8,501 research outputs found
The Diverse Properties of GPS Sources
We discuss the morphology and kinematics of five gigahertz-peaked spectrum
(GPS) sources that have been observed with the VLBA. We find a wide range of
observed properties including core-jet structure, superluminal motion,
variability, extended structure, and polarization, all of which appear to
deviate from commonly-accepted GPS paradigms (e.g., O'Dea 1998). We suggest
that the observed low frequency cutoff in GPS sources may be primarily due to
free-free absorption rather than synchrotron self-absorption.Comment: Proceedings of the 6th European VLBI Network Symposium, Ros E.,
Porcas R.W., Lobanov, A.P., & Zensus, J.A. (eds), MPIfR, Bonn, Germany. (4
pages, 5 figures, needs evn2002.cls style file
Implementing Dirac Approach to Quantum Mechanics in a Hungarian Secondary School
Quantum mechanics is included in many curricula across countries because of its cultural value and technological application. In the last decades, two-state approaches to quantum mechanics became popular because of the age of quantum computers. This article presents an experiment with 24 Hungarian high school students on teaching/learning quantum mechanics according to Diracâs approach to concepts and basic formalism developed in the context of light polarization. Tutorials, pre/post-tests, and oral interviews are the main monitoring tools used to collect data on the studentsâ learning path. From the qualitative and quantitative data analysis, learning progressions emerged in the phenomenology exploration and on the probabilistic nature of single quantum measurement. The studentsâ conceptions of quantum state are enriched, confirming the importance to focus educational approaches on fundamental topics. For one section of students, the complex relationship between quantum state and property remained problematic, but the studentsâ interpretations of a quantum state can be categorized. Two lines of reasoning emerged regarding the impossibility to attribute a trajectory to a quantum system, one more orthodox and one that seeks to avoid the probabilistic nature of the quantum world
Magnetic soft modes in the locally distorted triangular antiferromagnet alpha-CaCr2O4
In this paper we explore the phase diagram and excitations of a distorted
triangular lattice antiferromagnet. The unique two-dimensional distortion
considered here is very different from the 'isosceles'-type distortion that has
been extensively investigated. We show that it is able to stabilize a 120{\deg}
spin structure for a large range of exchange interaction values, while new
structures are found for extreme distortions. A physical realization of this
model is \alpha-CaCr2O4 which has 120{\deg} structure but lies very close to
the phase boundary. This is verified by inelastic neutron scattering which
reveals unusual roton-like minima at reciprocal space points different from
those corresponding to the magnetic order.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures and lots of spin-wave
Hall Effect in the coma of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko
Magnetohydrodynamics simulations have been carried out in studying the solar
wind and cometary plasma interactions for decades. Various plasma boundaries
have been simulated and compared well with observations for comet 1P/Halley.
The Rosetta mission, which studies comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, challenges
our understanding of the solar wind and comet interactions. The Rosetta Plasma
Consortium observed regions of very weak magnetic field outside the predicted
diamagnetic cavity. In this paper, we simulate the inner coma with the Hall
magnetohydrodynamics equations and show that the Hall effect is important in
the inner coma environment. The magnetic field topology becomes complex and
magnetic reconnection occurs on the dayside when the Hall effect is taken into
account. The magnetic reconnection on the dayside can generate weak magnetic
filed regions outside the global diamagnetic cavity, which may explain the
Rosetta Plasma Consortium observations. We conclude that the substantial change
in the inner coma environment is due to the fact that the ion inertial length
(or gyro radius) is not much smaller than the size of the diamagnetic cavity.Comment: 23 pages, 6 figur
Locating Depots for Capacitated Vehicle Routing
We study a location-routing problem in the context of capacitated vehicle
routing. The input is a set of demand locations in a metric space and a fleet
of k vehicles each of capacity Q. The objective is to locate k depots, one for
each vehicle, and compute routes for the vehicles so that all demands are
satisfied and the total cost is minimized. Our main result is a constant-factor
approximation algorithm for this problem. To achieve this result, we reduce to
the k-median-forest problem, which generalizes both k-median and minimum
spanning tree, and which might be of independent interest. We give a
(3+c)-approximation algorithm for k-median-forest, which leads to a
(12+c)-approximation algorithm for the above location-routing problem, for any
constant c>0. The algorithm for k-median-forest is just t-swap local search,
and we prove that it has locality gap 3+2/t; this generalizes the corresponding
result known for k-median. Finally we consider the "non-uniform"
k-median-forest problem which has different cost functions for the MST and
k-median parts. We show that the locality gap for this problem is unbounded
even under multi-swaps, which contrasts with the uniform case. Nevertheless, we
obtain a constant-factor approximation algorithm, using an LP based approach.Comment: 12 pages, 1 figur
Ion-implantation induced anomalous surface amorphization in silicon
Spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), high-depth-resolution Rutherford backscattering (RBS) and channeling have been used to examine the surface damage formed by room temperature N and B implantation into silicon. For the analysis of the SE data we used the conventional method of assuming appropriate optical models and fitting the model parameters (layer thicknesses and volume fraction of the amorphous silicon component in the layers) by linear regression. The dependence of the thickness of the surface-damaged silicon layer (beneath the native oxide layer) on the implantation parameters was determined: the higher the dose, the thicker the disordered layer at the surface. The mechanism of the surface amorphization process is explained in relation to the ion beam induced layer-by-layer amorphization. The results demonstrate the applicability of Spectroscopic ellipsometry with a proper optical model. RBS, as an independent cross-checking method supported the constructed optical model
VLBI imaging of extremely high redshift quasars at 5 GHz
We present very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) images of ten very high
redshift (z>3) quasars at 5 GHz. The sources 0004+139, 0830+101, 0906+041,
0938+119 and 1500+045 were observed in September 1992 using a global VLBI
array, while 0046+063, 0243+181, 1338+381, 1428+423 and 1557+032 were observed
in October 1996 with the European VLBI Network and Hartebeesthoek, South
Africa. Most of the sources are resolved and show asymmetric structure. The
sample includes 1428+423, the most distant radio loud quasar known to date
(z=4.72). It is barely resolved with an angular resolution of about 2.0*1.4
mas.Comment: Astronomy and Astrophysics, in press, Latex2e, 10 pages, 3 figures
(and lots of sub-figures
The utility of B-type natriuretic peptide in predicting postoperative cardiac events and mortality in patients undergoing major emergency non-cardiac surgery
B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels predict cardiovascular risk in several settings. We hypothesized that they would identify individuals at increased risk of complications and mortality following major emergency non-cardiac surgery.Forty patients were studied with a primary end-point of a new post-operative cardiac event, and/or development of significant ECG changes, and/or cardiac death. The main secondary outcome was all cause mortality at 6 months. Preoperative BNP levels were higher in 11 patients who suffered a new postoperative cardiac event (p=0.001) and predicted this outcome with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.85 (CI=0.72-0.98,p=0.001). A pre-operative BNP value >170pg.ml-1 has a sensitivity of 82% and a specificity of 79% for the primary end-point. In this small study, pre-operative BNP levels identify patients undergoing major emergency non-cardiac surgery who are at increased risk of early post-operative cardiac events. Larger studies are required to confirm these data.Peer reviewedPreprin
Is the magnetic field in the heliosheath laminar or a turbulent bath of bubbles?
All the current global models of the heliosphere are based on the assumption
that the magnetic field in the heliosheath, in the region close to the
heliopause is laminar. We argue that in that region the heliospheric magnetic
field is not laminar but instead consists of magnetic bubbles. Recently, we
proposed that the annihilation of the "sectored" magnetic field within the
heliosheath as it is compressed on its approach to the heliopause produces the
anomalous cosmic rays and also energetic electrons. As a product of the
annihilation of the sectored magnetic field, densely-packed magnetic
islands/bubbles are produced. These magnetic islands/bubbles will be convected
with the ambient flows as the sector region is carried to higher latitudes
filling the heliosheath. We further argue that the magnetic islands/bubbles
will develop upstream within the heliosheath. As a result, the magnetic field
in the heliosheath sector region will be disordered well upstream of the
heliopause. We present a 3D MHD simulation with very high numerical resolution
that captures the north-south boundaries of the sector region. We show that due
to the high pressure of the interstellar magnetic field a north-south asymmetry
develops such that the disordered sectored region fills a large portion of the
northern part of the heliosphere with a smaller extension in the southern
hemisphere. We suggest that this scenario is supported by the following changes
that occur around 2008 and from 2009.16 onward: a) the sudden decrease in the
intensity of low energy electrons detected by Voyager 2; b) a sharp reduction
in the intensity of fluctuations of the radial flow; and c) the dramatic
differences in intensity trends between GCRs at V1 and 2. We argue that these
observations are a consequence of V2 leaving the sector region of disordered
field during these periods and crossing into a region of unipolar laminar
field.Comment: 36 pages, 15 figures, submitted to Ap
Effects of a dominant species on the functional diversity of coexisting species in temperate deciduous understorey
The herb layer plays a significant role in maintaining forest functions, and its community composition is determined by various abiotic factors and biotic interactions. This study attempted to investigate the interspecific plantâplant biotic interactions using a functional traits approach. Specifically, the effects of a dominant species coverage on the functional diversity of coexisting species in the temperate forest understory were studied. Species coverage and soil moisture data were collected using a 1 m2 quadrat couplet (2 Ă 1 m2) from six sites alongside a 20 m linear transect encompassing a cover gradient of Allium ursinum in southwest Hungary. Major plant functional dimensions i.e., aboveground, and clonal functional traits were considered. Linear and nonlinear mixed models to quantify the effects of biotic interaction on the functional diversity of every single trait and multiple traits were employed. Both aboveground traits and clonal traits of persistent clonal growth organs responded positively to the A. ursinum L., cover gradient. The coexistence of understory species in the presence of a monodominant species seems to be mainly influenced by aboveground traits as compared to the clonal traits suggesting, a role of niche differentiation. The consistent impact of A. ursinum coverage on coexisting species dynamics highlights a need for similar in-depth studies in various forest settings
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