Hidden area and mechanical nonlinearities in freestanding graphene

We investigated the effect of out-of-plane crumpling on the mechanical response of graphene membranes. In our experiments, stress was applied to graphene membranes using pressurized gas while the strain state was monitored through two complementary techniques: interferometric profilometry and Raman spectroscopy. By comparing the data obtained through these two techniques, we determined the geometric hidden area which quantifies the crumpling strength. While the devices with hidden area $\sim0~\%$ obeyed linear mechanics with biaxial stiffness $428\pm10$ N/m, specimens with hidden area in the range $0.5-1.0~\%$ were found to obey an anomalous Hooke's law with an exponent $\sim0.1$

Non-Linear Effects in Non-Kerr spacetimes

There is a chance that the spacetime around massive compact objects which are expected to be black holes is not described by the Kerr metric, but by a metric which can be considered as a perturbation of the Kerr metric. These non-Kerr spacetimes are also known as bumpy black hole spacetimes. We expect that, if some kind of a bumpy black hole exists, the spacetime around it should possess some features which will make the divergence from a Kerr spacetime detectable. One of the differences is that these non-Kerr spacetimes do not posses all the symmetries needed to make them integrable. We discuss how we can take advantage of this fact by examining EMRIs into the Manko-Novikov spacetime.Comment: 8 pages, 3 Figures; to appear in the proceedings of the conference "Relativity and Gravitation: 100 Years after Einstein in Prague" (2012

Supersymmetric Barotropic FRW Model and Dark Energy

Using the superfield approach we construct the $n=2$ supersymmetric lagrangian for the FRW Universe with barotropic perfect fluid as matter field. The obtained supersymmetric algebra allowed us to take the square root of the Wheeler-DeWitt equation and solve the corresponding quantum constraint. This model leads to the relation between the vacuum energy density and the energy density of the dust matter.Comment: 11 pages, minor corrections, published versio

Mitochondrial DNA and temperature tolerance in lager yeasts

A growing body of research suggests that the mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) is important for temperature adaptation. In the yeast genus Saccharomyces, species have diverged in temperature tolerance, driving their use in high- or low-temperature fermentations. Here, we experimentally test the role of mtDNA in temperature tolerance in synthetic and industrial hybrids (Saccharomyces cerevisiae × Saccharomyces eubayanus or Saccharomyces pastorianus), which cold-brew lager beer. We find that the relative temperature tolerances of hybrids correspond to the parent donating mtDNA, allowing us to modulate lager strain temperature preferences. The strong influence of mitotype on the temperature tolerance of otherwise identical hybrid strains provides support for the mitochondrial climactic adaptation hypothesis in yeasts and demonstrates how mitotype has influenced the world’s most commonly fermented beverage.This work was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (Hatch project no. 1003258), the NSF (grant no. DEB-1253634), and in part by the DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (DOE BER Office of Science; nos. DE-SC0018409 and DE-FC02-07ER64494). E.P.B. was supported by a Louis and Elsa Thomsen Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship. C.T.H. is a Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences and a Vilas Faculty Early Career Investigator, supported by the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Vilas Trust Estate. D.P. is a Marie Sklodowska-Curie fellow of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement no. 747775). J.C.F. was supported by the NIH (no. GM080669)Peer Reviewe

Extending Sibgatullin's ansatz for the Ernst potential to generate a richer family of axially symmetric solutions of Einstein's equations

The scope of this talk is to present some preliminary results on an effort, currently in progress, to generate an exact solution of Einstein's equation, suitable for describing spacetime around a rotating compact object. Specifically, the form of the Ernst potential on the symmetry axis and its connection with the multipole moments is discussed thoroughly. The way to calculate the multipole moments of spacetime directly from the value of the Ernst potential on the symmetry axis is presented. Finally, a mixed ansatz is formed for the Ernst potential including parameters additional to the ones dictated by Sibgatullin. Thus, we believe that this talk can also serve as a comment on choosing the appropriate ansatz for the Ernst potential.Comment: Talk given in the 11th Conference on Recent Developments in Gravity, 2-5 June 2004, Lesbos, Greec

The host galaxies of strong CaII QSO absorption systems at z<0.5

We present new imaging and spectroscopic observations of the fields of five QSOs with very strong intervening CaII absorption systems at redshifts z<0.5 selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Recent studies of these very rare absorbers indicate that they may be related to damped Lyman alpha systems (DLAs). In all five cases we identify a galaxy at the redshift of the CaII system with impact parameters up to ~24 kpc. In four out of five cases the galaxies are luminous (L ~L*), metal-rich (Z ~Zsun), massive (velocity dispersion, sigma ~100 km/s) spirals. Their star formation rates, deduced from Halpha emission, are high, in the range SFR = 0.3 - 30 Msun/yr. In our analysis, we paid particular attention to correcting the observed emission line fluxes for stellar absorption and dust extinction. We show that these effects are important for a correct SFR estimate; their neglect in previous low-z studies of DLA-selected galaxies has probably led to an underestimate of the star formation activity in at least some DLA hosts. We discuss possible links between CaII-selected galaxies and DLAs and outline future observations which will help clarify the relationship between these different classes of QSO absorbers.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 14 pages, 9 figures. Version with full resolution images available at http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~bjz/papers/Zych_etal_2007a.pd

Two dimensional general covariance from three dimensions

A 3d generally covariant field theory having some unusual properties is described. The theory has a degenerate 3-metric which effectively makes it a 2d field theory in disguise. For 2-manifolds without boundary, it has an infinite number of conserved charges that are associated with graphs in two dimensions and the Poisson algebra of the charges is closed. For 2-manifolds with boundary there are additional observables that have a Kac-Moody Poisson algebra. It is further shown that the theory is classically integrable and the general solution of the equations of motion is given. The quantum theory is described using Dirac quantization, and it is shown that there are quantum states associated with graphs in two dimensions.Comment: 10 pages (Latex), Alberta-Thy-19-9

The development of a position-sensitive CZT detector with orthogonal co-planar anode strips

We report on the simulation, construction, and performance of prototype CdZnTe imaging detectors with orthogonal coplanar anode strips. These detectors employ a novel electrode geometry with non-collecting anode strips in one dimension and collecting anode pixels, interconnected in rows, in the orthogonal direction. These detectors retain the spectroscopic and detection efficiency advantages of single carrier (electron) sensing devices as well as the principal advantage of conventional strip detectors with orthogonal anode and cathode strips, i.e. an N×N array of imaging pixels are with only 2N electronic channels. Charge signals induced on the various electrodes of a prototype detector with 8×8 unit cells (1×1×5 mm3)are compared to the simulations. Results of position and energy resolution measurements are presented and discussed