1,276 research outputs found
Variations of radiocarbon in tree rings: southern hemisphere offset preliminary results
The Queen's University of Belfast, Northern Ireland and University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand radiocarbon laboratories have undertaken a series of high-precision measurements on decadal samples of dendrochronologically dated oak (Quercus patrea) and cedar (Libocedrus bidwillii) from Great Britain and New Zealand, respectively. The results show a real atmospheric offset of 3.4 ± 0.6% (27.2 ± 4.7 ÂčâŽC yr) between the two locations for the interval AD 1725 to AD 1885, with the Southern Hemisphere being depleted in ÂčâŽC. This result is less than the value currently used to correct Southern Hemisphere calibrations, possibly indicating a gradient in ÎÂčâŽC within the Southern Hemisphere
High-Temperature Properties of the Z(3) Interface in (2+1)-D SU(3) Gauge Theory
We study the high-temperature properties of the Z(3) interface which forms
between the various ordered phases of pure SU(3) gauge theory above a critical
temperature. On a (2+1)-D Euclidean lattice, we perform an accurate measurement
of the interface tension, which shows good agreement with the prediction of
perturbation theory. We also examine the behaviour of the Debye electric
screening mass, and compare this with theoretical predictions.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, uuencoded gzipped tar fil
Critical properties of the Z(3) interface in (2+1)-D SU(3) gauge theory
We study the interface between two different Z(3) vacua in the deconfined
phase of SU(3) pure gauge theory in 2+1 dimensions just above the critical
temperature. In simulations of the Euclidean lattice gauge theory formulation
of the system we measure the fluctuations of the interface as the critical
temperature is approached and as a function of system size. We show that the
intrinsic width of the interface remains small even very close to the critical
temperature. Some dynamical exponents which govern the interaction of the
interface with our Monte Carlo algorithm are also estimated. We conclude that
the Z(3) interface has properties broadly similar to those in many other
comparable statistical mechanical systems.Comment: 26 pages, LaTex with 16 postscript figure
Langevin Simulation of Thermally Activated Magnetization Reversal in Nanoscale Pillars
Numerical solutions of the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert micromagnetic model
incorporating thermal fluctuations and dipole-dipole interactions (calculated
by the Fast Multipole Method) are presented for systems composed of nanoscale
iron pillars of dimension 9 nm x 9 nm x 150 nm. Hysteresis loops generated
under sinusoidally varying fields are obtained, while the coercive field is
estimated to be 1979 14 Oe using linear field sweeps at T=0 K. Thermal
effects are essential to the relaxation of magnetization trapped in a
metastable orientation, such as happens after a rapid reversal of an external
magnetic field less than the coercive value. The distribution of switching
times is compared to a simple analytic theory that describes reversal with
nucleation at the ends of the nanomagnets. Results are also presented for
arrays of nanomagnets oriented perpendicular to a flat substrate. Even at a
separation of 300 nm, where the field from neighboring pillars is only 1
Oe, the interactions have a significant effect on the switching of the magnets.Comment: 19 pages RevTeX, including 12 figures, clarified discussion of
numerical technique
The UK risk assessment scheme for all non-native species
1. A pest risk assessment scheme, adapted from the EPPO (European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation) scheme, was developed to assess the risks posed to UK species, habitats and ecosystems by non-native taxa.
2. The scheme provides a structured framework for evaluating the potential for non-native organisms, whether intentional or unintentional introductions, to enter, establish, spread and cause significant impacts in all or part of the UK. Specialist modules permit the relative importance of entry pathways, the vulnerability of receptors and the consequences of policies to be assessed and appropriate risk management options to be selected. Spreadsheets for summarising the level of risk and uncertainty, invasive attributes and economic impact were created. In addition, new methods for quantifying economic impact and summarising risk and uncertainty were explored.
3. Although designed for the UK, the scheme can readily be applied elsewhere
The ARTEMIS simulations: stellar haloes of Milky Way-mass galaxies
We introduce the Assembly of high-ResoluTion Eagle-simulations of MIlky Way-type galaxieS (ARTEMIS) simulations, a new set of 42 zoomed-in, high-resolution (baryon particle mass of â2Ă104Mâhâ1â ), hydrodynamical simulations of galaxies residing in haloes of Milky Way mass, simulated with the EAGLE galaxy formation code with re-calibrated stellar feedback. In this study, we analyse the structure of stellar haloes, specifically the mass density, surface brightness, metallicity, colour, and age radial profiles, finding generally very good agreement with recent observations of local galaxies. The stellar density profiles are well fitted by broken power laws, with inner slopes of ââ3, outer slopes of ââ4, and break radii that are typically â20â40 kpc. The break radii generally mark the transition between in situ formation and accretion-driven formation of the halo. The metallicity, colour, and age profiles show mild large-scale gradients, particularly when spherically averaged or viewed along the major axes. Along the minor axes, however, the profiles are nearly flat, in agreement with observations. Overall, the structural properties can be understood by two factors: that in situ stars dominate the inner regions and that they reside in a spatially flattened distribution that is aligned with the disc. Observations targeting both the major and minor axes of galaxies are thus required to obtain a complete picture of stellar haloes
Low field vortex matter in YBCO: an atomic beam magnetic resonance study
We report measurements of the low field structure of the magnetic vortex
lattice in an untwinned YBCO single-crystal platelet. Measurements were carried
out using a novel atomic beam magnetic resonance (ABMR) technique. For a 10.7 G
field applied parallel to the c-axis of the sample, we find a triangular
lattice with orientational order extending across the entire sample. We find
the triangular lattice to be weakly distorted by the a-b anisotropy of the
material and measure a distortion factor, f = 1.16. Model-experiment
comparisons determine a penetration depth, lambda_ab = 140 (+-20) nm. The paper
includes the first detailed description of the ABMR technique. We discuss both
technical details of the experiment and the modeling used to interpret the
measurements.Comment: 44 pages, 13 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. B Revision includes
Postscript wrapped figures + minor typo
Lepton Flavor Violating Z Decays in the Zee Model
We calculate lepton flavor violating (LFV) Z decays Z \to {{e_i^\pm}}e_j^\mp
(i, j = e, \mu, \tau ; i\neq j) in the Zee model keeping in view the radiative
leptonic decays e_i\to e_j\gamma (i = \mu, \tau ; j = e, \mu ; i\neq j), \mu
decay and anomalous muon magnetic moment (\mu AMM). We investigate three
different cases of Zee f_{ij} coupling (A) f_{e\mu}^2 = f_{\mu\tau}^2= f_{\tau
e}^2, (B) f_{e\mu}^2 \gg f_{\tau e}^2 \gg f_{\mu\tau}^2, and (C) f_{\mu\tau}^2
\gg f_{e\mu}^2 \gg f_{\tau e}^2 subject to the neutrino phenomenology.
Interestingly, we find that, although the case (C) satisfies the large excess
value of \mu AMM, however, it is unable to explain the solar neutrino
experimental result, whereas the case (B) satisfies the bi-maximal neutrino
mixing scenario, but confronts with the result of \mu AMM experiment. We also
find that among all the three cases, only the case (C) gives rise to largest
contribution to the ratio B(Z\to e^\pm\tau^\mp)/B(Z\to \mu^\pm \mu^\mp) \simeq
{10}^{-8} which is still two order less than the accessible value to be probed
by the future linear colliders, whereas for the other two cases, this ratio is
too low to be observed even in the near future for all possible LFV Z decay
modes.Comment: 12 pages, RevTex, 2 figures, 3 Tables, typos corrected, reference
added, version to appear in Phys. Rev.
Supernova neutrino oscillations: A simple analytical approach
Analyses of observable supernova neutrino oscillation effects require the
calculation of the electron (anti)neutrino survival probability P_ee along a
given supernova matter density profile. We propose a simple analytical
prescription for P_ee, based on a double-exponential form for the crossing
probability and on the concept of maximum violation of adiabaticity. In the
case of two-flavor transitions, the prescription is shown to reproduce
accurately, in the whole neutrino oscillation parameter space, the results of
exact numerical calculations for generic (realistic or power-law) profiles. The
analytical approach is then generalized to cover three-flavor transitions with
(direct or inverse) mass spectrum hierarchy, and to incorporate Earth matter
effects. Compact analytical expressions, explicitly showing the symmetry
properties of P_ee, are provided for practical calculations.Comment: 22 pages (RevTeX) + 5 figures (PostScript
Usability Challenges in Smartphone Web Access: A Systematic Literature Review
Part 8: International Workshop on Information Engineering and ManagementInternational audienceSystematic literature reviews facilitate methodical understanding of current advances in a field. With the increasing popularity of smartphones, they have become an important means to access the web. Although the literature on this topic is growing in recent times, there has been no effort yet to systematically review it. This paper reports on a systematic literature review of primary studies from 2007 to 2012 that concern mobile web usability. We identify the usability dimensions tested and the testing procedures adopted in the literature. We anticipate that our work will not only help researchers understand the current state of usability testing of mobile web but also identify the areas where further research is needed in addressing the challenges identified
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