Enhancement of the magnetic anisotropy of nanometer-sized Co clusters: influence of the surface and of the inter-particle interactions

We study the magnetic properties of spherical Co clusters with diameters between 0.8 nm and 5.4 nm (25 to 7500$ atoms) prepared by sequential sputtering of Co and Al2O3. The particle size distribution has been determined from the equilibrium susceptibility and magnetization data and it is compared to previous structural characterizations. The distribution of activation energies was independently obtained from a scaling plot of the ac susceptibility. Combining these two distributions we have accurately determined the effective anisotropy constant Keff. We find that Keff is enhanced with respect to the bulk value and that it is dominated by a strong anisotropy induced at the surface of the clusters. Interactions between the magnetic moments of adjacent layers are shown to increase the effective activation energy barrier for the reversal of the magnetic moments. Finally, this reversal is shown to proceed classically down to the lowest temperature investigated (1.8 K).Comment: 13 figures submitted to Phys. Rev.

Modeling body size evolution in Felidae under alternative phylogenetic hypotheses

The use of phylogenetic comparative methods in ecological research has advanced during the last twenty years, mainly due to accurate phylogenetic reconstructions based on molecular data and computational and statistical advances. We used phylogenetic correlograms and phylogenetic eigenvector regression (PVR) to model body size evolution in 35 worldwide Felidae (Mammalia, Carnivora) species using two alternative phylogenies and published body size data. The purpose was not to contrast the phylogenetic hypotheses but to evaluate how analyses of body size evolution patterns can be affected by the phylogeny used for comparative analyses (CA). Both phylogenies produced a strong phylogenetic pattern, with closely related species having similar body sizes and the similarity decreasing with increasing distances in time. The PVR explained 65% to 67% of body size variation and all Moran's I values for the PVR residuals were non-significant, indicating that both these models explained phylogenetic structures in trait variation. Even though our results did not suggest that any phylogeny can be used for CA with the same power, or that “good” phylogenies are unnecessary for the correct interpretation of the evolutionary dynamics of ecological, biogeographical, physiological or behavioral patterns, it does suggest that developments in CA can, and indeed should, proceed without waiting for perfect and fully resolved phylogenies

Dipolar interactions and anisotropic magnetoresistance in metallic granular systems

We revisit the theory of magnetoresistance for a system of nanoscopic magnetic granules in metallic matrix. Using a simple model for the spin dependent perturbation potential of the granules, we solve Boltzmann equation for the spin dependent components of the non equilibrium electronic distribution function. For typical values of the geometric parameters in granular systems, we find a peculiar structure of the distribution function of conduction electrons, which is at variance with the two-current model of conduction in inhomogeneous systems. Our treatment explicitly includes the effects of dipolar correlations yielding a magnetoresistance ratio which contains, in addition to the term proportional to the square of uniform magnetization (), a weak anisotropic contribution depending on the angle between electric and magnetic fields, and arising from the anisotropic character of dipolar interactions.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures, accepted in PR

Big-brained birds survive better in nature

Big brains are hypothesized to enhance survival of animals by facilitating flexible cognitive responses that buffer individuals against environmental stresses. Although this theory receives partial support from the finding that brain size limits the capacity of animals to behaviourally respond to environmental challenges, the hypothesis that large brains are associated with reduced mortality has never been empirically tested. Using extensive information on avian adult mortality from natural populations, we show here that species with larger brains, relative to their body size, experience lower mortality than species with smaller brains, supporting the general importance of the cognitive buffer hypothesis in the evolution of large brains

Phylogenetic correlograms and the evolution of body size in South American owls (Strigiformes)

During the last few years, many models have been proposed to link microevolutionary processes to macroevolutionary patterns, defined by comparative data analysis. Among these, Brownian motion and Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (O-U) processes have been used to model, respectively, genetic drift or directional selection and stabilizing selection. These models produce different curves of pairwise variance between species against time since divergence, in such a way that different profiles appear in phylogenetic correlograms. We analyzed variation in body length among 19 species of South American owls, by means of phylogenetic correlograms constructed using Moran's I coefficient in four distance classes. Phylogeny among species was based on DNA hybridization. The observed correlogram was then compared with 500 correlograms obtained by simulations of Brownian motion and O-U over the same phylogeny, using discriminant analysis. The observed correlogram indicates a phylogenetic gradient up to 45 mya, when coefficients tend to stabilize, and it is similar to the correlograms produced by the O-U process. This is expected when we consider that body size of organisms is correlated with many ecological and life-history traits and subjected to many constraints that can be modeled by the O-U process, which has been used to describe evolution under stabilizing selection.<br>Nos últimos anos diversos modelos têm sido propostos a fim de realizar inferências sobre processos microevolutivos com base em padrões macroevolutivos obtidos a partir de dados comparativos. Dentre esses, o movimento Browniano e o processo Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (O-U) têm sido utilizados para modelar principalmente deriva genética e seleção estabilizadora, respectivamente. Esses modelos produzem curvas diferentes de relação entre variância interespecífica e distância no tempo, de modo que eles podem ser distingüidos com base em correlogramas filogenéticos. Neste trabalho, nós analisamos a variação interespecífica no tamanho do corpo de 19 espécies de corujas (Strigiformes) sul-americanas através de correlogramas filogenéticos, construídos utilizando índices I de Moran em quatro classes de distância. A filogenia entre as espécies foi definida com base em dados de hibridização de DNA. O correlograma observado foi então comparado a 500 correlogramas obtidos através de simulações de evolução por movimento Browniano e pelo processo O-U, sobre essa mesma filogenia. Esses correlogramas foram comparados entre si utilizando análises de variância (ANOVA e MANOVA) e através das correlações entre os índices I de Moran e as classes de distância filogenética. O correlograma observado indica a existência de um gradiente filogenético de variação até cerca de 45 milhões de anos, quando os índices se estabilizam, e é similar aos correlogramas obtidos através do processo O-U, considerando tanto a correlação do gradiente quanto a sua alocação aos dois grupos de processos através de análise discriminante. Esse padrão é esperado, considerando a importância do tamanho do corpo e sua correlação com diversos caracteres ecológicos e de história de vida, que produzem muitas restrições que podem de fato ser modeladas por um processo O-U expressando seleção estabilizadora