A NuSTAR observation of the fast symbiotic nova V745 Sco in outburst

The fast recurrent nova V745 Sco was observed in the 3-79 keV X-rays band with NuSTAR 10 days after the optical discovery. The measured X-ray emission is consistent with a collisionally ionized optically thin plasma at temperature of about 2.7 keV. A prominent iron line observed at 6.7 keV does not require enhanced iron in the ejecta. We attribute the X-ray flux to shocked circumstellar material. No X-ray emission was observed at energies above 20 keV, and the flux in the 3-20 keV range was about 1.6 $\times$ 10$^{-11}$ erg cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$. The emission measure indicates an average electron density of order of 10$^7$ cm$^{-3}$. The X-ray flux in the 0.3-10 keV band almost simultaneously measured with Swift was about 40 times larger, mainly due to the luminous central supersoft source emitting at energy below 1 keV. The fact that the NuSTAR spectrum cannot be fitted with a power law, and the lack of hard X-ray emission, allow us to rule out Comptonized gamma rays, and to place an upper limit of the order of 10$^{-11}$ erg cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ on the gamma-ray flux of the nova on the tenth day of the outburst.Comment: in press in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 201

Population inversion in optically pumped asymmetric quantum well terahertz lasers

Intersubband carrier lifetimes and population ratios are calculated for three- and four-level optically pumped terahertz laser structures. Laser operation is based on intersubband transitions between the conduction band states of asymmetric GaAs-Ga(1 – x)Al(x)As quantum wells. It is shown that the carrier lifetimes in three-level systems fulfill the necessary conditions for stimulated emission only at temperatures below 200 K. The addition of a fourth level, however, enables fast depopulation of the lower laser level by resonant longitudinal optical phonon emission and thus offers potential for room temperature laser operation. © 1997 American Institute of Physics

SO(3) Gauge Symmetry and Nearly Tri-bimaximal Neutrino Mixing

In this note I mainly focus on the neutrino physics part in my talk and report the most recent progress made in \cite{YLW0}. It is seen that the Majorana features of neutrinos and SO(3) gauge flavor symmetry can simultaneously explain the smallness of neutrino masses and nearly tri-bimaximal neutrino mixing when combining together with the mechanism of approximate global U(1) family symmetry. The mixing angle $\theta_{13}$ and CP-violating phase are in general nonzero and testable experimentally at the allowed sensitivity. The model also predicts the existence of vector-like Majorana neutrinos and charged leptons as well as new Higgs bosons, some of them can be light and explored at the LHC and ILC.Comment: 8 pages, invited talk, contribute to the Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Flavor Physics (ICFP2007

The Kara and Ust-Kara impact structures (USSR) and their relevance to the K/T boundary event

The Kara and Ust-Kara craters are twin impact structures situated at about 69 deg 10 min N; 65 deg 00 min E at the Kara Sea. For Kara a diameter of about 55 km would be a very conservative estimate, and field observations indicate a maximum current diameter of about 60 km. The diameter of Ust-Kara has to be larger than 16 km. A better estimate might be 25 km but in all likelihood it is even larger. Suevites and impactites from the Kara area have been known since the beginning of the century, but had been misidentified as glacial deposits. Only about 15 years ago the impact origin of the two structures was demonstrated, following the recognition of shock metamorphism in the area. The composition of the target rocks is mirrored by the composition of the clasts within the suevites. In the southern part of Kara, Permian shales and limestones are sometimes accompanied by diabasic dykes, similar to in the central uplift. Due to the high degree of shock metamorphism the shocked magmatic rocks are not easily identified, although most of them seem to be of diabasic or dioritic composition. The impact melts (tagamites) are grey to dark grey fine grained crystallized rocks showing very fine mineral components and are the product of shock-melting with later recrystallization. The impact glasses show a layered structure, inclusions, and vesicles, and have colors ranging from translucent white over brown and grey to black. A complete geochemical characterization of the Kara and Ust-Kara impact craters was attempted by analyzing more than 40 samples of target rocks, shocked rocks, suevites, impact melts, and impact glasses for major and trace elements

Apnoea of prematurity - discontinuation of methylxanthines in a resource-limited setting

Background: Methylxanthines such as caffeine have been proven to reduce apnoea of prematurity and are often discontinued at 35 weeks’ corrected gestational age (GA). Objective. To ascertain whether a caffeine protocol based on international guidelines is applicable in our setting, where GA is often uncertain. Methods: A prospective folder review was undertaken of all premature infants discharged home over a 2-month period. Results: Fifty-five babies were included. All babies born at less than 35 weeks’ GA were correctly started on caffeine as per protocol. GA was assigned in 85.5% of cases by Ballard scoring and in 14.5% from antenatal ultrasound findings. Caffeine was discontinued before 35 weeks in 54.5%. Discussion: The main reason for discontinuing caffeine early was the baby’s ability to feed satisfactorily, a demonstration of physiological maturity. As feeding behaviours mature significantly between 33 and 36 weeks, the ability to feed may be a good indication that caffeine therapy can be stopped

Mass loss and longevity of gravitationally bound oscillating scalar lumps (oscillatons) in D-dimensions

Spherically symmetric oscillatons (also referred to as oscillating soliton stars) i.e. gravitationally bound oscillating scalar lumps are considered in theories containing a massive self-interacting real scalar field coupled to Einstein's gravity in 1+D dimensional spacetimes. Oscillations are known to decay by emitting scalar radiation with a characteristic time scale which is, however, extremely long, it can be comparable even to the lifetime of our universe. In the limit when the central density (or amplitude) of the oscillaton tends to zero (small-amplitude limit) a method is introduced to compute the transcendentally small amplitude of the outgoing waves. The results are illustrated in detail on the simplest case, a single massive free scalar field coupled to gravity.Comment: 23 pages, 2 figures, references on oscillons added, version to appear in Phys. Rev.

Brief communication: Earthquake–cloud coupling through the global atmospheric electric circuit

We illustrate how coupling could occur between surface air and clouds via the global electric circuit – through Atmospheric Lithosphere–Ionosphere Charge Exchange (ALICE) processes – in an attempt to develop a physical understanding of the possible relationships between earthquakes and cloud

A new quantum fluid at high magnetic fields in the marginal charge-density-wave system α\alpha-(BEDT-TTF)2M_2MHg(SCN)4_4 (where M=M=~K and Rb)

Single crystals of the organic charge-transfer salts $\alpha$-(BEDT-TTF)$_2M$Hg(SCN)$_4$ have been studied using Hall-potential measurements ($M=$K) and magnetization experiments ($M$ = K, Rb). The data show that two types of screening currents occur within the high-field, low-temperature CDW$_x$ phases of these salts in response to time-dependent magnetic fields. The first, which gives rise to the induced Hall potential, is a free current (${\bf j}_{\rm free}$), present at the surface of the sample. The time constant for the decay of these currents is much longer than that expected from the sample resistivity. The second component of the current appears to be magnetic (${\bf j}_{\rm mag}$), in that it is a microscopic, quasi-orbital effect; it is evenly distributed within the bulk of the sample upon saturation. To explain these data, we propose a simple model invoking a new type of quantum fluid comprising a CDW coexisting with a two-dimensional Fermi-surface pocket which describes the two types of current. The model and data are able to account for the body of previous experimental data which had generated apparently contradictory interpretations in terms of the quantum Hall effect or superconductivity.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figure

THE EFFECT OF A MAXIMAL STRETCH-SHORTENING CYCLE FATIGUE WORKOUT ON FAST STRETCH-SHORTENING CYCLE PERFORMANCE

This study examined the effect of a maximal stretch-shortening cycle fatigue workout on the biomechanical performance of rebound jumps that were done 15, 45, 120 and 300 seconds post-fatigue. Thirteen elite level rugby players participated in the study. Rebound jumps were done before and after the workout. All jumps were performed on a sledge and force plate apparatus. Flight time, ground contact time, peak force and leg spring stiffness were the dependent variables. The results indicated that the fatigue workout significantly reduced flight time (p < 0.001), peak force (p < 0.01) and increased contact time (p < 0.05) at the 15 second interval. The efficiency of the stretch-shortening cycle function was reduced. The results also indicate a potentiation effect at the 300-second interval due to a significant increase in peak force and leg stiffness (p < 0.05)

Halcyornis toliapicus (aves: Lower Eocene, England) indicates advanced neuromorphology in Mesozoic Neornithes

Our recent X-ray micro computer-tomographic (μCT) investigations of Prophaethon shrubsolei and Odontopteryx toliapica from the Lower Eocene London Clay Formation of England revealed the avian brain to have been essentially modern in form by 55 Ma, but that an important vision-related synapomorphy of living birds, the eminentia sagittalis of the telencephalon, was poorly developed. This evidence suggested that the feature probably appeared close to the end of the Mesozoic. Here we use μCT analysis to describe the endocranium of Halcyornis toliapicus, also from the London Clay Formation. The affinities of Halcyornis have been hotly debated, with the taxon referred to the Charadriiformes (Laridae), Coraciiformes (Alcedinidae, and its own family Halcyornithidae) and most recently that Halcyornithidae may be a possible senior synonym of Pseudasturidae (Pan-Psittaciformes). Unlike Prophaethon and Odontopteryx, the eminentia sagittalis of Halcyornis is strongly developed and comparable to that of living species. Like those London Clay taxa, the eminentia sagittalis occupies a rostral position on the telencephalon. The senses of Halcyornis appear to have been well developed. The length of the cochlear duct of the inner ear indicates a hearing sensitivity within the upper range of living species, and enlarged olfactory lobes suggest a reasonable reliance on sense of smell. The optic nerves were especially well developed which, together with the strong development of the eminentia sagittalis, indicates a high degree of visual specialization in Halcyornis. The advanced development of the eminentia sagittalis further supports a Mesozoic age for the appearance of this structure and associated neural architectural complexity found in extant Aves. The eminentia sagittalis of living Psittaciformes is situated caudally on the telencephalon, making a Pan-Psittaciformes relationship unlikely for Halcyorni