2,018 research outputs found
Hardware and software status of QCDOC
QCDOC is a massively parallel supercomputer whose processing nodes are based
on an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). This ASIC was
custom-designed so that crucial lattice QCD kernels achieve an overall
sustained performance of 50% on machines with several 10,000 nodes. This strong
scalability, together with low power consumption and a price/performance ratio
of $1 per sustained MFlops, enable QCDOC to attack the most demanding lattice
QCD problems. The first ASICs became available in June of 2003, and the testing
performed so far has shown all systems functioning according to specification.
We review the hardware and software status of QCDOC and present performance
figures obtained in real hardware as well as in simulation.Comment: Lattice2003(machine), 6 pages, 5 figure
Status of and performance estimates for QCDOC
QCDOC is a supercomputer designed for high scalability at a low cost per
node. We discuss the status of the project and provide performance estimates
for large machines obtained from cycle accurate simulation of the QCDOC ASIC.Comment: 3 pages 1 figure. Lattice2002(machines
using HYP-smeared staggered fermions in unquenched QCD
We present results for kaon mixing parameter calculated using
HYP-smeared improved staggered fermions on the MILC asqtad lattices. We use
three lattice spacings (, and fm), ten different
valence quark masses (), and several light sea-quark
masses in order to control the continuum and chiral extrapolations. We derive
the next-to-leading order staggered chiral perturbation theory (SChPT) results
necessary to fit our data, and use these results to do extrapolations based
both on SU(2) and SU(3) SChPT. The SU(2) fitting is particularly
straightforward because parameters related to taste-breaking and matching
errors appear only at next-to-next-to-leading order. We match to the continuum
renormalization scheme (NDR) using one-loop perturbation theory. Our final
result is from the SU(2) analysis, with the SU(3) result providing a (less
accurate) cross check. We find and ,
where the first error is statistical and the second systematic. The error is
dominated by the truncation error in the matching factor. Our results are
consistent with those obtained using valence domain-wall fermions on lattices
generated with asqtad or domain-wall sea quarks.Comment: 37 pages, 31 figures, most updated versio
The Luminosity Function of X-ray Selected Active Galactic Nuclei: Evolution of Supermassive Black Holes at High Redshift
We present a measure of the hard (2-8 keV) X-ray luminosity function (XLF) of
Active Galactic Nuclei up to z~5. At high redshifts, the wide area coverage of
the Chandra Multiwavength Project is crucial to detect rare and luminous (Lx >
10^44 erg s^-1) AGN. The inclusion of samples from deeper published surveys,
such as the Chandra Deep Fields, allows us to span the lower Lx range of the
XLF. Our sample is selected from both the hard (z 6.3x10^-16
erg cm^-2 s^-1) and soft (z > 3; f(0.5-2.0 keV) > 1.0x10^-16 erg cm^-2 s^-1)
energy band detections. Within our optical magnitude limits (r',i' < 24), we
achieve an adequate level of completeness (>50%) regarding X-ray source
identification (i.e., redshift). We find that the luminosity function is
similar to that found in previous X-ray surveys up to z~3 with an evolution
dependent upon both luminosity and redshift. At z > 3, there is a significant
decline in the numbers of AGN with an evolution rate similar to that found by
studies of optically-selected QSOs. Based on our XLF, we assess the resolved
fraction of the Cosmic X-ray Background, the cumulative mass density of
Supermassive Black Holes (SMBHs), and the comparison of the mean accretion rate
onto SMBHs and the star formation history of galaxies as a function of
redshift. A coevolution scenario up to z~2 is plausible though at higher
redshifts the accretion rate onto SMBHs drops more rapidly. Finally, we
highlight the need for better statistics of high redshift AGN at z > 3, which
is achievable with the upcoming Chandra surveys.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ; 25 pages, 18 figure
Lattice determination of the Decay Amplitude
We describe the computation of the amplitude A_2 for a kaon to decay into two
pions with isospin I=2. The results presented in the letter Phys.Rev.Lett. 108
(2012) 141601 from an analysis of 63 gluon configurations are updated to 146
configurations giving Re GeV and Im
GeV. Re is in good agreement with the experimental result, whereas the
value of Im was hitherto unknown. We are also working towards a direct
computation of the amplitude but, within the
standard model, our result for Im can be combined with the experimental
results for Re, Re and to give
ImRe . Our result for Im\, implies
that the electroweak penguin (EWP) contribution to
is Re.Comment: 59 pages, 11 figure
K Corrections For Type Ia Supernovae and a Test for Spatial Variation of the Hubble Constant
Cross-filter K corrections for a sample of "normal" Type Ia supernovae (SNe)
have been calculated for a range of epochs. With appropriate filter choices,
the combined statistical and systematic K correction dispersion of the full
sample lies within 0.05 mag for redshifts z<0.7. This narrow dispersion of the
calculated K correction allows the Type Ia to be used as a cosmological probe.
We use the K corrections with observations of seven SNe at redshifts 0.3 < z
<0.5 to bound the possible difference between the locally measured Hubble
constant (H_L) and the true cosmological Hubble constant (H_0).Comment: 6 pages, 3 Postscript figures, uuencoded uses crckapb.sty and
psfig.sty. To appear in Thermonuclear Supernovae (NATO ASI), eds. R. Canal,
P. Ruiz-LaPuente, and J. Isern. Postscript version is also available at
http://www-supernova.lbl.gov
ROSAT Blank Field Sources I: Sample Selection and Archival Data
We have identified a population of blank field sources (or `blanks') among
the ROSAT bright unidentified X-ray sources with faint optical counterparts.
The extreme X-ray over optical flux ratio of blanks is not compatible with the
main classes of X-ray emitters except for extreme BL Lacertae objects. From the
analysis of ROSAT archival data we found no indication of variability and
evidence for only three sources, out of 16, needing absorption in excess of the
Galactic value. We also found evidence for an extended nature for only one of
the 5 blanks with a serendipitous HRI detection; this source (1WGAJ1226.9+3332)
was confirmed as a z=0.89 cluster of galaxies. Palomar images reveal the
presence of a red (O-E~2) counterpart in the X-ray error circle for 6 blanks.
The identification process brought to the discovery of another high z cluster
of galaxies, one (possibly extreme) BL Lac, two ultraluminous X-ray sources in
nearby galaxies and two apparently normal type1 AGNs. These AGNs, together with
4 more AGN-like objects seem to form a well defined group: they present
unabsorbed X-ray spectra but red Palomar counterparts. We discuss the possible
explanations for the discrepancy between the X-ray and optical data, among
which: a suppressed big blue bump emission, an extreme dust to gas (~40-60 the
Galactic ratio), a high redshift (z>3.5) QSO nature, an atypical dust grain
size distribution and a dusty warm absorber. These AGN-like blanks seem to be
the bright (and easier to study) analogs of the sources which are found in deep
Chandra observations. Three more blanks have a still unknown nature.Comment: 23 pages, 8 figures, accepted by ApJ main journa
Poly[diacetonitrile[μ3-difluoro(oxalato)borato]sodium]
The title compound, [Na(C2BF2O4)(CH3CN)2]n, forms infinite two-dimensional layers running parallel to (010). The layers lie across crystallographic mirror planes at y = 1/4 and 3/4. The Na, B and two F atoms reside on these mirror planes. The Na+ cations are six-coordinate. Two equatorial coordination positions are occupied by acetonitrile molecules. The other two equatorial coordination sites are occupied by the chelating O atoms from the difluoro(oxalato)borate anion (DFOB−). The axial coordination sites are occupied by two F atoms from two different DFOB− anions
TOUCHtr4ck: democratic collaborative music
When electronic musicians compose collaboratively, they typically use their own single-user musical controllers. It may, therefore, be useful to develop novel controllers that support collaborative workflows and democratic principles. After describing the design principles for developing such controllers, we present TOUCHtr4ck, a prototype multi-touch system designed to facilitate such democratic relationships. Informal testing has revealed that this approach does facilitate democratic and collaborative music making, and can produce creative musical results
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