1,238 research outputs found
Amplitude-mode dynamics of polariton condensates
We study the stability of collective amplitude excitations in non-equilibrium
polariton condensates. These excitations correspond to renormalized upper
polaritons and to the collective amplitude modes of atomic gases and
superconductors. They would be present following a quantum quench or could be
created directly by resonant excitation. We show that uniform amplitude
excitations are unstable to the production of excitations at finite
wavevectors, leading to the formation of density-modulated phases. The physical
processes causing the instabilities can be understood by analogy to optical
parametric oscillators and the atomic Bose supernova.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
Non-equilibrium quantum condensation in an incoherently pumped dissipative system
We study spontaneous quantum coherence in an out of equilibrium system,
coupled to multiple baths describing pumping and decay. For a range of
parameters describing coupling to, and occupation of the baths, a stable
steady-state condensed solution exists. The presence of pumping and decay
significantly modifies the spectra of phase fluctuations, leading to
correlation functions that differ both from an isolated condensate and from a
laser.Comment: 5 pages, 2 eps figure
Ferrodistortive instability at the (001) surface of half-metallic manganites
We present the structure of the fully relaxed (001) surface of the
half-metallic manganite La0.7Sr0.3MnO3, calculated using density functional
theory within the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). Two relevant
ferroelastic order parameters are identified and characterized: The tilting of
the oxygen octahedra, which is present in the bulk phase, oscillates and
decreases towards the surface, and an additional ferrodistortive Mn
off-centering, triggered by the surface, decays monotonically into the bulk.
The narrow d-like energy band that is characteristic of unrelaxed manganite
surfaces is shifted down in energy by these structural distortions, retaining
its uppermost layer localization. The magnitude of the zero-temperature
magnetization is unchanged from its bulk value, but the effective spin-spin
interactions are reduced at the surface.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
Sliding Density-Wave in Sr_{14}Cu_{24}O_{41} Ladder Compounds
We used transport and Raman scattering measurements to identify the
insulating state of self-doped spin 1/2 two-leg ladders of Sr_{14}Cu_{24}O_{41}
as a weakly pinned, sliding density wave with non-linear conductivity and a
giant dielectric response that persists to remarkably high temperatures
Density and spin response functions in ultracold fermionic atom gases
We propose a new method of detecting the onset of superfluidity in a
two-component ultracold fermionic gas of atoms governed by an attractive
short-range interaction. By studying the two-body correlation functions we find
that a measurement of the momentum distribution of the density and spin
response functions allows one to access separately the normal and anomalous
densities. The change in sign at low momentum transfer of the density response
function signals the transition between a BEC and a BCS regimes, characterized
by small and large pairs, respectively. This change in sign of the density
response function represents an unambiguous signature of the BEC to BCS
crossover. Also, we predict spin rotational symmetry-breaking in this system
Rehabilitation following rotator cuff repair: A nested qualitative study exploring the perceptions and experiences of participants in a randomised controlled trial
Objective:
To investigate acceptability, barriers to adherence with the interventions, and which outcome measures best reflect the participants’ rehabilitation goals in a pilot and feasibility randomised controlled trial evaluating early patient-directed rehabilitation and standard rehabilitation, including sling immobilisation for four weeks, following surgical repair of the rotator cuff of the shoulder.
Design:
Nested qualitative study.
Setting:
Five English National Health Service Hospitals.
Subjects:
Nineteen patient participants who had undergone surgical repair of the rotator cuff and 10 healthcare practitioners involved in the trial.
Method:
Individual semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed thematically.
Results:
Four themes: (1) Preconceptions of early mobilisation; many participants were motivated to enter the trial for the opportunity of removing their sling and getting moving early. (2) Sling use and movement restrictions; for some, sling use for four weeks was unacceptable and contributed to their pain, rather than relieving it. (3) Tensions associated with early mobilisation; clinical tensions regarding early mobilisation and the perceived risk to the surgical repair were apparent. (4) Processes of running the trial; participants found the trial processes to be largely appropriate and acceptable, but withholding the results of the post-operative research ultrasound scan was contentious.
Conclusion:
Trial processes were largely acceptable, except for withholding results of the ultrasound scan. For some participants, use of the shoulder sling for a prolonged period after surgery was a reported barrier to standard rehabilitation whereas the concept of early mobilisation contributed tension for some healthcare practitioners due to concern about the effect on the surgical repair
Normal Form and Nekhoroshev stability for nearly-integrable Hamiltonian systems with unconditionally slow aperiodic time dependence
The aim of this paper is to extend the results of Giorgilli and Zehnder for
aperiodic time dependent systems to a case of general nearly-integrable convex
analytic Hamiltonians. The existence of a normal form and then a stability
result are shown in the case of a slow aperiodic time dependence that, under
some smallness conditions, is independent on the size of the perturbation.Comment: Corrected typo in the title and statement of Lemma 3.
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Bayesian belief network model for the safety assessment of nuclear computer-based systems
The formalism of Bayesian Belief Networks (BBNs) is being increasingly applied to probabilistic modelling and decision problems in a widening variety of fields. This method provides the advantages of a formal probabilistic model, presented in an easily assimilated visual form, together with the ready availability of efficient computational methods and tools for exploring model consequences. Here we formulate one BBN model of a part of the safety assessment task for computer and software based nuclear systems important to safety. Our model is developed from the perspective of an independent safety assessor who is presented with the task of evaluating evidence from disparate sources: the requirement specification and verification documentation of the system licensee and of the system manufacturer; the previous reputation of the various participants in the design process; knowledge of commercial pressures;information about tools and resources used; and many other sources. Based on these multiple sources of evidence, the independent assessor is ultimately obliged to make a decision as to whether or not the system should be licensed for operation within a particular nuclear plant environment. Our BBN model is a contribution towards a formal model of this decision problem. We restrict attention to a part of this problem: the safety analysis of the Computer System Specification documentation. As with other BBN applications we see this modelling activity as having several potential benefits. It employs a rigorous formalism as a focus for examination, discussion, and criticism of arguments about safety. It obliges the modeller to be very explicit about assumptions concerning probabilistic dependencies, correlations, and causal relationships. It allows sensitivity analyses to be carried out. Ultimately we envisage this BBN, or some later development of it, forming part of a larger model, which might well take the form of a larger BBN model, covering all sources of evidence about pre-operational life-cycle stages. This could provide an integrated model of all aspects of the task of the independent assessor, leading up to the final judgement about system safety in a particular context. We expect to offer some results of this further work later in the DeVa project
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