4,785 research outputs found
Testing the Standard Model by precision measurement of the weak charges of quarks
In a global analysis of the latest parity-violating electron scattering
measurements on nuclear targets, we demonstrate a significant improvement in
the experimental knowledge of the weak neutral-current lepton-quark
interactions at low energy. The precision of this new result, combined with
earlier atomic parity-violation measurements, places tight constraints on the
size of possible contributions from physics beyond the Standard Model.
Consequently, this result improves the lower-bound on the scale of relevant new
physics to ~1 TeV.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures; v2: further details on extraction of electroweak
parameters, new figur
Extracting nucleon strange and anapole form factors from world data
The complete world set of parity violating electron scattering data up to
Q^2~0.3 GeV^2 is analysed. We extract the current experimental determination of
the strange electric and magnetic form factors of the proton, as well as the
weak axial form factors of the proton and neutron, at Q^2 = 0.1 GeV^2. Within
experimental uncertainties, we find that the strange form factors are
consistent with zero, as are the anapole contributions to the axial form
factors. Nevertheless, the correlation between the strange and anapole
contributions suggest that there is only a small probability that these form
factors all vanish simultaneously.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figs; v2: version to appear in PR
Potential impacts of advanced technologies on the ATC capacity of high-density terminal areas
Advanced technologies for airborne systems (automatic flight control, flight displays, navigation) and for ground ATC systems (digital communications, improved surveillance and tracking, automated decision-making) create the possibility of advanced ATC operations and procedures which can bring increased capacity for runway systems. A systematic analysis is carried out to identify certain such advanced ATC operations, and then to evaluate the potential benefits occurring over time at typical US high-density airports (Denver and Boston). The study is divided into three parts: (1) A Critical Examination of Factors Which Determine Operational Capacity of Runway Systems at Major Airports, is an intensive review of current US separation criteria and terminal area ATC operations. It identifies 11 new methods to increase the capacity of landings and takeoffs for runway systems; (2) Development of Risk Based Separation Criteria is the development of a rational structure for establishing reduced ATC separation criteria which meet a consistent Target Level of Safety using advanced technology and operational procedures; and (3) Estimation of Capacity Benefits from Advanced Terminal Area Operations - Denver and Boston, provides an estimate of the overall annual improvement in runway capacity which might be expected at Denver and Boston from using some of the advanced ATC procedures developed in Part 1. Whereas Boston achieved a substantial 37% increase, Denver only achieved a 4.7% increase in its overall annual capacity
Association between body condition score and live weight in pasture-based Holstein-Friesian dairy cows
peer-reviewedThe objective was to quantify the strength of the relationship between body condition score (BCS) and live weight (LW) in pasture-based Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle, and to determine the kg LW per unit BCS. A total of 26021 test-day records with information on both BCS (1–10 scale, where 1 is emaciated and 10 is obese) and LW across 1110 lactations from one research farm were used in the analysis. Correlation and regression analyses were used to determine the degree of association between BCS and LW in different parities, stages of the inter-calving interval and years. Correlations between BCS and LW were relatively consistent, with the mean correlation between BCS and LW across all data of 0·55 implying that differences in BCS explain approximately 30% of the variation in LW. Significantly different regressions of LW on BCS were present within stage of inter-calving interval by parity subclasses. Excluding calving, LW per unit BCS varied from 17 kg (early to mid lactation in parity 1) to 36 kg (early lactation in parity 4 and 5). However, LW per unit BCS was greatest at calving varying from 44 kg in first parity animals to 62 kg in second parity animals. On average, 1 BCS unit equated to 31 kg LW across all data
Infrared images of reflection nebulae and Orion's bar: Fluorescent molecular hydrogen and the 3.3 micron feature
Images were obtained of the (fluorescent) molecular hydrogen 1-0 S(1) line, and of the 3.3 micron emission feature, in Orion's Bar and three reflection nebulae. The emission from these species appears to come from the same spatial locations in all sources observed. This suggests that the 3.3 micron feature is excited by the same energetic UV-photons which cause the molecular hydrogen to fluoresce
Effects of magnetic field and disorder on electronic properties of Carbon Nanotubes
Electronic properties of metallic and semiconducting carbon nanotubes are
investigated in presence of magnetic field perpendicular to the CN-axis, and
disorder introduced through energy site randomness. The magnetic field field is
shown to induce a metal-insulator transition (MIT) in absence of disorder, and
surprisingly disorder does not affect significantly the MIT. These results may
find confirmation through tunneling experimentsComment: 4 pages, 6 figures. Phys. Rev. B (in press
Orbital, precessional and flaring variability of Cygnus X-1
We present the results of a 2.5-year multiwavelength monitoring programme of
Cygnus X-1, making use of hard and soft X-ray data, optical spectroscopy,
UBVJHK photometry and radio data. In particular we confirm that the 5.6-day
orbital period is apparent in all wavebands and note the existence of a
wavelength-dependence to the modulation, in the sense that higher energies
reach minimum first. We also find a strong modulation at a period of 142 +/- 7
days, which we suggest is due to precession and/or radiative warping of the
accretion disc. Strong modulation of the hard and soft X-ray flux at this long
period may not be compatible with simple models of an optically thin accretion
flow and corona in the low state. We present the basic components required for
more detailed future modelling of the system - including a partially optically
thick jet, quasi-continuous in the low state, the base of which acts as the
Comptonising corona. In addition, we find that there are a number of flares
which appear to be correlated in at least two wavebands and generally in more.
We choose two of these flares to study in further detail and find that the hard
and soft X-rays are well-correlated in the first and that the soft X-rays and
radio are correlated in the second. In general, the optical and infrared show
similar behaviour to each other but are not correlated with the X-rays or
radio.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 2 figures in colou
Electronic transport properties of quasicrystals: a Review
We present a review of some results concerning electronic transport
properties of quasicrystals. After a short introduction to the basic concepts
of quasiperiodicity, we consider the experimental transport properties of
electrical conductivity with particular focus on the effect of temperature,
magnetic field and defects. Then, we present some heuristic approaches that
tend to give a coherent view of different, and to some extent complementary,
transport mechanisms in quasicrystals. Numerical results are also presented and
in particular the evaluation of the linear response Kubo-Greenwood formula of
conductivity in quasiperiodic systems in presence of disorder.Comment: Latex, 28 pages, Journ. of Math. Phys., Vol38 April 199
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