256 research outputs found
Observation of sub-natural linewidths for cold atoms in a magneto-optic trap
We have studied the absorption of a weak probe beam through cold rubidium
atoms in a magneto-optic trap. The absorption spectrum shows two peaks with the
smaller peak having linewidth as small as 28% of the natural linewidth. The
modification happens because the laser beams used for trapping also drive the
atoms coherently between the ground and excited states. This creates
``dressed'' states whose energies are shifted depending on the strength of the
drive. Linewidth narrowing occurs due to quantum coherence between the dressed
states. The separation of the states increases with laser intensity and
detuning, as expected from this model.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure
Matter-wave diffraction in time with a linear potential
Diffraction in time of matter waves incident on a shutter which is removed at
time is studied in the presence of a linear potential. The solution is
also discussed in phase space in terms of the Wigner function. An alternative
configuration relevant to current experiments where particles are released from
a hard wall trap is also analyzed for single-particle states and for a
Tonks-Girardeau gas.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figure
The effect of metallicity on the Cepheid distance scale and its implications for the Hubble constant () determination
Recent HST determinations of the expansion's rate of the Universe (the Hubble
constant, H_0) assumed that the Cepheid Period-Luminosity relation at V and I
are independent of metallicity (Freedman, et al., 1996, Saha et al., 1996,
Tanvir et al., 1995). The three groups obtain different vales for H_0. We note
that most of this discrepancy stems from the asumption (by both groups) that
the Period-Luminosity relation is independent of metallicity. We come to this
conclusion as a result of our study of the Period-Luminosity relation of 481
Cepheids with 3 millions two colour measurements in the Large Magellanic Cloud
and the Small Magellanic Cloud obtained as a by-product of the EROS
microlensing survey. We find that the derived interstellar absorption
corrections are particularly sensitive to the metallicity and when our result
is applied to recent estimates based on HST Cepheids observations it makes the
low-H_0 values higher and the high-H_0 value lower, bringing those discrepant
estimates into agrement around .Comment: 4 pages, Latex, with 2 .ps accepted for publication astronomy and
astrophysics Letter
Opto-mechanical measurement of micro-trap via nonlinear cavity enhanced Raman scattering spectrum
High-gain resonant nonlinear Raman scattering on trapped cold atoms within a
high-fineness ring optical cavity is simply explained under a nonlinear
opto-mechanical mechanism, and a proposal using it to detect frequency of
micro-trap on atom chip is presented. The enhancement of scattering spectrum is
due to a coherent Raman conversion between two different cavity modes mediated
by collective vibrations of atoms through nonlinear opto-mechanical couplings.
The physical conditions of this technique are roughly estimated on Rubidium
atoms, and a simple quantum analysis as well as a multi-body semiclassical
simulation on this nonlinear Raman process is conducted.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure
Observational Limits on Machos in the Galactic Halo
We present final results from the first phase of the EROS search for
gravitational microlensing of stars in the Magellanic Clouds by unseen
deflectors (machos: MAssive Compact Halo Objects). The search is sensitive to
events with time scales between 15 minutes and 200 days corresponding to
deflector masses in the range 1.e-7 to a few solar masses. Two events were
observed that are compatible with microlensing by objects of mass of about 0.1
Mo. By comparing the results with the expected number of events for various
models of the Galaxy, we conclude that machos in the mass range [1.e-7, 0.02]
Mo make up less than 20% (95% C.L.) of the Halo dark matter.Comment: 4 pages, 3 Postscript figures, to be published in Astronomy &
Astrophysic
Matter wave pulses characteristics
We study the properties of quantum single-particle wave pulses created by
sharp-edged or apodized shutters with single or periodic openings. In
particular, we examine the visibility of diffraction fringes depending on
evolution time and temperature; the purity of the state depending on the
opening-time window; the accuracy of a simplified description which uses
``source'' boundary conditions instead of solving an initial value problem; and
the effects of apodization on the energy width.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figure
Front. Plant. Sci.
Plasmodesmata (PD) pores connect neighbouring plant cells and enable direct transport across the cell wall. Understanding the molecular composition of these structures is essential to address their formation and later dynamic regulation. Here we provide a biochemical characterisation of the cell wall co-purified with primary PD of Arabidopsis thaliana cell cultures. To achieve this result we combined subcellular fractionation, polysaccharide analyses and
enzymatic fingerprinting approaches. Relative to the rest of the cell wall,
specific patterns were observed in the PD fraction. Most xyloglucans,
although possibly not abundant as a group, were fucosylated.
Homogalacturonans displayed short methylated stretches while
rhamnogalacturonan I species were remarkably abundant. Ful l
rhamnogalacturonan II forms, highly methyl-acetylated, were also present. We additionally showed that these domains, compared to the broad wall, are less affected by wall modifying activities during a time interval of days. Overall, the protocol and the data presented here open new opportunities for the study of wall polysaccharides associated with PD.Ecole Universitaire de Recherche de Sciences des Plantes de Paris-SaclayThe function of membrane tethering in plant intercellular communicatio
Assessment of the Central Effects of Natural Uranium via Behavioural Performances and the Cerebrospinal Fluid Metabolome
International audienceNatural uranium (NU), a component of the earth's crust, is not only a heavy metal but also an alpha particle emitter, with chemical and radiological toxicity. Populations may therefore be chronically exposed to NU through drinking water and food. Since the central nervous system is known to be sensitive to pollutants during its development, we assessed the effects on the behaviour and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) metabolome of rats exposed for 9 months from birth to NU via lactation and drinking water (1.5, 10, or 40 mg⋅L −1 for male rats and 40 mg⋅L −1 for female rats). Medium-term memory decreased in comparison to controls in male rats exposed to 1.5, 10, or 40 mg⋅L −1 NU. In male rats, spatial working memory and anxiety-and depressive-like behaviour were only altered by exposure to 40 mg⋅L −1 NU and any significant effect was observed on locomotor activity. In female rats exposed to NU, only locomotor activity was significantly increased in comparison with controls. LC-MS metabolomics of CSF discriminated the fingerprints of the male and/or female NU-exposed and control groups. This study suggests that exposure to environmental doses of NU from development to adulthood can have an impact on rat brain function
Implications des relations sol-plante en ingénierie écologique des habitats et sols métallifères dégradés: le cas des habitats riches en cuivre du Katanga (République Démocratique du Congo)
International audienceLa restauration écologique des habitats dégradés et des sols nus riches en métaux lourds créés par l'activité minière est devenue aujourd'hui un enjeu environnemental majeur pour réduire l'érosion de la biodiversité et la dégradation des paysages, des sols et de l'eau. Les études de restauration écologique basées sur l'identification des espèces sans faire référence aux traits fonctionnels des plantes sont limitées au réservoir régional des espèces et rendent difficile les interprétations et les applications dans des contextes écologiques variés. En comparant les traits fonctionnels des plantes entre l'habitat métallifère non dégradé et un gradient de succession d'habitats secondaires, il est possible de définir des traits liés à la capacité de colonisation des sols nus riches en métaux lourds. Cette première tentative d'analyse des traits sur les habitats riches en métaux lourds permet ainsi d'identifier les traits candidats pour la phytoremediation. Un des futurs challenges est de créer de nouveaux écosystèmes fonctionnels sur les sols nus contaminés par les métaux lourds e
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