Studies of CMB structure at Dec=40. II: Analysis and cosmological interpretation

We present a detailed analysis of the cosmic microwave background structure in the Tenerife Dec=+40 degrees data. The effect of local atmospheric contributions on the derived fluctuation amplitude is considered, resulting in an improved separation of the intrinsic CMB signal from noise. Our analysis demonstrates the existence of common structure in independent data scans at 15 and 33 GHz. For the case of fluctuations described by a Gaussian auto-correlation function, a likelihood analysis of our combined results at 15 and 33 GHz implies an intrinsic rms fluctuation level of 48^{+21}_{-15} uK on a coherence scale of 4 degrees; the equivalent analysis for a Harrison-Zel'dovitch model gives a power spectrum normalisation of Q_{rms-ps} = 22^{+10}_{-6} uK. The fluctuation amplitude is seen to be consistent at the 68% confidence level with that reported for the COBE two-year data for primordial fluctuations described by a power law model with a spectral index in the range 1.0 \le n \le 1.6. This limit favours the large scale CMB anisotropy being dominated by scalar fluctuations rather than tensor modes from a gravitational wave background. The large scale Tenerife and COBE results are considered in conjunction with observational results from medium scale experiments in order to place improved limits on the fluctuation spectral index; we find n=1.10 +/- 0.10 assuming standard CDM with H_{0}=50 kms^{-1}Mpc^{-1}.Comment: 10 pages LaTeX, including 8 PostScript figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Reversible Fluorination of Graphene: towards a Two-Dimensional Wide Bandgap Semiconductor

We report the synthesis and evidence of graphene fluoride, a two-dimensional wide bandgap semiconductor derived from graphene. Graphene fluoride exhibits hexagonal crystalline order and strongly insulating behavior with resistance exceeding 10 G$\Omega$ at room temperature. Electron transport in graphene fluoride is well described by variable-range hopping in two dimensions due to the presence of localized states in the band gap. Graphene obtained through the reduction of graphene fluoride is highly conductive, exhibiting a resistivity of less than 100 k$\Omega$ at room temperature. Our approach provides a new path to reversibly engineer the band structure and conductivity of graphene for electronic and optical applications.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, revtex, to appear in PR

Ion dynamics in a linear radio-frequency trap with a single cooling laser

We analyse the possibility of cooling ions with a single laser beam, due to the coupling between the three components of their motion induced by the Coulomb interaction. For this purpose, we numerically study the dynamics of ion clouds of up to 140 particles, trapped in a linear quadrupole potential and cooled with a laser beam propagating in the radial plane. We use Molecular Dynamics simulations and model the laser cooling by a stochastic process. For each component of the motion, we systematically study the dependence of the temperature with the anisotropy of the trapping potential. Results obtained using the full radio-frequency (rf) potential are compared to those of the corresponding pseudo-potential. In the rf case, the rotation symmetry of the potential has to be broken to keep ions inside the trap. Then, as for the pseudo-potential case, we show that the efficiency of the Coulomb coupling to thermalize the components of motion depends on the geometrical configuration of the cloud. Coulomb coupling appears to be not efficient when the ions organise as a line or a pancake and the three components of motion reach the same temperature only if the cloud extends in three dimensions

Spoligotype database of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: biogeographic distribution of shared types and epidemiologic and phylogenetic perspectives.

We give an update on the worldwide spoligotype database, which now contains 3,319 spoligotype patterns of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in 47 countries, with 259 shared types, i.e., identical spoligotypes shared by two or more patient isolates. The 259 shared types contained a total of 2,779 (84%) of all the isolates. Seven major genetic groups represented 37% of all clustered isolates. Two types (119 and 137) were found almost exclusively in the USA and accounted for 9% of clustered isolates. The remaining 1,517 isolates were scattered into 252 different spoligotypes. This database constitutes a tool for pattern comparison of M. tuberculosis clinical isolates for global epidemiologic studies and phylogenetic purposes

An ion ring in a linear multipole trap for optical frequency metrology

A ring crystal of ions trapped in a linear multipole trap is studied as a basis for an optical frequency standard. The equilibrium conditions and cooling possibilities are discussed through an analytical model and molecular dynamics simulations. A configuration which reduces the frequency sensitivity to the fluctuations of the number of trapped ions is proposed. The systematic shifts for the electric quadrupole transition of calcium ions are evaluated for this ring configuration. This study shows that a ring of 10 or 20 ions allows to reach a short term stability better than for a single ion without introducing limiting long term fluctuations

Characterization and distribution of sedimentary facies of Cartagena Bay, Colombia.

En el análisis sedimentológico de 253 muestras de sedimentos de fondo y borde de playa de la Bahía de Cartagena, se identificaron 26 facies sedimentarias. Las muestras fueron tomadas con draga tipo Van Veen para el fondo, multimuestreador de sedimento tipo Beeker y apiques para los bordes de playa. Las muestras fueron tamizadas y se obtuvieron 15 categorías de acuerdo al tamaño de grano, posteriormente se realizó el análisis de carbonato de calcio (CaCO3) usando el calcímetro de Bernard. Los sedimentos fueron clasificados de acuerdo con el tamaño medio de grano y el contenido de CaCO3, para definir las facies sedimentarias existentes, donde la facies lodo litoclástico es la más representativa y se distribuye en la bahía interna y externa; al norte y sur de la Isla de Tierra Bomba. Se encontró que durante los últimos 30 años la distribución de las facies sedimentarias ha experimentado variaciones significativas: en la bahía interna ha disminuido el contenido de CaCO3 y al suroeste ha disminuido el tamaño de grano y el contenido de CaCO3; como resultado del creciente aporte de sedimentos del Canal de Dique y las condiciones oceanográficas presentes. Estas condiciones hidrodinámicas favorecen la meteorización y erosión de las formaciones coralinas presentes en el Caribe Colombiano.In the sedimentological analysis of 253 sediment samples from the edges and the bottom of the Cartagena bay, we identified 26 sedimentary facies. Samples were taken with Van Veen dredge for the bottom sediment Beeker multisampler and test pits for shorelines. Using the Bernard calcimeter we carried out the calcium carbonate (CaCO3) analysis in every sieved sample. Sediments were classified according to the average grain size and content of CaCO3, to define the existing sedimentary facies, where mud litoclast facies was the most representative and distributed to the north and south of the Tierra Bomba in the internal and external bay. We found that during the past 30 years the distribution of sedimentary facies has experienced significant changes: in the inner bay the content of CaCO3 has decreased and in the southwest the grain size and content of CaCO3 have decreased, as a result of the sediments contribution from Canal del Dique and present oceanographic conditions. These hydrodynamic conditions contribute to the weathering and erosion of coral formations present in the Colombian CaribbeanFil: Franco Arias, Diana Aillen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Bahía Blanca. Instituto Geológico del Sur; Argentina. Universidad Industrial de Santander; ColombiaFil: Restrepo López, J. C.. Universidad del Norte; ColombiaFil: Sanabria Ruiz, N. Y.. Universidad Industrial de Santander; ColombiaFil: Gutierrez, Julio C.. Centro de Investigaciones Oceanográficas e Hidrográficas; Colombi

The Tenerife Cosmic Microwave Background Maps: Observations and First Analysis

The results of the Tenerife Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) experiments are presented. These observations cover 5000 and 6500 square degrees on the sky at 10 and 15 GHz respectively centred around Dec.~ +35 degrees. The experiments are sensitive to multipoles l=10-30 which corresponds to the Sachs-Wolfe plateau of the CMB power spectra. The sensitivity of the results are ~31 and \~12 microK at 10 and 15 GHz respectively in a beam-size region (5 degrees FWHM). The data at 15 GHz show clear detection of structure at high Galactic latitude; the results at 10 GHz are compatible with these, but at lower significance. A likelihood analysis of the 10 and 15 GHz data at high Galactic latitude, assuming a flat CMB band power spectra gives a signal Delta T_l=30+10-8 microK (68 % C.L.). Including the possible contaminating effect due to the diffuse Galactic component, the CMB signal is Delta T_l=30+15-11 microK. These values are highly stable against the Galactic cut chosen. Assuming a Harrison-Zeldovich spectrum for the primordial fluctuations, the above values imply an expected quadrupole Q_RMS-PS=20+10-7 microK which confirms previous results from these experiments, and which are compatible with the COBE DMR.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures. Submitted to Ap

A Correlation between Light Concentration and Cluster Local Density for Elliptical Galaxies

Using photometric and redshift data for the Virgo and Coma clusters, we present evidence for a correlation between the light concentration of elliptical galaxies (including dwarf ellipticals) and the local 3-D (i.e. non-projected) density of the clusters: more concentrated ellipticals are located in denser regions. The null hypothesis (i.e. the absence of any relation) is rejected at a significance level better than 99.9%. In order to explain the observed relation, a power law relating the galaxy light concentration and the cluster 3-D density is proposed. We study how the projection effects affect the form and dispersion of the data-points in the light concentration-projected density diagram. The agreement between our model and the observed data suggests that there is a paucity of dwarf elliptical galaxies in the cluster central regions.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, ApJL accepte