Image interpolation using Shearlet based iterative refinement

This paper proposes an image interpolation algorithm exploiting sparse representation for natural images. It involves three main steps: (a) obtaining an initial estimate of the high resolution image using linear methods like FIR filtering, (b) promoting sparsity in a selected dictionary through iterative thresholding, and (c) extracting high frequency information from the approximation to refine the initial estimate. For the sparse modeling, a shearlet dictionary is chosen to yield a multiscale directional representation. The proposed algorithm is compared to several state-of-the-art methods to assess its objective as well as subjective performance. Compared to the cubic spline interpolation method, an average PSNR gain of around 0.8 dB is observed over a dataset of 200 images

Two-band ferromagnetic Kondo-lattice model for local-moment half-metals

We introduce a two-band Kondo-lattice model to describe ferromagnetic half-metals with local magnetic moments. In a model study, the electronic and magnetic properties are presented by temperature dependent magnetization curves, band-structures, spin polarizations and plasma frequencies. These are obtained from numerically evaluated equations, based on the single-electron Green functions. We show that the mutual influence between the itinerant electrons and the local magnetic moments is responsible for several phase transitions of the half-metals, namely first and second order magnetic phase transitions, as well as half-metal to semiconductor and half-metal to semimetal transitions.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Journal of Physics: Condensed Matte

Tycho Brahe's supernova: light from centuries past

The light curve of SN 1572 is described in the terms used nowadays to characterize SNeIa. By assembling the records of the observations done in 1572--74 and evaluating their uncertainties, it is possible to recover the light curve and the color evolution of this supernova. It is found that, within the SNe Ia family, the event should have been a SNIa with a normal rate of decline, its stretch factor being {\it s} $\sim$ 0.9. Visual light curve near maximum, late--time decline and the color evolution sustain this conclusion. After correcting for extinction, the luminosity of this supernova is found to be M$_{V}$ $=$ --19.58 --5 log (D/3.5 kpc) $\pm$ 0.42.Comment: 28 pages, 3 figures, 3 tables. submitted to ApJ (Main Journal

Quadrupole Instabilities of Relativistic Rotating Membranes

We generalize recent study of the stability of isotropic (spherical) rotating membranes to the anisotropic ellipsoidal membrane. We find that while the stability persists for deformations of spin $l=1$, the quadrupole and higher spin deformations ($l\geq 2$) lead to instabilities. We find the relevant instability modes and the corresponding eigenvalues. These indicate that the ellipsoidal rotating membranes generically decay into finger-like configurations.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figur

Reconnection and acoustic emission of quantized vortices in superfluid by the numerical analysis of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation

We study numerically the reconnection of quantized vortices and the concurrent acoustic emission by the analysis of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation. Two quantized vortices reconnect following the process similar to classical vortices; they approach, twist themselves locally so that they become anti-parallel at the closest place, reconnect and leave separately.The investigation of the motion of the singular lines where the amplitude of the wave function vanishes in the vortex cores confirms that they follow the above scenario by reconnecting at a point. This reconnection is not contradictory to the Kelvin's circulation theorem, because the potential of the superflow field becomes undefined at the reconnection point. When the locally anti-parallel part of the vortices becomes closer than the healing length, it moves with the velocity comparable to the sound velocity, emits the sound waves and leads to the pair annihilation or reconnection; this phenomena is concerned with the Cherenkov resonance. The vortices are broken up to smaller vortex loops through a series of reconnection, eventually disappearing with the acoustic emission. This may correspond to the final stage of the vortex cascade process proposed by Feynman. The change in energy components, such as the quantum, the compressible and incompressible kinetic energy is analyzed for each dynamics. The propagation of the sound waves not only appears in the profile of the amplitude of the wave function but also affects the field of its phase, transforming the quantum energy due to the vortex cores to the kinetic energy of the phase field.Comment: 11 pages, 16 figures, LaTe