10,841 research outputs found
Spectral statistics of molecular resonances in erbium isotopes: How chaotic are they?
We perform a comprehensive analysis of the spectral statistics of the
molecular resonances in Er and Er observed in recent ultracold
collision experiments [Frisch et al., Nature {\bf 507}, 475 (2014)] with the
aim of determining the chaoticity of this system. We calculate different
independent statistical properties to check their degree of agreement with
random matrix theory (RMT), and analyze if they are consistent with the
possibility of having missing resonances. The analysis of the short-range
fluctuations as a function of the magnetic field points to a steady increase of
chaoticity until G. The repulsion parameter decreases for higher
magnetic fields, an effect that can be interpreted as due to missing
resonances. The analysis of long-range fluctuations allows us to be more
quantitative and estimate a fraction of missing levels. Finally, a
study of the distribution of resonance widths provides additional evidence
supporting missing resonances of small width compared with the experimental
magnetic field resolution. We conclude that further measurements with increased
resolution will be necessary to give a final answer to the problem of missing
resonances and the agreement with RMT.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figure
The different origins of magnetic fields and activity in the Hertzsprung gap stars, OU Andromedae and 31 Comae
Context: When crossing the Hertzsprung gap, intermediate-mass stars develop a
convective envelope. Fast rotators on the main sequence, or Ap star
descendants, are expected to become magnetic active subgiants during this
evolutionary phase. Aims: We compare the surface magnetic fields and activity
indicators of two active, fast rotating red giants with similar masses and
spectral class but diferent rotation rates - OU And (Prot=24.2 d) and 31 Com
(Prot=6.8 d) - to address the question of the origin of their magnetism and
high activity.
Methods: Observations were carried out with the Narval spectropolarimeter in
2008 and 2013.We used the least squares deconvolution technique to extract
Stokes V and I profiles to detect Zeeman signatures of the magnetic field of
the stars. We provide Zeeman-Doppler imaging, activity indicator monitoring,
and a precise estimation of stellar parameters. We use stellar evolutionary
models to infer the evolutionary status and the initial rotation velocity on
the main sequence.
Results: The detected magnetic field of OU And is a strong one. Its
longitudinal component Bl reaches 40 G and presents an about sinusoidal
variation with reversal of the polarity. The magnetic topology of OU And is
dominated by large scale elements and is mainly poloidal with an important
dipole component, and a significant toroidal component. The detected magnetic
field of 31 Com is weaker, with a magnetic map showing a more complex field
geometry, and poloidal and toroidal components of equal contributions. The
evolutionary models show that the progenitors of OU And and 31 Com must have
been rotat
Conclusions: OU And appears to be the probable descendant of a magnetic Ap
star, and 31 Com the descendant of a relatively fast rotator on the main
sequence.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figure
Artificially induced positronium oscillations in a two-sheeted spacetime: consequences on the observed decay processes
Following recent theoretical results, it is suggested that positronium (Ps)
might undergo spontaneous oscillations between two 4D spacetime sheets whenever
subjected to constant irrotational magnetic vector potentials. We show that
these oscillations that would come together with o-Ps/p-Ps oscillations should
have important consequences on Ps decay rates. Experimental setup and
conditions are also suggested for demonstrating in non accelerator experiments
this new invisible decay mode.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures. Minor form correction. Accepted for publication
in Int. J. of Modern Physics
Magnetic field structure in single late-type giants: Beta Ceti in 2010 - 2012
The data were obtained using two spectropolarimeters - Narval at the Bernard
Lyot Telescope, Pic du Midi, France, and ESPaDOnS at CFHT, Hawaii. Thirty-eight
circularly-polarized spectra have been collected in the period June 2010 -
January 2012. The Least Square Deconvolution method was applied for extracting
high signal-to-noise ratio line profiles, from which we measure the
surface-averaged longitudinal magnetic field Bl. Chromospheric activity
indicators CaII K, H_alpha, CaII IR (854.2 nm) and radial velocity were
simultaneously measured and their variability was analysed together with the
behavior of Bl. The Zeeman Doppler Imaging (ZDI) inversion technique was
employed for reconstruction of the large-scale magnetic field and two magnetic
maps of Beta Ceti are presented for two periods (June 2010 - December 2010 and
June 2011 - January 2012). Bl remains of positive polarity for the whole
observational period. The behavior of the line activity indicators is in good
agreement with the Bl variations. The two ZDI maps show a mainly axisymmetric
and poloidal magnetic topology and a simple surface magnetic field
configuration dominated by a dipole. Little evolution is observed between the
two maps, in spite of a 1 yr interval between both subsets. We also use
state-of-the-art stellar evolution models to constrain the evolutionary status
of Beta Ceti. We derive a mass of 3.5 M_sun and propose that this star is
already in the central-helium burning phase. Taking into account all our
results and the evolutionary status of the star, we suggest that dynamo action
alone may not be eficient enough to account for the high magnetic activity of
Beta Ceti. As an alternate option, we propose that it may be an Ap star
descendant presently undergoing central helium-burning and still exhibiting a
remnant of the Ap star magnetic field.Comment: 10 pages; 5 figures; 3 table
A polarity reversal in the large-scale magnetic field of the rapidly rotating Sun HD 190771
Aims. We investigate the long-term evolution of the large-scale photospheric
magnetic field geometry of the solar-type star HD 190771. With fundamental
parameters very close to those of the Sun except for a shorter rotation period
of 8.8 d, HD 190771 provides us with a first insight into the specific impact
of the rotation rate in the dynamo generation of magnetic fields in 1
stars.
Methods. We use circularly polarized, high-resolution spectra obtained with
the NARVAL spectropolarimeter (Observatoire du Pic du Midi, France) and compute
cross-correlation line profiles with high signal-to-noise ratio to detect
polarized Zeeman signatures. From three phase-resolved data sets collected
during the summers of 2007, 2008, and 2009, we model the large-scale
photospheric magnetic field of the star by means of Zeeman-Doppler imaging and
follow its temporal evolution.
Results. The comparison of the magnetic maps shows that a polarity reversal
of the axisymmetric component of the large-scale magnetic field occurred
between 2007 and 2008, this evolution being observed in both the poloidal and
toroidal magnetic components. Between 2008 and 2009, another type of global
evolution occured, characterized by a sharp decrease of the fraction of
magnetic energy stored in the toroidal component. These changes were not
accompanied by significant evolution in the total photospheric magnetic energy.
Using our spectra to perform radial velocity measurements, we also detect a
very low-mass stellar companion to HD 190771.Comment: Accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysics (Letter to the Editor
Search for surface magnetic fields in Mira stars. First detection in chi Cyg
In order to complete the knowledge of the magnetic field and of its influence
during the transition from Asymptotic Giant Branch to Planetary Nebulae stages,
we have undertaken a search for magnetic fields at the surface of Mira stars.
We used spectropolarimetric observations, collected with the Narval instrument
at TBL, in order to detect - with Least Squares Deconvolution method - a Zeeman
signature in the visible part of the spectrum. We present the first
spectropolarimetric observations of the S-type Mira star chi Cyg, performed
around its maximum light. We have detected a polarimetric signal in the Stokes
V spectra and we have established its Zeeman origin. We claim that it is likely
to be related to a weak magnetic field present at the photospheric level and in
the lower part of the stellar atmosphere. We have estimated the strength of its
longitudinal component to about 2-3 Gauss. This result favors a 1/r law for the
variation of the magnetic field strength across the circumstellar envelope of
chi Cyg. This is the first detection of a weak magnetic field at the stellar
surface of a Mira star and we discuss its origin in the framework of shock
waves periodically propagating throughout the atmosphere of these radially
pulsating stars. At the date of our observations of chi Cyg, the shock wave
reaches its maximum intensity, and it is likely that the shock amplifies a weak
stellar magnetic field during its passage through the atmosphere. Without such
an amplification by the shock, the magnetic field strength would have been too
low to be detected. For the first time, we also report strong Stokes Q and U
signatures (linear polarization) centered onto the zero velocity (i.e., at the
shock front position). They seem to indicate that the radial direction would be
favored by the shock during its propagation throughout the atmosphere.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysics (21
November 2013
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