Kagom\'{e} ice state in the dipolar spin ice Dy_{2}Ti_{2}O_{7}

We have investigated the kagom\'{e} ice behavior of the dipolar spin-ice compound Dy_{2}Ti_{2}O_{7} in magnetic field along a [111] direction using neutron scattering and Monte Carlo simulations. The spin correlations show that the kagom\'{e} ice behavior predicted for the nearest-neighbor (NN) interacting model, where the field induces dimensional reduction and spins are frustrated in each two-dimensional kagom\'{e} lattice, occurs in the dipole interacting system. The spins freeze at low temperatures within the macroscopically degenerate ground states of the NN model.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, submitted to PR

Improving Motor Imagination with Support of RealTime LORETA Neurofeedback

Recording cortical activity during imagined leg movement is a challenging task due to cortical representation of legs deeper within the central sulcus. Therefore Brain Computer Interface (BCI) studies typically rely on imagined movement of both legs [1]. Activity of deeper cortical structures can be estimated offline from multichannel Electroencephalography (EEG) by using LORETA numerical method [2]. LORETA can also be calculated in real time to provide an instantaneous estimate of brain activity, but currently available solution supports only up to 19 channels (BrainAvatar, BrainMaster, Inc). In this study we propose a custom designed real time LORETA neurofeedback based on multichannel EEG to increase cortical activity at the central sulcus during continuous imagining tapping with one leg only. This strategy could be useful in neurorehabilitation of hemiplegia (i.e. stroke)

Observation of Modulated Quadrupolar Structures in PrPb3

Neutron diffraction measurements have been performed on the cubic compound PrPb3 in a [001] magnetic field to examine the quadrupolar ordering. Antiferromagnetic components with q=(1/2+-d 1/2 0), (1/2 1/2+-d 0) (d~1/8) are observed below the transition temperature TQ (0.4 K at H=0) whose amplitudes vary linear with H and vanish at zero field, providing the first evidence for a modulated quadrupolar phase. For H<1 T, a non-square modulated state persists even below 100 mK suggesting quadrupole moments associated with a Gamma3 doublet ground state to be partially quenched by hybridization with conduction electrons.Comment: Physical Review Letters, in press. 4 pages, 4 figure

Accurate calibration of test mass displacement in the LIGO interferometers

We describe three fundamentally different methods we have applied to calibrate the test mass displacement actuators to search for systematic errors in the calibration of the LIGO gravitational-wave detectors. The actuation frequencies tested range from 90 Hz to 1 kHz and the actuation amplitudes range from 1e-6 m to 1e-18 m. For each of the four test mass actuators measured, the weighted mean coefficient over all frequencies for each technique deviates from the average actuation coefficient for all three techniques by less than 4%. This result indicates that systematic errors in the calibration of the responses of the LIGO detectors to differential length variations are within the stated uncertainties.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, submitted on 31 October 2009 to Classical and Quantum Gravity for the proceedings of 8th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Wave

Antiferromagnetism and Superconductivity in CeRhIn5_5

We discuss recent results on the heavy fermion superconductor CeRhIn$_5$ which presents ideal conditions to study the strong coupling between the suppression of antiferromagnetic order and the appearance of unconventional superconductivity. The appearance of superconductivity as function of pressure is strongly connected to the suppression of the magnetic order. Under magnetic field, the re-entrance of magnetic order inside the superconducting state shows that antiferromagnetism nucleates in the vortex cores. The suppression of antiferromagnetism in CeRhIn$_5$ by Sn doping is compared to that under hydrostatic pressure.Comment: 6 pages, 8 figures, to be published in Proc. Int. Conf. Heavy Electrons (ICHE2010) J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 80 (2011

Joint searches between gravitational-wave interferometers and high-energy neutrino telescopes: science reach and analysis strategies

Many of the astrophysical sources and violent phenomena observed in our Universe are potential emitters of gravitational waves (GWs) and high-energy neutrinos (HENs). A network of GW detectors such as LIGO and Virgo can determine the direction/time of GW bursts while the IceCube and ANTARES neutrino telescopes can also provide accurate directional information for HEN events. Requiring the consistency between both, totally independent, detection channels shall enable new searches for cosmic events arriving from potential common sources, of which many extra-galactic objects.Comment: 4 pages. To appear in the Proceedings of the 2d Heidelberg Workshop: "High-Energy Gamma-rays and Neutrinos from Extra-Galactic Sources", Heidelberg (Germany), January 13-16, 200

Spin-Wave Spectrum in `Single-Domain' Magnetic Ground State of Triangular Lattice Antiferromagnet CuFeO2

By means of neutron scattering measurements, we have investigated spin-wave excitation in a collinear four-sublattice (4SL) magnetic ground state of a triangular lattice antiferromagnet CuFeO2, which has been of recent interest as a strongly frustrated magnet, a spin-lattice coupled system and a multiferroic. To avoid mixing of spin-wave spectrum from magnetic domains having three different orientations reflecting trigonal symmetry of the crystal structure, we have applied uniaxial pressure on [1-10] direction of a single crystal CuFeO2. By elastic neutron scattering measurements, we have found that only 10 MPa of the uniaxial pressure results in almost 'single domain' state in the 4SL phase. We have thus performed inelastic neutron scattering measurements using the single domain sample, and have identified two distinct spin- wave branches. The dispersion relation of the upper spin-wave branch cannot be explained by the previous theoretical model [R. S. Fishman: J. Appl. Phys. 103 (2008) 07B109]. This implies the importance of the lattice degree of freedom in the spin-wave excitation in this system, because the previous calculation neglected the effect of the spin-driven lattice distortion in the 4SL phase. We have also discussed relationship between the present results and the recently discovered "electromagnon" excitation.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Search for Gravitational-wave Inspiral Signals Associated with Short Gamma-ray Bursts During LIGO's Fifth and Virgo's First Science Run

Progenitor scenarios for short gamma-ray bursts (short GRBs) include coalescenses of two neutron stars or a neutron star and black hole, which would necessarily be accompanied by the emission of strong gravitational waves. We present a search for these known gravitational-wave signatures in temporal and directional coincidence with 22 GRBs that had sufficient gravitational-wave data available in multiple instruments during LIGO's fifth science run, S5, and Virgo's first science run, VSR1. We find no statistically significant gravitational-wave candidates within a [ – 5, + 1) s window around the trigger time of any GRB. Using the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney U-test, we find no evidence for an excess of weak gravitational-wave signals in our sample of GRBs. We exclude neutron star-black hole progenitors to a median 90% confidence exclusion distance of 6.7 Mpc