42,241 research outputs found
Growing interfaces: A brief review on the tilt method
The tilt method applied to models of growing interfaces is a useful tool to
characterize the nonlinearities of their associated equation. Growing
interfaces with average slope , in models and equations belonging to
Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) universality class, have average saturation velocity
when .
This property is sufficient to ensure that there is a nonlinearity type square
height-gradient. Usually, the constant is considered equal to the
nonlinear coefficient of the KPZ equation. In this paper, we show
that the mean square height-gradient ,
where for the continuous KPZ equation and otherwise, e.g.
ballistic deposition (BD) and restricted-solid-on-solid (RSOS) models. In order
to find the nonlinear coefficient associated to each system, we
establish the relationship and we test it through the
discrete integration of the KPZ equation. We conclude that height-gradient
fluctuations as function of are constant for continuous KPZ equation and
increasing or decreasing in other systems, such as BD or RSOS models,
respectively.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure
Effects of nuclear molecular configurations on the astrophysical S-factor for O + O
The impact of nuclear molecular configurations on the astrophysical S-factor
for O + O is investigated within the realistic two-center shell
model based on Woods-Saxon potentials. These molecular effects refer to the
formation of a neck between the interacting nuclei and the radial dependent
collective mass parameter. It is demonstrated that the former is crucial to
explain the current experimental data with high accuracy and without any free
parameter, whilst in addition the latter predicts a pronounced maximum in the
S-factor. In contrast to very recent results by Jiang et al., the S-factor does
not decline towards extremely low values as energy decreases.Comment: In press in Physics Letters
Conformal mapping of ultrasonic crystals: confining ultrasound and cochlear-like wave guiding
Conformal mapping of a slab of a two-dimensional ultrasonic crystal generate
a closed geometrical arrangement of ultrasonic scatterers with appealing
acoustic properties. This acoustic shell is able to confine ultrasonic modes.
Some of these internal resonances can be induced from an external wave source.
The mapping of a linear defect produces a wave-guide that exhibits a
spatial-frequency selection analogous to that characteristic of a synthetic
"cochlea". Both, experimental and theoretical results are reported here.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Direct detection of exoplanet host star companion γ Cep B and revised masses for both stars and the sub-stellar object
Context. The star γ Cep is known as a single-lined spectroscopic triple system at a distance of 13.8 pc, composed of a K1 III-IV primary star with V = 3.2 mag, a stellar-mass companion in a 66-67 year orbit (Torres 2007, ApJ, 654, 1095), and a substellar companion with M_p sin i = 1.7 M_(Jup) that is most likely a planet (Hatzes et al. 2003, ApJ, 599, 1383).
Aims. We aim to obtain a first direct detection of the stellar companion, to determine its current orbital position (for comparison with the spectroscopic and astrometric data), its infrared magnitude and, hence, mass.
Methods. We use the Adaptive Optics camera CIAO at the Japanese 8 m telescope Subaru on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, with the semi-transparent coronograph to block most of the light from the bright primary γ Cep A, and to detect at the same time the faint companion B. In addition, we also used the IR camera Ω Cass at the Calar Alto 3.5 m telescope, Spain, to image γ Cep A and B by adding up many very short integrations (without AO).
Results. γ Cep B is clearly detected on our CIAO and Ω Cass images. We use a photometric standard star to determine the magnitude of B after PSF subtraction in the Subaru image, and the magnitude difference between A and B in the Calar Alto images, and find an average value of K = 7.3 ± 0.2 mag. The separations and position angles between A and B are measured on 15 July 2006 and 11 and 12 Sept. 2006, B is slightly south of west of A.
Conclusions. By combining the radial velocity, astrometric, and imaging data, we have refined the binary orbit and determined the dynamical masses of the two stars in the γ Cep system, namely 1.40 ± 0.12 M_☉ for the primary and 0.409 ± 0.018 M_☉ for the secondary (consistent with being a M4 dwarf). We also determine the minimum mass of the sub-stellar companion to be M_p sin i = 1.60 ± 0.13 M_(Jup)
A strategy for the design of skyrmion racetrack memories
Magnetic storage based on racetrack memory is very promising for the design
of ultra-dense, low-cost and low-power storage technology. Information can be
coded in a magnetic region between two domain walls or, as predicted recently,
in topological magnetic objects known as skyrmions. Here, we show the
technological advantages and limitations of using Bloch and Neel skyrmions
manipulated by spin current generated within the ferromagnet or via the
spin-Hall effect arising from a non-magnetic heavy metal underlayer. We found
that the Neel skyrmion moved by the spin-Hall effect is a very promising
strategy for technological implementation of the next generation of skyrmion
racetrack memories (zero field, high thermal stability, and ultra-dense
storage). We employed micromagnetics reinforced with an analytical formulation
of skyrmion dynamics that we developed from the Thiele equation. We identified
that the excitation, at high currents, of a breathing mode of the skyrmion
limits the maximal velocity of the memory
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