Magnetic fields in ring galaxies

Many galaxies contain magnetic fields supported by galactic dynamo action. However, nothing definitive is known about magnetic fields in ring galaxies. Here we investigate large-scale magnetic fields in a previously unexplored context, namely ring galaxies, and concentrate our efforts on the structures that appear most promising for galactic dynamo action, i.e. outer star-forming rings in visually unbarred galaxies. We use tested methods for modelling $\alpha-\Omega$ galactic dynamos, taking into account the available observational information concerning ionized interstellar matter in ring galaxies. Our main result is that dynamo drivers in ring galaxies are strong enough to excite large-scale magnetic fields in the ring galaxies studied. The variety of dynamo driven magnetic configurations in ring galaxies obtained in our modelling is much richer than that found in classical spiral galaxies. In particular, various long-lived transients are possible. An especially interesting case is that of NGC 4513 where the ring counter-rotates with respect to the disc. Strong shear in the region between the disc and the ring is associated with unusually strong dynamo drivers for the counter-rotators. The effect of the strong drivers is found to be unexpectedly moderate. With counter-rotation in the disc, a generic model shows that a steady mixed parity magnetic configuration, unknown for classical spiral galaxies, may be excited, although we do not specifically model NGC 4513. We deduce that ring galaxies constitute a morphological class of galaxies in which identification of large-scale magnetic fields from observations of polarized radio emission, as well as dynamo modelling, may be possible. Such studies have the potential to throw additional light on the physical nature of rings, their lifetimes and evolution.Comment: 25 pages, 12 figure

A common and unstable copy number variant is associated with differences in Glo1 expression and anxiety-like behavior

Glyoxalase 1 (Glo1) has been implicated in anxiety-like behavior in mice and in multiple psychiatric diseases in humans. We used mouse Affymetrix exon arrays to detect copy number variants (CNV) among inbred mouse strains and thereby identified a approximately 475 kb tandem duplication on chromosome 17 that includes Glo1 (30,174,390-30,651,226 Mb; mouse genome build 36). We developed a PCR-based strategy and used it to detect this duplication in 23 of 71 inbred strains tested, and in various outbred and wild-caught mice. Presence of the duplication is associated with a cis-acting expression QTL for Glo1 (LOD>30) in BXD recombinant inbred strains. However, evidence for an eQTL for Glo1 was not obtained when we analyzed single SNPs or 3-SNP haplotypes in a panel of 27 inbred strains. We conclude that association analysis in the inbred strain panel failed to detect an eQTL because the duplication was present on multiple highly divergent haplotypes. Furthermore, we suggest that non-allelic homologous recombination has led to multiple reversions to the non-duplicated state among inbred strains. We show associations between multiple duplication-containing haplotypes, Glo1 expression and anxiety-like behavior in both inbred strain panels and outbred CD-1 mice. Our findings provide a molecular basis for differential expression of Glo1 and further implicate Glo1 in anxiety-like behavior. More broadly, these results identify problems with commonly employed tests for association in inbred strains when CNVs are present. Finally, these data provide an example of biologically significant phenotypic variability in model organisms that can be attributed to CNVs.These studies were funded by MH070933, MH79103 and MH020065

Bloch Electrons in a Magnetic Field - Why Does Chaos Send Electrons the Hard Way?

We find that a 2D periodic potential with different modulation amplitudes in x- and y-direction and a perpendicular magnetic field may lead to a transition to electron transport along the direction of stronger modulation and to localization in the direction of weaker modulation. In the experimentally accessible regime we relate this new quantum transport phenomenon to avoided band crossing due to classical chaos.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, minor modifications, PRL to appea

Electronic structure and ferroelectricity in SrBi2Ta2O9

The electronic structure of SrBi2Ta2O9 is investigated from first-principles, within the local density approximation, using the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (LAPW) method. The results show that, besides the large Ta(5d)-O(2p) hybridization which is a common feature of the ferroelectric perovskites, there is an important hybridization between bismuth and oxygen states. The underlying static potential for the ferroelectric distortion and the primary source for ferroelectricity is investigated by a lattice-dynamics study using the Frozen Phonon approach.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures. Phys. Rev. B, in pres

Dynamics of charged fluids and 1/L perturbation expansions

Some features of the calculation of fluid dynamo systems in magnetohydrodynamics are studied. In the coupled set of the ordinary linear differential equations for the spherically symmetric $\alpha^2-$dynamos, the problem represented by the presence of the mixed (Robin) boundary conditions is addressed and a new treatment for it is proposed. The perturbation formalism of large$-\ell$ expansions is shown applicable and its main technical steps are outlined.Comment: 16 p

Quantum and frustration effects on fluctuations of the inverse compressibility in two-dimensional Coulomb glasses

We consider interacting electrons in a two-dimensional quantum Coulomb glass and investigate by means of the Hartree-Fock approximation the combined effects of the electron-electron interaction and the transverse magnetic field on fluctuations of the inverse compressibility. Preceding systematic study of the system in the absence of the magnetic field identifies the source of the fluctuations, interplay of disorder and interaction, and effects of hopping. Revealed in sufficiently clean samples with strong interactions is an unusual right-biased distribution of the inverse compressibility, which is neither of the Gaussian nor of the Wigner-Dyson type. While in most cases weak magnetic fields tend to suppress fluctuations, in relatively clean samples with weak interactions fluctuations are found to grow with the magnetic field. This is attributed to the localization properties of the electron states, which may be measured by the participation ratio and the inverse participation number. It is also observed that at the frustration where the Fermi level is degenerate, localization or modulation of electrons is enhanced, raising fluctuations. Strong frustration in general suppresses effects of the interaction on the inverse compressibility and on the configuration of electrons.Comment: 15 pages, 18 figures, To appear in Phys. Rev.

Disturbance spreading in incommensurate and quasiperiodic systems

The propagation of an initially localized excitation in one dimensional incommensurate, quasiperiodic and random systems is investigated numerically. It is discovered that the time evolution of variances $\sigma^2(t)$ of atom displacements depends on the initial condition. For the initial condition with nonzero momentum, $\sigma^2(t)$ goes as $t^\alpha$ with $\alpha=1$ and 0 for incommensurate Frenkel-Kontorova (FK) model at $V$ below and above $V_c$ respectively; and $\alpha=1$ for uniform, quasiperiodic and random chains. It is also found that $\alpha=1-\beta$ with $\beta$ the exponent of distribution function of frequency at zero frequency, i.e., $\rho(\omega)\sim \omega^{\beta}$ (as $\omega\to 0$). For the initial condition with zero momentum, $\alpha=0$ for all systems studied. The underlying physical meaning of this diffusive behavior is discussed.Comment: 8 Revtex Pages, 5 PS figures included, to appear in Phys. Rev. B April 200

A Theory of Cheap Control in Embodied Systems

We present a framework for designing cheap control architectures for embodied agents. Our derivation is guided by the classical problem of universal approximation, whereby we explore the possibility of exploiting the agent's embodiment for a new and more efficient universal approximation of behaviors generated by sensorimotor control. This embodied universal approximation is compared with the classical non-embodied universal approximation. To exemplify our approach, we present a detailed quantitative case study for policy models defined in terms of conditional restricted Boltzmann machines. In contrast to non-embodied universal approximation, which requires an exponential number of parameters, in the embodied setting we are able to generate all possible behaviors with a drastically smaller model, thus obtaining cheap universal approximation. We test and corroborate the theory experimentally with a six-legged walking machine. The experiments show that the sufficient controller complexity predicted by our theory is tight, which means that the theory has direct practical implications. Keywords: cheap design, embodiment, sensorimotor loop, universal approximation, conditional restricted Boltzmann machineComment: 27 pages, 10 figure

Disorder Induced Diffusive Transport In Ratchets

The effects of quenched disorder on the overdamped motion of a driven particle on a periodic, asymmetric potential is studied. While for the unperturbed potential the transport is due to a regular drift, the quenched disorder induces a significant additional chaotic ``diffusive'' motion. The spatio-temporal evolution of the statistical ensemble is well described by a Gaussian distribution, implying a chaotic transport in the presence of quenched disorder.Comment: 10 pages, 4 EPS figures; submitted to Phys. Rev. Letter