Shear-melting of a hexagonal columnar crystal by proliferation of dislocations

A hexagonal columnar crystal undergoes a shear-melting transition above a critical shear rate or stress. We combine the analysis of the shear-thinning regime below the melting with that of synchrotron X-ray scattering data under shear and propose the melting to be due to a proliferation of dislocations, whose density is determined by both techniques to vary as a power law of the shear rate with a 2/3 exponent, as expected for a creep model of crystalline solids. Moreover, our data suggest the existence under shear of a line hexatic phase, between the columnar crystal and the liquid phase

Mean field study of structural changes in Pt isotopes with the Gogny interaction

The evolution of the nuclear shapes along the triaxial landscape is studied in the Pt isotopic chain using the selfconsistent Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov approximation based on the Gogny interaction. In addition to the parametrization D1S, the new incarnations D1N and D1M of this force are also included in our analysis to asses to which extent the predictions are independent of details of the effective interaction. The considered range of neutron numbers 88<N<26 includes prolate, triaxial, oblate and spherical ground state shapes and serves for a detailed comparison of the predictions obtained with the new sets D1N and D1M against the ones provided by the standard parametrization Gogny-D1S in a region of the nuclear landscape for which experimental and theoretical fingerprints of shape transitions have been found. Structural evolution along the Pt chain is discussed in terms of the deformation dependence of single particle energies.Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Energy weighted sum rules for mesons in hot and dense matter

We study energy weighted sum rules of the pion and kaon propagator in nuclear matter at finite temperature. The sum rules are obtained from matching the Dyson form of the meson propagator with its spectral Lehmann representation at low and high energies. We calculate the sum rules for specific models of the kaon and pion self-energy. The in-medium spectral densities of the K and anti-K mesons are obtained from a chiral unitary approach in coupled channels which incorporates the S- and P-waves of the kaon-nucleon interaction. The pion self-energy is determined from the P-wave coupling to particle-hole and Delta-hole excitations, modified by short range correlations. The sum rules for the lower energy weights are fulfilled satisfactorily and reflect the contributions from the different quasi-particle and collective modes of the meson spectral function. We discuss the sensitivity of the sum rules to the distribution of spectral strength and their usefulness as quality tests of model calculations.Comment: 19 pages, 6 figures; one figure added, enhanced discussion, version to appear in PR

Kinetic Ising System in an Oscillating External Field: Stochastic Resonance and Residence-Time Distributions

Experimental, analytical, and numerical results suggest that the mechanism by which a uniaxial single-domain ferromagnet switches after sudden field reversal depends on the field magnitude and the system size. Here we report new results on how these distinct decay mechanisms influence hysteresis in a two-dimensional nearest-neighbor kinetic Ising model. We present theoretical predictions supported by numerical simulations for the frequency dependence of the probability distributions for the hysteresis-loop area and the period-averaged magnetization, and for the residence-time distributions. The latter suggest evidence of stochastic resonance for small systems in moderately weak oscillating fields.Comment: Includes updated results for Fig.2 and minor text revisions to the abstract and text for clarit

FÉRAL, Josette, Mise en scène et jeu de l’acteur : entretiens, Montréal/Carnières (Belgique), Éditions Jeu/Éditions Lansman, t. 2, 1998

Frugivorous birds are important seed dispersers and influence the recruitment of many plant species in the rainforest. The efficiency of this dispersal generally depends on environment quality, bird species, richness and diversity of resources, and low levels of anthropogenic disturbance. In this study, we compared the sighting number of dusky-legged guans (Penelope obscura) by km and their movement in two areas of Serra do Japi, one around the administrative base (Base) where birds received anthropogenic food and a pristine area (DAE) with no anthropogenic resource. We also compared the richness of native seeds in feces of birds living in these two areas. Although the abundance of P. obscura was higher in the Base, these individuals moved less, dispersed 80% fewer species of plants and consumed 30% fewer seeds than individuals from DAE. The rarefaction indicated a low richness in the frugivorous diet of birds from the Base when compared to the populations from DAE. We conclude that human food supply can interfere in the behavior of these birds and in the richness of native seeds dispersed.Frugivorous birds are important seed dispersers and influence the recruitment of many plant species in the rainforest. The efficiency of this dispersal generally depends on environment quality, bird species, richness and diversity of resources, and low le75410081017sem informaçãosem informaçãoAves frugívoras são importantes dispersoras de sementes e influenciam no recrutamento de muitas espécies na floresta tropical. A eficiência dessa dispersão geralmente depende da qualidade do meio ambiente, das espécies de aves envolvidas, da riqueza e divWe thank the Graduate Program in Ecology of Unicampfor financial support through the discipline Topics in Field Ecology. The Research Base of Serra do Japi for lodging and authorizing research in the study area. We also thank E. Pereira for contributions

Universality in Glassy Low-Temperature Physics

We propose a microscopic translationally invariant glass model which exhibits two level tunneling systems with a broad range of asymmetries and barrier heights in its glassy phase. Their distribution is qualitatively different from what is commonly assumed in phenomenological models, in that symmetric tunneling systems are systematically suppressed. Still, the model exhibits the usual glassy low-temperature anomalies. Universality is due to the collective origin of the glassy potential energy landscape. We obtain a simple explanation also for the mysterious {\em quantitative} universality expressed in the unusually narrow universal glassy range of values for the internal friction plateau.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, uses RevTeX

Exact solution of the lattice vertex model analog of the coupled Bariev XY chains

We present the algebraic Bethe Ansatz solution for the vertex model recently proposed by Zhou as the classical analog of the Bariev interacting XY chains. The relevant commutation rules between the creation fields contain the Hecke symmetry pointed out recently by Hikami and Murakami. The eigenvalues of the corresponding transfer matrix are explicitly given.Comment: Plain latex, 8 pag

Digital Availability of Product Information for Collaborative Engineering of Spacecraft

In this paper, we introduce a system to collect product information from manufacturers and make it available in tools that are used for concurrent design of spacecraft. The planning of a spacecraft needs experts from different disciplines, like propulsion, power, and thermal. Since these different disciplines rely on each other there is a high need for communication between them, which is often realized by a Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) process and corresponding tools. We show by comparison that the product information provided by manufacturers often does not match the information needed by MBSE tools on a syntactic or semantic level. The information from manufacturers is also currently not available in machine-readable formats. Afterwards, we present a prototype of a system that makes product information from manufacturers directly available in MBSE tools, in a machine-readable way.Comment: accepted at CDVE201

Ciclagem de nutrientes em cultivo de terceira soca de cana-de-açúcar.

Resumo: O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a liberação de macronutrientes em função de níveis de palhada mantida sobre o solo, na terceira soca de cana-de-açúcar, e sua contribuição para ciclos posteriores. O ensaio foi instalado em Araras ?SP, safra 2011-2012 (variedade RB-845210). Os tratamentos foram os níveis de palhada 25% - 50% - 75% - 100% (2,8 - 5,7 - 8,5 -11,3 t ha-1 em base seca) dispostos em blocos ao acaso, 4 repetições. Foi utilizado o método dos ?litter bags? para avaliar a decomposição da biomassa e sua respectiva ciclagem de nutrientes. Determinou-se as concentrações (g kg-1) de N, P, K, Ca, Mg e S e as quantidades (kg ha-1) liberadas após um ciclo de cultivo. Utilizou-se a análise de variância e regressão. As concentrações de N, P, Ca e S diferiram com níveis de palhada; já o K e Mg não responderam aos tratamentos. O modelo linear melhor se ajustou para as concentrações do N, P, K e Ca, com exceção do Mg e S. Houve maior liberação de nutrientes nos maiores níveis de palhada, porém esta diferença foi atribuída ao aumento da massa entre os tratamentos. Os elementos Ca, K e N, respectivamente, foram os mais liberados, independente dos tratamentos. Conclui-se que variações na quantidade de palhada deixadas sobre o solo apresentam comportamentos diferentes de mineralização de nutrientes durante um ciclo de cultivo da cana-de-açúcar. Há maior liberação de nutrientes nos maiores níveis de palhada, sendo os elementos Ca, K e N, respectivamente, os mais liberados