10,960 research outputs found
A Class of Functional Equations of Neutral Type
Class of functional integral equations in space of continuous function
Compensation for nonlinear effects due to high heat flux in thin-film thermometry
Compensation for nonlinear effects due to high heat flux in thin-film thermometr
BiSON data preparation: A correction for differential extinction and the weighted averaging of contemporaneous data
The Birmingham Solar Oscillations Network (BiSON) has provided high-quality
high-cadence observations from as far back in time as 1978. These data must be
calibrated from the raw observations into radial velocity and the quality of
the calibration has a large impact on the signal-to-noise ratio of the final
time series. The aim of this work is to maximise the potential science that can
be performed with the BiSON data set by optimising the calibration procedure.
To achieve better levels of signal-to-noise ratio we perform two key steps in
the calibration process: we attempt a correction for terrestrial atmospheric
differential extinction; and the resulting improvement in the calibration
allows us to perform weighted averaging of contemporaneous data from different
BiSON stations. The improvements listed produce significant improvement in the
signal-to-noise ratio of the BiSON frequency-power spectrum across all
frequency ranges. The reduction of noise in the power spectrum will allow
future work to provide greater constraint on changes in the oscillation
spectrum with solar activity. In addition, the analysis of the low-frequency
region suggests we have achieved a noise level that may allow us to improve
estimates of the upper limit of g-mode amplitudes.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS; 10 pages, 7 figure
The bearable lightness of being
How are philosophical questions about what kinds of things there are to be understood and how are they to be answered? This paper defends broadly Fregean answers to these questions. Ontological categories-such as object, property, and relation-are explained in terms of a prior logical categorization of expressions, as singular terms, predicates of varying degree and level, etc. Questions about what kinds of object, property, etc., there are are, on this approach, reduce to questions about truth and logical form: for example, the question whether there are numbers is the question whether there are true atomic statements in which expressions function as singular terms which, if they have reference at all, stand for numbers, and the question whether there are properties of a given type is a question about whether there are meaningful predicates of an appropriate degree and level. This approach is defended against the objection that it must be wrong because makes what there depend on us or our language. Some problems confronting the Fregean approach-including Frege's notorious paradox of the concept horse-are addressed. It is argued that the approach results in a modest and sober deflationary understanding of ontological commitments
Performance of the Birmingham Solar-Oscillations Network (BiSON)
The Birmingham Solar-Oscillations Network (BiSON) has been operating with a
full complement of six stations since 1992. Over 20 years later, we look back
on the network history. The meta-data from the sites have been analysed to
assess performance in terms of site insolation, with a brief look at the
challenges that have been encountered over the years. We explain how the
international community can gain easy access to the ever-growing dataset
produced by the network, and finally look to the future of the network and the
potential impact of nearly 25 years of technology miniaturisation.Comment: 31 pages, 19 figures. Accepted by Solar Physics: 2015 October 20.
First online: 2015 December 7. Open Acces
Space Representation of Stochastic Processes with Delay
We show that a time series evolving by a non-local update rule with two different delays can be mapped onto a local
process in two dimensions with special time-delayed boundary conditions
provided that and are coprime. For certain stochastic update rules
exhibiting a non-equilibrium phase transition this mapping implies that the
critical behavior does not depend on the short delay . In these cases, the
autocorrelation function of the time series is related to the critical
properties of directed percolation.Comment: 6 pages, 8 figure
Stabilizing unstable periodic orbits in the Lorenz equations using time-delayed feedback control
For many years it was believed that an unstable periodic orbit with an odd
number of real Floquet multipliers greater than unity cannot be stabilized by
the time-delayed feedback control mechanism of Pyragus. A recent paper by
Fiedler et al uses the normal form of a subcritical Hopf bifurcation to give a
counterexample to this theorem. Using the Lorenz equations as an example, we
demonstrate that the stabilization mechanism identified by Fiedler et al for
the Hopf normal form can also apply to unstable periodic orbits created by
subcritical Hopf bifurcations in higher-dimensional dynamical systems. Our
analysis focuses on a particular codimension-two bifurcation that captures the
stabilization mechanism in the Hopf normal form example, and we show that the
same codimension-two bifurcation is present in the Lorenz equations with
appropriately chosen Pyragus-type time-delayed feedback. This example suggests
a possible strategy for choosing the feedback gain matrix in Pyragus control of
unstable periodic orbits that arise from a subcritical Hopf bifurcation of a
stable equilibrium. In particular, our choice of feedback gain matrix is
informed by the Fiedler et al example, and it works over a broad range of
parameters, despite the fact that a center-manifold reduction of the
higher-dimensional problem does not lead to their model problem.Comment: 21 pages, 8 figures, to appear in PR
The environment and host haloes of the brightest z~6 Lyman-break galaxies
By studying the large-scale structure of the bright high-redshift Lyman-break
galaxy (LBG) population it is possible to gain an insight into the role of
environment in galaxy formation physics in the early Universe. We measure the
clustering of a sample of bright (-22.7<M_UV<-21.125) LBGs at z~6 and use a
halo occupation distribution (HOD) model to measure their typical halo masses.
We find that the clustering amplitude and corresponding HOD fits suggests that
these sources are highly biased (b~8) objects in the densest regions of the
high-redshift Universe. Coupled with the observed rapid evolution of the number
density of these objects, our results suggest that the shape of high luminosity
end of the luminosity function is related to feedback processes or dust
obscuration in the early Universe - as opposed to a scenario where these
sources are predominantly rare instances of the much more numerous M_UV ~ -19
population of galaxies caught in a particularly vigorous period of star
formation. There is a slight tension between the number densities and
clustering measurements, which we interpret this as a signal that a refinement
of the model halo bias relation at high redshifts or the incorporation of
quasi-linear effects may be needed for future attempts at modelling the
clustering and number counts. Finally, the difference in number density between
the fields (UltraVISTA has a surface density ~1.8 times greater than UDS) is
shown to be consistent with the cosmic variance implied by the clustering
measurements.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures, accepted MNRAS 23rd March 201
Strong nonlinear optical response of graphene flakes measured by four-wave mixing
We present the first experimental investigation of nonlinear optical
properties of graphene flakes. We find that at near infrared frequencies a
graphene monolayer exhibits a remarkably high third-order optical nonlinearity
which is practically independent of the wavelengths of incident light. The
nonlinear optical response can be utilized for imaging purposes, with image
contrasts of graphene which are orders of magnitude higher than those obtained
using linear microscopy.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Equatorial X-rays and their effect on the lower mesosphere
On the night of May 23/24, 1975, a sequence of rocket and balloon experiments was launched from Chilca Base, Peru (12.5 deg S, 76.8 deg W, magnetic dip = - 0.7 deg). Detailed analysis and comparisons of the data yielded the first direct measurement of lower mesospheric response to a galactic X-ray source. This result could only have been determined at the equator, where cosmic ray background effects are minimal. The objective of the experiments was to seek out the equatorial energetic electron belt, sporadically reported to contain fluxes near auroral levels, measure the bremsstrahlung radiation produced by this particle belt, and determine the influence of this radiation on the middle atmosphere. High altitude rocket payloads (Nike Tomahawk 18.170 and 18.171) were launched to probe the thermosphere during and following the anticipated downward drift period. Each carried an on-axis X-ray scintillation detector and Geiger Mueller energetic electron detectors. Magnetometers and lunar sensors were used to determine payload aspect
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