Coordinated design of coding and modulation systems

The joint optimization of the coding and modulation systems employed in telemetry systems was investigated. Emphasis was placed on formulating inner and outer coding standards used by the Goddard Spaceflight Center. Convolutional codes were found that are nearly optimum for use with Viterbi decoding in the inner coding of concatenated coding systems. A convolutional code, the unit-memory code, was discovered and is ideal for inner system usage because of its byte-oriented structure. Simulations of sequential decoding on the deep-space channel were carried out to compare directly various convolutional codes that are proposed for use in deep-space systems

Edge Dynamics in a Quantum Spin Hall State: Effects from Rashba Spin-Orbit Interaction

We analyze the dynamics of the helical edge modes of a quantum spin Hall state in the presence of a spatially non-uniform Rashba spin-orbit (SO) interaction. A randomly fluctuating Rashba SO coupling is found to open a scattering channel which causes localization of the edge modes for a weakly screened electron-electron (e-e) interaction. A periodic modulation of the SO coupling, with a wave number commensurate with the Fermi momentum, makes the edge insulating already at intermediate strengths of the e-e interaction. We discuss implications for experiments on edge state transport in a HgTe quantum well.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures; published versio

Rapid speciation in a newly opened postglacial marine environment, the Baltic Sea

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Theory predicts that speciation can be quite rapid. Previous examples comprise a wide range of organisms such as sockeye salmon, polyploid hybrid plants, fruit flies and cichlid fishes. However, few studies have shown natural examples of rapid evolution giving rise to new species in marine environments.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Using microsatellite markers, we show the evolution of a new species of brown macroalga (<it>Fucus radicans</it>) in the Baltic Sea in the last 400 years, well after the formation of this brackish water body ~8–10 thousand years ago. Sympatric individuals of <it>F. radicans </it>and <it>F. vesiculosus </it>(bladder wrack) show significant reproductive isolation. <it>Fucus radicans</it>, which is endemic to the Baltic, is most closely related to Baltic Sea <it>F. vesiculosus </it>among north Atlantic populations, supporting the hypothesis of a recent divergence. <it>Fucus radicans </it>exhibits considerable clonal reproduction, probably induced by the extreme conditions of the Baltic. This reproductive mode is likely to have facilitated the rapid foundation of the new taxon.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study represents an unparalleled example of rapid speciation in a species-poor open marine ecosystem and highlights the importance of increasing our understanding on the role of these habitats in species formation. This observation also challenges presumptions that rapid speciation takes place only in hybrid plants or in relatively confined geographical places such as postglacial or crater lakes, oceanic islands or rivers.</p

Genetic influences on economic preferences

In this paper, we use the classical twin design to provide estimates of genetic and environmental influences on experimentally elicited preferences for risk and giving. Using standard methods from behavior genetics, we find strong prima facie evidence that these preferences are broadly heritable and our estimates suggest that genetic differences explain approximately twenty percent of individual variation. The results thus shed light on an important source of individual variation in preferences, a source which has hitherto largely been neglected in the economics literature

Local Spectral Weight of a Luttinger Liquid: Effects from Edges and Impurities

We calculate the finite-temperature local spectral weight (LSW) of a Luttinger liquid with an "open" (hard wall) boundary. Close to the boundary the LSW exhibits characteristic oscillations indicative of spin-charge separation. The line shape of the LSW is also found to have a Fano-like asymmetry, a feature originating from the interplay between electron-electron interaction and scattering off the boundary. Our results can be used to predict how edges and impurities influence scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) of one-dimensional electron systems at low temperatures and voltage bias. Applications to STM on single-walled carbon nanotubes are discussed.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figues, The latest version in pdf format is available at http://www.physik.uni-kl.de/eggert/papers/LSW-LL.pd