9,085 research outputs found
Electromagnetically Induced Transparency in strongly interacting Rydberg Gases
We develop an efficient Monte-Carlo approach to describe the optical response
of cold three-level atoms in the presence of EIT and strong atomic
interactions. In particular, we consider a "Rydberg-EIT medium" where one
involved level is subject to large shifts due to strong van der Waals
interactions with surrounding Rydberg atoms. We find excellent agreement with
much more involved quantum calculations and demonstrate its applicability over
a wide range of densities and interaction strengths. The calculations show that
the nonlinear absorption due to Rydberg-Rydberg atom interactions exhibits
universal behavior
Gamma-Rays Produced in Cosmic-Ray Interactions and the TeV-band Spectrum of RX J1713.7-3946
We employ the Monte Carlo particle collision code DPMJET3.04 to determine the
multiplicity spectra of various secondary particles (in addition to 's)
with 's as the final decay state, that are produced in cosmic-ray
('s and 's) interactions with the interstellar medium. We derive an
easy-to-use -ray production matrix for cosmic rays with energies up to
about 10 PeV. This -ray production matrix is applied to the GeV excess
in diffuse Galactic -rays observed by EGRET, and we conclude the
non- decay components are insufficient to explain the GeV excess,
although they have contributed a different spectrum from the -decay
component. We also test the hypothesis that the TeV-band -ray emission
of the shell-type SNR RX J1713.7-3946 observed with HESS is caused by hadronic
cosmic rays which are accelerated by a cosmic-ray modified shock. By the
statistics, we find a continuously softening spectrum is strongly
preferred, in contrast to expectations. A hardening spectrum has about 1%
probability to explain the HESS data, but then only if a hard cutoff at 50-100
TeV is imposed on the particle spectrum.Comment: 3 pages; 4 figures; Contribution to the First GLAST Symposium,
Standord, 200
Electron Temperature Evolution in Expanding Ultracold Neutral Plasmas
We have used the free expansion of ultracold neutral plasmas as a
time-resolved probe of electron temperature. A combination of experimental
measurements of the ion expansion velocity and numerical simulations
characterize the crossover from an elastic-collision regime at low initial
Gamma_e, which is dominated by adiabatic cooling of the electrons, to the
regime of high Gamma_e in which inelastic processes drastically heat the
electrons. We identify the time scales and relative contributions of various
processes, and experimentally show the importance of radiative decay and
disorder-induced electron heating for the first time in ultracold neutral
plasmas
Experimental Realization of an Exact Solution to the Vlasov Equations for an Expanding Plasma
We study the expansion of ultracold neutral plasmas in the regime in which
inelastic collisions are negligible. The plasma expands due to the thermal
pressure of the electrons, and for an initial spherically symmetric Gaussian
density profle, the expansion is self-similar. Measurements of the plasma size
and ion kinetic energy using fluorescence imaging and spectroscopy show that
the expansion follows an analytic solution of the Vlasov equations for an
adiabatically expanding plasma.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Correlations of Rydberg excitations in an ultra-cold gas after an echo sequence
We show that Rydberg states in an ultra-cold gas can be excited with strongly
preferred nearest-neighbor distance if densities are well below saturation. The
scheme makes use of an echo sequence in which the first half of a laser pulse
excites Rydberg states while the second half returns atoms to the ground state,
as in the experiment of Raitzsch et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 100 (2008) 013002].
Near to the end of the echo sequence, almost any remaining Rydberg atom is
separated from its next-neighbor Rydberg atom by a distance slightly larger
than the instantaneous blockade radius half-way through the pulse. These
correlations lead to large deviations of the atom counting statistics from a
Poissonian distribution. Our results are based on the exact quantum evolution
of samples with small numbers of atoms. We finally demonstrate the utility of
the omega-expansion for the approximate description of correlation dynamics
through an echo sequence.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure
Reconciliation of object interaction models
This paper presents Reconciliation+, a
tool-supported method which identifies overlaps
between models of different object interactions
expressed as UML sequence and/or collaboration
diagrams, checks whether the overlapping elements
of these models satisfy specific consistency rules,
and guides developers in handling these
inconsistencies. The method also keeps track of the
decisions made and the actions taken in the process
of managing inconsistencies
Scattered light images of spiral arms in marginally gravitationally unstable discs with an embedded planet
Scattered light images of transition discs in the near-infrared often show
non-axisymmetric structures in the form of wide-open spiral arms in addition to
their characteristic low-opacity inner gap region. We study self-gravitating
discs and investigate the influence of gravitational instability on the shape
and contrast of spiral arms induced by planet-disc interactions.
Two-dimensional non-isothermal hydrodynamical simulations including viscous
heating and a cooling prescription are combined with three-dimensional dust
continuum radiative transfer models for direct comparison to observations. We
find that the resulting contrast between the spirals and the surrounding disc
in scattered light is by far higher for pressure scale height variations, i.e.
thermal perturbations, than for pure surface density variations. Self-gravity
effects suppress any vortex modes and tend to reduce the opening angle of
planet-induced spirals, making them more tightly wound. If the disc is only
marginally gravitationally stable with a Toomre parameter around unity, an
embedded massive planet (planet-to-star mass ratio of ) can trigger
gravitational instability in the outer disc. The spirals created by this
instability and the density waves launched by the planet can overlap resulting
in large-scale, more open spiral arms in the outer disc. The contrast of these
spirals is well above the detection limit of current telescopes.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS; 13 pages, 8 figure
Nonlocal Nonlinear Optics in cold Rydberg Gases
We present an analytical theory for the nonlinear optical response of a
strongly interacting Rydberg gas under conditions of electromagnetically
induced transparency. Simple formulae for the third order optical
susceptibility are derived and shown to be in excellent agreement with recent
experiments. The obtained expressions reveal strong nonlinearities, which in
addition are of highly nonlocal character. This property together with enormous
strength of the Rydberg-induced nonlinearities is shown to yield a unique
laboratory platform for nonlinear wave phenomena, such as collapse-arrested
modulational instabilities in a self-defocussing medium.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure
Late-Onset Cognitive Impairments after Early-Life Stress Are Shaped by Inherited Differences in Stress Reactivity
Early-life stress (ELS) has been associated with lasting cognitive impairments and with an increased risk for affective disorders. A dysregulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the body's main stress response system, is critically involved in mediating these long-term consequences of adverse early-life experience. It remains unclear to what extent an inherited predisposition for HPA axis sensitivity or resilience influences the relationship between ELS and cognitive impairments, and which neuroendocrine and molecular mechanisms may be involved. To investigate this, we exposed animals of the stress reactivity mouse model, consisting of three independent lines selectively bred for high (HR), intermediate (IR), or low (LR) HPA axis reactivity to a stressor, to ELS and assessed their cognitive performance, neuroendocrine function and hippocampal gene expression in early and in late adulthood. Our results show that HR animals that were exposed to ELS exhibited an HPA axis hyper-reactivity in early and late adulthood, associated with cognitive impairments in hippocampus-dependent tasks, as well as molecular changes in transcript levels involved in the regulation of HPA axis activity (Crh) and in neurotrophic action (Bdnf). In contrast, LR animals showed intact cognitive function across adulthood, with no change in stress reactivity. Intriguingly, LR animals that were exposed to ELS even showed significant signs of enhanced cognitive performance in late adulthood, which may be related to late-onset changes observed in the expression of Crh and Crhr1 in the dorsal hippocampus of these animals. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that the lasting consequences of ELS at the level of cognition differ as a function of inherited predispositions and suggest that an innate tendency for low stress reactivity may be protective against late-onset cognitive impairments after ELS
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