5,836 research outputs found
Creep Evaluation of (Orthotic) Cast Materials During Simulated Clubfoot Correction
The Ponseti method is a widely accepted and highly successful conservative treatment of pediatric clubfoot that relies on weekly manipulations and cast applications. However, the material behavior of the cast in the Ponseti technique has not been investigated. The current study sought to characterize the ability of two standard casting materials to maintain the Ponseti corrected foot position by evaluating creep response. A dynamic cast testing device (DCTD) was built to simulate a typical pediatric clubfoot. Semi-rigid fiberglass and rigid fiberglass casting materials were applied to the device, and the rotational creep was measured at various constant torques. The movement was measured using a 3D motion capture system. A 2-way ANOVA was performed on the creep displacement data at a significance level of 0.05. Among cast materials, the rotational creep displacement was found to be significantly different (p-values âȘ 0.001). The most creep displacement occurs in the semi-rigid fiberglass (approximately 1.0 degrees), then the rigid fiberglass (approximately 0.4 degrees). There was no effect of torque magnitude on the creep displacement. All materials maintained the corrected position with minimal change in position over time
Super-poissonian photon statistics and correlations between pump and probe fields in Electromagnetically Induced Transparency
We have measured the photon statistics of pump and probe beams after
interaction with Rb atoms in a situation of Electromagnetically Induced
Transparency. Both fields present super-poissonian statistics and their
intensities become correlated, in good qualitative agreement with theoretical
predictions in which both fields are treated quantum-mechanically. The
intensity correlations measured are a first step towards the observation of
entanglement between the fields.Comment: 4 pages, two-column, 4 figures, first submitted to PRL on Aug. 6,
200
The Kinematics of the Globular Cluster System of NGC 5128 with a New, Large Sample of Radial Velocity Measurements
New radial velocity measurements for previously known and newly confirmed
globular clusters (GCs) in the nearby massive galaxy NGC 5128 are presented. We
have obtained spectroscopy from LDSS-2/Magellan, VIMOS/VLT, and Hydra/CTIO from
which we have measured the radial velocities of 218 known, and identified 155
new, GCs. The current sample of confirmed GCs in NGC 5128 is now 605 with 564
of these having radial velocity measurements. We have performed a new kinematic
analysis of the GC system that extends out to 45 arcmin in galactocentric
radius. We have examined the systemic velocity, projected rotation amplitude
and axis, and the projected velocity dispersion of the GCs as functions of
galactocentric distance and metallicity. Our results indicate that the
metal-poor GCs have a very mild rotation signature of (26 pm 15) km/s. The
metal-rich GCs are rotating with a higher, though still small signature of (43
pm 15) km/s around the isophotal major axis of NGC 5128 within 15 arcmin. Their
velocity dispersions are consistent within the uncertainties and the profiles
appear flat or declining within 20 arcmin. We note the small sample of
metal-rich GCs with ages less than 5 Gyr in the literature appear to have
different kinematic properties than the old, metal-rich GC subpopulation. The
mass and mass-to-light ratios have also been estimated using the GCs as tracer
particles for NGC 5128. Out to a distance of 20 arcmin, we have obtained a mass
of (5.9 pm 2.0) x 10^(11) M_(sun) and a mass-to-light ratio in the B-band of 16
M_(sun)/L_(B,sun). Combined with previous work on the ages and metallicities of
its GCs, as well as properties of its stellar halo, our findings suggest NGC
5128 formed via hierarchical merging over other methods of formation, such as
major merging at late times.Comment: Accepted for The Astronomical Journal, 14 pages plus 12 figures and 7
table
Optical angular momentum: Multipole transitions and photonics
The premise that multipolar decay should produce photons uniquely imprinted with a measurably corresponding angular momentum is shown in general to be untrue. To assume a one-to-one correlation between the transition multipoles involved in source decay and detector excitation is to impose a generally unsupportable one-to-one correlation between the multipolar form of emission transition and a multipolar character for the detected field. It is specifically proven impossible to determine without ambiguity, by use of any conventional detector, and for any photon emitted through the nondipolar decay of an atomic excited state, a unique multipolar character for the transition associated with its generation. Consistent with the angular quantum uncertainty principle, removal of a detector from the immediate vicinity of the source produces a decreasing angular uncertainty in photon propagation direction, reflected in an increasing range of integer values for the measured angular momentum. In such a context it follows that when the decay of an electronic excited state occurs by an electric quadrupolar transition, for example, any assumption that the radiation so produced is conveyed in the form of âquadrupole photonsâ is experimentally unverifiable. The results of the general proof based on irreducible tensor analysis invite experimental verification, and they signify certain limitations on quantum optical data transmission
The ACS Fornax Cluster Survey. IX. The Color-Magnitude Relation of Globular Cluster Systems
We investigate the color-magnitude relation for globular clusters (GCs) --
the so-called "blue tilt" -- detected in the ACS Fornax Cluster Survey and
using the combined sample of GCs from the ACS Fornax and Virgo Cluster Surveys.
We find a tilt of gamma_z=d(g-z)/dz=-0.0257 +- 0.0050 for the full GC sample of
the Fornax Cluster Survey (~5800 GCs). This is slightly shallower than the
value gamma_z=-0.0459 +- 0.0048 found for the Virgo Cluster Survey GC sample
(~11100 GCs). The slope for the merged Fornax and Virgo datasets (~16900 GCs)
is gamma_z=-0.0293 +- 0.0085, corresponding to a mass-metallicity relation of Z
~ M^0.43. We find that the blue tilt sets in at GC masses in excess of M ~
2*10^5 M_sun. The tilt is stronger for GCs belonging to high-mass galaxies (M_*
> 5 * 10^10 M_sun) than for those in low-mass galaxies (M_* < 5 * 10^10 M_sun).
It is also more pronounced for GCs with smaller galactocentric distances. Our
findings suggest a range of mass-metallicity relations Z_GC ~ M_GC^(0.3-0.7)
which vary as a function of host galaxy mass/luminosity. We compare our
observations to a recent model of star cluster self-enrichment with generally
favorable results. We suggest that, within the context of this model, the
proto-cluster clouds out of which the GCs formed may have had density profiles
slightly steeper than isothermal and/or star formation efficiencies somewhat
below 0.3. We caution, however, that the significantly different appearance of
the CMDs defined by the GC systems associated with galaxies of similar mass and
morphological type pose a challenge to any single mechanism that seeks to
explain the blue tilt. We therefore suggest that the merger/accretion histories
of individual galaxies have played a non-negligible role determining the
distribution of GCs in the CMDs of individual GC systems
Observation of polarization quantum noise of laser radiation in Rb vapor cell
We present experimental study of polarization quantum noise of laser
radiation passed through optically think vapor of Rb87. We observe a step-like
noise spectrum. We discuss various factor which may result in such noise
spectrum and prevent observation of squeezing of quantum fluctuations predicted
in Matsko et al. PRA 63, 043814 (2001).Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures. Translated from Russian by I. Novikov
Cluster Approximation for the Contact Process
The one-dimensional contact process is analyzed by a cluster approximation.
In this approach, the hierarchy of rate equations for the densities of finite
length empty intervals are truncated under the assumption that adjacent
intervals are not correlated. This assumption yields a first order phase
transition from an active state to the adsorbing state. Despite the apparent
failure of this approximation in describing the critical behavior, our approach
provides an accurate description of the steady state properties for a
significant range of desorption rates. Moreover, the resulting critical
exponents are closer to the simulation values in comparison with site
mean-field theory.Comment: 9 pages, Latex format, 2 postscript figure
Finite temperature Cherenkov radiation in the presence of a magnetodielectric medium
A canonical approach to Cherenkov radiation in the presence of a
magnetodielectric medium is presented in classical, nonrelativistic and
relativistic quantum regimes. The equations of motion for the canonical
variables are solved explicitly for both positive and negative times. Maxwell
and related constitute equations are obtained. In the large-time limit, the
vector potential operator is found and expressed in terms of the medium
operators. The energy loss of a charged particle, emitted in the form of
radiation, in finite temperature is calculated. A Dirac equation concerning the
relativistic motion of the particle in presence of the magnetodielectric medium
is derived and the relativistic Cherenkov radiation at zero and finite
temperature is investigated. Finally, it is shown that the Cherenkov radiation
in nonrelativistic and relativistic quantum regimes, unlike its classical
counterpart, introduces automatically a cutoff for higher frequencies beyond
which the power of radiation emission is zero.Comment: To be appear in PR
Entropy production and fluctuation theorems under feedback control: the molecular refrigerator model revisited
We revisit the model of a Brownian particle in a heat bath submitted to an
actively controlled force proportional to the velocity that leads to thermal
noise reduction (cold damping). We investigate the influence of the continuous
feedback on the fluctuations of the total entropy production and show that the
explicit expression of the detailed fluctuation theorem involves different
dynamics and observables in the forward and backward processes. As an
illustration, we study the analytically solvable case of a harmonic oscillator
and calculate the characteristic function of the entropy production in a
nonequilibrium steady state. We then determine the corresponding large
deviation function which results from an unusual interplay between 'boundary'
and 'bulk' contributions.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures. References 9,10,13,14,15 added. A few changes in
the text. Accepted for publication in J. Stat. Mec
A multi-object fiber spectrograph for The Hale Telescope
A new faint-object spectrograph has been designed around the capabilities of fiber optics. This instrument, the Norris Spectrograph, is for exclusive use at the Cassegrain focus (f/16) of The Hale Telescope and is optimized for faint galaxy spectroscopy. There are 176 independently positionable fibers that are serially manipulated by a single robotic system. Each of these fibers sees 1.6 arcsec on the sky and the total positionable area is in excess of 300 arcmin^2. Unlike most multiobject spectrographs which utilize fibers that are several tens of meters long, the philosophy of the design of the Norris was quite the antithesis, i.e., to minimize the fiber lengths; hence, it is an entirely self-contained telescope-mounted instrument for the Cassegrain focus. The instrument consists of an integrated xy stage, for the fiber positioning, and an attached optical spectrograph. The design of the spectrograph is basically classical: spherical collimator mirror, standard reflection grating, and a newly designed all-transmissive-optics camera lens. The detector currently used is a thinned, AR-coated 2048 X 2048 Tektronix CCD. Fibers are arranged in two linear opposing banks that can access the 20 arcmin diameter field-of-view (FOV) of the instrument. The accuracy of fiber placement (assuming errorless coordinates) is less than 0.1 arcsec over the entire FOV. Fibers may be placed as close as 16 arcsec. This permits close pairings of fibers for very faint-object spectroscopy. Beam switching between paired fibers, as was done with two-channel spectrographs of yesteryear, will help average out temporal and spatial variations of the light of the night sky. Actual observations performed in this mode of operation indicate that the quality of the sky subtraction improves, as would be expected. The density of paired fibers within the Norris FOV matches the approximate density of faint field galaxies expected to a blue magnitude of 21. Software exists to take object lists (α,ÎŽ) and convert them to rectilinear (x,y) values (mm) on the xy stage by gnomonic projection and to assign fibers. This software also corrects for precession of the equinoxes, proper motion if epoch differences exist, and corrects for differential atmospheric refraction. To place a single fiber takes approximately 5 s on the average. A lower limit to the efficiency of the spectrograph plus telescope has been estimated to be 6.8% at 5500 Ă
. In order to derive the throughput of the instrument, the efficiency of the telescope, estimated to be approximately 56%, must be divided out. This value is consistent with the expectation that the reduction in efficiency from that of a standard CCD spectrograph such as The Hale Telescope's Double Spectrograph will be about a factor of 2. This results from the 60%-70% transmittance of the fibers and other losses. The spectra produced are linear with little distortion. With 10 A spectral resolution, fitting residuals on the order of 100 km s^(-1) are easily obtainable by modeling the dispersion by a third-order polynomial. The resolutions currently available range from 1 to about 20 Ă
. The spectra have a FWHM in the direction perpendicular to that of the dispersion of about 90 ”m, or equivalently about three 27 pixels found in the older Tektronix 2048 CCDs. The interorder spacing of 250 ”m is large enough to permit clean spectrum extractions. The instrument has been in use for several years. The scientific programs vary from high resolution (1 Ă
resolution) spectroscopy of stars in nearby globular clusters to a low spectral resolution (10 Ă
) survey of faint field galaxies. In this latter survey, with typical 2-hr exposures, absorption-line redshifts as high as z ~ 0.5 have been routinely measured. Several heretofore unknown quasars with redshifts around three have also been discovered serendipitously
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