562 research outputs found
Proton Wires in an Electric Field: the Impact of Grotthuss Mechanism on Charge Translocation
We present the results of the modeling of proton translocation in finite
H-bonded chains in the framework of two-stage proton transport model. We
explore the influence of reorientation motion of protons, as well as the effect
of electric field and proton correlations on system dynamics. An increase of
the reorientation energy results in the transition of proton charge from the
surrounding to the inner water molecules in the chain. Proton migration along
the chain in an external electric field has a step-like character, proceeding
with the occurrence of electric field threshold-type effects and drastic
redistribution of proton charge. Electric field applied to correlated chains
induces first a formation of ordered dipole structures for lower field
strength, and than, with a further field strength increase, a stabilization of
states with Bjerrum D-defects. We analyze the main factors responsible for the
formation/annihilation of Bjerrum defects showing the strong influence of the
complex interplay between reorientation energy, electric field and temperature
in the dynamics of proton wire.Comment: 28 pages, 9 figure
Self-energy limited ion transport in sub-nanometer channels
The current-voltage characteristics of the alpha-Hemolysin protein pore
during the passage of single-stranded DNA under varying ionic strength, C, are
studied experimentally. We observe strong blockage of the current, weak
super-linear growth of the current as a function of voltage, and a minimum of
the current as a function of C. These observations are interpreted as the
result of the ion electrostatic self-energy barrier originating from the large
difference in the dielectric constants of water and the lipid bilayer. The
dependence of DNA capture rate on C also agrees with our model.Comment: more experimental material is added. 4 pages, 7 figure
The Influence of Quadrature Errors on Isogeometric Mortar Methods
Mortar methods have recently been shown to be well suited for isogeometric
analysis. We review the recent mathematical analysis and then investigate the
variational crime introduced by quadrature formulas for the coupling integrals.
Motivated by finite element observations, we consider a quadrature rule purely
based on the slave mesh as well as a method using quadrature rules based on the
slave mesh and on the master mesh, resulting in a non-symmetric saddle point
problem. While in the first case reduced convergence rates can be observed, in
the second case the influence of the variational crime is less significant
An interacting spin flip model for one-dimensional proton conduction
A discrete asymmetric exclusion process (ASEP) is developed to model proton
conduction along one-dimensional water wires. Each lattice site represents a
water molecule that can be in only one of three states; protonated,
left-pointing, and right-pointing. Only a right(left)-pointing water can accept
a proton from its left(right). Results of asymptotic mean field analysis and
Monte-Carlo simulations for the three-species, open boundary exclusion model
are presented and compared. The mean field results for the steady-state proton
current suggest a number of regimes analogous to the low and maximal current
phases found in the single species ASEP [B. Derrida, Physics Reports, {\bf
301}, 65-83, (1998)]. We find that the mean field results are accurate
(compared with lattice Monte-Carlo simulations) only in the certain regimes.
Refinements and extensions including more elaborate forces and pore defects are
also discussed.Comment: 13pp, 6 fig
Maximum elastic deformations of relativistic stars
We present a method for calculating the maximum elastic quadrupolar
deformations of relativistic stars, generalizing the previous Newtonian,
Cowling approximation integral given by [G. Ushomirsky et al., Mon. Not. R.
Astron. Soc. 319, 902 (2000)]. (We also present a method for Newtonian gravity
with no Cowling approximation.) We apply these methods to the m = 2 quadrupoles
most relevant for gravitational radiation in three cases: crustal deformations,
deformations of crystalline cores of hadron-quark hybrid stars, and
deformations of entirely crystalline color superconducting quark stars. In all
cases, we find suppressions of the quadrupole due to relativity compared to the
Newtonian Cowling approximation, particularly for compact stars. For the crust
these suppressions are up to a factor ~6, for hybrid stars they are up to ~4,
and for solid quark stars they are at most ~2, with slight enhancements instead
for low mass stars. We also explore ranges of masses and equations of state
more than in previous work, and find that for some parameters the maximum
quadrupoles can still be very large. Even with the relativistic suppressions,
we find that 1.4 solar mass stars can sustain crustal quadrupoles of a few
times 10^39 g cm^2 for the SLy equation of state or close to 10^40 g cm^2 for
equations of state that produce less compact stars. Solid quark stars of 1.4
solar masses can sustain quadrupoles of around 10^44 g cm^2. Hybrid stars
typically do not have solid cores at 1.4 solar masses, but the most massive
ones (~2 solar masses) can sustain quadrupoles of a few times 10^41 g cm^2 for
typical microphysical parameters and a few times 10^42 g cm^2 for extreme ones.
All of these quadrupoles assume a breaking strain of 0.1 and can be divided by
10^45 g cm^2 to yield the fiducial "ellipticities" quoted elsewhere.Comment: 21 pages, 11 figures, version accepted by PRD, including the
corrected maximum hybrid star quadrupoles (from the erratum to the shear
modulus calculation) and the corrected binding energy computatio
Phonon Squeezed States Generated by Second Order Raman Scattering
We study squeezed states of phonons, which allow a reduction in the quantum
fluctuations of the atomic displacements to below the zero-point quantum noise
level of coherent phonon states. We investigate the generation of squeezed
phonon states using a second order Raman scattering process. We calculate the
expectation values and fluctuations of both the atomic displacement and the
lattice amplitude operators, as well as the effects of the phonon squeezed
states on macroscopically measurable quantities, such as changes in the
dielectric constant. These results are compared with recent experiments.Comment: 4 pages, REVTE
Sensitivity and parameter-estimation precision for alternate LISA configurations
We describe a simple framework to assess the LISA scientific performance
(more specifically, its sensitivity and expected parameter-estimation precision
for prescribed gravitational-wave signals) under the assumption of failure of
one or two inter-spacecraft laser measurements (links) and of one to four
intra-spacecraft laser measurements. We apply the framework to the simple case
of measuring the LISA sensitivity to monochromatic circular binaries, and the
LISA parameter-estimation precision for the gravitational-wave polarization
angle of these systems. Compared to the six-link baseline configuration, the
five-link case is characterized by a small loss in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)
in the high-frequency section of the LISA band; the four-link case shows a
reduction by a factor of sqrt(2) at low frequencies, and by up to ~2 at high
frequencies. The uncertainty in the estimate of polarization, as computed in
the Fisher-matrix formalism, also worsens when moving from six to five, and
then to four links: this can be explained by the reduced SNR available in those
configurations (except for observations shorter than three months, where five
and six links do better than four even with the same SNR). In addition, we
prove (for generic signals) that the SNR and Fisher matrix are invariant with
respect to the choice of a basis of TDI observables; rather, they depend only
on which inter-spacecraft and intra-spacecraft measurements are available.Comment: 17 pages, 4 EPS figures, IOP style, corrected CQG versio
Visual Imagery and Self-Questioning: Strategies to Improve Comprehension of Written
This research was published by the KU Center for Research on Learning, formerly known as the University of Kansas Institute for Research in Learning Disabilities.Two learning strategies, visual imagery and-self-questioning, designed to increase reading comprehension were taught to six learning disabled students using a multiple-baseline across strategies design. Results of the study indicate that LD students can learn the two strategies and can apply them in both reading-ability level and grade-level materials. The students' use of the strategies resulted in greater comprehension scores from the pretest in baseline to the posttest after training.
Instructional time for each strategy ranged from five to seven hours
Two Mode Quantum Systems: Invariant Classification of Squeezing Transformations and Squeezed States
A general analysis of squeezing transformations for two mode systems is given
based on the four dimensional real symplectic group Sp(4,\Re)\/. Within the
framework of the unitary metaplectic representation of this group, a
distinction between compact photon number conserving and noncompact photon
number nonconserving squeezing transformations is made. We exploit the
Sp(4,\Re)-SO(3,2)\/ local isomorphism and the U(2)\/ invariant squeezing
criterion to divide the set of all squeezing transformations into a two
parameter family of distinct equivalence classes with representative elements
chosen for each class. Familiar two mode squeezing transformations in the
literature are recognized in our framework and seen to form a set of measure
zero. Examples of squeezed coherent and thermal states are worked out. The need
to extend the heterodyne detection scheme to encompass all of U(2)\/ is
emphasized, and known experimental situations where all U(2)\/ elements can
be reproduced are briefly described.Comment: Revtex 37 pages, Latex figures include
Position-momentum local realism violation of the Hardy type
We show that it is, in principle, possible to perform local realism violating
experiments of the Hardy type in which only position and momentum measurements
are made on two particles emanating from a common source. In the optical
domain, homodyne detection of the in-phase and out-of-phase amplitude
components of an electromagnetic field is analogous to position and momentum
measurement. Hence, local realism violations of the Hardy type are possible in
optical systems employing only homodyne detection.Comment: 10 pages, no figures, to be published in Physical Review
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