12,523 research outputs found
Spin-dependent transport in a quasiballistic quantum wire
We describe the transport properties of a 5 m long one-dimensional (1D)
quantum wire. Reduction of conductance plateaux due to the introduction of
weakly disorder scattering are observed. In an in-plane magnetic field, we
observe spin-splitting of the reduced conductance steps. Our experimental
results provide evidence that deviation from conductance quantisation is very
small for electrons with spin parallel and is about 1/3 for electrons with spin
anti-parallel. Moreover, in a high in-plane magnetic field, a spin-polarised 1D
channel shows a plateau-like structure close to which
strengthens with {\em increasing} temperatures. It is suggested that these
results arise from the combination of disorder and the electron-electron
interactions in the 1D electron gas.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, latex to be published in Phys. Rev. B (15/3/2000
Anomalous spin-dependent behaviour of one-dimensional subbands
We report a new electron interaction effect in GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wires.
Using DC-bias spectroscopy, we show that large and abrupt changes occur to the
energies of spin-down (lower energy) states as they populate. The effect is not
observed for spin-up energy states. At B=0, interactions have a pronounced
effect, in the form of the well-known 0.7 Structure. However, our new results
show that interactions strongly affect the energy spectrum at all magnetic
fields, from 0 to 16T, not just in the vicinity of the 0.7 Structure.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
Major Galaxy Mergers Only Trigger the Most Luminous AGN
Using multiwavelength surveys of active galactic nuclei across a wide range
of bolometric luminosities (10^{43}<L_{bol}(erg/s<5x10^{46}) and redshifts
(0<z<3), we find a strong, redshift-independent correlation between the AGN
luminosity and the fraction of host galaxies undergoing a major merger. That
is, only the most luminous AGN phases are connected to major mergers, while
less luminous AGN appear to be driven by secular processes. Combining this
trend with AGN luminosity functions to assess the overall cosmic growth of
black holes, we find that ~50% by mass is associated with major mergers, while
only 10% of AGN by number, the most luminous, are connected to these violent
events. Our results suggest that to reach the highest AGN luminosities -where
the most massive black holes accreted the bulk of their mass - a major merger
appears to be required. The luminosity dependence of the fraction of AGN
triggered by major mergers can successfully explain why the observed scatter in
the M-\sigma relation for elliptical galaxies is significantly lower than in
spirals. The lack of a significant redshift dependence of the
L_{bol}-f_{merger} relation suggests that downsizing, i.e., the general decline
in AGN and star formation activity with decreasing redshift, is driven by a
decline in the frequency of major mergers combined with a decrease in the
availability of gas at lower redshifts.Comment: Accepted for publication by Astrophysical Journal Letters, 6 pages in
emulateapj format, 3 figure
The Accuracy of Morphological Decomposition of Active Galactic Nucleus Host Galaxies
In order to assess the accuracy with which we can determine the morphologies
of AGN host galaxies, we have simulated more than 50,000 ACS images of galaxies
with z < 1.25, using image and noise properties appropriate for the GOODS
survey. We test the effect of central point-source brightness on host galaxy
parameter recovery with a set of simulated AGN host galaxies made by adding
point sources to the centers of normal galaxies. We extend this analysis and
also quantify the recovery of intrinsic morphological parameters of AGN host
galaxies with a set of fully simulated inactive and AGN host galaxies.
We can reliably separate good from poor fit results using a combination of
reasonable error cuts, in the regime where L_{host}:L_{PS} > 1:4. We give
quantitative estimates of parameter errors as a function of
host-to-point-source ratio. In general, we separate host and point-source
magnitudes reliably at all redshifts; point sources are well recovered more
than 90% of the time, although spurious detection of central point sources can
be as high as 25% for bulge-dominated sources. We find a general correlation
between Sersic index and intrinsic bulge-to-total ratio, such that a host
galaxy with Sersic n < 1.5 generally has at least 80% of its light from a disk
component. Likewise, "bulge-dominated" galaxies with n > 4 typically derive at
least 70% of their total host galaxy light from a bulge, but this number can be
as low as 55%. Single-component Sersic fits to an AGN host galaxy are
statistically very reliable to z < 1.25 (for ACS survey data like ours). In
contrast, two-component fits involving separate bulge and disk components tend
to over-estimate the bulge fraction by ~10%, with uncertainty of order 50%.Comment: 45 pages, 20 figures, submitted to ApJ ; Accepted Version --
additions to introduction and conclusions; title changed, was "Simulations of
AGN Host Galaxy Morphologies
Ultra-dense phosphorus in germanium delta-doped layers
Phosphorus (P) in germanium (Ge) delta-doped layers are fabricated in
ultra-high vacuum by adsorption of phosphine molecules onto an atomically flat
clean Ge(001) surface followed by thermal incorporation of P into the lattice
and epitaxial Ge overgrowth by molecular beam epitaxy. Structural and
electrical characterizations show that P atoms are confined, with minimal
diffusion, into an ultra-narrow 2-nm-wide layer with an electrically-active
sheet carrier concentration of 4x10^13 cm-2 at 4.2 K. These results open up the
possibility of ultra-narrow source/drain regions with unprecedented carrier
densities for Ge n-channel field effect transistors
Major Mergers Host the Most Luminous Red Quasars at z ~ 2: A Hubble Space Telescope WFC3/IR Study
We used the Hubble Space Telescope WFC3 near-infrared camera to image the
host galaxies of a sample of eleven luminous, dust-reddened quasars at z ~ 2 --
the peak epoch of black hole growth and star formation in the Universe -- to
test the merger-driven picture for the co-evolution of galaxies and their
nuclear black holes. The red quasars come from the FIRST+2MASS red quasar
survey and a newer, deeper, UKIDSS+FIRST sample. These dust-reddened quasars
are the most intrinsically luminous quasars in the Universe at all redshifts,
and may represent the dust-clearing transitional phase in the merger-driven
black hole growth scenario. Probing the host galaxies in rest-frame visible
light, the HST images reveal that 8/10 of these quasars have actively merging
hosts, while one source is reddened by an intervening lower redshift galaxy
along the line-of-sight. We study the morphological properties of the quasar
hosts using parametric Sersic fits as well as the non-parametric estimators
(Gini coefficient, M_{20} and asymmetry). Their properties are heterogeneous
but broadly consistent with the most extreme morphologies of local merging
systems such as Ultraluminous Infrared galaxies. The red quasars have a
luminosity range of log(L_bol) = 47.8 - 48.3 (erg/s) and the merger fraction of
their AGN hosts is consistent with merger-driven models of luminous AGN
activity at z=2, which supports the picture in which luminous quasars and
galaxies co-evolve through major mergers that trigger both star formation and
black hole growth.Comment: Submitted to ApJ. This version includes the response to the referee
repor
Combinatorial Bounds and Characterizations of Splitting Authentication Codes
We present several generalizations of results for splitting authentication
codes by studying the aspect of multi-fold security. As the two primary
results, we prove a combinatorial lower bound on the number of encoding rules
and a combinatorial characterization of optimal splitting authentication codes
that are multi-fold secure against spoofing attacks. The characterization is
based on a new type of combinatorial designs, which we introduce and for which
basic necessary conditions are given regarding their existence.Comment: 13 pages; to appear in "Cryptography and Communications
Factorization of correlations in two-dimensional percolation on the plane and torus
Recently, Delfino and Viti have examined the factorization of the three-point
density correlation function P_3 at the percolation point in terms of the
two-point density correlation functions P_2. According to conformal invariance,
this factorization is exact on the infinite plane, such that the ratio R(z_1,
z_2, z_3) = P_3(z_1, z_2, z_3) [P_2(z_1, z_2) P_2(z_1, z_3) P_2(z_2,
z_3)]^{1/2} is not only universal but also a constant, independent of the z_i,
and in fact an operator product expansion (OPE) coefficient. Delfino and Viti
analytically calculate its value (1.022013...) for percolation, in agreement
with the numerical value 1.022 found previously in a study of R on the
conformally equivalent cylinder. In this paper we confirm the factorization on
the plane numerically using periodic lattices (tori) of very large size, which
locally approximate a plane. We also investigate the general behavior of R on
the torus, and find a minimum value of R approx. 1.0132 when the three points
are maximally separated. In addition, we present a simplified expression for R
on the plane as a function of the SLE parameter kappa.Comment: Small corrections (final version). In press, J. Phys.
A 14-day ground-based hypokinesia study in nonhuman primates: A compilation of results
A 14 day ground based hypokinesia study with rhesus monkeys was conducted to determine if a spaceflight of similar duration might affect bone remodeling and calcium homeostatis. The monkeys were placed in total body casts and sacrificed either immediately upon decasting or 14 days after decasting. Changes in vertebral strength were noted and further deterioration of bone strength continued during the recovery phase. Resorption in the vertebrae increased dramatically while formation decreased. Cortical bone formation was impaired in the long bones. The immobilized animals showed a progressive decrease in total serum calcium which rebounded upon remobilization. Most mandibular parameters remained unchanged during casting except for retardation of osteon birth or maturation rate and density distribution of matrix and mineral moieties
Assessing Alternatives for Directional Detection of a WIMP Halo
The future of direct terrestrial WIMP detection lies on two fronts: new, much
larger low background detectors sensitive to energy deposition, and detectors
with directional sensitivity. The former can large range of WIMP parameter
space using well tested technology while the latter may be necessary if one is
to disentangle particle physics parameters from astrophysical halo parameters.
Because directional detectors will be quite difficult to construct it is
worthwhile exploring in advance generally which experimental features will
yield the greatest benefits at the lowest costs. We examine the sensitivity of
directional detectors with varying angular tracking resolution with and without
the ability to distinguish forward versus backward recoils, and compare these
to the sensitivity of a detector where the track is projected onto a
two-dimensional plane. The latter detector regardless of where it is placed on
the Earth, can be oriented to produce a significantly better discrimination
signal than a 3D detector without this capability, and with sensitivity within
a factor of 2 of a full 3D tracking detector. Required event rates to
distinguish signals from backgrounds for a simple isothermal halo range from
the low teens in the best case to many thousands in the worst.Comment: 4 pages, including 2 figues and 2 tables, submitted to PR
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