49,775 research outputs found
What measurable zero point fluctuations can(not) tell us about dark energy
We show that laboratory experiments cannot measure the absolute value of dark
energy. All known experiments rely on electromagnetic interactions. They are
thus insensitive to particles and fields that interact only weakly with
ordinary matter. In addition, Josephson junction experiments only measure
differences in vacuum energy similar to Casimir force measurements. Gravity,
however, couples to the absolute value. Finally we note that Casimir force
measurements have tested zero point fluctuations up to energies of ~10 eV, well
above the dark energy scale of ~0.01 eV. Hence, the proposed cut-off in the
fluctuation spectrum is ruled out experimentally.Comment: 4 page
Designers manual for circuit design by analog/digital techniques Final report
Manual for designing circuits by hybrid compute
Unusual magnetic fields in the interacting spiral NGC 3627
By observing the interacting galaxy NGC 3627 in radio polarization we try to
answer the question to which degree the magnetic field follows the galactic gas
flows. We obtained total power and polarized intensity maps at 8.46 GHz and
4.85 GHz using the VLA in its compact D-configuration. In order to overcome the
zero-spacing problems, the interferometric data were combined with single-dish
measurements obtained with the Effelsberg 100-m radio telescope. The observed
magnetic field structure in NGC 3627 suggests that two field components are
superposed. One component smoothly fills the interarm space and shows up also
in the outermost disk regions, the other component follows a symmetric S-shaped
structure. In the western disk the latter component is well aligned with an
optical dust lane, following a bend which is possibly caused by external
interactions. However, in the SE disk the magnetic field crosses a heavy dust
lane segment, apparently being insensitive to strong density-wave effects. We
suggest that the magnetic field is decoupled from the gas by high turbulent
diffusion, in agreement with the large \ion{H}{i} line width in this region. We
discuss in detail the possible influence of compression effects and
non-axisymmetric gas flows on the general magnetic field asymmetries in NGC
3627. On the basis of the Faraday rotation distribution we also suggest the
existence of a large ionized halo around this galaxy.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figure
The population of deformed bands in Cr by emission of Be from the S + Mg reaction
Using particle- coincidences we have studied the population of final
states after the emission of 2 -particles and of Be in nuclei
formed in S+Mg reactions at an energy of . The data were obtained in a setup
consisting of the GASP -ray detection array and the multidetector array
ISIS. Particle identification is obtained from the E and E signals of
the ISIS silicon detector telescopes, the Be being identified by the
instantaneous pile up of the E and E pulses. -ray decays of the
Cr nucleus are identified with coincidences set on 2 -particles
and on Be. Some transitions of the side-band with show
stronger population for Be emission relative to that of 2
-particles (by a factor ). This observation is interpreted as
due to an enhanced emission of Be into a more deformed nucleus.
Calculations based on the extended Hauser-Feshbach compound decay formalism
confirm this observation quantitatively.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures accepted for publication in J. Phys.
Near-infrared spectropolarimetry of a delta-spot
Sunspots harboring umbrae of both magnetic polarities within a common
penumbra (delta-spots) are often but not always related to flares. We present
first near-infrared (NIR) observations (Fe I 1078.3 nm and Si I 1078.6 nm
spectra) obtained with the Tenerife Infrared Polarimeter (TIP) at the Vacuum
Tower Telescope (VTT) in Tenerife on 2012 June 17, which afford accurate and
sensitive diagnostics to scrutinize the complex fields along the magnetic
neutral line of a delta-spot within active region NOAA 11504. We examine the
vector magnetic field, line-of-sight (LOS) velocities, and horizontal proper
motions of this rather inactive delta-spot. We find a smooth transition of the
magnetic vector field from the main umbra to that of opposite polarity
(delta-umbra), but a discontinuity of the horizontal magnetic field at some
distance from the delta-umbra on the polarity inversion line. The magnetic
field decreases faster with height by a factor of two above the delta-umbra.
The latter is surrounded by its own Evershed flow. The Evershed flow coming
from the main umbra ends at a line dividing the spot into two parts. This line
is marked by the occurrence of central emission in the Ca II 854.2 nm line.
Along this line, high chromospheric LOS-velocities of both signs appear. We
detect a shear flow within the horizontal flux transport velocities parallel to
the dividing line.Comment: 4 pages, will appear as Letter in Astronomy & Astrophysic
The Infrared Nucleus of the Wolf-Rayet Galaxy Henize 2-10
We have obtained near-infrared images and mid-infrared spectra of the
starburst core of the dwarf Wolf-Rayet galaxy He 2-10. We find that the
infrared continuum and emission lines are concentrated in a flattened ellipse
3-4'' or 150 pc across which may show where a recent accretion event has
triggered intense star formation. The ionizing radiation from this cluster has
an effective temperature of 40,000 K, corresponding to stars, and
the starburst is years old.Comment: 17 pages Latex, 7 postscript figures, 1 postscript table, accepted to
A
Lagrangian acceleration statistics in turbulent flows
We show that the probability densities af accelerations of Lagrangian test
particles in turbulent flows as measured by Bodenschatz et al. [Nature 409,
1017 (2001)] are in excellent agreement with the predictions of a stochastic
model introduced in [C. Beck, PRL 87, 180601 (2001)] if the fluctuating
friction parameter is assumed to be log-normally distributed. In a generalized
statistical mechanics setting, this corresponds to a superstatistics of
log-normal type. We analytically evaluate all hyperflatnes factors for this
model and obtain a flatness prediction in good agreement with the experimental
data. There is also good agreement with DNS data of Gotoh et al. We relate the
model to a generalized Sawford model with fluctuating parameters, and discuss a
possible universality of the small-scale statistics.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figure
Spin lifetimes and strain-controlled spin precession of drifting electrons in zinc blende type semiconductors
We study the transport of spin polarized electrons in n-GaAs using spatially
resolved continuous wave Faraday rotation. From the measured steady state
distribution, we determine spin relaxation times under drift conditions and, in
the presence of strain, the induced spin splitting from the observed spin
precession. Controlled variation of strain along [110] allows us to deduce the
deformation potential causing this effect, while strain along [100] has no
effect. The electric field dependence of the spin lifetime is explained
quantitatively in terms of an increase of the electron temperature.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure
Dense Molecular Filaments Feeding a Starburst: ALMA Maps of CO(3-2) in Henize 2-10
We present ALMA CO(3-2) observations at 0.3 arcsec resolution of He2-10, a
starburst dwarf galaxy and possible high-z galaxy analogue. The warm dense gas
traced by CO(3--2) is found in clumpy filaments that are kinematically and
spatially distinct. The filaments have no preferred orientation or direction;
this may indicate that the galaxy is not evolving into a disk galaxy. Filaments
appear to be feeding the active starburst; the velocity field in one filament
suggests acceleration onto an embedded star cluster. The relative strengths of
CO(3-2) and radio continuum vary strongly on decaparsec scales in the
starburst. There is no CO(3--2) clump coincident with the non-thermal radio
source that has been suggested to be an AGN, nor unusual kinematics.
The kinematics of the molecular gas show significant activity apparently
unrelated to the current starburst. The longest filament, east of the
starburst, has a pronounced shear of FWHM ~\kms\ across its 50~pc
width over its entire kpc length. The cause of the shear is not
clear. This filament is close in projection to a `dynamically distinct' CO
feature previously seen in CO(1--0). The most complex region and the most
highly disturbed gas velocities are in a region 200~pc south of the starburst.
The CO(3--2) emission there reveals a molecular outflow, of linewidth FWZI
120-140 \kms, requiring an energy . There is
at present {\it no} candidate for the driving source of this outflow.Comment: This was revised 31 October to correct some typos and to replace
Figure
Synthetic X-ray and radio maps for two different models of Stephan's Quintet
We present simulations of the compact galaxy group Stephan's Quintet (SQ)
including magnetic fields, performed with the N-body/smoothed particle
hydrodynamics (SPH) code \textsc{Gadget}. The simulations include radiative
cooling, star formation and supernova feedback. Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) is
implemented using the standard smoothed particle magnetohydrodynamics (SPMHD)
method. We adapt two different initial models for SQ based on Renaud et al. and
Hwang et al., both including four galaxies (NGC 7319, NGC 7320c, NGC 7318a and
NGC 7318b). Additionally, the galaxies are embedded in a magnetized, low
density intergalactic medium (IGM). The ambient IGM has an initial magnetic
field of G and the four progenitor discs have initial magnetic fields
of G. We investigate the morphology, regions of star
formation, temperature, X-ray emission, magnetic field structure and radio
emission within the two different SQ models. In general, the enhancement and
propagation of the studied gaseous properties (temperature, X-ray emission,
magnetic field strength and synchrotron intensity) is more efficient for the SQ
model based on Renaud et al., whose galaxies are more massive, whereas the less
massive SQ model based on Hwang et al. shows generally similar effects but with
smaller efficiency. We show that the large shock found in observations of SQ is
most likely the result of a collision of the galaxy NGC 7318b with the IGM.
This large group-wide shock is clearly visible in the X-ray emission and
synchrotron intensity within the simulations of both SQ models. The order of
magnitude of the observed synchrotron emission within the shock front is
slightly better reproduced by the SQ model based on Renaud et al., whereas the
distribution and structure of the synchrotron emission is better reproduced by
the SQ model based on Hwang et al..Comment: 20 pages, 15 figures, accepted to MNRA
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