254 research outputs found
Quantum corrections to the phase diagram of heavy-fermion superconductors
The competition between magnetism and Kondo effect is the main effect
determining the phase diagram of heavy fermion systems. It gives rise to a
quantum critical point which governs the low temperature properties of these
materials. However, experimental results made it clear that a fundamental
ingredient is missing in this description, namely superconductivity. In this
paper we make a step forward in the direction of incorporating
superconductivity and study the mutual effects of this phase and
antiferromagnetism in the phase diagram of heavy fermion metals. Our approach
is based on a Ginzburg-Landau theory describing superconductivity and
antiferromagnetism in a metal with quantum corrections taken into account
through an effective potential. The proximity of an antiferromagnetic
instability extends the region of superconductivity in the phase diagram and
drives this transition into a first order one. On the other hand
superconducting quantum fluctuations near a metallic antiferromagnetic quantum
critical point gives rise to a first order transition from a low moment to a
high moment state in the antiferromagnet. Antiferromagnetism and
superconductivity may both collapse at a quantum bicritical point whose
properties we calculate.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure
Universal behavior at discontinuous quantum phase transitions
Discontinuous quantum phase transitions besides their general interest are
clearly relevant to the study of heavy fermions and magnetic transition metal
compounds. Recent results show that in many systems belonging to these classes
of materials, the magnetic transition changes from second order to first order
as they approach the quantum critical point (QCP). We investigate here some
mechanisms that may be responsible for this change. Specifically the coupling
of the order parameter to soft modes and the competition between different
types of order near the QCP. For weak first order quantum phase transitions
general results are obtained. In particular we describe the thermodynamic
behavior at this transition when it is approached from finite temperatures.
This is the discontinuous equivalent of the non-Fermi liquid trajectory close
to a conventional QCP in a heavy fermion material.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure
Particle-Field Duality and Form Factors from Vertex Operators
Using a duality between the space of particles and the space of fields, we
show how one can compute form factors directly in the space of fields. This
introduces the notion of vertex operators, and form factors are vacuum
expectation values of such vertex operators in the space of fields. The vertex
operators can be constructed explicitly in radial quantization. Furthermore,
these vertex operators can be exactly bosonized in momentum space. We develop
these ideas by studying the free-fermion point of the sine-Gordon theory, and
use this scheme to compute some form-factors of some non-free fields in the
sine-Gordon theory. This work further clarifies earlier work of one of the
authors, and extends it to include the periodic sector.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figures, CLNS 93/??
Can a CPT Violating Ether Solve ALL Electron (Anti)Neutrino Puzzles?
Assuming that CPT is violated in the neutrino sector seems to be a viable
alternative to sterile neutrinos when it comes to reconciling the LSND anomaly
with the remainder of the neutrino data. There are different (distinguishable)
ways of incorporating CPT violation into the standard model, including
postulating m different from \bar{m}. Here, I investigate the possibility of
introducing CPT violation via Lorentz-invariance violating effective operators
(``Ether'' potentials) which modify neutrino oscillation patterns like ordinary
matter effects. I argue that, within a simplified two-flavor like oscillation
analysis, one cannot solve the solar neutrino puzzle and LSND anomaly while
still respecting constraints imposed by other neutrino experiments, and comment
on whether significant improvements should be expected from a three-flavor
analysis. If one turns the picture upside down, some of the most severe
constrains on such CPT violating terms can already be obtained from the current
neutrino data, while much more severe constraints can arise from future
neutrino oscillation experiments.Comment: 10 pages, 1 eps figure; version to appear in PRD. Comment added,
mistake corrected, results and conclusions unchange
Fermion Back-Reaction and the Sphaleron
Using a simple model, a new sphaleron solution which incorporates finite
fermionic density effects is obtained. The main result is that the height of
the potential barrier (sphaleron energy) decreases as the fermion density
increases. This suggests that the rate of sphaleron-induced transitions
increases when the fermionic density increases. However the rate increase is
not expected to change significantly the predictions from the standard
sphaleron-induced baryogenesis scenarios.Comment: 11 pages, Revtex (2 figures available upon request), to appear in
Phys. Rev. D (Rapid Communication
Gauge Invariance and the Critical Properties of Quantum Hall Plateaux Transitions
A model consisting of a single massless scalar field with a topological
coupling to a pure gauge field is defined and studied. It possesses an SL(2,Z)
symmetry as a consequence of the gauge invariance. We propose that by adding
impurities the model can be used to describe transitions between Quantum Hall
plateaux. This leads to a correlation length exponent of 20/9, in excellent
agreement with the most recent experimental measurements.Comment: 25 pages, minor changes in data discussion, Section V on connection
with staircase model is expanded References added. Interpretive comments
added in section 3 about the critical condition. with improved terminolog
Assessment of Higher-Order RANS Closures in a Decelerated Planar Wall-Bounded Turbulent Flow
A reference DNS database is presented, which includes third- and fourth-order moment budgets for unstrained and strained planar channel flow. Existing RANS closure models for third- and fourth-order terms are surveyed, and new model ideas are introduced. The various models are then compared with the DNS data term by term using a priori testing of the higher-order budgets of turbulence transport, velocity-pressure-gradient, and dissipation for both the unstrained and strained databases. Generally, the models for the velocity-pressure-gradient terms are most in need of improvement
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Search for sources of astrophysical neutrinos using seven years of icecube cascade events
Low-background searches for astrophysical neutrino sources anywhere in the sky can be performed using cascade events induced by neutrinos of all flavors interacting in IceCube with energies as low as âŒ1 TeV. Previously we showed that, even with just two years of data, the resulting sensitivity to sources in the southern sky is competitive with IceCube and ANTARES analyses using muon tracks induced by charge current muon neutrino interactions - especially if the neutrino emission follows a soft energy spectrum or originates from an extended angular region. Here, we extend that work by adding five more years of data, significantly improving the cascade angular resolution, and including tests for point-like or diffuse Galactic emission to which this data set is particularly well suited. For many of the signal candidates considered, this analysis is the most sensitive of any experiment to date. No significant clustering was observed, and thus many of the resulting constraints are the most stringent to date. In this paper we will describe the improvements introduced in this analysis and discuss our results in the context of other recent work in neutrino astronomy
Tocolytic effect of a selective FP receptor antagonist in rodent models reveals an innovative approach to the treatment of preterm labor
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Management of preterm labor by tocolysis remains an unmet medical need. Prostaglandins play a major role in regulation of uterine activity and in molecular mechanisms of human labor and parturition. There is some circumstantial evidence that prostaglandin F2α by action through the prostaglandin receptor subtype FP is effective in key events during labor uterine contraction, rupture of membranes and cervical dilation. This role of FP is briefly reviewed. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that an orally active and selective FP antagonist may arrest labor and delay parturition in animal models.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We examined the effects of a small molecule selective antagonist of the FP receptor (AS604872) in inhibition of spontaneous uterine contraction in pregnant rat near term. We tested AS604872 for its ability to delay preterm birth in a mouse model in which the anti-progestin agent RU486 triggered parturition.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>By oral or intravenous dosing AS604872 reduced markedly and dose-dependently the spontaneous uterine contractions in late-term pregnant rats at gestational days 19â21. In pregnant mice, AS604872 delayed the preterm birth caused by RU486 administration. The effect was dose-dependent with a significant increase in the mean delivery time of 16 and 33 hours at oral doses of 30 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg, respectively, in the case of labor triggered at gestational day 14. In both models AS604872 appeared more effective than the ÎČ-agonist ritodrine.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The tocolytic activity displayed by a selective FP receptor antagonist supports a key role for the FP receptor in the pathophysiology of premature birth and demonstrates the therapeutic potential of an FP antagonist for the treatment of preterm labor cases in which uterine hyperactivity plays a dominant role.</p
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