Global persistence exponent of the double-exchange model

We obtained the global persistence exponent $\theta_g$ for a continuous spin model on the simple cubic lattice with double-exchange interaction by using two different methods. First, we estimated the exponent $\theta_g$ by following the time evolution of probability $P(t)$ that the order parameter of the model does not change its sign up to time $t$ $[P(t)\thicksim t^{-\theta_g}]$. Afterwards, that exponent was estimated through the scaling collapse of the universal function $L^{\theta_g z} P(t)$ for different lattice sizes. Our results for both approaches are in very good agreement each other.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, and 3 tables. To appear in Physical Review

Short-time behavior of a classical ferromagnet with double-exchange interaction

We investigate the critical dynamics of a classical ferromagnet on the simple cubic lattice with double-exchange interaction. Estimates for the dynamic critical exponents $z$ and $\theta$ are obtained using short-time Monte Carlo simulations. We also estimate the static critical exponents $\nu$ and $\beta$ studying the behavior of the samples at an early time. Our results are in good agreement with available estimates and support the assertion that this model and the classical Heisenberg model belong to the same universality class

Recording from two neurons: second order stimulus reconstruction from spike trains and population coding

We study the reconstruction of visual stimuli from spike trains, recording simultaneously from the two H1 neurons located in the lobula plate of the fly Chrysomya megacephala. The fly views two types of stimuli, corresponding to rotational and translational displacements. If the reconstructed stimulus is to be represented by a Volterra series and correlations between spikes are to be taken into account, first order expansions are insufficient and we have to go to second order, at least. In this case higher order correlation functions have to be manipulated, whose size may become prohibitively large. We therefore develop a Gaussian-like representation for fourth order correlation functions, which works exceedingly well in the case of the fly. The reconstructions using this Gaussian-like representation are very similar to the reconstructions using the experimental correlation functions. The overall contribution to rotational stimulus reconstruction of the second order kernels - measured by a chi-squared averaged over the whole experiment - is only about 8% of the first order contribution. Yet if we introduce an instant-dependent chi-square to measure the contribution of second order kernels at special events, we observe an up to 100% improvement. As may be expected, for translational stimuli the reconstructions are rather poor. The Gaussian-like representation could be a valuable aid in population coding with large number of neurons

Long Term Variability of SDSS Quasars

We use a sample of 3791 quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Early Data Release (EDR), and compare their photometry to historic plate material for the same set of quasars in order to study their variability properties. The time base-line we attain this way ranges from a few months to up to 50 years. In contrast to monitoring programs, where relatively few quasars are photometrically measured over shorter time periods, we utilize existing databases to extend this base-line as much as possible, at the cost of sampling per quasar. Our method, however, can easily be extended to much larger samples. We construct variability Structure Functions and compare these to the literature and model functions. From our modeling we conclude that 1) quasars are more variable toward shorter wavelengths, 2) their variability is consistent with an exponentially decaying light-curve with a typical time-scale of ~2 years, 3) these outbursts occur on typical time-scales of ~200 years. With the upcoming first data release of the SDSS, a much larger quasar sample can be used to put these conclusions on a more secure footing.Comment: 16 pages, accepted for publication in AJ, Sept issu