Isotope shift calculations for atoms with one valence electron

This work presents a method for the ab initio calculation of isotope shift in atoms and ions with one valence electron above closed shells. As a zero approximation we use relativistic Hartree-Fock and then calculate correlation corrections. The main motivation for developing the method comes from the need to analyse whether different isotope abundances in early universe can contribute to the observed anomalies in quasar absorption spectra. The current best explanation for these anomalies is the assumption that the fine structure constant, alpha, was smaller at early epoch. We test the isotope shift method by comparing the calculated and experimental isotope shift for the alkali and alkali-like atoms Na, MgII, K, CaII and BaII. The agreement is found to be good. We then calculate the isotope shift for some astronomically relevant transitions in SiII and SiIV, MgII, ZnII and GeII.Comment: 11 page

Theoretical analysis of neutron scattering results for quasi-two dimensional ferromagnets

A theoretical study has been carried out to analyse the available results from the inelastic neutron scattering experiment performed on a quasi-two dimensional spin-1/2 ferromagnetic material $K_2CuF_4$. Our formalism is based on a conventional semi-classical like treatment involving a model of an ideal gas of vortices/anti-vortices corresponding to an anisotropic XY Heisenberg ferromagnet on a square lattice. The results for dynamical structure functions for our model corresponding to spin-1/2, show occurrence of negative values in a large range of energy transfer even encompassing the experimental range, when convoluted with a realistic spectral window function. This result indicates failure of the conventional theoretical framework to be applicable to the experimental situation corresponding to low spin systems. A full quantum formalism seems essential for treating such systems.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures, 1 Table Submitted for publicatio

Charge disproportionation in YNiO3_{3} : ESR and susceptibility study

We present a study of the magnetic properties of YNiO$_{3}$ in the paramagnetic range, above and below the metal-insulator (MI) transition. The dc susceptibility, $\chi_{dc}$ (measured up to 1000 K) is a decreasing function of T for $T >$150 K (the N\'{e}el temperature) and we observe two different Curie-Weiss regimes corresponding to the metallic and insulator phases. In the metallic phase, this behaviour seems to be associated with the small ionic radius of Y% $^{3+}$. The value of the Curie constant for T$<$ T$_{MI}$ allows us to discard the possibility of Ni$^{3+}$ localization. An electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrum is visible in the insulator phase and only a fraction of the Ni ions contributes to this resonance. We explain the ESR and $\chi _{dc}$ behaviour for T $<$ T$_{MI}$ in terms of charge disproportionation of the type 2Ni$$ Ni$^{2+}$+Ni$^{4+},$ that is compatible with the previously observed structural transition across T$_{MI}$.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Microscopic NN→NN∗(1440)NN\to NN^{\ast}(1440) transition potential: Determination of πNN∗(1440)\pi NN^{\ast}(1440) and σNN∗(1440)\sigma NN^{\ast}(1440) coupling constants

A $NN\to NN^{\ast}(1440)$ transition potential, based on an effective quark-quark interaction and a constituent quark cluster model for baryons, is derived in the Born-Oppenheimer approach. The potential shows significant differences with respect to those obtained by a direct scaling of the nucleon-nucleon interaction. From its asymptotic behavior we extract the values of $\pi NN^{\ast}(1440)$ and $\sigma NN^{\ast}(1440)$ coupling constants in a particular coupling schemeComment: 15 eps figures, Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Nonlocal calculation for nonstrange dibaryons and tribaryons

We study the possible existence of nonstrange dibaryons and tribaryons by solving the bound-state problem of the two- and three-body systems composed of nucleons and deltas. The two-body systems are $NN$, $N\Delta$, and $\Delta\Delta$, while the three-body systems are $NNN$, $NN\Delta$, $N\Delta\Delta$, and $\Delta\Delta\Delta$. We use as input the nonlocal $NN$, $N\Delta$, and $\Delta\Delta$ potentials derived from the chiral quark cluster model by means of the resonating group method. We compare with previous results obtained from the local version based on the Born-Oppenheimer approximation.Comment: 19 pages. To be published in Physical Review

Interplay of superexchange and orbital degeneracy in Cr-doped LaMnO3

We report on structural, magnetic and Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) investigations in the manganite system LaMn_{1-x}Cr_{x}O_{3} (x<=0.5). Upon Cr-doping we observe a reduction of the Jahn-Teller distortion yielding less distorted orthorhombic structures. A transition from the Jahn-Teller distorted O' to the pseudocubic O phase occurs between 0.3<x<0.4. A clear connection between this transition and the doping dependence of the magnetic and ESR properties has been observed. The effective moments determined by ESR seem reduced with respect to the spin-only value of both Mn^{3+} and Cr^{3+} ions

Origin of Life

The evolution of life has been a big enigma despite rapid advancements in the fields of biochemistry, astrobiology, and astrophysics in recent years. The answer to this puzzle has been as mind-boggling as the riddle relating to evolution of Universe itself. Despite the fact that panspermia has gained considerable support as a viable explanation for origin of life on the Earth and elsewhere in the Universe, the issue remains far from a tangible solution. This paper examines the various prevailing hypotheses regarding origin of life like abiogenesis, RNA World, Iron-sulphur World, and panspermia; and concludes that delivery of life-bearing organic molecules by the comets in the early epoch of the Earth alone possibly was not responsible for kick-starting the process of evolution of life on our planet.Comment: 32 pages, 8 figures,invited review article, minor additio

Spin Dynamics In Perovskites, Pyrochlores, And Layered Manganites

High temperature electron spin resonance (ESR) and magnetic susceptibility (χ) are analyzed for manganites related with colossal magnetoresistance (CMR). The properties of compounds with different crystalline structures: three-dimensional (3D) perovskites, pyrochlore, and La1.2Sr1.8Mn2O7, a two-dimensional layer, are compared. In the paramagnetic regime, and outside the critical regions associated with phase transitions, the temperature dependence of the ESR linewidth presents a universal behavior dominated by the variations of χ(T), ΔHpp(T) = [C/Tχ(T)]ΔHpp(∞). The high temperature limit of the linewidth, ΔHpp(∞), is related to the parameters of the Hamiltonian describing the interactions of the spin system. The role played by magnetic anisotropy, isotropic superexchange, and double exchange is revealed and discussed in the analysis of the experimental data. In CMR and non-CMR pyrochlores, ΔHpp(∞)∝ω2 p/J where J is proportional to the Curie-Weiss temperature, including the hybridization mechanism producing CMR. Instead, ΔHpp(∞) of CMR perovskites seems not to be affected by the double-exchange interaction. In contrast with the 3D perovskites, the ESR linewidth and resonance field of La1.2Sr1.8Mn2O7, a bilayer compound, although isotropic at high temperatures, becomes anisotropic for Tc= 125 K&lt;T&lt;Tp≈450 K. © 2000 American Institute of Physics.879 II58105812Causa, M.T., (1998) Phys. Rev. B, 58, p. 3233Lofland, (1997) Phys. Lett. A, 233, p. 476Causa, M.T., Alejandro, G., Tovar, M., Pagliuso, P.G., Rettori, C., Oseroff, S.B., Subramanian, M.A., (1999) J. Appl. Phys., 85, p. 5408Anderson, P.W., Weiss, P.R., (1953) Rev. Mod. Phys., 25, p. 269Zener, C., (1951) Phys. Rev., 82, p. 403Shimakawa, Y., Kubo, Y., Hamada, N., Jorgensen, J.D., Hu, Z., Short, S., Nohara, M., Takagi, H., (1999) Phys. Rev. B, 59, p. 1249. , and references thereinVentura, C., Alascio, B., (1997) Phys. Rev. B, 56, p. 14533Huber, D.L., Alejandro, G., Caneiro, A., Causa, M.T., Prado, F., Tovar, M., Oseroff, S.B., (1999) Phys. Rev. B, 60, p. 12155Chauvet, O., Goglio, G., Molinie, P., Corraze, B., Brohan, L., (1998) Phys. Rev. Lett., 81, p. 1102. , and references thereinMoreno, N.O., Pagliuso, P.G., Rettori, C., Gardner, J.S., Sarrao, J.L., Thompson, J.D., García-Flores, A., Oseroff, S.B., unpublishe

Implementation of the Random Forest Method for the Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope MAGIC

The paper describes an application of the tree classification method Random Forest (RF), as used in the analysis of data from the ground-based gamma telescope MAGIC. In such telescopes, cosmic gamma-rays are observed and have to be discriminated against a dominating background of hadronic cosmic-ray particles. We describe the application of RF for this gamma/hadron separation. The RF method often shows superior performance in comparison with traditional semi-empirical techniques. Critical issues of the method and its implementation are discussed. An application of the RF method for estimation of a continuous parameter from related variables, rather than discrete classes, is also discussed.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figure