Determining the Elemental and Isotopic Composition of the preSolar Nebula from Genesis Data Analysis: The Case of Oxygen

We compare element and isotopic fractionations measured in solar wind samples collected by NASA's Genesis mission with those predicted from models incorporating both the ponderomotive force in the chromosphere and conservation of the first adiabatic invariant in the low corona. Generally good agreement is found, suggesting that these factors are consistent with the process of solar wind fractionation. Based on bulk wind measurements, we also consider in more detail the isotopic and elemental abundances of O. We find mild support for an O abundance in the range 8.75 - 8.83, with a value as low as 8.69 disfavored. A stronger conclusion must await solar wind regime specific measurements from the Genesis samples.Comment: 6 pages, accepted by Astrophysical Journal Letter

Atomic and Molecular Gas Components in Spiral Galaxies of the Virgo Cluster

Based on two models, we investigate the molecular-to-atomic gas ratio in Virgo cluster galaxies in comparison with field galaxies. We show that the enhanced metallicity for cluster members and the ram pressure stripping of atomic gas from the disk periphery cannot fully explain the observed gas component ratios. The additional environmental factors affecting the interstellar medium and leading to an increase in the molecular gas fraction should be taken into account for cluster galaxies.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure

Long-lived charged multiple-exciton complexes in strong magnetic fields

We consider the charged exciton complexes of an ideal two-dimensional electron-hole system in the limit of strong magnetic fields. A series of charged multiple-exciton states is identified and variational and finite-size exact diagonalization calculations are used to estimate their binding energies. We find that, because of a hidden symmetry, bound states of excitons and an additional electron cannot be created by direct optical absorption and, once created, have an infinite optical recombination lifetime. We also estimate the optical recombination rates when electron and hole layers are displaced and the hidden symmetry is violated.Comment: 12 pages + 2 PostScript figures, Revtex, Submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

The X-ray spectra and spectral variability of intermediate type Seyfert galaxies: ASCA observations of NGC 4388 and ESO 103-G35

The X-ray spectra of two intermediate type Seyfert galaxies are investigated using ASCA observations separated by more than a year. Both NGC 4388 and ESO 103-G35 exhibit strong, narrow Fe K alpha line emission and absorption by cold neutral gas with a column density ~ 10^23 cm^-2, characteristic of the X-ray spectra of type 2 Seyfert galaxies. The power law continuum flux has changed by a factor of 2 over a time-scale of ~ 2 years for both objects, declining in the case of NGC 4388 and rising in ESO 103-G35. No variation was observed in the equivalent width of the Fe K alpha line in the spectra of NGC 4388, implying that the line flux declined with the continuum. We find that the strength of the line cannot be accounted for by fluorescence in line-of-sight material with the measured column density unless a `leaky-absorber' model of the type favored for IRAS 04575-7537 is employed. The equivalent width of the Fe K alpha emission line is seen to decrease between the observations of ESO 103-G35 while the continuum flux increased. The 1996 observation of ESO 103-G35 can also be fitted with an absorption edge at 7.4 $\pm$ 0.2 keV due to partially ionized iron, and when an ionized absorber model is fitted to the data it is found that the equivalent column of neutral hydrogen rises to 3.5 x 10^23 cm^-2. The Fe K alpha line flux can be accounted by fluorescence in this material alone and this model is also a good representation of the 1988 and 1991 Ginga observations. There is then no requirement for a reflection component in the ASCA spectra of ESO 103-G35 or NGC 4388.Comment: 45 pages, 5 tables, 11 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Radiative Decay Width Measurements of Neutral Kaon Excitations Using the Primakoff Effect

We produce a sample consisting of 147 candidate events, with minimal backgrounds, of the mixed axial vector pair K1(1270)-K1(1400) by exciting Kl's in the Coulomb field of lead and report the first measurements of the radiative widths Gamma_r(K1(1400)) = 280.8+-23.2(stat)+-40.4(syst) keV and Gamma_r(K1(1270)) = 73.2+- 6.1(stat)+-28.3(syst) keV. We also place 90% CL upper limits Gamma_r(K*(1410)) < 52.9 keV for the vector state and Gamma_r(K2*(1430)) < 5.4 keV for the tensor state. These measurements allow for significant tests of quark-model predictions of radiative widths for the low-lying vector mesons.Comment: PRL-size article, 4 figure

‘O sibling, where art thou?’ – a review of avian sibling recognition with respect to the mammalian literature

Avian literature on sibling recognition is rare compared to that developed by mammalian researchers. We compare avian and mammalian research on sibling recognition to identify why avian work is rare, how approaches differ and what avian and mammalian researchers can learn from each other. Three factors: (1) biological differences between birds and mammals, (2) conceptual biases and (3) practical constraints, appear to influence our current understanding. Avian research focuses on colonial species because sibling recognition is considered adaptive where ‘mixing potential’ of dependent young is high; research on a wider range of species, breeding systems and ecological conditions is now needed. Studies of acoustic recognition cues dominate avian literature; other types of cues (e.g. visual, olfactory) deserve further attention. The effect of gender on avian sibling recognition has yet to be investigated; mammalian work shows that gender can have important influences. Most importantly, many researchers assume that birds recognise siblings through ‘direct familiarisation’ (commonly known as associative learning or familiarity); future experiments should also incorporate tests for ‘indirect familiarisation’ (commonly known as phenotype matching). If direct familiarisation proves crucial, avian research should investigate how periods of separation influence sibling discrimination. Mammalian researchers typically interpret sibling recognition in broad functional terms (nepotism, optimal outbreeding); some avian researchers more successfully identify specific and testable adaptive explanations, with greater relevance to natural contexts. We end by reporting exciting discoveries from recent studies of avian sibling recognition that inspire further interest in this topic

First Observation of the decay KL -> pi0 e e gamma

We report on the first observation of the decay KL -> pi0 ee gamma by the KTeV E799 experiment at Fermilab. Based upon a sample of 48 events with an estimated background of 3.6 +/- 1.1 events, we measure the KL -> pi0 ee gamma branching ratio to be (2.34 +/- 0.35 +/- 0.13)x10^{-8}. Our data agree with recent O(p^6) calculations in chiral perturbation theory that include contributions from vector meson exchange through the parameter a_V. A fit was made to the KL -> pi0 ee gamma data for a_V with the result -0.67 +/- 0.21 +/- 0.12, which is consistent with previous results from KTeV.Comment: Submitted to Physical Review Letters, 5 pages, 5 figure

Measurements of the rare decay K_{L} -> e^{+} e^{-} e^{+} e^{-}

We observe 441 K_{L} -> e^{+} e^{-} e^{+} e^{-} candidate events with a background of 4.2 events and measure B(K_{L} -> e^{+} e^{-} e^{+} e^{-}) = (3.72 \pm 0.18(stat) \pm 0.23(syst)) \times 10^{-8} in the KTeV/E799II experiment at Fermilab. Using the distribution of the angle between the planes of the e^{+} e^{-} pairs, we measure the CP parameters beta_{CP} = -0.23 \pm 0.09(stat) \pm 0.02(syst) and gamma_{CP} = -0.09 \pm 0.09(stat) \pm 0.02(syst). We also present the first detailed study of the e^{+} e^{-} invariant mass spectrum in this decay mode.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure

Measurement of the rare decay pi0 -> e+ e-

The branching ratio of the rare decay pi0 -> e+ e- has been measured precisely, using the complete data set from the KTeV E799-II experiment at Fermilab. We observe 794 candidate pi0 -> e+ e- events using K0_L -> 3pi0 as a source of tagged pi0's. The expected background is 52.7 +- 11.2 events, predominantly from high e+ e- mass pi0 -> e+ e- gamma decays. We have measured B[(pi0 -> e+ e-), (m_e+e-/m_pi0)^2 > 0.95] = 6.44 +- 0.25(stat) +- 0.22(syst) x10^(-8), which is above the unitary bound from pi0 -> gamma gamma and within the range of theoretical expectations from the standard model.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Chaotic Friedmann-Robertson-Walker Cosmology

We show that the dynamics of a spatially closed Friedmann - Robertson - Walker Universe conformally coupled to a real, free, massive scalar field, is chaotic, for large enough field amplitudes. We do so by proving that this system is integrable under the adiabatic approximation, but that the corresponding KAM tori break up when non adiabatic terms are considered. This finding is confirmed by numerical evaluation of the Lyapunov exponents associated with the system, among other criteria. Chaos sets strong limitations to our ability to predict the value of the field at the Big Crunch, from its given value at the Big Bang. (Figures available on request)Comment: 28 pages, 11 figure