33,979 research outputs found
Large quantum fluctuations in the strongly coupled spin-1/2 chains of green dioptase: a hidden message from birds and trees
The green mineral dioptase Cu6Si6O18(H2O)6 has been known since centuries and
plays an important role in esoteric doctrines. In particular, the green
dioptase is supposed to grant the skill to speak with trees and to understand
the language of birds. Armed with natural samples of dioptase, we were able to
unravel the magnetic nature of the mineral (presumably with hidden support from
birds and trees) and show that strong quantum fluctuations can be realized in
an essentially framework-type spin lattice of coupled chains, thus neither
frustration nor low-dimensionality are prerequisites. We present a microscopic
magnetic model for the green dioptase. Based on full-potential DFT
calculations, we find two relevant couplings in this system: an
antiferromagnetic coupling J_c, forming spiral chains along the hexagonal c
axis, and an inter-chain ferromagnetic coupling J_d within structural Cu2O6
dimers. To refine the J_c and J_d values and to confirm the proposed spin
model, we perform quantum Monte-Carlo simulations for the dioptase spin
lattice. The derived magnetic susceptibility, the magnetic ground state, and
the sublattice magnetization are in remarkably good agreement with the
experimental data. The refined model parameters are J_c = 78 K and J_d = -37 K
with J_d/J_c ~ -0.5. Despite the apparent three-dimensional features of the
spin lattice and the lack of frustration, strong quantum fluctuations in the
system are evidenced by a broad maximum in the magnetic susceptibility, a
reduced value of the Neel temperature T_N ~ 15 K >> J_c, and a low value of the
sublattice magnetization m = 0.55 Bohr magneton. All these features should be
ascribed to the low coordination number of 3 that outbalances the
three-dimensional nature of the spin lattice.Comment: Dedicated to Stefan-Ludwig Drechsler on the occasion of his 60th
birthday (9 pages, 6 figures
Skyrme models and nuclear matter equation of state
We investigate the role of pressure in a class of generalised Skyrme models. We introduce pressure as the trace of the spatial part of the energy-momentum tensor and show that it obeys the usual thermodynamical relation. Then, we compute analytically the mean-field equation of state in the high and medium pressure regimes by applying topological bounds on compact domains. The equation of state is further investigated numerically for the charge one skyrmions. We identify which term in a generalised Skyrme model is responsible for which part in the equation of state. Further, we compare our findings with the corresponding results in the Walecka model
A Search for Lost Planets in the Kepler Multi-planet Systems and the Discovery of the Long-period, Neptune-sized Exoplanet Kepler-150 f
The vast majority of the 4700 confirmed planets and planet candidates
discovered by the Kepler mission were first found by the Kepler pipeline. In
the pipeline, after a transit signal is found, all data points associated with
those transits are removed, creating a "Swiss cheese"-like light curve full of
holes, which is then used for subsequent transit searches. These holes could
render an additional planet undetectable (or "lost"). We examine a sample of
114 stars with confirmed planets to evaluate the effect of this "Swiss
cheesing". A simulation determines that the probability that a transiting
planet is lost due to the transit masking is low, but non-negligible, reaching
a plateau at lost in the period range of days. We then
model all planet transits and subtract out the transit signals for each star,
restoring the in-transit data points, and use the Kepler pipeline to search the
transit-subtracted (i.e., transit-cleaned) light curves. However, the pipeline
did not discover any credible new transit signals. This demonstrates the
validity and robustness of the Kepler pipeline's choice to use transit masking
over transit subtraction. However, a follow-up visual search through all the
transit-subtracted data, which allows for easier visual identification of new
transits, revealed the existence of a new, Neptune-sized exoplanet (Kepler-150
f) and a potential single transit of a likely false positive (Kepler-208).
Kepler-150 f ( days, R)
is confirmed with confidence using a combination of the planet
multiplicity argument, a false positive probability analysis, and a transit
duration analysis.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables. Accepted into A
Magnetism of CuX2 frustrated chains (X = F, Cl, Br): the role of covalency
Periodic and cluster density-functional theory (DFT) calculations, including
DFT+U and hybrid functionals, are applied to study magnetostructural
correlations in spin-1/2 frustrated chain compounds CuX2: CuCl2, CuBr2, and a
fictitious chain structure of CuF2. The nearest-neighbor and second-neighbor
exchange integrals, J1 and J2, are evaluated as a function of the Cu-X-Cu
bridging angle, theta, in the physically relevant range 80-110deg. In the ionic
CuF2, J1 is ferromagnetic for theta smaller 100deg. For larger angles, the
antiferromagnetic superexchange contribution becomes dominant, in accord with
the Goodenough-Kanamori-Anderson rules. However, both CuCl2 and CuBr2 feature
ferromagnetic J1 in the whole angular range studied. This surprising behavior
is ascribed to the increased covalency in the Cl and Br compounds, which
amplifies the contribution from Hund's exchange on the ligand atoms and renders
J1 ferromagnetic. At the same time, the larger spatial extent of X orbitals
enhances the antiferromagnetic J2, which is realized via the long-range
Cu-X-X-Cu paths. Both, periodic and cluster approaches supply a consistent
description of the magnetic behavior which is in good agreement with the
experimental data for CuCl2 and CuBr2. Thus, owing to their simplicity, cluster
calculations have excellent potential to study magnetic correlations in more
involved spin lattices and facilitate application of quantum-chemical methods
Critical properties of the one-dimensional spin-1/2 antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model in the presence of a uniform field
In the presence of a uniform field the one-dimensional spin-
antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model develops zero frequency excitations at
field-dependent 'soft mode' momenta. We determine three types of critical
quantities, which we extract from the finite-size dependence of the lowest
excitation energies, the singularities in the static structure factors and the
infrared singularities in the dynamical structure factors at the soft mode
momenta. We also compare our results with the predictions of conformal field
theory.Comment: 12 pages, REVTEX, 7 figures, submitted to Physical Review
Doubly Charmed Baryons in COMPASS
The search for doubly charmed baryons has been a topic for COMPASS from the
beginning. Requiring however a complete spectrometer and highest possible
trigger rates this measurement has been postponed. The scenario for such a
measurement in the second phase of COMPASS is outlined here. First studies of
triggering and simulation of the setup have been performed. New rate estimates
based on recent measurements from SELEX at FNAL are presented.Comment: 13 pages, 15 figures, contribution to the Workshop on Future Physics
at COMPASS, CERN, Geneva, September 26-27 2002, to appear as CERN Yellow
Repor
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