Phenomenological theory of cuprate superconductivity

Reasonably good agreement with the superconducting transitiontemperatures of the cuprate high‐T c superconductors can be obtained on the basis of an approximate phenomenological theory. In this theory, two criteria are used to calculate the superconducting transitiontemperature. One is that the quantum wavelength is of the order of the electron‐pair spacing. The other is that a fraction of the normal carriers exist as Cooper pairs at T c . The resulting simple equation for T c contains only two parameters: the normal carrier density and effective mass. We calculate specific transition temperatures for 12 cuprate superconductors

Head and Neck Manifestations of Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct the first and only systematic review of the existing literature on head and neck manifestations of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis to guide clinical decision making for the otolaryngologist. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and LILACS. REVIEW METHODS: A systematic review of the aforementioned sources was conducted per the PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS: From an initial 574 studies, 28 trials and reports were included, accounting for a total of 1175 patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis. Among clinical and cohort studies, 48.0% to 96.0% of all included patients presented with head and neck manifestations. In a distinct group of patients detailed in case reports describing patients presenting with head and neck manifestations, patients on average fulfilled 4.6 diagnostic criteria per the American College of Rheumatology. Furthermore, 95.8% of reported cases were responsive to steroids, and 60% required additional therapy. CONCLUSION: Otolaryngologists are in a unique position for the early diagnosis and prevention of late complications of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis. The American College of Rheumatology criteria should be relied on in the diagnostic workup. Close surveillance of these patients in a multidisciplinary fashion and with baseline complete blood counts, chest radiographs, and autoimmune laboratory tests is often necessary. Such patients with head and neck manifestations of the disease are nearly always responsive to steroids and often require additional immunosuppressive therapy or surgical intervention in cases of cranial neuropathies, temporal bone involvement, and refractory symptoms

Frictional Behavior of Input Sediments to the Hikurangi Trench, New Zealand

AbstractThe Hikurangi subduction zone hosts shallow slow‐slip events, possibly extending to the seafloor. The mechanisms allowing for this behavior are poorly understood but are likely a function of the frictional properties of the downgoing seafloor sediments. We conducted friction experiments at a large range of effective stresses, temperatures, and velocities on incoming sediment to the Hikurangi subduction zone to explore the possible connection of frictional properties to slow‐slip events. These experiments were conducted on multiple apparatuses, allowing us to access a wider range of deformation conditions than is available on any one machine. We find that the material frictionally weakens and becomes less velocity strengthening with increasing effective stress, whereas temperature has only a small effect on both friction and frictional stability. When driven at the plate convergence rate, the sediment exhibits velocity‐weakening behavior. These results imply that the frictional properties of the sediment package subducting at Hikurangi could promote slow‐slip events at the pressures, temperatures, and strain rates expected along the plate boundary thrust up to 10‐km depth without requiring elevated pore fluid pressures. The transition to velocity‐strengthening behavior at faster slip rates could provide a mechanism for limiting unstable slip to slow‐sliding velocities, rather than accommodating deformation through ordinary earthquakes

Quantum and Classical Disparity and Accord

Discrepancies and accords between quantum (QM) and classical mechanics (CM) related to expectation values and periods are found for both the simple harmonic oscillator (SHO) and a free particle in a box (FPB), which may apply generally. These indicate non-locality is expected throughout QM. The FPB energy states violate the Correspondence Principle. Previously unexpected accords are found and proven that the classical and quantum expectation values are the same for the expectation value of the second moment and the beat period (i.e. beats between the phases for adjoining energy states) for the SHO for all quantum numbers, n. However, for the FPB the beat periods differ significantly at small n. It is shown that a particle's velocity in an infinite square well varies, no matter how wide the box, nor how far the particle is from the walls. The quantum free particle variances share an indirect commonality with the Aharonov-Bohm and Aharonov-Casher effects in that there is a quantum action in the absence of a force. The concept of an "Expectation Value over a Partial Well Width" is introduced. This paper raises the question as to whether these inconsistencies are undetectable, or can be empirically ascertained. These inherent variances may need to be fixed, or nature is manifestly more non-classical than expected.Comment: To be Published in International Journal of Theoretical Physics. Published on line by IJTP 23 Sept.2008: Original at http://www.springerlink.co

Keck Observatory Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics Discovery and Characterization of a Satellite to the Large Kuiper Belt Object 2003 EL_(61)

The newly commissioned laser guide star adaptive optics system at Keck Observatory has been used to discover and characterize the orbit of a satellite to the bright Kuiper Belt object 2003 EL_(61). Observations over a 6 month period show that the satellite has a semimajor axis of 49,500 ± 400 km, an orbital period of 49.12 ± 0.03 days, and an eccentricity of 0.050 ± 0.003. The inferred mass of the system is (4.2 ± 0.1) × 10^(21) kg, or ~32% of the mass of Pluto and 28.6% ± 0.7% of the mass of the Pluto-Charon system. Mutual occultations occurred in 1999 and will not occur again until 2138. The orbit is fully consistent neither with one tidally evolved from an earlier closer configuration nor with one evolved inward by dynamical friction from an earlier more distant configuration

Basic Connection between Superconductivity and Superfluidity

A basic and inherently simple connection is shown to exist between superconductivity and superfluidity. It is shown here that the author's previously derived general equation which agrees well with the superconducting transition temperatures for the heavy-electron superconductors, metallic superconductors, oxide supercon- ductors, metallic hydrogen, and neutron stars, also works well for the superfluid transition temperature of 2.6 mK for liquid 3He. Reasonable estimates are made from 10^-3 K to 10^9K -- a range of 12 orders of magnitude. The same paradigm applies to the superfluid transition temperature of liquid 4He, but results in a slightly different equation. The superfluid transition temperature for dilute solutions of 3He in superfluid 4He is estimated to be ~ 1 to 10mK. This paradigm works well in detail for metallic, cuprate, and organic superconductors.Comment: 16 pages, 2 figure

The QUEST large area CCD camera

We have designed, constructed, and put into operation a very large area CCD camera that covers the field of view of the 1.2 m Samuel Oschin Schmidt Telescope at the Palomar Observatory. The camera consists of 112 CCDs arranged in a mosaic of four rows with 28 CCDs each. The CCDs are 600 x 2400 pixel Sarnoff thinned, back-illuminated devices with 13 µm x 13 µm pixels. The camera covers an area of 4.6° x 3.6° on the sky with an active area of 9.6 deg_2. This camera has been installed at the prime focus of the telescope and commissioned, and scientific-quality observations on the Palomar-QUEST Variability Sky Survey were started in 2003 September. The design considerations, construction features, and performance parameters of this camera are described in this paper

The Rising Light Curves of Type Ia Supernovae

We present an analysis of the early, rising light curves of 18 Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) discovered by the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) and the La Silla-QUEST variability survey (LSQ). We fit these early data flux using a simple power-law $(f(t) = {\alpha\times t^n})$ to determine the time of first light $({t_0})$, and hence the rise-time $({t_{rise}})$ from first light to peak luminosity, and the exponent of the power-law rise ($n$). We find a mean uncorrected rise time of $18.98 {\pm} 0.54$ days, with individual SN rise-times ranging from $15.98$ to $24.7$ days. The exponent n shows significant departures from the simple 'fireball model' of $n = 2$ (or ${f(t) \propto t^2}$) usually assumed in the literature. With a mean value of $n = 2.44 {\pm} 0.13$, our data also show significant diversity from event to event. This deviation has implications for the distribution of 56Ni throughout the SN ejecta, with a higher index suggesting a lesser degree of 56Ni mixing. The range of n found also confirms that the 56Ni distribution is not standard throughout the population of SNe Ia, in agreement with earlier work measuring such abundances through spectral modelling. We also show that the duration of the very early light curve, before the luminosity has reached half of its maximal value, does not correlate with the light curve shape or stretch used to standardise SNe Ia in cosmological applications. This has implications for the cosmological fitting of SN Ia light curves.Comment: 19 pages, 19 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA