The effect of stellar-mass black holes on the structural evolution of massive star clusters

We present the results of realistic N-body modelling of massive star clusters in the Magellanic Clouds, aimed at investigating a dynamical origin for the radius-age trend observed in these systems. We find that stellar-mass black holes, formed in the supernova explosions of the most massive cluster stars, can constitute a dynamically important population. If a significant number of black holes are retained (here we assume complete retention), these objects rapidly form a dense core where interactions are common, resulting in the scattering of black holes into the cluster halo, and the ejection of black holes from the cluster. These two processes heat the stellar component, resulting in prolonged core expansion of a magnitude matching the observations. Significant core evolution is also observed in Magellanic Cloud clusters at early times. We find that this does not result from the action of black holes, but can be reproduced by the effects of mass-loss due to rapid stellar evolution in a primordially mass segregated cluster.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS Letters; 2 figures, 1 tabl

Non-Hermitian oscillator Hamiltonian and su(1,1): a way towards generalizations

The family of metric operators, constructed by Musumbu {\sl et al} (2007 {\sl J. Phys. A: Math. Theor.} {\bf 40} F75), for a harmonic oscillator Hamiltonian augmented by a non-Hermitian $\cal PT$-symmetric part, is re-examined in the light of an su(1,1) approach. An alternative derivation, only relying on properties of su(1,1) generators, is proposed. Being independent of the realization considered for the latter, it opens the way towards the construction of generalized non-Hermitian (not necessarily $\cal PT$-symmetric) oscillator Hamiltonians related by similarity to Hermitian ones. Some examples of them are reviewed.Comment: 11 pages, no figure; changes in title and in paragraphs 3 and 5; final published versio

The Physical Basis for Long-lived Electronic Coherence in Photosynthetic Light Harvesting Systems

The physical basis for observed long-lived electronic coherence in photosynthetic light-harvesting systems is identified using an analytically soluble model. Three physical features are found to be responsible for their long coherence lifetimes: i) the small energy gap between excitonic states, ii) the small ratio of the energy gap to the coupling between excitonic states, and iii) the fact that the molecular characteristics place the system in an effective low temperature regime, even at ambient conditions. Using this approach, we obtain decoherence times for a dimer model with FMO parameters of $\approx$ 160 fs at 77 K and $\approx$ 80 fs at 277 K. As such, significant oscillations are found to persist for 600 fs and 300 fs, respectively, in accord with the experiment and with previous computations. Similar good agreement is found for PC645 at room temperature, with oscillations persisting for 400 fs. The analytic expressions obtained provide direct insight into the parameter dependence of the decoherence time scales.Comment: 5 figures; J. Phys. Chem. Lett. (2011

Deciphering The Last Major Invasion of the Milky Way Galaxy

We present first results from a spectroscopic survey of 2000 F/G stars 0.5--5kpc from the Galactic plane, obtained with the 2dF facility on the AAT. These data show the mean rotation velocity of the thick disk about the Galactic center a few kpc from the plane is very different than expectation, being about 100km/s, rather than the predicted ~180km/s. We propose that our sample is dominated by stars from a disrupted satellite which merged with the disk of the Milky Way Galaxy some 10-12Gyr ago. We do not find evidence for the many substantial mergers expected in hierarchical clustering theories. We find yet more evidence that the stellar halo retains kinematic substructure, indicative of minor mergersComment: ApJ Letter in pres

The Hierarchical Formation of the Galactic Disk

I review the results of recent cosmological simulations of galaxy formation that highlight the importance of satellite accretion in the formation of galactic disks. Tidal debris of disrupted satellites may contribute to the disk component if they are compact enough to survive the decay and circularization of the orbit as dynamical friction brings the satellite into the disk plane. This process may add a small but non-negligible fraction of stars to the thin and thick disks, and reconcile the presence of very old stars with the protracted merging history expected in a hierarchically clustering universe. I discuss various lines of evidence which suggest that this process may have been important during the formation of the Galactic disk.Comment: paper to be read at the "Penetrating Bars through Masks of Cosmic Dust" conference in South Afric

Calculation of the unitary part of the Bures measure for N-level quantum systems

We use the canonical coset parameterization and provide a formula with the unitary part of the Bures measure for non-degenerate systems in terms of the product of even Euclidean balls. This formula is shown to be consistent with the sampling of random states through the generation of random unitary matrices

Scattering and Bound State Green's Functions on a Plane via so(2,1) Lie Algebra

We calculate the Green's functions for the particle-vortex system, for two anyons on a plane with and without a harmonic regulator and in a uniform magnetic field. These Green's functions which describe scattering or bound states (depending on the specific potential in each case) are obtained exactly using an algebraic method related to the SO(2,1) Lie group. From these Green's functions we obtain the corresponding wave functions and for the bound states we also find the energy spectra.Comment: 21 Latex pages. Typos corrected. Results unchanged. Version to appear in JM