2,780 research outputs found
The magnetic field structure in CTA 102 from high-resolution mm-VLBI observations during the flaring state in 2016-2017
CONTEXT: Investigating the magnetic field structure in the innermost regions of relativistic jets is fundamental to understanding the crucial physical processes giving rise to jet formation, as well as to their extraordinary radiation output up to γ-ray energies.
AIMS: We study the magnetic field structure of the quasar CTA 102 with 3 and 7 mm VLBI polarimetric observations, reaching an unprecedented resolution (∼50 μas). We also investigate the variability and physical processes occurring in the source during the observing period, which coincides with a very active state of the source over the entire electromagnetic spectrum.
METHODS: We perform the Faraday rotation analysis using 3 and 7 mm data and we compare the obtained rotation measure (RM) map with the polarization evolution in 7 mm VLBA images. We study the kinematics and variability at 7 mm and infer the physical parameters associated with variability. From the analysis of γ-ray and X-ray data, we compute a minimum Doppler factor value required to explain the observed high-energy emission.
RESULTS: Faraday rotation analysis shows a gradient in RM with a maximum value of ∼6 × 104⁴ rad m⁻² and intrinsic electric vector position angles (EVPAs) oriented around the centroid of the core, suggesting the presence of large-scale helical magnetic fields. Such a magnetic field structure is also visible in 7 mm images when a new superluminal component is crossing the core region. The 7 mm EVPA orientation is different when the component is exiting the core or crossing a stationary feature at ∼0.1 mas. The interaction between the superluminal component and a recollimation shock at ∼0.1 mas could have triggered the multi-wavelength flares. The variability Doppler factor associated with such an interaction is large enough to explain the high-energy emission and the remarkable optical flare occurred very close in time.Accepted manuscrip
The relationship between labour unions’ bargaining power and firms’ operating flexibility: New evidence from emerging markets
This study analyses the relevance between the bargaining power of labour unions and the operating flexibility on firms’ capital costs by using non-financial firms listed on the Korean stock exchange from 1999 to 2013. Under the assumption that constraints in business activities attributed to the collective bargaining power of labour unions lead to reduced operating flexibility and increased capital costs, we test this notion empirically; the main test results are as follows: First, we find from portfolio analysis that the cost of capital is higher for firms in more unionized industries. Second, we find that union coverage positively affects the cost of capital at a significant level. Third, we confirm through robustness tests that the industry adjusted union coverage (IAUC) also has a positive effect on the cost of capital at a significant level. As a result, the effect holds after controlling for a host of industry- and firm-level characteristics, and is stronger when unions have more favourable bargaining power. Thus, our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the increase of labour unions’ bargaining power leads to raise firms’ capital costs by decreasing operating flexibility in the Korean firms
On the helium content of Galactic globular clusters via the R parameter
We estimate the empirical R parameter in 26 Galactic Globular Clusters
covering a wide metallicity range, imaged by WFPC2 on board the HST. The
improved spatial resolution permits a large fraction of the evolved stars to be
measured and permits accurate assessment of radial populaton gradients and
completeness corrections. In order to evaluate both the He abundance and the He
to metal enrichment ratio, we construct a large set of evolutionary models by
adopting similar metallicities and different He contents. We find an absolute
He abundance which is lower than that estimated from spectroscopic measurements
in HII regions and from primordial nucleosynthesis models. This discrepancy
could be removed by adopting a C12O16 nuclear cross section about a factor of
two smaller than the canonical value, although also different assumptions for
mixing processes can introduce systematical effects. The trend in the R
parameter toward solar metallicity is consistent with an upper limit to the He
to metal enrichment ratio of the order of 2.5.Comment: accepted for pubblication on Ap
Ballistic dynamics of a convex smooth-wall billiard with finite escape rate along the boundary
We focus on the problem of an impurity-free billiard with a random
position-dependent boundary coupling to the environment. The response functions
of such an open system can be obtained non-perturbatively from a supersymmetric
generating functional. The derivation of this functional is based on averaging
over the escape rates and results in a non-linear ballistic -model,
characterized by system-specific parameters. Particular emphasis is placed on
the {}``whispering gallery modes'' as the origin of surface diffusion modes in
the limit of large dimensionless conductance.Comment: 12 pages, no figure
Composite fermion theory of collective excitations in fractional quantum Hall effect
The low energy neutral excitations of incompressible fractional quantum Hall
states are called collective modes or magnetic excitons. This work develops
techniques for computing their dispersion at general filling fractions for
reasonably large systems. New structure is revealed; in particular, the
collective mode at 1/3 is found to possess several minima, with the energy of
the principal minimum significantly smaller than the earlier estimate.
\pacs{73.40.Hm, 73.20.Dx, 73.20.Mf}Comment: 4 pages, 3 postscript figure
The immediate upstream region of the 5 '-UTR from the AUG start codon has a pronounced effect on the translational efficiency in Arabidopsis thaliana
The nucleotide sequence around the translational initiation site is an important cis-acting element for post-transcriptional regulation. However, it has not been fully understood how the sequence context at the 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR) affects the translational efficiency of individual mRNAs. In this study, we provide evidence that the 5'-UTRs of Arabidopsis genes showing a great difference in the nucleotide sequence vary greatly in translational efficiency with more than a 200-fold difference. Of the four types of nucleotides, the A residue was the most favourable nucleotide from positions -1 to -21 of the 5'-UTRs in Arabidopsis genes. In particular, the A residue in the 5'-UTR from positions -1 to -5 was required for a high-level translational efficiency. In contrast, the T residue in the 5'-UTR from positions -1 to -5 was the least favourable nucleotide in translational efficiency. Furthermore, the effect of the sequence context in the -1 to -21 region of the 5'-UTR was conserved in different plant species. Based on these observations, we propose that the sequence context immediately upstream of the AUG initiation codon plays a crucial role in determining the translational efficiency of plant genes.ope
Linear Kondo conductance in a quantum dot
In a tunneling experiment across a quantum dot it is possible to change the
coupling between the dot and the contacts at will, by properly tuning the
trasparency of the barriers and the temperature. Gate voltages allow for
changes of the relative position of the dot addition energies and the Fermi
level of the leads. Here we discuss the two limiting cases: weak and strong
coupling in the tunneling Hamiltonian. In the latter case Kondo resonant
conductance can emerge at low temperature in a Coulomb blockade valley. We give
a pedagogical approach to the single-channel Kondo physics at equilibrium and
review the Nozieres scattering picture of the correlated fixed point. We
emphasize the effect of an applied magnetic field and show how an orbital Kondo
effect can take place in vertical quantum dots tuned both to an even and to an
odd number of electrons at a level crossing. We extend the approach to the
two-channel overscreened Kondo case and discuss recent proposals for detecting
the non-Fermi liquid fixed point which could be reached at strong coupling.Comment: 31 pages, invited review articl
Engineering development of advanced physical fine coal cleaning for premium fuel applications: Subtask 3.3 - dewatering studies
If successful, the novel Hydrophobic Dewatering (HD) process being developed in this project will be capable of efficiently removing moisture from fine coal without the expense and other related drawbacks associated with mechanical dewatering or thermal drying. In the HD process, a hydrophobic substance is added to a coal-water slurry to displace water from the surface of coal, while the spent hydrophobic substance is recovered for recycling. For this process to have commercialization potential, the amount of butane lost during the process must be small. Earlier testing revealed the ability of the hydrophobic dewatering process to reduce the moisture content of fine coal to a very low amount as well as the determination of potential butane losses by the adsorption of butane onto the coal surface. Work performed in this quarter showed that the state of oxidation affects the amount of butane adsorbed onto the surface of the coal and also affects the final moisture content. the remaining work will involve a preliminary flowsheet of a continuous bench-scale unit and a review of the economics of the system. 1 tab
Spin effects in single electron tunneling
An important consequence of the discovery of giant magnetoresistance in
metallic magnetic multilayers is a broad interest in spin dependent effects in
electronic transport through magnetic nanostructures. An example of such
systems are tunnel junctions -- single-barrier planar junctions or more complex
ones. In this review we present and discuss recent theoretical results on
electron and spin transport through ferromagnetic mesoscopic junctions
including two or more barriers. Such systems are also called ferromagnetic
single-electron transistors. We start from the situation when the central part
of a device has the form of a magnetic (or nonmagnetic) metallic nanoparticle.
Transport characteristics reveal then single-electron charging effects,
including the Coulomb staircase, Coulomb blockade, and Coulomb oscillations.
Single-electron ferromagnetic transistors based on semiconductor quantum dots
and large molecules (especially carbon nanotubes) are also considered. The main
emphasis is placed on the spin effects due to spin-dependent tunnelling through
the barriers, which gives rise to spin accumulation and tunnel
magnetoresistance. Spin effects also occur in the current-voltage
characteristics, (differential) conductance, shot noise, and others. Transport
characteristics in the two limiting situations of weak and strong coupling are
of particular interest. In the former case we distinguish between the
sequential tunnelling and cotunneling regimes. In the strong coupling regime we
concentrate on the Kondo phenomenon, which in the case of transport through
quantum dots or molecules leads to an enhanced conductance and to a pronounced
zero-bias Kondo peak in the differential conductance.Comment: topical review (36 figures, 65 pages), to be published in J. Phys.:
Condens. Matte
Near-Infrared Molecular Hydrogen Emission from the Central Regions of Galaxies: Regulated Physical Conditions in the Interstellar Medium
The central regions of many interacting and early-type spiral galaxies are
actively forming stars. This process affects the physical and chemical
properties of the local interstellar medium as well as the evolution of the
galaxies. We observed near-infrared H2 emission lines: v=1-0 S(1), 3-2 S(3),
1-0 S(0), and 2-1 S(1) from the central ~1 kpc regions of the archetypical
starburst galaxies, M82 and NGC 253, and the less dramatic but still vigorously
star-forming galaxies, NGC 6946 and IC 342. Like the far-infrared continuum
luminosity, the near-infrared H2 emission luminosity can directly trace the
amount of star formation activity because the H2 emission lines arise from the
interaction between hot and young stars and nearby neutral clouds. The observed
H2 line ratios show that both thermal and non-thermal excitation are
responsible for the emission lines, but that the great majority of the
near-infrared H2 line emission in these galaxies arises from energy states
excited by ultraviolet fluorescence. The derived physical conditions, e.g.,
far-ultraviolet radiation field and gas density, from [C II] and [O I] lines
and far-infrared continuum observations when used as inputs to
photodissociation models, also explain the luminosity of the observed H2 v=1-0
S(1) line. The ratio of the H2 v=1-0 S(1) line to far-IR continuum luminosity
is remarkably constant over a broad range of galaxy luminosities; L_H2/L_FIR =
about 10^{-5}, in normal late-type galaxies (including the Galactic center), in
nearby starburst galaxies, and in luminous IR galaxies (LIRGs: L_FIR > 10^{11}
L_sun). Examining this constant ratio in the context of photodissociation
region models, we conclude that it implies that the strength of the incident UV
field on typical molecular clouds follows the gas density at the cloud surface.Comment: Accepted for ApJ, 24 pages, 17 figures, for complete PDF file, see
http://kao.re.kr/~soojong/mypaper/2004_pak_egh2.pd
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