562 research outputs found
Coplanar waveguide discontinuities for P-I-N diode switches and filter applications
A full wave space domain integral equation (SDIE) analysis of coplanar waveguide (CPW) two port discontinuities is presented. An experimental setup to measure the S-parameters of such discontinuities is described. Experimental and theoretical results for CPW realizations of pass-band and stop-band filters are presented. The S-parameters of such structures are plotted in the frequency range 5 to 25 GHz
Influence of the C/O ratio on titanium and vanadium oxides in protoplanetary disks
Context. The observation of carbon-rich disks have motivated several studies
questioning the influence of the C/O ratio on their gas phase composition in
order to establish the connection between the metallicity of hot-Jupiters and
that of their parent stars.
Aims. We to propose a method that allows the characterization of the adopted
C/O ratio in protoplanetary disks independently from the determination of the
host star composition. Titanium and vanadium chemistries are investigated
because they are strong optical absorbers and also because their oxides are
known to be sensitive to the C/O ratio in some exoplanet atmospheres.
Methods. We use a commercial package based on the Gibbs energy minimization
technique to compute the titanium and vanadium equilibrium chemistries in
protoplanetary disks for C/O ratios ranging from 0.05 to 10. Our calculations
are performed for pressures ranging from 1e-6 to 1e-2 bar, and for temperatures
ranging from 50 to 2000 K.
Results. We find that the vanadium nitride/vanadium oxide and titanium
hydride/titanium oxide gas phase ratios strongly depend on the C/O ratio in the
hot parts of disks (T > 1000 K). Our calculations suggest that, in these
regions, these ratios can be used as tracers of the C/O value in protoplanetary
disks.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&
New insights on Saturn's formation from its nitrogen isotopic composition
The recent derivation of a lower limit for the N/N ratio in
Saturn's ammonia, which is found to be consistent with the Jovian value,
prompted us to revise models of Saturn's formation using as constraints the
supersolar abundances of heavy elements measured in its atmosphere. Here we
find that it is possible to account for both Saturn's chemical and isotopic
compositions if one assumes the formation of its building blocks at 45 K
in the protosolar nebula, provided that the O abundance was 2.6 times
protosolar in its feeding zone. To do so, we used a statistical thermodynamic
model to investigate the composition of the clathrate phase that formed during
the cooling of the protosolar nebula and from which the building blocks of
Saturn were agglomerated. We find that Saturn's O/H is at least 34.9
times protosolar and that the corresponding mass of heavy elements (43.1
\Mearth) is within the range predicted by semi-convective interior models.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal Letter
Broadband Uniplanar Microstrip to Slot-Line Transitions
New in line uniplanar microstrip-to-slotline transitions for MIC/MMIC and phased array slotline antenna applications are described. Such transactions are compact and suitable to be used in an open environment or inside a package or a multichip module. The transitions share the concept of using a balun which consists of two microstrip lines connected to a slotline through a pair of coupled microstrips. The transitions are studied theoretically using the finite difference time domain (FDTD) technique and measured experimentally using an HP8510C Network Analyzer. For a back-to-back configuration, an insertion loss of less than 1.3 dB per transition is achieved over a 40% 3-dB bandwidth with a minimum of 0.6 dB at the design frequency
Extracting Weak Phase Information from B -> V_1 V_2 Decays
We describe a new method for extracting weak, CP-violating phase information,
with no hadronic uncertainties, from an angular analysis of B -> V_1 V_2
decays, where V_1 and V_2 are vector mesons. The quantity can be cleanly obtained from the study of decays such as B_d^0(t) ->
D^{*\pm} \rho^\mp, D^{*\pm} a_1^{\mp}, D^{*0} K^{*0}, etc. Similarly, one can
use B_s^0(t) -> D_s^{*\pm} K^{*\mp} to extract . There are no
penguin contributions to these decays. It is possible that will be the second function of CP phases, after , to be
measured at B-factories.Comment: 4 pages, RevTeX, no figure
Theoretical and Experimental Study of Microstrip-to-Slot Line Uniplanar Transition
Recent advances in MMCI technology make it possible to construct transitions from CPW-to-microstrip with via hole, microstrip-to-slot line and microshield line-to-CPW all of which have potential applications in the feed network of antennas. In this study we investigate the characteristics of the microstrip-to-slot line uniplanar transition using the finite element methods (FEM) and finite difference time domain (FDTD) techniques, and compared the theoretical results with the measurements. In both cases, the results agree with the measurements within a few percent
Acoustic radiation force impulse: a new ultrasonographic technology for the widespread noninvasive diagnosis of liver fibrosis:
Background/aims: As a module of a standard ultrasound imaging device, acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) is a new technology for liver stiffness evaluation (LSE). We aimed to evaluate accuracy, feasibility, reproducibility, and training effect of ARFI for liver fibrosis evaluation.Methods: One hundred and one patients with chronic liver disease had LSE by Fibroscan and ARFI. LSE by ARFI was performed in the two liver lobes by two operators: an expert and a novice. Correlation and agreement were evaluated by the Pearson (Rp) and intraclass (Ric) correlation coefficients. The independent reference for liver fibrosis was fibrosis blood tests. Results: ARFI results, ranging from 0.7 to 4.6 m/s, were well correlated with Fibroscan results (Rp=0.76). Fibroscan had a significantly higher area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) than ARFI for the perprotocol diagnosis of significant fibrosis: 0.890±0.034 versus 0.795±0.047 (P=0.04). However, LSE failure occurred in zero patients using ARFI versus six patients using Fibroscan (P=0.03). Thus, on an intention-to-diagnose basis, Fibroscan and ARFI AUROCs for the diagnosis of significant fibrosis were not different: 0.791±0.049 versus 0.793±0.046 (P=0.98). Interobserver agreement was very good (Ric=0.84) and excellent for ARFI interquartile range (IQR)≤0.30 (Ric=0.91). Indeed, agreement was independently predicted only by ARFI IQR, but not by LSE result as earlier observed for Fibroscan. ARFI AUROC was 0.876±0.057 in patients with ARFI IQR ratio≤0.30, and Fibroscan AUROC was 0.912±0.034 in patients with Fibroscan IQR ratio less than 0.21 (P=0.59). Intersite ARFI agreement between the two liver lobes was fair (Ric=0.60). There was no training effect for LSE by ARFI. Conclusion: ARFI is highly feasible and reproducible, and provides diagnostic accuracy similar to Fibroscan. This new device seems noteworthy for the widespread noninvasive diagnosis of liver fibrosis
Detecting New Physics from CP-violating phase measurements in B decays
The standard CKM model can be tested and New Physics detected using only
CP-violating phase measurements in B decays. This requires the measurement of a
phase factor which is small in the Standard Model, in addition to the usual
large phases and . We also point out that identifying
violations of the unitarity of the CKM matrix is rather difficult, and cannot
be done with phase measurements alone.Comment: 6 pages, Latex, no figure
Estimating sigma-meson couplings from D \to 3\pi decays
Using recent experimental evidence from E791 on the sigma meson in D \to 3\pi
decays, we study the relevant couplings in D \to \sigma \pi and \sigma \to \pi\
pi within the accepted theoretical framework for non leptonic D decays. We also
review the linear sigma model, finding that it gives a description which is
consistent with the experimental data.Comment: 6 pages, no figures. Final version accepted for publication as a
Brief Report in Physical Review
The neutron electric dipole form factor in the perturbative chiral quark model
We calculate the electric dipole form factor of the neutron in a perturbative
chiral quark model, parameterizing CP-violation of generic origin by means of
effective electric dipole moments of the constituent quarks and their
CP-violating couplings to the chiral fields. We discuss the relation of these
effective parameters to more fundamental ones such as the intrinsic electric
and chromoelectric dipole moments of quarks and the Weinberg parameter. From
the existing experimental upper limits on the neutron EDM we derive constraints
on these CP-violating parameters.Comment: 20 pages, 3 figure
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