Critical exponent for the quantum spin Hall transition in Z_2 network model

We have estimated the critical exponent describing the divergence of the localization length at the metal-quantum spin Hall insulator transition. The critical exponent for the metal-ordinary insulator transition in quantum spin Hall systems is known to be consistent with that of topologically trivial symplectic systems. However, the precise estimation of the critical exponent for the metal-quantum spin Hall insulator transition proved to be problematic because of the existence, in this case, of edge states in the localized phase. We have overcome this difficulty by analyzing the second smallest positive Lyapunov exponent instead of the smallest positive Lyapunov exponent. We find a value for the critical exponent $\nu=2.73 \pm 0.02$ that is consistent with that for topologically trivial symplectic systems.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, submitted to the proceedings of Localisation 201

Induced top Yukawa coupling and suppressed Higgs mass parameters

In the scenarios with heavy top squarks, mass parameters of the Higgs field must be fine-tuned due to a large logarithmic correction to the soft scalar mass. We consider a new possibility that the top Yukawa coupling is small above TeV scale. The large top mass is induced from strong Yukawa interaction of the Higgs with another gauge sector, in which supersymmetry breaking parameters are given to be small. Then it is found that the logarithmic correction to the Higgs soft scalar mass is suppressed in spite of the strong coupling and the fine-tuning is ameliorated. We propose an explicit model coupled to a superconformal gauge theory which realizes the above situation.Comment: RevTeX4 style, 10 pages, 3 figure

Co-NMR Knight Shift of NaxCoO2 \dot yH2O Studied in Both Superconducting Regions of the Tc-nuQ3 Phase Diagram Divided by the Nonsuperconducting Phase

In the temperature (T)-nuQ3 phase diagram of NaxCoO2 \dot yH2O, there exist two superconducting regions of nuQ3 separated by the nonsuperconducting region, where nuQ3 is usually estimated from the peak position of the 59Co-NQR spectra of the 5/2-7/2 transition and well-approximated here as nuQ3~3nuQ,nuQ being the interaction energy between the nuclear quadrupole moment and the electric field gradient. We have carried out measurements of the 59Co-NMR Knight shift (K) for a single crystal in the higher-nuQ3 superconducting phase and found that K begins to decrease with decreasing T at Tc for both magnetic field directions parallel and perpendicular to CoO2-planes. The result indicates together with the previous ones that the superconducting pairs are in the spin-singlet state in both phases, excluding the possibility of the spin-triplet superconductivity in this phase diagram. The superconductivity of this system spreads over the wide nuQ3 regions, but is suppressed in the narrow region located at the middle point of the region possibly due to charge instability.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, submitted to J. Phys. Soc. Jp

Prebiotic Organic Microstructures

Micro- and sub-micrometer spheres, tubules and fiber-filament soft structures have been synthesized in our experiments conducted with 3 MeV proton irradiations of a mixture of simple inorganic constituents, CO, N2 and H2O. We analysed the irradiation products, with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). These laboratory organic structures produced wide variety of proteinous and non-proteinous amino acids after HCl hydrolysis. The enantiomer analysis for D-, L- alanine confirmed that the amino acids were abiotically synthesized during the laboratory experiment. Considering hydrothermal activity, the presence of CO2 and H2, of a ferromagnesian silicate mineral environment, of an Earth magnetic field which was much less intense during Archean times than nowadays and consequently of a proton excitation source which was much more abundant, we propose that our laboratory organic microstructures might be synthesized during Archean times. We show similarities in morphology and in formation with some terrestrial Archean microstructures and we suggest that some of the observed Archean carbon spherical and filamentous microstructures might be composed of abiogenic organic molecules. We further propose a search for such prebiotic organic signatures on Mars. This article has been posted on Nature precedings on 21 July 2010 [1]. Extinct radionuclides as source of excitation have been replaced by cosmic radiations which were much more intense 3.5 Ga ago because of a much less intense Earth magnetic field. The new version of the article has been presented at the ORIGINS conference in Montpellier in july 2011 [2] and has since been published in Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres 42 (4) 307-316, 2012. 
DOI: 10.1007/s11084-012-9290-5 

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Generalization of the Calogero-Cohn Bound on the Number of Bound States

It is shown that for the Calogero-Cohn type upper bounds on the number of bound states of a negative spherically symmetric potential $V(r)$, in each angular momentum state, that is, bounds containing only the integral $\int^\infty_0 |V(r)|^{1/2}dr$, the condition $V'(r) \geq 0$ is not necessary, and can be replaced by the less stringent condition $(d/dr)[r^{1-2p}(-V)^{1-p}] \leq 0, 1/2 \leq p < 1$, which allows oscillations in the potential. The constants in the bounds are accordingly modified, depend on $p$ and $\ell$, and tend to the standard value for $p = 1/2$.Comment: 1 page. Correctly formatted version (replaces previous version

Cosmological magnetic fields from nonlinear effects

In the standard cosmological model, magnetic fields and vorticity are generated during the radiation era via second-order density perturbations. In order to clarify the complicated physics of this second-order magnetogenesis, we use a covariant approach and present the electromagneto-dynamical equations in the fully nonlinear regime. We use the tight-coupling approximation to analyze Thomson and Coulomb scattering. At the zero-order limit of exact tight-coupling, we show that the vorticity is zero and no magnetogenesis takes place at any nonlinear order. We show that magnetogenesis also fails at all orders if either protons or electrons have the same velocity as the radiation, and momentum transfer is neglected. At first-order in the tight-coupling approximation, magnetic fields and vorticity still cannot be generated even via nonlinear effects. However, at second-order both of them are generated, and we derive a closed set of nonlinear evolution equations that governs this generation