Fast and accurate evaluation of Wigner 3j, 6j, and 9j symbols using prime factorisation and multi-word integer arithmetic

We present an efficient implementation for the evaluation of Wigner 3j, 6j, and 9j symbols. These represent numerical transformation coefficients that are used in the quantum theory of angular momentum. They can be expressed as sums and square roots of ratios of integers. The integers can be very large due to factorials. We avoid numerical precision loss due to cancellation through the use of multi-word integer arithmetic for exact accumulation of all sums. A fixed relative accuracy is maintained as the limited number of floating-point operations in the final step only incur rounding errors in the least significant bits. Time spent to evaluate large multi-word integers is in turn reduced by using explicit prime factorisation of the ingoing factorials, thereby improving execution speed. Comparison with existing routines shows the efficiency of our approach and we therefore provide a computer code based on this work.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in SIAM Journal on Scientific Computing (SISC

Building the red sequence through gas-rich major mergers

Understanding the details of how the red sequence is built is a key question in galaxy evolution. What are the relative roles of gas-rich vs. dry mergers, major vs. minor mergers or galaxy mergers vs. gas accretion? In Wild et al. 2009 we compare hydrodynamic simulations with observations to show how gas-rich major mergers result in galaxies with strong post-starburst spectral features, a population of galaxies easily identified in the real Universe using optical spectra. Using spectra from the VVDS deep survey with z~0.7, and a principal component analysis technique to provide indices with high enough SNR, we find that 40% of the mass flux onto the red-sequence could enter through a strong post-starburst phase, and thus through gas-rich major mergers. The deeper samples provided by next generation galaxy redshift surveys will allow us to observe the primary physical processes responsible for the shut-down in starformation and build-up of the red sequence.Comment: 4 pages, 7 figures, proceedings of IAU symposium 262 "Stellar populations, planning for the next decade

Study of pollution in the El Jadida-Safi Atlantic coastal zone (Morocco) by using PIXE and SSNTD methods

In this work PIXE experiments were performed for measuring heavy and light elements (ranging from aluminium to lead) concentrations inside various polluted and unpolluted soils as well as liquid samples collected from different phosphate factory sewers in the El Jadida-Safi Atlantic coastal region (Morocco). In addition, uranium (238U) and thorium (232Th) contents were evaluated in the same samples studied by using CR-39 and LR-115 type II solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs). The influence of the phosphate industry wastes on the concentrations of both radioactive and non-radioactive elements of the samples studied was investigated

Atomic Processes in Planetary Nebulae and H II Regions

Spectroscopic studies of Planetary Nebulae (PNe) and H {\sc ii} regions have driven much development in atomic physics. In the last few years the combination of a generation of powerful observatories, the development of ever more sophisticated spectral modeling codes, and large efforts on mass production of high quality atomic data have led to important progress in our understanding of the atomic spectra of such astronomical objects. In this paper I review such progress, including evaluations of atomic data by comparisons with nebular spectra, detection of spectral lines from most iron-peak elements and n-capture elements, observations of hyperfine emission lines and analysis of isotopic abundances, fluorescent processes, and new techniques for diagnosing physical conditions based on recombination spectra. The review is directed toward atomic physicists and spectroscopists trying to establish the current status of the atomic data and models and to know the main standing issues.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figur

Optimal Topological Test for Degeneracies of Real Hamiltonians

We consider adiabatic transport of eigenstates of real Hamiltonians around loops in parameter space. It is demonstrated that loops that map to nontrivial loops in the space of eigenbases must encircle degeneracies. Examples from Jahn-Teller theory are presented to illustrate the test. We show furthermore that the proposed test is optimal.Comment: Minor corrections, accepted in Phys. Rev. Let

KPZ equation in one dimension and line ensembles

For suitably discretized versions of the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation in one space dimension exact scaling functions are available, amongst them the stationary two-point function. We explain one central piece from the technology through which such results are obtained, namely the method of line ensembles with purely entropic repulsion.Comment: Proceedings STATPHYS22, Bangalore, 200

Large-scale exact diagonalizations reveal low-momentum scales of nuclei

Ab initio methods aim to solve the nuclear many-body problem with controlled approximations. Virtually exact numerical solutions for realistic interactions can only be obtained for certain special cases such as few-nucleon systems. Here we extend the reach of exact diagonalization methods to handle model spaces with dimension exceeding $10^{10}$ on a single compute node. This allows us to perform no-core shell model (NCSM) calculations for 6Li in model spaces up to $N_\mathrm{max} = 22$ and to reveal the 4He+d halo structure of this nucleus. Still, the use of a finite harmonic-oscillator basis implies truncations in both infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) length scales. These truncations impose finite-size corrections on observables computed in this basis. We perform IR extrapolations of energies and radii computed in the NCSM and with the coupled-cluster method at several fixed UV cutoffs. It is shown that this strategy enables information gain also from data that is not fully UV converged. IR extrapolations improve the accuracy of relevant bound-state observables for a range of UV cutoffs, thus making them profitable tools. We relate the momentum scale that governs the exponential IR convergence to the threshold energy for the first open decay channel. Using large-scale NCSM calculations we numerically verify this small-momentum scale of finite nuclei.Comment: Minor revisions.Accepted for publication in Physical Review

Simultaneous readout of two charge qubits

We consider a system of two solid state charge qubits, coupled to a single read-out device, consisting of a single-electron transistor (SET). The conductance of each tunnel junction is influenced by its neighboring qubit, and thus the current through the transistor is determined by the qubits' state. The full counting statistics of the electrons passing the transistor is calculated, and we discuss qubit dephasing, as well as the quantum efficiency of the readout. The current measurement is then compared to readout using real-time detection of the SET island's charge state. For the latter method we show that the quantum efficiency is always unity. Comparing the two methods a simple geometrical interpretation of the quantum efficiency of the current measurement appears. Finally, we note that full quantum efficiency in some cases can be achieved measuring the average charge of the SET island, in addition to the average current.Comment: 11 pages with 5 figure

Experimental f-value and isotopic structure for the Ni I line blended with [OI] at 6300A

We have measured the oscillator strength of the Ni I line at 6300.34 \AA, which is known to be blended with the forbidden [O I] $\lambda$6300 line, used for determination of the oxygen abundance in cool stars. We give also wavelengths of the two isotopic line components of $^{58}$Ni and $^{60}$Ni derived from the asymmetric laboratory line profile. These two line components of Ni I have to be considered when calculating a line profile of the 6300 \AA\ feature observed in stellar and solar spectra. We also discuss the labelling of the energy levels involved in the Ni I line, as level mixing makes the theoretical predictions uncertain.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJLetter