224 research outputs found
An optimal system design process for a Mars roving vehicle
The problem of determining the optimal design for a Mars roving vehicle is considered. A system model is generated by consideration of the physical constraints on the design parameters and the requirement that the system be deliverable to the Mars surface. An expression which evaluates system performance relative to mission goals as a function of the design parameters only is developed. The use of nonlinear programming techniques to optimize the design is proposed and an example considering only two of the vehicle subsystems is formulated and solved
Terrain modeling and path selection by an autonomous Martian exploratory vehicle
Computerized simulation of terrain sensing and modeling for unmanned surface vehicle on Mars surfac
System design optimization for a Mars-roving vehicle and perturbed-optimal solutions in nonlinear programming
Work in two somewhat distinct areas is presented. First, the optimal system design problem for a Mars-roving vehicle is attacked by creating static system models and a system evaluation function and optimizing via nonlinear programming techniques. The second area concerns the problem of perturbed-optimal solutions. Given an initial perturbation in an element of the solution to a nonlinear programming problem, a linear method is determined to approximate the optimal readjustments of the other elements of the solution. Then, the sensitivity of the Mars rover designs is described by application of this method
Band structure and optical properties of opal photonic crystals
A theoretical approach for the interpretation of reflectance spectra of opal
photonic crystals with fcc structure and (111) surface orientation is
presented. It is based on the calculation of photonic bands and density of
states corresponding to a specified angle of incidence in air. The results
yield a clear distinction between diffraction in the direction of light
propagation by (111) family planes (leading to the formation of a stop band)
and diffraction in other directions by higher-order planes (corresponding to
the excitation of photonic modes in the crystal). Reflectance measurements on
artificial opals made of self-assembled polystyrene spheres are analyzed
according to the theoretical scheme and give evidence of diffraction by
higher-order crystalline planes in the photonic structure.Comment: to appear in PR
Frustration driven structural distortion in VOMoO4
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR),
magnetization measurements and electronic structure calculations in VOMoO4 are
presented. It is found that VOMoO4 is a frustrated two-dimensional
antiferromagnet on a square lattice with competing exchange interactions along
the side J1 and the diagonal J2 of the square. From magnetization measurements
J1+J2 is estimated around 155 K, in satisfactory agreement with the values
derived from electronic structure calculations. Around 100 K a structural
distortion, possibly driven by the frustration, is evidenced. This distortion
induces significant modifications in the NMR and EPR spectra which can be
accounted for by valence fluctuations. The analysis of the spectra suggests
that the size of the domains where the lattice is distorted progressively grows
as the temperature approaches the transition to the magnetic ground state at
Tc=42 K
Dynamical mean-field theory of indirect magnetic exchange
To analyze the physical properties arising from indirect magnetic exchange
between several magnetic adatoms and between complex magnetic nanostructures on
metallic surfaces, the real-space extension of dynamical mean-field theory
(R-DMFT) appears attractive as it can be applied to systems of almost arbitrary
geometry and complexity. While R-DMFT describes the Kondo effect of a single
adatom exactly, indirect magnetic (RKKY) exchange is taken into account on an
approximate level only. Here, we consider a simplified model system consisting
of two magnetic Hubbard sites ("adatoms") hybridizing with a non-interacting
tight-binding chain ("substrate surface"). This two-impurity Anderson model
incorporates the competition between the Kondo effect and indirect exchange but
is amenable to an exact numerical solution via the density-matrix
renormalization group (DMRG). The particle-hole symmetric model at half-filling
and zero temperature is used to benchmark R-DMFT results for the magnetic
coupling between the two adatoms and for the magnetic properties induced in the
substrate. In particular, the dependence of the local adatom and the nonlocal
adatom-adatom static susceptibilities as well as the magnetic response of the
substrate on the distance between the adatoms and on the strength of their
coupling with the substrate is studied. We find both, excellent agreement with
the DMRG data even on subtle details of the competition between RKKY exchange
and the Kondo effect but also complete failure of the R-DMFT, depending on the
parameter regime considered. R-DMFT calculations are performed using the
Lanczos method as impurity solver. With the real-space extension of the
two-site DMFT, we also benchmark a simplified R-DMFT variant.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figure
Nod2 Deficiency in mice is Associated with Microbiota Variation Favouring the Expansion of mucosal CD4+ LAP+ Regulatory Cells
Nucleotide-binding Oligomerization Domain-2 (NOD2) mutations are associated with an increased risk to develop Crohn's Disease. In previous studies, we have shown that Nod2-/- mice manifest increased proportion of Lamina Propria (LP) CD4+ LAP+ Foxp3- regulatory cells, when compared with Nod2+/+ mice, while CD4+ Foxp3 + regulatory cells were not affected. Here, we investigated the Nod2 gut microbiota, by 16S rRNA pyrosequencing, at steady state and after TNBS-colitis induction in mice reared separately or in cohousing, correlating the microbial profiles with LP regulatory T cells proportion and tissue cytokines content. We found that enrichment of Rikenella and Alistipes (Rikenellaceae) in Nod2-/- mice at 8 weeks of age reared separately was associated with increased proportion of CD4+ LAP+ Foxp3- cells and less severe TNBS-colitis. In co-housed mice the acquisition of Rickenellaceae by Nod2+/+ mice was associated with increased CD4+ LAP+ Foxp3- proportion and less severe colitis. Severe colitis was associated with enrichment of gram-negative pathobionts (Escherichia and Enterococcus), while less severe colitis with protective bacteria (Barnesiella, Odoribacter and Clostridium IV). Environmental factors acting on genetic background with different outcomes according to their impact on microbiota, predispose in different ways to inflammation. These results open a new scenario for therapeutic attempt to re-establish eubiosis in Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients with NOD2 polymorphisms
Orbital-quenching-induced magnetism in Ba_2NaOsO_6
The double perovskite \bnoo with heptavalent Os () is observed to remain
in the ideal cubic structure ({\it i.e.} without orbital ordering) despite
single occupation of the orbitals, even in the ferromagnetically
ordered phase below 6.8 K. Analysis based on the {\it ab initio} dispersion
expressed in terms of an Os -based Wannier function picture, spin-orbit
coupling, Hund's coupling, and strong Coulomb repulsion shows that the magnetic
OsO cluster is near a moment-less condition due to spin and orbital
compensation. Quenching (hybridization) then drives the emergence of the small
moment. This compensation, unprecedented in transition metals, arises in a
unified picture that accounts for the observed Mott insulating behavior.Comment: in press at Europhysics Letter
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