ELVIS - ELectromagnetic Vector Information Sensor

The ELVIS instrument was recently proposed by the authors for the Indian Chandrayaan-1 mission to the Moon and is presently under consideration by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The scientific objective of ELVIS is to explore the electromagnetic environment of the moon. ELVIS samples the full three-dimensional (3D) electric field vector, E(x,t), up to 18 MHz, with selective Nyqvist frequency bandwidths down to 5 kHz, and one component of the magnetic field vector, B(x,t), from a few Hz up to 100 kHz.As a transient detector, ELVIS is capable of detecting pulses with a minimum pulse width of 5 ns. The instrument comprises three orthogonal electric dipole antennas, one magnetic search coil antenna and a four-channel digital sampling system, utilising flexible digital down conversion and filtering together with state-of-the-art onboard digital signal processing.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures. Submitted to the DGLR Int. Symposium "To Moon and Beyond", Bremen, Germany, 2005. Companion paper to arXiv:astro-ph/050921

A Quantum solution to the Byzantine agreement problem

We present a solution to an old and timely problem in distributed computing. Like Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), quantum channels make it possible to achieve taks classically impossible. However, unlike QKD, here the goal is not secrecy but agreement, and the adversary is not outside but inside the game, and the resources require qutrits.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Estimation of permafrost thawing rates in a sub-arctic catchment using recession flow analysis

Permafrost thawing is likely to change the flow pathways taken by water as it moves through arctic and sub-arctic landscapes. The location and distribution of these pathways directly influence the carbon and other biogeochemical cycling in northern latitude catchments. While permafrost thawing due to climate change has been observed in the arctic and sub-arctic, direct observations of permafrost depth are difficult to perform at scales larger than a local scale. Using recession flow analysis, it may be possible to detect and estimate the rate of permafrost thawing based on a long-term streamflow record. We demonstrate the application of this approach to the sub-arctic Abiskojokken catchment in northern Sweden. Based on recession flow analysis, we estimate that permafrost in this catchment may be thawing at an average rate of about 0.9 cm/yr during the past 90 years. This estimated thawing rate is consistent with direct observations of permafrost thawing rates, ranging from 0.7 to 1.3 cm/yr over the past 30 years in the region

A comparative study of super- and highly-deformed bands in the A ~ 60 mass region

Super- and highly-deformed rotational bands in the A ~ 60 mass region are studied within cranked relativistic mean field theory and the configuration-dependent shell-correction approach based on the cranked Nilsson potential. Both approaches describe the experimental data well. Low values of the dynamic moments of inertia J^(2) compared with the kinematic moments of inertia J^(1) seen both in experiment and in calculations at high rotational frequencies indicate the high energy cost to build the states at high spin and reflect the limited angular momentum content in these configurations.Comment: 11 pages, 4 PostScript figures, Latex, uses 'epsf', submitted to Phys. Lett.

Quantum interference structures in trapped ion dynamics beyond the Lamb-Dicke and rotating wave approximations

We apply wave packet methods to study an ion-trap system in the strong excitation regime imposing neither the rotating wave nor the Lamb-Dicke approximations. By this approach we show the existence of states with restricted phase space evolution, as a genuine consequence of quantum interference between wave packet fractions. A particular instance of such a state oscillates between maximal entanglement and pure disentanglement between the constitute subsystems. The characteristic crossover time is very rapid making them suitable for state preparations of EPR or Schrodinger cat states. Over longer time periods the dynamics of these states exhibits collapse-revival patterns with well resolved fractional revivals in autocorrelation, inversion and entanglement.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures. Replaced with revised version. Phys. Rev. A 77, 053808 (2008

Angle-Resolved Environmental X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy: A New Laboratory Setup for Photoemission Studies at Pressures up to 0.4 Torr

The paper presents the development and demonstrates the capabilities of a new laboratory-based environmental X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy system incorporating an electrostatic lens and able to acquire spectra up to 0.4 Torr. The incorporation of a two-dimensional detector provides imaging capabilities and allows the acquisition of angle-resolved data in parallel mode over an angular range of 14° without tilting the sample. The sensitivity and energy resolution of the spectrometer have been investigated by analyzing a standard Ag foil both under high vacuum (10−8 Torr) conditions and at elevated pressures of N2 (0.4 Torr). The possibility of acquiring angle-resolved data at different pressures has been demonstrated by analyzing a silicon/silicon dioxide (Si/SiO2) sample. The collected angle-resolved spectra could be effectively used for the determination of the thickness of the native silicon oxide layer

L'-band AGPM vector vortex coronagraph's first light on LBTI/LMIRCam

We present the first observations obtained with the L'-band AGPM vortex coronagraph recently installed on LBTI/LMIRCam. The AGPM (Annular Groove Phase Mask) is a vector vortex coronagraph made from diamond subwavelength gratings. It is designed to improve the sensitivity and dynamic range of high-resolution imaging at very small inner working angles, down to 0.09 arcseconds in the case of LBTI/LMIRCam in the L' band. During the first hours on sky, we observed the young A5V star HR\,8799 with the goal to demonstrate the AGPM performance and assess its relevance for the ongoing LBTI planet survey (LEECH). Preliminary analyses of the data reveal the four known planets clearly at high SNR and provide unprecedented sensitivity limits in the inner planetary system (down to the diffraction limit of 0.09 arcseconds).Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, SPIE proceeding

Pure luminescence transitions from a small InAs/GaAs quantum dot exhibiting a single electron level

2 páginas, 3 figuras.Pure photoluminescence spectra originating from a single InAs/GaAs quantum dot, which is small enough to possess only one single-electron level, are demonstrated. A symmetric fine structure of the exciton and the biexciton is observed.Peer reviewe