623 research outputs found
Can we avoid high coupling?
It is considered good software design practice to organize source code into modules and to favour within-module connections (cohesion) over between-module connections (coupling), leading to the oft-repeated maxim "low coupling/high cohesion". Prior research into network theory and its application to software systems has found evidence that many important properties in real software systems exhibit approximately scale-free structure, including coupling; researchers have claimed that such scale-free structures are ubiquitous. This implies that high coupling must be unavoidable, statistically speaking, apparently contradicting standard ideas about software structure. We present a model that leads to the simple predictions that approximately scale-free structures ought to arise both for between-module connectivity and overall connectivity, and not as the result of poor design or optimization shortcuts. These predictions are borne out by our large-scale empirical study. Hence we conclude that high coupling is not avoidable--and that this is in fact quite reasonable
High Temperature Expansions and Dynamical Systems
We develop a resummed high-temperature expansion for lattice spin systems
with long range interactions, in models where the free energy is not, in
general, analytic. We establish uniqueness of the Gibbs state and exponential
decay of the correlation functions. Then, we apply this expansion to the
Perron-Frobenius operator of weakly coupled map lattices.Comment: 33 pages, Latex; [email protected]; [email protected]
Anomalous heavy-fermion and ordered states in the filled skutterudite PrFe4P12
Specific heat and magnetization measurements have been performed on
high-quality single crystals of filled-skutterudite PrFe_4P_{12} in order to
study the high-field heavy-fermion state (HFS) and low-field ordered state
(ODS). From a broad hump observed in C/T vs T in HFS for magnetic fields
applied along the direction, the Kondo temperature of ~ 9 K and the
existence of ferromagnetic Pr-Pr interactions are deduced. The {141}-Pr nuclear
Schottky contribution, which works as a highly-sensitive on-site probe for the
Pr magnetic moment, sets an upper bound for the ordered moment as ~ 0.03
\mu_B/Pr-ion. This fact strongly indicates that the primary order parameter in
the ODS is nonmagnetic and most probably of quadrupolar origin, combined with
other experimental facts. Significantly suppressed heavy-fermion behavior in
the ODS suggests a possibility that the quadrupolar degrees of freedom is
essential for the heavy quasiparticle band formation in the HFS. Possible
crystalline-electric-field level schemes estimated from the anisotropy in the
magnetization are consistent with this conjecture.Comment: 7 pages and 7 figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
Exotic Heavy Fermion State in the Filled Skutterudite PrFeP Uncovered by the de Haas-van Alphen Effect
We report the de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) experiment on the filled skutterudite
PrFeP exhibiting apparent Kondo-like behaviors in the transport and
thermal properties. We have found enormously enhanced cyclotron effective mass
in the high field phase (HFP), which
indicates that PrFeP is the first Pr-compound in which really heavy
mass has been unambiguously confirmed. Also in the low field non-magnetic
ordered phase (LOP), we observed the dHvA branch with that is quite heavy taking into account its small Fermi surface volume
(0.15% of the Brillouin zone size). The insensitivity of mass in LOP against
the magnetic field suggests that the quadrupolar interaction plays a main role
both in the mass renormalization and the LOP formation.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, Phys. Rev. B (01 October 2002) in pres
Collective dynamics of colloids at fluid interfaces
The evolution of an initially prepared distribution of micron sized colloidal
particles, trapped at a fluid interface and under the action of their mutual
capillary attraction, is analyzed by using Brownian dynamics simulations. At a
separation \lambda\ given by the capillary length of typically 1 mm, the
distance dependence of this attraction exhibits a crossover from a logarithmic
decay, formally analogous to two-dimensional gravity, to an exponential decay.
We discuss in detail the adaption of a particle-mesh algorithm, as used in
cosmological simulations to study structure formation due to gravitational
collapse, to the present colloidal problem. These simulations confirm the
predictions, as far as available, of a mean-field theory developed previously
for this problem. The evolution is monitored by quantitative characteristics
which are particularly sensitive to the formation of highly inhomogeneous
structures. Upon increasing \lambda\ the dynamics show a smooth transition from
the spinodal decomposition expected for a simple fluid with short-ranged
attraction to the self-gravitational collapse scenario.Comment: 13 pages, 12 figures, revised, matches version accepted for
publication in the European Physical Journal
Mapping Vesta: First Results from Dawn’s Survey Orbit
The geologic objectives of the Dawn Mission [1] are
to derive Vesta’s shape, map the surface geology,
understand the geological context and contribute to
the determination of the asteroids’ origin and
evolution.Geomorphology and distribution of surface features
will provide evidence for impact cratering, tectonic activity, volcanism, and regolith processes. Spectral
measurements of the surface will provide evidence of
the compositional characteristics of geological units.
Age information, as derived from crater sizefrequency
distributions, provides the stratigraphic
context for the structural and compositional mapping
results, thus revealing the geologic history of Vesta.
We present here the first results of the Dawn mission
from data collected during the approach to Vesta, and
its first discrete orbit phase – the Survey Orbit, which
lasts 21 days after the spacecraft had established a
circular polar orbit at a radius of ~3000 km with a
beta angle of 10°-15°
Exact results on decoherence and entanglement in a system of N driven atoms and a dissipative cavity mode
We solve the dynamics of an open quantum system where N strongly driven
two-level atoms are equally coupled on resonance to a dissipative cavity mode.
Analytical results are derived on decoherence, entanglement, purity, atomic
correlations and cavity field mean photon number. We predict decoherence-free
subspaces for the whole system and the N-qubit subsystem, the monitoring of
quantum coherence and purity decay by atomic populations measurements, the
conditional generation of atomic multi-partite entangled states and of cavity
cat-like states. We show that the dynamics of atoms prepared in states
invariant under permutation of any two components remains restricted within the
subspace spanned by the completely symmetric Dicke states. We discuss examples
and applications in the cases N=3,4.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, accepted in EPJ
Recent experimental results in sub- and near-barrier heavy ion fusion reactions
Recent advances obtained in the field of near and sub-barrier heavy-ion
fusion reactions are reviewed. Emphasis is given to the results obtained in the
last decade, and focus will be mainly on the experimental work performed
concerning the influence of transfer channels on fusion cross sections and the
hindrance phenomenon far below the barrier. Indeed, early data of sub-barrier
fusion taught us that cross sections may strongly depend on the low-energy
collective modes of the colliding nuclei, and, possibly, on couplings to
transfer channels. The coupled-channels (CC) model has been quite successful in
the interpretation of the experimental evidences. Fusion barrier distributions
often yield the fingerprint of the relevant coupled channels. Recent results
obtained by using radioactive beams are reported. At deep sub-barrier energies,
the slope of the excitation function in a semi-logarithmic plot keeps
increasing in many cases and standard CC calculations over-predict the cross
sections. This was named a hindrance phenomenon, and its physical origin is
still a matter of debate. Recent theoretical developments suggest that this
effect, at least partially, may be a consequence of the Pauli exclusion
principle. The hindrance may have far-reaching consequences in astrophysics
where fusion of light systems determines stellar evolution during the carbon
and oxygen burning stages, and yields important information for exotic
reactions that take place in the inner crust of accreting neutron stars.Comment: 40 pages, 63 figures, review paper accepted for EPJ
Young and Intermediate-age Distance Indicators
Distance measurements beyond geometrical and semi-geometrical methods, rely
mainly on standard candles. As the name suggests, these objects have known
luminosities by virtue of their intrinsic proprieties and play a major role in
our understanding of modern cosmology. The main caveats associated with
standard candles are their absolute calibration, contamination of the sample
from other sources and systematic uncertainties. The absolute calibration
mainly depends on their chemical composition and age. To understand the impact
of these effects on the distance scale, it is essential to develop methods
based on different sample of standard candles. Here we review the fundamental
properties of young and intermediate-age distance indicators such as Cepheids,
Mira variables and Red Clump stars and the recent developments in their
application as distance indicators.Comment: Review article, 63 pages (28 figures), Accepted for publication in
Space Science Reviews (Chapter 3 of a special collection resulting from the
May 2016 ISSI-BJ workshop on Astronomical Distance Determination in the Space
Age
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