2,975 research outputs found
Light Rays at Optical Black Holes in Moving Media
Light experiences a non-uniformly moving medium as an effective gravitational
field, endowed with an effective metric tensor , being the refractive index and the
four-velocity of the medium. Leonhardt and Piwnicki [Phys. Rev. A {\bf 60},
4301 (1999)] argued that a flowing dielectric fluid of this kind can be used to
generate an 'optical black hole'. In the Leonhardt-Piwnicki model, only a
vortex flow was considered. It was later pointed out by Visser [Phys. Rev.
Lett. {\bf 85}, 5252 (2000)] that in order to form a proper optical black hole
containing an event horizon, it becomes necessary to add an inward radial
velocity component to the vortex flow. In the present paper we undertake this
task: we consider a full spiral flow, consisting of a vortex component plus a
radially infalling component. Light propagates in such a dielectric medium in a
way similar to that occurring around a rotating black hole. We calculate, and
show graphically, the effective potential versus the radial distance from the
vortex singularity, and show that the spiral flow can always capture light in
both a positive, and a negative, inverse impact parameter interval. The
existence of a genuine event horizon is found to depend on the strength of the
radial flow, relative to the strength of the azimuthal flow. A limitation of
our fluid model is that it is nondispersive.Comment: 30 pages, LaTeX, 4 ps figures. Expanded discussion especially in
section 6; 5 new references. Version to appear in Phys. Rev.
Fun moments or consequential experiences? A model for conceptualising and researching equitable youth outcomes from informal STEM learning
While there are many different frameworks seeking to identify what benefits young people might derive from participation in informal STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) learning (ISL), this paper argues that the sector would benefit from an approach that foregrounds equity and social justice outcomes. We propose a new model for reflecting on equitable youth outcomes from ISL that identifies five key areas: (1) Grounded fun; (2) STEM capital; (3) STEM trajectories; (4) STEM identity work; and (5) Agency+ . The model is applied to empirical data (interviews, observations and youth portfolios) collected over one year in four UK-based ISL settings with 33 young people (aged 11–14), largely from communities that are traditionally under-represented in STEM. Analysis considers the extent to which participating youth experienced equitable outcomes, or not, in relation to the five areas. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications for ISL and how the model might support ongoing efforts to reimagine ISL as vehicle for social justice
First Penning-trap mass measurement in the millisecond half-life range: the exotic halo nucleus 11Li
In this letter, we report a new mass for Li using the trapping
experiment TITAN at TRIUMF's ISAC facility. This is by far the shortest-lived
nuclide, , for which a mass measurement has ever been
performed with a Penning trap. Combined with our mass measurements of
Li we derive a new two-neutron separation energy of 369.15(65) keV: a
factor of seven more precise than the best previous value. This new value is a
critical ingredient for the determination of the halo charge radius from
isotope-shift measurements. We also report results from state-of-the-art
atomic-physics calculations using the new mass and extract a new charge radius
for Li. This result is a remarkable confluence of nuclear and atomic
physics.Comment: Formatted for submission to PR
Possible Cosmological Implications of the Quark-Hadron Phase Transition
We study the quark-hadron phase transition within an effective model of QCD,
and find that in a reasonable range of the main parameters of the model, bodies
with quark content between and 10 solar masses can have been formed
in the early universe. In addition, we show that a significant amount of
entropy is released during the transition. This may imply the existence of a
higher baryon number density than what is usually expected at temperatures
above the QCD scale. The cosmological QCD transition may then provide a natural
way for decreasing the high baryon asymmetry created by an Affleck-Dine like
mechanism down to the value required by primordial nucleosynthesis.Comment: 19 pages, LaTeX, 5 Postscript figures included. Submitted to Journal
of Physics
The prevalence of axial spondyloarthritis in the UK: a cross-sectional cohort study
Background: Accurate prevalence data are important when interpreting diagnostic tests and planning for the health needs of a population, yet no such data exist for axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) in the UK. In this cross-sectional cohort study we aimed to estimate the prevalence of axSpA in a UK primary care population. Methods: A validated self-completed questionnaire was used to screen primary care patients with low back pain for inflammatory back pain (IBP). Patients with a verifiable pre-existing diagnosis of axSpA were included as positive cases. All other patients meeting the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) IBP criteria were invited to undergo further assessment including MRI scanning, allowing classification according to the European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group (ESSG) and ASAS axSpA criteria, and the modified New York (mNY) criteria for ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Results: Of 978 questionnaires sent to potential participants 505 were returned (response rate 51.6 %). Six subjects had a prior diagnosis of axSpA, 4 of whom met mNY criteria. Thirty eight of 75 subjects meeting ASAS IBP criteria attended review (mean age 53.5 years, 37 % male). The number of subjects satisfying classification criteria was 23 for ESSG, 3 for ASAS (2 clinical, 1 radiological) and 1 for mNY criteria. This equates to a prevalence of 5.3 % (95 % CI 4.0, 6.8) using ESSG, 1.3 % (95 % CI 0.8, 2.3) using ASAS, 0.66 % (95 % CI 0.28, 1.3) using mNY criteria in chronic back pain patients, and 1.2 % (95 % CI 0.9, 1.4) using ESSG, 0.3 % (95 % CI 0.13, 0.48) using ASAS, 0.15 % (95 % CI 0.02, 0.27) using mNY criteria in the general adult primary care population. Conclusions: These are the first prevalence estimates for axSpA in the UK, and will be of importance in planning for the future healthcare needs of this population. Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN7687321
Stacking Entropy of Hard Sphere Crystals
Classical hard spheres crystallize at equilibrium at high enough density.
Crystals made up of stackings of 2-dimensional hexagonal close-packed layers
(e.g. fcc, hcp, etc.) differ in entropy by only about per sphere
(all configurations are degenerate in energy). To readily resolve and study
these small entropy differences, we have implemented two different
multicanonical Monte Carlo algorithms that allow direct equilibration between
crystals with different stacking sequences. Recent work had demonstrated that
the fcc stacking has higher entropy than the hcp stacking. We have studied
other stackings to demonstrate that the fcc stacking does indeed have the
highest entropy of ALL possible stackings. The entropic interactions we could
detect involve three, four and (although with less statistical certainty) five
consecutive layers of spheres. These interlayer entropic interactions fall off
in strength with increasing distance, as expected; this fall-off appears to be
much slower near the melting density than at the maximum (close-packing)
density. At maximum density the entropy difference between fcc and hcp
stackings is per sphere, which is roughly 30% higher
than the same quantity measured near the melting transition.Comment: 15 page
Solvability of singular integral equations with rotations and degenerate kernels in the vanishing coefficient case
By means of Riemann boundary value problems and of certain convenient systems of linear algebraic equations, this paper deals with the solvability of a class of singular integral equations with rotations and degenerate kernel within the case of a coefficient vanishing on the unit circle. All the possibilities about the index of the coefficients in the corresponding equations are considered and described in detail, and explicit formulas for their solutions are obtained. An example of application of the method is shown at the end of the last section
The Two-Nucleon Potential from Chiral Lagrangians
Chiral symmetry is consistently implemented in the two-nucleon problem at
low-energy through the general effective chiral lagrangian. The potential is
obtained up to a certain order in chiral perturbation theory both in momentum
and coordinate space. Results of a fit to scattering phase shifts and bound
state data are presented, where satisfactory agreement is found for laboratory
energies up to about 100 Mev.Comment: Postscript file; figures available by reques
Monitoring Resistance to Spinosad in the Melon Fly (Bactrocera cucurbitae) in Hawaii and Taiwan
Spinosad is a natural insecticide with desirable qualities, and it is widely used as an alternative to organophosphates for control of pests such as the melon fly, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett). To monitor the potential for development of resistance, information about the current levels of tolerance to spinosad in melon fly populations were established in this study. Spinosad tolerance bioassays were conducted using both topical applications and feeding methods on flies from field populations with extensive exposure to spinosad as well as from collections with little or no prior exposure. Increased levels of resistance were observed in flies from the field populations. Also, higher dosages were generally required to achieve specific levels of mortality using topical applications compared to the feeding method, but these levels were all lower than those used for many organophosphate-based food lures. Our information is important for maintaining effective programs for melon fly management using spinosad
- …