1,820 research outputs found
Thermodynamics of micellization of oppositely charged polymers
The complexation of oppositely charged colloidal objects is considered in
this paper as a thermodynamic micellization process where each kind of object
needs the others to micellize. This requirement gives rise to quantitatively
different behaviors than the so-called mixed-micellization where each specie
can micellize separately. A simple model of the grand potential for micelles is
proposed to corroborate the predictions of this general approach.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in Europhysics Letter
Revisiting two-step Forbush decreases
Interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) and their shocks can sweep out galactic cosmic rays (GCRs), thus creating Forbush decreases (FDs). The traditional model of FDs predicts that an ICME and its shock decrease the GCR intensity in a two-step profile. This model, however, has been the focus of little testing. Thus, our goal is to discover whether a passing ICME and its shock inevitably lead to a two-step FD, as predicted by the model. We use cosmic ray data from 14 neutron monitors and, when possible, high time resolution GCR data from the spacecraft International Gamma Ray Astrophysical Laboratory (INTEGRAL). We analyze 233 ICMEs that should have created two-step FDs. Of these, only 80 created FDs, and only 13 created two-step FDs. FDs are thus less common than predicted by the model. The majority of events indicates that profiles of FDs are more complicated, particularly within the ICME sheath, than predicted by the model. We conclude that the traditional model of FDs as having one or two steps should be discarded. We also conclude that generally ignored small-scale interplanetary magnetic field structure can contribute to the observed variety of FD profiles
Multidimensional spectroscopy with a single broadband phase-shaped laser pulse
We calculate the frequency-dispersed nonlinear transmission signal of a
phase-shaped visible pulse to fourth order in the field. Two phase profiles, a
phase-step and phase-pulse, are considered. Two dimensional signals obtained by
varying the detected frequency and phase parameters are presented for a three
electronic band model system. We demonstrate how two-photon and stimulated
Raman resonances can be manipulated by the phase profile and sign, and selected
quantum pathways can be suppressed.Comment: 26 pages, 15 figure
Cascading and Local-Field Effects in Non-Linear Optics Revisited; A Quantum-Field Picture Based on Exchange of Photons
The semi-classical theory of radiation-matter coupling misses local-field
effects that may alter the pulse time-ordering and cascading that leads to the
generation of new signals. These are then introduced macroscopically by solving
Maxwell's equations. This procedure is convenient and intuitive but ad hoc. We
show that both effects emerge naturally by including coupling to quantum modes
of the radiation field in the vacuum state to second order. This approach is
systematic and suggests a more general class of corrections that only arise in
a QED framework. In the semi-classical theory, which only includes classical
field modes, the susceptibility of a collection of non-interacting
molecules is additive and scales as . Second-order coupling to a vacuum mode
generates an effective retarded interaction that leads to cascading and local
field effects both of which scale as
Time-, Frequency-, and Wavevector-Resolved X-Ray Diffraction from Single Molecules
Using a quantum electrodynamic framework, we calculate the off-resonant
scattering of a broad-band X-ray pulse from a sample initially prepared in an
arbitrary superposition of electronic states. The signal consists of
single-particle (incoherent) and two-particle (coherent) contributions that
carry different particle form factors that involve different material
transitions. Single-molecule experiments involving incoherent scattering are
more influenced by inelastic processes compared to bulk measurements. The
conditions under which the technique directly measures charge densities (and
can be considered as diffraction) as opposed to correlation functions of the
charge-density are specified. The results are illustrated with time- and
wavevector-resolved signals from a single amino acid molecule (cysteine)
following an impulsive excitation by a stimulated X-ray Raman process resonant
with the sulfur K-edge. Our theory and simulations can guide future
experimental studies on the structures of nano-particles and proteins
Multipoint, high time resolution galactic cosmic ray observations associated with two interplanetary coronal mass ejections
[1] Galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) play an important role in our understanding of the interplanetary medium (IPM). The causes of their short timescale variations, however, remain largely unexplored. In this paper, we compare high time resolution, multipoint space-based GCR data to explore structures in the IPM that cause these variations. To ensure that features we see in these data actually relate to conditions in the IPM, we look for correlations between the GCR time series from two instruments onboard the Polar and INTEGRAL (International Gamma Ray Astrophysical Laboratory) satellites, respectively inside and outside Earth\u27s magnetosphere. We analyze the period of 18–24 August 2006 during which two interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) passed Earth and produced a Forbush decrease (Fd) in the GCR flux. We find two periods, for a total of 10 h, of clear correlation between small-scale variations in the two GCR time series during these 7 days, thus demonstrating that such variations are observable using space-based instruments. The first period of correlation lasted 6 h and began 2 h before the shock of the first ICME passed the two spacecraft. The second period occurred during the initial decrease of the Fd, an event that did not conform to the typical one- or two-step classification of Fds. We propose that two planar magnetic structures preceding the first ICME played a role in both periods: one structure in driving the first correlation and the other in initiating the Fd
A Continued Fraction Resummation Form of Bath Relaxation Effect in the Spin-Boson Model
In the spin-boson model, a continued fraction form is proposed to
systematically resum high-order quantum kinetic expansion (QKE) rate kernels,
accounting for the bath relaxation effect beyond the second-order perturbation.
In particular, the analytical expression of the sixth-order QKE rate kernel is
derived for resummation. With higher-order correction terms systematically
extracted from higher-order rate kernels, the resummed quantum kinetic
expansion (RQKE) approach in the continued fraction form extends the Pade
approximation and can fully recover the exact quantum dynamics as the expansion
order increases.Comment: accepted by J. Chem. Phy
Improved Simulation of the Mass Charging for ASTROD I
The electrostatic charging of the test mass in ASTROD I (Astrodynamical Space
Test of Relativity using Optical Devices I) mission can affect the quality of
the science data as a result of spurious Coulomb and Lorentz forces. To
estimate the size of the resultant disturbances, credible predictions of
charging rates and the charging noise are required. Using the GEANT4 software
toolkit, we present a detailed Monte Carlo simulation of the ASTROD I test mass
charging due to exposure of the spacecraft to galactic cosmic-ray (GCR) protons
and alpha particles (3He, 4He) in the space environment. A positive charging
rate of 33.3 e+/s at solar minimum is obtained. This figure reduces by 50% at
solar maximum. Based on this charging rate and factoring in the contribution of
minor cosmic-ray components, we calculate the acceleration noise and stiffness
associated with charging. We conclude that the acceleration noise arising from
Coulomb and Lorentz effects are well below the ASTROD I acceleration noise
limit at 0.1 mHz both at solar minimum and maximum. The coherent Fourier
components due to charging are investigated, it needs to be studied carefully
in order to ensure that these do not compromise the quality of science data in
the ASTROD I mission.Comment: 20 pages, 14 figures, submitted to International Journal of Modern
Physics
- …