6,521 research outputs found
Investigations of meltwater refreezing and density variations in the snowpack and firn within the percolation zone of the Greenland Ice Sheet
The mass balance of polythermal ice masses is critically dependent on the proportion of surface-generated meltwater that subsequently refreezes in the snowpack and firn. In order to quantify this effect and to characterize its spatial variability, we measured near-surface (26%, resulting in a 32% increase in net accumulation. This 'seasonal densification' increased at lower elevations, rising to 47% 10 km closer to the ice-sheet margin at 1860 m a. s. l. Density/depth profiles from nine sites within 1 km2 at ∼1945 m a.s.l. reveal complex stratigraphies that change over short spatial scales and seasonally. We conclude that estimates of mass-balance change cannot be calculated solely from observed changes in surface elevation, but that near-surface densification must also be considered. However, predicting spatial and temporal variations in densification may not be straightforward. Further, the development of complex firn-density profiles both masks discernible annual layers in the near-surface firn and ice stratigraphy and is likely to introduce error into radar-derived estimates of surface elevation
Effect of Particle-Hole Asymmetry on the Mott-Hubbard Metal-Insulator Transition
The Mott-Hubbard metal-insulator transition is one of the most important
problems in correlated electron systems. In the past decade, much progress has
been made on examining a particle-hole symmetric form of the transition in the
Hubbard model with dynamical mean field theory where it was found that the
electronic self energy develops a pole at the transition. We examine the
particle-hole asymmetric metal-insulator transition in the Falicov-Kimball
model, and find that a number of features change when the noninteracting
density of states has a finite bandwidth. Since, generically particle-hole
symmetry is broken in real materials, our results have an impact on
understanding the metal-insulator transition in real materials.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
Climate or rural development policy?
Being heavily energy dependent, it is not much of a surprise that Europe pays special attention to reducing the use of fossil fuels. Each one of the ten new member states is characterized by relatively low per capita energy consumption and relatively low energy efficiency, and the share of renewables in their energy mix tends to be low, too. The paper examines the problem when policy measures create a decrease in environmental capital instead of an increase. In this case it hardly seems justified to talk about environmental protection. The authors describe a case of a Hungarian rapeseed oil mill which would not be of too much interest on its own but given that almost all similar plants went bankrupt, there are some important lessons to learn from its survival. The enterprise the authors examined aimed at establishing a micro-regional network. They completed a brown-field development to establish a small plant on the premises of a former large agricultural cooperative. By partnering with the former employees and suppliers of the sometime cooperative, they enjoyed some benefits which all the other green-field businesses focusing on fuel production could not. The project improved food security, energy security and population retention as well
A strong-coupling expansion for the Hubbard model
We reconsider the strong-coupling expansion for the Hubbard model recently
introduced by Sarker and Pairault {\it et al.} By introducing slave particles
that act as projection operators onto the empty, singly occupied and doubly
occupied atomic states, the perturbation theory around the atomic limit
distinguishes between processes that do conserve or do not conserve the total
number of doubly occupied sites. This allows for a systematic expansion
that does not break down at low temperature ( being the intersite hopping
amplitude and the local Coulomb repulsion). The fermionic field becomes a
two-component field, which reflects the presence of the two Hubbard bands. The
single-particle propagator is naturally expressed as a function of a matrix self-energy. Furthermore, by introducing a time- and
space-fluctuating spin-quantization axis in the functional integral, we can
expand around a ``non-degenerate'' ground-state where each singly occupied site
has a well defined spin direction (which may fluctuate in time). This formalism
is used to derive the effective action of charge carriers in the lower Hubbard
band to first order in . We recover the action of the t-J model in the
spin-hole coherent-state path integral. We also compare our results with those
previously obtained by studying fluctuations around the large- Hartree-Fock
saddle point.Comment: 20 pages RevTex, 3 figure
Observations of electron gyroharmonic waves and the structure of the Io torus
Narrow-banded emissions were observed by the Planetary Radio Astronomy experiment on the Voyager 1 spacecraft as it traversed the Io plasma torus. These waves occur between harmonics of the electron gyrofrequency and are the Jovian analogue of electrostatic emissions observed and theoretically studied for the terrestrial magnetosphere. The observed frequencies always include the component near the upper hybrid resonant frequency, (fuhr) but the distribution of the other observed emissions varies in a systematic way with position in the torus. A refined model of the electron density variation, based on identification of the fuhr line, is included. Spectra of the observed waves are analyzed in terms of the linear instability of an electron distribution function consisting of isotropic cold electrons and hot losscone electrons. The positioning of the observed auxiliary harmonics with respect to fuhr is shown to be an indicator of the cold to hot temperature ratio. It is concluded that this ratio increases systematically by an overall factor of perhaps 4 or 5 between the inner and outer portions of the torus
Towards analytic description of a transition from weak to strong coupling regime in correlated electron systems. I. Systematic diagrammatic theory with two-particle Green functions
We analyze behavior of correlated electrons described by Hubbard-like models
at intermediate and strong coupling. We show that with increasing interaction a
pole in a generic two-particle Green function is approached. The pole signals
metal-insulator transition at half filling and gives rise to a new vanishing
``Kondo'' scale causing breakdown of weak-coupling perturbation theory. To
describe the critical behavior at the metal-insulator transition a novel,
self-consistent diagrammatic technique with two-particle Green functions is
developed. The theory is based on the linked-cluster expansion for the
thermodynamic potential with electron-electron interaction as propagator.
Parquet diagrams with a generating functional are derived. Numerical
instabilities due to the metal-insulator transition are demonstrated on
simplifications of the parquet algebra with ring and ladder series only. A
stable numerical solution in the critical region is reached by factorization of
singular terms via a low-frequency expansion in the vertex function. We stress
the necessity for dynamical vertex renormalizations, missing in the simple
approximations, in order to describe the critical, strong-coupling behavior
correctly. We propose a simplification of the full parquet approximation by
keeping only most divergent terms in the asymptotic strong-coupling region. A
qualitatively new, feasible approximation suitable for the description of a
transition from weak to strong coupling is obtained.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures, REVTe
Validation of a laboratory method for evaluating dynamic properties of reconstructed equine racetrack surfaces.
BackgroundRacetrack surface is a risk factor for racehorse injuries and fatalities. Current research indicates that race surface mechanical properties may be influenced by material composition, moisture content, temperature, and maintenance. Race surface mechanical testing in a controlled laboratory setting would allow for objective evaluation of dynamic properties of surface and factors that affect surface behavior.ObjectiveTo develop a method for reconstruction of race surfaces in the laboratory and validate the method by comparison with racetrack measurements of dynamic surface properties.MethodsTrack-testing device (TTD) impact tests were conducted to simulate equine hoof impact on dirt and synthetic race surfaces; tests were performed both in situ (racetrack) and using laboratory reconstructions of harvested surface materials. Clegg Hammer in situ measurements were used to guide surface reconstruction in the laboratory. Dynamic surface properties were compared between in situ and laboratory settings. Relationships between racetrack TTD and Clegg Hammer measurements were analyzed using stepwise multiple linear regression.ResultsMost dynamic surface property setting differences (racetrack-laboratory) were small relative to surface material type differences (dirt-synthetic). Clegg Hammer measurements were more strongly correlated with TTD measurements on the synthetic surface than the dirt surface. On the dirt surface, Clegg Hammer decelerations were negatively correlated with TTD forces.ConclusionsLaboratory reconstruction of racetrack surfaces guided by Clegg Hammer measurements yielded TTD impact measurements similar to in situ values. The negative correlation between TTD and Clegg Hammer measurements confirms the importance of instrument mass when drawing conclusions from testing results. Lighter impact devices may be less appropriate for assessing dynamic surface properties compared to testing equipment designed to simulate hoof impact (TTD).Potential relevanceDynamic impact properties of race surfaces can be evaluated in a laboratory setting, allowing for further study of factors affecting surface behavior under controlled conditions
On the Radii of Close-in Giant Planets
The recent discovery that the close-in extrasolar giant planet, HD209458b,
transits its star has provided a first-of-its-kind measurement of the planet's
radius and mass. In addition, there is a provocative detection of the light
reflected off of the giant planet, Boo b. Including the effects of
stellar irradiation, we estimate the general behavior of radius/age
trajectories for such planets and interpret the large measured radii of
HD209458b and Boo b in that context. We find that HD209458b must be a
hydrogen-rich gas giant. Furthermore, the large radius of close-in gas giant is
not due to the thermal expansion of its atmosphere, but to the high residual
entropy that remains throughout its bulk by dint of its early proximity to a
luminous primary. The large stellar flux does not inflate the planet, but
retards its otherwise inexorable contraction from a more extended configuration
at birth. This implies either that such a planet was formed near its current
orbital distance or that it migrated in from larger distances (0.5 A.U.),
no later than a few times years of birth.Comment: aasms4 LaTeX, 1 figure, accepted to Ap.J. Letter
Atmosphere, Interior, and Evolution of the Metal-Rich Transiting Planet HD 149026b
We investigate the atmosphere and interior of the new transiting planet HD
149026b, which appears to be very rich in heavy elements. We first compute
model atmospheres at metallicities ranging from solar to ten times solar, and
show how for cases with high metallicity or inefficient redistribution of
energy from the day side, the planet may develop a hot stratosphere due to
absorption of stellar flux by TiO and VO. The spectra predicted by these models
are very different than cooler atmosphere models without stratospheres. The
spectral effects are potentially detectable with the Spitzer Space Telescope.
In addition the models with hot stratospheres lead to a large limb brightening,
rather than darkening. We compare the atmosphere of HD 149026b to other
well-known transiting planets, including the recently discovered HD 189733b,
which we show have planet-to-star flux ratios twice that of HD 209458 and
TrES-1. The methane abundance in the atmosphere of HD 189733b is a sensitive
indicator of atmospheric temperature and metallicity and can be constrained
with Spitzer IRAC observations. We then turn to interior studies of HD 149026b
and use a grid of self-consistent model atmospheres and high-pressure equations
of state for all components to compute thermal evolution models of the planet.
We estimate that the mass of heavy elements within the planet is in the range
of 60 to 93 M_earth. Finally, we discuss trends in the radii of transiting
planets with metallicity in light of this new member of the class.Comment: Accepted to the Astrophysical Journal. 18 pages, including 10
figures. New section on the atmosphere of planet HD 189733b. Enhanced
discussion of atmospheric Ti chemistry and core mass for HD 149026
Changing geo-ecological functions of coral reefs in the Anthropocene
This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Wiley via the DOI in this record The ecology of many coral reefs has changed markedly over recent decades in response to various combinations of local and global stressors. These ecological changes have important implications for the abundance of taxa that regulate the production and erosion of skeletal carbonates, and thus for many of the geo-ecological functions that coral reefs provide, including reef framework production and sediment generation, the maintenance of reef habitat complexity and reef growth potential. These functional attributes underpin many of the ecosystem goods and services that reefs provide to society. Rapidly changing conditions of reefs in the Anthropocene are likely to significantly impact the capacity of reefs to sustain these geo-ecological functions. Although the Anthropocene footprint of disturbance will be expressed differently across ecoregions and habitats, the end point for many reefs may be broadly similar: (a) progressively shifting towards net neutral or negative carbonate budget states; (b) becoming structurally flatter; and (c) having lower vertical growth rates. It is also likely that a progressive depth-homogenisation will occur in terms of these processes. The Anthropocene is likely to be defined by an increasing disconnect between the ecological processes that drive carbonate production on the reef surface, and the net geological outcome of that production, that is, the accumulation of the underlying reef structure. Reef structures are thus likely to become increasingly relict or senescent features, which will reduce reef habitat complexity and sediment generation rates, and limit reef potential to accrete vertically at rates that can track rising sea levels. In the absence of pervasive stressors, recovery of degraded coral communities has been observed, resulting in high net-positive budgets being regained. However, the frequency and intensity of climate-driven bleaching events are predicted to increase over the next decades. This would increase the spatial footprint of disturbances and exacerbate the magnitude of the changes described here, limiting the capacity of many reefs to maintain their geo-ecological functions. The enforcement of effective marine protection or the benefits of geographic isolation or of favourable environmental conditions (“refugia” sites) may offer the hope of more optimistic futures in some locations. A plain language summary is available for this article.Royal Societ
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