperation.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure
The rotationâactivity relation of M dwarfs : from K2 to TESS and PLATO
Studies of the rotationâactivity relation of lateâtype stars are essential to enhance our understanding of stellar dynamos and angular momentum evolution. We study the rotationâactivity relation with K2 for M dwarfs, where it is especially poorly understood. We analyzed the light curves of all bright and nearby M dwarfs form the Superblink proper motion catalog that were in the K2 field of view. Using a sample of 430âM dwarfs observed in campaigns C0âC19 in longâcadence mode, we determined the rotation period and a wealth of activity diagnostics. Our study of the rotationâactivity relation based on photometric activity indicators confirmed the previously published abrupt change of the activity level at a rotation period of âŒ10âdays. Our sample, which is more than three times larger, increases the statistical significance of this finding.PostprintPeer reviewe
Complexity of diatom response to Lateglacial and Holocene climate and environmental change in ancient, deep and oligotrophic Lake Ohrid (Macedonia and Albania)
© Author(s) 2016. Lake Ohrid (Macedonia and Albania) is a rare example of a deep, ancient Mediterranean lake and is a key site for palaeoclimate research in the northeastern Mediterranean region. This study conducts the analysis of diatoms as a proxy for Lateglacial and Holocene climate and environmental change in Lake Ohrid at a higher resolution than in previous studies. While Lake Ohrid has the potential to be sensitive to water temperature change, the data demonstrate a highly complex diatom response, probably comprising a direct response to temperature-induced lake productivity in some phases and an indirect response to temperaturerelated lake stratification or mixing and epilimnetic nutrient availability in others. The data also demonstrate the possible influence of physical limnological (e.g. the influence of wind stress on stratification or mixing) and chemical processes (e.g. the influence of catchment dynamics on nutrient input) in mediating the complex response of diatoms. During the Lateglacial (ca. 12 300-11 800 cal yr BP), the low-diversity dominance of hypolimnetic Cyclotella fottii indicates low lake productivity, linked to low water temperature. Although the subsequent slight increase in small, epilimnetic C. minuscula during the earliest Holocene (ca. 11 800-10 600 cal yr BP) suggests climate warming and enhanced stratification, diatom concentration remains as low as during the Lateglacial, suggesting that water temperature increase was muted across this major transition. The early Holocene (ca. 10 600-8200 cal yr BP) is characterised by a sustained increase in epilimnetic taxa, with mesotrophic C. ocellata indicating high water-temperature-induced productivity between ca. 10 600-10 200 cal yr BP and between ca. 9500-8200 cal yr BP and with C. minuscula in response to low nutrient availability in the epilimnion between ca. 10 200-9500 cal yr BP. During the middle Holocene (ca. 8200-2600 cal yr BP), when sedimentological and geochemical proxies provide evidence for maximum Holocene water temperature, anomalously low C. ocellata abundance is probably a response to epilimnetic nutrient limitation, almost mimicking the Lateglacial flora apart from the occurrence of mesotrophic Stephanodiscus transylvanicus in the hypolimnion. During the late Holocene (ca. 2600 cal yr BP-present), high abundance and fluctuating composition of epilimnetic taxa are probably a response more to enhanced anthropogenic nutrient input, particularly nitrogen enrichment, than to climate. Overall, the data indicate that previous assumptions concerning the linearity of diatom response in this deep, ancient lake are invalid, and multi-proxy analysis is essential to improve understanding of palaeolimnological dynamics in future research on the long, Quaternary sequence
A new method for tracking of motor skill learning through practical application of Fittsâ law
This article is made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.A novel upper limb motor skill measure, task productivity rate (TPR) was developed integrating speed and spatial error, delivered by a practical motor skill rehabilitation task (MSRT). This prototype task involved placement of 5 short pegs horizontally on a spatially configured rail array. The stability of TPR was tested on 18 healthy right-handed adults (10 women, 8 men, median age 29 years) in a prospective single-session quantitative within-subjects study design. Manipulations of movement rate 10% faster and slower relative to normative states did not significantly affect TPR, F(1.387, 25.009) = 2.465, p = .121. A significant linear association between completion time and error was highest during the normative state condition (Pearson's r = .455, p < .05). Findings provided evidence that improvements in TPR over time reflected motor learning with possible changes in coregulation behavior underlying practice under different conditions. These findings extend Fittsâ law theory to tracking of practical motor skill using a dexterity task, which could have potential clinical applications in rehabilitation
Lifetime Measurements in 120Xe
Lifetimes for the lowest three transitions in the nucleus Xe have
been measured using the Recoil Distance Technique. Our data indicate that the
lifetime for the transition is more than a factor of
two lower than the previously adopted value and is in keeping with more recent
measurements performed on this nucleus. The theoretical implications of this
discrepancy and the possible reason for the erroneous earlier results are
discussed. All measured lifetimes in Xe, as well as the systematics of
the lifetimes of the 2 states in Xe isotopes, are compared with
predictions of various models. The available data are best described by the
Fermion Dynamic Symmetry Model (FDSM).Comment: 9 pages, RevTeX, 3 figures with Postscript file available on request
at [email protected], [email protected]. Submitted to Phys.
Rev.
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