Conductance of a quantum point contact based on spin-density-functional theory

We present full quantum mechanical conductance calculations of a quantum point contact (QPC) performed in the framework of the density functional theory (DFT) in the local spin-density approximation (LDA). We show that a spin-degeneracy of the conductance channels is lifted and the total conductance exhibits a broad plateau-like feature at 0.5*2e^{2}/h. The lifting of the spin-degeneracy is a generic feature of all studied QPC structures (both very short and very long ones; with the lengths in the range 40<l<500 nm). The calculated conductance also shows a hysteresis for forward- and backward sweeps of the gate voltage. These features in the conductance can be traced to the formation of weakly coupled quasi-bound states (magnetic impurities) inside the QPC (also predicted in previous DFT-based studies). A comparison of obtained results with the experimental data shows however, that while the spin-DFT based "first-principle" calculations exhibits the spin polarization in the QPC, the calculated conductance clearly does not reproduce the 0.7 anomaly observed in almost all QPCs of various geometries. We critically examine major features of the standard DFT-based approach to the conductance calculations and argue that its inability to reproduce the 0.7 anomaly might be related to the infamous derivative discontinuity problem of the DFT leading to spurious self-interaction errors not corrected in the standard LDA. Our results indicate that the formation of the magnetic impurities in the QPC might be an artefact of the LDA when localization of charge is expected to occur. We thus argue that an accurate description of the QPC structure would require approaches that go beyond the standard DFT+LDA schemes.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure

The variability of the East Sakhalin Current induced by winds over the continental shelf and slope

Long-term current measurements of the East Sakhalin Current (ESC) in the Sea of Okhotsk are analyzed using the technique of empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) in the frequency domain. The first and second EOFs at subtidal frequencies represent motions over the continental shelf and slope, respectively, corresponding to the variability of the two cores of the intense ESC. The first EOF can be explained by the first-mode coastal trapped wave (CTW). The structure of the second EOF is similar to that of the second-mode CTW to the first approximation. According to the distribution of the cross-spectra between EOFs and the wind stress over the whole area of the Sea of Okhotsk, the first EOF is correlated with the alongshore component of the wind stress over the northern and western shelves. The distribution of the phase of the wind stress, which is correlated with the first EOF, indicates that a resonance between the CTW and wind stress drives the motion represented by the first EOF at lower frequencies. At higher frequencies the phase of the wind stress correlated with the first EOF is almost uniform in space, being consistent with the greater speed of phase propagation of the EOF compared with that for the free CTW at these frequencies. The second EOF is correlated with the wind stress curl in the central part of the Sea of Okhotsk. The motion by the second EOF is confined over the slope at lower frequencies and becomes large over the shelf at higher frequencies. This change in the structure of the second EOF is consistent with the results of the numerical experiment of the flow induced by the offshore forcing by Chapman and Brink (1987). The phase of the wind stress curl which is correlated with the second EOF changes clearly in space at some frequencies, suggesting that the motion represented by the second EOF propagates along the isobath with the coast to the right. The wind stress curl contains the wavenumber resonant with the lowest two or three modes of CTWs

Pulse Propagation in Resonant Tunneling

We consider the analytically solvable model of a Gaussian pulse tunneling through a transmission resonance with a Breit-Wigner characteristic. The solution allows for the identification of two opposite pulse propagation regimes: if the resonance is broad compared to the energetic width of the incident Gaussian pulse a weakly deformed and slightly delayed transmitted Gaussian pulse is found. In the opposite limit of a narrow resonance the dying out of the transmitted pulse is dominated by the slow exponential decay characteristic of a quasi-bound state with a long life time (decaying state). We discuss the limitation of the achievable pulse transfer rate resulting from the slow decay. Finally, it is demonstrated that for narrow resonances a small second component is superimposed to the exponential decay which leads to characteristic interference oscillations.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Collimated Jet or Expanding Outflow: Possible Origins of GRBs and X-Ray Flashes

We investigate the dynamics of an injected outflow propagating in a progenitor in the context of the collapsar model for gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) through two dimensional axisymmetric relativistic hydrodynamic simulations. Initially, we locally inject an outflow near the center of a progenitor. We calculate 25 models, in total, by fixing its total input energy to be 10^{51} ergs s^{-1} and radius of the injected outflow to be $7\times 10^7$ cm while varying its bulk Lorentz factor, $\Gamma_{0} = 1.05\sim 5$, and its specific internal energy, $\epsilon_0/c^2 = 0.1\sim 30$. The injected outflow propagates in the progenitor and drives a large-scale outflow or jet. We find a smooth but dramatic transition from a collimated jet to an expanding outflow among calculated models. The maximum Lorentz factor is, on the other hand, sensitive to both of $\Gamma_0$ and $\epsilon_0$; roughly $\Gamma_{\rm max} \sim \Gamma_0 (1+\epsilon_0/c^2)$. Our finding will explain a smooth transition between the GRBs, X-ray rich GRBs (XRRs) and X-ray Flashes (XRFs) by the same model but with different $\epsilon_0$ values.Comment: Comments 51 pages, 21 figures. accepted for publication in ApJ high resolution version is available at http://www.mpa-garching.mpg.de/~mizuta/COLLAPSAR/collapsar.htm

On the Lagrangian Dynamics of Atmospheric Zonal Jets and the Permeability of the Stratospheric Polar Vortex

The Lagrangian dynamics of zonal jets in the atmosphere are considered, with particular attention paid to explaining why, under commonly encountered conditions, zonal jets serve as barriers to meridional transport. The velocity field is assumed to be two-dimensional and incompressible, and composed of a steady zonal flow with an isolated maximum (a zonal jet) on which two or more travelling Rossby waves are superimposed. The associated Lagrangian motion is studied with the aid of KAM (Kolmogorov--Arnold--Moser) theory, including nontrivial extensions of well-known results. These extensions include applicability of the theory when the usual statements of nondegeneracy are violated, and applicability of the theory to multiply periodic systems, including the absence of Arnold diffusion in such systems. These results, together with numerical simulations based on a model system, provide an explanation of the mechanism by which zonal jets serve as barriers to meridional transport of passive tracers under commonly encountered conditions. Causes for the breakdown of such a barrier are discussed. It is argued that a barrier of this type accounts for the sharp boundary of the Antarctic ozone hole at the perimeter of the stratospheric polar vortex in the austral spring.Comment: Submitted to Journal of the Atmospheric Science

The sensitivity of Euro-Atlantic regimes to model horizontal resolution

There is growing evidence that the atmospheric dynamics of the Euro-Atlantic sector during winter is driven in part by the presence of quasi-persistent regimes. However, general circulation models typically struggle to simulate these with, for example, an overly weakly persistent blocking regime. Previous studies have showed that increased horizontal resolution can improve the regime structure of a model but have so far only considered a single model with only one ensemble member at each resolution, leaving open the possibility that this may be either coincidental or model dependent. We show that the improvement in regime structure due to increased resolution is robust across multiple models with multiple ensemble members. However, while the high-resolution models have notably more tightly clustered data, other aspects of the regimes may not necessarily improve and are also subject to a large amount of sampling variability that typically requires at least three ensemble members to surmount

The Hydrodynamics of Gamma-Ray Burst Remnants

This paper reports on the results of a numerical investigation designed to address how the initially anisotropic appearance of a GRB remnant is modified by the character of the circumburst medium and by the possible presence of an accompanying supernova (SN). Axisymmetric hydrodynamical calculations of light, impulsive jets propagating in both uniform and inhomogeneous external media are presented, which show that the resulting dynamics of their remnants since the onset of the non-relativistic phase is different from the standard self-similar solutions. Because massive star progenitors are expected to have their close-in surroundings modified by the progenitor winds, we consider both free winds and shocked winds as possible external media for GRB remnant evolution. Abundant confirmation is provided here of the important notion that the morphology and visibility of GRB remnants are determined largely by their circumstellar environments. For this reason, their detectability is highly biased in favor of those with massive star progenitors; although, in this class of models, the beamed component may be difficult to identify because the GRB ejecta is eventually swept up by the accompanying SN. The number density of asymmetric GRB remnants in the local Universe could be, however, far larger if they expand in a tenuous interstellar medium, as expected for some short GRB progenitor models. In these sources, the late size of the observable, asymmetric remnant could extend over a wide, possibly resolvable angle and may be easier to constrain directly.Comment: 10 pages, 12 figures, emulateapj style, submitted to Ap

Cold Dark Matter and b --> s gamma in the Horava-Witten Theory

The minimal supersymmetric standard model with complete, partial or no Yukawa unification and radiative electroweak breaking with boundary conditions from the Horava-Witten theory is considered. The parameters are restricted by constraining the lightest sparticle relic abundance by cold dark matter considerations and requiring the b-quark mass after supersymmetric corrections and the branching ratio of b --> s gamma to be compatible with data. Complete Yukawa unification can be excluded. Also, t-b Yukawa unification is strongly disfavored since it requires almost degenerate lightest and next-to-lightest sparticle masses. However, the b-tau or no Yukawa unification cases avoid this degeneracy. The latter with mu<0 is the most natural case. The lightest sparticle mass, in this case, can be as low as about 77 GeV.Comment: 16 pages including 4 figures, Revtex, version to appear in Phys. Lett.

Light Higgsino in Heavy Gravitino Scenario with Successful Electroweak Symmetry Breaking

We consider, in the context of the minimal supersymmetric standard model, the case where the gravitino weighs 10^6 GeV or more, which is preferred by various cosmological difficulties associated with unstable gravitinos. Despite the large Higgs mixing parameter B together with the little hierarchy to other soft supersymmetry breaking masses, a light higgsino with an electroweak scale mass leads to successful electroweak symmetry breaking, at the price of fine-tuning the higgsino mixing mu parameter. Furthermore the light higgsinos produced at the decays of gravitinos can constitute the dark matter of the universe. The heavy squark mass spectrum of O(10^4) GeV can increase the Higgs boson mass to about 125 GeV or higher.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures; v2: version to appear in JHE