Interfacial dynamics in transport-limited dissolution

Various model problems of ``transport-limited dissolution'' in two dimensions are analyzed using time-dependent conformal maps. For diffusion-limited dissolution (reverse Laplacian growth), several exact solutions are discussed for the smoothing of corrugated surfaces, including the continuous analogs of ``internal diffusion-limited aggregation'' and ``diffusion-limited erosion''. A class of non-Laplacian, transport-limited dissolution processes are also considered, which raise the general question of when and where a finite solid will disappear. In a case of dissolution by advection-diffusion, a tilted ellipse maintains its shape during collapse, as its center of mass drifts obliquely away from the background fluid flow, but other initial shapes have more complicated dynamics.Comment: 5 pages, 4 fig

Emission lines and optical continuum in low-luminosity radio galaxies

We present spectroscopic observations of a complete sub-sample of 13 low-luminosity radio galaxies selected from the 2Jy sample. The underlying continuum in these sources is carefully modelled in order to make a much-needed comparison between the emission line and continuum properties of FRIs with those of other classes of radio sources. We find that 5 galaxies in the sample show a measurable UV excess: 2 of the these sources are BL Lacs and in the remaining 3 galaxies we argue that the most likely contributor to the UV excess is a young stellar component. Excluding the BL Lacs, we therefore find that \~30% of the sample show evidence for young stars, which is similar to the results obtained for higher luminosity samples. We compare our results with far-infrared measurements in order to investigate the far-infrared-starburst link. The nature of the optical-radio correlations is investigated in light of this new available data and, in contrast to previous studies, we find that the FRI sources follow the correlations with a similar slope to that found for the FRIIs. Finally, we compare the luminosity of the emission lines in the FRI and BL Lac sources and find a significant difference in the [OIII] line luminosities of the two groups. Our results are discussed in the context of the unified schemes.Comment: 18 pages, 31 figures, MNRAS in press, (all enquiries to Clive Tadhunter ([email protected])

Spin induced nonlinearities in the electron MHD regime

We consider the influence of the electron spin on the nonlinear propagation of whistler waves. For this purpose a recently developed electron two-fluid model, where the spin up- and down populations are treated as different fluids, is adapted to the electron MHD regime. We then derive a nonlinear Schrodinger equation for whistler waves, and compare the coefficients of nonlinearity with and without spin effects. The relative importance of spin effects depend on the plasma density and temperature as well as the external magnetic field strength and the wave frequency. The significance of our results to various plasmas are discussed.Comment: 5 page

GHIGLS: HI mapping at intermediate Galactic latitude using the Green Bank Telescope

This paper introduces the data cubes from GHIGLS, deep Green Bank Telescope surveys of the 21-cm line emission of HI in 37 targeted fields at intermediate Galactic latitude. The GHIGLS fields together cover over 1000 square degrees at 9.55' spatial resolution. The HI spectra have an effective velocity resolution about 1.0 km/s and cover at least -450 < v < +250 km/s. GHIGLS highlights that even at intermediate Galactic latitude the interstellar medium is very complex. Spatial structure of the HI is quantified through power spectra of maps of the column density, NHI. For our featured representative field, centered on the North Ecliptic Pole, the scaling exponents in power-law representations of the power spectra of NHI maps for low, intermediate, and high velocity gas components (LVC, IVC, and HVC) are -2.86 +/- 0.04, -2.69 +/- 0.04, and -2.59 +/- 0.07, respectively. After Gaussian decomposition of the line profiles, NHI maps were also made corresponding to the narrow-line and broad-line components in the LVC range; for the narrow-line map the exponent is -1.9 +/- 0.1, reflecting more small scale structure in the cold neutral medium (CNM). There is evidence that filamentary structure in the HI CNM is oriented parallel to the Galactic magnetic field. The power spectrum analysis also offers insight into the various contributions to uncertainty in the data. The effect of 21-cm line opacity on the GHIGLS NHI maps is estimated.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal, 2015 July 16. 32 pages, 21 figures (Fig. 10 new). Minor revisions from review, particularly Section 8 and Appendix C; results unchanged. Additional surveys added and made available; new Appendix B. Added descriptions of available FITS files and links to four illustrative movies on enhanced GHIGLS archive (www.cita.utoronto.ca/GHIGLS/

Evaluation of large area crop estimation techniques using LANDSAT and ground-derived data

The results of the Domestic Crops and Land Cover Classification and Clustering study on large area crop estimation using LANDSAT and ground truth data are reported. The current crop area estimation approach of the Economics and Statistics Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture was evaluated in terms of the factors that are likely to influence the bias and variance of the estimator. Also, alternative procedures involving replacements for the clustering algorithm, the classifier, or the regression model used in the original U.S. Department of Agriculture procedures were investigated

Reducing the Probability of False Positive Research Findings by Pre-Publication Validation - Experience with a Large Multiple Sclerosis Database

*Objective*&#xd;&#xa;We have assessed the utility of a pre-publication validation policy in reducing the probability of publishing false positive research findings. &#xd;&#xa;*Study design and setting*&#xd;&#xa;The large database of the Sylvia Lawry Centre for Multiple Sclerosis Research was split in two parts: one for hypothesis generation and a validation part for confirmation of selected results. We present case studies from 5 finalized projects that have used the validation policy and results from a simulation study.&#xd;&#xa;*Results*&#xd;&#xa;In one project, the &#x22;relapse and disability&#x22; project as described in section II (example 3), findings could not be confirmed in the validation part of the database. The simulation study showed that the percentage of false positive findings can exceed 20% depending on variable selection. &#xd;&#xa;*Conclusion*&#xd;&#xa;We conclude that the validation policy has prevented the publication of at least one research finding that could not be validated in an independent data set (and probably would have been a &#x22;true&#x22; false-positive finding) over the past three years, and has led to improved data analysis, statistical programming, and selection of hypotheses. The advantages outweigh the lost statistical power inherent in the process

Semiclassical Theory of Chaotic Quantum Transport

We present a refined semiclassical approach to the Landauer conductance and Kubo conductivity of clean chaotic mesoscopic systems. We demonstrate for systems with uniformly hyperbolic dynamics that including off-diagonal contributions to double sums over classical paths gives a weak-localization correction in quantitative agreement with results from random matrix theory. We further discuss the magnetic field dependence. This semiclassical treatment accounts for current conservation.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Degenerate ground states and nonunique potentials: breakdown and restoration of density functionals

The Hohenberg-Kohn (HK) theorem is one of the most fundamental theorems of quantum mechanics, and constitutes the basis for the very successful density-functional approach to inhomogeneous interacting many-particle systems. Here we show that in formulations of density-functional theory (DFT) that employ more than one density variable, applied to systems with a degenerate ground state, there is a subtle loophole in the HK theorem, as all mappings between densities, wave functions and potentials can break down. Two weaker theorems which we prove here, the joint-degeneracy theorem and the internal-energy theorem, restore the internal, total and exchange-correlation energy functionals to the extent needed in applications of DFT to atomic, molecular and solid-state physics and quantum chemistry. The joint-degeneracy theorem constrains the nature of possible degeneracies in general many-body systems

Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment. OGLE-1999-BUL-32: the Longest Ever Microlensing Event -- Evidence for a Stellar Mass Black Hole?

We describe the discovery of the longest microlensing event ever observed, OGLE-1999-BUL-32, also independently identified by the MACHO collaboration as MACHO-99-BLG-22. This unique event has an Einstein radius crossing time of 641 days. The high quality data obtained with difference image analysis shows a small but significant parallax signature. This parallax effect allows one to determine the Einstein radius projected onto the observer plane as rE^hat ~ 29.2AU. The transverse velocity projected onto the observer plane is about 79km/s. We argue that the lens is likely to be have a mass of at least a few solar masses, i.e., it could be a stellar black hole. The black hole hypothesis can be tested using the astrometric microlensing signature with the soon-to-be installed Advanced Camera for Surveys on board the Hubble Space Telescope. Deep X-ray and radio images may also be useful for revealing the nature of the object.Comment: submitted to Monthly Notice