Algebraic-matrix calculation of vibrational levels of triatomic molecules

We introduce an accurate and efficient algebraic technique for the computation of the vibrational spectra of triatomic molecules, of both linear and bent equilibrium geometry. The full three-dimensional potential energy surface (PES), which can be based on entirely {\it ab initio} data, is parameterized as a product Morse-cosine expansion, expressed in bond-angle internal coordinates, and includes explicit interactions among the local modes. We describe the stretching degrees of freedom in the framework of a Morse-type expansion on a suitable algebraic basis, which provides exact analytical expressions for the elements of a sparse Hamiltonian matrix. Likewise, we use a cosine power expansion on a spherical harmonics basis for the bending degree of freedom. The resulting matrix representation in the product space is very sparse and vibrational levels and eigenfunctions can be obtained by efficient diagonalization techniques. We apply this method to carbonyl sulfide OCS, hydrogen cyanide HCN, water H$_2$O, and nitrogen dioxide NO$_2$. When we base our calculations on high-quality PESs tuned to the experimental data, the computed spectra are in very good agreement with the observed band origins.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, containg additional supporting information in epaps.ps (results in tables, which are useful but not too important for the paper

Detection of an atmosphere around the super-Earth 55 Cancri e

We report the analysis of two new spectroscopic observations of the super-Earth 55 Cancri e, in the near infrared, obtained with the WFC3 camera onboard the HST. 55 Cancri e orbits so close to its parent star, that temperatures much higher than 2000 K are expected on its surface. Given the brightness of 55 Cancri, the observations were obtained in scanning mode, adopting a very long scanning length and a very high scanning speed. We use our specialized pipeline to take into account systematics introduced by these observational parameters when coupled with the geometrical distortions of the instrument. We measure the transit depth per wavelength channel with an average relative uncertainty of 22 ppm per visit and find modulations that depart from a straight line model with a 6$\sigma$ confidence level. These results suggest that 55 Cancri e is surrounded by an atmosphere, which is probably hydrogen-rich. Our fully Bayesian spectral retrieval code, T-REx, has identified HCN to be the most likely molecular candidate able to explain the features at 1.42 and 1.54 $\mu$m. While additional spectroscopic observations in a broader wavelength range in the infrared will be needed to confirm the HCN detection, we discuss here the implications of such result. Our chemical model, developed with combustion specialists, indicates that relatively high mixing ratios of HCN may be caused by a high C/O ratio. This result suggests this super-Earth is a carbon-rich environment even more exotic than previously thought.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, 4 tables, Accepted for publication in Ap

Prehospital Intubations Are Associated With Elevated Cuff Pressures: A Cross-Sectional Study Characterizing ETT Cuff Pressures at the UMMMC University Emergency Department

Abstract will be available upon expiration of embargo

First Measurements of the Electron Density Enhancements Expected in C-shocks

Magnetic precursors of C-shocks accelerate, compress and heat molecular ions, modifying the kinematics and the physical conditions of the ion fluid with respect to the neutral one. Electron densities are also expected to be significantly enhanced in shock precursors. In this Letter, we present observations of strongly polar ion and neutral molecules such as SiO, H13CO+, HN13C and H13CN, which reveal the electron density enhancements associated with the precursor of the young L1448-mm outflow. While in the ambient gas the excitation of the ions and neutrals is explained by collisional excitation by H2 with a single density of 10E5cmE-3, H13CO+ shows an over excitation in the shock precursor component that requires H2 densities of a factor of >10 larger than those derived from the neutral species. This over excitation in H13CO+ can be explained if we consider an additional excitation by collisions with electrons and an electron density enhancement in the precursor stage by a factor of 500, i.e. a fractional ionization of 5x10E-5. These results show that multiline observations can be used to study the evolution of the ion and electron fluids at the first stages of the C-shock interaction.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

Webteaching: sequencing of subject matter in relation to prior knowledge of pupils

Two experiments are discussed in which the sequencing procedure of webteaching is compared with a linear sequence for the presentation of text material.\ud \ud In the first experiment variations in the level of prior knowledge of pupils were studied for their influence on the sequencing mode of text presentation. Prior knowledge greatly reduced the effect of the size of sequencing procedures.\ud \ud In the second experiment pupils with a low level of prior knowledge studied a text, following either a websequence or a linear sequence. Webteaching was superior to linear teaching on a number of dependent variables. It is concluded that webteaching is an effective sequencing procedure in those cases where substantial new learning is required

Chaos and the continuum limit in nonneutral plasmas and charged particle beams

This paper examines discreteness effects in nearly collisionless N-body systems of charged particles interacting via an unscreened r^-2 force, allowing for bulk potentials admitting both regular and chaotic orbits. Both for ensembles and individual orbits, as N increases there is a smooth convergence towards a continuum limit. Discreteness effects are well modeled by Gaussian white noise with relaxation time t_R = const * (N/log L)t_D, with L the Coulomb logarithm and t_D the dynamical time scale. Discreteness effects accelerate emittance growth for initially localised clumps. However, even allowing for discreteness effects one can distinguish between orbits which, in the continuum limit, feel a regular potential, so that emittance grows as a power law in time, and chaotic orbits, where emittance grows exponentially. For sufficiently large N, one can distinguish two different `kinds' of chaos. Short range microchaos, associated with close encounters between charges, is a generic feature, yielding large positive Lyapunov exponents X_N which do not decrease with increasing N even if the bulk potential is integrable. Alternatively, there is the possibility of larger scale macrochaos, characterised by smaller Lyapunov exponents X_S, which is present only if the bulk potential is chaotic. Conventional computations of Lyapunov exponents probe X_N, leading to the oxymoronic conclusion that N-body orbits which look nearly regular and have sharply peaked Fourier spectra are `very chaotic.' However, the `range' of the microchaos, set by the typical interparticle spacing, decreases as N increases, so that, for large N, this microchaos, albeit very strong, is largely irrelevant macroscopically. A more careful numerical analysis allows one to estimate both X_N and X_S.Comment: 13 pages plus 17 figure

An improved rovibrational linelist of formaldehyde, H212C16O

Published high-resolution rotation-vibration transitions of H212C16O, the principal isotopologue of methanal, are analyzed using the MARVEL (Measured Active Rotation-Vibration Energy Levels) procedure. The literature results are augmented by new, high-accuracy measurements of pure rotational transitions within the ground, ν3, ν4, and ν6 vibrational states. Of the 16 596 non-redundant transitions processed, which come from 43 sources including the present work, 16 403 could be validated, providing 5029 empirical energy levels of H212C16O with statistically well-defined uncertainties. All the empirical rotational-vibrational energy levels determined are used to improve the accuracy of ExoMol's AYTY line list for hot formaldehyde. The complete list of collated experimental transitions, the empirical energy levels determined, as well as the extended and improved line list are provided as Supplementary Material

A variationally computed line list for hot NH3

We present 'BYTe', a comprehensive 'hot' line list for the ro-vibrational transitions of ammonia, 14NH3, in its ground electronic state. This line list has been computed variationally using the program suite TROVE, a new spectroscopically-determined potential energy surface and an ab initio dipole moment surface. BYTe, is designed to be used at all temperatures up to 1500K. It comprises 1137650964 transitions in the frequency range from 0 to 12000 cm-1, constructed from 1366519 energy levels below 18000 cm-1 having J values below 36. Comparisons with laboratory data confirm the accuracy of the line list which is suitable for modelling a variety of astrophysical problems including the atmospheres of extrasolar planets and brown dwarfs.Comment: the paper has been submitted to MNRA

Phase transition in the collisionless regime for wave-particle interaction

Gibbs statistical mechanics is derived for the Hamiltonian system coupling self-consistently a wave to N particles. This identifies Landau damping with a regime where a second order phase transition occurs. For nonequilibrium initial data with warm particles, a critical initial wave intensity is found: above it, thermodynamics predicts a finite wave amplitude in the limit of infinite N; below it, the equilibrium amplitude vanishes. Simulations support these predictions providing new insight on the long-time nonlinear fate of the wave due to Landau damping in plasmas.Comment: 12 pages (RevTeX), 2 figures (PostScript