2,454 research outputs found
Continuous quantum non-demolition measurement of Fock states of a nanoresonator using feedback-controlled circuit QED
We propose a scheme for the quantum non-demolition (QND) measurement of Fock
states of a nanomechanical resonator via feedback control of a coupled circuit
QED system. A Cooper pair box (CPB) is coupled to both the nanoresonator and
microwave cavity. The CPB is read-out via homodyne detection on the cavity and
feedback control is used to effect a non-dissipative measurement of the CPB.
This realizes an indirect QND measurement of the nanoresonator via a
second-order coupling of the CPB to the nanoresonator number operator. The
phonon number of the Fock state may be determined by integrating the stochastic
master equation derived, or by processing of the measurement signal.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
HadISD: a quality-controlled global synoptic report database for selected variables at long-term stations from 1973--2011
[Abridged] This paper describes the creation of HadISD: an automatically
quality-controlled synoptic resolution dataset of temperature, dewpoint
temperature, sea-level pressure, wind speed, wind direction and cloud cover
from global weather stations for 1973--2011. The full dataset consists of over
6000 stations, with 3427 long-term stations deemed to have sufficient sampling
and quality for climate applications requiring sub-daily resolution. As with
other surface datasets, coverage is heavily skewed towards Northern Hemisphere
mid-latitudes.
The dataset is constructed from a large pre-existing ASCII flatfile data bank
that represents over a decade of substantial effort at data retrieval,
reformatting and provision. These raw data have had varying levels of quality
control applied to them by individual data providers. The work proceeded in
several steps: merging stations with multiple reporting identifiers;
reformatting to netCDF; quality control; and then filtering to form a final
dataset. Particular attention has been paid to maintaining true extreme values
where possible within an automated, objective process. Detailed validation has
been performed on a subset of global stations and also on UK data using known
extreme events to help finalise the QC tests. Further validation was performed
on a selection of extreme events world-wide (Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the
cold snap in Alaska in 1989 and heat waves in SE Australia in 2009). Although
the filtering has removed the poorest station records, no attempt has been made
to homogenise the data thus far. Hence non-climatic, time-varying errors may
still exist in many of the individual station records and care is needed in
inferring long-term trends from these data.
A version-control system has been constructed for this dataset to allow for
the clear documentation of any updates and corrections in the future.Comment: Published in Climate of the Past, www.clim-past.net/8/1649/2012/. 31
pages, 23 figures, 9 pages. For data see
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadis
The Dipole Coupling of Atoms and Light in Gravitational Fields
The dipole coupling term between a system of N particles with total charge
zero and the electromagnetic field is derived in the presence of a weak
gravitational field. It is shown that the form of the coupling remains the same
as in flat space-time if it is written with respect to the proper time of the
observer and to the measurable field components. Some remarks concerning the
connection between the minimal and the dipole coupling are given.Comment: 10 pages, LaTe
The Distribution of Nearby Stars in Velocity Space Inferred from Hipparcos Data
(abridged) The velocity distribution f(v) of nearby stars is estimated, via a
maximum- likelihood algorithm, from the positions and tangential velocities of
a kinematically unbiased sample of 14369 stars observed by the HIPPARCOS
satellite. f(v) shows rich structure in the radial and azimuthal motions, v_R
and v_phi, but not in the vertical velocity, v_z: there are four prominent and
many smaller maxima, many of which correspond to well known moving groups.
While samples of early-type stars are dominated by these maxima, also up to 25%
of red main-sequence stars are associated with them. These moving groups are
responsible for the vertex deviation measured even for samples of late-type
stars; they appear more frequently for ever redder samples; and as a whole they
follow an asymmetric-drift relation, in the sense that those only present in
red samples predominantly have large |v_R| and lag in v_phi w.r.t. the local
standard of rest (LSR). The question arise, how these old moving groups got on
their eccentric orbits. A plausible mechanism, known from solar system
dynamics, which is able to manage a shift in orbit space involves locking into
an orbital resonance.
Apart from these moving groups, there is a smooth background distribution,
akin to Schwarzschild's ellipsoidal model, with axis ratio of about 1:0.6:0.35
in v_R, v_phi, and v_z. The contours are aligned with the direction, but
not w.r.t. the v_phi and v_z axes: the mean v_z increases for stars rotating
faster than the LSR. This effect can be explained by the stellar warp of the
Galactic disk. If this explanation is correct, the warp's inner edge must not
be within the solar circle, while its pattern rotates with frequency of about
13 km/s/kpc or more retrograde w.r.t. the stellar orbits.Comment: 16 pages LaTeX (aas2pp4.sty), 6 figures, accepted by A
Neural correlates of visuospatial working memory in the ‘at-risk mental state’
Background. Impaired spatial working memory (SWM) is a robust feature of schizophrenia and has been linked to
the risk of developing psychosis in people with an at-risk mental state (ARMS). We used functional magnetic
resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the neural substrate of SWM in the ARMS and in patients who had just
developed schizophrenia.
Method. fMRI was used to study 17 patients with an ARMS, 10 patients with a first episode of psychosis and 15 agematched
healthy comparison subjects. The blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response was measured while
subjects performed an object–location paired-associate memory task, with experimental manipulation of mnemonic
load.
Results. In all groups, increasing mnemonic load was associated with activation in the medial frontal and medial
posterior parietal cortex. Significant between-group differences in activation were evident in a cluster spanning the
medial frontal cortex and right precuneus, with the ARMS groups showing less activation than controls but greater
activation than first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients. These group differences were more evident at the most
demanding levels of the task than at the easy level. In all groups, task performance improved with repetition of the
conditions. However, there was a significant group difference in the response of the right precuneus across repeated
trials, with an attenuation of activation in controls but increased activation in FEP and little change in the ARMS.
Conclusions. Abnormal neural activity in the medial frontal cortex and posterior parietal cortex during an SWM task
may be a neural correlate of increased vulnerability to psychosis
A near-infrared spectroscopic screening of the red giant populations in omega Centauri
Near-infrared spectra of 21 giants in omega Centauri, spanning the whole
range of metallicities observed in this cluster, are presented. This work is
part of a coordinated photometric and spectroscopic campaign in the optical and
in the infrared, aimed at studying the complex stellar population of omega
Centauri and understanding its formation and chemical evolution. By analyzing
the several CO and OH molecular bands and atomic lines in the spectra of the
selected giants, metal abundances and abundance ratios have been obtained. The
existence of three major metallicity regimes at [Fe/H]=-1.6, -1.2 and
[Fe/H]<-0.5 has been confirmed. The most metal-rich stars in our sample show a
lower (if any) alpha-enhancement when compared to the more metal-poor
components, suggesting that they should have formed in a medium significantly
polluted by type Ia supernova ejecta. Isotopic carbon abundances have been also
inferred, providing an average 13C/12C=4, which clearly indicates that
extra-mixing processes occurred in the stellar interiors during the ascent on
the Red Giant Branch.Comment: 22 pages, 7 .ps figures. aastex. Accepted for pubilcation in the
Astrophysical Journa
EVALUATION OF PREHOSPITAL BLOOD PRODUCTS TO ATTENUATE ACUTE COAGULOPATHY OF TRAUMA IN A MODEL OF SEVERE INJURY AND SHOCK IN ANESTHETIZED PIGS
This material is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence except where otherwise statedUK Ministry of Defence
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