3 research outputs found
The extreme physical properties of the CoRoT-7b super-Earth
International audienceâș Here, we discuss the extreme physical properties possible for the first characterized rocky super-Earth, CoRoT-7b ( = 1.58 , = 5.7 ). âș We make the working hypothesis that the planet is rocky with no volatiles in its atmosphere, and derive the physical properties that result. âș The dayside is very hot (2500 K at the sub-stellar point) while the nightside is very cold (⌠50 K). The sub-stellar point is as hot as the tungsten filament of an incandescent bulb, resulting in the melting and distillation of silicate rocks and the formation of a lava ocean. âș These possible features of CoRoT-7b should be common to many small and hot planets, including Kepler-10b. They define a new class of objects that we propose to name ''Lava-ocean planets''
Optical spectroscopic study of the interplay of spin and charge in NaV2O5
We investigate the temperature dependent optical properties of NaV2O5, in the
energy range 4meV-4eV. The symmetry of the system is discussed on the basis of
infrared phonon spectra. By analyzing the optically allowed phonons at
temperatures below and above the phase transition, we conclude that a
second-order change to a larger unit cell takes place below 34 K, with a
fluctuation regime extending over a broad temperature range. In the high
temperature undistorted phase, we find good agreement with the recently
proposed centrosymmetric space group Pmmn. On the other hand, the detailed
analysis of the electronic excitations detected in the optical conductivity,
provides direct evidence for a charge disproportionated electronic
ground-state, at least on a locale scale: A consistent interpretation of both
structural and optical conductivity data requires an asymmetrical charge
distribution on each rung, without any long range order. We show that, because
of the locally broken symmetry, spin-flip excitations carry a finite electric
dipole moment, which is responsible for the detection of direct two-magnon
optical absorption processes for E parallel to the a axis. The charged-magnon
model, developed to interpret the optical conductivity of NaV2O5, is described
in detail, and its relevance to other strongly correlated electron systems,
where the interplay of spin and charge plays a crucial role in determining the
low energy electrodynamics, is discussed.Comment: Revtex, 19 pages, 16 postscript pictures embedded in the text,
submitted to PRB. Find more stuff at
http://www.stanford.edu/~damascel/andreaphd.html or
http://www.ub.rug.nl/eldoc/dis/science/a.damascelli