6,281 research outputs found
Discovery of a Third Harmonic Cyclotron Resonance Scattering Feature in the X-ray Spectrum of 4U 0115+63
We have discovered a third harmonic cyclotron resonance scattering feature
(CRSF) in observations of the recent outburst of 4U 0115+63 with the Rossi
X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). The spectrum in a narrow pulse phase range shows
CRSFs at 12.40+0.65/-0.35, 21.45+0.25/-0.38, and 33.56+0.70/-0.90 keV. With
centroid energy ratios to the fundamental of 1.73+/-0.08 and 2.71+/-0.13, the
CRSFs are not harmonically spaced. Strong variability of the continuum and
CRSFs with pulse phase indicate a complex emission geometry near the neutron
star polar cap. In addition, one RXTE observation, which spanned periastron
passage, revealed a strong 2 mHz quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO). This is
slower by two orders of magnitude than the beat-frequency QPO expected in this
system and slower by a factor of more than 5 compared with other QPOs seen in
accreting X-ray pulsars.Comment: To appear in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 4 pages, 5 figures.
Uses "emulateapj.sty". Revised version includes new figures and additions to
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Sub 20 nm Short Channel Carbon Nanotube Transistors
Carbon nanotube field-effect transistors with sub 20 nm long channels and
on/off current ratios of > 1000000 are demonstrated. Individual single-walled
carbon nanotubes with diameters ranging from 0.7 nm to 1.1 nm grown from
structured catalytic islands using chemical vapor deposition at 700 degree
Celsius form the channels. Electron beam lithography and a combination of HSQ,
calix[6]arene and PMMA e-beam resists were used to structure the short channels
and source and drain regions. The nanotube transistors display on-currents in
excess of 15 microA for drain-source biases of only 0.4 Volt.Comment: Nano Letters in pres
Diagnostic Ultrasound Induced Inertial Cavitation To Non-Invasively Restore Coronary And Microvascular Flow In Acute Myocardial Infarction
Ultrasound induced cavitation has been explored as a method of dissolving intravascular and microvascular thrombi in acute myocardial infarction. The purpose of this study was to determine the type of cavitation required for success, and whether longer pulse duration therapeutic impulses (sustaining the duration of cavitation) could restore both microvascular and epicardial flow with this technique. Accordingly, in 36 hyperlipidemic atherosclerotic pigs, thrombotic occlusions were induced in the mid-left anterior descending artery. Pigs were then randomized to either a) 1/2 dose tissue plasminogen activator (0.5 mg/kg) alone; or same dose plasminogen activator and an intravenous microbubble infusion with either b) guided high mechanical index short pulse (2.0 MI; 5 usec) therapeutic ultrasound impulses; or c) guided 1.0 mechanical index long pulse (20 usec) impulses. Passive cavitation detectors indicated the high mechanical index impulses (both long and short pulse duration) induced inertial cavitation within the microvasculature. Epicardial recanalization rates following randomized treatments were highest in pigs treated with the long pulse duration therapeutic impulses (83% versus 59% for short pulse, and 49% for tissue plasminogen activator alone; p \u3c 0.05). Even without epicardial recanalization, however, early microvascular recovery occurred with both short and long pulse therapeutic impulses (p \u3c 0.005 compared to tissue plasminogen activator alone), and wall thickening improved within the risk area only in pigs treated with ultrasound and microbubbles. We conclude that although short pulse duration guided therapeutic impulses from a diagnostic transducer transiently improve microvascular flow, long pulse duration therapeutic impulses produce sustained epicardial and microvascular re-flow in acute myocardial infarction
Probing the Kinematics of the Narrow-Line Region in Seyfert Galaxies with Slitless Spectroscopy: Observational Results
We present slitless spectra of 10 Seyfert galaxies observed with the Space
Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope. The spectra cover
the [OIII] 4959, 5007 emission lines at a spectral resolving power of ~9000 and
a spatial resolution of 0.1". We compare the slitless spectra with previous HST
narrow-band images to determine the velocity shifts and dispersions of the
bright emission-line knots in the narrow-line regions (NLRs) of these Seyferts.
Many knots are spatially resolved with sizes of tenths of arcsecs,
corresponding to tens of pcs, and yet they appear to move coherently with
radial velocities between zero and +/- 1200 km/s with respect to the systemic
velocities of their hostgalaxies. The knots also show a broad range in velocity
dispersion, ranging from ~30 km/s (the velocity resolution) to ~1000 km/s FWHM.
Most of the Seyfert galaxies in this sample show an organized flow pattern,
with radial velocities near zero at the nucleus (defined by the optical
continuum peak) and increasing to maximum blueshifts and redshifts within ~1''
of the nucleus, followed by a decline to the systemic velocity. The
emission-line knots also follow a general trend of decreasing velocity
dispersion with increasing distance. In the Seyfert 2 galaxies, the presence of
blueshifts and redshifts on either side of the nucleus indicates that rotation
alone cannot explain the observed radial velocities, and that radial outflow
plays an important role. Each of the Seyfert galaxies in this sample (with the
exception of Mrk 3) shows a bright, compact (FWHM < 0.5") [O III] knot at the
position of its optical nucleus. These nuclear emission-line knots have
radial-velocity centroids near zero, but they typically have the highest
velocity dispersions.Comment: 28 pages, 5 figures (on 9 pages), accepted for A
A limit on nonlocality in any world in which communication complexity is not trivial
Bell proved that quantum entanglement enables two space-like separated
parties to exhibit classically impossible correlations. Even though these
correlations are stronger than anything classically achievable, they cannot be
harnessed to make instantaneous (faster than light) communication possible.
Yet, Popescu and Rohrlich have shown that even stronger correlations can be
defined, under which instantaneous communication remains impossible. This
raises the question: Why are the correlations achievable by quantum mechanics
not maximal among those that preserve causality? We give a partial answer to
this question by showing that slightly stronger correlations would result in a
world in which communication complexity becomes trivial.Comment: 13 pages, no figure
Unjamming due to local perturbations in granular packings with and without gravity
We investigate the unjamming response of disordered packings of frictional
hard disks with the help of computer simulations. First, we generate jammed
configurations of the disks and then force them to move again by local
perturbations. We study the spatial distribution of the stress and displacement
response and find long range effects of the perturbation in both cases. We
record the penetration depth of the displacements and the critical force that
is needed to make the system yield. These quantities are tested in two types of
systems: in ideal homogeneous packings in zero gravity and in packings settled
under gravity. The penetration depth and the critical force are sensitive to
the interparticle friction coefficient. Qualitatively, the same nonmonotonic
friction dependence is found both with and without gravity, however the
location of the extrema are at different friction values. We discuss the role
of the connectivity of the contact network and of the pressure gradient in the
unjamming response.Comment: 12 pages, 13 figure
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