Optical binding in nanoparticle assembly: Potential energy landscapes

Optical binding is an optomechanical effect exhibited by systems of micro- and nanoparticles, suitably irradiated with off-resonance laser light. Physically distinct from standing-wave and other forms of holographic optical traps, the phenomenon arises as a result of an interparticle coupling with individual radiation modes, leading to optically induced modifications to Casmir-Polder interactions. To better understand how this mechanism leads to the observed assemblies and formation of patterns in nanoparticles, we develop a theory in terms of optically induced energy landscapes exhibiting the three-dimensional form of the potential energy field. It is shown in detail that the positioning and magnitude of local energy maxima and minima depend on the configuration of each particle pair, with regards to the polarization and wave vector of the laser light. The analysis reveals how the positioning of local minima determines the energetically most favorable locations for the addition of a third particle to each equilibrium pair. It is also demonstrated how the result of such an addition subtly modifies the energy landscape that will, in turn, determine the optimum location for further particle additions. As such, this development represents a rigorous and general formulation of the theory, paving the way toward full comprehension of nanoparticle assembly based on optical binding

C1,αC^{1,\alpha} regularity of solutions of degenerate fully non-linear elliptic equations

In the present paper, a class of fully non-linear elliptic equations are considered, which are degenerate as the gradient becomes small. H\"older estimates obtained by the first author (2011) are combined with new Lipschitz estimates obtained through the Ishii-Lions method in order to get $C^{1,\alpha}$ estimates for solutions of these equations.Comment: Submitte

Homogeneous spin Riemannian manifolds with the simplest Dirac operator

We show the existence of nonsymmetric homogeneous spin Riemannian manifolds whose Dirac operator is like that on a Riemannian symmetric spin space. Such manifolds are exactly the homogeneous spin Riemannian manifolds $(M,g)$ which are traceless cyclic with respect to some quotient expression $M=G/K$ and reductive decomposition $\mathfrak{g} = \mathfrak{k} \oplus \mathfrak{m}$. Using transversally symmetric fibrations of noncompact type, we give a list of them

A retarded coupling approach to intermolecular interactions

A wide range of physical phenomena such as optical binding and resonance energy transfer involve electronic coupling between adjacent molecules. A quantum electrodynamical description of these intermolecular interactions reveals the presence of retardation effects. The clarity of the procedure associated with the construction of the quantum amplitudes and the precision of the ensuing results for observable energies and rates are widely acknowledged. However, the length and complexity of the derivations involved in such quantum electrodynamical descriptions increase rapidly with the order of the process under study. Whether through the use of time-ordering approaches, or the more expedient state-sequence method, time-consuming calculations cannot usually be bypassed. A simple and succinct method is now presented, which provides for a direct and still entirely rigorous determination of the quantum electrodynamical amplitudes for processes of arbitrarily high order. Using the approach, new results for optical binding in two- and three-particle systems are secured and discussed

Harmonic G-structures

For closed and connected subgroups G of SO(n), we study the energy functional on the space of G-structures of a (compact) Riemannian manifold M, where G-structures are considered as sections of the quotient bundle O(M)/G. Then, we deduce the corresponding first and second variation formulae and the characterising conditions for critical points by means of tools closely related with the study of G-structures. In this direction, we show the role in the energy functional played by the intrinsic torsion of the G-structure. Moreover, we analyse the particular case G=U(n) for even-dimensional manifolds. This leads to the study of harmonic almost Hermitian manifolds and harmonic maps from M into O(M)/U(n).Comment: 27 pages, minor correction

La respuesta de la comunidad epilítica intermareal natural e impactada por las aguas residuales del Atlántico SO a pulsos (antes/después del verano) y descargas crónicas de aguas residuales en el período 1997 - 2014

Until 2014 Mar del Plata city discharged its untreated sewage effluents to the intertidal sector. This city has a marked seasonality in the urban discharge, varying between 2.8 and 3.5 m3.sec.-1 of effluents before/after summer. The effect on the intertidal benthic community was evaluated in both spatially, in sewage-impacted and reference sites, and temporarily in both the short term, before/after summer, and in long term along nine periods between 1997 - 2014. The bivalve Brachidontes rodriguezii, the ecosystem engineer, reach the maximum dominance and frequency in reference areas. Spatially the presence of opportunistic and tolerant species characterized the impacted areas, while in reference sites sensitive species were prevalent. The opportunistic polychaete species Capitella "capitata" sp. and Alitta succinea were dominant near the sewage discharge in firsts periods. In other periods the indicator species were Rhynchospio glutaea or Boccardia spp. From 2008 the invader Boccardia proboscidea characterized the sewage-impacted sites building massive reefs. The crustaceans Jassa falcata and Caprella sp. were very abundant at intermediate distances from the sewage discharge, while Monocorophium insidiosum was very abundant in sewage-impacted areas. The tolerant and opportunistic species are favored after the summer due to the extra organic matter input. All community parameters showed lower values after the summer, and also a trend to diminish along the studied period.Hasta el año 2014 la ciudad de Mar del Plata descargaba sus efluentes cloacales sin tratamiento al sector intermareal. Esta ciudad tiene una marcada estacionalidad en sus descargas, variando el caudal entre 2,8 a 3,5 m3.seg-1 antes/después del verano. El efecto sobre la comunidad bentónica intermareal fue evaluado en la escala espacial, en sitios de referencia y sitios impactados, y también temporalmente en el corto período de tiempo, antes/después del verano, y a lo largo de nueve períodos entre 1997 - 2014. El bivalvo Brachidontes rodriguezii, el ingeniero ecosistémico, alcanza su máxima dominancia y frecuencia en áreas de referencia. Espacialmente la presencia de especies oportunistas y tolerantes caracterizó los sitios impactados, mientras que en sitios de referencia las especies sensibles son prevalentes. En los primeros períodos el poliqueto oportunista Capitella “capitata” sp. fue dominante cerca de la descarga cloacal, y también Alitta succinea. En periodos posteriores las especies indicadoreas fueron Rhynchospio glutaea o Boccardia spp. Desde 2008 el poliqueto invasor Boccardia proboscidea caracterizó los sitios impactados por la descarga por masivos arrecifes. Los crustáceos Jassa falcata y Caprella sp. fueron muy abundantes a distancias intermedias de la descarga, mientras que Monocorophium insidiosum fue muy abundante en el àrea impactada por la descarga cloacal. Las especies tolerantes u oportunistas se vieron favorecidas después del verano debido al aporte extra de materia orgánica. Todos los parámetros comunitarios mostraron valores menores después del verano, y también se observa una tendencia a disminuir a lo largo de los períodos estudiados