47,051 research outputs found
Scaling forces to asteroid surfaces: The role of cohesion
The scaling of physical forces to the extremely low ambient gravitational
acceleration regimes found on the surfaces of small asteroids is performed.
Resulting from this, it is found that van der Waals cohesive forces between
regolith grains on asteroid surfaces should be a dominant force and compete
with particle weights and be greater, in general, than electrostatic and solar
radiation pressure forces. Based on this scaling, we interpret previous
experiments performed on cohesive powders in the terrestrial environment as
being relevant for the understanding of processes on asteroid surfaces. The
implications of these terrestrial experiments for interpreting observations of
asteroid surfaces and macro-porosity are considered, and yield interpretations
that differ from previously assumed processes for these environments. Based on
this understanding, we propose a new model for the end state of small, rapidly
rotating asteroids which allows them to be comprised of relatively fine
regolith grains held together by van der Waals cohesive forces.Comment: 54 pages, 7 figure
Experimental verification of reciprocity relations in quantum thermoelectric transport
Symmetry relations are manifestations of fundamental principles and
constitute cornerstones of modern physics. An example are the Onsager relations
between coefficients connecting thermodynamic fluxes and forces, central to
transport theory and experiments. Initially formulated for classical systems,
these reciprocity relations are also fulfilled in quantum conductors.
Surprisingly, novel relations have been predicted specifically for
thermoelectric transport. However, whereas these thermoelectric reciprocity
relations have to date not been verified, they have been predicted to be
sensitive to inelastic scattering, always present at finite temperature. The
question whether the relations exist in practice is important for
thermoelectricity: whereas their existence may simplify the theory of complex
thermoelectric materials, their absence has been shown to enable, in principle,
higher thermoelectric energy conversion efficiency for a given material
quality. Here we experimentally verify the thermoelectric reciprocity relations
in a four-terminal mesoscopic device where each terminal can be electrically
and thermally biased, individually. The linear response thermoelectric
coefficients are found to be symmetric under simultaneous reversal of magnetic
field and exchange of injection and emission contacts. Intriguingly, we also
observe the breakdown of the reciprocity relations as a function of increasing
thermal bias. Our measurements thus clearly establish the existence of the
thermoelectric reciprocity relations, as well as the possibility to control
their breakdown with the potential to enhance thermoelectric performanceComment: 7 pages, 5 figure
A last millennium perspective on North Atlantic variability: exploiting synergies between models and proxy data
The North Atlantic is a key region for decadal prediction
as it has experienced significant multi-decadal variability
over the observed period. This variability, which is
thought to be intrinsic to the region, can potentially
modulate, either by amplifying or mitigating, the
global warming signal from anthropogenic greenhouse
emissions. For example, studies suggest that the North
Atlantic contributed to the recent hiatus period between
1998 and 2012, by triggering an atmospheric response
which impacted on the eastern tropical Pacific (e.g.
McGregor et al., 2014). The subpolar North Atlantic is
also a major CO2
sink, and therefore of great importance
for the global carbon cycle (Perez et al., 2013).
One of the key players in the North Atlantic region is the
Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC),
which is associated with sinking due to deep water
formation in the Labrador and Nordic Seas. The AMOC is
the primary control of the poleward heat transport in the
Atlantic region. Therefore, the AMOC is associated with
important climate impacts, and plays an active role in
various feedback mechanisms with, for example, sea ice
(Mahajan et al., 2011) and the atmospheric circulation
(Gastineau and Frankignoul, 2012). The AMOC has
exhibited abrupt variations in the past (e.g. the last glacial
period, Rahmstorf, 2002) and could experience a major
slowdown in the future due to the combined effect of
surface warming and Greenland ice sheet melting on deep
water formation (Bakker et al., 2016). The possibility
of such a shutdown has stimulated considerable
international efforts to observe and reconstruct the
past AMOC changes. Only by understanding its natural
variability will we be able to detect and anticipate an
anthropogenic impact on the AMOC.
Decadal modulations are also found in other large-scale
modes of climate variability, such as the North Atlantic
Oscillation (NAO) (Stephenson et al., 2000), the Subpolar
Gyre strength (SPG) (Häkkinen and Rhines, 2004) and
the Atlantic Multidecadal Variability (AMV) (Enfield et al.,
2001), which have all been linked with widespread climate
impacts over the surrounding continents. Modelling
studies suggest that all these modes interact with the
AMOC (Gastineau and Frankignoul, 2012; Hátún et al.,
2005; Knight et al., 2005) but the exact interrelationships
are complex and remain to be disentangled. Also to be
determined are the underlying mechanisms responsible
for the decadal and centennial AMOC modulations, with
different climate models showing different key drivers
(Menary et al., 2015a). Similarly, the exact impact of the
natural external forcings (e.g. volcanic aerosols, solar
irradiance) on the variability of these different largescale
climate modes still remains unclear
Density modulations in an elongated Bose-Einstein condensate released from a disordered potential
We observe large density modulations in time-of-flight images of elongated
Bose-Einstein condensates, initially confined in a harmonic trap and in the
presence of weak disorder. The development of these modulations during the
time-of-flight and their dependence with the disorder are investigated. We
render an account of this effect using numerical and analytical calculations.
We conclude that the observed large density modulations originate from the weak
initial density modulations induced by the disorder, and not from initial phase
fluctuations (thermal or quantum).Comment: Published version; 4+ pages; 4 figure
ESR study of the single-ion anisotropy in the pyrochlore antiferromagnet Gd2Sn2O7
Single-ion anisotropy is of importance for the magnetic ordering of the
frustrated pyrochlore antiferromagnets Gd2Ti2O7 and Gd2Sn2O7. The anisotropy
parameters for the Gd2Sn2O7 were measured using the electron spin resonance
(ESR) technique. The anisotropy was found to be of the easy plane type, with
the main constant D=140mK. This value is 35% smaller than the value of the
corresponding anisotropy constant in the related compound Gd2Ti2O7.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure
Assessment of the U and Co magnetic moments in UCoGe by X-ray magnetic circular dichroism
The ferromagnetic superconductor UCoGe has been investigated by high field
X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) at the U-M and Co/Ge-K edges.
The analysis of the branching ratio and XMCD at the U-M edges reveals
that the U-5 electrons count is close to 3. The orbital ()
and spin () moments of U at 2.1K and 17T (H//c) have been
determined. Their ratio () suggests a significant delocalization of
the 5 electron states. The similar field dependences of the local U/Co and
the macroscopic magnetization indicate that the Co moment is induced by the U
moment. The XMCD at the Co/Ge-K edges reveal the presence of small Co-4 and
Ge-4 orbital moments parallel to the macroscopic magnetization. In addition,
the Co-3 moment is estimated to be at most of the order of 0.1 at
17T. Our results rule out the possibility of an unusual polarisability of the U
and Co moments as well as their antiparallel coupling. We conclude that the
magnetism which mediates the superconductivity in UCoGe is driven by U.Comment: 4 figures + supplementary materia
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