Receiver Function Analysis at Stromboli Volcano (Italy)

This study focuses on constraining the crust and upper mantle discontinuities at Stromboli volcano by applying the receiver function (RF) analysis. This technique utilizes the waveforms of P-SV conversions generated by discontinuities to infer the structure beneath the seismic stations. RFs have been obtained by deconvolving the vertical component of teleseismic P-wave records from the corresponding rotate horizontal components applying the Multi-Taper Spectral Correlation technique. For this study the seismograms of about 125 teleseismic earthquakes (M greater than 6.0), recorded between 2004 and 2006 at 13 broad-band seismic stations deployed by the INGV, have been considered. A preliminar characterization of the structure beneath the stations has been inferred from the stacking of teleseismic Ps converted waves and multiply converted waves at the seismic interface. The analysis, at frequency of 1 and 2 Hz, show a horizontal seismic discontinuity at an average depth of about 17 km and a Vp/Vs ratio lower than 1.73. This discontinuity explains the positive pulses about 1.9 s and 7.5 s after the direct P arrival. These pulses can be interpreted as Ps and PpPs converted phases, respectively. The depth of this discontinuity is in agreement with the Moho-depth obtained in independent studies

Adiabatic dynamics of a quantum critical system coupled to an environment: Scaling and kinetic equation approaches

We study the dynamics of open quantum many-body systems driven across a critical point by quenching an Hamiltonian parameter at a certain velocity. General scaling laws are derived for the density of excitations and energy produced during the quench as a function of quench velocity and bath temperature. The scaling laws and their regimes of validity are verified for the XY spin chain locally coupled to bosonic baths. A detailed derivation and analysis of the kinetic equation of the problem is presented.Comment: 15 pages, 13 figure

Fault plane orientations of microearthquakes at Mt. Etna from theinversion of P-wave rise times

A crucial point in the analysis of tectonic earthquakes occurring in a volcanic area is the inference of the orientation of the structures along which the ruptures occur. These structures represent zones of weakness which could favor the migration of melt toward the surface and the assessment of their geometry is a fundamental step toward efficient evaluation of volcanic risk. We analyzed a high-quality dataset of 171 lowmagnitude, tectonic earthquakes that occurred at Mt. Etna during the 2002–2003 eruption. We applied a recently developed technique aimed at inferring the source parameters (source size, dip and strike fault) and the intrinsic quality factor Qp of P waves from the inversion of rise times. The technique is based on numerically calibrated relationships among the rise time of first P waves and the source parameters for a circular crack rupturing at a constant velocity. For the most of the events the directivity source effect did not allow us to constrain the fault plane orientation. For a subset of 45 events with well constrained focal mechanisms we were able to constrain the “true” fault plane orientation. The level of resolution of the fault planes was assessed through a non linear analysis based on the random deviates technique. The significance of the retrieved fault plane solutions and the fit of the assumed source model to data were assessed through a χ-square test. Most of the retrieved fault plane solutions agree with the geometrical trend of known surface faults. The inferred source parameters and Qp are in agreement with the results of previous studie

Near-field spectroscopy of phase segregation in white-light-emitting blends based on low-mass molecules

We report on the direct observation of phase segregation occurring in thin-film blends of a thiophene monomer and an ammino compound, used in the fabrication of organic white-light-emitting diodes. In the homogeneous and uniform regions of the films, the interaction between the two molecular components gives rise to exciplex states responsible for a broad redshifted photoluminescence emission band, which disappears in the film zones where segregation occurs. This effect has been observed with submicrometer spatial resolution by means of local spectroscopic measurements performed in a scanning near-field optical microscope

Fault plane orientation of microearthquakes at Mt. etna from the inversion of P-wave rise times

crucial point in the analysis of tectonic earthquakes occurring in a volcanic area is the inference of the orientation of the structures along which the ruptures occur. These structures represent zones of weakness which could favor the migration of melt toward the surface and the assessment of their geometry is a fundamental step toward efficient evaluation of volcanic risk. We analyzed a high-quality dataset of 171 low-magnitude, tectonic earthquakes occurred at Mt. Etna during the 2002-2003 eruption. We applied a recently developed technique aimed at inferring the source parameters (source size, dip and strike fault) and the intrinsic quality factor Qp of P waves from the inversion of rise times. The technique is based on numerically calibrated relationships among the rise time of first P waves and the source parameters for a circular crack rupturing at a constant velocity. For the most of the events the directivity source effect did not allow us to constrain the fault plane orientation. For a subset of 45 events with well constrained focal mechanisms we were able to constrain the “true” fault plane orientation. The level of resolution of the fault planes was assessed through a non linear analysis based on the random deviates technique. The significance of the retrieved fault plane solutions and the fit of the assumed source model to data was assessed through a χ-square test. Most of the retrieved fault plane solutions agree with the geometrical trend of known surface faults. The inferred source parameters and Qp are in agreement with the results of previous studies

Bose-Einstein condensation and entanglement in magnetic systems

We present a study of magnetic field induced quantum phase transitions in insulating systems. A generalized scaling theory is used to obtain the temperature dependence of several physical quantities along the quantum critical trajectory ($H=H_{C}$, $T\to0$) where $H$ is a longitudinal external magnetic field and $H_{C}$ the critical value at which the transition occurs. We consider transitions from a spin liquid at a critical field $H_{C1}$ and from a fully polarized paramagnet, at $H_{C2}$, into phases with long range order in the transverse components. The transitions at $H_{C1}$ and $H_{C2}$ can be viewed as Bose-Einstein condensations of magnons which however belong to different universality classes since they have different values of the dynamic critical exponent $z$. Finally, we use that the magnetic susceptibility is an entanglement witness to discuss how this type of correlation sets in as the system approaches the quantum critical point along the critical trajectory, $H=H_{C2}$, $T\to0$.Comment: 7 pages, 1 Table; accepted version; changes in text and new reference

Linear magnetoresistance in commercial n-type silicon due to inhomogeneous doping

Free electron theory tells us that resistivity is independent of magnetic field. In fact, most observations match the semiclassical prediction of a magnetoresistance that is quadratic at low fields before saturating. However, a non-saturating linear magnetoresistance has been observed in exotic semiconductors such as silver chalcogenides, lightly-doped InSb, N-doped InAs, MnAs-GaAs composites, PrFeAsO, and epitaxial graphene. Here we report the observation of a large linear magnetoresistance in the ohmic regime in commonplace commercial n-type silicon wafer. It is well-described by a classical model of spatially fluctuating donor densities, and may be amplified by altering the aspect ratio of the sample to enhance current-jetting: increasing the width tenfold increased the magnetoresistance at 8 T from 445 % to 4707 % at 35 K. This physical picture may well offer insights into the large magnetoresistances recently observed in n-type and p-type Si in the non-ohmic regime.Comment: submitted to Nature Material

Indoor and soil radon measurements in the Hyblean Foreland (South-East Sicily)

Indoor radon behavior in two sites of SE Sicily was studied as a function of the soil radon concentration. The chosen locations were Ragusa and Modica towns, placed in the Hyblean Plateau (northern margin of the African Plate). Soil samples were analysed by gamma spectrometry to determine the amount of radionuclides. Indoor air and soil gas radon measurements were simultaneously performed in both sites using active detectors. Radon in soil was measured one meter deep. A positive correlation was obtained between indoor radon concentration and the soil gas concentration

Toward Forecasting Volcanic Eruptions using Seismic Noise

During inter-eruption periods, magma pressurization yields subtle changes of the elastic properties of volcanic edifices. We use the reproducibility properties of the ambient seismic noise recorded on the Piton de la Fournaise volcano to measure relative seismic velocity variations of less than 0.1 % with a temporal resolution of one day. Our results show that five studied volcanic eruptions were preceded by clearly detectable seismic velocity decreases within the zone of magma injection. These precursors reflect the edifice dilatation induced by magma pressurization and can be useful indicators to improve the forecasting of volcanic eruptions.Comment: Supplementary information: http://www-lgit.obs.ujf-grenoble.fr/~fbrengui/brenguier_SI.pdf Supplementary video: http://www-lgit.obs.ujf-grenoble.fr/~fbrengui/brenguierMovieVolcano.av