A Novel Kind of Neutrino Oscillation Experiment

A novel method to look for neutrino oscillations is proposed based on the elastic scattering process $\bar{\nu}_{i} e^{-}\rightarrow \bar{\nu}_{i} e^{-}$, taking advantage of the dynamical zero present in the differential cross section for $\bar{\nu}_{e} e^{-}\rightarrow \bar{\nu}_{e} e^{-}$. An effective tunable experiment between the "appearance" and "disappearance" limits is made possible. Prospects to exclude the allowed region for atmospheric neutrino oscillations are given.Comment: 11 pages (+3 figures, available upon request),Standard Latex, FTUV/94-3

Computation of the Marcum Q-function

Methods and an algorithm for computing the generalized Marcum $Q-$function ($Q_{\mu}(x,y)$) and the complementary function ($P_{\mu}(x,y)$) are described. These functions appear in problems of different technical and scientific areas such as, for example, radar detection and communications, statistics and probability theory, where they are called the non-central chi-square or the non central gamma cumulative distribution functions. The algorithm for computing the Marcum functions combines different methods of evaluation in different regions: series expansions, integral representations, asymptotic expansions, and use of three-term homogeneous recurrence relations. A relative accuracy close to $10^{-12}$ can be obtained in the parameter region $(x,y,\mu) \in [0,\,A]\times [0,\,A]\times [1,\,A]$, $A=200$, while for larger parameters the accuracy decreases (close to $10^{-11}$ for $A=1000$ and close to $5\times 10^{-11}$ for $A=10000$).Comment: Accepted for publication in ACM Trans. Math. Soft

Asymptotic approximations to the nodes and weights of Gauss-Hermite and Gauss-Laguerre quadratures

Asymptotic approximations to the zeros of Hermite and Laguerre polynomials are given, together with methods for obtaining the coefficients in the expansions. These approximations can be used as a standalone method of computation of Gaussian quadratures for high enough degrees, with Gaussian weights computed from asymptotic approximations for the orthogonal polynomials. We provide numerical evidence showing that for degrees greater than $100$ the asymptotic methods are enough for a double precision accuracy computation ($15$-$16$ digits) of the nodes and weights of the Gauss--Hermite and Gauss--Laguerre quadratures.Comment: Submitted to Studies in Applied Mathematic

Investigation of acceptor levels and hole scattering mechanisms in p-gallium selenide by means of transport measurements under pressure

The effect of pressure on acceptor levels and hole scattering mechanisms in p-GaSe is investigated through Hall effect and resistivity measurements under quasi-hydrostatic conditions up to 4 GPa. The pressure dependence of the hole concentration is interpreted through a carrier statistics equation with a single (nitrogen) or double (tin) acceptor whose ionization energies decrease under pressure due to the dielectric constant increase. The pressure effect on the hole mobility is also accounted for by considering the pressure dependencies of both the phonon frequencies and the hole-phonon coupling constants involved in the scattering rates.Comment: 13 pages, Latex, 4 ps figures. to appear in High Pressure Research 69 (1997

Conical: an extended module for computing a numerically satisfactory pair of solutions of the differential equation for conical functions

Conical functions appear in a large number of applications in physics and engineering. In this paper we describe an extension of our module CONICAL for the computation of conical functions. Specifically, the module includes now a routine for computing the function ${{\rm R}}^{m}_{-\frac{1}{2}+i\tau}(x)$, a real-valued numerically satisfactory companion of the function ${\rm P}^m_{-\tfrac12+i\tau}(x)$ for $x>1$. In this way, a natural basis for solving Dirichlet problems bounded by conical domains is provided.Comment: To appear in Computer Physics Communication

Effect of UV Radiation on the Spectral Fingerprints of Earth-like Planets Orbiting M dwarfs

We model the atmospheres and spectra of Earth-like planets orbiting the entire grid of M dwarfs for active and inactive stellar models with $T_{eff}$ = 2300K to $T_{eff}$ = 3800K and for six observed MUSCLES M dwarfs with UV radiation data. We set the Earth-like planets at the 1AU equivalent distance and show spectra from the VIS to IR (0.4$\mu$m - 20$\mu$m) to compare detectability of features in different wavelength ranges with JWST and other future ground- and spaced-based missions to characterize exo-Earths. We focus on the effect of UV activity levels on detectable atmospheric features that indicate habitability on Earth, namely: H$_2$O, O$_3$, CH$_4$, N$_2$O and CH$_3$Cl. To observe signatures of life - O$_2$/O$_3$ in combination with reducing species like CH$_4$, we find that early and active M dwarfs are the best targets of the M star grid for future telescopes. The O$_2$ spectral feature at 0.76$\mu$m is increasingly difficult to detect in reflected light of later M dwarfs due to low stellar flux in that wavelength region. N$_2$O, another biosignature detectable in the IR, builds up to observable concentrations in our planetary models around M dwarfs with low UV flux. CH$_3$Cl could become detectable, depending on the depth of the overlapping N$_2$O feature. We present a spectral database of Earth-like planets around cool stars for directly imaged planets as a framework for interpreting future lightcurves, direct imaging, and secondary eclipse measurements of the atmospheres of terrestrial planets in the HZ to design and assess future telescope capabilities.Comment: in press, ApJ (submitted August 18, 2014), 16 pages, 12 figure