152 research outputs found
Enhanced Sensitivity to the Time Variation of the Fine-Structure Constant and in Diatomic Molecules: A Closer Examination of Silicon Monobromide
Recently it was pointed out that transition frequencies in certain diatomic
molecules have an enhanced sensitivity to variations in the fine-structure
constant and the proton-to-electron mass ratio due to a near
cancellation between the fine-structure and vibrational interval in a ground
electronic multiplet [V.~V.~Flambaum and M.~G.~Kozlov, Phys. Rev. Lett.~{\bf
99}, 150801 (2007)]. One such molecule possessing this favorable quality is
silicon monobromide. Here we take a closer examination of SiBr as a candidate
for detecting variations in and . We analyze the rovibronic
spectrum by employing the most accurate experimental data available in the
literature and perform \emph{ab initio} calculations to determine the precise
dependence of the spectrum on variations in . Furthermore, we calculate
the natural linewidths of the rovibronic levels, which place a fundamental
limit on the accuracy to which variations may be determined.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figure
A Pragmatics-based Model for Narrative Dialogue Generation
We describe a method and a proof of concept which
allow the generation of rich and engaging dialogues
between virtual characters from a formalised plot description. The structure of the dialogue generated borrows from inferential pragmatics, following the Geneva
Model of discourse analysis, in order to provide realistic interaction between characters in the narrative. At
a higher level, this discourse is organised following
heuristics borrowed from narratology theory in order
to elicit emotions linked to dramatic tension and thus
favour narrative engagement. Besides enriching narrative generation systems embedded within simulation applications, our work also has the potential to be adapted
to support engaging interactive dialogues between users
and virtual conversational agents in narrative systems
Hadron Coolers at CERN
To provide efficient deceleration and to produce antiproton beam with the required characteristics two different cooler systems (stochastic and electron) are used in operation on the AD (Antiproton Decelerator) machine. In a near future, an electron cooling system will be used in LEIR (Low Energy Ion Ring) to accumulate ions for LHC. This system will be used for a fast ion beam cooling and stacking. These cooling systems are described
Elliptic logarithms, diophantine approximation and the Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture
Most, if not all, unconditional results towards the abc-conjecture rely
ultimately on classical Baker's method. In this article, we turn our attention
to its elliptic analogue. Using the elliptic Baker's method, we have recently
obtained a new upper bound for the height of the S-integral points on an
elliptic curve. This bound depends on some parameters related to the
Mordell-Weil group of the curve. We deduce here a bound relying on the
conjecture of Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer, involving classical, more manageable
quantities. We then study which abc-type inequality over number fields could be
derived from this elliptic approach.Comment: 20 pages. Some changes, the most important being on Conjecture 3.2,
three references added ([Mas75], [MB90] and [Yu94]) and one reference updated
[BS12]. Accepted in Bull. Brazil. Mat. So
Zero Order Estimates for Analytic Functions
The primary goal of this paper is to provide a general multiplicity estimate.
Our main theorem allows to reduce a proof of multiplicity lemma to the study of
ideals stable under some appropriate transformation of a polynomial ring. In
particular, this result leads to a new link between the theory of polarized
algebraic dynamical systems and transcendental number theory. On the other
hand, it allows to establish an improvement of Nesterenko's conditional result
on solutions of systems of differential equations. We also deduce, under some
condition on stable varieties, the optimal multiplicity estimate in the case of
generalized Mahler's functional equations, previously studied by Mahler,
Nishioka, Topfer and others. Further, analyzing stable ideals we prove the
unconditional optimal result in the case of linear functional systems of
generalized Mahler's type. The latter result generalizes a famous theorem of
Nishioka (1986) previously conjectured by Mahler (1969), and simultaneously it
gives a counterpart in the case of functional systems for an important
unconditional result of Nesterenko (1977) concerning linear differential
systems. In summary, we provide a new universal tool for transcendental number
theory, applicable with fields of any characteristic. It opens the way to new
results on algebraic independence, as shown in Zorin (2010).Comment: 42 page
The AROME-WMED reanalyses of the first special observation period of the Hydrological cycle in the Mediterranean experiment (HyMeX)
To study key processes of the water cycle, two special observation periods (SOPs) of the Hydrological cycle in the Mediterranean experiment (HyMeX) took place during autumn 2012 and winter 2013. The first SOP aimed to study high precipitation systems and flash flooding in the Mediterranean area. The AROME-WMED (western Mediterranean) model (Fourrié et al., 2015) is a dedicated version of the mesoscale Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) AROME-France model, which covers the western Mediterranean basin providing the HyMeX operational center with daily real-time analyses and forecasts. These products allowed for adequate decision-making for the field campaign observation deployment and the instrument operation. Shortly after the end of the campaign, a first reanalysis with more observations was performed with the first SOP operational software. An ensuing comprehensive second reanalysis of the first SOP, which included field research observations (not assimilated in real time) and some reprocessed observation datasets, was made with AROME-WMED. Moreover, a more recent version of the AROME model was used with updated background error statistics for the assimilation process. This paper depicts the main differences between the real-time version and the benefits brought by HyMeX reanalyses with AROME-WMED. The first reanalysis used 9 % additional data and the second one 24 % more compared to the real-time version. The second reanalysis is found to be closer to observations than the previous AROME-WMED analyses. The second reanalysis forecast errors of surface parameters are reduced up to the 18 and 24 h forecast range. In the middle and upper troposphere, fields are also improved up to the 48 h forecast range when compared to radiosondes. Integrated water vapor comparisons indicate a positive benefit for at least 24 h. Precipitation forecasts are found to be improved with the second reanalysis for a threshold up to 10 mm (24 h)-1. For higher thresholds, the frequency bias is degraded. Finally, improvement brought by the second reanalysis is illustrated with the Intensive Observation Period (IOP8) associated with heavy precipitation over eastern Spain and southern France
Madagascar's grasses and grasslands:anthropogenic or natural?
Grasses, by their high productivity even under very low pCO2, their ability to survive repeated burning and to tolerate long dry seasons, have transformed the terrestrial biomes in the Neogene and Quaternary. The expansion of grasslands at the cost of biodiverse forest biomes in Madagascar is often postulated as a consequence of the Holocene settlement of the island by humans. However, we show that the Malagasy grass flora has many indications of being ancient with a long local evolutionary history, much predating the Holocene arrival of humans. First, the level of endemism in the Madagascar grass flora is well above the global average for large islands. Second, a survey of many of the more diverse areas indicates that there is a very high spatial and ecological turnover in the grass flora, indicating a high degree of niche specialization. We also find some evidence that there are both recently disturbed and natural stable grasslands: phylogenetic community assembly indicates that recently severely disturbed grasslands are phylogenetically clustered, whereas more undisturbed grasslands tend to be phylogenetically more evenly distributed. From this evidence, it is likely that grass communities existed in Madagascar long before human arrival and so were determined by climate, natural grazing and other natural factors. Humans introduced zebu cattle farming and increased fire frequency, and may have triggered an expansion of the grasslands. Grasses probably played the same role in the modification of the Malagasy environments as elsewhere in the tropics
Laser Wire Scanner Compton Scattering Techniques for the Measurement of the Transverse Beam Size of Particle Beams at Future Linear Colliders
This archive summarizes a working paper and conference proceedings related to
laser wire scanner development for the Future Linear Collider (FLC) in the
years 2001 to 2006. In particular the design, setup and data taking for the
laser wire experiments at PETRA II and CT2 are described. The material is
focused on the activities undertaken by Royal Holloway University of London
(RHUL).Comment: 61 page
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