10,179 research outputs found
Non-homogeneous polygonal Markov fields in the plane: graphical representations and geometry of higher order correlations
We consider polygonal Markov fields originally introduced by Arak and
Surgailis (1989). Our attention is focused on fields with nodes of order two,
which can be regarded as continuum ensembles of non-intersecting contours in
the plane, sharing a number of features with the two-dimensional Ising model.
We introduce non-homogeneous version of polygonal fields in anisotropic
enviroment. For these fields we provide a class of new graphical constructions
and random dynamics. These include a generalised dynamic representation,
generalised and defective disagreement loop dynamics as well as a generalised
contour birth and death dynamics. Next, we use these constructions as tools to
obtain new exact results on the geometry of higher order correlations of
polygonal Markov fields in their consistent regime.Comment: 54 page
Measures of galaxy dust and gas mass with Herschel photometry and prospects for ALMA
(Abridged) Combining the deepest Herschel extragalactic surveys (PEP,
GOODS-H, HerMES), and Monte Carlo mock catalogs, we explore the robustness of
dust mass estimates based on modeling of broad band spectral energy
distributions (SEDs) with two popular approaches: Draine & Li (2007, DL07) and
a modified black body (MBB). As long as the observed SED extends to at least
160-200 micron in the rest frame, M(dust) can be recovered with a >3 sigma
significance and without the occurrence of systematics. An average offset of a
factor ~1.5 exists between DL07- and MBB-based dust masses, based on consistent
dust properties. At the depth of the deepest Herschel surveys (in the GOODS-S
field) it is possible to retrieve dust masses with a S/N>=3 for galaxies on the
main sequence of star formation (MS) down to M(stars)~1e10 [M(sun)] up to z~1.
At higher redshift (z<=2) the same result is achieved only for objects at the
tip of the MS or lying above it. Molecular gas masses, obtained converting
M(dust) through the metallicity-dependent gas-to-dust ratio delta(GDR), are
consistent with those based on the scaling of depletion time, and on CO
spectroscopy. Focusing on CO-detected galaxies at z>1, the delta(GDR)
dependence on metallicity is consistent with the local relation. We combine
far-IR Herschel data and sub-mm ALMA expected fluxes to study the advantages of
a full SED coverage.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics. Some figures
have degraded quality for filesize reason
Measuring the Higgs Branching Fraction into two Photons at Future Linear \ee Colliders
We examine the prospects for measuring the \gaga branching fraction of a
Standard Model-like Higgs boson with a mass of 120 GeV at the future TESLA
linear \ee collider, assuming an integrated luminosity of 1 ab and
center-of-mass energies of 350 GeV and 500 GeV. The Higgs boson is produced in
association with a fermion pair via the Higgsstrahlung process \ee ,
with \qq or \nn, or the WW fusion reaction . A relative uncertainty on BF(\hgg) of~16% can be achieved in
unpolarized \ee collisions at =~500 GeV, while for =~350
GeV the expected precision is slightly poorer. With appropriate initial state
polarizations BF(\hgg)/BF(\hgg) can be improved to 10%. If this
measurement is combined with the expected error for the total Higgs width, a
precision of 10% on the \gaga Higgs boson partial width appears feasible.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figure
Phase Transitions from Saddles of the Potential Energy Landscape
The relation between saddle points of the potential of a classical
many-particle system and the analyticity properties of its thermodynamic
functions is studied. For finite systems, each saddle point is found to cause a
nonanalyticity in the Boltzmann entropy, and the functional form of this
nonanalytic term is derived. For large systems, the order of the nonanalytic
term increases unboundedly, leading to an increasing differentiability of the
entropy. Analyzing the contribution of the saddle points to the density of
states in the thermodynamic limit, our results provide an explanation of how,
and under which circumstances, saddle points of the potential energy landscape
may (or may not) be at the origin of a phase transition in the thermodynamic
limit. As an application, the puzzling observations by Risau-Gusman et al. on
topological signatures of the spherical model are elucidated.Comment: 5 pages, no figure
Breaking of ergodicity and long relaxation times in systems with long-range interactions
The thermodynamic and dynamical properties of an Ising model with both short
range and long range, mean field like, interactions are studied within the
microcanonical ensemble. It is found that the relaxation time of
thermodynamically unstable states diverges logarithmically with system size.
This is in contrast with the case of short range interactions where this time
is finite. Moreover, at sufficiently low energies, gaps in the magnetization
interval may develop to which no microscopic configuration corresponds. As a
result, in local microcanonical dynamics the system cannot move across the gap,
leading to breaking of ergodicity even in finite systems. These are general
features of systems with long range interactions and are expected to be valid
even when the interaction is slowly decaying with distance.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Thickness dependence of linear and quadratic magneto-optical Kerr effect in ultrathin Fe(001) films
Magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) magnetometry is one of the most widely
employed techniques for the characterization of ferromagnetic thin-film
samples. Some information, such as coercive fields or anisotropy strengths can
be obtained without any knowledge of the optical and magneto-optical (MO)
properties of the material. On the other hand, a quantitative analysis, which
requires a precise knowledge of the material's index of refraction n and the MO
coupling constants K and G is often desirable, for instance for the comparison
of samples, which are different with respect to ferromagnetic layer
thicknesses, substrates, or capping layers. While the values of the parameters
n and the linear MO coupling parameter K reported by different authors usually
vary considerably, the relevant quadratic MO coupling parameters G of Fe are
completely unknown. Here, we report on measurements of the thickness dependence
(0-60nm) of the linear and quadratic MOKE in epitaxial bcc-Fe(001) wedge-type
samples performed at a commonly used laser wavelength of 670nm. By fitting the
thickness dependence we are able to extract a complete set of parameters n, K,
(G11 - G12), and G44 for the quantitative description of the MOKE of
bcc-Fe(001). We find sizable different n, K, and G parameters for films thinner
than about 10nm as compared to thicker films, which is indicative of a
thickness dependence of the electronic properties or of surface contributions
to the MOKE. The effect size of the quadratic MOKE is found to be about a third
of the record values recently reported for Co2FeSi.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure
Dobrushin-Kotecky-Shlosman theorem for polygonal Markov fields in the plane
We consider the so-called length-interacting Arak-Surgailis polygonal Markov
fields with V-shaped nodes - a continuum and isometry invariant process in the
plane sharing a number of properties with the two-dimensional Ising model. For
these polygonal fields we establish a low-temperature phase separation theorem
in the spirit of the Dobrushin-Kotecky-Shlosman theory, with the corresponding
Wulff shape deteremined to be a disk due to the rotation invariant nature of
the considered model. As an important tool replacing the classical cluster
expansion techniques and very well suited for our geometric setting we use a
graphical construction built on contour birth and death process, following the
ideas of Fernandez, Ferrari and Garcia.Comment: 59 pages, new version revised according to the referee's suggestions
and now publishe
SDSS J212531.92–010745.9 : the first definite PG 1159 close binary system
Aims. The archival spectrum of SDSS J212531.92−010745.9 shows not only the typical signature of a PG 1159 star, but also indicates the presence of a companion. Our aim was the proof of the binary nature of this object and the determination of its orbital period.
Methods. We performed time-series photometry of SDSS J212531.92−010745.9. We observed the object during 10 nights, spread over one month, with the Tübingen 80 cm and the Göttingen 50 cm telescopes. We fitted the observed light curve with a sine and simulated the light curve of this system with the nightfall program. Furthermore, we compared the spectrum of SDSS J212531.92−010745.9 with
NLTE models, the results of which also constrain the light curve solution.
Results. An orbital period of 6.95616(33) h with an amplitude of 0.354(3) mag is derived from our observations. A pulsation period could not be detected. For the PG 1159 star we found, as preliminary results from comparison with our NLTE models, T eff ∼ 90 000 K, log g ∼ 7.60, and the abundance ratio C/He ∼ 0.05 by number fraction. For the companion we obtained with a mean radius of 0.4 ± 0.1 R, a mass of 0.4 ± 0.1 M, and a temperature of 8200 K on the irradiated side, good agreement between the observed light curve and the nightfall simulation, but we do not regard those values as final
The cataclysmic variable orbital period gap: More evident than ever
Recently, large and homogeneous samples of cataclysmic variables (CVs)
identified by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) were published. In these
samples, the famous orbital period gap, which is a dearth of systems in the
orbital period range ~2-3 hr and the defining feature of most evolutionary
models for CVs, has been claimed not to be clearly present. If true, this
finding would completely change our picture of CV evolution. In this Letter we
focus on potential differences with respect to the orbital period gap between
CVs in which the magnetic field of the white dwarf is strong enough to connect
with that of the donor star, so-called polars, and non-polar CVs as the white
dwarf magnetic field in polars has been predicted to reduce the strength of
angular momentum loss through magnetic braking. We separated the SDSS I-IV
sample of CVs into polars and non-polar systems and performed statistical tests
to evaluate whether the period distributions are bimodal as predicted by the
standard model for CV evolution or not. We confirm the existence of a period
gap in the SDSS I-IV sample of non-polar CVs with >98 per cent confidence. The
boundaries of the orbital period gap are 147 and 191 minutes, with the lower
boundary being different to previously published values (129 min). The orbital
period distribution of polars from SDSS I-IV is clearly different and does not
show a similar period gap. The SDSS samples as well as previous samples of CVs
are consistent with the standard theory of CV evolution. Magnetic braking does
indeed seem get disrupted around the fully convective boundary, which causes a
detached phase during CV evolution. In polars, the white dwarf magnetic field
reduces the strength of magnetic braking and consequently the orbital period
distribution of polars does not display an equally profound and extended period
gap as non-polars.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics Letter
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