3,626 research outputs found
Fourier spectra from exoplanets with polar caps and ocean glint
The weak orbital-phase dependent reflection signal of an exoplanet contains
information on the planet surface, such as the distribution of continents and
oceans on terrestrial planets. This light curve is usually studied in the time
domain, but because the signal from a stationary surface is (quasi)periodic,
analysis of the Fourier series may provide an alternative, complementary
approach.
We study Fourier spectra from reflected light curves for geometrically simple
configurations. Depending on its atmospheric properties, a rotating planet in
the habitable zone could have circular polar ice caps. Tidally locked planets,
on the other hand, may have symmetric circular oceans facing the star. These
cases are interesting because the high-albedo contrast at the sharp edges of
the ice-sheets and the glint from the host star in the ocean may produce
recognizable light curves with orbital periodicity, which could also be
interpreted in the Fourier domain.
We derive a simple general expression for the Fourier coefficients of a
quasiperiodic light curve in terms of the albedo map of a Lambertian planet
surface. Analytic expressions for light curves and their spectra are calculated
for idealized situations, and dependence of spectral peaks on the key
parameters inclination, obliquity, and cap size is studied.Comment: 15 pages, 2 tables, 13 figure
High-pressure study of the non-Fermi liquid material U_2Pt_2In
The effect of hydrostatic pressure (p<= 1.8 GPa) on the non-Fermi liquid
state of U_2Pt_2In is investigated by electrical resistivity measurements in
the temperature interval 0.3-300 K. The experiments were carried out on
single-crystals with the current along (I||c) and perpendicular (I||a) to the
tetragonal axis. The pressure effect is strongly current-direction dependent.
For I||a we observe a rapid recovery of the Fermi-liquid T^2-term with
pressure. The low-temperature resistivity can be analysed satisfactorily within
the magnetotransport theory of Rosch, which provides strong evidence for the
location of U_2Pt_2In at an antiferromagnetic quantum critical point. For I||c
the resistivity increases under pressure, indicating the enhancement of an
additional scattering mechanism. In addition, we have measured the pressure
dependence of the antiferromagnetic ordering temperature (T_N= 37.6 K) of the
related compound U_2Pd_2In. A simple Doniach-type diagram for U_2Pt_2In and
U_2Pd_2In under pressure is presented.Comment: 21 pages (including 5 figures); pdf forma
Environmental stress and the effects of mutation
Mutations are the ultimate fuel for evolution, but most mutations have a negative effect on fitness. It has been widely accepted that these deleterious fitness effects are, on average, magnified in stressful environments. Recent results suggest that the effects of deleterious mutations can, instead, sometimes be ameliorated in stressful environments
Magnetism in heavy-fermion U(Pt,Pd)3 studied by mSR
We report mSR experiments carried out on a series of heavy-electron
pseudobinary compounds U(Pt1-xPdx)3 (x<=0.05). For x<=0.005 the zero-field muon
depolarisation is described by the Kubo-Toyabe function. However the
temperature variation of the Kubo-Toyabe relaxation rate does not show any sign
of the small-moment antiferromagnetic phase with TN~6 K (signalled by neutron
diffraction), in contrast to previous reports. The failure to detect the small
ordered moment suggests it has a fluctuating (> 10 MHz) nature, which is
consistent with the interpretation of NMR data. For 0.01<=x<=0.05 the muon
depolarisation in the ordered state is described by two terms of equal
amplitude: an exponentially damped spontaneous oscillation and a Lorentzian
Kubo-Toyabe function. These terms are associated with antiferromagnetic order
with substantial moments. The Knight-shift measured in a magnetic field of 0.6
T on single-crystalline U(Pt0.95Pd0.05)3 in the paramagnetic state shows two
signals for B perpendicular to c, while only one signal is observed for B||c.
The observation of two signals for B perpendicular to c, while there is only
one muon localisation site (0,0,0), points to the presence of two spatially
distinct regions of different magnetic response.Comment: 25 pages including 12 figures (PS), J. Phys.: Condens. Matter, in
prin
Anomalous response of superconducting titanium nitride resonators to terahertz radiation
We present an experimental study of KIDs fabricated of atomic layer deposited
TiN films, and characterized at radiation frequencies of ~GHz. The
responsivity to radiation is measured and found to increase with increasing
radiation powers, opposite to what is expected from theory and observed for
hybrid niobium titanium nitride / aluminium (NbTiN/Al) and all-aluminium
(all-Al) KIDs. The noise is found to be independent of the level of the
radiation power. The noise equivalent power (NEP) improves with higher
radiation powers, also opposite to what is observed and well understood for
hybrid NbTiN/Al and all-Al KIDs. We suggest that an inhomogeneous state of
these disordered superconductors should be used to explain these observations
Magnetic quantum critical point and superconductivity in UPt3 doped with Pd
Transverse-field muon spin relaxation measurements have been carried out on
the heavy-fermion superconductor UPt3 doped with small amounts of Pd. We find
that the critical Pd concentration for the emergence of the large-moment
antiferromagnetic phase is ~0.6 at.%Pd. At the same Pd content,
superconductivity is completely suppressed. The existence of a magnetic quantum
critical point in the phase diagram, which coincides with the critical point
for superconductivity, provides evidence for ferromagnetic spin-fluctuation
mediated odd-parity superconductivity, which competes with antiferromagnetic
order.Comment: 4 pages (includes 3 figures); postscript fil
Magnetic quantum critical point and superconductivity in UPt3 doped with Pd
Transverse-field muon spin relaxation measurements have been carried out on
the heavy-fermion superconductor UPt3 doped with small amounts of Pd. We find
that the critical Pd concentration for the emergence of the large-moment
antiferromagnetic phase is ~0.6 at.%Pd. At the same Pd content,
superconductivity is completely suppressed. The existence of a magnetic quantum
critical point in the phase diagram, which coincides with the critical point
for superconductivity, provides evidence for ferromagnetic spin-fluctuation
mediated odd-parity superconductivity, which competes with antiferromagnetic
order.Comment: 4 pages (includes 3 figures); postscript fil
Sn delta-doping in GaAs
We have prepared a number of GaAs structures delta-doped by Sn using the
well-known molecular beam epitaxy growth technique. The samples obtained for a
wide range of Sn doping densities were characterised by magnetotransport
experiments at low temperatures and in high magnetic fields up to 38 T.
Hall-effect and Shubnikov-de Haas measurements show that the electron densities
reached are higher than for other delta-dopants, like Si and Be. The maximum
carrier density determined by the Hall effect equals 8.4x10^13 cm^-2. For all
samples several Shubnikov-de Haas frequencies were observed, indicating the
population of multiple subbands. The depopulation fields of the subbands were
determined by measuring the magnetoresistance with the magnetic field in the
plane of the delta-layer. The experimental results are in good agreement with
selfconsistent bandstructure calculations. These calculation shows that in the
sample with the highest electron density also the conduction band at the L
point is populated.Comment: 11 pages text (ps), 9 figures (ps), submitted to Semicon. Science
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