22,984 research outputs found
Kepler-210: An active star with at least two planets
We report the detection and characterization of two short-period,
Neptune-sized planets around the active host star Kepler-210. The host star's
parameters derived from those planets are (a) mutually inconsistent and (b) do
not conform to the expected host star parameters. We furthermore report the
detection of transit timing variations (TTVs) in the O-C diagrams for both
planets. We explore various scenarios that explain and resolve those
discrepancies. A simple scenario consistent with all data appears to be one
that attributes substantial eccentricities to the inner short-period planets
and that interprets the TTVs as due to the action of another, somewhat longer
period planet. To substantiate our suggestions, we present the results of
N-body simulations that modeled the TTVs and that checked the stability of the
Kepler-210 system.Comment: 8 pages, 8 Encapsulated Postscript figure
High Rayleigh number convection with double diffusive fingers
An electrodeposition cell is used to sustain a destabilizing concentration
difference of copper ions in aqueous solution between the top and bottom
boundaries of the cell. The resulting convecting motion is analogous to
Rayleigh-B\'enard convection at high Prandtl numbers. In addition, a
stabilizing temperature gradient is imposed across the cell. Even for thermal
buoyancy two orders of magnitude smaller than chemical buoyancy, the presence
of the weak stabilizing gradient has a profound effect on the convection
pattern. Double diffusive fingers appear in all cases. The size of these
fingers and the flow velocities are independent of the height of the cell, but
they depend on the ion concentration difference between top and bottom
boundaries as well as on the imposed temperature gradient. The scaling of the
mass transport is compatible with previous results on double diffusive
convection
The striatal dopamine transporter in first-episode, drug-naive schizophrenic patients: evaluation by the new SPECT-ligand[99mTc]TRODAT-1
Following the current hypothesis that acute schizophrenic psychotic illness is associated with a triatal ‘hyperdopaminergic state’, presynaptic integrity and dopamine transporter (DAT) density in first-episode, neuroleptic-naive schizophrenic patients was measured by single-photonemission- tomography (SPECT) and compared with that in healthy control subjects. A new SPECT-ligand for assessment of the striatal DAT, the Technetium-99m-labelled tropane TRODAT-1 ([99mTc]TRODAT-1), was used. Ten inpatients suffering from a first acute schizophrenic episode and 10 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects underwent SPECT with [99mTc]TRODAT-1. On the day of SPECT, psychopathological ratings were performed with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Schedule for Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS). Patients had not previously received any neuroleptic or antidepressant medication. Mean specific TRODAT-1 binding in the striatum did not differ significantly between the patient and the age- and sex-matched control group (1.25 vs. 1.28). Variance was significantly higher in the patient group. The data obtained with the new ligand in first-episode, drug-naive schizophrenic patients are in line with the PET results from the group of Laakso et al. in a comparable patient sample. [99mTc]TRODAT-1 seems to be a valuable new SPECTligand in the evaluation of the presynaptic site of the striatal dopaminergic synapse in schizophrenia
Simultaneous X-ray and optical spectroscopy of the Oef supergiant lambda Cep
Probing the structures of stellar winds is of prime importance for the
understanding of massive stars. Based on their optical spectral morphology and
variability, the stars of the Oef class have been suggested to feature
large-scale structures in their wind. High-resolution X-ray spectroscopy and
time-series of X-ray observations of presumably-single O-type stars can help us
understand the physics of their stellar winds. We have collected XMM-Newton
observations and coordinated optical spectroscopy of the O6Ief star lambda Cep
to study its X-ray and optical variability and to analyse its high-resolution
X-ray spectrum. We investigate the line profile variability of the He II 4686
and H-alpha emission lines in our time series of optical spectra, including a
search for periodicities. We further discuss the variability of the broadband
X-ray flux and analyse the high-resolution spectrum of lambda Cep using
line-by-line fits as well as a code designed to fit the full high-resolution
X-ray spectrum consistently. During our observing campaign, the He II 4686 line
varies on a timescale of ~18 hours. On the contrary, the H-alpha line profile
displays a modulation on a timescale of 4.1 days which is likely the rotation
period of the star. The X-ray flux varies on time-scales of days and could in
fact be modulated by the same 4.1 days period as H-alpha, although both
variations are shifted in phase. The high-resolution X-ray spectrum reveals
broad and skewed emission lines as expected for the X-ray emission from a
distribution of wind-embedded shocks. Most of the X-ray emission arises within
less than 2R* above the photosphere.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic
Polar type density of states in non-unitary odd-parity superconducting states of gap with point nodes
It is shown that the density of states (DOS) proportional to the excitation
energy, the so-called polar like DOS, can arise in the odd-parity states with
the superconducting gap vanishing at points even if the spin-orbit interaction
for Cooper pairing is strong enough. Such gap stuructures are realized in the
non-unitary states, F_{1u}(1,i,0), F_{1u}(1,varepsilon,varepsilon^{2}), and
F_{2u}(1,i,0), classified by Volovik and Gorkov, Sov. Phys.-JETP Vol.61 (1985)
843. This is due to the fact that the gap vanishes in quadratic manner around
the point on the Fermi surface. It is also shown that the region of quadratic
energy dependence of DOS, in the state F_{2u}(1,varepsilon,varepsilon^{2}), is
restricted in very small energy region making it difficult to distinguish from
the polar-like DOS.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, submitted to J. Phys.: Condens. Matter Lette
Spin excitations in a single LaCuO layer
The dynamics of S=1/2 quantum spins on a 2D square lattice lie at the heart
of the mystery of the cuprates
\cite{Hayden2004,Vignolle2007,Li2010,LeTacon2011,Coldea2001,Headings2010,Braicovich2010}.
In bulk cuprates such as \LCO{}, the presence of a weak interlayer coupling
stabilizes 3D N\'{e}el order up to high temperatures. In a truly 2D system
however, thermal spin fluctuations melt long range order at any finite
temperature \cite{Mermin1966}. Further, quantum spin fluctuations transfer
magnetic spectral weight out of a well-defined magnon excitation into a
magnetic continuum, the nature of which remains controversial
\cite{Sandvik2001,Ho2001,Christensen2007,Headings2010}. Here, we measure the
spin response of \emph{isolated one-unit-cell thick layers} of \LCO{}. We show
that coherent magnons persist even in a single layer of \LCO{} despite the loss
of magnetic order, with no evidence for resonating valence bond (RVB)-like spin
correlations \cite{Anderson1987,Hsu1990,Christensen2007}. Thus these
excitations are well described by linear spin wave theory (LSWT). We also
observe a high-energy magnetic continuum in the isotropic magnetic response.
This high-energy continuum is not well described by 2 magnon LSWT, or indeed
any existing theories.Comment: Revised version to appear in Nature Materials; 6 pages,4 figure
Competitive adsorption of human immunoglobulin G and albumin: consequences for structure and reactivity of the adsorbed layer.
What does regional studies study? From subnational to supra-national regional spaces or Grossraum of sovereign governance
This article makes a case for expanding the scope of current versions of “regional studies” to include greater emphasis upon transnational regions as of equal if not greater importance compared with an exclusive focus upon sub-national regions. The latter more restrictive approach is typically predicated on the continued centrality of state borders against which the dominant notion of regions as subnational entities is constituted and reiterated. Drawing upon a case study of the African Union our study provides a framework, a critically revised Grossraum theory, for addressing the emergence of a new pluralistic and multipolar world order characterised by supra-national regions and regional organizations. Traditional Schmittian notions of Grossraum are shown to be in need of substantial revision before they are able to adequately accommodate and explain the empirical details of our case study
Zonal shear and super-rotation in a magnetized spherical Couette flow experiment
We present measurements performed in a spherical shell filled with liquid
sodium, where a 74 mm-radius inner sphere is rotated while a 210 mm-radius
outer sphere is at rest. The inner sphere holds a dipolar magnetic field and
acts as a magnetic propeller when rotated. In this experimental set-up called
DTS, direct measurements of the velocity are performed by ultrasonic Doppler
velocimetry. Differences in electric potential and the induced magnetic field
are also measured to characterize the magnetohydrodynamic flow. Rotation
frequencies of the inner sphere are varied between -30 Hz and +30 Hz, the
magnetic Reynolds number based on measured sodium velocities and on the shell
radius reaching to about 33. We have investigated the mean axisymmetric part of
the flow, which consists of differential rotation. Strong super-rotation of the
fluid with respect to the rotating inner sphere is directly measured. It is
found that the organization of the mean flow does not change much throughout
the entire range of parameters covered by our experiment. The direct
measurements of zonal velocity give a nice illustration of Ferraro's law of
isorotation in the vicinity of the inner sphere where magnetic forces dominate
inertial ones. The transition from a Ferraro regime in the interior to a
geostrophic regime, where inertial forces predominate, in the outer regions has
been well documented. It takes place where the local Elsasser number is about
1. A quantitative agreement with non-linear numerical simulations is obtained
when keeping the same Elsasser number. The experiments also reveal a region
that violates Ferraro's law just above the inner sphere.Comment: Phys Rev E, in pres
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