769 research outputs found
A model for selection of eyespots on butterfly wings
The development of eyespots on the wing surface of butterflies of the family Nympalidae is one of the most studied examples of biological pattern formation.However, little is known about the mechanism that determines the number and precise locations of eyespots on the wing. Eyespots develop around signaling centers, called foci, that are located equidistant from wing veins along the midline of a wing cell (an area bounded by veins). A fundamental question that remains unsolved is, why a certain wing cell develops an eyespot, while other wing cells do not. We illustrate that the key to understanding focus point selection may be in the venation system of the wing disc. Our main hypothesis is that changes in morphogen concentration along the proximal boundary veins of wing cells govern focus point selection. Based on previous studies, we focus on a spatially two-dimensional reaction-diffusion system model posed in the interior of each wing cell that describes the formation of focus points. Using finite element based numerical simulations, we demonstrate that variation in the proximal boundary condition is sufficient to robustly select whether an eyespot focus point forms in otherwise identical wing cells. We also illustrate that this behavior is robust to small perturbations in the parameters and geometry and moderate levels of noise. Hence, we suggest that an anterior-posterior pattern of morphogen concentration along the proximal vein may be the main determinant of the distribution of focus points on the wing surface. In order to complete our model, we propose a two stage reaction-diffusion system model, in which an one-dimensional surface reaction-diffusion system, posed on the proximal vein, generates the morphogen concentrations that act as non-homogeneous Dirichlet (i.e., fixed) boundary conditions for the two-dimensional reaction-diffusion model posed in the wing cells. The two-stage model appears capable of generating focus point distributions observed in nature.
We therefore conclude that changes in the proximal boundary conditions are sufficient to explain the empirically observed distribution of eyespot focus points on the entire wing surface. The model predicts, subject to experimental verification, that the source strength of the activator at the proximal boundary should be lower in wing cells in which focus points form than in those that lack focus points. The model suggests that the number and locations of eyespot foci on the wing disc could be largely controlled by two kinds of gradients along two different directions, that is, the first one is the gradient in spatially varying parameters such as the reaction rate along the anterior-posterior direction on the proximal boundary of the wing cells, and the second one is the gradient in source values of the activator along the veins in the proximal-distal direction of the wing cell
Schottky mass measurements of heavy neutron-rich nuclides in the element range 70\leZ \le79 at the ESR
Storage-ring mass spectrometry was applied to neutron-rich Au
projectile fragments. Masses of Lu, Hf, Ta,
W, and Re nuclei were measured for the first time. The
uncertainty of previously known masses of W and Os nuclei
was improved. Observed irregularities on the smooth two-neutron separation
energies for Hf and W isotopes are linked to the collectivity phenomena in the
corresponding nuclei.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, 2 table
Centrality dependence of charged antiparticle to particle ratios near mid-rapidity in d+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=200 GeV
The ratios of the yields of charged antiparticles to particles have been
obtained for pions, kaons, and protons near mid-rapidity for d+Au collisions at
sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV as a function of centrality. The reported values represent
the ratio of the yields averaged over the rapidity range of 0.1<y_pi<1.3 and
0<y_(K,p)<0.8, where positive rapidity is in the deuteron direction, and for
transverse momenta 0.1<p_(T)^(pi,K)<1.0 GeV/c and 0.3<p_(T)^(p)<1.0 GeV/c.
Within the uncertainties, a lack of centrality dependence is observed in all
three ratios. The data are compared to results from other systems and model
calculations.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, submitted to PR
Pseudorapidity and centrality dependence of the collective flow of charged particles in Au+Au collisions at sqrt{s_NN} = 130 GeV
This paper describes the measurement of collective flow for charged particles
in Au+Au collisions at sqrt{s_NN}} = 130 GeV using the PHOBOS detector at the
Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). An azimuthal anisotropy is observed in
the charged particle hit distribution in the PHOBOS multiplicity detector. This
anisotropy is presented over a wide range of pseudorapidity (eta) for the first
time at this energy. The size of the anisotropy (v_{2}) is thought to probe the
degree of equilibration achieved in these collisions. The result here,averaged
over momenta and particle species, is observed to reach 7% for peripheral
collisions at mid-rapidity, falling off with centrality and increasing |eta|.
Data are presented as a function of centrality for |eta|<1.0 and as a function
of eta, averaged over centrality, in the angular region -5.0<eta<5.3. These
results call into question the common assumption of longitudinal boost
invariance over a large region of rapidity in RHIC collisions.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Physical Review Letter
Evidence of Final-State Suppression of High-p_T Hadrons in Au + Au Collisions Using d + Au Measurements at RHIC
Transverse momentum spectra of charged hadrons with 6 GeV/c have
been measured near mid-rapidity (0.2 1.4) by the PHOBOS experiment
at RHIC in Au + Au and d + Au collisions at . The spectra for different collision centralities are compared to collisions at the same energy. The resulting nuclear modification
factor for central Au + Au collisions shows evidence of strong suppression of
charged hadrons in the high- region ( GeV/c). In contrast, the d +
Au nuclear modification factor exhibits no suppression of the high-
yields. These measurements suggest a large energy loss of the high-
particles in the highly interacting medium created in the central Au + Au
collisions. The lack of suppression in d + Au collisions suggests that it is
unlikely that initial state effects can explain the suppression in the central
Au + Au collisions.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figures, International Europhysics Conference on High
Energy Physics EPS (July 17th-23rd 2003) in Aachen, German
Collision geometry scaling of Au+Au pseudorapidity density from sqrt(s_NN) = 19.6 to 200 GeV
The centrality dependence of the midrapidity charged particle multiplicity in
Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 19.6 and 200 GeV is presented. Within a simple
model, the fraction of hard (scaling with number of binary collisions) to soft
(scaling with number of participant pairs) interactions is consistent with a
value of x = 0.13 +/- 0.01(stat) +/- 0.05(syst) at both energies. The
experimental results at both energies, scaled by inelastic p(pbar)+p collision
data, agree within systematic errors. The ratio of the data was found not to
depend on centrality over the studied range and yields a simple linear scale
factor of R_(200/19.6) = 2.03 +/- 0.02(stat) +/- 0.05(syst).Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, submitted to PRC-R
Charged-Particle Pseudorapidity Distributions in Au+Au Collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=62.4 GeV
The charged-particle pseudorapidity density for Au+Au collisions at
sqrt(s_NN)=62.4 GeV has been measured over a wide range of impact parameters
and compared to results obtained at other energies. As a function of collision
energy, the pseudorapidity distribution grows systematically both in height and
width. The mid-rapidity density is found to grow approximately logarithmically
between AGS energies and the top RHIC energy. As a function of centrality,
there is an approximate factorization of the centrality dependence of the
mid-rapidity yields and the overall multiplicity scale. The new results at
sqrt(s_NN)=62.4 GeV confirm the previously observed phenomenon of ``extended
longitudinal scaling'' in the pseudorapidity distributions when viewed in the
rest frame of one of the colliding nuclei. It is also found that the evolution
of the shape of the distribution with centrality is energy independent, when
viewed in this reference frame. As a function of centrality, the total charged
particle multiplicity scales linearly with the number of participant pairs as
it was observed at other energies.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. C - Rapid Communication
Event-by-event fluctuations of azimuthal particle anisotropy in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV
This paper presents the first measurement of event-by-event fluctuations of
the elliptic flow parameter v_2 in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200GeV as a
function of collision centrality. The relative non-statistical fluctuations of
the v_2 parameter are found to be approximately 40%. The results, including
contributions from event-by-event elliptic flow fluctuations and from azimuthal
correlations that are unrelated to the reaction plane (non-flow correlations),
establish an upper limit on the magnitude of underlying elliptic flow
fluctuations. This limit is consistent with predictions based on spatial
fluctuations of the participating nucleons in the initial nuclear overlap
region. These results provide important constraints on models of the initial
state and hydrodynamic evolution of relativistic heavy ion collisions.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, Published in Phys. Rev. Lett
Non-flow correlations and elliptic flow fluctuations in gold-gold collisions at sqrt(s_NN)= 200 GeV
This paper presents results on event-by-event elliptic flow fluctuations in
Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=200Gev, where the contribution from non-flow
correlations has been subtracted. An analysis method is introduced to measure
non-flow correlations, relying on the assumption that non-flow correlations are
most prominent at short ranges (Delta eta < 2). Assuming that non-flow
correlations are of the order that is observed in p+p collisions for long range
correlations (Delta eta > 2), relative elliptic flow fluctuations of
approximately 30-40% are observed. These results are consistent with
predictions based on spatial fluctuations of the participating nucleons in the
initial nuclear overlap region. It is found that the long range non-flow
correlations in Au+Au collisions would have to be more than an order of
magnitude stronger compared to the p+p data to lead to the observed azimuthal
anisotropy fluctuations with no intrinsic elliptic flow fluctuations.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, Published in Phys. Rev.
Energy dependence of particle multiplicities in central Au+Au collisions
We present the first measurement of the pseudorapidity density of primary
charged particles in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 200GeV. For the 6% most
central collisions, we obtain dN_ch/deta|_|eta|<1 = 650 +/- 35 (syst). Compared
to collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 130GeV, the highest energy studied previously, an
increase by a factor of 1.14 +/- 0.05 is found. The energy dependence of the
pseudorapidity density is discussed in comparison with data from proton-induced
collisions and theoretical predictions.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, submitted to PR
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