6,508 research outputs found
DASCH 100-yr light curves of high-mass X-ray binaries
We analyzed the 100-yr light curves of Galactic high-mass X-ray binaries
using the Harvard photographic plate collection, made accessible through the
DASCH project (Digital Access to a Sky Century at Harvard). As scanning is
still in progress, we focus on the four objects that are currently well
covered: the supergiant X-ray binary Cyg X-1 (V1357 Cyg), and the Be X-ray
binaries 1H 1936+541 (BD+53 2262), RX J1744.7-2713 (HD 161103), and RX
J2030.5+4751 (SAO 49725), the latter two objects being similar to gamma Cas.
The star associated with Cyg X-1 does not show evidence for variability with an
amplitude higher than 0.3 magnitude over a hundred years. We found significant
variability of one magnitude with timescales of more than 10 years for SAO
49725, as well as a possible period of 500-600 days and an amplitude of 0.05
magnitude that might be the orbital, or super-orbital period of the system. The
data is insufficient to conclude for HD 161103 but suggests a similar long-term
variability. We thus observe an additional characteristic of gamma Cas-like
objects: their long-term variability. This variability seems to be due to the
slow evolution of a decretion disk around the Be star, but may be triggered by
the presence of a compact object in the system, possibly a white dwarf. This
characteristic could be used to identify further similar objects otherwise
difficult to detect.Comment: Accepted for publication in Proceedings of Science (INTEGRAL 2012),
Eds. A. Goldwurm, F. Lebrun and C. Winkler, based on a presentation at the
9th INTEGRAL Workshop "An INTEGRAL view of the high-energy sky (the first 10
years)", October 15-19, 2012, Paris, Franc
Non-monotonic density dependence of the diffusion of DNA fragments in low-salt suspensions
The high linear charge density of 20-base-pair oligomers of DNA is shown to
lead to a striking non-monotonic dependence of the long-time self-diffusion on
the concentration of the DNA in low-salt conditions. This generic non-monotonic
behavior results from both the strong coupling between the electrostatic and
solvent-mediated hydrodynamic interactions, and from the renormalization of
these electrostatic interactions at large separations, and specifically from
the dominance of the far-field hydrodynamic interactions caused by the strong
repulsion between the DNA fragments.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. Physical Review E, accepted on November 24, 200
SM(2,4k) fermionic characters and restricted jagged partitions
A derivation of the basis of states for the superconformal minimal
models is presented. It relies on a general hypothesis concerning the role of
the null field of dimension . The basis is expressed solely in terms of
modes and it takes the form of simple exclusion conditions (being thus a
quasi-particle-type basis). Its elements are in correspondence with
-restricted jagged partitions. The generating functions of the latter
provide novel fermionic forms for the characters of the irreducible
representations in both Ramond and Neveu-Schwarz sectors.Comment: 12 page
The nanoscale phase separation in hole-doped manganites
A macroscopic phase separation, in which ferromagnetic clusters are observed
in an insulating matrix, is sometimes observed, and believed to be essential to
the colossal magnetoresistive (CMR) properties of manganese oxides. The
application of a magnetic field may indeed trigger large magnetoresistance
effects due to the percolation between clusters allowing the movement of the
charge carriers. However, this macroscopic phase separation is mainly related
to extrinsic defects or impurities, which hinder the long-ranged charge-orbital
order of the system. We show in the present article that rather than the
macroscopic phase separation, an homogeneous short-ranged charge-orbital order
accompanied by a spin glass state occurs, as an intrinsic result of the
uniformity of the random potential perturbation induced by the solid solution
of the cations on the -sites of the structure of these materials. Hence the
phase separation does occur, but in a more subtle and interesting nanoscopic
form, here referred as ``homogeneous''. Remarkably, this ``nanoscale phase
separation'' alone is able to bring forth the colossal magnetoresistance in the
perovskite manganites, and is potentially relevant to a wide variety of other
magnetic and/or electrical properties of manganites, as well as many other
transition metal oxides, in bulk or thin film form as we exemplify throughout
the article.Comment: jpsj2 TeX style (J. Phys. Soc. Jpn); 18 pages, 7 figure
The bicomplex quantum Coulomb potential problem
Generalizations of the complex number system underlying the mathematical
formulation of quantum mechanics have been known for some time, but the use of
the commutative ring of bicomplex numbers for that purpose is relatively new.
This paper provides an analytical solution of the quantum Coulomb potential
problem formulated in terms of bicomplex numbers. We define the problem by
introducing a bicomplex hamiltonian operator and extending the canonical
commutation relations to the form [X_i,P_k] = i_1 hbar xi delta_{ik}, where xi
is a bicomplex number. Following Pauli's algebraic method, we find the
eigenvalues of the bicomplex hamiltonian. These eigenvalues are also obtained,
along with appropriate eigenfunctions, by solving the extension of
Schrodinger's time-independent differential equation. Examples of solutions are
displayed. There is an orthonormal system of solutions that belongs to a
bicomplex Hilbert space.Comment: Clarifications; some figures removed; version to appear in Can. J.
Phy
Mixed-mode oscillations in a multiple time scale phantom bursting system
In this work we study mixed mode oscillations in a model of secretion of GnRH
(Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone). The model is a phantom burster consisting of
two feedforward coupled FitzHugh-Nagumo systems, with three time scales. The
forcing system (Regulator) evolves on the slowest scale and acts by moving the
slow nullcline of the forced system (Secretor). There are three modes of
dynamics: pulsatility (transient relaxation oscillation), surge (quasi steady
state) and small oscillations related to the passage of the slow nullcline
through a fold point of the fast nullcline. We derive a variety of reductions,
taking advantage of the mentioned features of the system. We obtain two
results; one on the local dynamics near the fold in the parameter regime
corresponding to the presence of small oscillations and the other on the global
dynamics, more specifically on the existence of an attracting limit cycle. Our
local result is a rigorous characterization of small canards and sectors of
rotation in the case of folded node with an additional time scale, a feature
allowing for a clear geometric argument. The global result gives the existence
of an attracting unique limit cycle, which, in some parameter regimes, remains
attracting and unique even during passages through a canard explosion.Comment: 38 pages, 16 figure
Normal Mode Determination of Perovskite Crystal Structures with Octahedral Rotations: Theory and Applications
Nuclear site analysis methods are used to enumerate the normal modes of
perovskite polymorphs with octahedral rotations. We provide the modes
of the fourteen subgroups of the cubic aristotype describing the Glazer
octahedral tilt patterns, which are obtained from rotations of the
octahedra with different sense and amplitude about high symmetry axes. We
tabulate all normal modes of each tilt system and specify the contribution of
each atomic species to the mode displacement pattern, elucidating the physical
meaning of the symmetry unique modes. We have systematically generated 705
schematic atomic displacement patterns for the normal modes of all 15 (14
rotated + 1 unrotated) Glazer tilt systems. We show through some illustrative
examples how to use these tables to identify the octahedral rotations,
symmetric breathing, and first-order Jahn-Teller anti-symmetric breathing
distortions of the octahedra, and the associated Raman selection
rules. We anticipate that these tables and schematics will be useful in
understanding the lattice dynamics of bulk perovskites and would serve as
reference point in elucidating the atomic origin of a wide range of physical
properties in synthetic perovskite thin films and superlattices.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figures, 17 tables. Supporting information accessed
through link specified within manuscrip
New path description for the M(k+1,2k+3) models and the dual Z_k graded parafermions
We present a new path description for the states of the non-unitary
M(k+1,2k+3) models. This description differs from the one induced by the
Forrester-Baxter solution, in terms of configuration sums, of their
restricted-solid-on-solid model. The proposed path representation is actually
very similar to the one underlying the unitary minimal models M(k+1,k+2), with
an analogous Fermi-gas interpretation. This interpretation leads to fermionic
expressions for the finitized M(k+1,2k+3) characters, whose infinite-length
limit represent new fermionic characters for the irreducible modules. The
M(k+1,2k+3) models are also shown to be related to the Z_k graded parafermions
via a (q to 1/q) duality transformation.Comment: 43 pages (minor typo corrected and minor rewording in the
introduction
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