Learning Agility: In Search of Conceptual Clarity and Theoretical Grounding

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/92376/1/j.1754-9434.2012.01444.x.pd

Cross-linkable azido C60-fullerene derivatives for efficient thermal stabilization of polymer bulk-heterojunction solar cells

International audienceOriginal [60]PCBM-inspired fullerene derivatives bearing an azidofunctional group were synthesized. By incorporating an optimizedquantity of this thermal cross-linker additive in the P3HT:[60]PCBMphotoactive layer, an impressive stabilization of the bulk-heterojunctionmorphology at its optimal photovoltaic performance wasachieved

Learning Agility: Many Questions, a Few Answers, and a Path Forward

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/92383/1/j.1754-9434.2012.01465.x.pd

Microlensing by Compact Objects associated to Gas Clouds

We investigate gravitational microlensing of point-like lenses surrounded by diffuse gas clouds. Besides gravitational bending, one must also consider refraction and absorption phenomena. According to the cloud density, the light curves may suffer small to large deviations from Paczynski curves, up to complete eclipses. Moreover, the presence of the cloud endows this type of microlensing events with a high chromaticity and absorption lines recognizable by spectral analysis. It is possible that these objects populate the halo of our galaxy, giving a conspicuous contribution to the fraction of the baryonic dark matter. The required features for the extension and the mass of the cloud to provide appreciable signatures are also met by several astrophysical objects.Comment: 11 pages with 4 figures. Accepted by A&

Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment. OGLE-1999-BUL-19: The First Multi-Peak Parallax Event

We describe a highly unusual microlensing event, OGLE-1999-BUL-19, which exhibits multiple peaks in its light curve. The Einstein radius crossing time for this event is approximately one year, which is unusually long. We show that the motion of the Earth induces these multiple peaks in the light curve, since the relative transverse velocity of the lens projected into the observer plane is very small (v = 12.5 km/s). This is the lowest velocity so far published and we believe that this is the first multiple-peak parallax event ever observed. We also believe that this event may be exhibiting slight binary-source signatures in addition to these parallax-induced multiple peaks. With spectroscopic observations it is possible to test this `parallax plus binary-source' hypothesis and (if this hypothesis turns out to be correct) to simultaneously fit both models and obtain a measurement of the lens mass. Furthermore, spectroscopic observations could also supply information regarding the lens properties, possibly providing another avenue for determining the lens mass. We found that most of the I-band blending is probably caused by light from the lens or a binary companion to the source. However, in the V-band, there appears to be a second blended source 0.35" away from the lensed source. HST observations will be very useful for understanding the nature of the blends. We also suggest that a radial velocity survey of all parallax events will be very useful for further constraining the lensing kinematics and understanding the origins of these events and the excess of long events toward the bulge.Comment: 36 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

The MACHO project: Microlensing Optical Depth towards the Galactic Bulge from Difference Image Analysis

We present the microlensing optical depth towards the Galactic bulge based on the detection of 99 events found in our Difference Image Analysis (DIA) survey. This analysis encompasses three years of data, covering ~ 17 million stars in ~ 4 deg^2, to a source star baseline magnitude limit of V = 23. The DIA technique improves the quality of photometry in crowded fields, and allows us to detect more microlensing events with faint source stars. We find this method increases the number of detection events by 85% compared with the standard analysis technique. DIA light curves of the events are presented and the microlensing fit parameters are given. The total microlensing optical depth is estimated to be tau_(total)= 2.43^(+0.39/-0.38) x 10^(-6) averaged over 8 fields centered at l=2.68 and b=-3.35. For the bulge component we find tau_(bulge)=3.23^(+0.52/-0.50) x 10^(-6) assuming a 25% stellar contribution from disk sources. These optical depths are in good agreement with the past determinations of the MACHO Alcock et al. (1997) and OGLE Udalski et al. (1994) groups, and are higher than predicted by contemporary Galactic models. We show that our observed event timescale distribution is consistent with the distribution expected from normal mass stars, if we adopt the stellar mass function of Scalo (1986) as our lens mass function. However, we note that as there is still disagreement about the exact form of the stellar mass function, there is uncertainty in this conclusion. Based on our event timescale distribution we find no evidence for the existence of a large population of brown dwarfs in the direction of the Galactic bulge.Comment: Updated references and corrected optical depth values. tau_tot= [2.91(+0.47/-0.45) -> 2.43^(+0.39/-0.38)] x 10^(-6) tau_bul = [3.88(+0.63/-0.60) -> 3.23^(+0.52/-0.50)] x 10^(-6

A precision measurement of direct CP violation in the decay of neutral kaons into two pions

The direct CP violation parameter Re(epsilon'/epsilon) has been measured from the decay rates of neutral kaons into two pions using the NA48 detector at the CERN SPS. The 2001 running period was devoted to collecting additional data under varied conditions compared to earlier years (1997-99). The new data yield the result: Re(epsilon'/epsilon) = (13.7 +/- 3.1) times 10^{-4}. Combining this result with that published from the 1997, 98 and 99 data, an overall value of Re(epsilon'/epsilon) = (14.7 +/- 2.2) times 10^{-4} is obtained from the NA48 experiment.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures, to be published in Physics Letters

First observation of the KS->pi0 gamma gamma decay

Using the NA48 detector at the CERN SPS, 31 KS->pi0 gamma gamma candidates with an estimated background of 13.7 +- 3.2 events have been observed. This first observation leads to a branching ratio of BR(KS->pi0 gamma gamma) = (4.9 +- 1.6(stat) +- 0.9(syst)) x 10^-8 in agreement with Chiral Perturbation theory predictions.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures submitted to Phys. Lett.