Astrophysical gyrokinetics: Turbulence in pressure-anisotropic plasmas at ion scales and beyond

We present a theoretical framework for describing electromagnetic kinetic turbulence in a multi-species, magnetized, pressure-anisotropic plasma. Turbulent fluctuations are assumed to be small compared to the mean field, to be spatially anisotropic with respect to it, and to have frequencies small compared to the ion cyclotron frequency. At scales above the ion Larmor radius, the theory reduces to the pressure-anisotropic generalization of kinetic reduced magnetohydrodynamics (KRMHD) formulated by Kunz et al. (2015). At scales at and below the ion Larmor radius, three main objectives are achieved. First, we analyse the linear response of the pressure-anisotropic gyrokinetic system, and show it to be a generalisation of previously explored limits. The effects of pressure anisotropy on the stability and collisionless damping of Alfvenic and compressive fluctuations are highlighted, with attention paid to the spectral location and width of the frequency jump that occurs as Alfven waves transition into kinetic Alfven waves. Secondly, we derive and discuss a general free-energy conservation law, which captures both the KRMHD free-energy conservation at long wavelengths and dual cascades of kinetic Alfven waves and ion entropy at sub-ion-Larmor scales. We show that non-Maxwellian features in the distribution function change the amount of phase mixing and the efficiency of magnetic stresses, and thus influence the partitioning of free energy amongst the cascade channels. Thirdly, a simple model is used to show that pressure anisotropy can cause large variations in the ion-to-electron heating ratio due to the dissipation of Alfvenic turbulence. Our theory provides a foundation for determining how pressure anisotropy affects the turbulent fluctuation spectra, the differential heating of particle species, and the ratio of parallel and perpendicular phase mixing in space and astrophysical plasmas.Comment: 59 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Journal of Plasma Physics (original 28 Nov 2017); abstract abridge

Über einen energieunabhängigen austausch der alkali-ionen Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+ und Cs+ GEGEN H+ in der membran intakter und desintegrierter rattenlebermitochondrien

Abstract1.1. The energy-independent exchange of alkali metal cations against protons was investigated in intact and disintegrated mitochondria. The exchange is not specific for different alkali metal ions.2.2. In intact mitochondria the apparent Km for the energy-independent exchange range from 5 to 25 mM (Cs+, Rb+, K+ 5–10 mM; Na+ 15 mM; Li+ 20 mM). At all ions studied the maximum release of protons was 15–20 nval/mg protein.3.3. In disintegrated mitochondria there are no differences between the alkali metal ions (apparent Km 30 mM; maximum H+-release 50 nval/mg protein).4.4. Directly accessible binding sites seem to exist in the outer membrane. Binding sites in the inner membrane are accessible only after disintegration, but not after addition of valinomycin + rotenone

The GTC exoplanet transit spectroscopy survey. VI. A spectrally-resolved Rayleigh scattering slope in GJ 3470b

Aims. As a sub-Uranus-mass low-density planet, GJ 3470b has been found to show a flat featureless transmission spectrum in the infrared and a tentative Rayleigh scattering slope in the optical. We conducted an optical transmission spectroscopy project to assess the impacts of stellar activity and to determine whether or not GJ 3470b hosts a hydrogen-rich gas envelop. Methods. We observed three transits with the low-resolution OSIRIS spectrograph at the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias, and one transit with the high-resolution UVES spectrograph at the 8.2 m Very Large Telescope. Results. From the high-resolution data, we find that the difference of the Ca II H+K lines in- and out-of-transit is only 0.67 +/- 0.22%, and determine a magnetic filling factor of about 10-15%. From the low-resolution data, we present the first optical transmission spectrum in the 435-755 nm band, which shows a slope consistent with Rayleigh scattering. Conclusions. After exploring the potential impacts of stellar activity in our observations, we confirm that Rayleigh scattering in an extended hydrogen/helium atmosphere is currently the best explanation. Further high-precision observations that simultaneously cover optical and infrared bands are required to answer whether or not clouds and hazes exist at high-altitude.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in A&

The Sphaleron Barrier in the Presence of Fermions

We calculate the minimal energy path over the sphaleron barrier in the pre\-sen\-ce of fermions, assuming that the fermions of a doublet are degenerate in mass. This allows for spherically symmetric ans\"atze for the fields, when the mixing angle dependence is neglected. While light fermions have little influence on the barrier, the presence of heavy fermions ($M_F \sim$ TeV) strongly deforms the barrier, giving rise to additional sphalerons for very heavy fermions ($M_F \sim$ 10 TeV). Heavy fermions form non-topological solitons in the vacuum sector.Comment: 19 pages, latex, 18 figures in 3 seperate uuencoded postscript files THU-93/1

General approach for studying first-order phase transitions at low temperatures

By combining different ideas, a general and efficient protocol to deal with discontinuous phase transitions at low temperatures is proposed. For small $T$'s, it is possible to derive a generic analytic expression for appropriate order parameters, whose coefficients are obtained from simple simulations. Once in such regimes simulations by standard algorithms are not reliable, an enhanced tempering method, the parallel tempering -- accurate for small and intermediate system sizes with rather low computational cost -- is used. Finally, from finite size analysis, one can obtain the thermodynamic limit. The procedure is illustrated for four distinct models, demonstrating its power, e.g., to locate coexistence lines and the phases density at the coexistence.Comment: 5 page

Level Crossing Along Sphaleron Barriers

In the electroweak sector of the standard model topologically inequivalent vacua are separated by finite energy barriers, whose height is given by the sphale\-ron. For large values of the Higgs mass there exist several sphaleron solutions and the barriers are no longer symmetric. We construct paths of classical configurations from one vacuum to a neighbouring one and solve the fermion equations in the background field configurations along such paths, choosing the fermions of a doublet degenerate in mass. As in the case of light Higgs masses we observe the level crossing phenomenon also for large Higgs masses.Comment: 17 pages, latex, 10 figures in uuencoded postscript files. THU-94/0

Nondegenerate Fermions in the Background of the Sphaleron Barrier

We consider level crossing in the background of the sphaleron barrier for nondegenerate fermions. The mass splitting within the fermion doublets allows only for an axially symmetric ansatz for the fermion fields. In the background of the sphaleron we solve the partial differential equations for the fermion functions. We find little angular dependence for our choice of ansatz. We therefore propose a good approximate ansatz with radial functions only. We generalize this approximate ansatz with radial functions only to fermions in the background of the sphaleron barrier and argue, that it is a good approximation there, too.Comment: LATEX, 20 pages, 11 figure

Static black hole solutions with axial symmetry

We construct a new class of asymptotically flat black hole solutions in Einstein-Yang-Mills and Einstein-Yang-Mills-dilaton theory. These black hole solutions are static, and they have a regular event horizon. However, they possess only axial symmetry. Like their regular counterparts, the black hole solutions are characterized by two integers, the winding number $n$ and the node number $k$ of the gauge field functions.Comment: 14 pages, including 4 postscript figures, LaTe

Comparison between two methods of solution of coupled equations for low-energy scattering

Cross sections from low-energy neutron-nucleus scattering have been evaluated using a coupled channel theory of scattering. Both a coordinate-space and a momentum-space formalism of that coupled-channel theory are considered.A simple rotational model of the channel interaction potentials is used to find results using two relevant codes, ECIS97 and MCAS, so that they may be compared. The very same model is then used in the MCAS approach to quantify the changes that occur when allowance is made for effects of the Pauli principle.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure