Longitudinal and transverse spectral functions in the three-dimensional O(4) model

We have performed a high statistics simulation of the O(4) model on a three-dimensional lattice of linear extension L=120 for small external fields H. Using the maximum entropy method we analyze the longitudinal and transverse plane spin correlation functions for T=T_c. In the transverse case we find for all T and H a single sharp peak in the spectral function, whose position defines the transverse mass m_T, the correlator is that of a free particle with mass m_T. In the longitudinal case we find in the very high temperature region also a single sharp peak in the spectrum. On approaching the critical point from above the peak broadens somewhat and at T_c its position m_L is at 2m_T for all our H-values. Below T_c we find still a significant peak at omega=2m_T and at higher omega-values a continuum of states with several smaller peaks with decreasing heights. This finding is in accord with a relation of Patashinskii and Pokrovskii between the longitudinal and the transverse correlation functions. We test this relation in the following. As a by-product we calculate critical exponents and amplitudes and confirm our former results.Comment: 38 pages, 26 figure

The non-zero baryon number formulation of QCD

We discuss the non-zero baryon number formulation of QCD in the quenched limit at finite temperature. This describes the thermodynamics of gluons in the background of static quark sources. Although a sign problem remains in this theory, our simulation results show that it can be handled quite well numerically. The transition region gets shifted to smaller temperatures and the transition region broadens with increasing baryon number. Although the action is in our formulation explicitly Z(3) symmetric the Polyakov loop expectation value becomes non-zero already in the low temperature phase and the heavy quark potential gets screened at non-vanishing number density already this phase.Comment: LATTICE99(Finite Temperature and Density), Latex2e using espcrc2.sty, 3 pages, 7 figure

Heavy Quark Free Energies and Screening in SU(2) Gauge Theory

We investigate the singlet, triplet and colour average heavy quark free energies in SU(2) pure gauge theory at various temperatures T. We focus on the long distance behaviour of the free energies, studying in particular the temperature dependence of the string tension and the screening masses. The results are qualitatively similar to the SU(3) scenario, except near the critical temperature Tc of the deconfining transition. Finally we test a recently proposed method to renormalize the Polyakov loop.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, contribution to the Proceedings of SEWM 2002 (Heidelberg

HS 1857+5144 : a hot and young pre-cataclysmic variable

Aims. We report the discovery of a new white dwarf/M dwarf binary, HS 1857+5144, identified in the Hamburg Quasar Survey (HQS). Methods. Time-resolved optical spectroscopy and photometry were carried out to determine the properties of this new cataclysmic variable progenitor (pre-CV). Results. The light curves of HS 1857+5144 display a sinusoidal variation with a period of Porb = 383.52 min and peak-to-peak amplitudes of 0.7 mag and 1.1mag in the B-band and R-band, respectively. The large amplitude of the brightness variation results from a reflection effect on the heated inner hemisphere of the companion star, suggesting a very high temperature of the white dwarf. Our radial velocity study confirms the photometric period as the orbital period of the system. A model atmosphere fit to the spectrum of the white dwarf obtained at minimum light provides limits to its mass and temperature of Mwd 0.6−1.0 M and Twd 70 000−100 000 K, respectively. The detection of He II λ4686 absorption classifies the primary star of HS 1857+5144 as a DAO white dwarf. Combining the results from our spectroscopy and photometry, we estimate the mass of the companion star and the binary inclination to be Msec 0.15−0.30 M and i 45◦−55◦, respectively. Conclusions. We classify HS 1857+5144 as one of the youngest pre-CV known to date. The cooling age of the white dwarf suggests that the present system has just emerged from a common envelope phase ∼105 yr ago. HS 1857+5144 will start mass transfer within or below the 2–3 h period gap

Time-gated viewing studies on tissuelike phantoms

A time-gated technique to enhance viewing through highly scattering media such as tissue is discussed. Experiments have been performed on tissue like plastic phantoms to determine the possibilities and limitations of the technique. The effects of the time-gate width and the localization, size, and optical properties of hidden objects have been studied. A computer model to simulate light propagation in tissue is also presented. The predictions of the model are compared with experimental results. (C) 1996 Optical Society ofAmeric

Water maser detections in southern candidates to post-AGB stars and Planetary Nebulae

We intended to study the incidence and characteristics of water masers in the envelopes of stars in the post-AGB and PN evolutionary stages. We have used the 64-m antenna in Parkes (Australia) to search for water maser emission at 22 GHz, towards a sample of 74 sources with IRAS colours characteristic of post-AGB stars and PNe, at declination $< -32 \deg$. In our sample, 39% of the sources are PNe or PNe candidates, and 50% are post-AGB stars or post-AGB candidates. We have detected four new water masers, all of them in optically obscured sources: three in PNe candidates (IRAS 12405-6219, IRAS 15103-5754, and IRAS 16333-4807); and one in a post-AGB candidate (IRAS 13500-6106). The PN candidate IRAS 15103-5754 has water fountain characteristics, and it could be the first PN of this class found. We confirm the tendency suggested in Paper I that the presence of water masers in the post-AGB phase is favoured in obscured sources with massive envelopes. We propose an evolutionary scenario for water masers in the post-AGB and PNe stages, in which ``water fountain'' masers could develop during post-AGB and early PN stages. Later PNe would show lower velocity maser emission, both along jets and close to the central objects, with only the central masers remaining in more evolved PNe.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures. Accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysic

Compact medical fluorosensor for minimally invasive tissue characterization

A compact fiber-optic point-measuring fluorosensor fully adapted to clinical studies is described. The system can use two excitation wavelengths, 337 and 405 nm, obtained from a nitrogen laser directly, or after dye laser conversion, respectively. The image intensifier used in the spectrometer can be gated with a variable time delay, allowing also time-resolved spectra to be extracted, with a time resolution of about 4 ns. Moreover, diffusely scattered white light can be spectrally recorded. The system is fully computer controlled enabling short recording times in clinical application, which are illustrated