11,130 research outputs found
The effect of magnetic dipolar interactions on the interchain spin wave dispersion in CsNiF_3
Inelastic neutron scattering measurements were performed on the ferromagnetic
chain system CsNiF_3 in the collinear antiferromagnetic ordered state below T_N
= 2.67K. The measured spin wave dispersion was found to be in good agreement
with linear spin wave theory including dipolar interactions. The additional
dipole tensor in the Hamiltonian was essential to explain some striking
phenomena in the measured spin wave spectrum: a peculiar feature of the
dispersion relation is a jump at the zone center, caused by strong dipolar
interactions in this system. The interchain exchange coupling constant and the
planar anisotropy energy were determined within the present model to be J'/k_B
= -0.0247(12)K and A/k_B = 3.3(1)K. This gives a ratio J/J' \approx 500, using
the previously determined intrachain coupling constant J/k_B = 11.8$. The small
exchange energy J' is of the same order as the dipolar energy, which implies a
strong competition between the both interactions.Comment: 18 pages, TeX type, 7 Postscript figures included. To be published in
Phys. Rev.
The Closest Look at 1H0707-495: X-ray Reverberation Lags with 1.3 Ms of Data
Reverberation lags in AGN were first discovered in the NLS1 galaxy,
1H0707-495. We present a follow-up analysis using 1.3 Ms of data, which allows
for the closest ever look at the reverberation signature of this remarkable
source. We confirm previous findings of a hard lag of ~100 seconds at
frequencies v ~ [0.5 - 4] e-4 Hz, and a soft lag of ~30 seconds at higher
frequencies, v ~ [0.6 - 3] e-3 Hz. These two frequency domains clearly show
different energy dependences in their lag spectra. We also find evidence for a
signature from the broad Fe K line in the high frequency lag spectrum. We use
Monte Carlo simulations to show how the lag and coherence measurements respond
to the addition of Poisson noise and to dilution by other components. With our
better understanding of these effects on the lag, we show that the lag-energy
spectra can be modelled with a scenario in which low frequency hard lags are
produced by a compact corona responding to accretion rate fluctuations
propagating through an optically thick accretion disc, and the high frequency
soft lags are produced by short light-travel delay associated with reflection
of coronal power-law photons off the disc.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA
Discovery and evolution of the new black hole candidate Swift J1539.2-6227 during its 2008 outburst
We report on the discovery by the Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Explorer of the black
hole candidate Swift J1539.2-6227 and the subsequent course of an outburst
beginning in November 2008 and lasting at least seven months. The source was
discovered during normal observations with the Swift Burst Alert Telescope
(BAT) on 2008 November 25. An extended observing campaign with the Rossi X-Ray
Timing Explorer (RXTE) and Swift provided near-daily coverage over 176 days,
giving us a good opportunity to track the evolution of spectral and timing
parameters with fine temporal resolution through a series of spectral states.
The source was first detected in a hard state during which strong low-frequency
quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) were detected. The QPOs persisted for about
35 days and a signature of the transition from the hard to soft intermediate
states was seen in the timing data. The source entered a short-lived thermal
state about 40 days after the start of the outburst. There were variations in
spectral hardness as the source flux declined and returned to a hard state at
the end of the outburst. The progression of spectral states and the nature of
the timing features provide strong evidence that Swift J1539.2-6227 is a
candidate black hole in a low-mass X-ray binary system.Comment: Accepted by the Astrophysical Journa
Quark Matter in Neutron Stars: An apercu
The existence of deconfined quark matter in the superdense interior of
neutron stars is a key question that has drawn considerable attention over the
past few decades. Quark matter can comprise an arbitrary fraction of the star,
from 0 for a pure neutron star to 1 for a pure quark star, depending on the
equation of state of matter at high density. From an astrophysical viewpoint,
these two extreme cases are generally expected to manifest different
observational signatures. An intermediate fraction implies a hybrid star, where
the interior consists of mixed or homogeneous phases of quark and nuclear
matter, depending on surface and Coulomb energy costs, as well as other finite
size and screening effects. In this brief review article, we discuss what we
can deduce about quark matter in neutron stars in light of recent exciting
developments in neutron star observations. We state the theoretical ideas
underlying the equation of state of dense quark matter, including color
superconducting quark matter. We also highlight recent advances stemming from
re-examination of an old paradigm for the surface structure of quark stars and
discuss possible evolutionary scenarios from neutron stars to quark stars, with
emphasis on astrophysical observations.Comment: 15 pages, 1 figure. Invited review for Modern Physics Letters
Magnon dispersion and thermodynamics in CsNiF_3
We present an accurate transfer matrix renormalization group calculation of
the thermodynamics in a quantum spin-1 planar ferromagnetic chain. We also
calculate the field dependence of the magnon gap and confirm the accuracy of
the magnon dispersion derived earlier through an 1/n expansion. We are thus
able to examine the validity of a number of previous calculations and further
analyze a wide range of experiments on CsNiF_3 concerning the magnon
dispersion, magnetization, susceptibility, and specific heat. Although it is
not possible to account for all data with a single set of parameters, the
overall qualitative agreement is good and the remaining discrepancies may
reflect departure from ideal quasi-one-dimensional model behavior. Finally, we
present some indirect evidence to the effect that the popular interpretation of
the excess specific heat in terms of sine-Gordon solitons may not be
appropriate.Comment: 9 pages 10 figure
Preserving entanglement under decoherence and sandwiching all separable states
Every entangled state can be perturbed, for instance by decoherence, and stay
entangled. For a large class of pure entangled states, we show how large the
perturbation can be. Our class includes all pure bipartite and all maximally
entangled states. For an entangled state, E, the constucted neighborhood of
entangled states is the region outside two parallel hyperplanes, which sandwich
the set of all separable states. The states for which these neighborhoods are
largest are the maximally entangled ones. As the number of particles, or the
dimensions of the Hilbert spaces for two of the particles increases, the
distance between two of the hyperplanes which sandwich the separable states
goes to zero. It is easy to decide if a state Q is in the neighborhood of
entangled states we construct for an entangled state E. One merely has to check
if the trace of EQ is greater than a constant which depends upon E and which we
determine.Comment: Corrected first author's e-mail address. All the rest remains
unchange
Molecular mimicry of NMDA receptors may contribute to neuropsychiatric symptoms in severe COVID-19 cases
Approximately 30% of individuals with severe SARS-CoV-2 infections also develop neurological and psychiatric complaints. In rare cases, the occurrence of autoimmune encephalitis has been reported after SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this systematic review, we have identified eight SARS-CoV-2-associated cases of anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis. All had cerebrospinal fluid antibodies against the NMDA receptor and a recent onset of working memory deficits, altered mental status, or psychiatric symptoms, such as confusion, agitation, auditory hallucination, catatonia and speech dysfunction. All patients received high-dose steroid and immunoglobulin therapeutics and conditions improved in each case. These findings suggest that clinical attention should be paid to warning signs of autoimmune encephalitis in severe COVID-19 cases. If characteristic features of autoimmune encephalitis are present, autoantibody diagnostics should be performed and confirmed cases should be treated with immunotherapy to minimize neurological impairments
LArPix: Demonstration of low-power 3D pixelated charge readout for liquid argon time projection chambers
We report the demonstration of a low-power pixelated readout system designed
for three-dimensional ionization charge detection and digital readout of liquid
argon time projection chambers (LArTPCs). Unambiguous 3D charge readout was
achieved using a custom-designed system-on-a-chip ASIC (LArPix) to uniquely
instrument each pad in a pixelated array of charge-collection pads. The LArPix
ASIC, manufactured in 180 nm bulk CMOS, provides 32 channels of
charge-sensitive amplification with self-triggered digitization and multiplexed
readout at temperatures from 80 K to 300 K. Using an 832-channel LArPix-based
readout system with 3 mm spacing between pads, we demonstrated low-noise
(500 e RMS equivalent noise charge) and very low-power (100
W/channel) ionization signal detection and readout. The readout was used
to successfully measure the three-dimensional ionization distributions of
cosmic rays passing through a LArTPC, free from the ambiguities of existing
projective techniques. The system design relies on standard printed circuit
board manufacturing techniques, enabling scalable and low-cost production of
large-area readout systems using common commercial facilities. This
demonstration overcomes a critical technical obstacle for operation of LArTPCs
in high-occupancy environments, such as the near detector site of the Deep
Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE).Comment: 19 pages, 10 figures, 1 ancillary animation. V3 includes minor
revisions based on referee comment
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