Anomalous behaviour of the in-plane electrical conductivity of the layered superconductor κ\kappa-(BEDT-TTF)2_2Cu(NCS)2_2

The quasiparticle scattering rates in high-quality crystals of the quasi-two-dimensional superconductor $\kappa$-(BEDT-TTF)$_2$Cu(NCS)$_2$ ~are studied using the Shubnikov-de Haas effect and MHz penetration-depth experiments. There is strong evidence that the broadening of the Landau-levels is primarily caused by spatial inhomogeneities, indicating a quasiparticle lifetime for the Landau states $\gg 3$ ps. In contrast to the predictions of Fermi-liquid theory, the scattering time derived from the intralayer conductivity is found to be much shorter ($0.14-0.56$ ps)

The Long-Term Future of Extragalactic Astronomy

If the current energy density of the universe is indeed dominated by a cosmological constant, then high-redshift sources will remain visible to us only until they reach some finite age in their rest-frame. The radiation emitted beyond that age will never reach us due to the acceleration of the cosmic expansion rate, and so we will never know what these sources look like as they become older. As a source image freezes on a particular time frame along its evolution, its luminosity distance and redshift continue to increase exponentially with observation time. The higher the current redshift of a source is, the younger it will appear as it fades out of sight. For the popular set of cosmological parameters, I show that a source at a redshift z=5-10 will only be visible up to an age of 4-6 billion years. Arguments relating the properties of high-redshift sources to present-day counterparts will remain indirect even if we continue to monitor these sources for an infinite amount of time. These sources will not be visible to us when they reach the current age of the universe.Comment: Phys. Rev. D, in press (2001

Fermi Surface Properties of Low Concentration Cex_{x}La1−x_{1-x}B6_{6}: dHvA

The de Haas-van Alphen effect is used to study angular dependent extremal areas of the Fermi Surfaces (FS) and effective masses of Ce$_{x}$La$_{1-x}$B$_{6}$ alloys for $x$ between 0 and 0.05. The FS of these alloys was previously observed to be spin polarized at low Ce concentration ($x$ = 0.05). This work gives the details of the initial development of the topology and spin polarization of the FS from that of unpolarized metallic LaB$_{6}$ to that of spin polarized heavy Fermion CeB$_{6}$ .Comment: 7 pages, 9 figures, submitted to PR

The perseverance of Pacioli's goods inventory accounting system

This paper details sources of the 'undoubtedly strange' (Yamey, 1994a, p.119) system of goods inventory records described in Pacioli’s 1494 bookkeeping treatise and traces the longevity and widespread use of this early perpetual inventory recording (EPIR) system in English language texts. By doing so and contrasting this system with the bookkeeping treatment of modern texts, it is shown that the EPIR system persisted as the dominant form of goods inventory accounting for between 400 and 500 years and that the reasons for its demise are worthy of further consideration and research

Foundation and empire : a critique of Hardt and Negri

In this article, Thompson complements recent critiques of Hardt and Negri's Empire (see Finn Bowring in Capital and Class, no. 83) using the tools of labour process theory to critique the political economy of Empire, and to note its unfortunate similarities to conventional theories of the knowledge economy

Transnational social capital: the socio‐spatialities of civil society

Civil society remains a contested concept, but one that is widely embedded in global development processes. Transnationalism within civil society scholarship is often described dichotomously, either through hierarchical dependency relations or as a more amorphous networked global civil society. These two contrasting spatial imaginaries produce very particular ideas about how transnational relations contribute to civil society. Drawing on empirical material from research with civil society organizations in Barbados and Grenada, in this article I contend that civil society groups use forms of transnational social capital in their work. This does not, however, resonate with the horizontal relations associated with grassroots globalization or vertical chains of dependence. These social relations are imbued with power and agency and are entangled in situated historical, geographical and personal contexts. I conclude that the diverse transnational social relations that are part of civil society activity offer hope and possibilities for continued civil society action in these unexpected spatial arrangements

Polarization and Strong Infra-Red Activity in Compressed Solid Hydrogen

Under a pressure of ~150 GPa solid molecular hydrogen undergoes a phase transition accompanied by a dramatic rise in infra-red absorption in the vibron frequency range. We use the Berry's phase approach to calculate the electric polarization in several candidate structures finding large, anisotropic dynamic charges and strongly IR-active vibron modes. The polarization is shown to be greatly affected by the overlap between the molecules in the crystal, so that the commonly used Clausius-Mossotti description in terms of polarizable, non-overlapping molecular charge densities is inadequate already at low pressures and even more so for the compressed solid.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev. Let