622 research outputs found
The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for the CMB
We investigate the statistics of the cosmic microwave background using the
Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. We show that, when we correctly de-correlate the data,
the partition function of the Kolmogorov stochasticity parameter is compatible
with the Kolmogorov distribution and, contrary to previous claims, the CMB data
are compatible with Gaussian fluctuations with the correlation function given
by standard Lambda-CDM. We then use the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test to derive upper
bounds on residual point source power in the CMB, and indicate the promise of
this statistics for further datasets, especially Planck, to search for
deviations from Gaussianity and for detecting point sources and Galactic
foregrounds.Comment: Improved significance of the results (which remain unchanged) by
using patches instead of ring segments in the analysis. Added sky maps of the
Kolmogorov-parameter for original and de-correlated CMB ma
Extraplanar Dust in Spiral Galaxies: Tracing Outflows in the Disk-Halo Interface
There is now ample evidence that the interstellar thick disks of spiral
galaxies are dusty. Although the majority of extraplanar gas in the first few
kiloparsecs above the plane of a spiral galaxy is matter that has been expelled
from the thin disk, the feedback-driven expulsion does not destroy dust grains
altogether (and there is not yet any good measure suggesting it changes the
dust-to-gas mass ratio). Direct optical imaging of a majority of edge-on spiral
galaxies shows large numbers of dusty clouds populating the thick disk to
heights z~2 kpc. These observations are likely revealing a cold, dense phase of
the thick disk interstellar medium. New observations in the mid-infrared show
emission from traditional grains and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in
the thick disks of spiral galaxies. PAHs are found to have large scale heights
and to arise both in the dense dusty clouds traced through direct optical
imaging and in the diffuse ionized gas. In this contribution, we briefly
summarize these probes of dust in the thick disks of spiral galaxies. We also
argue that not only can dust can be used to trace extraplanar material that has
come from within the thick disk, but that its absence can be a marker for newly
accreted matter from the circumgalactic or intergalactic medium. Thus,
observations of dust can perhaps provide a quantitative measure of the
importance of "outflow versus infall" in spiral galaxies.Comment: 8 pages; Invited review for the proceedings of "The Role of Disk-Halo
Interaction in Galaxy Evolution: Outflow vs. Infall?" (Ed. M. de Avillez), in
Espinho, Portugal, 18-22 August 2008 ; high resolution version at
http://www.nd.edu/~jhowk/Papers/papers.html#conferenc
Anisotropic exchange interaction of localized conduction-band electrons in semiconductor structures
The spin-orbit interaction in semiconductors is shown to result in an
anisotropic contribution into the exchange Hamiltonian of a pair of localized
conduction-band electrons. The anisotropic exchange interaction exists in
semiconductor structures which are not symmetric with respect to spatial
inversion, for instance in bulk zinc-blend semiconductors. The interaction has
both symmetric and antisymmetric parts with respect to permutation of spin
components. The antisymmetric (Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya) interaction is the
strongest one. It contributes significantly into spin relaxation of localized
electrons; in particular, it governs low-temperature spin relaxation in n-GaAs
with the donor concentration near 10^16cm-3. The interaction must be allowed
for in designing spintronic devices, especially spin-based quantum computers,
where it may be a major source of decoherence and errors
Can residuals of the Solar system foreground explain low multipole anomalies of the CMB ?
The low multipole anomalies of the Cosmic Microwave Background has received
much attention during the last few years. It is still not ascertained whether
these anomalies are indeed primordial or the result of systematics or
foregrounds. An example of a foreground, which could generate some non-Gaussian
and statistically anisotropic features at low multipole range, is the very
symmetric Kuiper Belt in the outer solar system. In this paper, expanding upon
the methods presented by Maris et al. (2011), we investigate the contributions
from the Kuiper Belt objects (KBO) to the WMAP ILC 7 map, whereby we can
minimize the contrast in power between even and odd multipoles in the CMB,
discussed discussed by Kim & Naselsky (2010). We submit our KBO de-correlated
CMB signal to several tests, to analyze its validity, and find that
incorporation of the KBO emission can decrease the quadrupole-octupole
alignment and parity asymmetry problems, provided that the KBO signals has a
non-cosmological dipole modulation, associated with the statistical anisotropy
of the ILC 7 map. Additionally, we show that the amplitude of the dipole
modulation, within a 2 sigma interval, is in agreement with the corresponding
amplitudes, discussed by Lew (2008).Comment: 24 pages, 9 figures, 5 tables. Matches version in JCA
Risks, alternative knowledge strategies and democratic legitimacy: the conflict over co-incineration of hazardous industrial waste in Portugal.
The decision to incinerate hazardous industrial waste in cement plants (the socalled
‘co-incineration’ process) gave rise to one of the most heated environmental
conflicts ever to take place in Portugal. The bitterest period was between 1997 and
2002, after the government had made a decision. Strong protests by residents,
environmental organizations, opposition parties, and some members of the
scientific community forced the government to backtrack and to seek scientific
legitimacy for the process through scientific expertise. The experts ratified the
government’s decision, stating that the risks involved were socially acceptable.
The conflict persisted over a decade and ended up clearing the way for a more
sustainable method over which there was broad social consensus – a multifunctional
method which makes it possible to treat, recover and regenerate most
wastes. Focusing the analysis on this conflict, this paper has three aims: (1) to
discuss the implications of the fact that expertise was ‘confiscated’ after the
government had committed itself to the decision to implement co-incineration and
by way of a reaction to the atmosphere of tension and protest; (2) to analyse the
uses of the notions of ‘risk’ and ‘uncertainty’ in scientific reports from both
experts and counter-experts’ committees, and their different assumptions about
controllability and criteria for considering certain practices to be sufficiently safe
for the public; and (3) to show how the existence of different technical scientific
and political attitudes (one more closely tied to government and the corporate
interests of the cement plants, the other closer to the environmental values of reuse
and recycling and respect for the risk perception of residents who challenged
the facilities) is closely bound up with problems of democratic legitimacy. This
conflict showed how adopting more sustainable and lower-risk policies implies a
broader view of democratic legitimacy, one which involves both civic movements
and citizens themselves
A new approach to cosmological perturbations in f(R) models
We propose an analytic procedure that allows to determine quantitatively the
deviation in the behavior of cosmological perturbations between a given f(R)
modified gravity model and a LCDM reference model. Our method allows to study
structure formation in these models from the largest scales, of the order of
the Hubble horizon, down to scales deeply inside the Hubble radius, without
employing the so-called "quasi-static" approximation. Although we restrict our
analysis here to linear perturbations, our technique is completely general and
can be extended to any perturbative order.Comment: 21 pages, 2 figures; Revised version according to reviewer's
suggestions; Typos corrected; Added Reference
Dynamic Evolution Model of Isothermal Voids and Shocks
We explore self-similar hydrodynamic evolution of central voids embedded in
an isothermal gas of spherical symmetry under the self-gravity. More
specifically, we study voids expanding at constant radial speeds in an
isothermal gas and construct all types of possible void solutions without or
with shocks in surrounding envelopes. We examine properties of void boundaries
and outer envelopes. Voids without shocks are all bounded by overdense shells
and either inflows or outflows in the outer envelope may occur. These
solutions, referred to as type void solutions, are further
divided into subtypes and
according to their characteristic behaviours across the sonic critical line
(SCL). Void solutions with shocks in envelopes are referred to as type
voids and can have both dense and quasi-smooth edges.
Asymptotically, outflows, breezes, inflows, accretions and static outer
envelopes may all surround such type voids. Both cases of
constant and varying temperatures across isothermal shock fronts are analyzed;
they are referred to as types and
void shock solutions. We apply the `phase net matching procedure' to construct
various self-similar void solutions. We also present analysis on void
generation mechanisms and describe several astrophysical applications. By
including self-gravity, gas pressure and shocks, our isothermal self-similar
void (ISSV) model is adaptable to various astrophysical systems such as
planetary nebulae, hot bubbles and superbubbles in the interstellar medium as
well as supernova remnants.Comment: 24 pages, 13 figuers, accepted by ApS
Dynamic Evolution of a Quasi-Spherical General Polytropic Magnetofluid with Self-Gravity
In various astrophysical contexts, we analyze self-similar behaviours of
magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) evolution of a quasi-spherical polytropic magnetized
gas under self-gravity with the specific entropy conserved along streamlines.
In particular, this MHD model analysis frees the scaling parameter in the
conventional polytropic self-similar transformation from the constraint of
with being the polytropic index and therefore
substantially generalizes earlier analysis results on polytropic gas dynamics
that has a constant specific entropy everywhere in space at all time. On the
basis of the self-similar nonlinear MHD ordinary differential equations, we
examine behaviours of the magnetosonic critical curves, the MHD shock
conditions, and various asymptotic solutions. We then construct global
semi-complete self-similar MHD solutions using a combination of analytical and
numerical means and indicate plausible astrophysical applications of these
magnetized flow solutions with or without MHD shocks.Comment: 21 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in APS
Measurement of 7Li(n,γ0)8Li cross sections at En=1.5-1340 eV
The 7Li(n,γ)8Li cross section is important in inhomogeneous big bang models, and as a constraint on model parameters used to determine the solar 7Be(p,γ)8B reaction rate. Values of the 7Li(n,γ0)8Li reaction cross section were measured for neutron energies between 1.5 and 1340 eV at the Oak Ridge Electron Linear Accelerator. The normalization of the cross section was determined by measuring the gamma-ray yield from the 7Li(n,γ0)8Li reaction relative to that from the 10B(n,αγ)7Li reaction. The cross section was found to have the inverse neutron-velocity relationship (1/υ) indicative of s-wave capture. These results help resolve ambiguities in previous measurements
Half-metallicity and Slater-Pauling behavior in the ferromagnetic Heusler alloys
Introductory chapter for the book "Halfmetallic Alloys - Fundamentals and
Applications" to be published in the series Springer Lecture Notes on Physics,
P. H. Dederichs and I. Galanakis (eds). It contains a review of the theoretical
work on the half-metallic Heusler alloys.Comment: Introductory chapter for the book "Halfmetallic Alloys - Fundamentals
and Applications" to be published in the series Springer Lecture Notes on
Physics, P. H. Dederichs and I. Galanakis (eds
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