Semiclassical approaches to nuclear dynamics

The extended Gutzwiller trajectory approach is presented for the semiclassical description of nuclear collective dynamics, in line with the main topics of the fruitful activity of V.G. Solovjov. Within the Fermi-liquid droplet model, the leptodermous effective surface approximation was applied to calculations of energies, sum rules and transition densities for the neutron-proton asymmetry of the isovector giant-dipole resonance and found to be in good agreement with the experimental data. By using the Strutinsky shell correction method, the semiclassical collective transport coefficients such as nuclear inertia, friction, stiffness, and moments of inertia can be derived beyond the quantum perturbation approximation of the response function theory and the cranking model.The averaged particle-number dependence of the low-lying collective vibrational states are described in good agreement with basic experimental data, mainly due to an enhancement of the collective inertia as compared to its irrotational flow value. Shell components of the moment of inertia are derived in terms of the periodic-orbit free-energy shell corrections. A good agreement between the semiclassical extended Thomas-Fermi moments of inertia with shell corrections and the quantum results is obtained for different nuclear deformations and particle numbers. Shell effects are shown to be exponentially dampted out with increasing temperature in all the transport coefficients.Comment: 83 pages, 39 figures, 4 tables, corrected typos and improved Englis

The First VLBI Image of the Young, Oxygen-Rich Supernova Remnant in NGC 4449

We report on sensitive 1.4-GHz VLBI radio observations of the unusually luminous supernova remnant SNR 4449-1 in the galaxy NGC 4449, which gave us the first well-resolved image of this object. The remnant's radio morphology consists of two approximately parallel bright ridges, suggesting similarities to the barrel shape seen for many older Galactic supernova remnants or possibly to SN 1987A. The angular extent of the remnant is 65 x 40 mas, corresponding to (3.7 x 2.3) x 10^{18} (D/3.8 Mpc) cm. We also present a new, high signal-to-noise optical spectrum. By comparing the remnant's linear size to the maximum velocities measured from optical lines, as well as using constraints from historical images, we conclude that the supernova explosion occurred between ~1905 and 1961, likely around 1940. The age of the remnant is therefore likely ~70 yr. We find that SNR 4449-1's shock wave is likely still interacting with the circumstellar rather than interstellar medium.Comment: 7 pages, Accepted for publication in MNRA

Maternal and paternal genomes contribute equally to the transcriptome of early plant embryos

In animals, maternal gene products deposited into eggs regulate embryonic development before activation of the zygotic genome1. In plants, an analogous period of prolonged maternal control over embryogenesis is thought to occur based on some gene-expression studies2, 3, 4, 5, 6. However, other gene-expression studies and genetic analyses show that some transcripts must derive from the early zygotic genome7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, implying that the prevailing model does not fully explain the nature of zygotic genome activation in plants. To determine the maternal, paternal and zygotic contributions to the early embryonic transcriptome, we sequenced the transcripts of hybrid embryos from crosses between two polymorphic inbred lines of Arabidopsis thaliana and used single-nucleotide polymorphisms diagnostic of each parental line to quantify parental contributions. Although some transcripts seemed to be either inherited from primarily one parent or transcribed from imprinted loci, the vast majority of transcripts were produced in near-equal amounts from both maternal and paternal alleles, even during the initial stages of embryogenesis. Results of reporter experiments and analyses of transcripts from genes that are not expressed in sperm and egg indicate early and widespread zygotic transcription. Thus, in contrast to early animal embryogenesis, early plant embryogenesis is mostly under zygotic control.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (NIH grant GM067031)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship GM084656)Howard Hughes Medical Institute (Investigator

Multi-excitonic complexes in single InGaN quantum dots

Cathodoluminescence spectra employing a shadow mask technique of InGaN layers grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition on Si(111) substrates are reported. Sharp lines originating from InGaN quantum dots are observed. Temperature dependent measurements reveal thermally induced carrier redistribution between the quantum dots. Spectral diffusion is observed and was used as a tool to correlate up to three lines that originate from the same quantum dot. Variation of excitation density leads to identification of exciton and biexciton. Binding and anti-binding complexes are discovered.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figure

Generalized routhian calculations within the Skyrme-Hartree-Fock approximation

We consider here variational solutions in the Hartree-Fock approximation upon breaking time reversal and axial symmetries. When decomposed on axial harmonic oscillator functions, the corresponding single particle triaxial eigenstates as functions of the usual cylindrical coordinates (r, $\theta$, z) are evaluated on a mesh in r and z to be integrated within Gauss-Hermite and Gauss-Laguerre approaches and as Fourier decompositions in the angular variable $\theta$. Using an effective interaction of the Skyrme type, the Hartree-Fock hamiltonian is also obtained as a Fourier series allowing a two dimensional calculation of its matrix elements. This particular choice is shown to lead in most cases to shorter computation times compared to the usual decomposition on triaxial harmonic oscillator states. We apply this method to the case of the semi-quantal approach of large amplitude collective motion corresponding to a generalized routhian formalism and present results in the A=150 superdeformed region for the coupling of global rotation and intrinsic vortical modes in what is known after Chandrasekhar as the S-ellipsoid coupling case.Comment: LaTeX using elsart, 32 pages, 4 included figures, submitted to Nuclear Physics A (revised version

Propfan Test Assessment (PTA)

The objectives of the Propfan Test Assessment (PTA) Program were to validate in flight the structural integrity of large-scale propfan blades and to measure noise characteristics of the propfan in both near and far fields. All program objectives were met or exceeded, on schedule and under budget. A Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation GII aircraft was modified to provide a testbed for the 2.74m (9 ft) diameter Hamilton Standard SR-7 propfan which was driven by a 4475 kw (600 shp) turboshaft engine mounted on the left-hand wing of the aircraft. Flight research tests were performed for 20 combinations of speed and altitude within a flight envelope that extended to Mach numbers of 0.85 and altitudes of 12,192m (40,000 ft). Propfan blade stress, near-field noise on aircraft surfaces, and cabin noise were recorded. Primary variables were propfan power and tip speed, and the nacelle tilt angle. Extensive low altitude far-field noise tests were made to measure flyover and sideline noise and the lateral attenuation of noise. In coopertion with the FAA, tests were also made of flyover noise for the aircraft at 6100m (20,000 ft) and 10,668m (35,000 ft). A final series of tests were flown to evaluate an advanced cabin wall noise treatment that was produced under a separate program by NASA-Langley Research Center