5,618 research outputs found
Towards a bulk theory of flexoelectricity
Flexoelectricity is the linear response of polarization to a strain gradient.
Here we address the simplest class of dielectrics, namely elemental cubic
crystals, and we prove that therein there is no extrinsic (i.e. surface)
contribution to flexoelectricity in the thermodynamic limit. The flexoelectric
tensor is expressed as a bulk response of the solid, manifestly independent of
surface configurations. Furthermore, we prove that the flexoelectric responses
induced by a long-wavelength phonon and by a uniform strain gradient are
identical.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure (2 panels
Optimal generation of entanglement under local control
We study the optimal generation of entanglement between two qubits subject to
local unitary control. With the only assumptions of linear control and unitary
dynamics, by means of a numerical protocol based on the variational approach
(Pontryagin's Minimum Principle), we evaluate the optimal control strategy
leading to the maximal achievable entanglement in an arbitrary interaction
time, taking into account the energy cost associated to the controls. In our
model we can arbitrarily choose the relative weight between a large
entanglement and a small energy cost.Comment: 4 page
Space Time MUSIC: Consistent Signal Subspace Estimation for Wide-band Sensor Arrays
Wide-band Direction of Arrival (DOA) estimation with sensor arrays is an
essential task in sonar, radar, acoustics, biomedical and multimedia
applications. Many state of the art wide-band DOA estimators coherently process
frequency binned array outputs by approximate Maximum Likelihood, Weighted
Subspace Fitting or focusing techniques. This paper shows that bin signals
obtained by filter-bank approaches do not obey the finite rank narrow-band
array model, because spectral leakage and the change of the array response with
frequency within the bin create \emph{ghost sources} dependent on the
particular realization of the source process. Therefore, existing DOA
estimators based on binning cannot claim consistency even with the perfect
knowledge of the array response. In this work, a more realistic array model
with a finite length of the sensor impulse responses is assumed, which still
has finite rank under a space-time formulation. It is shown that signal
subspaces at arbitrary frequencies can be consistently recovered under mild
conditions by applying MUSIC-type (ST-MUSIC) estimators to the dominant
eigenvectors of the wide-band space-time sensor cross-correlation matrix. A
novel Maximum Likelihood based ST-MUSIC subspace estimate is developed in order
to recover consistency. The number of sources active at each frequency are
estimated by Information Theoretic Criteria. The sample ST-MUSIC subspaces can
be fed to any subspace fitting DOA estimator at single or multiple frequencies.
Simulations confirm that the new technique clearly outperforms binning
approaches at sufficiently high signal to noise ratio, when model mismatches
exceed the noise floor.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures. Accepted in a revised form by the IEEE Trans.
on Signal Processing on 12 February 1918. @IEEE201
Orbital magnetization and Chern number in a supercell framework: Single k-point formula
The key formula for computing the orbital magnetization of a crystalline
system has been recently found [D. Ceresoli, T. Thonhauser, D. Vanderbilt, R.
Resta, Phys. Rev. B {\bf 74}, 024408 (2006)]: it is given in terms of a
Brillouin-zone integral, which is discretized on a reciprocal-space mesh for
numerical implementation. We find here the single -point limit, useful
for large enough supercells, and particularly in the framework of
Car-Parrinello simulations for noncrystalline systems. We validate our formula
on the test case of a crystalline system, where the supercell is chosen as a
large multiple of the elementary cell. We also show that--somewhat
counterintuitively--even the Chern number (in 2d) can be evaluated using a
single Hamiltonian diagonalization.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures; appendix adde
Independent sets of maximum weight in apple-free graphs
We present the first polynomial-time algorithm to solve the maximum weight independent set problem for apple-free graphs, which is a common generalization of several important classes where the problem can be solved efficiently, such as claw-free graphs, chordal graphs, and cographs. Our solution is based on a combination of two algorithmic techniques (modular decomposition and decomposition by clique separators) and a deep combinatorial analysis of the structure of apple-free graphs. Our algorithm is robust in the sense that it does not require the input graph G to be apple-free; the algorithm either finds an independent set of maximum weight in G or reports that G is not apple-free
On the emergence of helicity in rotating stratified turbulence
We perform numerical simulations of decaying rotating stratified turbulence
and show, in the Boussinesq framework, that helicity (velocity-vorticity
correlation), as observed in super-cell storms and hurricanes, is spontaneously
created due to an interplay between buoyancy and rotation common to large-scale
atmospheric and oceanic flows. Helicity emerges from the joint action of eddies
and of inertia-gravity waves (with inertia and gravity with respective
associated frequencies and ), and it occurs when the waves are
sufficiently strong. For the amount of helicity produced is correctly
predicted by a quasi-linear balance equation. Outside this regime, and up to
the highest Reynolds number obtained in this study, namely ,
helicity production is found to be persistent for as large as , and for and respectively as large as and
.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure
Decompositions of unitary evolutions and entanglement dynamics of bipartite quantum systems
We describe a decomposition of the Lie group of unitary evolutions for a
bipartite quantum system of arbitrary dimensions. The decomposition is based on
a recursive procedure which systematically uses the Cartan classification of
the symmetric spaces of the Lie group SO(n). The resulting factorization of
unitary evolutions clearly displays the local and entangling character of each
factor.Comment: 11 pages, revtex
Ataxia in children: early recognition and clinical evaluation
Background: Ataxia is a sign of different disorders involving any level of the nervous system and consisting of impaired coordination of movement and balance. It is mainly caused by dysfunction of the complex circuitry connecting the basal ganglia, cerebellum and cerebral cortex.
A careful history, physical examination and some characteristic maneuvers are useful for the diagnosis of ataxia. Some of the causes of ataxia point toward a benign course, but some cases of ataxia can be severe and particularly frightening.
Methods: Here, we describe the primary clinical ways of detecting ataxia, a sign not easily recognizable in children. We also report on the main disorders that cause ataxia in children.
Results: The causal events are distinguished and reported according to the course of the disorder: acute, intermittent, chronic-non-progressive and chronic-progressive.
Conclusions: Molecular research in the field of ataxia in children is rapidly expanding; on the contrary no similar results have been attained in the field of the treatment since most of the congenital forms remain fully untreatable. Rapid recognition and clinical evaluation of ataxia in children remains of great relevance for therapeutic results and prognostic counseling
Accounting history as a local discipline: The Case of the Italian-speaking literature (1869-2008)
The aim of the paper is to demonstrate how Italian-language accounting history was one example of a local accounting discipline. For this purpose, we reviewed all historical publications edited from 1869 to 2008 and conducted an in-depth analysis on the database we built. Evidence about authorships, dates of publication, publication forms, periods of study, issues and approaches, were collected. The results show many changes in the publishing patterns of accounting history research. We also explore how the schools of accounting thought, the assessment of historical research in the recruitment system, the stimuli and opportunities coming from the Italian Society of Accounting History, the role of practitioners in conducting and financing research about the origin of their profession could have influenced authorship, publication forms, and the issues and themes during the century and a half after the Unification of Italy
Accounting history as a local discipline: The Case of the Italian-speaking literature (1869-2008)
The aim of the paper is to demonstrate how Italian-language accounting history was one example of a local accounting discipline. For this purpose, we reviewed all historical publications edited from 1869 to 2008 and conducted an in-depth analysis on the database we built. Evidence about authorships, dates of publication, publication forms, periods of study, issues and approaches, were collected. The results show many changes in the publishing patterns of accounting history research. We also explore how the schools of accounting thought, the assessment of historical research in the recruitment system, the stimuli and opportunities coming from the Italian Society of Accounting History, the role of practitioners in conducting and financing research about the origin of their profession could have influenced authorship, publication forms, and the issues and themes during the century and a half after the Unification of Italy
- …