The triangular Ising model with nearest- and next-nearest-neighbor couplings in a field

We study the Ising model on the triangular lattice with nearest-neighbor couplings $K_{\rm nn}$, next-nearest-neighbor couplings $K_{\rm nnn}>0$, and a magnetic field $H$. This work is done by means of finite-size scaling of numerical results of transfer matrix calculations, and Monte Carlo simulations. We determine the phase diagram and confirm the character of the critical manifolds. The emphasis of this work is on the antiferromagnetic case $K_{\rm nn}<0$, but we also explore the ferromagnetic regime $K_{\rm nn}\ge 0$ for H=0. For $K_{\rm nn}<0$ and H=0 we locate a critical phase presumably covering the whole range $-\infty < K_{\rm nn}<0$. For $K_{\rm nn}<0$, $H\neq 0$ we locate a plane of phase transitions containing a line of tricritical three-state Potts transitions. In the limit $H \to \infty$ this line leads to a tricritical model of hard hexagons with an attractive next-nearest-neighbor potential

Vertex functions for d-wave mesons in the light-front approach

While the light-front quark model (LFQM) is employed to calculate hadronic transition matrix elements, the vertex functions must be pre-determined. In this work we derive the vertex functions for all d-wave states in this model. Especially, since both of $^3D_1$ and $^3S_1$ are $1^{--}$ mesons, the Lorentz structures of their vertex functions are the same. Thus when one needs to study the processes where $^3D_1$ is involved, all the corresponding formulas for $^3S_1$ states can be directly applied, only the coefficient of the vertex function should be replaced by that for $^3D_1$. The results would be useful for studying the newly observed resonances which are supposed to be d-wave mesons and furthermore the possible 2S-1D mixing in $\psi'$ with the LFQM.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, some typos corrected and more discussions added. Accepted by EPJ

An epitaxial model for heterogeneous nucleation on potent substrates

© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society and ASM International 2012In this article, we present an epitaxial model for heterogeneous nucleation on potent substrates. It is proposed that heterogeneous nucleation of the solid phase (S) on a potent substrate (N) occurs by epitaxial growth of a pseudomorphic solid (PS) layer on the substrate surface under a critical undercooling (ΔT ). The PS layer with a coherent PS/N interface mimics the atomic arrangement of the substrate, giving rise to a linear increase of misfit strain energy with layer thickness. At a critical thickness (h ), elastic strain energy reaches a critical level, at which point, misfit dislocations are created to release the elastic strain energy in the PS layer. This converts the strained PS layer to a strainless solid (S), and changes the initial coherent PS/N interface into a semicoherent S/N interface. Beyond this critical thickness, further growth will be strainless, and solidification enters the growth stage. It is shown analytically that the lattice misfit (f) between the solid and the substrate has a strong influence on both h and ΔT ; h decreases; and ΔT increases with increasing lattice misfit. This epitaxial nucleation model will be used to explain qualitatively the generally accepted experimental findings on grain refinement in the literature and to analyze the general approaches to effective grain refinement.EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Liquid Metal Engineerin

Family history of immune conditions and autism spectrum and developmental disorders: Findings from the study to explore early development

Numerous studies have reported immune system disturbances in individuals with autism and their family members; however, there is considerable variability in findings with respect to the specific immune conditions involved, their timing, and the family members affected and little understanding of variation by autism subphenotype. Using data from the Study to Explore Early Development (SEED), a multi-site case-control study of children born 2003–2006 in the United States, we examined the role of family history of autoimmune diseases, asthma, and allergies in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as well as other developmental disorders (DD). We investigated maternal immune conditions during the pregnancy period, as well as lifetime history of these conditions in several family members (mother, father, siblings, and study child). Logistic regression analyses included 663 children with ASD, 984 children with DD, and 915 controls ascertained from the general population (POP). Maternal history of eczema/psoriasis and asthma was associated with a 20%–40% increased odds of both ASD and DD. Risk estimates varied by specific ASD subphenotypes in association with these exposures. In addition, children with ASD were more likely to have a history of psoriasis/eczema or allergies than POP controls. No association was observed for paternal history or family history of these immune conditions for either ASD or DD. These data support a link between maternal and child immune conditions and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, and further suggest that associations may differ by ASD phenotype of the child. Autism Research 2019, 12: 123–135. © 2018 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Lay Summary: Using data from a large multi-site study in the US—the Study to Explore Early Development—we found that women with a history of eczema/psoriasis and asthma are more likely to have children with ASD or DD. In addition, children with ASD are more likely to have a history of psoriasis/eczema or allergies than typically developing children. These data support a link between maternal and child immune conditions and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes

Effective Lagrangian for sˉbg\bar{s}bg and sˉbγ\bar{s}b\gamma Vertices in the mSUGRA model

Complete expressions of the $\bar{s}bg$ and $\bar{s}b\gamma$ vertices are derived in the framework of supersymmetry with minimal flavor violation. With the minimal supergravity (mSUGRA) model, a numerical analysis of the supersymmetric contributions to the Wilson Coefficients at the weak scale is presented.Comment: 12 pages + 7 ps figures, Late

Extreme Ultra-Violet Spectroscopy of the Lower Solar Atmosphere During Solar Flares

The extreme ultraviolet portion of the solar spectrum contains a wealth of diagnostic tools for probing the lower solar atmosphere in response to an injection of energy, particularly during the impulsive phase of solar flares. These include temperature and density sensitive line ratios, Doppler shifted emission lines and nonthermal broadening, abundance measurements, differential emission measure profiles, and continuum temperatures and energetics, among others. In this paper I shall review some of the advances made in recent years using these techniques, focusing primarily on studies that have utilized data from Hinode/EIS and SDO/EVE, while also providing some historical background and a summary of future spectroscopic instrumentation.Comment: 34 pages, 8 figures. Submitted to Solar Physics as part of the Topical Issue on Solar and Stellar Flare

The anomalous Higgs-top couplings in the MSSM

The anomalous couplings of the top quark and the Higgs boson has been studied in an effective theory resulting in the framework of the minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model (MSSM) when the heavy fields are integrated out. Constraints on the parameters of the model from the experimental data on the ratio $R_b={\Gamma(Z\to b\bar{b})/\Gamma(Z\to hadrons)}$ are derived.Comment: Latex, 26 pages + 13 ps figures, final version in PR

Lepton Dipole Moments and Rare Decays in the CP-violating MSSM with Nonuniversal Soft-Supersymmetry Breaking

We investigate the muon anomalous magnetic dipole moment (MDM), the muon electric dipole moment (EDM) and the lepton-flavour-violating decays of the $\tau-$lepton, $\tau \to \mu \gamma$ and $\tau\to 3\mu$, in the CP-violating Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) with nonuniversal soft-supersymmetry breaking. We evaluate numerically the muon EDM and the branching ratios $B(\tau \to \mu\gamma)$ and $B(\tau \to 3\mu)$, after taking into account the experimental constraints from the electron EDM and muon MDM. Upon imposition of the experimental limits on our theoretical predictions for the aforementioned branching ratios and the muon MDM, we obtain an upper bound of about $10^{-23} e\cdot cm$ on the muon EDM which lies well within the explorable reach of the proposed experiment at BNL.Comment: Latex, 26 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Distortion in a 7xxx aluminum alloy during liquid phase sintering

The distortion in a sintered 7xxx aluminum alloy, Al-7Zn-2.5Mg-1Cu (wt. pct), has been investigated by sintering three rectangular bars in each batch at 893 K (620 °C) for 0 to 40 minutes in nitrogen, followed by air or furnace cooling. They were placed parallel to each other, equally spaced apart at 2 mm, with their long axes being perpendicular to the incoming nitrogen flow. Pore evolution in each sample during isothermal sintering was examined metallographically. The compositional changes across sample mid-cross section and surface layers were analyzed using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth profiling, respectively. The two outer samples bent toward the middle one, while the middle sample was essentially distortion free after sintering. The distortion in the outer samples was a result of differential shrinkage between their outer and inner surfaces during isothermal sintering. The porous outer surface showed an enrichment of oxygen around the large pores as well as lower magnesium and zinc contents than the interior and inner surface of the same sample, while the inner surface was distinguished by the presence of AlN. The differential shrinkage was caused by different oxygen contents in local sintering atmosphere and unbalanced loss of magnesium and zinc between the outer and inner surfaces

Astroparticle Physics with a Customized Low-Background Broad Energy Germanium Detector

The MAJORANA Collaboration is building the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR, a 60 kg array of high purity germanium detectors housed in an ultra-low background shield at the Sanford Underground Laboratory in Lead, SD. The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR will search for neutrinoless double-beta decay of 76Ge while demonstrating the feasibility of a tonne-scale experiment. It may also carry out a dark matter search in the 1-10 GeV/c^2 mass range. We have found that customized Broad Energy Germanium (BEGe) detectors produced by Canberra have several desirable features for a neutrinoless double-beta decay experiment, including low electronic noise, excellent pulse shape analysis capabilities, and simple fabrication. We have deployed a customized BEGe, the MAJORANA Low-Background BEGe at Kimballton (MALBEK), in a low-background cryostat and shield at the Kimballton Underground Research Facility in Virginia. This paper will focus on the detector characteristics and measurements that can be performed with such a radiation detector in a low-background environment.Comment: Submitted to NIMA Proceedings, SORMA XII. 9 pages, 4 figure