3,392 research outputs found
Torque magnetometry on single-crystal high temperature superconductors near the critical temperature: a scaling approach
Angular-dependent magnetic torque measurements performed near the critical
temperature on single crystals of HgBa_{2}CuO_{4+y}, La_{2-x}Sr{x}CuO_{4}, and
YBa_{2}Cu_{3}O_{6.93} are scaled, following the 3D XY model, in order to
determine the scaling function dG^{\pm}(z)/dz which describes the universal
critical properties near T_{c}. A systematic shift of the scaling function with
increasing effective mass anisotropy \gamma = (m_{ab}*/m_{c}*)^{1/2} is
observed, which may be understood in terms of a 3D-2D crossover. Further
evidence for a 3D-2D crossover is found from temperature-dependent torque
measurements carried out in different magnetic fields at different field
orientations \delta, which show a quasi 2D "crossing region'' (M*,T*). The
occurrence of this "crossing phenomenon'' is explained in a phenomenological
way from the weak z dependence of the scaling function around a value z = z*.
The "crossing'' temperature T* is found to be angular-dependent. Torque
measurements above T_{c} reveal that fluctuations are strongly enhanced in the
underdoped regime where the anisotropy is large, whereas they are less
important in the overdoped regime.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figures, submitted to PR
All-optical ion generation for ion trap loading
We have investigated the all-optical generation of ions by photo-ionisation
of atoms generated by pulsed laser ablation. A direct comparison between a
resistively heated oven source and pulsed laser ablation is reported. Pulsed
laser ablation with 10 ns Nd:YAG laser pulses is shown to produce large calcium
flux, corresponding to atomic beams produced with oven temperatures greater
than 650 K. For an equivalent atomic flux, pulsed laser ablation is shown to
produce a thermal load more than one order of magnitude smaller than the oven
source. The atomic beam distributions obey Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics with
most probable speeds corresponding to temperatures greater than 2200 K. Below a
threshold pulse fluence between 280 mJ/cm^2 and 330 mJ/cm^2, the atomic beam is
composed exclusively of ground state atoms. For higher fluences ions and
excited atoms are generated.Comment: 7 pages, 9 figure
Isotope effects in underdoped cuprate superconductors: a quantum phenomenon
We show that the unusual doping dependence of the isotope effects on
transition temperature and zero temperature in - plane penetration depth
naturally follows from the doping driven 3D-2D crossover, the 2D quantum
superconductor to insulator transition (QSI) in the underdoped limit and the
change of the relative doping concentration upon isotope substitution. Close to
the QSI transition both, the isotope coefficient of transition temperature and
penetration depth approach the coefficient of the relative dopant
concentration, and its divergence sets the scale. These predictions are fully
consistent with the experimental data and imply that close to the underdoped
limit the unusual isotope effect on transition temperature and penetration
depth uncovers critical phenomena associated with the quantum superconductor to
insulator transition in two dimensions.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure
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Revisiting global fossil fuel and biofuel emissions of ethane
Recent measurements over the Northern Hemisphere indicate that the long-term decline in the atmospheric burden of ethane (C2H6) has ended and the abundance increased dramatically between 2010 and 2014. The rise in C2H6 atmospheric abundances has been attributed to oil and natural gas extraction in North America. Existing global C2H6 emission inventories are based on outdated activity maps that do not account for current oil and natural gas exploitation regions. We present an updated global C2H6 emission inventory based on 2010 satellite-derived CH4 fluxes with adjusted C2H6 emissions over the U.S. from the National Emission Inventory (NEI 2011). We contrast our global 2010 C2H6 emission inventory with one developed for 2001. The C2H6 difference between global anthropogenic emissions is subtle (7.9 versus 7.2 Tg yr−1), but the spatial distribution of the emissions is distinct. In the 2010 C2H6 inventory, fossil fuel sources in the Northern Hemisphere represent half of global C2H6 emissions and 95% of global fossil fuel emissions. Over the U.S., unadjusted NEI 2011 C2H6 emissions produce mixing ratios that are 14–50% of those observed by aircraft observations (2008–2014). When the NEI 2011 C2H6 emission totals are scaled by a factor of 1.4, the Goddard Earth Observing System Chem model largely reproduces a regional suite of observations, with the exception of the central U.S., where it continues to underpredict observed mixing ratios in the lower troposphere. We estimate monthly mean contributions of fossil fuel C2H6 emissions to ozone and peroxyacetyl nitrate surface mixing ratios over North America of ~1% and ~8%, respectively
Implications evinced by the phase diagram, anisotropy, magnetic penetration depths, isotope effects and conductivities of cuprate superconductors
Anisotropy, thermal and quantum fluctuations and their dependence on dopant
concentration appear to be present in all cuprate superconductors, interwoven
with the microscopic mechanisms responsible for superconductivity. Here we
review anisotropy, in-plane and c-axis penetration depths, isotope effect and
conductivity measurements to reassess the universal behavior of cuprates as
revealed by the doping dependence of these phenomena and of the transition
temperature.Comment: 14 pages, 13 figure
Oxygen isotope effect on the in-plane penetration depth in underdoped La_{2-x}Sr_{x}CuO_{4} single crystals
We report measurements of the oxygen isotope effect (OIE) on the in-plane
penetration depth \lambda_{ab}(0) in underdoped La_{2-x}Sr_{x}CuO_{4} single
crystals. A highly sensitive magnetic torque sensor with a resolution of \Delta
\tau ~ 10^{-12} Nm was used for the magnetic measurements on microcrystals with
a mass of ~ 10 microg. The OIE on \lambda_{ab}^{-2}(0) is found to be -10(2)%
for x = 0.080 and -8(1)% for x = 0.086. It arises mainly from the oxygen mass
dependence of the in-plane effective mass m_{ab}*. The present results suggest
that lattice vibrations are important for the occurrence of high temperature
superconductivity.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, submitted to PR
Oxygen-isotope effect on the in-plane penetration depth in cuprate superconductors
Muon-spin rotation (muSR) studies of the oxygen isotope (^{16}O/^{18}O)
effect (OIE) on the in-plane magnetic field penetration depth lambda_{ab} in
cuprate high-temperature superconductors (HTS) are presented. First, the doping
dependence of the OIE on the transition temperature T_c in various HTS is
briefly discussed. It is observed that different cuprate families show a
similar doping dependence of the OIE on T_c. Then, bulk muSR, low-energy muSR,
and magnetization studies of the total and site-selective OIE on lambda_{ab}
are described in some detail. A substantial OIE on lambda_{ab} was observed in
various cuprate families at all doping levels, suggesting that cuprate HTS are
non-adiabatic superconductors. The experiments clearly demonstrate that the
total OIE on T_c and lambda_{ab} arise from the oxygen sites within the
superconducting CuO_2 planes, demonstrating that the phonon modes involving the
movement of planar oxygen are dominantly coupled to the supercarriers. Finally,
it is shown that the OIE on T_c and lambda_{ab} exhibit a relation that appears
to be generic for different families of cuprate HTS. The observation of these
unusual isotope effects implies that lattice effects play an essential role in
cuprate HTS and have to be considered in any realistic model of
high-temperature superconductivity.Comment: 22 pages, 12 figures. To be published in a special issue of J. Phys.
Cond. Ma
Selective Constraints on Amino Acids Estimated by a Mechanistic Codon Substitution Model with Multiple Nucleotide Changes
Empirical substitution matrices represent the average tendencies of
substitutions over various protein families by sacrificing gene-level
resolution. We develop a codon-based model, in which mutational tendencies of
codon, a genetic code, and the strength of selective constraints against amino
acid replacements can be tailored to a given gene. First, selective constraints
averaged over proteins are estimated by maximizing the likelihood of each 1-PAM
matrix of empirical amino acid (JTT, WAG, and LG) and codon (KHG) substitution
matrices. Then, selective constraints specific to given proteins are
approximated as a linear function of those estimated from the empirical
substitution matrices.
Akaike information criterion (AIC) values indicate that a model allowing
multiple nucleotide changes fits the empirical substitution matrices
significantly better. Also, the ML estimates of transition-transversion bias
obtained from these empirical matrices are not so large as previously
estimated. The selective constraints are characteristic of proteins rather than
species. However, their relative strengths among amino acid pairs can be
approximated not to depend very much on protein families but amino acid pairs,
because the present model, in which selective constraints are approximated to
be a linear function of those estimated from the JTT/WAG/LG/KHG matrices, can
provide a good fit to other empirical substitution matrices including cpREV for
chloroplast proteins and mtREV for vertebrate mitochondrial proteins.
The present codon-based model with the ML estimates of selective constraints
and with adjustable mutation rates of nucleotide would be useful as a simple
substitution model in ML and Bayesian inferences of molecular phylogenetic
trees, and enables us to obtain biologically meaningful information at both
nucleotide and amino acid levels from codon and protein sequences.Comment: Table 9 in this article includes corrections for errata in the Table
9 published in 10.1371/journal.pone.0017244. Supporting information is
attached at the end of the article, and a computer-readable dataset of the ML
estimates of selective constraints is available from
10.1371/journal.pone.001724
Super Earth Explorer: A Coronagraphic Off-Axis Space Telescope
The Super-Earth Explorer is an Off-Axis Space Telescope (SEE-COAST) designed
for high contrast imaging. Its scientific objective is to make the
physico-chemical characterization of exoplanets possibly down to 2 Earth radii
>. For that purpose it will analyze the spectral and polarimetric properties of
the parent starlight reflected by the planets, in the wavelength range 400-1250
nmComment: Accepted in Experimental Astronom
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