Phase diagram of a dilute ferromagnet model with antiferromagnetic next-nearest-neighbor interactions

We have studied the spin ordering of a dilute classical Heisenberg model with spin concentration $x$, and with ferromagnetic nearest-neighbor interaction $J_1$ and antiferromagnetic next-nearest-neighbor interaction $J_2$. Magnetic phases at absolute zero temperature $T = 0$ are determined examining the stiffness of the ground state, and those at finite temperatures $T \neq 0$ are determined calculating the Binder parameter $g_L$ and the spin correlation length $\xi_L$. Three ordered phases appear in the $x-T$ phase diagram: (i) the ferromagnetic (FM) phase; (ii) the spin glass (SG) phase; and (iii) the mixed (M) phase of the FM and the SG. Near below the ferromagnetic threshold $x_{\rm F}$, a reentrant SG transition occurs. That is, as the temperature is decreased from a high temperature, the FM phase, the M phase and the SG phase appear successively. The magnetization which grows in the FM phase disappears in the SG phase. The SG phase is suggested to be characterized by ferromagnetic clusters. We conclude, hence, that this model could reproduce experimental phase diagrams of dilute ferromagnets Fe$_x$Au$_{1-x}$ and Eu$_x$Sr$_{1-x}$S.Comment: 9 pages, 23 figure

A Test of the Particle Paradigm in N-Body Simulations

We present results of tests of the evolution of small ``fluid elements'' in cosmological N--body simulations, to examine the validity of their treatment as particles. We find that even very small elements typically collapse along one axis while expanding along another, often to twice or more their initial comoving diameter. This represents a possible problem for high--resolution uses of such simulations.Comment: Uses aasms4.sty; accepted for publication in ApJ Letters. Files available also at ftp://kusmos.phsx.ukans.edu/preprints/ates

A low CMB variance in the WMAP data

We have estimated the CMB variance from the three-year WMAP data, finding a value which is significantly lower than the one expected from Gaussian simulations using the WMAP best-fit cosmological model, at a significance level of 98.7 per cent. This result is even more prominent if we consider only the north ecliptic hemisphere (99.8 per cent). Different analyses have been performed in order to identify a possible origin for this anomaly. In particular we have studied the behaviour of single radiometers and single year data as well as the effect of residual foregrounds and 1/f noise, finding that none of these possibilities can explain the low value of the variance. We have also tested the effect of varying the cosmological parameters, finding that the estimated CMB variance tends to favour higher values of $n_s$ than the one of the WMAP best-fit model. In addition, we have also tested the consistency between the estimated CMB variance and the actual measured CMB power spectrum of the WMAP data, finding a strong discrepancy. A possible interpretation of this result could be a deviation from Gaussianity and/or isotropy of the CMB.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures. Some new tests added. Section 5 largely modified. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Trust economics feasibility study

We believe that enterprises and other organisations currently lack sophisticated methods and tools to determine if and how IT changes should be introduced in an organisation, such that objective, measurable goals are met. This is especially true when dealing with security-related IT decisions. We report on a feasibility study, Trust Economics, conducted to demonstrate that such methodology can be developed. Assuming a deep understanding of the IT involved, the main components of our trust economics approach are: (i) assess the economic or financial impact of IT security solutions; (ii) determine how humans interact with or respond to IT security solutions; (iii) based on above, use probabilistic and stochastic modelling tools to analyse the consequences of IT security decisions. In the feasibility study we apply the trust economics methodology to address how enterprises should protect themselves against accidental or malicious misuse of USB memory sticks, an acute problem in many industries

Evolution of the Pairwise Peculiar Velocity Distribution Function in Lagrangian Perturbation Theory

The statistical distribution of the radial pairwise peculiar velocity of galaxies is known to have an exponential form as implied by observations and explicitly shown in N-body simulations. Here we calculate its statistical distribution function using the Zel'dovich approximation assuming that the primordial density fluctuations are Gaussian distributed. We show that the exponential distribution is realized as a transient phenomena on megaparsec scales in the standard cold-dark-matter model.Comment: 19 pages, 8 Postscript figures, AAS LaTe

The progression of primary bud necrosis in the grapevine cv. Shiraz (Vitis vinifera L.): A histological analysis

Primary Bud Necrosis (PBN) is a physiological disorder occurring in the compound axillary buds of grapevines. PBN causes the axillary bud to senesce and in some cases secondary buds can also abort. Since PBN is common in the grapevine variety Shiraz the aim of this study was to characterise anatomical changes at different stages of PBN development in this cultivar. Grapevine buds were collected from a vineyard located at Charleston, South Australia, Australia. Buds were dissected, assessed for the presence of PBN and rated on severity of the disorder. Buds at various stages of PBN were fixed for light microscopy. Cell breakdown was observed in all buds where PBN was visible. Collapse and thickening of cell walls was observed in a region of necrotic tissue and severity of PBN appeared to increase over time. The location of cell breakdown due to PBN appeared to be random and was not isolated to one region within the primary bud. PBN appeared to stop primordial growth, with cells differentiating further and maturing more rapidly without forming whole leaves. This cell region then breaks down and the necrosis can extend into the secondary buds.

Theory of Parabolic Arcs in Interstellar Scintillation Spectra

Our theory relates the secondary spectrum, the 2D power spectrum of the radio dynamic spectrum, to the scattered pulsar image in a thin scattering screen geometry. Recently discovered parabolic arcs in secondary spectra are generic features for media that scatter radiation at angles much larger than the rms scattering angle. Each point in the secondary spectrum maps particular values of differential arrival-time delay and fringe rate (or differential Doppler frequency) between pairs of components in the scattered image. Arcs correspond to a parabolic relation between these quantities through their common dependence on the angle of arrival of scattered components. Arcs appear even without consideration of the dispersive nature of the plasma. Arcs are more prominent in media with negligible inner scale and with shallow wavenumber spectra, such as the Kolmogorov spectrum, and when the scattered image is elongated along the velocity direction. The arc phenomenon can be used, therefore, to constrain the inner scale and the anisotropy of scattering irregularities for directions to nearby pulsars. Arcs are truncated by finite source size and thus provide sub micro arc sec resolution for probing emission regions in pulsars and compact active galactic nuclei. Multiple arcs sometimes seen signify two or more discrete scattering screens along the propagation path, and small arclets oriented oppositely to the main arc persisting for long durations indicate the occurrence of long-term multiple images from the scattering screen.Comment: 22 pages, 11 figures, submitted to the Astrophysical Journa

A comparison of mean density and microscale density fluctuations in a CME at 10 R ⊙

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/94990/1/grl15395.pd

Extreme value statistics and return intervals in long-range correlated uniform deviates

We study extremal statistics and return intervals in stationary long-range correlated sequences for which the underlying probability density function is bounded and uniform. The extremal statistics we consider e.g., maximum relative to minimum are such that the reference point from which the maximum is measured is itself a random quantity. We analytically calculate the limiting distributions for independent and identically distributed random variables, and use these as a reference point for correlated cases. The distributions are different from that of the maximum itself i.e., a Weibull distribution, reflecting the fact that the distribution of the reference point either dominates over or convolves with the distribution of the maximum. The functional form of the limiting distributions is unaffected by correlations, although the convergence is slower. We show that our findings can be directly generalized to a wide class of stochastic processes. We also analyze return interval distributions, and compare them to recent conjectures of their functional form