13,099 research outputs found
First-principles phase diagram calculations for the HfC–TiC, ZrC–TiC, and HfC–ZrC solid solutions
We report first-principles phase diagram calculations for the binary systems HfC–TiC, TiC–ZrC, and HfC–ZrC. Formation energies for superstructures of various bulk compositions were computed with a plane-wave pseudopotential method. They in turn were used as a basis for fitting cluster expansion Hamiltonians, both with and without approximations for excess vibrational free energies. Significant miscibility gaps are predicted for the systems TiC–ZrC and HfC–TiC, with consolute temperatures in excess of 2000 K. The HfC–ZrC system is predicted to be completely miscibile down to 185 K. Reductions in consolute temperature due to excess vibrational free energy are estimated to be ~7%, ~20%, and ~0%, for HfC–TiC, TiC–ZrC, and HfC–ZrC, respectively. Predicted miscibility gaps are symmetric for HfC–ZrC, almost symmetric for HfC–TiC and asymmetric for TiC–ZrC
Effects of Vacancies on Properties of Relaxor Ferroelectrics: a First-Principles Study
A first-principles-based model is developed to investigate the influence of
lead vacancies on the properties of relaxor ferroelectric Pb(Sc1/2Nb1/2)O3
(PSN). Lead vacancies generate large, inhomogeneous, electric fields that
reduce barriers between energy minima for different polarization directions.
This naturally explains why relaxors with significant lead vacancy
concentrations have broadened dielectric peaks at lower temperatures, and why
lead vacancies smear properties in the neighborhood of the ferroelectric
transition in PSN. We also reconsider the conventional wisdom that lead
vacancies reduce the magnitude of dielectric response.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figur
3D MHD Modeling of the Gaseous Structure of the Galaxy: Synthetic Observations
We generated synthetic observations from the four-arm model presented in
Gomez & Cox (2004) for the Galactic ISM in the presence of a spiral
gravitational perturbation. We found that velocity crowding and diffusion have
a strong effect in the l-v diagram. The v-b diagram presents structures at the
expected spiral arm velocities, that can be explained by the off-the-plane
structure of the arms presented in previous papers of this series. Such
structures are observed in the Leiden/Dwingeloo HI survey. The rotation curve,
as measured from the inside of the modeled galaxy, shows similarities with the
observed one for the Milky Way Galaxy, although it has large deviations from
the smooth circular rotation corresponding to the background potential. The
magnetic field inferred from a synthetic synchrotron map shows a largely
circular structure, but with interesting deviations in the midplane due to
distortion of the field from circularity in the interarm regions.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. Better quality figures in
http://www.astro.umd.edu/~gomez/publica/3d_galaxy-3.pd
EuroSpine Task Force on Research: support for spine researchers
In recognition of the value of research to the practice of spine care, Federico Balagué and Ferran Pellisé, at the time President and Secretary for EuroSpine, asked Margareta Nordin to set up a Task Force on Research (TFR) for EuroSpine during summer 2011. The concept was to stimulate and facilitate a research community within the society, through two main functions: (1) distribution of EuroSpine funds to researchers; (2) develop and deliver research training/education courses. What has the EuroSpine TFR accomplished since its inception
A search for soft X-ray emission associated with prominent high-velocity-cloud complexes
We correlate the ROSAT 1/4 keV all-sky survey with the Leiden/Dwingeloo HI
survey, looking for soft X-ray signatures of prominent high-velocity-cloud
(HVC) complexes. We study the transfer of 1/4 keV photons through the
interstellar medium in order to distinguish variations in the soft X-ray
background (SXRB) intensity caused by photoelectric absorption effects from
those due to excess X-ray emission. The X-ray data are modelled as a
combination of emission from the Local Hot Bubble (LHB) and emission from a
distant plasma in the galactic halo and extragalactic sources. The X-ray
radiation intensity of the galactic halo and extragalactic X-ray background is
modulated by the photoelectric absorption of the intervening galactic
interstellar matter. We show that large- and small-scale intensity variations
of the 1/4 keV SXRB are caused by photoelectric absorption which is
predominantly traced by the total N(HI) distribution. The extensive coverage of
the two surveys supports evidence for a hot, X-ray emitting corona. We show
that this leads to a good representation of the SXRB observations. For four
large areas on the sky, we search for regions where the modelled and observed
X-ray emission differ. We find that there is excess X-ray emission towards
regions near HVC complexes C, D, and GCN. We suggest that the excess X-ray
emission is positionally correlated with the high-velocity clouds. Some lines
of sight towards HVCs also pass through significant amounts of
intermediate-velocity gas, so we cannot constrain the possible role played by
IVC gas in these directions of HVC and IVC overlap, in determining the X-ray
excesses.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysics main journa
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