46 research outputs found
Forbidden transitions in the helium atom
Nonrelativistically forbidden, single-photon transition rates between low
lying states of the helium atom are rigorously derived within quantum
electrodynamics theory. Equivalence of velocity and length gauges, including
relativistic corrections is explicitly demonstrated. Numerical calculations of
matrix elements are performed with the use of high precision variational wave
functions and compared to former results.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Statistics of Atmospheric Correlations
For a large class of quantum systems the statistical properties of their
spectrum show remarkable agreement with random matrix predictions. Recent
advances show that the scope of random matrix theory is much wider. In this
work, we show that the random matrix approach can be beneficially applied to a
completely different classical domain, namely, to the empirical correlation
matrices obtained from the analysis of the basic atmospheric parameters that
characterise the state of atmosphere. We show that the spectrum of atmospheric
correlation matrices satisfy the random matrix prescription. In particular, the
eigenmodes of the atmospheric empirical correlation matrices that have physical
significance are marked by deviations from the eigenvector distribution.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figs, revtex; To appear in Phys. Rev.
The âmosaic habitatâ concept in human evolution: past and present
The habitats preferred by hominins and other species are an important theme in palaeoanthropology, and the âmosaic habitatâ (also referred to as habitat heterogeneity) has been a central concept in this regard for the last four decades. Here we explore the development of this concept â loosely defined as a range of different habitat types, such as woodlands, riverine forest and savannah within a limited spatial areaâ in studies of human evolution in the last sixty years or so. We outline the key developments that took place before and around the time when the term âmosaicâ came to wider palaeoanthropological attention. To achieve this we used an analysis of the published literature, a study of illustrations of hominin evolution from 1925 onwards and an email survey of senior researchers in palaeoanthropology and related fields. We found that the term mosaic starts to be applied in palaeoanthropological thinking during the 1970âs due to the work of a number of researchers, including Karl Butzer and Glynn Isaac , with the earliest usage we have found of âmosaicâ in specific reference to hominin habitats being by Adriaan Kortlandt (1972). While we observe a steady increase in the numbers of publications reporting mosaic palaeohabitats, in keeping with the growing interest and specialisation in various methods of palaeoenvironmental reconstruction, we also note that there is a lack of critical studies that define this habitat, or examine the temporal and spatial scales associated with it. The general consensus within the field is that the concept now requires more detailed definition and study to evaluate its role in human evolution
Channel Coupling in Reactions
The sensitivity of momentum distributions, recoil polarization observables,
and response functions for nucleon knockout by polarized electrons to channel
coupling in final-state interactions is investigated using a model in which
both the distorting and the coupling potentials are constructed by folding
density-dependent effective interactions with nuclear transition densities.
Calculations for O are presented for 200 and 433 MeV ejectile energies,
corresponding to proposed experiments at MAMI and TJNAF, and for C at 70
and 270 MeV, corresponding to experiments at NIKHEF and MIT-Bates. The relative
importance of charge exchange decreases as the ejectile energy increases, but
remains significant for 200 MeV. Both proton and neutron knockout cross
sections for large recoil momenta, MeV/c, are substantially
affected by inelastic couplings even at 433 MeV. Significant effects on the
cross section for neutron knockout are also predicted at smaller recoil
momenta, especially for low energies. Polarization transfer for proton knockout
is insensitive to channel coupling, even for fairly low ejectile energies, but
polarization transfer for neutron knockout retains nonnegligible sensitivity to
channel coupling for energies up to about 200 MeV. The present results suggest
that possible medium modifications of neutron and proton electromagnetic form
factors for can be studied using recoil
polarization with relatively little sensitivity due to final state
interactions.Comment: Substantially revised version accepted by Phys. Rev. C; shortened to
49 pages including 21 figure
Patterns of ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) colonization in mountain grasslands: the importance of management practices
International audienceWoody colonization of grasslands is often associated with changes in abiotic or biotic conditions or a combination of both. Widely used as fodder and litter in the past traditional agro-pastoral system, ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) has now become a colonizing species of mountain grasslands in the French Pyrenees. Its present distribution is dependent on past human activities and it is locally controlled by propagule pressure and abiotic conditions. However, even when all favourable conditions are met, all the potentially colonizable grasslands are not invaded. We hypothesize that management practices should play a crucial role in the control of ash colonization. From empirical field surveys we have compared the botanical composition of a set of grasslands (present and former) differing in management practices and level of ash colonization. We have displayed a kind of successional gradient positively linked to both ash cover and height but not to the age of trees. We have tested the relationships between ash presence in grassland and management types i.e. cutting and/or grazing, management intensity and some grassland communities' features i.e. total and local specific richness and species heterogeneity. Mixed use (cutting and grazing) is negatively linked to ash presence in grassland whereas grazing alone positively. Mixed use and high grazing intensity are directly preventing ash seedlings establishment, when low grazing intensity is allowing ash seedlings establishment indirectly through herbaceous vegetation neglected by livestock. Our results show the existence of a limit between grasslands with and without established ashes corresponding to a threshold in the intensity of use. Under this threshold, when ash is established, the colonization process seems to become irreversible. Ash possesses the ability of compensatory growth and therefore under a high grazing intensity develops a subterranean vegetative reproduction. However the question remains at which stage of seedling development and grazing intensity these strategies could occur
Factors Associated with Revision Surgery after Internal Fixation of Hip Fractures
Background: Femoral neck fractures are associated with high rates of revision surgery after management with internal fixation. Using data from the Fixation using Alternative Implants for the Treatment of Hip fractures (FAITH) trial evaluating methods of internal fixation in patients with femoral neck fractures, we investigated associations between baseline and surgical factors and the need for revision surgery to promote healing, relieve pain, treat infection or improve function over 24 months postsurgery. Additionally, we investigated factors associated with (1) hardware removal and (2) implant exchange from cancellous screws (CS) or sliding hip screw (SHS) to total hip arthroplasty, hemiarthroplasty, or another internal fixation device. Methods: We identified 15 potential factors a priori that may be associated with revision surgery, 7 with hardware removal, and 14 with implant exchange. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses in our investigation. Results: Factors associated with increased risk of revision surgery included: female sex, [hazard ratio (HR) 1.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25-2.50; P = 0.001], higher body mass index (fo