Reaction rates and transport in neutron stars

Understanding signals from neutron stars requires knowledge about the transport inside the star. We review the transport properties and the underlying reaction rates of dense hadronic and quark matter in the crust and the core of neutron stars and point out open problems and future directions.Comment: 74 pages; commissioned for the book "Physics and Astrophysics of Neutron Stars", NewCompStar COST Action MP1304; version 3: minor changes, references updated, overview graphic added in the introduction, improvements in Sec IV.A.

Long-range and short-range dihadron angular correlations in central PbPb collisions at √sNN=2.76 TeV

This is the pre-print version of the Published Article, which can be accessed from the link below.First measurements of dihadron correlations for charged particles are presented for central PbPb collisions at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of 2.76TeV over a broad range in relative pseudorapidity ( ) and the full range of relative azimuthal angle ( ). The data were collected with the CMS detector, at the LHC. A broadening of the away-side ( ) azimuthal correlation is observed at all , as compared to the measurements in pp collisions. Furthermore, long-range dihadron correlations in are observed for particles with similar values. This phenomenon, also known as the \ridge", persists up to at least j j = 4. For particles with transverse momenta (pT) of 2-4 GeV/c, the ridge is found to be most prominent when these particles are correlated with particles of pT = 2-6 GeV/c, and to be much reduced when paired with particles of pT = 10-12 GeV/c

A non-electroneutral model for complex reaction-diffusion systems incorporating species interactions

In this study we develop a general framework for describing reaction-diffusion processes in a multi-component electrolyte in which multiple reactions of different types may occur. Our motivation for this is the need to understand how the interactions between species and processes occurring in a complex electrochemical system. We use the framework to develop a modified Poisson-Nernst-Planck model which accounts for the excluded volume interaction (EVI) and incorporates both electrochemical and chemical reactions. Using this model, we investigate how the EVI influences the reactions and how the reactions influence each other in the contexts of the equilibrium state of a system and of a simple electrochemical device under load. Complex behaviour quickly emerges even in relatively simple systems, and deviations from the predictions of ideal solution theory, together with how they may influence the behaviour of more complex system, are discussed

Enhancing Scientific Thinking Through the Development of Critical Thinking in Higher Education

In Chapter 3, Hyytinen, Toom and Shavelson discuss how critical thinking forms the foundation for the development of scientific thinking skills. They provide a detailed definition and conceptualisation of critical thinking and review the focus of research into this domain. Hyytinen and colleagues highlight why it is important for students to develop critical thinking skills as useful skills in their own right, and in order to form scientific thinking skills more broadly. In making this argument, they discuss a curriculum alignment approach to enhancing critical thinking skills.Peer reviewe