3,541 research outputs found
Photo-desorption of H2O:CO:NH3 circumstellar ice analogs: Gas-phase enrichment
We study the photo-desorption occurring in HO:CO:NH ice mixtures
irradiated with monochromatic (550 and 900 eV) and broad band (250--1250 eV)
soft X-rays generated at the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center
(Hsinchu, Taiwan). We detect many masses photo-desorbing, from atomic hydrogen
(m/z = 1) to complex species with m/z = 69 (e.g., CHNO, CHO,
CHN), supporting the enrichment of the gas phase.
At low number of absorbed photons, substrate-mediated exciton-promoted
desorption dominates the photo-desorption yield inducing the release of weakly
bound (to the surface of the ice) species; as the number of weakly bound
species declines, the photo-desorption yield decrease about one order of
magnitude, until porosity effects, reducing the surface/volume ratio, produce a
further drop of the yield.
We derive an upper limit to the CO photo-desorption yield, that in our
experiments varies from 1.4 to 0.007 molecule photon in the range ~absorbed photons cm. We apply these findings to a
protoplanetary disk model irradiated by a central T~Tauri star
Does bundling crop insurance with certified seeds crowd-in investments? Experimental evidence from Kenya
We use a randomised experiment in Kenya to analyse how smallholder farmers respond to receiving a free hybrid crop insurance product, conditional on purchasing certified seeds. We find that farmers increase effort—increasing total investments and taking more land in production. In addition to adopting more certified seeds, they also invest more in complementary inputs such as fertilizer and hired-in farm-machinery and non-farm labour. We find limited evidence of a change in farming intensity. For example, there is no evidence of ‘crowding-out’ of effort or inputs on a per-hectare basis, even if the indemnity-based component of the insurance product potentially gives rise to asymmetric information problems (moral hazard). We also document that ex post willingness to pay for the insurance product has increased for the treatment group. This suggests that learning about the benefits of (subsidized) insurance outweighs any anchoring effects on the zero price during the pilot study
Optical spin injection and spin lifetime in Ge heterostructures
We demonstrate optical orientation in Ge/SiGe quantum wells and study their
spin properties. The ultrafast electron transfer from the center of the
Brillouin zone to its edge allows us to achieve high spin-polarization
efficiencies and to resolve the spin dynamics of holes and electrons. The
circular polarization degree of the direct-gap photoluminescence exceeds the
theoretical bulk limit, yielding ~37% and ~85% for transitions with heavy and
light holes states, respectively. The spin lifetime of holes at the top of the
valence band is found to be ~0.5 ps and it is governed by transitions between
heavy and light hole states. Electrons at the bottom of the conduction band, on
the other hand, have a spin lifetime that exceeds 5 ns below 150 K. Theoretical
analysis of the electrons spin relaxation indicates that phonon-induced
intervalley scattering dictates the spin lifetime.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
Driven lattice glass as a ratchet and pawl machine
Boundary-induced transport in particle systems with anomalous diffusion
exhibits rectification, negative resistance, and hysteresis phenomena depending
on the way the drive acts on the boundary. The solvable case of a 1D system
characterized by a power-law diffusion coefficient and coupled to two particles
reservoirs at different chemical potential is examined. In particular, it is
shown that a microscopic realisation of such a diffusion model is provided by a
3D driven lattice-gas with kinetic constraints, in which energy barriers are
absent and the local microscopic reversibility holds.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, minor change
Filogenesi ed evoluzione nel complesso di Lithospermum s.l. (Boraginaceae – Lithospermeae): uno sguardo globale su base molecolare, morfologica e biogeografica.
Septal ablation versus surgical myomectomy for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy
Patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) who have left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) often experience severe symptoms and functional limitation. Relief of LVOTO can be achieved by two invasive interventions, i.e., surgery myectomy and alcohol septal ablation (ASA), leading in experienced hands to a dramatic improvement in clinical status. Despite extensive research, however, the choice of the best option in individual patients remains challenging and poses numerous clinical dilemmas
Haplotype association analysis of meat quality traits at the bovine PRKAG3 locus
The current study presents the results of a preliminary haplotype association analysis at the bovine PRKAG3 locus with meat quality traits in the Chianina breed. No significant association was shown between haploid haplotypes (or diplotypes) and phenotypical traits after applying a Bonferroni correction for multiple comparison. Nonetheless, data from Longissimus dorsi muscle suggest the presence of a statistically non-significant trend toward an influence of the PRKAG3 haploid haplotypes on meat colour (a*) and water holding capacity (M/T) traits, as confirmed also by diplotype-based association analysis. A less clear set of results was observed for the Triceps brachii and Semitendinosus muscles
Essential nonlinearities in hearing
Our hearing organ, the cochlea, evidently poises itself at a Hopf bifurcation
to maximize tuning and amplification. We show that in this condition several
effects are expected to be generic: compression of the dynamic range,
infinitely shrap tuning at zero input, and generation of combination tones.
These effects are "essentially" nonlinear in that they become more marked the
smaller the forcing: there is no audible sound soft enough not to evoke them.
All the well-documented nonlinear aspects of hearing therefore appear to be
consequences of the same underlying mechanism.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
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