3,115 research outputs found
Frequency Dependence of Aging, Rejuvenation and Memory in a disordered ferroelectric
We characterize in details the aging properties of the ferroelectric phase of
K Ta_{1-x} Nb_x O_3 (KTN), where both rejuvenation and (partial) memory are
observed. In particular, we carefully examine the frequency dependence of
several quantities that characterize aging, rejuvenation and memory. We find a
marked subaging behaviour, with an a.c. dielectric susceptiblity scaling as
, where is the waiting time. We suggest an
interpretation in terms of pinned domain walls, much along the lines proposed
for aging in a disordered ferromagnet, where both domain wall reconformations
and overall (cumulative) domain growth are needed to rationalize the
experimental findings.Comment: submitted to EPJ
The self-consistent quantum-electrostatic problem in strongly non-linear regime
The self-consistent quantum-electrostatic (also known as
Poisson-Schr\"odinger) problem is notoriously difficult in situations where the
density of states varies rapidly with energy. At low temperatures, these
fluctuations make the problem highly non-linear which renders iterative schemes
deeply unstable. We present a stable algorithm that provides a solution to this
problem with controlled accuracy. The technique is intrinsically convergent
including in highly non-linear regimes. We illustrate our approach with (i) a
calculation of the compressible and incompressible stripes in the integer
quantum Hall regime and (ii) a calculation of the differential conductance of a
quantum point contact geometry. Our technique provides a viable route for the
predictive modeling of the transport properties of quantum nanoelectronics
devices.Comment: 28 pages. 14 figures. Added solution to a potential failure mode of
the algorith
Sputtering of Oxygen Ice by Low Energy Ions
Naturally occurring ices lie on both interstellar dust grains and on
celestial objects, such as those in the outer solar system. These ices are
continu- ously subjected to irradiation by ions from the solar wind and/or
cosmic rays, which modify their surfaces. As a result, new molecular species
may form which can be sputtered off into space or planetary atmospheres. We
determined the experimental values of sputtering yields for irradiation of
oxygen ice at 10 K by singly (He+, C+, N+, O+ and Ar+) and doubly (C2+, N2+ and
O2+) charged ions with 4 keV kinetic energy. In these laboratory experiments,
oxygen ice was deposited and irradiated by ions in an ultra high vacuum chamber
at low temperature to simulate the environment of space. The number of
molecules removed by sputtering was observed by measurement of the ice
thickness using laser interferometry. Preliminary mass spectra were taken of
sputtered species and of molecules formed in the ice by temperature programmed
desorption (TPD). We find that the experimental sputtering yields increase
approximately linearly with the projectile ion mass (or momentum squared) for
all ions studied. No difference was found between the sputtering yield for
singly and doubly charged ions of the same atom within the experimental
uncertainty, as expected for a process dominated by momentum transfer. The
experimental sputter yields are in good agreement with values calculated using
a theoretical model except in the case of oxygen ions. Preliminary studies have
shown molecular oxygen as the dominant species sputtered and TPD measurements
indicate ozone formation.Comment: to be published in Surface Science (2015
Near-infrared spatially resolved spectroscopy of (136108) Haumea's multiple system
The transneptunian region of the solar system is populated by a wide variety
of icy bodies showing great diversity. The dwarf planet (136108) Haumea is
among the largest TNOs and displays a highly elongated shape and hosts two
moons, covered with crystalline water ice like Hamuea. Haumea is also the
largest member of the sole TNO family known to date. A catastrophic collision
is likely responsible for its unique characteristics. We report here on the
analysis of a new set of observations of Haumea obtained with SINFONI at the
ESO VLT. Combined with previous data, and using light-curve measurements in the
optical and far infrared, we carry out a rotationally resolved spectroscopic
study of the surface of Haumea. We describe the physical characteristics of the
crystalline water ice present on the surface of Haumea for both regions, in and
out of the Dark Red Spot (DRS), and analyze the differences obtained for each
individual spectrum. The presence of crystalline water ice is confirmed over
more than half of the surface of Haumea. Our measurements of the average
spectral slope confirm the redder characteristic of the spot region. Detailed
analysis of the crystalline water-ice absorption bands do not show significant
differences between the DRS and the remaining part of the surface. We also
present the results of applying Hapke modeling to our data set. The best
spectral fit is obtained with a mixture of crystalline water ice (grain sizes
smaller than 60 micron) with a few percent of amorphous carbon. Improvements to
the fit are obtained by adding ~10% of amorphous water ice. Additionally, we
used the IFU-reconstructed images to measure the relative astrometric position
of the largest satellite Hi`iaka and determine its orbital elements. An orbital
solution was computed with our genetic-based algorithm GENOID and our results
are in full agreement with recent results.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&
Synchronous Endometrioid Endometrial and Ovarian Cancer in a 34-Year-Old Woman
Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynaecological malignancy in developed countries. Synchronous endometrioid endometrial and ovarian cancer in patients appears with different clinical characteristics compared to patients with isolated endometrial cancer. A 34-year-old woman with lower abdominal pain of 1 year duration presented at the emergency department. On gynaecological examination, she had a left and midline pelvic mass. A transvaginal ultrasound showed it to be a complex hypervascularised mass, with cystic and solid components on left adnexal region. Ectopic pregnancy and pelvic inflammatory disease were excluded. Serum levels of tumour marker CA125 and ROMA were increased. The MR showed a complex mass, suggestive of primary fallopian tube or ovarian tumour. The patient underwent a total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, pelvic and para-aortic lymph node dissection and subcolonic omentectomy. Histopathology revealed a synchronous endometrioid endometrial and ovarian cancer.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Characterisation of candidate members of (136108) Haumea's family: II. Follow-up observations
From a dynamical analysis of the orbital elements of transneptunian objects
(TNOs), Ragozzine & Brown reported a list of candidate members of the first
collisional family found among this population, associated with (136108) Haumea
(a.k.a. 2003 EL61). We aim to distinguish the true members of the Haumea
collisional family from interlopers. We search for water ice on their surfaces,
which is a common characteristic of the known family members. The properties of
the confirmed family are used to constrain the formation mechanism of Haumea,
its satellites, and its family. Optical and near-infrared photometry is used to
identify water ice. We use in particular the CH4 filter of the Hawk-I
instrument at the European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope as a short
H-band (Hs), the (J-Hs) colour being a sensitive measure of the water ice
absorption band at 1.6 {\mu}m. Continuing our previous study headed by
Snodgrass, we report colours for 8 candidate family members, including
near-infrared colours for 5. We confirm one object as a genuine member of the
collisional family (2003 UZ117), and reject 5 others. The lack of infrared data
for the two remaining objects prevent any conclusion from being drawn. The
total number of rejected members is therefore 17. The 11 confirmed members
represent only a third of the 36 candidates. The origin of Haumea's family is
likely to be related to an impact event. However, a scenario explaining all the
peculiarities of Haumea itself and its family remains elusive.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in A&
High-magnetic field lattice length changes in URu2Si2
We report high magnetic field (up to 45 T) c-axis thermal expansion and
magnetostriction experiments on URu2Si2 single crystals. The sample length
change associated with the transition to the hidden order phase becomes
increasingly discontinous as the magnetic field is raised above 25 T. The
re-entrant ordered phase III is clearly observed in both the thermal expansion
and magnetostriction above 36 T, in good agreement with previous results. The
sample length is also discontinuous at the boundaries of this phase, mainly at
the upper boundary. A change in the sign of the coefficient of
thermal-expansion is observed at the metamagnetic transition (B_M = 38 T) which
is likely related to the existence of a quantum critical end point.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, to be published in PR
Hypertensive Crisis
O tratamento de uma crise hipertensiva visa controlar os nÃveis crÃticos de pressão arterial até nÃveis hemodinâmicos seguros, que não necessariamente normais. Os autores ressaltam a necessidade para o seu correcto tratamento de um pronto diagnóstico, diferenciando as situações de
menor gravidade das de verdadeira urgência hipertensiva, da compreensão da sua fisiopatologia e do conhecimento dos fármacos disponÃveis
The formation of the solar system
The solar system started to form about 4.56 Gyr ago and despite the long
intervening time span, there still exist several clues about its formation. The
three major sources for this information are meteorites, the present solar
system structure and the planet-forming systems around young stars. In this
introduction we give an overview of the current understanding of the solar
system formation from all these different research fields. This includes the
question of the lifetime of the solar protoplanetary disc, the different stages
of planet formation, their duration, and their relative importance. We consider
whether meteorite evidence and observations of protoplanetary discs point in
the same direction. This will tell us whether our solar system had a typical
formation history or an exceptional one. There are also many indications that
the solar system formed as part of a star cluster. Here we examine the types of
cluster the Sun could have formed in, especially whether its stellar density
was at any stage high enough to influence the properties of today's solar
system. The likelihood of identifying siblings of the Sun is discussed.
Finally, the possible dynamical evolution of the solar system since its
formation and its future are considered.Comment: 36 pages, 7 figures, invited review in Physica Script
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