4,887 research outputs found
Low temperature terahertz spectroscopy of n-InSb through a magnetic field driven metal-insulator transition
We use fiber-coupled photoconductive emitters and detectors to perform
terahertz (THz) spectroscopy of lightly-doped n-InSb directly in the cryogenic
(1.5 K) bore of a high-field superconducting magnet. We measure transmission
spectra from 0.1-1.1 THz as the sample is driven through a metal-insulator
transition (MIT) by applied magnetic field. In the low-field metallic state,
the data directly reveal the plasma edge and magneto-plasmon modes. With
increasing field, a surprisingly broad band (0.3-0.8 THz) of low transmission
appears at the onset of the MIT. This band subsequently collapses and evolves
into the sharp 1s -> 2p- transition of electrons `frozen' onto isolated donors
in the insulating state.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
A technology assessment of alternative communications systems for the space exploration initiative
Telecommunications, Navigation, and Information Management (TNIM) services are vital to accomplish the ambitious goals of the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI). A technology assessment is provided for four alternative lunar and Mars operational TNIM systems based on detailed communications link analyses. The four alternative systems range from a minimum to a fully enhanced capability and use frequencies from S-band, through Ka-band, and up to optical wavelengths. Included are technology development schedules as they relate to present SEI mission architecture time frames
Critical Currents of Josephson-Coupled Wire Arrays
We calculate the current-voltage characteristics and critical current
I_c^{array} of an array of Josephson-coupled superconducting wires. The array
has two layers, each consisting of a set of parallel wires, arranged at right
angles, such that an overdamped resistively-shunted junction forms wherever two
wires cross. A uniform magnetic field equal to f flux quanta per plaquette is
applied perpendicular to the layers. If f = p/q, where p and q are mutually
prime integers, I_c^{array}(f) is found to have sharp peaks when q is a small
integer. To an excellent approximation, it is found in a square array of n^2
plaquettes, that I_c^{array}(f) \propto (n/q)^{1/2} for sufficiently large n.
This result is interpreted in terms of the commensurability between the array
and the assumed q \times q unit cell of the ground state vortex lattice.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Significance of low energy impact damage on modal parameters of composite beams by design of experiments
This paper presents an experimental study on the effects of multi-site damage on the vibration response of composite beams damaged by low energy impacts around the barely visible impact damage limit (BVID). The variation of the modal parameters with different levels of impact energy and density of damage is studied. Vibration tests have been carried out with both burst random and classical sine dwell excitations in order to compare that which of the methods among Polymax and Half Bandwidth Method is more suitable for damping estimation in the presence of damage. Design of experiments (DOE) performed on the experimental data show that natural frequency is a more sensitive parameter for damage detection than the damping ratio. It also highlighted energy of impact as the factor having a more significant effect on the modal parameters. Half Bandwidth Method is found to be unsuitable for damping estimation in the presence of damage
High Performance Electrocatalysts Based on Pt Nanoarchitecture for Fuel Cell Applications
Fuel cells, converting chemical energy from fuels into electricity directly without the need for combustion, are promising energy conversion devices for their potential applications as environmentally friendly, energy efficient power sources. However, to take fuel cell technology forward towards commercialization, we need to achieve further improvements in electrocatalyst technology, which can play an extremely important role in essentially determining cost-effectiveness, performance, and durability. In particular, platinum- (Pt-) based electrocatalyst approaches have been extensively investigated and actively pursued to meet those demands as an ideal fuel cell catalyst due to their most outstanding activity for both cathode oxygen reduction reactions and anode fuel oxidation reactions. In this review, we will address important issues and recent progress in the development of Pt-based catalysts, their synthesis, and characterization. We will also review snapshots of research that are focused on essential dynamics aspects of electrocatalytic reactions, such as the shape effects on the catalytic activity of Pt-based nanostructures, the relationships between structural morphology of Pt-based nanostructures and electrochemical reactions on both cathode and anode electrodes, and the effects of composition and electronic structure of Pt-based catalysts on electrochemical reaction properties of fuel cells.</jats:p
Low-temperature (4.2°K) study of the 2E1uâ2E2g band system in the electronic spectra of various ferricenium compounds
The 2E1uâ2E2g (16200cm^â1) band system for the three ferricenium salts [Fe(C5H5)2]PF6,[Fe(C5H5)2]BF4, and [Fe(C5H5)2](CCl3CO2H)2(CCl3CO2â) has been studied at 4.2°K. Analysis of the observed vibrational structure indicates that the 2E1u excited state is split into two Kramers doublets, with the extent of splitting being a function of the anion. Several ferricenium 2E1u vibrational frequencies have been identified and compared with corresponding values for ground state ferrocene. It appears from these comparisons that the iron 4px and 4py orbitals are minimally involved in the iron-ring bonding
The effects of smoking on obesity: Evidence from Indonesian panel data
Background: It has been known that smoking is negatively related to weight-related outcomes. However, it has been difficult to determine whether the relationship is causal, and if so, how strong it is. We attempted to estimate the approximately causal effects of smoking on weight, body mass index (BMI), and obesity. Methods: The Indonesian Family Life Survey provided a sample of over 9000 men aged 15-55 years - each of them was observed in 1993, 1997, 2000 and 2007. The preferred method was a fixed effects model; that is, we related changes in smoking status or smoking intensity to changes in weight-related outcomes, while controlling for time-varying covariates. We also compared these results to those estimated by ordinary least squares and assessed the importance of controlling for time invariant individual heterogeneity. Results: Although the effects of smoking were precisely estimated in a statistical sense, their size was minuscule: a quitter would gain weight by at most 1 kg, or a smoker would lose weight by the same amount. The results were similar for BMI and obesity. When we did not control for time invariant individual heterogeneity, the size of the relationship was overestimated at least three times. Conclusions: Smoking exerted little influence on weight, and it was important to control for bias stemming from time invariant individual heterogeneity
Multiple Stellar Populations in the Globular Cluster omega Centauri as Tracers of a Merger Event
The discovery of the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy, which is being tidally
disrupted by and merging with the Milky Way, supports the view that the halo of
the Galaxy has been built up at least partially by the accretion of similar
dwarf systems. The Sagittarius dwarf contains several distinct populations of
stars, and includes M54 as its nucleus, which is the second most massive
globular cluster associated with the Milky Way. The most massive globular
cluster is omega Centauri, and here we report that omega Centauri also has
several distinct stellar populations, as traced by red-giant-branch stars. The
most metal-rich red-giant-branch stars are about 2 Gyr younger than the
dominant metal-poor component, indicating that omega Centauri was enriched over
this timescale. The presence of more than one epoch of star formation in a
globular cluster is quite surprising, and suggests that omega Centauri was once
part of a more massive system that merged with the Milky Way, as the
Sagittarius dwarf galaxy is in the process of doing now. Mergers probably were
much more frequent in the early history of the Galaxy and omega Centauri
appears to be a relict of this era.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, Latex+nature.sty (included), To appear in
November 4th issue of Natur
UV Bright Globular Clusters in M87: More Evidence for Super-helium-rich Stellar Populations?
We study the UV and optical properties of 38 massive GCs in M87, imaged using
the HST/STIS and WFPC2 instruments. The majority of these GCs appear extremely
bright in the FUV - roughly a magnitude brighter than their Galactic
counterparts with similar metallicities. The observed FUV flux is several times
larger than predictions of canonical old stellar population models. These
canonical models, which assume a fiducial helium enrichment parameter, dY/dZ=2,
are able to reproduce the observed FUV fluxes only if ages are 3--5 Gyr larger
than the WMAP age of the Universe, although the same models fit the UV
photometry of Galactic and M31 GCs for ages less than the WMAP age. A similar
discrepancy is found between the mass-weighted and UV-luminosity weighted ages
of the massive Galactic GC omega Cen, whose CMD (including peculiar features on
its well-populated horizontal branch) can be accurately reproduced by invoking
a small super-He-rich (dY/dZ ~ 90) stellar component. By comparison to omega
Cen, we propose that the majority of M87 GCs in our sample contain strong
signatures of similarly minor super-He-rich sub-components. Although we cannot
prove or disprove the extreme helium scenario at the moment, we show that the
same phenomenon that causes the extended horizontal branch of omega Cen
explains the UV brightness of our sample. If this is indeed due to the extreme
helium, this study would be the first to find its signatures in extragalactic
objects.Comment: 19 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
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