Reply to [arXiv:1201.5347] "Comment on 'Vortex-assisted photon counts and their magnetic field dependence in single-photon superconducting detectors'"

We argue that cutoff in the London model cannot be settled without use of the microscopic theory

Fidelity of Analytic Drop Size Distributions in Drizzling Stratiform Clouds Based on Large-Eddy Simulations

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/abs/10.1175/2009JAS3028.1.Cloud microphysical parameterizations and retrievals rely heavily on knowledge of the shape of drop size distributions (DSDs). Many investigations assume that DSDs in the entire or partial drop size range may be approximated by known analytical functions. The most frequently employed approximations of function are of the type of gamma, lognormal, Khrgian–Mazin, and Marshall–Palmer. At present, little is known about the accuracy of these approximations. The authors employ a DSD dataset generated by the Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies Large-Eddy Simulation (CIMMS LES) explicit microphysics model for stratocumulus cases observed during the Atlantic Stratocumulus Transition Experiment (ASTEX) field project. The fidelity of analytic lognormal- and gamma-type DSD functions is evaluated according to how well they represent the higher-order moments of the drop spectra, such as precipitation flux and radar reflectivity. It is concluded that for boundary layer marine drizzling stratocumuli, a DSD based on the two-mode gamma distribution provides a more accurate estimate of precipitation flux and radar reflectivity than the DSD based on the lognormal distribution. The gamma distribution also provides a more accurate radar reflectivity field in two- and three-moment bulk microphysical models compared to the conventional Z–R relationship

Assessment of variability in continental low stratiform clouds based on observations of radar reflectivity

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2005JD006158/abstract.The variability of overcast low stratiform clouds observed over the ARM Climate Research Facility Southern Great Plains (ACRF SGP) site is analyzed, and an approach to characterizing subgrid variability based on assumed statistical distributions is evaluated. The analysis is based on a vast (>1000 hours) radar reflectivity database collected by the Millimeter-Wave Cloud Radar at ACRF SGP site. The radar data are classified into two low cloud categories and stratified by scale and the presence of precipitation. Cloud variability is analyzed by studying statistical distributions for the first two moments of the probability distribution functions (PDF) of radar reflectivity. Results indicate that variability for a broadly defined low-altitude stratiform cloud type exhibits on average 40% greater standard deviation than canonical boundary layer clouds topped by an inversion. Cloud variability also dramatically depends on microphysical processes (as manifested in radar reflectivity) and increases by 2–5 times within a typical reflectivity range. Finally, variability is a strong function of scale and almost doubles in the 20–100 min temporal scale range. Formulations of subgrid variability, based on PDFs of reflectivity, are evaluated for the two cloud types and two scales of 10 and 30 km, taken to be representative of mesoscale and NWP model grid sizes. The results show that for these cloud types and scales the PDF of reflectivity can be reasonably well approximated by a truncated Gaussian function, specified by mean and standard deviation with the latter parameterized as a linear function of the mean

Spin polarization control by electric stirring: proposal for a spintronic device

We propose a spintronic device to generate spin polarization in a mesoscopic region by purely electric means. We show that the spin Hall effect in combination with the stirring effect are sufficient to induce measurable spin polarization in a closed geometry. Our device structure does not require the application of magnetic fields, external radiation or ferromagnetic leads, and can be implemented in standard semiconducting materials

Absence of weak antilocalization in ferromagnetic films

We present magnetoresistance measurements performed on ultrathin films of amorphous Ni and Fe. In these films the Curie temperature drops to zero at small thickness, making it possible to study the effect of ferromagnetism on localization. We find that non-ferromagnetic films are characterized by positive magnetoresistance. This is interpreted as resulting from weak antilocalization due to strong Bychkov-Rashba spin orbit scattering. As the films become ferromagnetic the magnetoresistance changes sign and becomes negative. We analyze our data to identify the individual contributions of weak localization, weak antilocalization and anisotropic magnetoresistance and conclude that the magnetic order suppresses the influence of spin-orbit effects on localization phenomena in agreement with theoretical predictions.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Field-induced axion emission via process e+e−→ae^+ e^- \to a in plasma

The annihilation into axion $e^+ e^- \to a$ is investigated in a plasma and an external magnetic field. This process via a plasmon intermediate state has a resonant character at a particular energy of the emitted axion. The emissivity by $e^+ e^- \to a$ is compared with the axion cyclotron emissivity.Comment: 8 pages, latex, 4 PS figure

Dynamic correlation functions and Boltzmann Langevin approach for driven one dimensional lattice gas

We study the dynamics of the totally asymmetric exclusion process with open boundaries by phenomenological theories complemented by extensive Monte-Carlo simulations. Upon combining domain wall theory with a kinetic approach known as Boltzmann-Langevin theory we are able to give a complete qualitative picture of the dynamics in the low and high density regime and at the corresponding phase boundary. At the coexistence line between high and low density phases we observe a time scale separation between local density fluctuations and collective domain wall motion, which are well accounted for by the Boltzmann-Langevin and domain wall theory, respectively. We present Monte-Carlo data for the correlation functions and power spectra in the full parameter range of the model.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figure

Dissipation and coherent effects in narrow superconducting channels

We apply the time dependent Ginzburg-Landau equations (TDGL) to study small ac currents of frequency $\omega$ in superconducting channels narrow on the scale of London penetration depth. We show that TDGL have $t$-dependent and spatially uniform solutions that describe the order parameter with an oscillating part of the double frequency coexisting with an ac electric field. We evaluate the Ohmic losses (related neither to the flux flow nor to the phase slips) and show that the resistivity reduction on cooling through the critical temperature $T_c$ should behave as $(T_c-T)^2/\omega^2$. If the channel is cut out of an anisotropic material in a direction other than the principal axes, the transverse phase difference and the Josephson voltage between the channel sides are generated.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figures, Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Neutrino dispersion in external magnetic fields

We calculate the neutrino self-energy operator Sigma (p) in the presence of a magnetic field B. In particular, we consider the weak-field limit e B << m_\ell^2, where m_\ell is the charged-lepton mass corresponding to the neutrino flavor \nu_\ell, and we consider a "moderate field" m_\ell^2 << e B << m_W^2. Our results differ substantially from the previous literature. For a moderate field, we show that it is crucial to include the contributions from all Landau levels of the intermediate charged lepton, not just the ground-state. For the conditions of the early universe where the background medium consists of a charge-symmetric plasma, the pure B-field contribution to the neutrino dispersion relation is proportional to (e B)^2 and thus comparable to the contribution of the magnetized plasma.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figure, revtex. Version to appear in Phys. Rev. D (presentation improved, reference list revised, numerical error in Eq.(41) corrected, conclusions unchanged

A Cosmic Battery Reconsidered

We revisit the problem of magnetic field generation in accretion flows onto black holes owing to the excess radiation force on electrons. This excess force may arise from the Poynting-Robertson effect. Instead of a recent claim of the generation of dynamically important magnetic fields, we establish the validity of earlier results from 1977 which show only small magnetic fields are generated. The radiative force causes the magnetic field to initially grow linearly with time. However, this linear growth holds for only a {\it restricted} time interval which is of the order of the accretion time of the matter. The large magnetic fields recently found result from the fact that the linear growth is unrestricted. A model of the Poynting-Robertson magnetic field generation close to the horizon of a Schwarzschild black hole is solved exactly using General Relativity, and the field is also found to be dynamically insignificant. These weak magnetic fields may however be important as seed fields for dynamos.Comment: Astrophysical Journal (accepted