509 research outputs found
A new method for the estimation of variance matrix with prescribed zeros in nonlinear mixed effects models
We propose a new method for the Maximum Likelihood Estimator (MLE) of
nonlinear mixed effects models when the variance matrix of Gaussian random
effects has a prescribed pattern of zeros (PPZ). The method consists in
coupling the recently developed Iterative Conditional Fitting (ICF) algorithm
with the Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm. It provides positive definite
estimates for any sample size, and does not rely on any structural assumption
on the PPZ. It can be easily adapted to many versions of EM.Comment: Accepted for publication in Statistics and Computin
Atomistic Studies of Defect Nucleation during Nanoindentation of Au (001)
Atomistic studies are carried out to investigate the formation and evolution
of defects during nanoindentation of a gold crystal. The results in this
theoretical study complement the experimental investigations [J. D. Kiely and
J. E. Houston, Phys. Rev. B, v57, 12588 (1998)] extremely well. The defects are
produced by a three step mechanism involving nucleation, glide and reaction of
Shockley partials on the {111} slip planes noncoplanar with the indented
surface. We have observed that slip is in the directions along which the
resolved shear stress has reached the critical value of approximately 2 GPa.
The first yield occurs when the shear stresses reach this critical value on all
the {111} planes involved in the formation of the defect. The phenomenon of
strain hardening is observed due to the sessile stair-rods produced by the
zipping of the partials. The dislocation locks produced during the second yield
give rise to permanent deformation after retraction.Comment: 11 pages, 13 figures, submitted to Physical Review
The 2-Channel Kondo Model I: Review of Experimental Evidence for its Realization in Metal Nanoconstrictions
Certain zero-bias anomalies (ZBAs) in the voltage, temperature and magnetic
field dependence of the conductance of quenched Cu point contacts
have previously been interpreted to be due to non-magnetic 2-channel Kondo
(2CK) scattering from near-degenerate atomic two-level tunneling systems (Ralph
and Buhrman, 1992; Ralph et al. 1994), and hence to represent an experimental
realization of the non-Fermi-liquid physics of the T=0 fixed point of the
2-channel Kondo model. In this, the first in a series of three papers
(I,II,III) devoted to 2-channel Kondo physics, we present a comprehensive
review of the quenched Cu ZBA experiments and their 2CK interpretation,
including new results on ZBAs in constrictions made from Ti or from metallic
glasses. We first review the evidence that the ZBAs are due to electron
scattering from stuctural defects that are not static, but possess internal
dynamics. In order to distinguish between several mechanisms proposed to
explain the experiments, we then analyze the scaling properties of the
conductance at low temperature and voltage and extract from the data a
universal scaling function . The theoretical calculation of the
corresponding scaling function within the 2CK model is the subject of papers II
and III. The main conclusion of our work is that the properties of the ZBAs,
and most notably their scaling behavior, are in good agreement with the 2CK
model and clearly different from several other proposed mechanisms.Comment: 35 pages RevTeX, 19 encapsulated postscript figures; this final
published version features two additional authors, an additional section
reviewing recent experiments on Ti nanoconstrictions that agree very well
with the 2-channel Kondo model, 6 new figures (and is much shorter the
previous 53 page version, due to reformatting
Sum rules and energy scales in the high-temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O6+x
The Ferrell-Glover-Tinkham (FGT) sum rule has been applied to the temperature
dependence of the in-plane optical conductivity of optimally-doped
YBa_2Cu_3O_{6.95} and underdoped YBa_2Cu_3O_{6.60}. Within the accuracy of the
experiment, the sum rule is obeyed in both materials. However, the energy scale
\omega_c required to recover the full strength of the superfluid \rho_s in the
two materials is dramatically different; \omega_c \simeq 800 cm^{-1} in the
optimally doped system (close to twice the maximum of the superconducting gap,
2\Delta_0), but \omega_c \gtrsim 5000 cm^{-1} in the underdoped system. In both
materials, the normal-state scattering rate close to the critical temperature
is small, \Gamma < 2\Delta_0, so that the materials are not in the dirty limit
and the relevant energy scale for \rho_s in a BCS material should be twice the
energy gap. The FGT sum rule in the optimally-doped material suggests that the
majority of the spectral weight of the condensate comes from energies below
2\Delta_0, which is consistent with a BCS material in which the condensate
originates from a Fermi liquid normal state. In the underdoped material the
larger energy scale may be a result of the non-Fermi liquid nature of the
normal state. The dramatically different energy scales suggest that the nature
of the normal state creates specific conditions for observing the different
aspects of what is presumably a central mechanism for superconductivity in
these materials.Comment: RevTeX 4 file, 9 pages with 7 embedded eps figure
First Observation of Coherent Production in Neutrino Nucleus Interactions with 2 GeV
The MiniBooNE experiment at Fermilab has amassed the largest sample to date
of s produced in neutral current (NC) neutrino-nucleus interactions at
low energy. This paper reports a measurement of the momentum distribution of
s produced in mineral oil (CH) and the first observation of coherent
production below 2 GeV. In the forward direction, the yield of events
observed above the expectation for resonant production is attributed primarily
to coherent production off carbon, but may also include a small contribution
from diffractive production on hydrogen. Integrated over the MiniBooNE neutrino
flux, the sum of the NC coherent and diffractive modes is found to be (19.5
1.1 (stat) 2.5 (sys))% of all exclusive NC production at
MiniBooNE. These measurements are of immediate utility because they quantify an
important background to MiniBooNE's search for
oscillations.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Lett.
Black Hole Spin via Continuum Fitting and the Role of Spin in Powering Transient Jets
The spins of ten stellar black holes have been measured using the
continuum-fitting method. These black holes are located in two distinct classes
of X-ray binary systems, one that is persistently X-ray bright and another that
is transient. Both the persistent and transient black holes remain for long
periods in a state where their spectra are dominated by a thermal accretion
disk component. The spin of a black hole of known mass and distance can be
measured by fitting this thermal continuum spectrum to the thin-disk model of
Novikov and Thorne; the key fit parameter is the radius of the inner edge of
the black hole's accretion disk. Strong observational and theoretical evidence
links the inner-disk radius to the radius of the innermost stable circular
orbit, which is trivially related to the dimensionless spin parameter a_* of
the black hole (|a_*| < 1). The ten spins that have so far been measured by
this continuum-fitting method range widely from a_* \approx 0 to a_* > 0.95.
The robustness of the method is demonstrated by the dozens or hundreds of
independent and consistent measurements of spin that have been obtained for
several black holes, and through careful consideration of many sources of
systematic error. Among the results discussed is a dichotomy between the
transient and persistent black holes; the latter have higher spins and larger
masses. Also discussed is recently discovered evidence in the transient sources
for a correlation between the power of ballistic jets and black hole spin.Comment: 30 pages. Accepted for publication in Space Science Reviews. Also to
appear in hard cover in the Space Sciences Series of ISSI "The Physics of
Accretion onto Black Holes" (Springer Publisher). Changes to Sections 5.2,
6.1 and 7.4. Section 7.4 responds to Russell et al. 2013 (MNRAS, 431, 405)
who find no evidence for a correlation between the power of ballistic jets
and black hole spi
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
Measurements of Direct CP Violation, CPT Symmetry, and Other Parameters in the Neutral Kaon System
We present a series of measurements based on K -> pi+pi- and K -> pi0pi0
decays collected in 1996-1997 by the KTeV experiment (E832) at Fermilab. We
compare these four K -> pipi decay rates to measure the direct CP violation
parameter Re(e'/e) = (20.7 +- 2.8) x 10^-4. We also test CPT symmetry by
measuring the relative phase between the CP violating and CP conserving decay
amplitudes for K->pi+pi- (phi+-) and for K -> pi0pi0 (phi00). We find the
difference between the relative phases to be Delta-phi = phi00 - phi+- = (+0.39
+- 0.50) degrees and the deviation of phi+- from the superweak phase to be
phi+- - phi_SW =(+0.61 +- 1.19) degrees; both results are consistent with CPT
symmetry. In addition, we present new measurements of the KL-KS mass difference
and KS lifetime: Delta-m = (5261 +- 15) x 10^6 hbar/s and tauS = (89.65 +-
0.07) x 10^-12 s.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev. D, August 6, 2002; 37 pages, 32 figure
Measurement of and charged current inclusive cross sections and their ratio with the T2K off-axis near detector
We report a measurement of cross section and the first measurements of the cross section
and their ratio
at (anti-)neutrino energies below 1.5
GeV. We determine the single momentum bin cross section measurements, averaged
over the T2K -flux, for the detector target material (mainly
Carbon, Oxygen, Hydrogen and Copper) with phase space restricted laboratory
frame kinematics of 500 MeV/c. The
results are and $\sigma(\nu)=\left( 2.41\
\pm0.022{\rm{(stat.)}}\pm0.231{\rm (syst.)}\ \right)\times10^{-39}^{2}R\left(\frac{\sigma(\bar{\nu})}{\sigma(\nu)}\right)=
0.373\pm0.012{\rm (stat.)}\pm0.015{\rm (syst.)}$.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figure
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