The Progenitors of Recent Core-Collapse Supernovae

We present the results of our analysis of Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and deep ground-based images to isolate the massive progenitor stars of the two recent core-collapse supernovae 2008 bk and 2008 cn. The identification of the progenitors is facilitated in one of these two cases by high-precision astrometry based on our HST imaging of SNe at late times

Structural anisotropy and orientation-induced Casimir repulsion in fluids

In this work we theoretically consider the Casimir force between two periodic arrays of nanowires (both in vacuum, and on a substrate separated by a fluid) at separations comparable to the period. Specifically, we compute the dependence of the exact Casimir force between the arrays under both lateral translations and rotations. Although typically the force between such structures is well-characterized by the Proximity Force Approximation (PFA), we find that in the present case the microstructure modulates the force in a way qualitatively inconsistent with PFA. We find instead that effective-medium theory, in which the slabs are treated as homogeneous, anisotropic dielectrics, gives a surprisingly accurate picture of the force, down to separations of half the period. This includes a situation for identical, fluid-separated slabs in which the exact force changes sign with the orientation of the wire arrays, whereas PFA predicts attraction. We discuss the possibility of detecting these effects in experiments, concluding that this effect is strong enough to make detection possible in the near future.Comment: 12 pages, 9, figure. Published version with expanded discussio

Structural anisotropy and orientation-induced Casimir repulsion in fluids

In this work we theoretically consider the Casimir force between two periodic arrays of nanowires (both in vacuum, and on a substrate separated by a fluid) at separations comparable to the period. Specifically, we compute the dependence of the exact Casimir force between the arrays under both lateral translations and rotations. Although typically the force between such structures is well-characterized by the Proximity Force Approximation (PFA), we find that in the present case the microstructure modulates the force in a way qualitatively inconsistent with PFA. We find instead that effective-medium theory, in which the slabs are treated as homogeneous, anisotropic dielectrics, gives a surprisingly accurate picture of the force, down to separations of half the period. This includes a situation for identical, fluid-separated slabs in which the exact force changes sign with the orientation of the wire arrays, whereas PFA predicts attraction. We discuss the possibility of detecting these effects in experiments, concluding that this effect is strong enough to make detection possible in the near future.Comment: 12 pages, 9, figure. Published version with expanded discussio

Complexity analysis of Klein-Gordon single-particle systems

The Fisher-Shannon complexity is used to quantitatively estimate the contribution of relativistic effects to on the internal disorder of Klein-Gordon single-particle Coulomb systems which is manifest in the rich variety of three-dimensional geometries of its corresponding quantum-mechanical probability density. It is observed that, contrary to the non-relativistic case, the Fisher-Shannon complexity of these relativistic systems does depend on the potential strength (nuclear charge). This is numerically illustrated for pionic atoms. Moreover, its variation with the quantum numbers (n, l, m) is analysed in various ground and excited states. It is found that the relativistic effects enhance when n and/or l are decreasing.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, Accepted in EPL (Europhysics Letters

Unconventional and conventional quantum criticalities in CeRh0.58_{0.58}Ir0.42_{0.42}In5_5

An appropriate description of the state of matter that appears as a second order phase transition is tuned toward zero temperature, {\it viz.} quantum-critical point (QCP), poses fundamental and still not fully answered questions. Experiments are needed both to test basic conclusions and to guide further refinement of theoretical models. Here, charge and entropy transport properties as well as AC specific heat of the heavy-fermion compound CeRh$_{0.58}$Ir$_{0.42}$In$_5$, measured as a function of pressure, reveal two qualitatively different QCPs in a {\it single} material driven by a {\it single} non-symmetry-breaking tuning parameter. A discontinuous sign-change jump in thermopower suggests an unconventional QCP at $p_{c1}$ accompanied by an abrupt Fermi-surface reconstruction that is followed by a conventional spin-density-wave critical point at $p_{c2}$ across which the Fermi surface evolves smoothly to a heavy Fermi-liquid state. These experiments are consistent with some theoretical predictions, including the sequence of critical points and the temperature dependence of the thermopower in their vicinity.Comment: 21+3 pages, 4+2 figures. Change the title, figures et a

Nuclear magnetic resonance investigation of the heavy fermion system Ce2_2CoAl7_7Ge4_4

We present nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) measurements performed on single crystalline \ccag{}, a member of a recently discovered family of heavy fermion materials Ce$_2M$Al$_7$Ge$_4$ ($M$ = Co, Ir, Ni, or Pd). Previous measurements indicated a strong Kondo interaction as well as magnetic order below $T_M = 1.8$ K. Our NMR spectral measurements show that the Knight shift $K$ is proportional to the bulk magnetic susceptibility $\chi$ at high temperatures. A clear Knight shift anomaly ($K \not\propto \chi$) is observed at coherence temperatures $T^* \sim 17.5$ K for $H_0 \parallel \hat{c}$ and 10 K for $H_0 \parallel \hat{a}$ at the ${}^{59}$Co site, and $T^* \sim 12.5$ K at the ${}^{27}$Al(3) site for $H_0 \parallel \hat{a}$ characteristic of the heavy fermion nature of this compound. At high temperatures the ${}^{59}$Co NMR spin-lattice relaxation rate $T_1^{-1}$ is dominated by spin fluctuations of the 4$f$ local moments with a weak metallic background. The spin fluctuations probed by ${}^{59}$Co NMR are anisotropic and larger in the basal plane than in the $c$ direction. Furthermore, we find $(T_1TK)^{-1} \propto T^{-1/2}$ at the ${}^{59}$Co site as expected for a Kondo system for $T > T^*$ and $T> T_K$. ${}^{59}$Co NQR \slrr{} measurements at low temperatures indicate slowing down of spin fluctuations above the magnetic ordering temperature $T_M \sim 1.8$ K. A weak ferromagnetic character of fluctuations around $\mathbf{q}=0$ is evidenced by an increase of $\chi T$ versus $T$ above the magnetic ordering temperature. We also find good agreement between the observed and calculated electric field gradients at all observed sites