Empirical Survey of Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay Matrix Elements

Neutrinoless double beta decay has been the subject of intensive theoretical work as it represents the only practical approach to discovering whether neutrinos are Majorana particles or not, and whether lepton number is a conserved quantum number. Available calculations of matrix elements and phase-space factors are reviewed from the perspective of a future large-scale experimental search for neutrinoless double beta decay. Somewhat unexpectedly, a uniform inverse correlation between phase space and the square of the nuclear matrix element emerges. As a consequence, no isotope is either favored or disfavored; all have qualitatively the same decay rate per unit mass for any given value of the Majorana mass.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

Plastic collapse of pipe bends under combined internal pressure and in-plane bending

Plastic collapse of pipe bends with attached straight pipes under combined internal pressure and in-plane closing moment is investigated by elastic–plastic finite element analysis. Three load histories are investigated, proportional loading, sequential pressure–moment loading and sequential moment–pressure loading. Three categories of ductile failure load are defined: limit load, plastic load (with associated criteria of collapse) and instability loads. The results show that theoretical limit analysis is not conservative for all the load combinations considered. The calculated plastic load is dependent on the plastic collapse criteria used. The plastic instability load gives an objective measure of failure and accounts for the effects of large deformations. The proportional and pressure–moment load cases exhibit significant geometric strengthening, whereas the moment–pressure load case exhibits significant geometric weakening

High purith low defect FZ silicon

The most common intrinsic defects in dislocation-free float zone (FZ) silicon crystals are the A- and B-type swirl defects. The mechanisms of their formation and annihilation have been extensively studied. Another type of defect in dislocation-free FZ crystals is referred to as a D-type defect. Concentrations of these defects can be minimized by optimizing the growth conditions, and the residual swirls can be reduced by the post-growth extrinsic gettering process. Czochralski (Cz) silicon wafers are known to exhibit higher resistance to slip and warpage due to thermal stress than do FZ wafers. The Cz crystals containing dislocations are more resistant to dislocation movement than dislocated FZ crystals because of the locking of dislocations by oxygen atoms present in the Cz crystals. Recently a transverse magnetic field was applied during the FZ growth of extrinsic silicon. Resultant flow patterns, as revealed by striation etching and spreading resistance in Ga-doped silicon crystals, indicate strong effects of the transverse magnetic field on the circulation within the melt. At fields of 5500 gauss, the fluid flow in the melt volume is so altered as to affect the morphology of the growing crystal

Why Newton's gravity is practically reliable in the large-scale cosmological simulations

Until now, it has been common to use Newton's gravity to study the non-linear clustering properties of the large-scale structures. Without confirmation from Einstein's theory, however, it has been unclear whether we can rely on the analysis, for example, near the horizon scale. In this work we will provide a confirmation of using Newton's gravity in cosmology based on relativistic analysis of weakly non-linear situations to the third order in perturbations. We will show that, except for the gravitational wave contribution, the relativistic zero-pressure fluid equations perturbed to the second order in a flat Friedmann background coincide exactly with the Newtonian results. We will also present the pure relativistic correction terms appearing in the third order. The third-order correction terms show that these are the linear-order curvature perturbation strength higher than the second-order relativistic/Newtonian terms. Thus, the pure general relativistic corrections in the third order are independent of the horizon scale and are small in the large-scale due to the low-level temperature anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background radiation. Since we include the cosmological constant, our results are relevant to currently favoured cosmology. As we prove that the Newtonian hydrodynamic equations are valid in all cosmological scales to the second order, and that the third-order correction terms are small, our result has a practically important implication that one can now use the large-scale Newtonian numerical simulation more reliably as the simulation scale approaches and even goes beyond the horizon.Comment: 8 pages, no figur

The Greatest Constructivist Educator Ever: The Pedagogy of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Matthew in the Context of the 5Es

The gospel message of Jesus Christ found in the New Testament requires the learner to believe in God, not as a result of works, but on a foundation of faith. In order to preach the principles of the kingdom of heaven effectively in a way the people could understand, Jesus employed teaching methodologies in the Gospel of Matthew that can be framed in the 5Es of constructivism and can be an example for educators today

Phonon contributions to the entropies of hP24 and fcc Co3V

Inelastic neutron-scattering spectra and neutron-diffraction patterns were measured on the alloy Co3V at temperatures from 1073-1513 K, where the hP24 (ordered hexagonal) and fee structures are the equilibrium states of the alloy. Phonon density of states (DOS) curves were calculated from the inelastic-scattering spectra, allowing estimates of the vibrational entropy in the harmonic and quasiharmonic approximations. The vibrational entropy of the hP24-fcc phase transition at 1323 K was found to be 0.07k(B)/atom. The anharmonic contributions to the entropy over a temperature range of 100 K were comparable to the vibrational entropy of this phase transition. The anharmonic softening of the phonon DOS was only slightly larger for the hP24 than the fee phase, however, so the anharmonic effects contribute only slightly to the difference in entropy of the two phases. The simple Gruneisen approximation was inadequate for predicting the thermal softening of the phonon DOS

Neutrino Mass and Oscillations

Current evidence for neutrino oscillation is reviewed, some areas for closer investigation are suggested, and a plausible future experimental program is summarized.Comment: Text of talk presented at Lepton-Photon 99 Conference, Stanford, Aug. 9-14, 1999; to be published in the Proceedings. LaTeX, 22 pages, 4 figures, 6 Postscript file

Coherent and generalized intelligent states for infinite square well potential and nonlinear oscillators

This article is an illustration of the construction of coherent and generalized intelligent states which has been recently proposed by us for an arbitrary quantum system $[ 1]$. We treat the quantum system submitted to the infinite square well potential and the nonlinear oscillators. By means of the analytical representation of the coherent states \`{a} la Gazeau-Klauder and those \`{a} la Klauder-Perelomov, we derive the generalized intelligent states in analytical ways

Bigger Bursts From Merging Neutron Stars

GRB 990123 may have radiated more than one solar mass equivalent in just its gamma emissions. Though this may be within the upper limit of the binding energy available from neutron stars in the Schwarzschild metric, it is difficult to imagine a process with the required efficiency of conversion to gamma rays. Neutron stars of ~10 solar mass are permitted in the Yilmaz metric. A merger of two neutron stars of maximum mass could release approximately 10 solar mass equivalent binding energy.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, submitted to ApJ Letter