11,713 research outputs found
Stellar Chemical Abundances: In Pursuit of the Highest Achievable Precision
The achievable level of precision on photospheric abundances of stars is a
major limiting factor on investigations of exoplanet host star characteristics,
the chemical histories of star clusters, and the evolution of the Milky Way and
other galaxies. While model-induced errors can be minimized through the
differential analysis of spectrally similar stars, the maximum achievable
precision of this technique has been debated. As a test, we derive differential
abundances of 19 elements from high-quality asteroid-reflected solar spectra
taken using a variety of instruments and conditions. We treat the solar spectra
as being from unknown stars and use the resulting differential abundances,
which are expected to be zero, as a diagnostic of the error in our
measurements. Our results indicate that the relative resolution of the target
and reference spectra is a major consideration, with use of different
instruments to obtain the two spectra leading to errors up to 0.04 dex. Use of
the same instrument at different epochs for the two spectra has a much smaller
effect (~0.007 dex). The asteroid used to obtain the solar standard also has a
negligible effect (~0.006 dex). Assuming that systematic errors from the
stellar model atmospheres have been minimized, as in the case of solar twins,
we confirm that differential chemical abundances can be obtained at sub-0.01
dex precision with due care in the observations, data reduction and abundance
analysis.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ; 13 pages, 6 figures, 7 table
Detection of Spiral photons in Quantum Optics
We show that a new type of photon detector, sensitive to the gradients of
electromagnetic fields, should be a useful tool to characterize the quantum
properties of spatially-dependent optical fields. As a simple detector of such
a kind, we propose using magnetic dipole or electric quadrupole transitions in
atoms or molecules and apply it to the detection of spiral photons in
Laguerre-Gauss (LG) beams. We show that LG beams are not true hollow beams, due
to the presence of magnetic fields and gradients of electric fields on beam
axis. This approach paves the way to an analysis at the quantum level of the
spatial structure and angular momentum properties of singular light beams.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Topological Dilatonic Supergravity Theories
We present a central extension of the super-Poincar\'e algebra in two
dimensions. Besides the usual Poincar\'e generators and the
supersymmetry generators we have Grassmann generators, a bosonic
internal symmetry generator and a central charge. We then build up the
topological gauge theory associated to this algebra. We can solve the classical
field equations for the fields which do not belong to the supergravity
multiplet and to a Lagrange multiplier multiplet. The resulting topological
supergravity theory turns out to be non-local in the fermionic sector.Comment: 11 pages, plain TeX, IFUSP-P/112
Shifting to green economy: Hype or hope for entrepreneurs into medicinal and aromatic plants?
This research aimed at finding out if rural development concerning medicinal and aromatic plants (MAP), in Portugal, was sufficiently consolidated to be considered an alternative lifestyle. Secondary data collected from a panel of 12 high-level experts enabled to picture the sector. Operations were the core knowledge area that helped to find out the implementation of the existing social platform into a technological solution to support a virtual collaborative effort among the stakeholders, as the main requirement to consolidate the sector. The required role of State was also defined as holistic, integrative, supportive, despite not-regulative, to implement a broad MAP policy
Creative Teaching of New Product Development to Operations Managers
New Product Development (NPD) has got its roots on an Engineering background. Thus, one might wonder about the interest, opportunity, contents and delivery process, if students from soft sciences were involved. This paper addressed «What to teach?» and «How to do it?», as the preliminary research questions that originated the introduced propositions. The curriculum-developer model that was purposefully chosen to adapt the coursebook by pursuing macro/micro strategies was found significant by an exploratory qualitative case study. Moreover, learning was developed and value created by implementing the institutional curriculum through a creative, hands-on, experiencing, problem-solving, problem-based but organized teamwork approach. Product design of an orange squeezer complying with ill-defined requirements, including drafts, sketches, prototypes, CAD simulations and a business plan, plus a website, written reports and presentations were the deliverables that confirmed an innovative contribution towards research and practice of teaching and learning of engineering subjects to non-specialist operations managers candidates
Anisotropic Lifshitz Point at
We present the critical exponents , and
for an -axial Lifshitz point at second order in an expansion.
We introduced a constraint involving the loop momenta along the -dimensional
subspace in order to perform two- and three-loop integrals. The results are
valid in the range . The case corresponds to the usual
Ising-like critical behavior.Comment: 10 pages, Revte
A Nuclear Physics Program at the ATLAS Experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider
The ATLAS collaboration has significant interest in the physics of
ultra-relativistic heavy ion collisions. We submitted a Letter of Intent to the
United States Department of Energy in March 2002. The following document is a
slightly modified version of that LOI. More details are available at:
http://atlas.web.cern.ch/Atlas/GROUPS/PHYSICS/SM/ionsComment: Letter of Intent submitted to the United States Department of Energy
Nuclear Physics Division in March 2002 (revised version
- …