Spin-Isospin Excitations and Muon Capture by Nuclei

By analyzing the energy-weighted moments of the strength function calculated in RPA and beyond it is shown that the explanation of the effect of missing strength of Gamow-Teller transitions requires that residual interaction produce high-excited $1^{+}$ particle-hole collective states. The example of this interaction is presented. The manifestations of spin-isospin nuclear response in nuclear muon capture are discussed.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables. The talk at the XVI International School on Nuclear Physics, Neutron Physics and Nuclear Energy, September 19-26, Varna, Bulgari

Model Order Selection Rules For Covariance Structure Classification

The adaptive classification of the interference covariance matrix structure for radar signal processing applications is addressed in this paper. This represents a key issue because many detection architectures are synthesized assuming a specific covariance structure which may not necessarily coincide with the actual one due to the joint action of the system and environment uncertainties. The considered classification problem is cast in terms of a multiple hypotheses test with some nested alternatives and the theory of Model Order Selection (MOS) is exploited to devise suitable decision rules. Several MOS techniques, such as the Akaike, Takeuchi, and Bayesian information criteria are adopted and the corresponding merits and drawbacks are discussed. At the analysis stage, illustrating examples for the probability of correct model selection are presented showing the effectiveness of the proposed rules

Maximum a posteriori estimation through simulated annealing for binary asteroid orbit determination

This paper considers a new method for the binary asteroid orbit determination problem. The method is based on the Bayesian approach with a global optimisation algorithm. The orbital parameters to be determined are modelled through an a posteriori distribution made of a priori and likelihood terms. The first term constrains the parameters space and it allows the introduction of available knowledge about the orbit. The second term is based on given observations and it allows us to use and compare different observational error models. Once the a posteriori model is built, the estimator of the orbital parameters is computed using a global optimisation procedure: the simulated annealing algorithm. The maximum a posteriori (MAP) techniques are verified using simulated and real data. The obtained results validate the proposed method. The new approach guarantees independence of the initial parameters estimation and theoretical convergence towards the global optimisation solution. It is particularly useful in these situations, whenever a good initial orbit estimation is difficult to get, whenever observations are not well-sampled, and whenever the statistical behaviour of the observational errors cannot be stated Gaussian like.Comment: Accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Societ

Filaments in observed and mock galaxy catalogues

Context. The main feature of the spatial large-scale galaxy distribution is an intricate network of galaxy filaments. Although many attempts have been made to quantify this network, there is no unique and satisfactory recipe for that yet. Aims. The present paper compares the filaments in the real data and in the numerical models, to see if our best models reproduce statistically the filamentary network of galaxies. Methods. We apply an object point process with interactions (the Bisous process) to trace and describe the filamentary network both in the observed samples (the 2dFGRS catalogue) and in the numerical models that have been prepared to mimic the data.We compare the networks. Results. We find that the properties of filaments in numerical models (mock samples) have a large variance. A few mock samples display filaments that resemble the observed filaments, but usually the model filaments are much shorter and do not form an extended network. Conclusions. We conclude that although we can build numerical models that are similar to observations in many respects, they may fail yet to explain the filamentary structure seen in the data. The Bisous-built filaments are a good test for such a structure.Comment: 13 pages, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic

Double-beta decay matrix elements for 76Ge^{76}Ge

Double-beta decay matrix elements (ME) for $^{76}Ge$ are calculated with different quasi random phase approximation (QRPA)-based methods. First, the ME for the two-neutrino mode are computed using two choices for the single particle (s.p.) basis: i) $2-4\hbar\omega$ full shells and ii) $3-4\hbar\omega$ full shells. When calculated with the renormalized QRPA (RQRPA) and full-RQRPA their values are rather dependent on the size of the single particle basis used, while calculated with proton-neutron QRPA (pnQRPA) and second-QRPA approaches such a dependence was found to be small. The Ikeda sum rule was well fulfilled within pnQRPA for both choices of the s.p. basis and with a good approximation within second-QRPA, while the RQRPA and full-RQRPA methods give deviations up to 21%. Further, the ME for the neutrinoless mode are calculated with the pnQRPA, RQRPA and full-RQRPA methods. They all give close results for the calculation with the smaller basis (i), while for the larger basis (ii), the results differ significantly either from one method to another or within the same method. Finally, using the most recent experimental limit for the $0\nu\beta\beta$ decay half-life of $^{76}Ge$ a critical discussion on the upper limits for the neutrino mass parameter obtained with different theoretical approaches is given

In vivo dark-field reflection-mode photoacoustic microscopy

Reflection-mode photoacoustic microscopy with dark-field laser pulse illumination and high-numerical-aperture ultrasonic detection is designed and implemented in noninvasively imaged blood vessels in the skin in vivo. Dark-field optical illumination minimizes the interference caused by strong photoacoustic signals from superficial structures. A high-numerical-aperture acoustic lens provides high lateral resolution, 45–120μm in this system. A broadband ultrasonic detection system provides high axial resolution, estimated to be ∼15μm. The optical illumination and ultrasonic detection are in a coaxial confocal configuration for optimal image quality. The system is capable of imaging optical-absorption contrast as deep as 3mm in biological tissue

Shell-model calculations of two-neutrino double-beta decay rates of 48^{48}Ca with GXPF1A interaction

The two-neutrino double beta decay matrix elements and half-lives of $^{48}$Ca, are calculated within a shell-model approach for transitions to the ground state and to the $2^+$ first excited state of $^{48}$Ti. We use the full $pf$ model space and the GXPF1A interaction, which was recently proposed to describe the spectroscopic properties of the nuclei in the nuclear mass region A=47-66. Our results are $T_{1/2}(0^{+}\to 0^{+})$ = $3.3\times 10^{19}$ $yr$ and $T_{1/2}(0^{+}\to 2^{+})$ = $8.5\times 10^{23}$ $yr$. The result for the decay to the $^{48}$Ti 0$^+$ ground state is in good agreement with experiment. The half-life for the decay to the 2$^+$ state is two orders of magnitude larger than obtained previously.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Three-dimensional in vivo near-infrared photoacoustic tomography of whole small animal head

A three-dimensional in vivo near-infrared photoacoustic tomography imaging system was newly designed and built to visualize the structure of a whole small animal head. For high sensitivity, a single flat 2.25MHz low frequency transducer, whose active element size is 6mm, was employed. To increase the penetration depth of light, a wavelength of 804nm in the NIR range, which matches the oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin isosbestic point, was chosen. To avoid strong photoacoustic signal generation from the skin surface, we applied dark field illumination. To illuminate efficiently, we split the laser light into two beams, which were delivered to an animal by two mirrors and were finally homogenized by two ground glasses. To complete the dark field illumination, the transducer was located in the middle of two light sources. Two key devices for the in vivo imaging were rotating devices and animal holders. The rotating devices were composed of two parts, located at the top and bottom, which rotated at the same angular speed. The holders were composed of a head holder and a body holder. Both holders fixed the animal firmly to reduce motion artifacts. This system achieved radial resolution of up to 260μm. We accomplished successful in vivo imaging of arterial and venous vessels deeply, as well as superficially, with the animal head of up to 1.7cm diameter. The technique forms a basis for functional imaging, such as measurement of the oxygen consumption ratio in the brain, which is a vital parameter in a brain disease research

In vivo three-dimensional photoacoustic tomography of a whole mouse head

An in vivo photoacoustic imaging system was designed and implemented to image the entire small animal head. A special scanning gantry was designed to enable in vivo imaging in coronal cross sections with high contrast and good spatial resolution for the first time to our knowledge. By use of a 2.25 MHz ultrasonic transducer with a 6 mm diameter active element, an in-plane radial resolution of ∼312  µm was achieved. Deeply seated arterial and venous vessels in the head measuring up to 1.7 cm in diameter were simultaneously imaged in vivo with 804 nm wavelength laser excitation of photoacoustic waves