Time-Reversal-Violating Schiff Moment of 199Hg

We calculate the Schiff moment of the nucleus 199Hg, created by pi-N-N vertices that are odd under parity (P) and time-reversal (T). Our approach, formulated in diagrammatic perturbation theory with important core-polarization diagrams summed to all orders, gives a close approximation to the expectation value of the Schiff operator in the odd-A Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov ground state generated by a Skyrme interaction and a weak P- and T-odd pion-exchange potential. To assess the uncertainty in the results, we carry out the calculation with several Skyrme interactions (the quality of which we test by checking predictions for the isoscalar-E1 strength distribution in 208Pb) and estimate most of the important diagrams we omit.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figure

Dye laser remote sensing of marine plankton

Dye laser, emitting four wavelengths sequentially in time, has been incorporated into helicopter-borne lidar flight package, for performing studies of laser-induced fluorescence of chlorophyll A in algae. Data obtained by multicolor lidar technique can provide water-resource management with rapid-access wide-area coverage of the impact of various environmental factors for any body of water

The spectral evolution of impulsive solar X-ray flares. II.Comparison of observations with models

We study the evolution of the spectral index and the normalization (flux) of the non-thermal component of the electron spectra observed by RHESSI during 24 solar hard X-ray flares. The quantitative evolution is confronted with the predictions of simple electron acceleration models featuring the soft-hard-soft behaviour. The comparison is general in scope and can be applied to different acceleration models, provided that they make predictions for the behavior of the spectral index as a function of the normalization. A simple stochastic acceleration model yields plausible best-fit model parameters for about 77% of the 141 events consisting of rise and decay phases of individual hard X-ray peaks. However, it implies unphysically high electron acceleration rates and total energies for the others. Other simple acceleration models such as constant rate of accelerated electrons or constant input power have a similar failure rate. The peaks inconsistent with the simple acceleration models have smaller variations in the spectral index. The cases compatible with a simple stochastic model require typically a few times 10^36 electrons accelerated per second at a threshold energy of 18 keV in the rise phases and 24 keV in the decay phases of the flare peaks.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication by A&

Local atomic arrangement and martensitic transformation in Ni50_{50}Mn35_{35}In15_{15}: An EXAFS Study

Heusler alloys that undergo martensitic transformation in ferromagnetic state are of increasing scientific and technological interest. These alloys show large magnetic field induced strains upon martensitic phase change thus making it a potential candidate for magneto-mechanical actuation. The crystal structure of martensite is an important factor that affects both the magnetic anisotropy and mechanical properties of such materials. Moreover, the local chemical arrangement of constituent atoms is vital in determining the overall physical properties. Ni$_{50}$Mn$_{35}$In$_{15}$ is one such ferromagnetic shape memory alloy that displays exotic properties like large magnetoresistance at moderate field values. In this work, we present the extended x-ray absorption fine-structure measurements (EXAFS) on the bulk Ni$_{50}$Mn$_{35}$In$_{15}$ which reveal the local structural change that occurs upon phase transformation. The change in the bond lengths between different atomic species helps in understanding the type of hybridization which is an important factor in driving such Ni-Mn based systems towards martensitic transformation

Using Wii technology to explore real spaces via virtual environments for people who are blind

Purpose - Virtual environments (VEs) that represent real spaces (RSs) give people who are blind the opportunity to build a cognitive map in advance that they will be able to use when arriving at the RS. Design - In this research study Nintendo Wii based technology was used for exploring VEs via the Wiici application. The Wiimote allows the user to interact with VEs by simulating walking and scanning the space. Finding - By getting haptic and auditory feedback the user learned to explore new spaces. We examined the participants' abilities to explore new simple and complex places, construct a cognitive map, and perform orientation tasks in the RS. Originality – To our knowledge, this finding presents the first virtual environment for people who are blind that allow the participants to scan the environment and by this to construct map model spatial representations

Resonance parameters of the first 1/2+ state in 9Be and astrophysical implications

Spectra of the 9Be(e,e') reaction have been measured at the S-DALINAC at an electron energy E_0 = 73 MeV and scattering angles of 93{\deg} and 141{\deg} with high energy resolution up to excitation energies E_x = 8 MeV. The astrophysically relevant resonance parameters of the first excited 1/2+ state of 9Be have been extracted in a one-level approximation of R-matrix theory resulting in a resonance energy E_R = 1.748(6) MeV and width Gamma_R = 274(8) keV in good agreement with the latest 9Be(gamma,n) experiment but with considerably improved uncertainties. However, the reduced B(E1) transition strength deduced from an extrapolation of the (e,e') data to the photon point is a factor of two smaller. Implications of the new results for a possible production of 12C in neutron-rich astrophysical scenarios are discussed.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Quantum dynamics of the Neel vector in the antiferromagnetic molecular wheel CsFe8

The inelastic neutron scattering (INS) spectrum is studied for the antiferromagnetic molecular wheel CsFe8, in the temperature range 2 - 60 K, and for transfer energies up 3.6 meV. A qualitative analysis shows that the observed peaks correspond to the transitions between the L-band states, from the ground state up to the S = 5 multiplet. For a quantitative analysis, the wheel is described by a microscopic spin Hamiltonian (SH), which includes the nearest-neighbor Heisenberg exchange interactions and uniaxial easy-axis single-ion anisotropy, characterized by the constants J and D, respectively. For a best-fit determination of J and D, the L band is modeled by an effective SH, and the effective SH concept extended such as to facilitate an accurate calculation of INS scattering intensities, overcoming difficulties with the dimension of the Hilbert space. The low-energy magnetism in CsFe8 is excellently described by the generic SH used. The two lowest states are characterized by a tunneling of the Neel vector, as found previously, while the higher-lying states are well described as rotational modes of the Neel vector.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, REVTEX4, to appear in PR

Short distance physics with heavy quark potentials

We present lattice studies of heavy quark potentials in the quenched approximation of QCD at finite temperatures. Both, the color singlet and color averaged potentials are calculated. While the potentials are well known at large distances, we give a detailed analysis of their short distance behavior (from 0.015 fm to 1 fm) near the critical temperature. At these distances we expect that the T-dependent potentials go over into the zero temperature potential. Indeed, we find evidences that the temperature influence gets suppressed and the potentials starts to become a unique function of the underlying distance scale. We use this feature to normalize the heavy quark potentials at short distances and extract the free energy of the quark system in a gluonic heat bath.Comment: Lattice2001(hightemp), 3 pages, 2 figure

Joint evolution of multiple social traits: a kin selection analysis

General models of the evolution of cooperation, altruism and other social behaviours have focused almost entirely on single traits, whereas it is clear that social traits commonly interact. We develop a general kin-selection framework for the evolution of social behaviours in multiple dimensions. We show that whenever there are interactions among social traits new behaviours can emerge that are not predicted by one-dimensional analyses. For example, a prohibitively costly cooperative trait can ultimately be favoured owing to initial evolution in other (cheaper) social traits that in turn change the cost-benefit ratio of the original trait. To understand these behaviours, we use a two-dimensional stability criterion that can be viewed as an extension of Hamilton's rule. Our principal example is the social dilemma posed by, first, the construction and, second, the exploitation of a shared public good. We find that, contrary to the separate one-dimensional analyses, evolutionary feedback between the two traits can cause an increase in the equilibrium level of selfish exploitation with increasing relatedness, while both social (production plus exploitation) and asocial (neither) strategies can be locally stable. Our results demonstrate the importance of emergent stability properties of multidimensional social dilemmas, as one-dimensional stability in all component dimensions can conceal multidimensional instability