Synonymy of Rhamphidera Skelley with Bancous Pic, termitophilous fungus beetles (Coleoptera: Erotylidae).

ThegenusBancousPic, originally described in the Heteromera (Rhysopaussidae) and later transferred to Cucujiformia (incertae sedis), was found to be congeneric with Rhamphidera Skelley (Erotylidae). Bancous is here placed in the family Erotylidae (Erotylinae, Tritomini) and Rhamphidera is moved into synonymy. This synonymy creates two new combinations: Bancous perplexus (Skelley) and Bancous eureka (Skelley). Bancous is redescribed and a lectotype is designated for Bancous irregularis Pic

Near-infrared K-band Spectroscopic Investigation of Seyfert 2 Nuclei in the CfA and 12 Micron Samples

We present near-infrared K-band slit spectra of the nuclei of 25 Seyfert 2 galaxies in the CfA and 12 micron samples. The strength of the CO absorption features at 2.3-2.4 micron produced by stars is measured in terms of a spectroscopic CO index. A clear anti-correlation between the observed CO index and the nuclear K-L color is present, suggesting that a featureless hot dust continuum heated by an AGN contributes significantly to the observed K-band fluxes in the nuclei of Seyfert 2 galaxies. After correction for this AGN contribution, we estimate nuclear stellar K-band luminosities for all sources, and CO indices for sources with modestly large observed CO indices. The corrected CO indices for 10 (=40%) Seyfert 2 nuclei are found to be as high as those observed in star-forming or elliptical (=spheroidal) galaxies. We combine the K-band data with measurements of the L-band 3.3 micron polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emission feature, another powerful indicator for star-formation, and find that the 3.3 micron PAH to K-band stellar luminosity ratios are substantially smaller than those of starburst galaxies. Our results suggest that the 3.3 micron PAH emission originates in the putative nuclear starbursts in the dusty tori surrounding the AGNs, because of its high surface brightness, whereas the K-band CO absorption features detected at the nuclei are dominated by old bulge (=spheroid) stars, and thus may not be a powerful indicator for the nuclear starbursts. We see no clear difference in the strength of the CO absorption and PAH emission features between the CfA and 12 micron Seyfert 2s.Comment: 28 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ (10 October 2004, v614 issue

On the galloping instability of two-dimensional bodies having elliptical cross sections.

Galloping, also known as Den Hartog instability, is the large amplitude, low frequency oscillation of a structure in the direction transverse to the mean wind direction. It normally appears in the case of bodies with small stiffness and structural damping, when they are placed in a flow provided the incident velocity is high enough. Galloping depends on the slope of the lift coefficient versus angle of attack curve, which must be negative. Generally speaking this implies that the body is stalled after boundary layer separation, which, as it is known in non-wedged bodies, is a Reynolds number dependent phenomenon. Wind tunnel experiments have been conducted aiming at establishing the characteristics of the galloping motion of elliptical cross-section bodies when subjected to a uniform flow, the angles of attack ranging from 0° to 90°. The results have been summarized in stability maps, both in the angle of attack versus relative thickness and in the angle of attack versus Reynolds number planes, where galloping instability regions are identified

Cooler and bigger than thought? Planetary host stellar parameters from the InfraRed Flux Method

Effective temperatures and radii for 92 planet-hosting stars as determined from the InfraRed Flux Method (IRFM) are presented and compared with those given by other authors using different approaches. The IRFM temperatures we have derived are systematically lower than those determined from the spectroscopic condition of excitation equilibrium, the mean difference being as large as 110 K. They are, however, consistent with previous IRFM studies and with the colors derived from Kurucz and MARCS model atmospheres. Comparison with direct measurements of stellar diameters for 7 dwarf stars, which approximately cover the range of temperatures of the planet-hosting stars, suggest that the IRFM radii and temperatures are reliable in an absolute scale. A better understanding of the fundamental properties of the stars with planets will be achieved once this discrepancy between the IRFM and the spectroscopic temperature scales is resolved.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap

Continuum discretized BCS approach for weakly bound nuclei

The Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) formalism is extended by including the single-particle continuum in order to analyse the evolution of pairing in an isotopic chain from stability up to the drip line. We propose a continuum discretized generalized BCS based on single-particle pseudostates (PS). These PS are generated from the diagonalization of the single-particle Hamiltonian within a Transformed Harmonic Oscillator (THO) basis. The consistency of the results versus the size of the basis is studied. The method is applied to neutron rich Oxygen and Carbon isotopes and compared with similar previous works and available experimental data. We make use of the flexibility of the proposed model in order to study the evolution of the occupation of the low-energy continuum when the system becomes weakly bound. We find a larger influence of the non-resonant continuum as long as the Fermi level approaches zero.Comment: 20 pages, 16 figures, to be submitte

Angular Momenta and Spin-Orbit Interaction of Nonparaxial Light in Free Space

We give an exact self-consistent operator description of the spin and orbital angular momenta, position, and spin-orbit interactions of nonparaxial light in free space. Both quantum-operator formalism and classical energy-flow approach are presented. We apply the general theory to symmetric and asymmetric Bessel beams exhibiting spin- and orbital-dependent intensity profiles. The exact wave solutions are clearly interpreted in terms of the Berry phases, quantization of caustics, and Hall effects of light, which can be readily observed experimentally.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure

Geiger-Mode Avalanche Photodiodes in Particle Detection

It is well known that avalanche photodiodes operated in the Geiger mode above the breakdown voltage offer a virtually infinite sensitivity and time accuracy in the picosecond range that can be used for single photon detection. However, their performance in particle detection remains still unexplored. In this contribution, we are going to expose the different steps that we have taken in order to prove the efficiency of Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes in the aforementioned field. In particular, we will present an array of pixels of 1mmx1mm fabricated with a standard CMOS technology for characterization in a test beam.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, Proceedings of LCWS1

Intrinsic structure of two-phonon states in the interacting boson model

A general study of excitations up to two-phonon states is carried out using the intrinsic-state formalism of the Interacting Boson Model (IBM). Spectra and transitions for the different dynamical symmetries are analyzed and the correspondence with states in the laboratory frame is established. The influence of multi-phonon states is discussed. The approach is useful in problems where the complexity of the IBM spectrum renders the analysis in the laboratory frame difficult.Comment: 22 pages, TeX (ReVTeX). 7 eps figures. Submitted to Nucl. Phys.

Kink fluctuation asymptotics and zero modes

In this paper we propose a refinement of the heat kernel/zeta function treatment of kink quantum fluctuations in scalar field theory, further analyzing the existence and implications of a zero energy fluctuation mode. Improved understanding of the interplay between zero modes and the kink heat kernel expansion delivers asymptotic estimations of one-loop kink mass shifts with remarkably higher precision than previously obtained by means of the standard Gilkey-DeWitt heat kernel expansion.Comment: 21 pages, 8 figures, to be published in The European Physical Journal