A search for inverse magnetic catalysis in thermal quark-meson models

We explore the parameter space of the two-flavor thermal quark-meson model and its Polyakov loop-extended version under the influence of a constant external magnetic field $B$. We investigate the behavior of the pseudo critical temperature for chiral symmetry breaking taking into account the likely dependence of two parameters on the magnetic field: the Yukawa quark-meson coupling and the parameter $T_0$ of the Polyakov loop potential. Under the constraints that magnetic catalysis is realized at zero temperature and the chiral transition at $B=0$ is a crossover, we find that the quark-meson model leads to thermal magnetic catalysis for the whole allowed parameter space, in contrast to the present picture stemming from lattice QCD.Comment: 8 pages, 5figure

On thermal nucleation of quark matter in compact stars

The possibility of a hadron-quark phase transition in extreme astrophysical phenomena such as the collapse of a supernova is not discarded by the modern knowledge of the high-energy nuclear and quark-matter equations of state. Both the density and the temperature attainable in such extreme processes are possibly high enough to trigger a chiral phase transition. However, the time scales involved are an important issue. Even if the physical conditions for the phase transition are favorable (for a system in equilibrium), there may not be enough time for the dynamical process of phase conversion to be completed. We analyze the relevant time scales for the phase conversion via thermal nucleation of bubbles of quark matter and compare them to the typical astrophysical time scale, in order to verify the feasibility of the scenario of hadron-quark phase conversion during, for example, the core-collapse of a supernova.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, talk given at the International Conference SQM2009, Buzios, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sep.27-Oct.2, 200

Nucleation of quark matter in protoneutron star matter

The phase transition from hadronic to quark matter may take place already during the early post-bounce stage of core collapse supernovae when matter is still hot and lepton rich. If the phase transition is of first order and exhibits a barrier, the formation of the new phase occurs via the nucleation of droplets. We investigate the thermal nucleation of a quark phase in supernova matter and calculate its rate for a wide range of physical parameters. We show that the formation of the first droplet of a quark phase might be very fast and therefore the phase transition to quark matter could play an important role in the mechanism and dynamics of supernova explosions.Comment: v3: fits version published in Physical Review

Nitrogen fluorescence in air for observing extensive air showers

Extensive air showers initiate the fluorescence emissions from nitrogen molecules in air. The UV-light is emitted isotropically and can be used for observing the longitudinal development of extensive air showers in the atmosphere over tenth of kilometers. This measurement technique is well-established since it is exploited for many decades by several cosmic ray experiments. However, a fundamental aspect of the air shower analyses is the description of the fluorescence emission in dependence on varying atmospheric conditions. Different fluorescence yields affect directly the energy scaling of air shower reconstruction. In order to explore the various details of the nitrogen fluorescence emission in air, a few experimental groups have been performing dedicated measurements over the last decade. Most of the measurements are now finished. These experimental groups have been discussing their techniques and results in a series of Air Fluorescence Workshops commenced in 2002. At the 8$^{\rm{th}}$ Air Fluorescence Workshop 2011, it was suggested to develop a common way of describing the nitrogen fluorescence for application to air shower observations. Here, first analyses for a common treatment of the major dependences of the emission procedure are presented. Aspects like the contributions at different wavelengths, the dependence on pressure as it is decreasing with increasing altitude in the atmosphere, the temperature dependence, in particular that of the collisional cross sections between molecules involved, and the collisional de-excitation by water vapor are discussed.Comment: 12 pages, 17 figures, 2 tables, International Symposium on Future Directions in UHECR Physics, 13-16 February 2012, CERN, Geneva (Switzerland); the updated version corrects for a typo in Eq. (1

Phase conversion in a weakly first-order quark-hadron transition

We investigate the process of phase conversion in a thermally-driven {\it weakly} first-order quark-hadron transition. This scenario is physically appealing even if the nature of this transition in equilibrium proves to be a smooth crossover for vanishing baryonic chemical potential. We construct an effective potential by combining the equation of state obtained within Lattice QCD for the partonic sector with that of a gas of resonances in the hadronic phase, and present numerical results on bubble profiles, nucleation rates and time evolution, including the effects from reheating on the dynamics for different expansion scenarios. Our findings confirm the standard picture of a cosmological first-order transition, in which the process of phase conversion is entirely dominated by nucleation, also in the case of a weakly first-order transition. On the other hand, we show that, even for expansion rates much lower than those expected in high-energy heavy ion collisions, nucleation is very unlikely, indicating that the main mechanism of phase conversion is spinodal decomposition. Our results are compared to those obtained for a strongly first-order transition, as the one provided by the MIT bag model.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures; v2: 1 reference added, minor modifications, matches published versio

NMR evidence for very slow carrier density fluctuations in the organic metal (TMTSF)2_2ClO4_4

We have investigated the origin of the large increase in spin-echo decay rates for the $^{77}$Se nuclear spins at temperatures near to $T=30K$ in the organic superconductor (TMTSF)$_2$ClO$_4$. The measured angular dependence of $T_2^{-1}$ demonstrates that the source of the spin-echo decays lies with carrier density fluctuations rather than fluctuations in TMTSF molecular orientation. The very long time scales are directly associated with the dynamics of the anion ordering occurring at $T=25K$, and the inhomogeneously broadened spectra at lower temperatures result from finite domain sizes. Our results are similar to observations of line-broadening effects associated with charge-ordering transitions in quasi-two dimensional organic conductors.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Huntington's disease clinical trials corner: April 2022

In this edition of the Huntington's Disease Clinical Trials Corner we expand on GENERATION HD1, PRECISION-HD1 and PRECISION-HD2, SELECT-HD, and VIBRANT-HD trials, and list all currently registered and ongoing clinical trials in Huntington's disease

Optical Emission Model for Binary Black Hole Merger Remnants Travelling through Discs of Active Galactic Nucleus

Active galactic nuclei (AGNs) have been proposed as plausible sites hosting a sizable fraction of the binary black hole (BBH) mergers measured through gravitational waves (GWs) by the LIGO-Virgo-Kagra (LVK) experiment. These GWs could be accompanied by radiation feedback due to the interaction of the BBH merger remnant with the AGN disc. We present a new predicted radiation signature driven by the passage of a kicked BBH remnant throughout a thin AGN disc. We analyse the situation of a merger occurring outside the thin disc, where the merger is of second or higher generation in a merging hierarchical sequence. The coalescence produces a kicked BH remnant that eventually plunges into the disc, accretes material, and inflates jet cocoons. We consider the case of a jet cocoon propagating quasi-parallel to the disc plane and study the outflow that results when the cocoon emerges from the disc. Here we focus on the long time-scale emission produced after the disc outflow expands and becomes optically thin. The bolometric luminosity of such disc outflow evolves as $L\propto t^{-7/2}$. Depending on the parameter configuration, the flare produced by the disc outflow could be comparable to or exceed the AGN background emission at near-infrared, optical, and extreme ultraviolet wavelengths appearing $\sim$[20-500] days after the GW event and lasting for $\sim$[1-200] days, accordingly.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures. Submitted to MNRA

From QCD lattice calculations to the equation of state of quark matter

We describe two-flavor QCD lattice data for the pressure at finite temperature and zero chemical potential within a quasiparticle model. Relying only on thermodynamic selfconsistency, the model is extended to nonzero chemical potential. The results agree with lattice calculations in the region of small chemical potential.Comment: 5 eps figure

Recuperação de atributos físicos de um argissolo em função do seu revolvimento e do tempo de semeadura direta.

A melhoria da qualidade estrutural do solo pelo uso continuado do sistema semeadura direta ocorre junto com o processo de sua (re)acidificação. Em algumas circunstâncias, ocorre também compactação superficial devido ao tráfego de máquinas, que necessita ser corrigida pela mobilização do solo. Assim, em experimento conduzido há 12 anos sob diferentes sistemas de manejo do solo, avaliou-se o tempo necessário para o solo readquirir os atributos físicos iniciais, alterados no processo de revolvimento do solo, por ocasião da reaplicação de calcário. O experimento foi realizado na Estação Experimental Agronômica da UFRGS, em Eldorado do Sul - RS, em um Argissolo Vermelho distrófico típico. Os sistemas de manejo avaliados foram: (a) preparo convencional durante 12 anos, (b) sistema semeadura direta com revolvimento do solo para incorporar calcário a cada quatro anos, (c) sistema semeadura direta durante oito anos e (d) sistema semeadura direta durante 12 anos. Determinaram-se, imediatamente antes e 6, 12, 24, 36 e 48 meses depois da terceira reaplicação de calcário, a densidade, a porosidade total, a macroporosidade, a microporosidade, a estabilidade de agregados e o teor de C orgânico em três camadas (0,0-2,5; 2,5-7,5 e 7,5-15,0 cm) de solo. O revolvimento do solo para incorporação do calcário no sistema semeadura direta de quatro anos propiciou condições mais favoráveis de densidade e porosidade do solo, mas diminuiu a estabilidade de agregados. Houve necessidade de um período de quatro anos de cultivo do solo no sistema semeadura direta para o retorno da estabilidade de agregados à condição original. Os atributos físicos do solo foram mais uniformes no perfil no preparo convencional, porém com menor estabilidade de agregados na camada superficial, que foi relacionada ao teor de C orgânico