Carbon Rich Extremely Metal Poor Stars: Signatures of Population-III AGB stars in Binary Systems

We use the Cambridge stellar evolution code STARS to model the evolution and nucleosynthesis of zero-metallicity intermediate-mass stars. We investigate the effect of duplicity on the nucleosynthesis output of these systems and the potential abundances of the secondaries. The surfaces of zero-metallicity stars are enriched in CNO elements after second dredge up. During binary interaction, such as Roche lobe overflow or wind accretion, metals can be released from these stars and the secondaries enriched in CNO isotopes. We investigate the formation of the two most metal poor stars known, HE 0107-5240 and HE 1327-2326. The observed carbon and nitrogen abundances of HE 0107-5240 can be reproduced by accretion of material from the companion-enhanced wind of a seven solar star after second dredge-up, though oxygen and sodium are underproduced. We speculate that HE 1327-2326, which is richer in nitrogen and strontium, may similarly be formed by wind accretion in a later AGB phase after third dredge-up.Comment: 16 pages, 1 figure, 7 tables, accepted by MNRA

The noise and flow characteristics of inverted-profile coannular jets

A basic understanding of the noise reduction mechanisms in shock-free inverted-velocity-profile coannular jets was studied. Acoustic measurements are first conducted in an anechoic facility to isolate the effects of inverted velocity and inverted temperature for coannular jets having constant total thrust, mass flow rate and exit area. To obtain physical explanations of the measured noise changes, several types of experiments are conducted. These include (1) source location experiments using the polar correlation technique, (2) mean flow surveys using a combination pressure/temperature probe, and (3) detailed mean flow and turbulence measurements using a two-point four-channel laser velocimeter. The results from these experiments are presented and discussed in detail. Finally, the measured variations of coannular jet mixing noise with fan-to-primary velocity ratio and static temperature ratio are interpreted by utilizing the results from the various experimental phases in conjunction with the existing Lockheed single jet noise prediction model

Non-equilibrium fluctuations and mechanochemical couplings of a molecular motor

We investigate theoretically the violations of Einstein and Onsager relations, and the efficiency for a single processive motor operating far from equilibrium using an extension of the two-state model introduced by Kafri {\em et al.} [Biophys. J. {\bf 86}, 3373 (2004)]. With the aid of the Fluctuation Theorem, we analyze the general features of these violations and this efficiency and link them to mechanochemical couplings of motors. In particular, an analysis of the experimental data of kinesin using our framework leads to interesting predictions that may serve as a guide for future experiments.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, accepted to Phys. Rev. Let

New variables, the gravitational action, and boosted quasilocal stress-energy-momentum

This paper presents a complete set of quasilocal densities which describe the stress-energy-momentum content of the gravitational field and which are built with Ashtekar variables. The densities are defined on a two-surface $B$ which bounds a generic spacelike hypersurface $\Sigma$ of spacetime. The method used to derive the set of quasilocal densities is a Hamilton-Jacobi analysis of a suitable covariant action principle for the Ashtekar variables. As such, the theory presented here is an Ashtekar-variable reformulation of the metric theory of quasilocal stress-energy-momentum originally due to Brown and York. This work also investigates how the quasilocal densities behave under generalized boosts, i. e. switches of the $\Sigma$ slice spanning $B$. It is shown that under such boosts the densities behave in a manner which is similar to the simple boost law for energy-momentum four-vectors in special relativity. The developed formalism is used to obtain a collection of two-surface or boost invariants. With these invariants, one may ``build" several different mass definitions in general relativity, such as the Hawking expression. Also discussed in detail in this paper is the canonical action principle as applied to bounded spacetime regions with ``sharp corners."Comment: Revtex, 41 Pages, 4 figures added. Final version has been revised and improved quite a bit. To appear in Classical and Quantum Gravit

Spatially resolved spectroscopy of monolayer graphene on SiO2

We have carried out scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements on exfoliated monolayer graphene on SiO$_2$ to probe the correlation between its electronic and structural properties. Maps of the local density of states are characterized by electron and hole puddles that arise due to long range intravalley scattering from intrinsic ripples in graphene and random charged impurities. At low energy, we observe short range intervalley scattering which we attribute to lattice defects. Our results demonstrate that the electronic properties of graphene are influenced by intrinsic ripples, defects and the underlying SiO$_2$ substrate.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, extended versio

Mapping the Dirac point in gated bilayer graphene

We have performed low temperature scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements on exfoliated bilayer graphene on SiO2. By varying the back gate voltage we observed a linear shift of the Dirac point and an opening of a band gap due to the perpendicular electric field. In addition to observing a shift in the Dirac point, we also measured its spatial dependence using spatially resolved scanning tunneling spectroscopy. The spatial variation of the Dirac point was not correlated with topographic features and therefore we attribute its shift to random charged impurities.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figure

Gate Tunable Dissipation and "Superconductor-Insulator" Transition in Carbon Nanotube Josephson Transistors

Dissipation is ubiquitous in quantum systems, and its interplay with fluctuations is critical to maintaining quantum coherence. We experimentally investigate the dissipation dynamics in single-walled carbon nanotubes coupled to superconductors. The voltage-current characteristics display gate-tunable hysteresis, with sizes that perfectly correlate with the normal state resistance RN, indicating the junction undergoes a periodic modulation between underdamped and overdamped regimes. Surprisingly, when a device's Fermi-level is tuned through a local conductance minimum, we observe a gate-controlled transition from superconducting-like to insulating-like states, with a "critical" R_N value of about 8-20 kohm.Comment: Figures revised to improve clarity. Accepted for publication by Physical Review Letter