677 research outputs found
Linking Human Health to Biological Diversity
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/74648/1/j.1523-1739.1997.0110061459.x.pd
Electronic structure, magnetism and superconductivity of MgCNi
The electronic structure of the newly discovered superconducting perovskite
MgCNi is calculated using the LMTO and KKR methods. The states near the
Fermi energy are found to be dominated by Ni-d. The Stoner factor is low while
the electron-phonon coupling constant is estimated to be about 0.7, which
suggests that the material is a conventional type of superconductor where T
is not affected by magnetic interactions. However, the proximity of the Fermi
energy to a large peak in the density of states in conjunction with the
reported non-stoichiometry of the compound, has consequences for the stability
of the results.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figure
Using the stated preference method for the calculation of social discount rate
The aim of this paper is to build the stated preference method into the social discount rate methodology. The first part of the paper presents the results of a survey about stated time preferences through pair-choice decision situations for various topics and time horizons. It is assumed that stated time preferences differ from calculated time preferences and that the extent of stated rates depends on the time period, and on how much respondents are financially and emotionally involved in the transactions. A significant question remains: how can the gap between the calculation and the results of surveys be resolved, and how can the real time preferences of individuals be interpreted using a social time preference rate. The second part of the paper estimates the social time preference rate for Hungary using the results of the survey, while paying special attention to the pure time preference component. The results suggest that the current method of calculation of the pure time preference rate does not reflect the real attitudes of individuals towards future generations
Magnetism, Spin-Orbit Coupling, and Superconducting Pairing in UGe
A consistent picture on the mean-field level of the magnetic properties and
electronic structure of the superconducting itinerant ferromagnet UGe is
shown to require inclusion of correlation effects beyond the local density
approximation (LDA). The "LDA+U" approach reproduces both the magnitude of the
observed moment, composed of strongly opposing spin and orbital parts, and the
magnetocrystalline anisotropy. The largest Fermi surface sheet is comprised
primarily of spin majority states with orbital projection =0,
suggesting a much simpler picture of the pairing than is possible for general
strong spin-orbit coupled materials. This occurrence, and the
quasi-two-dimensional geometry of the Fermi surface, support the likelihood of
magnetically mediated p-wave triplet pairing.Comment: accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Lett; URL for better quality
image of Fig.3 (2MB) at http://yammer.ucdavis.edu/public/UGe2/fig3.ep
On the Internal Absorption of Galaxy Clusters
A study of the cores of galaxy clusters with the Einstein SSS indicated the
presence of absorbing material corresponding to 1E+12 Msun of cold cluster gas,
possibly resulting from cooling flows. Since this amount of cold gas is not
confirmed by observations at other wavelengths, we examined whether this excess
absorption is present in the ROSAT PSPC observations of 20 bright galaxy
clusters. For 3/4 of the clusters, successful spectral fits were obtained with
absorption due only to the Galaxy, and therefore no extra absorption is needed
within the clusters, in disagreement with the results from the Einstein SSS
data for some of the same clusters. For 1/4 of the clusters, none of our
spectral fits was acceptable, suggesting a more complicated cluster medium than
the two-temperature and cooling flow models considered here. However, even for
these clusters, substantial excess absorption is not indicated.Comment: accepted by the Astrophysical Journa
SN 2005hj: Evidence for Two Classes of Normal-Bright SNe Ia and Implications for Cosmology
HET Optical spectra covering the evolution from about 6 days before to about
5 weeks after maximum light and the ROTSE-IIIb unfiltered light curve of the
"Branch-normal" Type Ia Supernova SN 2005hj are presented. The host galaxy
shows HII region lines at redshift of z=0.0574, which puts the peak unfiltered
absolute magnitude at a somewhat over-luminous -19.6. The spectra show weak and
narrow SiII lines, and for a period of at least 10 days beginning around
maximum light these profiles do not change in width or depth and they indicate
a constant expansion velocity of ~10,600 km/s. We analyzed the observations
based on detailed radiation dynamical models in the literature. Whereas delayed
detonation and deflagration models have been used to explain the majority of
SNe Ia, they do not predict a long velocity plateau in the SiII minimum with an
unvarying line profile. Pulsating delayed detonations and merger scenarios form
shell-like density structures with properties mostly related to the mass of the
shell, M_shell, and we discuss how these models may explain the observed SiII
line evolution; however, these models are based on spherical calculations and
other possibilities may exist. SN 2005hj is consistent with respect to the
onset, duration, and velocity of the plateau, the peak luminosity and, within
the uncertainties, with the intrinsic colors for models with M_shell=0.2 M_sun.
Our analysis suggests a distinct class of events hidden within the
Branch-normal SNe Ia. If the predicted relations between observables are
confirmed, they may provide a way to separate these two groups. We discuss the
implications of two distinct progenitor classes on cosmological studies
employing SNe Ia, including possible differences in the peak luminosity to
light curve width relation.Comment: ApJ accepted, 31 page
Observations of the Hubble Deep Field with the Infrared Space Observatory. IV. Association of sources with Hubble Deep Field Galaxies
We discuss the identification of sources detected by ISO at 6.7 and 15 micron
in the Hubble Deep Field (HDF) region. We conservatively associate ISO sources
with objects in existing optical and near-infrared HDF catalogues using the
likelihood ratio method, confirming these results (and, in one case, clarifying
them) with independent visual searches. We find fifteen ISO sources to be
reliably associated with bright [I(AB) < 23] galaxies in the HDF, and one with
an I(AB)=19.9 star, while a further eleven are associated with objects in the
Hubble Flanking Fields (ten galaxies and one star). Amongst optically bright
HDF galaxies, ISO tends to detect luminous, star-forming galaxies at fairly
high redshift and with disturbed morphologies, in preference to nearby
ellipticals.Comment: 8 pages, LaTeX (using mn.sty, epsfig), 3 figures (2 Postscript, 1
GIF) included. Gzipped Postscipt version available from
http://artemis.ph.ic.ac.uk/hdf/papers/ps/. Further information on ISO-HDF
project can be found at http://artemis.ph.ic.ac.uk/hdf
Automatic Calibration of Artificial Neural Networks for Zebrafish Collective Behaviours using a Quality Diversity Algorithm
During the last two decades, various models have been proposed for fish
collective motion. These models are mainly developed to decipher the biological
mechanisms of social interaction between animals. They consider very simple
homogeneous unbounded environments and it is not clear that they can simulate
accurately the collective trajectories. Moreover when the models are more
accurate, the question of their scalability to either larger groups or more
elaborate environments remains open. This study deals with learning how to
simulate realistic collective motion of collective of zebrafish, using
real-world tracking data. The objective is to devise an agent-based model that
can be implemented on an artificial robotic fish that can blend into a
collective of real fish. We present a novel approach that uses Quality
Diversity algorithms, a class of algorithms that emphasise exploration over
pure optimisation. In particular, we use CVT-MAP-Elites, a variant of the
state-of-the-art MAP-Elites algorithm for high dimensional search space.
Results show that Quality Diversity algorithms not only outperform classic
evolutionary reinforcement learning methods at the macroscopic level (i.e.
group behaviour), but are also able to generate more realistic biomimetic
behaviours at the microscopic level (i.e. individual behaviour).Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, 1 tabl
Type Ia Supernovae and Cosmology
I discuss the use of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) for cosmological distance
determinations. Low-redshift SNe Ia (z < 0.1) demonstrate that the Hubble
expansion is linear with H_0 = 72 +/- 8 km/s/Mpc, and that the properties of
dust in other galaxies are generally similar to those of dust in the Milky Way.
The measured luminosity distances of SNe Ia as a function of redshift have
shown that the expansion of the Universe is currently accelerating, probably
due to the presence of repulsive dark energy such as Einstein's cosmological
constant (Lambda). From about 200 SNe Ia, we find that Omega_Lambda - 1.4
Omega_M = 0.35 +/- 0.14. Combining our data with other results, we find a best
fit for Omega_M and Omega_Lambda of 0.28 and 0.72, respectively. A number of
possible systematic effects (dust, supernova evolution) thus far do not seem to
eliminate the need for Omega_Lambda > 0. Recently, analyses of SNe Ia at z =
1.0-1.7 provide further support for current acceleration, and give tentative
evidence for an early epoch of deceleration. The dynamical age of the Universe
is estimated to be 13.1 +/- 1.5 Gyr. According to the most recent data sets,
the SN Ia rate at z > 1 is several times greater than that at low redshifts,
presumably because of higher star formation rates long ago. Moreover, the
typical delay time from progenitor star formation to SNIa explosion appears to
be substantial, ~3 Gyr. Current projects include the measurement of a few
hundred SNe Ia at z = 0.2-0.8 to more accurately determine the
equation-of-state parameter of the dark energy, w = P/(\rho c^2), whose value
is now constrained by SNe Ia to be in the range -1.48 < w < -0.72 at 95%
confidence.Comment: 39 pages, 17 figures, to be published in "White Dwarfs: Probes of
Galactic Structure and Cosmology" ed. E. M. Sion, H. L. Shipman, and S.
Vennes (Kluwer: Dordrecht). Part of the Astrophysics and Space Science
Library Serie
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