695 research outputs found
Optical frequency comb generation from a monolithic microresonator
Optical frequency combs provide equidistant frequency markers in the
infrared, visible and ultra-violet and can link an unknown optical frequency to
a radio or microwave frequency reference. Since their inception frequency combs
have triggered major advances in optical frequency metrology and precision
measurements and in applications such as broadband laser-based gas sensing8 and
molecular fingerprinting. Early work generated frequency combs by intra-cavity
phase modulation while to date frequency combs are generated utilizing the
comb-like mode structure of mode-locked lasers, whose repetition rate and
carrier envelope phase can be stabilized. Here, we report an entirely novel
approach in which equally spaced frequency markers are generated from a
continuous wave (CW) pump laser of a known frequency interacting with the modes
of a monolithic high-Q microresonator13 via the Kerr nonlinearity. The
intrinsically broadband nature of parametric gain enables the generation of
discrete comb modes over a 500 nm wide span (ca. 70 THz) around 1550 nm without
relying on any external spectral broadening. Optical-heterodyne-based
measurements reveal that cascaded parametric interactions give rise to an
optical frequency comb, overcoming passive cavity dispersion. The uniformity of
the mode spacing has been verified to within a relative experimental precision
of 7.3*10(-18).Comment: Manuscript and Supplementary Informatio
Maximal Localisation in the Presence of Minimal Uncertainties in Positions and Momenta
Small corrections to the uncertainty relations, with effects in the
ultraviolet and/or infrared, have been discussed in the context of string
theory and quantum gravity. Such corrections lead to small but finite minimal
uncertainties in position and/or momentum measurements. It has been shown that
these effects could indeed provide natural cutoffs in quantum field theory. The
corresponding underlying quantum theoretical framework includes small
`noncommutative geometric' corrections to the canonical commutation relations.
In order to study the full implications on the concept of locality it is
crucial to find the physical states of then maximal localisation. These states
and their properties have been calculated for the case with minimal
uncertainties in positions only. Here we extend this treatment, though still in
one dimension, to the general situation with minimal uncertainties both in
positions and in momenta.Comment: Latex, 21 pages, 2 postscript figure
European populations of Diabrotica virgifera virgifera are resistant to aldrin, but not to methyl-parathion
The western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is a major pest of cultivated corn in North America and has recently begun to invade Europe. In addition to crop rotation, chemical control is an important option for D. v. virgifera management. However, resistance to chemical insecticides has evolved repeatedly in the USA. In Europe, chemical control strategies have yet to be harmonized and no surveys of insecticide resistance have been carried out. We investigated the resistance to methyl-parathion and aldrin of samples from nine D. v. virgifera field populations originating from two European outbreaks thought to have originated from two independent introductions from North America. Diagnostic concentration bioassays revealed that all nine D. v. virgifera field populations were resistant to aldrin but susceptible to methyl-parathion. Aldrin resistance was probably introduced independently, at least twice, from North America into Europe, as there is no evident selection pressure to account for an increase of frequency of aldrin resistance in each of the invasive outbreaks in Europe. Our results suggest that organophosphates, such as methyl-parathion, may still provide effective control of both larval and adult D. v. virgifera in the European invasive outbreaks studied
Biological parameters of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, in southern Europe
The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, is an invasive pest species, first detected in Italy in 2012. Only 2 years after this first detection, increasing damage was reported in fruit orchards in the Emilia Romagna region, the first invaded area, which is one of the most important regions for the Italian and European fruit production. In the present study, life table parameters of H. halys populations were investigated in Italy under typical temperate/Mediterranean climate conditions representative of southern Europe. Our findings indicate that in Italy H. halys has two generations/year and very high reproductive rates for both generations (R0 = 24.04 and 5.44 for the overwintering and summer generation, respectively). The huge growth rates explain why in 2015 a massive outbreak of H. halys was observed in Italy, and these rates confirm that the pest is a threat for agricultural production in southern Europe. The parameters obtained in this study are essential for the development and optimization of sustainable management strategies
Controlling Lygus plant bugs (Heteroptera: Miridae) with European Peristenus relictus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Canada - risky or not?
The European Peristenus relictus Loan (syn. P. stygicus) has been considered for biological control of Lygus plant bugs native to Canada. Laboratory and field studies were conducted in the area of origin to evaluate the host specificity of P. relictus. Laboratory choice and no-choice tests demonstrated that P. relictus attacked all non-target species offered (fundamental host range). However, closely related non-target mirids (tribe Mirini) were generally well accepted by P. relictus, while hosts from the tribe Stenodemini were less frequently attacked and less suitable for parasitoid development. To validate the laboratory results, a thorough examination of the parasitoid complex of common mirids in Europe was conducted to determine which non-target species may serve as alternative hosts for P. relictus in a natural situation (ecological host range). When comparing both approaches, the fundamental host range of P. relictus matched its ecological host range. In addition to three Lygus species, the ecological host range of P. relictus in the area of Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany, contains at least 16 non-target species, including hosts belonging to the subfamilies Mirinae, Phylinae and Bryocorinae. A broad ecological and fundamental host range suggests that P. relictus is a generalist; however, P. relictus was not the primary contributor to parasitism of most non-target hosts studied. Although P. relictus is assumed to be of minor importance for regulating non-target populations in the area of investigation, the results of the present study indicate that P. relictus has the potential to use non-target host populations for reproductio
Is local scale invariance a generic property of ageing phenomena ?
In contrast to recent claims by Enss, Henkel, Picone, and Schollwoeck [J.
Phys. A 37, 10479] it is shown that the critical autoresponse function of the
1+1-dimensional contact process is not in agreement with the predictions of
local scale invariance.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, final form, c++ source code on reques
Entanglement versus mutual information in quantum spin chains
The quantum entanglement of a bipartite quantum Ising chain is compared
with the mutual information between the two parts after a local measurement
of the classical spin configuration. As the model is conformally invariant, the
entanglement measured in its ground state at the critical point is known to
obey a certain scaling form. Surprisingly, the mutual information of classical
spin configurations is found to obey the same scaling form, although with a
different prefactor. Moreover, we find that mutual information and the
entanglement obey the inequality in the ground state as well as in a
dynamically evolving situation. This inequality holds for general bipartite
systems in a pure state and can be proven using similar techniques as for
Holevo's bound.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure
Potential for classical biological control of the potato bug Closterotomus norwegicus (Hemiptera: Miridae): description, parasitism and host specificity of Peristenus closterotomae sp. n. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)
The potato bug, Closterotomus norwegicus (Gmelin) (Hemiptera: Miridae) is an introduced pest of lucerne, white clover and lotus seed crops in New Zealand and a key pest of pistachios in California, USA. Efforts were made to identify potential biological control agents of C. norwegicus in Europe. A total of eight parasitoids, including six primary parasitoids from the genus Peristenus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and two hyperparasitoids from the genus Mesochorus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), were reared from C. norwegicus nymphs collected in various habitats in northern Germany. With a proportion of more than 85% of all C. norwegicus parasitoids, Peristenus closterotomae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a new species, was the most dominant parasitoid, whereas other parasitoid species only occurred sporadically. Peristenus closterotomae did not fit in the keys to any described species and is described as new to science. Parasitism caused by P. closterotomae was on average 24% (maximum 77%). To assess the host specificity of parasitoids associated with C. norwegicus, the parasitoid complexes of various Miridae occurring simultaneously with C. norwegicus were studied. Peristenus closterotomae was frequently reared from Calocoris affinis (Herrich-Schaeffer), and a few specimens were reared from Calocoris roseomaculatus (De Geer) and the meadow plant bug, Leptopterna dolobrata (Linnaeus) (all Hemiptera: Miridae). The remaining primary parasitoids associated with C. norwegicus were found to be dominant in hosts other than C. norwegicus. Whether nymphal parasitoids may potentially be used in a classical biological control initiative against the potato bug in countries where it is introduced and considered to be a pest is discusse
Power requirements for electron cyclotron current drive and ion cyclotron resonance heating for sawtooth control in ITER
13MW of electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) power deposited inside the q
= 1 surface is likely to reduce the sawtooth period in ITER baseline scenario
below the level empirically predicted to trigger neo-classical tearing modes
(NTMs). However, since the ECCD control scheme is solely predicated upon
changing the local magnetic shear, it is prudent to plan to use a complementary
scheme which directly decreases the potential energy of the kink mode in order
to reduce the sawtooth period. In the event that the natural sawtooth period is
longer than expected, due to enhanced alpha particle stabilisation for
instance, this ancillary sawtooth control can be provided from > 10MW of ion
cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) power with a resonance just inside the q = 1
surface. Both ECCD and ICRH control schemes would benefit greatly from active
feedback of the deposition with respect to the rational surface. If the q = 1
surface can be maintained closer to the magnetic axis, the efficacy of ECCD and
ICRH schemes significantly increases, the negative effect on the fusion gain is
reduced, and off-axis negative-ion neutral beam injection (NNBI) can also be
considered for sawtooth control. Consequently, schemes to reduce the q = 1
radius are highly desirable, such as early heating to delay the current
penetration and, of course, active sawtooth destabilisation to mediate small
frequent sawteeth and retain a small q = 1 radius.Comment: 29 pages, 16 figure
European populations of \u3ci\u3eDiabrotica virgifera virgifera\u3c/i\u3e are resistant to aldrin, but not to methyl-parathion
The western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is a major pest of cultivated corn in North America and has recently begun to invade Europe. In addition to crop rotation, chemical control is an important option for D. v. virgifera management. However, resistance to chemical insecticides has evolved repeatedly in the USA. In Europe, chemical control strategies have yet to be harmonized and no surveys of insecticide resistance have been carried out. We investigated the resistance to methyl-parathion and aldrin of samples from nine D. v. virgifera field populations originating from two European outbreaks thought to have originated from two independent introductions from North America. Diagnostic concentration bioassays revealed that all nine D. v. virgifera field populations were resistant to aldrin but susceptible to methyl-parathion. Aldrin resistance was probably introduced independently, at least twice, from North America into Europe, as there is no evident selection pressure to account for an increase of frequency of aldrin resistance in each of the invasive outbreaks in Europe. Our results suggest that organophosphates, such as methyl-parathion, may still provide effective control of both larval and adult D. v. virgifera in the European invasive outbreaks studied
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