8,222 research outputs found
On the nature of the Herbig B[e] star binary system V921 Scorpii: Geometry and kinematics of the circumprimary disk on sub-AU scales
V921 Scorpii is a close binary system (separation 0.025") showing the
B[e]-phenomenon. The system is surrounded by an enigmatic bipolar nebula, which
might have been shaped by episodic mass-loss events, possibly triggered by
dynamical interactions between the companion and the circumprimary disk (Kraus
et al. 2012a). In this paper, we investigate the spatial structure and
kinematics of the circumprimary disk, with the aim to obtain new insights into
the still strongly debated evolutionary stage. For this purpose, we combine,
for the first time, infrared spectro-interferometry (VLTI/AMBER, R=12,000) and
spectro-astrometry (VLT/CRIRES, R=100,000), which allows us to study the
AU-scale distribution of circumstellar gas and dust with an unprecedented
velocity resolution of 3 km*s^-1. Using a model-independent photocenter
analysis technique, we find that the Br-gamma-line emission rotates in the same
plane as the dust disk. We can reproduce the wavelength-differential
visibilities and phases and the double-peaked line profile using a
Keplerian-rotating disk model. The derived mass of the central star is
5.4+/-0.4 M_sun*(d/1150 pc), which is considerably lower than expected from the
spectral classification, suggesting that V921 Sco might be more distant (d
approx 2kpc) than commonly assumed. Using the geometric information provided by
our Br-gamma spectro-interferometric data and Paschen, Brackett, and Pfund line
decrement measurements in 61 hydrogen recombination line transitions, we derive
the density of the line-emitting gas (N_e=2...6*10^19 m^-3). Given that our
measurements can be reproduced with a Keplerian velocity field without
outflowing velocity component and the non-detection of age-indicating
spectroscopic diagnostics, our study provides new evidence for the
pre-main-sequence nature of V921 Sco.Comment: 17 pages, 11 figures, 3 tables, accepted by Ap
Mach-Zehnder Interferometry in a Strongly Driven Superconducting Qubit
We demonstrate Mach-Zehnder-type interferometry in a superconducting flux
qubit. The qubit is a tunable artificial atom, whose ground and excited states
exhibit an avoided crossing. Strongly driving the qubit with harmonic
excitation sweeps it through the avoided crossing two times per period. As the
induced Landau-Zener transitions act as coherent beamsplitters, the accumulated
phase between transitions, which varies with microwave amplitude, results in
quantum interference fringes for n=1...20 photon transitions. The
generalization of optical Mach-Zehnder interferometry, performed in qubit phase
space, provides an alternative means to manipulate and characterize the qubit
in the strongly-driven regime.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figure
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How Investment Agreements Can Protect Free Media
Freedom of expression historically has been regarded as a domestic concern. But modern communication technologies and the unprecedented forces of globalization are blurring the distinction between what is national and what is international, creating an interconnected world that is not bound by traditional borders. International investment treaties, as well as trade agreements, can be used to to protect media from efforts to suppress it
Chiral gauge theories with domain wall fermions
We have investigated a proposal to construct chiral gauge theories on the
lattice using domain wall fermions. The model contains two opposite chirality
zeromodes, which live on two domain walls. We couple only one of them to a
gauge field, but find that mirror fermions which also couple to the gauge field
always seem to exist.Comment: 3 pages. ref. added, some rewording at the end. contribution to
Lattice'93. latex file, style file espcrc2.sty needed (appended), compressed
tar file with two figures appended at the end (look for FIGURES
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