23,239 research outputs found
On the measurement of frequency and of its sample variance with high-resolution counters
A frequency counter measures the input frequency averaged over a
suitable time , versus the reference clock. High resolution is achieved
by interpolating the clock signal. Further increased resolution is obtained by
averaging multiple frequency measurements highly overlapped. In the presence of
additive white noise or white phase noise, the square uncertainty improves from
to .
Surprisingly, when a file of contiguous data is fed into the formula of the
two-sample (Allan) variance
of
the fractional frequency fluctuation , the result is the \emph{modified}
Allan variance mod . But if a sufficient number of contiguous
measures are averaged in order to get a longer and the data are fed into
the same formula, the results is the (non-modified) Allan variance. Of course
interpretation mistakes are around the corner if the counter internal process
is not well understood.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, 1 table, 18 reference
Disrupting the wall accumulation of human sperm cells by artificial corrugation
Many self-propelled microorganisms are attracted to surfaces. This makes
their dynamics in restricted geometries very different from that observed in
the bulk. Swimming along walls is beneficial for directing and sorting cells,
but may be detrimental if homogeneous populations are desired, such as in
counting microchambers. In this work, we characterize the motion of human sperm
cells long, strongly confined to shallow chambers. We
investigate the nature of the cell trajectories between the confining surfaces
and their accumulation near the borders. Observed cell trajectories are
composed of a succession of quasi-circular and quasi-linear segments. This
suggests that the cells follow a path of intermittent trappings near the top
and bottom surfaces separated by stretches of quasi-free motion in between the
two surfaces, as confirmed by depth resolved confocal microscopy studies. We
show that the introduction of artificial petal-shaped corrugation in the
lateral boundaries removes the tendency of cells to accumulate near the
borders, an effect which we hypothesize may be valuable for microfluidic
applications in biomedicine.Comment: 9 pages, latex. In accepted version on April 14, v2: abstract
modified, information added to Sec. II.A and experiments added to Sec. III.A
and Fig.3. Sec. III.C was deleted. Requested references adde
Surprisingly different star-spot distributions on the near equal-mass equal-rotation-rate stars in the M dwarf binary GJ 65 AB
We aim to understand how stellar parameters such as mass and rotation impact the distribution of star-spots on the stellar surface. To this purpose, we have used Doppler imaging to reconstruct the surface brightness distributions of three fully convective M dwarfs with similar rotation rates. We secured high cadence spectral time series observations of the 5.5 au separation binary GJ 65, comprising GJ 65A (M5.5V, Prot = 0.24 d) and GJ 65B (M6V, Prot = 0.23 d). We also present new observations of GJ 791.2A (M4.5V, Prot = 0.31 d). Observations of each star were made on two nights with UVES, covering a wavelength range from 0.64 - 1.03μm. The time series spectra reveal multiple line distortions that we interpret as cool star-spots and which are persistent on both nights suggesting stability on the time-scale of 3 d. Spots are recovered with resolutions down to 8.3° at the equator. The global spot distributions for GJ 791.2A are similar to observations made a year earlier. Similar high latitude and circumpolar spot structure is seen on GJ 791.2A and GJ 65A. However, they are surprisingly absent on GJ 65B, which instead reveals more extensive, larger, spots concentrated at intermediate latitudes. All three stars show small amplitude latitude-dependent rotation that is consistent with solid body rotation. We compare our measurements of differential rotation with previous Doppler imaging studies and discuss the results in the wider context of other observational estimates and recent theoretical predictions
Stochastic models for atomic clocks
For the atomic clocks used in the National Bureau of Standards Time Scales, an adequate model is the superposition of white FM, random walk FM, and linear frequency drift for times longer than about one minute. The model was tested on several clocks using maximum likelihood techniques for parameter estimation and the residuals were acceptably random. Conventional diagnostics indicate that additional model elements contribute no significant improvement to the model even at the expense of the added model complexity
Guided random walk calculation of energies and <\sq {r^2} > values of the state of H_2 in a magnetic field
Energies and spatial observables for the state of the hydrogen
molecule in magnetic fields parallel to the proton-proton axis are calculated
with a guided random walk Feynman-Kac algorithm. We demonstrate that the
accuracy of the results and the simplicity of the method may prove it a viable
alternative to large basis set expansions for small molecules in applied
fields.Comment: 10 pages, no figure
Effective chiral-spin Hamiltonian for odd-numbered coupled Heisenberg chains
An system of odd number of coupled Heisenberg spin chains
is studied using a degenerate perturbation theory, where is the number of
coupled chains. An effective chain Hamiltonian is derived explicitly in terms
of two spin half degrees of freedom of a closed chain of sites, valid in
the regime the inter-chain coupling is stronger than the intra-chain coupling.
The spin gap has been calculated numerically using the effective Hamiltonian
for for a finite chain up to ten sites. It is suggested that the
ground state of the effective Hamiltonian is correlated, by examining
variational states for the effective chiral-spin chain Hamiltonian.Comment: 9 Pages, Latex, report ICTP-94-28
Magic Numbers for the Photoelectron Anisotropy in Li-Doped Dimethyl Ether Clusters
Photoelectron velocity map imaging of Li(CHOCH) clusters (1
n 175) is used to search for magic numbers related to the
photoelectron anisotropy. Comparison with density functional calculations
reveals magic numbers at n=4, 5, and 6, resulting from the symmetric charge
distribution with high s-character of the highest occupied molecular orbital.
Since each of these three cluster sizes correspond to the completion of a first
coordination shell, they can be considered as 'isomeric motifs of the first
coordination shell'. Differences in the photoelectron anisotropy, the vertical
ionization energies and the enthalpies of vaporization between
Li(CHOCH) and Na(CHOCH) can be rationalized in terms of
differences in their solvation shells, atomic ionization energies,
polarizabilities, metal-oxygen bonds, ligand-ligand interactions, and by
cooperative effects
The use of ICT in the assessment of modern languages: the English context and European viewpoints
The ever increasing explosion of highly attractive multimedia resources on offer has boosted the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in the teaching and learning of modern languages. The use of ICT to assess languages is less frequent, however, although online testing is starting to develop. This paper examines the national context for the assessment of modern foreign language proficiency in England, outlines the kinds of assessment currently available and the development of electronic forms of assessment and compares the above with the survey results of a European Union (EU) funded project on current good practice in online assessment of languages in other European countries. The findings indicate that speaking is inadequately served by online testing as tests currently focus primarily on receptive language skills. The implications for future successful online testing include the incorporation of interactive skills and effective formative feedback
Ages for illustrative field stars using gyrochronology: viability, limitations and errors
We here develop an improved way of using a rotating star as a clock, set it
using the Sun, and demonstrate that it keeps time well. This technique, called
gyrochronology, permits the derivation of ages for solar- and late-type main
sequence stars using only their rotation periods and colors. The technique is
clarified and developed here, and used to derive ages for illustrative groups
of nearby, late-type field stars with measured rotation periods. We first
demonstrate the reality of the interface sequence, the unifying feature of the
rotational observations of cluster and field stars that makes the technique
possible, and extends it beyond the proposal of Skumanich by specifying the
mass dependence of rotation for these stars. We delineate which stars it cannot
currently be used on. We then calibrate the age dependence using the Sun. The
errors are propagated to understand their dependence on color and period.
Representative age errors associated with the technique are estimated at ~15%
(plus possible systematic errors) for late-F, G, K, & early-M stars. Ages
derived via gyrochronology for the Mt. Wilson stars are shown to be in good
agreement with chromospheric ages for all but the bluest stars, and probably
superior. Gyro ages are then calculated for each of the active main sequence
field stars studied by Strassmeier and collaborators where other ages are not
available. These are shown to be mostly younger than 1Gyr, with a median age of
365Myr. The sample of single, late-type main sequence field stars assembled by
Pizzolato and collaborators is then assessed, and shown to have gyro ages
ranging from under 100Myr to several Gyr, and a median age of 1.2Gyr. Finally,
we demonstrate that the individual components of the three wide binaries
XiBooAB, 61CygAB, & AlphaCenAB yield substantially the same gyro ages.Comment: 58 pages, 18 color figures, accepted for publication in The
Astrophysical Journal; Age uncertainties slightly modified upon correcting an
algebraic error in Section
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