3,023 research outputs found
Near-inertial wave scattering by random flows
The impact of a turbulent flow on wind-driven oceanic near-inertial waves is
examined using a linearised shallow-water model of the mixed layer. Modelling
the flow as a homogeneous and stationary random process with spatial scales
comparable to the wavelengths, we derive a transport (or kinetic) equation
governing wave-energy transfers in both physical and spectral spaces. This
equation describes the scattering of the waves by the flow which results in a
redistribution of energy between waves with the same frequency (or,
equivalently, with the same wavenumber) and, for isotropic flows, in the
isotropisation of the wave field. The time scales for the scattering and
isotropisation are obtained explicitly and found to be of the order of tens of
days for typical oceanic parameters. The predictions inferred from the
transport equation are confirmed by a series of numerical simulations.
Two situations in which near-inertial waves are strongly influenced by flow
scattering are investigated through dedicated nonlinear shallow-water
simulations. In the first, a wavepacket propagating equatorwards as a result
from the -effect is shown to be slowed down and dispersed both zonally
and meridionally by scattering. In the second, waves generated by moving
cyclones are shown to be strongly disturbed by scattering, leading again to an
increased dispersion.Comment: Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Fluid
Spectroscopic analysis of finite size effects around a Kondo quantum dot
We consider a simple setup in which a small quantum dot is strongly connected
to a finite size box. This box can be either a metallic box or a finite size
quantum wire.The formation of the Kondo screening cloud in the box strongly
depends on the ratio between the Kondo temperature and the box level spacing.
By weakly connecting two metallic reservoirs to the quantum dot, a detailed
spectroscopic analysis can be performed. Since the transport channels and the
screening channels are almost decoupled, such a setup allows an easier access
to the measure of finite-size effects associated with the finite extension of
the Kondo cloud.Comment: contribution to Les Houches proceeding, ``Quantum magnetism'' 200
The Partition Function and Level Density for Yang-Mills-Higgs Quantum Mechanics
We calculate the partition function and the asymptotic integrated
level density for Yang-Mills-Higgs Quantum Mechanics for two and three
dimensions (). Due to the infinite volume of the phase space
on energy shell for , it is not possible to disentangle completely the
coupled oscillators (-model) from the Higgs sector. The situation is
different for for which is finite. The transition from order
to chaos in these systems is expressed by the corresponding transitions in
and , analogous to the transitions in adjacent level spacing
distribution from Poisson distribution to Wigner-Dyson distribution. We also
discuss a related system with quartic coupled oscillators and two dimensional
quartic free oscillators for which, contrary to YMHQM, both coupling constants
are dimensionless.Comment: 10 pages, LaTeX; minor changes; version accepted for publication as a
Letter in J. Phys.
Kondo screening cloud effects in mesoscopic devices
We study how finite size effects may appear when a quantum dot in the Kondo
Coulomb blockade regime is embedded into a mesoscopic device with finite wires.
These finite size effects appear when the size of the mesoscopic device
containing the quantum dot is of the order of the size of Kondo cloud and
affect all thermodynamic and transport properties of the Kondo quantum dot. We
also generalize our results to the experimentally relevant case where the wires
contain several transverse modes/channels. Our results are based on
perturbation theory, Fermi liquid theory and slave boson mean field theory.Comment: 19 pages, 9 figure
Argumentation in school science : Breaking the tradition of authoritative exposition through a pedagogy that promotes discussion and reasoning
The value of argumentation in science education has become internationally recognised and has been the subject of many research studies in recent years. Successful introduction of argumentation activities in learning contexts involves extending teaching goals beyond the understanding of facts and concepts, to include an emphasis on cognitive and metacognitive processes, epistemic criteria and reasoning. The authors focus on the difficulties inherent in shifting a tradition of teaching from one dominated by authoritative exposition to one that is more dialogic, involving small-group discussion based on tasks that stimulate argumentation. The paper builds on previous research on enhancing the quality of argument in school science, to focus on how argumentation activities have been designed, with appropriate strategies, resources and modelling, for pedagogical purposes. The paper analyses design frameworks, their contexts and lesson plans, to evaluate their potential for enhancing reasoning through foregrounding the processes of argumentation. Examples of classroom dialogue where teachers adopt the frameworks/plans are analysed to show how argumentation processes are scaffolded. The analysis shows that several layers of interpretation are needed and these layers need to be aligned for successful implementation. The analysis serves to highlight the potential and limitations of the design frameworks
Quantitative, Simultaneous PET/MRI for Intratumoral Imaging with an MRI-Compatible PET Scanner
Noninvasive methods are needed to explore the heterogeneous tumor microenvironment and its modulation by therapy. Hybrid PET/MRI systems are being developed for small-animal and clinical use. The advantage of these integrated systems depends on their ability to provide MR images that are spatially coincident with simultaneously acquired PET images, allowing combined functional MRI and PET studies of intratissue heterogeneity. Although much effort has been devoted to developing this new technology, the issue of quantitative and spatial fidelity of PET images from hybrid PET/MRI systems to the tissues imaged has received little attention. Here, we evaluated the ability of a first-generation, small-animal MRI-compatible PET scanner to accurately depict heterogeneous patterns of radiotracer uptake in tumors. Methods: Quantitative imaging characteristics of the MRI-compatible PET (PET/MRI) scanner were evaluated with phantoms using calibration coefficients derived from a mouse-sized linearity phantom. PET performance was compared with a commercial small-animal PET system and autoradiography in tumor-bearing mice. Pixel and structure-based similarity metrics were used to evaluate image concordance among modalities. Feasibility of simultaneous PET/MRI functional imaging of tumors was explored by following ^(64)Cu-labeled antibody uptake in relation to diffusion MRI using cooccurrence matrix analysis. Results: The PET/MRI scanner showed stable and linear response. Activity concentration recovery values (measured and true activity concentration) calculated for 4-mm-diameter rods within linearity and uniform activity rod phantoms were near unity (0.97 ± 0.06 and 1.03 ± 0.03, respectively). Intratumoral uptake patterns for both ^(18)F-FDG and a ^(64)Cu-antibody acquired using the PET/MRI scanner and small-animal PET were highly correlated with autoradiography (r > 0.99) and with each other (r = 0.97 ± 0.01). On the basis of these data, we performed a preliminary study comparing diffusion MRI and radiolabeled antibody uptake patterns over time and visualized movement of antibodies from the vascular space into the tumor mass. Conclusion: The MRI-compatible PET scanner provided tumor images that were quantitatively accurate and spatially concordant with autoradiography and the small-animal PET examination. Cooccurrence matrix approaches enabled effective analysis of multimodal image sets. These observations confirm the ability of the current simultaneous PET/MRI system to provide accurate observations of intratumoral function and serve as a benchmark for future evaluations of hybrid instrumentation
Detecting the Kondo screening cloud around a quantum dot
A fundamental prediction of scaling theories of the Kondo effect is the
screening of an impurity spin by a cloud of electrons spread out over a
mesoscopic distance. This cloud has never been observed experimentally.
Recently, aspects of the Kondo effect have been observed in experiments on
quantum dots embedded in quantum wires. Since the length of the wire may be of
order the size of the screening cloud, such systems provide an ideal
opportunity to observe it. We point out that persistent current measurements in
a closed ring provide a conceptually simple way of detecting this fundamental
length scale.Comment: 4 pages, RevTex, 1 postscript figur
Tightrope walkers and solidarity sisters: critical workplace educators in the garment industry
Abstract: This article focuses on the complex negotiations of critical workplace educators positioned amongst contradictory agendas and discourses in the workplace. While philosophically aligned with critical pedagogical agendas of transformation and collective action for workplace change, these educators perform an array of pedagogic articulations in everyday practice to secure their continued presence in the workplace. What becomes evident in these seemingly opposing articulations are various strategic political positionings of educators alongside their juggling of demands, attachments and inter-identifications with both learners and managers. The pedagogy that emerges challenges conventional binaries of âtransformativeâ and âreproductiveâ learning. Dynamics of transformation and liberation as well as reproduction and subjugation appear to be interlinked, along with expanding nets of social relations that blur power hierarchies and spatial boundaries, in a pedagogy that ultimately appears to mobilise hope and agency among workers. The workplace educator works a delicate balance of these dynamics to survive. The argument is based on a case study of a garment factory in Canada in which an adult education programme managed to thrive for 17 years: both workers and educators were interviewed in depth
- âŠ