Viscoelasticity of crystal- and bubble-bearing rhyolite melts

The effect of non-deformable inclusions on the frequency-dependent rheology of a rhyolite melt plus crystals has been investigated using a sinusoidal torsion deformation device for measurements of shear viscosity and modulus in the frequency range of 5 mHz to 20 Hz at temperatures of 750–1050°C. The relaxed shear viscosity and unrelaxed shear modulus of rhyolite magma (rhyolite melt plus crystals plus bubbles) decreases with increasing bubble content and increases with the addition of crystals. At a crystal concentration of about 45% a relaxed value of the shear viscosity is not attainable. The presence of rigid inclusions results in an imaginary component of the shear modulus that becomes more symmetrical and shifted to the low-frequency—high-temperature range with respect to that for a crystal-free melt. The slope of log(Q−1) (internal friction) as a function of the dimensionless variable log(ωτ), is unaffected in the low-temperature—high-frequency range of crystals, with Q−1 ≈ 1/(ωτ)0.5 (the same as for bubble- and crystal-free rhyolite). For the present type of suspension, the internal friction is practically constant and independent of log(ωτ) in the high-temperature—low-frequency limit (ωτ 1). The shape of the Cole-Cole diagram becomes symmetrical and can be described as a Caputo body with parameter γ ≈ 0.45, whereas for bubble-bearing and inclusion-free rhyolite melts the shape of diagram relates to the β-relaxation exponent with β ≈ 0.5. The present work demonstrates that magma may or may not follow a power-law rheology depending on the relative volume proportion between crystals and bubbles

Hall Conductivity near the z=2 Superconductor-Insulator Transition in 2D

We analyze here the behavior of the Hall conductivity $\sigma_{xy}$ near a $z=2$ insulator-superconductor quantum critical point in a perpendicular magnetic field. We show that the form of the conductivity is sensitive to the presence of dissipation $\eta$, and depends non-monotonically on $H$ once $\eta$ is weak enough. $\sigma_{xy}$ passes through a maximum at $H \sim \eta T$ in the quantum critical regime, suggesting that the limits $H \to 0$ and $\eta \to 0$ do not commute.Comment: 4 pages, 1 .eps figure, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Spin-dependent (magneto)transport through a ring due to spin-orbit interaction

Electron transport through a one-dimensional ring connected with two external leads, in the presence of spin-orbit interaction (SOI) of strength \alpha and a perpendicular magnetic field is studied. Applying Griffith's boundary conditions we derive analytic expressions for the reflection and transmission coefficients of the corresponding one-electron scattering problem. We generalize earlier conductance results by Nitta et al. [Appl. Phys. Lett. 75, 695 (1999)] and investigate the influence of \alpha, temperature, and a weak magnetic field on the conductance. Varying \alpha and temperature changes the position of the minima and maxima of the magnetic-field dependent conductance, and it may even convert a maximum into a minimum and vice versa.Comment: 19 pages, 9 figure

Determinants of international students' academic performance: A comparison between Chinese and other international students

With the increasing number of international students travelling to well-developed countries for higher education, there has been a growing interest in exploring the factors that influence their academic performance during their overseas studies. This study aims to give an insight into international students' learning experience by investigating the differences between Chinese and non-Chinese cultural groups and leads to the identification of the key predictors of their academic achievement via multiple regression analysis. The results suggest that the perceived importance of learning success to family, English writing ability, and social communication with their compatriots are significant predictors for all international students. As the predominant group, Chinese students display some distinctive characteristics. A less active learning strategy is observed among Chinese students relative to others, but no evidence has found that this negatively affects their academic achievement. © 2010 Nuffic

Menus for Feeding Black Holes

Black holes are the ultimate prisons of the Universe, regions of spacetime where the enormous gravity prohibits matter or even light to escape to infinity. Yet, matter falling toward the black holes may shine spectacularly, generating the strongest source of radiation. These sources provide us with astrophysical laboratories of extreme physical conditions that cannot be realized on Earth. This chapter offers a review of the basic menus for feeding matter onto black holes and discusses their observational implications.Comment: 27 pages. Accepted for publication in Space Science Reviews. Also to appear in hard cover in the Space Sciences Series of ISSI "The Physics of Accretion onto Black Holes" (Springer Publisher

Quantum phases and dynamics of geometric phase in a quantum spin chain system under linear quench

We study the quantum phases of anisotropic XY spin chain system in presence and absence of adiabatic quench. A connection between geometric phase and criticality is established from the dynamical behaviour of the geometric phase for a quench induced quantum phase transition in a quantum spin chain. We predict XX criticality associated with a sequence of non-contractible geometric phases.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, one reference added. arXiv admin note: significant text overlap with arXiv:0908.329

Quantitative N- or C-Terminal Labelling of Proteins with Unactivated Peptides by Use of Sortases and a d-Aminopeptidase

Quantitative and selective labelling of proteins is widely used in both academic and industrial laboratories, and catalytic labelling of proteins using transpeptidases, such as sortases, has proved to be a popular strategy for such selective modification. A major challenge for this class of enzymes is that the majority of procedures require an excess of the labelling reagent or, alternatively, activated substrates rather than simple commercially sourced peptides. We report the use of a coupled enzyme strategy which enables quantitative N- and C-terminal labelling of proteins using unactivated labelling peptides. The use of an aminopeptidase in conjunction with a transpeptidase allows sequence-specific degradation of the peptide by-product, shifting the equilibrium to favor product formation, which greatly enhances the reaction efficiency. Subsequent optimisation of the reaction allows N-terminal labelling of proteins using essentially equimolar ratios of peptide label to protein and C-terminal labelling with only a small excess. Minimizing the amount of substrate required for quantitative labelling has the potential to improve industrial processes and facilitate the use of transpeptidation as a method for protein labelling

Azimuthal anisotropy and correlations in p+p, d+Au and Au+Au collisions at 200 GeV

We present the first measurement of directed flow ($v_1$) at RHIC. $v_1$ is found to be consistent with zero at pseudorapidities $\eta$ from -1.2 to 1.2, then rises to the level of a couple of percent over the range $2.4 < |\eta| < 4$. The latter observation is similar to data from NA49 if the SPS rapidities are shifted by the difference in beam rapidity between RHIC and SPS. Back-to-back jets emitted out-of-plane are found to be suppressed more if compared to those emitted in-plane, which is consistent with {\it jet quenching}. Using the scalar product method, we systematically compared azimuthal correlations from p+p, d+Au and Au+Au collisions. Flow and non-flow from these three different collision systems are discussed.Comment: Quark Matter 2004 proceeding, 4 pages, 3 figure

Azimuthal anisotropy: the higher harmonics

We report the first observations of the fourth harmonic (v_4) in the azimuthal distribution of particles at RHIC. The measurement was done taking advantage of the large elliptic flow generated at RHIC. The integrated v_4 is about a factor of 10 smaller than v_2. For the sixth (v_6) and eighth (v_8) harmonics upper limits on the magnitudes are reported.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, contribution to the Quark Matter 2004 proceeding

Plasma Wakefield Acceleration with a Modulated Proton Bunch

The plasma wakefield amplitudes which could be achieved via the modulation of a long proton bunch are investigated. We find that in the limit of long bunches compared to the plasma wavelength, the strength of the accelerating fields is directly proportional to the number of particles in the drive bunch and inversely proportional to the square of the transverse bunch size. The scaling laws were tested and verified in detailed simulations using parameters of existing proton accelerators, and large electric fields were achieved, reaching 1 GV/m for LHC bunches. Energy gains for test electrons beyond 6 TeV were found in this case.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figure