Collisional excitation of singly deuterated ammonia NH2_2D by H2_2

The availability of collisional rate coefficients with H$_2$ is a pre-requisite for interpretation of observations of molecules whose energy levels are populated under non local thermodynamical equilibrium conditions. In the current study, we present collisional rate coefficients for the NH$_2$D / para--H$_2$($J_2 = 0,2$) collisional system, for energy levels up to $J_\tau = 7_7$ ($E_u$$\sim$735 K) and for gas temperatures in the range $T = 5-300$K. The cross sections are obtained using the essentially exact close--coupling (CC) formalism at low energy and at the highest energies, we used the coupled--states (CS) approximation. For the energy levels up to $J_\tau = 4_2$ ($E_u$$\sim$215 K), the cross sections obtained through the CS formalism are scaled according to a few CC reference points. These reference points are subsequently used to estimate the accuracy of the rate coefficients for higher levels, which is mainly limited by the use of the CS formalism. Considering the current potential energy surface, the rate coefficients are thus expected to be accurate to within 5\% for the levels below $J_\tau = 4_2$, while we estimate an accuracy of 30\% for higher levels

Collisional excitation of doubly and triply deuterated ammonia ND2_2H and ND3_3 by H2_2

The availability of collisional rate coefficients is a prerequisite for an accurate interpretation of astrophysical observations, since the observed media often harbour densities where molecules are populated under non--LTE conditions. In the current study, we present calculations of rate coefficients suitable to describe the various spin isomers of multiply deuterated ammonia, namely the ND$_2$H and ND$_3$ isotopologues. These calculations are based on the most accurate NH$_3$--H$_2$ potential energy surface available, which has been modified to describe the geometrical changes induced by the nuclear substitutions. The dynamical calculations are performed within the close--coupling formalism and are carried out in order to provide rate coefficients up to a temperature of $T$ = 50K. For the various isotopologues/symmetries, we provide rate coefficients for the energy levels below $\sim$ 100 cm$^{-1}$. Subsequently, these new rate coefficients are used in astrophysical models aimed at reproducing the NH$_2$D, ND$_2$H and ND$_3$ observations previously reported towards the prestellar cores B1b and 16293E. We thus update the estimates of the corresponding column densities and find a reasonable agreement with the previous models. In particular, the ortho--to--para ratios of NH$_2$D and NHD$_2$ are found to be consistent with the statistical ratios

Dynamics of a Josephson Array in a Resonant Cavity

We derive dynamical equations for a Josephson array coupled to a resonant cavity by applying the Heisenberg equations of motion to a model Hamiltonian described by us earlier [Phys. Rev. B {\bf 63}, 144522 (2001); Phys. Rev. B {\bf 64}, 179902 (E)]. By means of a canonical transformation, we also show that, in the absence of an applied current and dissipation, our model reduces to one described by Shnirman {\it et al} [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 79}, 2371 (1997)] for coupled qubits, and that it corresponds to a capacitive coupling between the array and the cavity mode. From extensive numerical solutions of the model in one dimension, we find that the array locks into a coherent, periodic state above a critical number of active junctions, that the current-voltage characteristics of the array have self-induced resonant steps (SIRS's), that when $N_a$ active junctions are synchronized on a SIRS, the energy emitted into the resonant cavity is quadratic in $N_a$, and that when a fixed number of junctions is biased on a SIRS, the energy is linear in the input power. All these results are in agreement with recent experiments. By choosing the initial conditions carefully, we can drive the array into any of a variety of different integer SIRS's. We tentatively identify terms in the equations of motion which give rise to both the SIRS's and the coherence threshold. We also find higher-order integer SIRS's and fractional SIRS's in some simulations. We conclude that a resonant cavity can produce threshold behavior and SIRS's even in a one-dimensional array with appropriate experimental parameters, and that the experimental data, including the coherent emission, can be understood from classical equations of motion.Comment: 15 pages, 10 eps figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Theory of Two-Dimensional Josephson Arrays in a Resonant Cavity

We consider the dynamics of a two-dimensional array of underdamped Josephson junctions placed in a single-mode resonant cavity. Starting from a well-defined model Hamiltonian, which includes the effects of driving current and dissipative coupling to a heat bath, we write down the Heisenberg equations of motion for the variables of the Josephson junction and the cavity mode, extending our previous one-dimensional model. In the limit of large numbers of photons, these equations can be expressed as coupled differential equations and can be solved numerically. The numerical results show many features similar to experiment. These include (i) self-induced resonant steps (SIRS's) at voltages V = (n hbar Omega)/(2e), where Omega is the cavity frequency, and n is generally an integer; (ii) a threshold number N_c of active rows of junctions above which the array is coherent; and (iii) a time-averaged cavity energy which is quadratic in the number of active junctions, when the array is above threshold. Some differences between the observed and calculated threshold behavior are also observed in the simulations and discussed. In two dimensions, we find a conspicuous polarization effect: if the cavity mode is polarized perpendicular to the direction of current injection in a square array, it does not couple to the array and there is no power radiated into the cavity. We speculate that the perpendicular polarization would couple to the array, in the presence of magnetic-field-induced frustration. Finally, when the array is biased on a SIRS, then, for given junction parameters, the power radiated into the array is found to vary as the square of the number of active junctions, consistent with expectations for a coherent radiation.Comment: 11 pages, 8 eps figures, submitted to Phys. Rev

Evaluation of “Dream Herb,” Calea zacatechichi

A recent surge in the use of dietary supplements, including herbal remedies, necessitates investigations into their safety profiles. “Dream herb,” Calea zacatechichi, has long been used in traditional folk medicine for a variety of purposes and is currently being marketed in the US for medicinal purposes, including diabetes treatment. Despite the inherent vulnerability of the renal system to xenobiotic toxicity, there is a lack of safety studies on the nephrotoxic potential of this herb. Additionally, the high frequency of diabetes-associated kidney disease makes safety screening of C. zacatechichi for safety especially important. We exposed human proximal tubule HK-2 cells to increasing doses of this herb alongside known toxicant and protectant control compounds to examine potential toxicity effects of C. zacatechichi relative to control compounds. We evaluated both cellular and mitochondrial functional changes related to toxicity of this dietary supplement and found that even at low doses evidence of cellular toxicity was significant. Moreover, these findings correlated with significantly elevated levels of nephrotoxicity biomarkers, lending further support for the need to further scrutinize the safety of this herbal dietary supplement

Escape from a metastable well under a time-ramped force

Thermally activated escape of an over-damped particle from a metastable well under the action of a time-ramped force is studied. We express the mean first passage time (MFPT) as the solution to a partial differential equation, which we solve numerically for a model case. We discuss two approximations of the MFPT, one of which works remarkably well over a wide range of loading rates, while the second is easy to calculate and can provide a valuable first estimate.Comment: 9 pages, including 2 figure

Adiabatic reduction near a bifurcation in stochastically modulated systems

We re-examine the procedure of adiabatic elimination of fast relaxing variables near a bifurcation point when some of the parameters of the system are stochastically modulated. Approximate stationary solutions of the Fokker-Planck equation are obtained near threshold for the pitchfork and transcritical bifurcations. Stochastic resonance between fast variables and random modulation may shift the effective bifurcation point by an amount proportional to the intensity of the fluctuations. We also find that fluctuations of the fast variables above threshold are not always Gaussian and centered around the (deterministic) center manifold as was previously believed. Numerical solutions obtained for a few illustrative examples support these conclusions.Comment: RevTeX, 19 pages and 16 figure

Resonant-Cavity-Induced Phase Locking and Voltage Steps in a Josephson Array

We describe a simple dynamical model for an underdamped Josephson junction array coupled to a resonant cavity. From numerical solutions of the model in one dimension, we find that (i) current-voltage characteristics of the array have self-induced resonant steps (SIRS), (ii) at fixed disorder and coupling strength, the array locks into a coherent, periodic state above a critical number of active Josephson junctions, and (iii) when $N_a$ active junctions are synchronized on an SIRS, the energy emitted into the resonant cavity is quadratic with $N_a$. All three features are in agreement with a recent experiment [Barbara {\it et al}, Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 82}, 1963 (1999)]}.Comment: 4 pages, 3 eps figures included. Submitted to PRB Rapid Com

Stochastic Resonance in a Dipole

We show that the dipole, a system usually proposed to model relaxation phenomena, exhibits a maximum in the signal-to-noise ratio at a non-zero noise level, thus indicating the appearance of stochastic resonance. The phenomenon occurs in two different situations, i.e. when the minimum of the potential of the dipole remains fixed in time and when it switches periodically between two equilibrium points. We have also found that the signal-to-noise ratio has a maximum for a certain value of the amplitude of the oscillating field.Comment: 4 pages, RevTex, 6 PostScript figures available upon request; to appear in Phys. Rev.