Is there a tensionless Kardar-Parisi-Zhang universality class above one dimension? An Ising model approach

The Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) equation is a paradigm of generic scale invariance, for which it represents a conspicuous universality class. Recently, the tensionless case of this equation has been shown to provide a different universality class by itself. This class describes the -- intrinsically anomalous -- scaling of one-dimensional (1D) fronts for several physical systems that feature ballistic dynamics. In this work, we show that the evolution of certain 1D fronts defined for a 2D Ising system also belongs to the tensionless KPZ universality class. Nevertheless, the Ising fronts exhibit multiscaling, at variance with the continuous equation. The discrete nature of these fronts provides an alternative approach to assess the dynamics for the 2D front case (for a 3D Ising system), since the direct integration of the tensionless KPZ equation blows up in this case. In spite of the agreement between the 1D scaling of the Ising fronts and the tensionless KPZ equation, the fluctuation statistics in 1D and the full behavior in 2D are strongly conditioned by boundary effects.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figure

Warps and correlations with intrinsic parameters of galaxies in the visible and radio

From a comparison of the different parameters of warped galaxies in the radio, and especially in the visible, we find that: a) No large galaxy (large mass or radius) has been found to have high amplitude in the warp, and there is no correlation of size/mass with the degree of asymmetry of the warp. b) The disc density and the ratio of dark to luminous mass show an opposing trend: smaller values give more asymmetric warps in the inner radii (optical warps) but show no correlation with the amplitude of the warp; however, in the external radii neither is there any correlation with the asymmetry. c) A third anticorrelation arises from a comparison of the amplitude and degree of asymmetry in the warped galaxies. Hence, it seems that very massive dark matter haloes have nothing to do with the formation of warps but only with the degree of symmetry in the inner radii, and are unrelated to the warp shape for the outermost radii. Denser discs show up the same dependence.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures, accepted to be published in A&

Secular variations of magma source compositions in the North Patagonian batholith from the Jurassic to Tertiary: Was mélange melting involved?

This study of Sr-Nd initial isotopic ratios of plutons from the North Patago nian batholith (Argentina and Chile) revealed that a secular evolution spanning 180 m.y., from the Jurassic to Neogene, can be established in terms of magma sources, which in turn are correlated with changes in the tectonic regime. The provenance and composition of end-member components in the source of mag mas are represented by the Sr-Nd initial isotopic ratios (87Sr/86Sr and 143Nd/144Nd) of the plutonic rocks. Our results support the interpretation that source compo sition was determined by incorporation of varied crustal materials and trench sediments via subduction erosion and sediment subduction into a subduction channel mélange. Subsequent melting of subducted mélanges at mantle depths and eventual reaction with the ultramafic mantle are proposed as the main causes of batholith magma generation, which was favored during periods of fast conver gence and high obliquity between the involved plates. We propose that a parental diorite (= andesite) precursor arrived at the lower arc crust, where it underwent fractionation to yield the silicic melts (granodiorites and granites) that formed the batholiths. The diorite precursor could have been in turn fractionated from a more mafic melt of basaltic andesite composition, which was formed within the mantle by complete reaction of the bulk mélanges and the peridotite. Our proposal follows model predictions on the formation of mélange diapirs that carry fertile subducted materials into hot regions of the suprasubduction mantle wedge, where mafic parental magmas of batholiths originate. This model not only accounts for the secular geochemical variations of Andean batholiths, but it also avoids a fundamental paradox of the classical basalt model: the absence of ultramafic cumulates in the lower arc crust and in the continental crust in general

Black Hole Scattering from Monodromy

We study scattering coefficients in black hole spacetimes using analytic properties of complexified wave equations. For a concrete example, we analyze the singularities of the Teukolsky equation and relate the corresponding monodromies to scattering data. These techniques, valid in full generality, provide insights into complex-analytic properties of greybody factors and quasinormal modes. This leads to new perturbative and numerical methods which are in good agreement with previous results.Comment: 28 pages + appendices, 2 figures. For Mathematica calculation of Stokes multipliers, download "StokesNotebook" from https://sites.google.com/site/justblackholes/techy-zon

For which infants with viral bronchiolitis could it be deemed appropriate to use albuterol, at least on a therapeutic trial basis?

Although there is increasing evidence showing that infants with viral bronchiolitis exhibit a high degree of heterogeneity, a core uncertainty shared by many clinicians is with regard to understanding which patients are most likely to benefit from bronchodilators such as albuterol. Based on our review, we concluded that older infants with rhinovirus (RV) bronchiolitis, especially those with a nasopharyngeal microbiome dominated by Haemophilus influenzae; those affected during nonpeak months or during non-respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) predominant months; those with wheezing at presentation; those with clinical characteristics such as atopic dermatitis or a family history of asthma in a first-degree relative; and those infants infected with RSV genotypes ON1 and BA, have the greatest likelihood of benefiting from albuterol. Presently, this patient profile could serve as the basis for rational albuterol administration in patients with viral bronchiolitis, at least on a therapeutic trial basis, and it could also be the starting point for future targeted randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on the use of albuterol among a subset of infants with bronchiolitis

Intracluster stars in the Virgo cluster core

We have investigated the properties of the diffuse light in the Virgo cluster core region, based on the detection of intracluster planetary nebulae (PNe) in four fields. We eliminate the bias from misclassified faint continuum objects, using improved Monte Carlo simulations, and the contaminations by high redshift Ly$\alpha$ galaxies, using the Ly$\alpha$ luminosity function in blank fields. Recent spectroscopic observations confirm that our photometric PN samples are well-understood. We find that the diffuse stellar population in the Virgo core region is inhomogeneous on scales of 30'-90': there exist significant field-to-field variations in the number density of PNe and the inferred amount of intracluster light, with some empty fields, some fields dominated by extended Virgo galaxy halos, and some fields dominated by the true intracluster component. There is no clear trend with distance from M87. The mean surface luminosity density, its rms variation, and the mean surface brightness of diffuse light in our 4 fields are $\Sigma_B = 2.7 x 10^{6}$ L$_{B\odot}$ arcmin$^{-2}$, ${rms} = 2.1 \times 10^{6}$ L$_{B\odot}$ arcmin$^{-2}$, and $\bar{\mu}_{B}=29.0$ mag arcsec$^{-2}$ respectively. Our results indicate that the Virgo cluster is a dynamically young environment, and that the intracluster component is associated at least partially with local physical processes like galaxy interactions or harassment. We also argue, based on kinematic evidence, that the so-called 'over-luminous' PNe in the halo of M84 are dynamically associated with this galaxy, and must thus be brighter than and part of a different stellar population from the normal PN population in elliptical galaxies.Comment: 31 pages, 6 figure. In press on the Astronomical Journa

O jogo de tabuleiro como ambiente restaurador da atenção concentrada

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo generalizar os estudos de Kaplan (1995), avaliando se uma partida de jogo de tabuleiro tem capacidade de restauração da atenção concentrada e apresenta como hipóteses: H0 – O jogo de tabuleiro não influência na restauração da atenção e H1 – O jogo de tabuleiro potencializa a restauração da atenção. Kaplan afirma que a atenção concentrada é suscetível à fadiga e é melhor restaurada em ambientes que apresentam os seguintes quatro critérios: Fascinação, Afastamento, Extensão e Compatibilidade. O autor mostra, também, que ambientes naturais tentem a ter maior capacidade de restauração do que ambientes urbanos. Posteriormente foi mostrado que a meditação também possui os quatro critérios e pode ser um bom restaurador. Trata-se de um estudo experimental de desenho tipicamente entre os sujeitos, com 3 grupos experimentais: Grupo Controle, Grupo 1 e Grupo 2, totalizando 113 participantes. Onde o Grupo Controle (32 participantes) respondeu um questionário de Necessidade de Cognição, realizou um Teste AC e ficou 40 minutos sem atividade e repetiu o Teste AC. O Grupo 1 (50 participantes), entre os testes, assistiu um vídeo de 40 minutos de cachoeiras e o Grupo 2 (31 participantes) jogou uma partida do jogo de tabuleiro “Ticket to Ride: Europe” entre os testes. Os resultados apontam a confirmação da H0, além de mostrarem que a NC não mantém relação com a Atenção concentrada

Fossil group origins V. The dependence of the luminosity function on the magnitude gap

In nature we observe galaxy aggregations that span a wide range of magnitude gaps between the two first-ranked galaxies of a system ($\Delta m_{12}$). There are systems with gaps close to zero (e.g., the Coma cluster), and at the other extreme of the distribution, the largest gaps are found among the so-called fossil systems. Fossil and non-fossil systems could have different galaxy populations that should be reflected in their luminosity functions. In this work we study, for the first time, the dependence of the luminosity function parameters on $\Delta m_{12}$ using data obtained by the fossil group origins (FOGO) project. We constructed a hybrid luminosity function for 102 groups and clusters at $z \le 0.25$. We stacked all the individual luminosity functions, dividing them into bins of $\Delta m_{12}$, and studied their best-fit Schechter parameters. We additionally computed a relative luminosity function, expressed as a function of the central galaxy luminosity, which boosts our capacity to detect differences, especially at the bright end. We find trends as a function of $\Delta m_{12}$ at both the bright and faint ends of the luminosity function. In particular, at the bright end, the larger the magnitude gap, the fainter the characteristic magnitude $M^\ast$. We also find differences at the faint end. In this region, the larger the gap, the flatter the faint-end slope $\alpha$. The differences found at the bright end support a dissipationless, dynamical friction-driven merging model for the growth of the central galaxy in group- and cluster-sized halos. The differences in the faint end cannot be explained by this mechanism. Other processes, such as enhanced tidal disruption due to early infall and/or prevalence of eccentric orbits, may play a role. However, a larger sample of systems with $\Delta m_{12} > 1.5$ is needed to establish the differences at the faint end.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in A&

The rotational broadening and the mass of the donor star of GRS 1915+105

The binary parameters of the microquasar GRS 1915+105 have been determined by the detection of Doppler-shifted 12CO and 13CO lines in its K-band spectrum (Greiner et al., 2001, Nature, 414, 522). Here, we present further analysis of the same K-band VLT spectra and we derive a rotational broadening of the donor star of V sin i=26+-3 km/s from the 12CO/13CO lines. Assuming that the K-type star is tidally locked to the black hole and is filling its Roche-lobe surface, then the implied mass ratio is q = M_d/M_x = 0.058+-0.033. This result, combined with (P, K, i)=(33.5 d, 140 km/s, 66 deg) gives a more refined mass estimate for the black hole, $M_x=14.0+-4.4 M_{\odot}$, than previously estimated, using an inclination of i=66+-2 deg (Fender et al. 1999) as derived from the orientation of the radio jets and a more accurate distance. The mass for the early K-type giant star is $M_d=0.81\pm0.53 M_{\odot}$, consistent with a more evolved stripped-giant donor star in GRS 1915+105 than, for example, the donor star of the prototype black-hole X-ray transient, V404 Cyg which has the longest binary period after GRS 1915+105.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, A&A Lette