19,096 research outputs found
A quantitative evaluation of metallic conduction in conjugated polymers
As the periodicity in crystalline materials creates the optimal condition for
electronic delocalization, one might expect that in partially crystalline
conjugated polymers delocalization is impeded by intergrain transport. However,
for the best conducting polymers this presumption fails. Delocalization is
obstructed by interchain rather than intergrain charge transfer and we propose
a model of weakly coupled disordered chains to describe the physics near the
metal-insulator transition. Our quantitative calculations match the outcome of
recent broad-band optical experiments and provide a consistent explanation of
metallic conduction in polymers.Comment: 4 pages incl. 3 figure
Magnetic Field Structure around Low-Mass Class 0 Protostars: B335, L1527 and IC348-SMM2
We report new 350 micron polarization observations of the thermal dust
emission from the cores surrounding the low-mass, Class 0 YSOs L1527,
IC348-SMM2 and B335. We have inferred magnetic field directions from these
observations, and have used them together with results in the literature to
determine whether magnetically regulated core-collapse and star-formation
models are consistent with the observations. These models predict a pseudo-disk
with its symmetry axis aligned with the core magnetic field. The models also
predict a magnetic field pinch structure on a scale less than or comparable to
the infall radii for these sources. In addition, if the core magnetic field
aligns (or nearly aligns) the core rotation axis with the magnetic field before
core collapse, then the models predict the alignment (or near alignment) of the
overall pinch field structure with the bipolar outflows in these sources. We
show that if one includes the distorting effects of bipolar outflows on
magnetic fields, then in general the observational results for L1527 and
IC348-SMM2 are consistent with these magnetically regulated models. We can say
the same for B335 only if we assume the distorting effects of the bipolar
outflow on the magnetic fields within the B335 core are much greater than for
L1527 and IC348-SMM2. We show that the energy densities of the outflows in all
three sources are large enough to distort the magnetic fields predicted by
magnetically regulated models.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa
Direct observation of domain wall structures in curved permalloy wires containing an antinotch
The formation and field response of head-to-head domain walls in curved permalloy wires, fabricated to contain a single antinotch, have been investigated using Lorentz microscopy. High spatial resolution maps of the vector induction distribution in domain walls close to the antinotch have been derived and compared with micromagnetic simulations. In wires of 10 nm thickness the walls are typically of a modified asymmetric transverse wall type. Their response to applied fields tangential to the wire at the antinotch location was studied. The way the wall structure changes depends on whether the field moves the wall away from or further into the notch. Higher fields are needed and much more distorted wall structures are observed in the latter case, indicating that the antinotch acts as an energy barrier for the domain wal
Pinwheel stabilization by ocular dominance segregation
We present an analytical approach for studying the coupled development of
ocular dominance and orientation preference columns. Using this approach we
demonstrate that ocular dominance segregation can induce the stabilization and
even the production of pinwheels by their crystallization in two types of
periodic lattices. Pinwheel crystallization depends on the overall dominance of
one eye over the other, a condition that is fulfilled during early cortical
development. Increasing the strength of inter-map coupling induces a transition
from pinwheel-free stripe solutions to intermediate and high pinwheel density
states.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure
The Redshift Distribution of the TOUGH Survey
We present the redshift results from a Very Large Telescope program aimed at
optimizing the legacy value of the Swift mission: to characterize a
homogeneous, X-ray selected, sample of 69 GRB host galaxies. 19 new redshifts
have been secured, resulting in a 83% (57/69) redshift completion, making the
survey the most comprehensive in terms of redshift completeness of any sample
to the full Swift depth, available to date. We present the cumulative redshift
distribution and derive a conservative, yet small, associated uncertainty. We
constrain the fraction of Swift GRBs at high redshift to a maximum of 10% (5%)
for z > 6 (z > 7). The mean redshift of the host sample is assessed to be >
2.2. Using this more complete sample, we confirm previous findings that the GRB
rate at high redshift (z > 3) appears to be in excess of predictions based on
assumptions that it should follow conventional determinations of the star
formation history of the universe, combined with an estimate of its likely
metallicity dependence. This suggests that either star formation at high
redshifts has been significantly underestimated, for example due to a dominant
contribution from faint, undetected galaxies, or that GRB production is
enhanced in the conditions of early star formation, beyond those usually
ascribed to lower metallicity.Comment: 7th Huntsville Gamma-Ray Burst Symposium, GRB 2013: paper 34 in eConf
Proceedings C130414
Using the <i>aa</i> index over the last 14 solar cycles to characterize extreme geomagnetic activity
Geomagnetic indices are routinely used to characterize space weather event intensity. The DST index is well resolved, but is only available over 5 solar cycles. The aa index extends over 14 cycles but is highly discretized with poorly resolved extremes. We parameterize extreme aa activity by the annual averaged top few % of observed values, show these are exponentially distributed and they track annual DST index minima. This gives a 14 cycle average of ~ 4% chance of at least one great (DST nT) storm and ~ 28% chance of at least one severe (DST nT) storm per year. At least one DST=‐809 [‐663,‐955] nT event in a given year would be a 1:151 year event. Carrington event estimate DST ~ ‐850 nT is within the same distribution as other extreme activity seen in aa since 1868 so that its likelihood can be deduced from that of more moderate events. Events with DST ≲ ‐1000 nT are in a distinct class, requiring special conditions
MST Resistive Wall Tearing Mode Simulations
The Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) is a toroidal device that, when operated as
a tokamak, is resistant to disruptions. Unlike most tokamaks, the MST plasma is
surrounded by a close fitting highly conducting wall, with a resistive wall
penetration time two orders of magnitude longer than in JET or DIII-D, and
three times longer than in ITER. The MST can operate with edge q_a < 2, unlike
standard tokamaks. Simulations presented here indicate that the MST is unstable
to resistive wall tearing modes (RWTMs) and resistive wall modes (RWMs). They
could in principle cause disruptions, but the predicted thermal quench time is
much longer than the experimental pulse time. If the MST thermal quench time
were comparable to measurements in JET and DIII-D, theory and simulations
predict that disruptions would have been observed in MST. This is consistent
with the modeling herein, predicting that disruptions are caused by RWTMs and
RWMs. In the low q_a regime of MST, the RWTM asymptotically satisfies the RWM
dispersion relation. The transition from RWTM to RWM occurs smoothly at q_a =
m/n, where m,n are poloidal and toroidal mode numbers
The statistics of particle velocities in dense granular flows
We present measurements of the particle velocity distribution in the flow of
granular material through vertical channels. Our study is confined to dense,
slow flows where the material shears like a fluid only in thin layers adjacent
to the walls, while a large core moves without continuous deformation, like a
solid. We find the velocity distribution to be non-Gaussian, anisotropic, and
to follow a power law at large velocities. Remarkably, the distribution is
identical in the fluid-like and solid-like regions. The velocity variance is
maximum at the core, defying predictions of hydrodynamic theories. We show
evidence of spatially correlated motion, and propose a mechanism for the
generation of fluctuational motion in the absence of shear.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev. Let
Self-similar signature of the active solar corona within the inertial range of solar-wind turbulence
We quantify the scaling of magnetic energy density in the inertial range of solar-wind turbulence seen
in situ at 1 AU with respect to solar activity. At solar maximum, when the coronal magnetic field is
dynamic and topologically complex, we find self-similar scaling in the solar wind, whereas at solar
minimum, when the coronal fields are more ordered, we find multifractality. This quantifies the solar-wind
signature that is of direct coronal origin and distinguishes it from that of local MHD turbulence, with
quantitative implications for coronal heating of the solar wind
Lattice Boltzmann Model for Axisymmetric Multiphase Flows
In this paper, a lattice Boltzmann (LB) model is presented for axisymmetric
multiphase flows. Source terms are added to a two-dimensional standard lattice
Boltzmann equation (LBE) for multiphase flows such that the emergent dynamics
can be transformed into the axisymmetric cylindrical coordinate system. The
source terms are temporally and spatially dependent and represent the
axisymmetric contribution of the order parameter of fluid phases and inertial,
viscous and surface tension forces. A model which is effectively explicit and
second order is obtained. This is achieved by taking into account the discrete
lattice effects in the Chapman-Enskog multiscale analysis, so that the
macroscopic axisymmetric mass and momentum equations for multiphase flows are
recovered self-consistently. The model is extended to incorporate reduced
compressibility effects. Axisymmetric equilibrium drop formation and
oscillations, breakup and formation of satellite droplets from viscous liquid
cylindrical jets through Rayleigh capillary instability and drop collisions are
presented. Comparisons of the computed results with available data show
satisfactory agreement.Comment: 17 pages, 11 figures, to be published in Physical Review
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