41,118 research outputs found
Eccentric discs in binaries with intermediate mass ratios: Superhumps in the VY Sculptoris stars
We investigate the role of the eccentric disc resonance in systems with mass
ratios q greater than 1/4, and demonstrate the effects that changes in the mass
flux from the secondary star have upon the disc radius and structure. The
addition of material with low specific angular momentum to its outer edge
restricts a disc radially. Should the mass flux from the secondary be reduced,
it is possible for the disc in a system with mass ratio as large as 1/3 to
expand to the 3:1 eccentric inner Lindblad resonance and for superhumps to be
excited.Comment: 6 pages with 7 figures, accepted by MNRA
The effect of small elongations on the electronic and optical signatures in InAs nanocrystal quantum dots
We present a detailed theoretical investigation of the electronic structure and
optical properties of InAs nanocrystals at the transition from spheres to rods. Using
a semiempirical pseudopotential approach, we predict that, despite the qualitative
similarity of both intra- and inter-band optical spectra, for NCs with R > 15 °A even
slight elongations should result in shifts of the order of hundreds of meV in the spacings
between STM peaks measured in the positive bias regime, in the position of the intra-
band absorption peaks associated with transitions in the conduction band and in the
separation between the first and the fifth peak in PLE experiments. Our results show
that, based on the spectroscopic data, it should be possible to discriminate between
spherical and elongated NCs with aspect ratios of length over diameter as small as
1.2. Indeed our results suggest that many nominally spherical experimental samples
contained a large fraction of slightly elongated structures
Excitable Patterns in Active Nematics
We analyze a model of mutually-propelled filaments suspended in a
two-dimensional solvent. The system undergoes a mean-field isotropic-nematic
transition for large enough filament concentrations and the nematic order
parameter is allowed to vary in space and time. We show that the interplay
between non-uniform nematic order, activity and flow results in spatially
modulated relaxation oscillations, similar to those seen in excitable media. In
this regime the dynamics consists of nearly stationary periods separated by
"bursts" of activity in which the system is elastically distorted and solvent
is pumped throughout. At even higher activity the dynamics becomes chaotic.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Enhancing Social Connectedness in Anxiety and Depression Through Amplification of Positivity: Preliminary Treatment Outcomes and Process of Change.
BackgroundAnxiety and depressive disorders are often characterized by perceived social disconnection, yet evidence-based treatments produce only modest improvements in this domain. The well-established link between positive affect (PA) and social connectedness suggests that directly targeting PA in treatment may be valuable.MethodA secondary analysis of a waitlist-controlled trial (N=29) was conducted to evaluate treatment response and process of change in social connectedness within a 10-session positive activity intervention protocol-Amplification of Positivity (AMP)-designed to increase PA in individuals seeking treatment for anxiety or depression (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02330627). Perceived social connectedness and PA/negative affect (NA) were assessed throughout treatment. Time-lagged multilevel mediation models examined the process of change in affect and connectedness throughout treatment.ResultsThe AMP group displayed significantly larger improvements in social connectedness from pre- to post-treatment compared to waitlist; improvements were maintained through 6-month follow-up. Within the AMP group, increases in PA and decreases in NA both uniquely predicted subsequent increases in connectedness throughout treatment. However, experiencing heightened NA throughout treatment attenuated the effect of changes in PA on connectedness. Improvements in connectedness predicted subsequent increases in PA, but not changes in NA.ConclusionsThese preliminary findings suggest that positive activity interventions may be valuable for enhancing social connectedness in individuals with clinically impairing anxiety or depression, possibly through both increasing positive emotions and decreasing negative emotions
Scaling and universality in the 2D Ising model with a magnetic field
The scaling function of the 2D Ising model in a magnetic field on the square
and triangular lattices is obtained numerically via Baxter's variational corner
transfer matrix approach. The use of the Aharony-Fisher non-linear scaling
variables allowed us to perform calculations sufficiently away from the
critical point to obtain very high precision data, which convincingly confirm
all predictions of the scaling and universality hypotheses. The results are in
excellent agreement with the field theory calculations of Fonseca and
Zamolodchikov as well as with many previously known exact and numerical results
for the 2D Ising model. This includes excellent agreement with the classic
analytic results for the magnetic susceptibility by Barouch, McCoy, Tracy and
Wu, recently enhanced by Orrick, Nickel, Guttmann and Perk.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figur
Self-replication and splitting of domain patterns in reaction-diffusion systems with fast inhibitor
An asymptotic equation of motion for the pattern interface in the
domain-forming reaction-diffusion systems is derived. The free boundary problem
is reduced to the universal equation of non-local contour dynamics in two
dimensions in the parameter region where a pattern is not far from the points
of the transverse instabilities of its walls. The contour dynamics is studied
numerically for the reaction-diffusion system of the FitzHugh-Nagumo type. It
is shown that in the asymptotic limit the transverse instability of the
localized domains leads to their splitting and formation of the multidomain
pattern rather than fingering and formation of the labyrinthine pattern.Comment: 9 pages (ReVTeX), 5 figures (postscript). To be published in Phys.
Rev.
The bar PANDA focussing-lightguide disc DIRC
bar PANDA will be a fixed target experiment internal to the HESR antiproton storage ring at the future FAIR complex. The ANDA detector requires excellent particle-identification capabilities in order to achieve its scientific potential. Cherenkov counters employing the DIRC principle were chosen as PID detectors for the Target Spectrometer. The proposed Focussing-Lightguide Disc DIRC will cover the forward part of the Target Spectrometer acceptance in the angular range between 5° and 22°. Its design includes a novel approach to mitigate dispersion effects in the solid radiator of a DIRC counter using optical elements. The dispersion correction will enable the Focussing-Lightguide Disc DIRC to provide pion-kaon identification for momenta well above 3.5 GeV/c
Broad P V Absorption in the BALQSO, PG 1254+047: Column Densities, Ionizations and Metal Abundances in BAL Winds
This paper discusses the detection of P V 1118,1128 and other broad
absorption lines (BALs) in archival HST spectra of the low-redshift BALQSO, PG
1254+047. The P V identification is secured by excellent redshift and profile
coincidences with the other BALs, such as C IV 1548,1550 and Si IV 1393,1403,
and by photoionization calculations showing that other lines near this
wavelength, e.g. Fe III 1123, should be much weaker than P V. The observed BAL
strengths imply that either 1) there are extreme abundance ratios such as [C/H]
>~ +1.0, [Si/H] >~ +1.8 and [P/C] >~ +2.2, or 2) at least some of the lines are
much more optically thick than they appear. I argue that the significant
presence of P V absorption indicates severe line saturation, which is disguised
in the observed (moderate-strength) BALs because the absorber does not fully
cover the continuum source(s) along our line(s) of sight. Computed optical
depths for all UV resonance lines show that the observed BALs are consistent
with solar abundances if 1) the ionization parameter is at least moderately
high, log U >~ -0.6, 2) the total hydrogen column density is log N_H(cm-2) >~
22.0, and 3) the optical depths in strong lines like C IV and O VI 1032,1038
are >~25 and >~80, respectively. These optical depths and column densities are
at least an order of magnitude larger than expected from the residual
intensities in the BAL troughs, but they are consistent with the large
absorbing columns derived from X-ray observations of BALQSOs. The outflowing
BALR, at velocities from -15,000 to -27,000 km/s in PG 1254+047, is therefore a
strong candidate for the X-ray absorber in BALQSOs.Comment: 16 pages (LaTeX) plus 8 pages of figures in one file
(pg1254_figs.ps.gz), in press with Ap
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