9,791 research outputs found
Escape rate of an active Brownian particle over a potential barrier
We study the dynamics of an active Brownian particle with a nonlinear
friction function located in a spatial cubic potential. For strong but finite
damping, the escape rate of the particle over the spatial potential barrier
shows a nonmonotonic dependence on the noise intensity. We relate this behavior
to the fact that the active particle escapes from a limit cycle rather than
from a fixed point and that a certain amount of noise can stabilize the sojourn
of the particle on this limit cycle
Effective phase description of noise-perturbed and noise-induced oscillations
An effective description of a general class of stochastic phase oscillators
is presented. For this, the effective phase velocity is defined either by
invariant probability density or via first passage times. While the first
approach exhibits correct frequency and distribution density, the second one
yields proper phase resetting curves. Their discrepancy is most pronounced for
noise-induced oscillations and is related to non-monotonicity of the phase
fluctuations
Improved Limit on theta_{13} and Implications for Neutrino Masses in Neutrino-less Double Beta Decay and Cosmology
We analyze the impact of a measurement, or of an improved bound, on
theta_{13} for the determination of the effective neutrino mass in
neutrino-less double beta decay and cosmology. In particular, we discuss how an
improved limit on (or a specific value of) theta_{13} can influence the
determination of the neutrino mass spectrum via neutrino-less double beta
decay. We also discuss the interplay with improved cosmological neutrino mass
searches.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figures. Minor corrections, matches version in PR
W(h)ither the Fed’s balance sheet?
Federal Reserve policymakers have expressed their support for ultimately shrinking the Fed’s balance sheet and returning the composition of its portfolio to only Treasury securities. Policymakers also favor returning to a fed-funds-rate-targeting procedure or something quite similar. While Fed holdings of some asset classes have been diminishing naturally, the orderly reduction of others could involve special tools that the Fed has been putting in place for a while. An ongoing issue will be to determine an optimal sequence of appropriate actions.Monetary policy - United States ; Federal Reserve System ; Financial crises
RG transport theory for open quantum systems: Charge fluctuations in multilevel quantum dots in and out of equilibrium
We present the real-time renormalization group (RTRG) method as a method to
describe the stationary state current through generic multi-level quantum dots
with a complex setup in nonequilibrium. The employed approach consists of a
very rudiment approximation for the RG equations which neglects all vertex
corrections while it provides a means to compute the effective dot Liouvillian
self-consistently. Being based on a weak-coupling expansion in the tunneling
between dot and reservoirs, the RTRG approach turns out to reliably describe
charge fluctuations in and out of equilibrium for arbitrary coupling strength,
even at zero temperature. We confirm this in the linear response regime with a
benchmark against highly-accurate numerically renormalization group data in the
exemplary case of three-level quantum dots. For small to intermediate bias
voltages and weak Coulomb interactions, we find an excellent agreement between
RTRG and functional renormalization group data, which can be expected to be
accurate in this regime. As a consequence, we advertise the presented RTRG
approach as an efficient and versatile tool to describe charge fluctuations
theoretically in quantum dot systems
The effect of polar caps on obliquity
Rubincam has shown that the Martian obliquity is dependent on the seasonal polar caps. In particular, Rubincam analytically derived this dependence and showed that the change in obliquity is directly proportional to the seasonal polar cap mass. Rubincam concludes that seasonal friction does not appear to have changed Mars' climate significantly. Using a computer model for the evolution of the Martian atmosphere, Haberle et al. have made a convincing case for the possibility of huge polar caps, about 10 times the mass of the current polar caps, that exist for a significant fraction of the planet's history. Since Rubincam showed that the effect of seasonal friction on obliquity is directly proportional to polar cap mass, a scenario with a ten-fold increase in polar cap mass over a significant fraction of the planet's history would result in a secular increase in Mars' obliquity of perhaps 10 degrees. Hence, the Rubincam conclusion of an insignificant contribution to Mars' climate by seasonal friction may be incorrect. Furthermore, if seasonal friction is an important consideration in the obliquity of Mars, this would significantly alter the predictions of past obliquity
How well was total ozone abundance inferred with Mariner 9
Ozone is a key to understanding atmospheric chemistry on Mars. Over 20 photochemical models of the Martian atmosphere have been published, and O3 is often used as a benchmark for these models. O3 abundance has been inferred from instrumentation on several spacecraft, with the most complete coverage provided by Mariner 9. A radiative transfer computer model is used to re-examine the Mariner 9 UV spectra
PMT Test Facility at MPIK Heidelberg and Double Chooz Super Vertical Slice
Proceedings supplement for conference poster at Neutrino 2010, Athens,
Greece
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