3,027 research outputs found
Predictions of the causal entropic principle for environmental conditions of the universe
The causal entropic principle has been proposed as a superior alternative to
the anthropic principle for understanding the magnitude of the cosmological
constant. In this approach, the probability to create observers is assumed to
be proportional to the entropy production \Delta S in a maximal causally
connected region -- the causal diamond. We improve on the original treatment by
better quantifying the entropy production due to stars, using an analytic model
for the star formation history which accurately accounts for changes in
cosmological parameters. We calculate the dependence of \Delta S on the density
contrast Q=\delta\rho/\rho, and find that our universe is much closer to the
most probable value of Q than in the usual anthropic approach and that
probabilities are relatively weakly dependent on this amplitude. In addition,
we make first estimates of the dependence of \Delta S on the baryon fraction
and overall matter abundance. Finally, we also explore the possibility that
decays of dark matter, suggested by various observed gamma ray excesses, might
produce a comparable amount of entropy to stars.Comment: RevTeX4, 13pp, 10 figures; v2. clarified introduction, added ref
Inhibiting the Thermal Gelation of Copolymer Stabilized Nonaqueous Dispersions and the Synthesis of Full Color PMMA Particles
Polymeric particle dispersions have numerous potential applications; currently one of the most relevant is their use as inks in electrophoretic displays. These colloidal particles are synthesized from the appropriate monomer using nonaqueous dispersion (NAD) polymerization in a nonpolar solvent, which requires a stabilizer to control particle size and morphology. We have previously reported the facile synthesis of poly(methyl methacrylate)-block-poly(octadecyl acrylate) (PMMA-b-PODA) by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), and its use in the NAD polymerization of MMA in hexane/dodecane solvent mixtures. Here we report the synthesis of monodisperse PMMA particles in dodecane following a standard “industrial” procedure using these PMMA-b-PODA stabilizers. However, it was observed that the particle suspensions solidified when they were left at temperatures below ?18 °C yet redispersed upon being heated. Differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic light scattering, and rheological studies demonstrated that this thermoresponsive behavior was due to a liquid–gel transition occurring at 17.5 °C as a consequence of the upper critical solution temperature of PODA in dodecane being traversed. Consequently, new copolymers were synthesized by ATRP with an ethylhexyl acrylate (EHA) co-monomer incorporated into the lyophilic (dodecane compatible) block. Dispersions stabilized by these PMMA-b-P(ODA-co-EHA) polymers with high EHA contents exhibited lower gelation temperatures because of the greater solvent compatibility with dodecane. The use of a PMMA65-b-(ODA10-co-EHA45) copolymer stabilizer (with the highest EHA content) gave PMMA dispersions that showed no gelation down to 4 °C and monodisperse cross-linked PMMA particles containing organic dyes (cyan, magenta, red, and black) giving colored particles across the size range of approximately 100–1300 nm
Iron isotope effect on the superconducting transition temperature and the crystal structure of FeSe_1-x
The Fe isotope effect (Fe-IE) on the transition temperature T_c and the
crystal structure was studied in the Fe chalcogenide superconductor FeSe_1-x by
means of magnetization and neutron powder diffraction (NPD). The substitution
of natural Fe (containing \simeq 92% of ^{56}Fe) by its lighter ^{54}Fe isotope
leads to a shift of T_c of 0.22(5)K corresponding to an Fe-IE exponent of
\alpha_Fe=0.81(15). Simultaneously, a small structural change with isotope
substitution is observed by NDP which may contribute to the total Fe isotope
shift of T_c.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Electron-Phonon Coupling in High-Temperature Cuprate Superconductors Determined from Electron Relaxation Rates
We determined electronic relaxation times via pump-probe optical spectroscopy
using sub-15 fs pulses for the normal state of two different cuprate
superconductors.We show that the primary relaxation process is the
electron-phonon interaction and extract a measure of its strength, the second
moment of the Eliashberg function\lambda=800\pm200 meV^{2} for
La_{1.85}Sr_{0.15}CuO_{4} and \lambda=400\pm100 meV^{2} for
YBa_{2}Cu_{3}O_{6.5}. These values suggest a possible fundamental role of the
electron-phonon interaction in the superconducting pairing mechanism.Comment: As published in PR
Electrodynamics with Lorentz-violating operators of arbitrary dimension
The behavior of photons in the presence of Lorentz and CPT violation is
studied. Allowing for operators of arbitrary mass dimension, we classify all
gauge-invariant Lorentz- and CPT-violating terms in the quadratic Lagrange
density associated with the effective photon propagator. The covariant
dispersion relation is obtained, and conditions for birefringence are
discussed. We provide a complete characterization of the coefficients for
Lorentz violation for all mass dimensions via a decomposition using
spin-weighted spherical harmonics. The resulting nine independent sets of
spherical coefficients control birefringence, dispersion, and anisotropy. We
discuss the restriction of the general theory to various special models,
including among others the minimal Standard-Model Extension, the isotropic
limit, the case of vacuum propagation, the nonbirefringent limit, and the
vacuum-orthogonal model. The transformation of the spherical coefficients for
Lorentz violation between the laboratory frame and the standard Sun-centered
frame is provided. We apply the results to various astrophysical observations
and laboratory experiments. Astrophysical searches of relevance include studies
of birefringence and of dispersion. We use polarimetric and dispersive data
from gamma-ray bursts to set constraints on coefficients for Lorentz violation
involving operators of dimensions four through nine, and we describe the mixing
of polarizations induced by Lorentz and CPT violation in the cosmic-microwave
background. Laboratory searches of interest include cavity experiments. We
present the theory for searches with cavities, derive the experiment-dependent
factors for coefficients in the vacuum-orthogonal model, and predict the
corresponding frequency shift for a circular-cylindrical cavity.Comment: 58 pages two-column REVTeX, accepted in Physical Review
Performance of the Electromagnetic Calorimeter of the HERMES Experiment
The performance of the electromagnetic calorimeter of the HERMES experiment
is described. The calorimeter consists of 840 radiation resistant F101
lead-glass counters. The response to positrons up to 27.5 GeV, the comparison
between the measured energy and the momentum reconstructed from tracking,
long-term stability, hadron rejection and neutral meson invariant mass
reconstruction are shown.Comment: 22 pages, 13 figures, LaTeX, accepted by NI
The polarizability model for ferroelectricity in perovskite oxides
This article reviews the polarizability model and its applications to
ferroelectric perovskite oxides. The motivation for the introduction of the
model is discussed and nonlinear oxygen ion polarizability effects and their
lattice dynamical implementation outlined. While a large part of this work is
dedicated to results obtained within the self-consistent-phonon approximation
(SPA), also nonlinear solutions of the model are handled which are of interest
to the physics of relaxor ferroelectrics, domain wall motions, incommensurate
phase transitions. The main emphasis is to compare the results of the model
with experimental data and to predict novel phenomena.Comment: 55 pages, 35 figure
Can greater muscularity in larger individuals resolve the 3/4 power-law controversy when modelling maximum oxygen uptake?
BACKGROUND: The power function relationship, MR = a.m(b), between metabolic rate (MR) and body mass m has been the source of much controversy amongst biologists for many years. Various studies have reported mass exponents (b) greater than the anticipated 'surface-area' exponent 0.67, often closer to 0.75 originally identified by Kleiber. AIM: The study aimed to provide a biological explanation for these 'inflated' exponents when modelling maximum oxygen uptake (max), based on the observations from this and previous studies that larger individuals develop disproportionately more muscle mass in the arms and legs. RESEARCH DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: A cross-sectional study of 119 professional soccer players from Croatia aged 18-34 was carried out. RESULTS: Here we confirm that the power function relationship between max and body mass of the professional soccer players results in an 'inflated' mass exponent of 0.75 (95% confidence interval from 0.56 to 0.93), but also the larger soccer players have disproportionately greater leg muscle girths. When the analysis was repeated incorporating the calf and thigh muscle girths rather than body mass as predictor variables, the analysis not only explained significantly more of the variance in max, but the sum of the exponents confirmed a surface-area law. CONCLUSIONS: These findings confirm the pitfalls of fitting body-mass power laws and suggest using muscle-girth methodology as a more appropriate way to scale or normalize metabolic variables such as max for individuals of different body sizes
CeFePO: f-d hybridization and quenching of superconductivity
Being homologue to the new, Fe-based type of high-temperature
superconductors, CeFePO exhibits magnetism, Kondo and heavy-fermion phenomena.
We experimentally studied the electronic structure of CeFePO by means of
angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. In particular, contributions of the
Ce 4f-derived states and their hybridization to the Fe 3d bands were explored
using both symmetry selection rules for excitation and their photoionization
cross-section variations as a function of photon energy. It was experimentally
found - and later on confirmed by LDA as well as DMFT calculations - that the
Ce 4f states hybridize to the Fe 3d states of d_{3z^2-r^2} symmetry near the
Fermi level that discloses their participation in the occurring
electron-correlation phenomena and provides insight into mechanism of
superconductivity in oxopnictides.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
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