901 research outputs found
Pygmy dipole strength close to particle-separation energies - the case of the Mo isotopes
The distribution of electromagnetic dipole strength in 92, 98, 100 Mo has
been investigated by photon scattering using bremsstrahlung from the new ELBE
facility. The experimental data for well separated nuclear resonances indicate
a transition from a regular to a chaotic behaviour above 4 MeV of excitation
energy. As the strength distributions follow a Porter-Thomas distribution much
of the dipole strength is found in weak and in unresolved resonances appearing
as fluctuating cross section. An analysis of this quasi-continuum - here
applied to nuclear resonance fluorescence in a novel way - delivers dipole
strength functions, which are combining smoothly to those obtained from
(g,n)-data. Enhancements at 6.5 MeV and at ~9 MeV are linked to the pygmy
dipole resonances postulated to occur in heavy nuclei.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, proceedings Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics II,
May 16-20, Debrecen, Hungary. The original publication is available at
www.eurphysj.or
Quantum-fluid dynamics of microcavity polaritons
Semiconductor microcavities offer a unique system to investigate the physics
of weakly interacting bosons. Their elementary excitations, polaritons--a
mixture of excitons and photons--behave, in the low density limit, as bosons
that can undergo a phase transition to a regime characterised by long range
coherence. Condensates of polaritons have been advocated as candidates for
superfluidity; and the formation of vortices as well as elementary excitations
with a linear dispersion are actively sought after. In this work, we have
created and set in motion a macroscopically degenerate state of polaritons and
let it collide with a variety of defects present in the sample. Our experiments
show striking manifestations of a coherent light-matter packet that displays
features of a superfluid, although one of a highly unusual character as it
involves an out-of-equilibrium dissipative system where it travels at
ultra-fast velocity of the order of 1% the speed of light. Our main results are
the observation of i) a linear polariton dispersion accompanied with
diffusion-less motion, ii) flow without resistance when crossing an obstacle,
iii) suppression of Rayleigh scattering and iv) splitting into two fluids when
the size of the obstacle is comparable with the size of the wavepacket. This
work opens the way to the investigation of new phenomenology of
out-of-equilibrium condensates.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figure
Photo-disintegration cross section measurements on W, Re and Os: Implications for the Re-Os cosmochronology
Cross sections of the W, Re, Os() reactions
were measured using quasi-monochromatic photon beams from laser Compton
scattering (LCS) with average energies from 7.3 to 10.9 MeV. The results are
compared with the predictions of Hauser-Feshbach statistical calculations using
four different sets of input parameters. In addition, the inverse neutron
capture cross sections were evaluated by constraining the model parameters,
especially the strength function, on the basis of the experimental data.
The present experiment helps to further constrain the correction factor
for the neutron capture on the 9.75 keV state in Os.
Implications of to the Re-Os cosmochronology are discussed with a
focus on the uncertainty in the estimate of the age of the Galaxy.Comment: 11 page
Single vortex-antivortex pair in an exciton polariton condensate
In a homogeneous two-dimensional system at non-zero temperature, although
there can be no ordering of infinite range, a superfluid phase is predicted for
a Bose liquid. The stabilization of phase in this superfluid regime is achieved
by the formation of bound vortex-antivortex pairs. It is believed that several
different systems share this common behaviour, when the parameter describing
their ordered state has two degrees of freedom, and the theory has been tested
for some of them. However, there has been no direct experimental observation of
the phase stabilization mechanism by a bound pair. Here we present an
experimental technique that can identify a single vortex-antivortex pair in a
two-dimensional exciton polariton condensate. The pair is generated by the
inhomogeneous pumping spot profile, and is revealed in the time-integrated
phase maps acquired using Michelson interferometry, which show that the
condensate phase is only locally disturbed. Numerical modelling based on open
dissipative Gross-Pitaevskii equation suggests that the pair evolution is quite
different in this non-equilibrium system compared to atomic condensates. Our
results demonstrate that the exciton polariton condensate is a unique system
for studying two-dimensional superfluidity in a previously inaccessible regime
Summertime carbonaceous aerosols collected in the marine boundary layer of the Arctic Ocean
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/95484/1/jgrd13027.pd
Subaru FOCAS Spectroscopic Observations of High-Redshift Supernovae
We present spectra of high-redshift supernovae (SNe) that were taken with the
Subaru low resolution optical spectrograph, FOCAS. These SNe were found in SN
surveys with Suprime-Cam on Subaru, the CFH12k camera on the
Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT), and the Advanced Camera for Surveys
(ACS) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). These SN surveys specifically
targeted z>1 Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). From the spectra of 39 candidates, we
obtain redshifts for 32 candidates and spectroscopically identify 7 active
candidates as probable SNe Ia, including one at z=1.35, which is the most
distant SN Ia to be spectroscopically confirmed with a ground-based telescope.
An additional 4 candidates are identified as likely SNe Ia from the
spectrophotometric properties of their host galaxies. Seven candidates are not
SNe Ia, either being SNe of another type or active galactic nuclei. When SNe Ia
are observed within a week of maximum light, we find that we can
spectroscopically identify most of them up to z=1.1. Beyond this redshift, very
few candidates were spectroscopically identified as SNe Ia. The current
generation of super red-sensitive, fringe-free CCDs will push this redshift
limit higher.Comment: 19 pages, 26 figures. PASJ in press. see
http://www.supernova.lbl.gov/2009ClusterSurvey/ for additional information
pertaining to the HST Cluster SN Surve
Observation of thundercloud-related gamma rays and neutrons in Tibet
During the 2010 rainy season in Yangbajing (4300 m above sea level) in Tibet, China, a long-duration count enhancement associated with thunderclouds was detected by a solar-neutron telescope and neutron monitors installed at the Yangbajing Comic Ray Observatory. The event, lasting for ∼40 min, was observed on July 22, 2010. The solar-neutron telescope detected significant γ-ray signals with energies >40 MeV in the event. Such a prolonged high-energy event has never been observed in association with thunderclouds, clearly suggesting that electron acceleration lasts for 40 min in thunderclouds. In addition, Monte Carlo simulations showed that >10 MeV γ rays largely contribute to the neutron monitor signals, while >1 keV neutrons produced via a photonuclear reaction contribute relatively less to the signals. This result suggests that enhancements of neutron monitors during thunderstorms are not necessarily clear evidence for neutron production, as previously thought
Photoneutron measurements in the GDR region at ELI-NP
The Extreme Light Infrastructure - Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) is a facility dedicated to nuclear physics research with extreme electromagnetic fields. The expected gamma-ray beams with energies up to 20 MeV, 0.5% relative energy resolution and similar to 10(8) photons per second intensity will allow precise photonuclear measurements. Nuclear structure experiments will involve photo-excitations of mainly low-spin collective states and the observation of the radiation emitted in the subsequent decays. Photoneutron reactions and elastic and inelastic photon scattering are proposed to be recorded using a mixed gamma-neutron detection system using LaBr3:Ce, CeBr3, BC501A and GS20 detectors. Photoneutron (gamma, xn) with x= 1,2 reactions cross sections measurements will be performed with a 4 pi flat efficiency neutron detection system dedicated for neutron multiplicity sorting experiments. The detection system is comprised of He-3 counters embedded in a moderator block. The paper will introduce the experimental setups dedicated to studies of the nuclear Giant Dipole Resonance excitation mode using the high energy resolution and high intensity ELI-NP gamma-ray beams. The feasibility studies performed using extensive Geant4 simulations, results of detector tests will be presented
Correlations between peripheral parasite load and common clinical and laboratory alterations in dogs with visceral leishmaniasis
Intensity of peripheral parasite infection has an important role in the transmission of Leishmania spp. from one host to another. As parasite load quantification is still an expensive procedure to be used routinely in epidemiological surveillance, the use of surrogate predictors may be an important asset in the identification of dogs with high transmitting ability. The present study examined whether common clinical and laboratory alterations can serve as predictors of peripheral parasitism in dogs naturally infected with Leishmania spp. Thirty-seven dogs were examined in order to establish correlations between parasite load (PL) in multiple peripheral tissues and common clinical and laboratory findings in canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL). Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was employed to determine PL in conjunctival swabs, ear skin, peripheral blood and buffy coat. Additionally, a series of hematological, biochemical and oxidative stress markers were quantified. Correlations between net peripheral infection and severity of clinical alterations and variation in laboratory parameters were assessed through a new analytical approach, namely Compressed Parasite Load Data (CPLD), which uses dimension reduction techniques from multivariate statistics to summarize PL across tissues into a single variable. The analysis revealed that elevation in PL is positively correlated with severity of clinical sings commonly observed in CVL, such as skin lesions, ophthalmic alterations, onycogriphosis, popliteal lymphadenomegaly and low body mass. Furthermore, increase in PL was found to be followed by intensification of non-regenerative anemia, neutrophilia, eosinopenia, hepatic injury and oxidative imbalance. These results suggest that routinely used clinical and laboratory exams can be predictive of intensity of peripheral parasite infection, which has an important implication in the identification of dogs with high transmitting ability
- …