1,721 research outputs found
Ion-Size Effect at the Surface of a Silica Hydrosol
The author used synchrotron x-ray reflectivity to study the ion-size effect
for alkali ions (Na, K, Rb, and Cs), with densities as high as
m, suspended above the surface of a
colloidal solution of silica nanoparticles in the field generated by the
surface electric-double layer. According to the data, large alkali ions
preferentially accumulate at the sol's surface replacing smaller ions, a
finding that qualitatively agrees with the dependence of the Kharkats-Ulstrup
single-ion electrostatic free energy on the ion's radius.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figure
Capillary Filling of Anodized Alumina Nanopore Arrays
The filling behavior of a room temperature solvent,
perfluoromethylcyclohexane, in approximately 20 nm nanoporous alumina membranes
was investigated in situ with small angle x-ray scattering. Adsorption in the
pores was controlled reversibly by varying the chemical potential between the
sample and a liquid reservoir via a thermal offset, T. The system
exhibited a pronounced hysteretic capillary filling transition as liquid was
condensed into the nanopores. These results are compared with Kelvin-Cohan
theory, with a modified Derjaguin approximation, as well as with predictions by
Cole and Saam.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, pre-proof
Correlations of the elements of the neutrino mass matrix
Assuming Majorana nature of neutrinos, we re-investigate, in the light of the
recent measurement of the reactor mixing angle, the allowed ranges for the
absolute values of the elements of the neutrino mass matrix in the basis where
the charged-lepton mass matrix is diagonal. Apart from the derivation of upper
and lower bounds on the values of the matrix elements, we also study their
correlations. Moreover, we analyse the sensitivity of bounds and correlations
to the global fit results of the neutrino oscillation parameters which are
available in the literature.Comment: 37 pages, 146 figures, minor corrections, 17 additional figures,
version for publication in JHE
JHK Observations of Faint Standard Stars in the Mauna Kea Near-Infrared Photometric System
JHK photometry in the Mauna Kea Observatory (MKO) near-IR system is presented
for 115 stars. Of these, 79 are UKIRT standards and 42 are LCO standards. The
average brightness is 11.5 mag, with a range of 10 to 15. The average number of
nights each star was observed is 4, and the average of the internal error of
the final results is 0.011 mag. These JHK data agree with those reported by
other groups to 0.02 mag. The measurements are used to derive transformations
between the MKO JHK photometric system and the UKIRT, LCO and 2MASS systems.
The 2MASS-MKO data scatter by 0.05 mag for redder stars: 2MASS-J includes H2O
features in dwarfs and MKO-K includes CO features in giants. Transformations
derived for stars whose spectra contain only weak features cannot give accurate
transformations for objects with strong absorption features within a filter
bandpasses. We find evidence of systematic effects at the 0.02 mag level in the
photometry of stars with J<11 and H,K<10.5. This is due to an underestimate of
the linearity correction for stars observed with the shortest exposure times;
very accurate photometry of stars approaching the saturation limits of infrared
detectors which are operated in double-read mode is difficult to obtain. Four
stars in the sample, GSPC S705-D, FS 116 (B216-b7), FS 144 (Ser-EC84) and FS 32
(Feige 108), may be variable. 84 stars in the sample have 11< J< 15 and
10.5<H,K<15, are not suspected to be variable, and have magnitudes with an
estimated error <0.027 mag; 79 of these have an error of <0.020 mag. These
represent the first published high-accuracy JHK stellar photometry in the MKO
photometric system; we recommend these objects be employed as primary standards
for that system [abridged].Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 14 pages, 5 Figure
Identifying the Neutrino mass Ordering with INO and NOvA
The relatively large value of established recently by the Daya
Bay reactor experiment opens the possibility to determine the neutrino mass
ordering with experiments currently under construction. We investigate
synergies between the NOvA long-baseline accelerator experiment with
atmospheric neutrino data from the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO). We
identify the requirements on energy and direction reconstruction and detector
mass for INO necessary for a significant sensitivity. If neutrino energy and
direction reconstruction at the level of 10% and 10 degree can be achieved by
INO a determination of the neutrino mass ordering seems possible around 2020.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, minor improvements and clarifications, new panel
in fig. 7, version to appear in JHEP, typo in eq. 4 correcte
Force-velocity relation and density profiles for biased diffusion in an adsorbed monolayer
In this paper, which completes our earlier short publication [Phys. Rev.
Lett. 84, 511 (2000)], we study dynamics of a hard-core tracer particle (TP)
performing a biased random walk in an adsorbed monolayer, composed of mobile
hard-core particles undergoing continuous exchanges with a vapor phase. In
terms of an approximate approach, based on the decoupling of the third-order
correlation functions, we obtain the density profiles of the monolayer
particles around the TP and derive the force-velocity relation, determining the
TP terminal velocity, V_{tr}, as the function of the magnitude of external bias
and other system's parameters. Asymptotic forms of the monolayer particles
density profiles at large separations from the TP, and behavior of V_{tr} in
the limit of small external bias are found explicitly.Comment: Latex, 31 pages, 3 figure
Transformation kinetics of alloys under non-isothermal conditions
The overall solid-to-solid phase transformation kinetics under non-isothermal
conditions has been modeled by means of a differential equation method. The
method requires provisions for expressions of the fraction of the transformed
phase in equilibrium condition and the relaxation time for transition as
functions of temperature. The thermal history is an input to the model. We have
used the method to calculate the time/temperature variation of the volume
fraction of the favored phase in the alpha-to-beta transition in a zirconium
alloy under heating and cooling, in agreement with experimental results. We
also present a formulation that accounts for both additive and non-additive
phase transformation processes. Moreover, a method based on the concept of path
integral, which considers all the possible paths in thermal histories to reach
the final state, is suggested.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figures. To appear in Modelling Simul. Mater. Sci. En
The potential of trading activity income to fund third sector organisations operating in deprived areas
In the United Kingdom, as in other countries, Third Sector Organisations (TSOs) have been drawn towards income sources associated with trading activities (Teasdale, 2010), but many remain reliant on grant funding to support such activities (Chell, 2007). Using a multivariate analysis approach and data from the National Survey of Charities and Social Enterprises (NSCSE), it is found that trading activities are used relatively commonly in deprived areas. These organisations are also more likely to attempt to access public sector funds. This suggests policy-makers need to consider the impact of funding cuts on TSOs in the most deprived areas as TSOs are unlikely achieve their objectives without continuing support
Changes in heart rate variability and QT variability during the first trimester of pregnancy
The risk of new-onset arrhythmia during pregnancy is high, presumably relating to changes in both haemodynamic and cardiac autonomic function. The ability to non-invasively assess an individual's risk of developing arrhythmia during pregnancy would therefore be clinically significant. We aimed to quantify electrocardiographic temporal characteristics during the first trimester of pregnancy and to compare these with non-pregnant controls.Ninety-nine pregnant women and sixty-three non-pregnant women underwent non-invasive cardiovascular and haemodynamic assessment during a protocol consisting of various physiological states (postural manoeurvres, light exercise and metronomic breathing). Variables measured included stroke volume, cardiac output, heart rate, heart rate variability, QT and QT variability and QTVI (a measure of the variability of QT relative to that of RR).Heart rate (p < 0.0005, p < 0.0005, p < 0.0005) and cardiac output (p = 0.043, p < 0.0005, p < 0.0005) were greater in pregnant women in all physiological states (respectively for the supine position, light exercise and metronomic breathing state), whilst stroke volume was lower in pregnancy only during the supine position (p < 0.0005). QTe (Q wave onset to T wave end) and QTa (T wave apex) were significantly shortened (p < 0.05) and QTeVI and QTaVI were increased in pregnancy in all physiological states (p < 0.0005). QT variability (p < 0.002) was greater in pregnant women during the supine position, whilst heart rate variability was reduced in pregnancy in all states (p < 0.0005).Early pregnancy is associated with substantial changes in heart rate variability, reflecting a reduction in parasympathetic tone and an increase in sympathetic activity. QTVI shifted to a less favourable value, reflecting a greater than normal amount of QT variability. QTVI appears to be a useful method for quantifying changes in QT variability relative to RR (or heart rate) variability, being sensitive not only to physiological state but also to gestational age. We support the use of non-invasive markers of cardiac electrical variability to evaluate the risk of arrhythmic events in pregnancy, and we recommend the use of multiple physiological states during the assessment protocol
Numerical study of multilayer adsorption on fractal surfaces
We report a numerical study of van der Waals adsoprtion and capillary
condensation effects on self-similar fractal surfaces. An assembly of uncoupled
spherical pores with a power-law distributin of radii is used to model fractal
surfaces with adjustable dimensions. We find that the commonly used fractal
Frankel-Halsey-Hill equation systematically fails to give the correct dimension
due to crossover effects, consistent with the findings of recent experiments.
The effects of pore coupling and curvature dependent surface tension were also
studied.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure
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