Vacuum state truncation via the quantum Zeno effect

In the context of quantum state engineering we analyze the effect of observation on nonlinear optical $n$-photon Fock state generation. We show that it is possible to truncate the vacuum component from an arbitrary photon number superposition without modifying its remaining parts. In the course of the full dynamical analysis of the effect of observation, it is also found that the Zeno and the anti-Zeno effects repeat periodically. We discuss the close relationship between vacuum state truncation and so-called "interaction-free" measurement.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, LaTeX; TeX errors fixe

Polar Mapper: a computational tool for integrated visualization of protein interaction networks and mRNA expression data

Polar Mapper is a computational application for exposing the architecture of protein interaction networks. It facilitates the system-level analysis of mRNA expression data in the context of the underlying protein interaction network. Preliminary analysis of a human protein interaction network and comparison of yeast oxidative stress and heat shock gene expression responses are addressed as case studies

Modelling the chemically aged and mixed aerosols over the eastern central Atlantic Ocean – potential impacts

Detailed information on the chemical and physical properties of aerosols is important for assessing their role in air quality and climate. This work explores the origin and fate of continental aerosols transported over the Central Atlantic Ocean, in terms of chemical composition, number and size distribution, using chemistry-transport models, satellite data and in situ measurements. We focus on August 2005, a period with intense hurricane and tropical storm activity over the Atlantic Ocean. A mixture of anthropogenic (sulphates, nitrates), natural (desert dust, sea salt) and chemically aged (sulphate and nitrate on dust) aerosols is found entering the hurricane genesis region, most likely interacting with clouds in the area. Results from our modelling study suggest rather small amounts of accumulation mode desert dust, sea salt and chemically aged dust aerosols in this Atlantic Ocean region. Aerosols of smaller size (Aitken mode) are more abundant in the area and in some occasions sulphates of anthropogenic origin and desert dust are of the same magnitude in terms of number concentrations. Typical aerosol number concentrations are derived for the vertical layers near shallow cloud formation regimes, indicating that the aerosol number concentration can reach several thousand particles per cubic centimetre. The vertical distribution of the aerosols shows that the desert dust particles are often transported near the top of the marine cloud layer as they enter into the region where deep convection is initiated. The anthropogenic sulphate aerosol can be transported within a thick layer and enter the cloud deck through multiple ways (from the top, the base of the cloud, and by entrainment). The sodium (sea salt related) aerosol is mostly found below the cloud base. The results of this work may provide insights relevant for studies that consider aerosol influences on cloud processes and storm development in the Central Atlantic region

Structural, elastic and thermal properties of cementite (Fe3_3C) calculated using Modified Embedded Atom Method

Structural, elastic and thermal properties of cementite (Fe$_3$C) were studied using a Modified Embedded Atom Method (MEAM) potential for iron-carbon (Fe-C) alloys. Previously developed Fe and C single element potentials were used to develop an Fe-C alloy MEAM potential, using a statistically-based optimization scheme to reproduce structural and elastic properties of cementite, the interstitial energies of C in bcc Fe as well as heat of formation of Fe-C alloys in L$_{12}$ and B$_1$ structures. The stability of cementite was investigated by molecular dynamics simulations at high temperatures. The nine single crystal elastic constants for cementite were obtained by computing total energies for strained cells. Polycrystalline elastic moduli for cementite were calculated from the single crystal elastic constants of cementite. The formation energies of (001), (010), and (100) surfaces of cementite were also calculated. The melting temperature and the variation of specific heat and volume with respect to temperature were investigated by performing a two-phase (solid/liquid) molecular dynamics simulation of cementite. The predictions of the potential are in good agreement with first-principles calculations and experiments.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figure

Evaluation of a three-dimensional chemical transport model (PMCAMx) in the European domain during the EUCAARI May 2008 campaign

PMCAMx-2008, a detailed three-dimensional chemical transport model (CTM), was applied to Europe to simulate the mass concentration and chemical composition of particulate matter (PM) during May 2008. The model includes a state-of-the-art organic aerosol module which is based on the volatility basis set framework treating both primary and secondary organic components as semivolatile and photochemically reactive. The model performance is evaluated against high time resolution aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) ground and airborne measurements. Overall, organic aerosol is predicted to account for 32% of total PM<sub>1</sub> at ground level during May 2008, followed by sulfate (30%), crustal material and sea-salt (14%), ammonium (13%), nitrate (7%), and elemental carbon (4%). The model predicts that fresh primary OA (POA) is a small contributor to organic PM concentrations in Europe during late spring, and that oxygenated species (oxidized primary and biogenic secondary) dominate the ambient OA. The Mediterranean region is the only area in Europe where sulfate concentrations are predicted to be much higher than the OA, while organic matter is predicted to be the dominant PM<sub>1</sub> species in central and northern Europe. The comparison of the model predictions with the ground measurements in four measurement stations is encouraging. The model reproduces more than 94% of the daily averaged data and more than 87% of the hourly data within a factor of 2 for PM<sub>1</sub> OA. The model tends to predict relatively flat diurnal profiles for PM<sub>1</sub> OA in many areas, both rural and urban in agreement with the available measurements. The model performance against the high time resolution airborne measurements at multiple altitudes and locations is as good as its performance against the ground level hourly measurements. There is no evidence of missing sources of OA aloft over Europe during this period

Lattice microstructure design for cathode electrodes for high-performance lithium-ion batteries

The electrode geometry is an essential parameter affecting the cycling performance of batteries. In this work, the effect of lattice geometry of the cathode electrode on battery performance was studied by theoretical simulations keeping its volume constant. It was observed that the variation of the lattice geometry improves the cycling performance when compared to conventional planar geometry. The improvement of the cycling performance in the lattice geometry is related to variations in the electrolyte current density. It was demonstrated that the lattice geometry allows to improve the discharge performance in lithium-ion batteries at higher discharge rates.511F-603F-4B30 | Francisco MirandaN/

Density Perturbations in the Brans-Dicke Theory

We analyse the fate of density perturbation in the Brans-Dicke Theory, giving a general classification of the solutions of the perturbed equations when the scale factor of the background evolves as a power law. We study with details the cases of vacuum, inflation, radiation and incoherent matter. We find, for the a negative Brans-Dicke parameter, a significant amplification of perturbations.Comment: 26 pages, latex fil