539 research outputs found
Resonance- and Chaos-Assisted Tunneling
We consider dynamical tunneling between two symmetry-related regular islands
that are separated in phase space by a chaotic sea. Such tunneling processes
are dominantly governed by nonlinear resonances, which induce a coupling
mechanism between ``regular'' quantum states within and ``chaotic'' states
outside the islands. By means of a random matrix ansatz for the chaotic part of
the Hamiltonian, one can show that the corresponding coupling matrix element
directly determines the level splitting between the symmetric and the
antisymmetric eigenstates of the pair of islands. We show in detail how this
matrix element can be expressed in terms of elementary classical quantities
that are associated with the resonance. The validity of this theory is
demonstrated with the kicked Harper model.Comment: 25 pages, 5 figure
Fermion zero modes in N=2 supervortices
We study the fermionic zero modes of BPS semilocal magnetic vortices in N=2
supersymmetric QED with a Fayet-Iliopoulos term and two matter hypermultiplets
of opposite charge. There is a one-parameter family of vortices with
arbitrarily wide magnetic cores. Contrary to the situation in pure
Nielsen-Olesen vortices, new zero modes are found which get their masses from
Yukawa couplings to scalar fields that do not wind and are non-zero at the
core. We clarify the relation between fermion mass and zero modes. The new zero
modes have opposite chiralities and therefore do not affect the net counting
(left minus right) of zero modes coming from index theorems but manage to evade
other index theorems in the literature that count the total number (left plus
right) of zero modes in simpler systems.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figure. Uses Revtex4. Revised version includes discussion
about the back-reaction of the fermions on the background vortex. Version to
be published in Phys. Rev.
Extrapolating SMBH correlations down the mass scale: the case for IMBHs in globular clusters
Empirical evidence for both stellar mass black holes M_bh<10^2 M_sun) and
supermassive black holes (SMBHs, M_bh>10^5 M_sun) is well established.
Moreover, every galaxy with a bulge appears to host a SMBH, whose mass is
correlated with the bulge mass, and even more strongly with the central stellar
velocity dispersion sigma_c, the `M-sigma' relation. On the other hand,
evidence for "intermediate-mass" black holes (IMBHs, with masses in the range
1^2 - 10^5 M_sun) is relatively sparse, with only a few mass measurements
reported in globular clusters (GCs), dwarf galaxies and low-mass AGNs. We
explore the question of whether globular clusters extend the M-sigma
relationship for galaxies to lower black hole masses and find that available
data for globular clusters are consistent with the extrapolation of this
relationship. We use this extrapolated M-sigma relationship to predict the
putative black hole masses of those globular clusters where existence of
central IMBH was proposed. We discuss how globular clusters can be used as a
constraint on theories making specific predictions for the low-mass end of the
M-sigma relation.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Astrophysics and
Space Science; fixed typos and a quote in Sec.
Universal Correlations in Pion-less EFT with the Resonating Group Model: Three and Four Nucleons
The Effective Field Theory "without pions" at next-to-leading order is used
to analyze universal bound state and scattering properties of the 3- and
4-nucleon system. Results of a variety of phase shift equivalent nuclear
potentials are presented for bound state properties of 3H and 4He, and for the
singlet S-wave 3He-neutron scattering length a_0(3He-n). The calculations are
performed with the Refined Resonating Group Method and include a full treatment
of the Coulomb interaction and the leading-order 3-nucleon interaction. The
results compare favorably with data and values from AV18(+UIX) model
calculations. A new correlation between a_0(3He-n) and the 3H binding energy is
found. Furthermore, we confirm at next-to-leading order the correlations,
already found at leading-order, between the 3H binding energy and the 3H charge
radius, and the Tjon line. With the 3H binding energy as input, we get
predictions of the Effective Field Theory "without pions" at next-to-leading
order for the root mean square charge radius of 3H of (1.6\pm 0.2) fm, for the
4He binding energy of (28\pm 2.5) MeV, and for Re(a_0(3He-n)) of (7.5\pm
0.6)fm. Including the Coulomb interaction, the splitting in binding energy
between 3H and 3He is found to be (0.66\pm 0.03) MeV. The discrepancy to data
of (0.10\mp 0.03) MeV is model independently attributed to higher order charge
independence breaking interactions. We also demonstrate that different results
for the same observable stem from higher order effects, and carefully assess
that numerical uncertainties are negligible. Our results demonstrate the
convergence and usefulness of the pion-less theory at next-to-leading order in
the 4He channel. We conclude that no 4-nucleon interaction is needed to
renormalize the theory at next-to-leading order in the 4-nucleon sector.Comment: 24 pages revtex4, including 8 figures as .eps files embedded with
includegraphicx, leading-order results added, calculations include the LO
three-nucleon interaction explicitly, comment on Wigner bound added, minor
modification
Black Hole Spin via Continuum Fitting and the Role of Spin in Powering Transient Jets
The spins of ten stellar black holes have been measured using the
continuum-fitting method. These black holes are located in two distinct classes
of X-ray binary systems, one that is persistently X-ray bright and another that
is transient. Both the persistent and transient black holes remain for long
periods in a state where their spectra are dominated by a thermal accretion
disk component. The spin of a black hole of known mass and distance can be
measured by fitting this thermal continuum spectrum to the thin-disk model of
Novikov and Thorne; the key fit parameter is the radius of the inner edge of
the black hole's accretion disk. Strong observational and theoretical evidence
links the inner-disk radius to the radius of the innermost stable circular
orbit, which is trivially related to the dimensionless spin parameter a_* of
the black hole (|a_*| < 1). The ten spins that have so far been measured by
this continuum-fitting method range widely from a_* \approx 0 to a_* > 0.95.
The robustness of the method is demonstrated by the dozens or hundreds of
independent and consistent measurements of spin that have been obtained for
several black holes, and through careful consideration of many sources of
systematic error. Among the results discussed is a dichotomy between the
transient and persistent black holes; the latter have higher spins and larger
masses. Also discussed is recently discovered evidence in the transient sources
for a correlation between the power of ballistic jets and black hole spin.Comment: 30 pages. Accepted for publication in Space Science Reviews. Also to
appear in hard cover in the Space Sciences Series of ISSI "The Physics of
Accretion onto Black Holes" (Springer Publisher). Changes to Sections 5.2,
6.1 and 7.4. Section 7.4 responds to Russell et al. 2013 (MNRAS, 431, 405)
who find no evidence for a correlation between the power of ballistic jets
and black hole spi
Precise electromagnetic tests of ab initio calculations of light nuclei: States in Be10
In order to test ab initio calculations of light nuclei, we have remeasured lifetimes in Be10 using the Doppler shift attenuation method (DSAM) following the Li7(Li7,α)Be10 reaction at 8 and 10 MeV. The new experiments significantly reduce systematic uncertainties in the DSAM technique. The Jπ=21+ state at 3.37 MeV has τ=205±(5)stat±(7)sysfs corresponding to a B(E2) of 9.2(3)e2fm4 in broad agreement with many calculations. The Jπ=22+ state at 5.96 MeV was found to have a B(E2) of 0.11(2)e2fm4 and provides a more discriminating test of nuclear models. New Green's function Monte Carlo calculations for these states and transitions with a number of Hamiltonians are also reported and compared to experiment
Lifetime of the 21+ state in 10C
The lifetime of the Jπ=21+ state in 10C was measured using the Doppler shift attenuation method following the inverse kinematics p(10B ,n)10C reaction at 95 MeV. The 21+ state, at 3354 keV, has τ=219±(7)stat±(10)sys fs, corresponding to a B(E2)" of 8.8(3) e2 fm4. This measurement, combined with that recently determined for 10Be [9.2(3) e2 fm4], provides a unique challenge to ab initio calculations, testing the structure of these states, including the isospin symmetry of the wave functions. Quantum Monte Carlo calculations using realistic two- and three-nucleon Hamiltonians that reproduce the 10Be B(E2) value generally predict a larger 10C B(E2) probability but with considerable sensitivity to the admixture of different spatial symmetry components in the wave functions and to the three-nucleon potential used
Active Galactic Nuclei at the Crossroads of Astrophysics
Over the last five decades, AGN studies have produced a number of spectacular
examples of synergies and multifaceted approaches in astrophysics. The field of
AGN research now spans the entire spectral range and covers more than twelve
orders of magnitude in the spatial and temporal domains. The next generation of
astrophysical facilities will open up new possibilities for AGN studies,
especially in the areas of high-resolution and high-fidelity imaging and
spectroscopy of nuclear regions in the X-ray, optical, and radio bands. These
studies will address in detail a number of critical issues in AGN research such
as processes in the immediate vicinity of supermassive black holes, physical
conditions of broad-line and narrow-line regions, formation and evolution of
accretion disks and relativistic outflows, and the connection between nuclear
activity and galaxy evolution.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures; review contribution; "Exploring the Cosmic
Frontier: Astrophysical Instruments for the 21st Century", ESO Astrophysical
Symposia Serie
Toward an internally consistent astronomical distance scale
Accurate astronomical distance determination is crucial for all fields in
astrophysics, from Galactic to cosmological scales. Despite, or perhaps because
of, significant efforts to determine accurate distances, using a wide range of
methods, tracers, and techniques, an internally consistent astronomical
distance framework has not yet been established. We review current efforts to
homogenize the Local Group's distance framework, with particular emphasis on
the potential of RR Lyrae stars as distance indicators, and attempt to extend
this in an internally consistent manner to cosmological distances. Calibration
based on Type Ia supernovae and distance determinations based on gravitational
lensing represent particularly promising approaches. We provide a positive
outlook to improvements to the status quo expected from future surveys,
missions, and facilities. Astronomical distance determination has clearly
reached maturity and near-consistency.Comment: Review article, 59 pages (4 figures); Space Science Reviews, in press
(chapter 8 of a special collection resulting from the May 2016 ISSI-BJ
workshop on Astronomical Distance Determination in the Space Age
Heavy Quarks and Heavy Quarkonia as Tests of Thermalization
We present here a brief summary of new results on heavy quarks and heavy
quarkonia from the PHENIX experiment as presented at the "Quark Gluon Plasma
Thermalization" Workshop in Vienna, Austria in August 2005, directly following
the International Quark Matter Conference in Hungary.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, Quark Gluon Plasma Thermalization Workshop
(Vienna August 2005) Proceeding
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