14,300 research outputs found
Emissivity measurements of reflective surfaces at near-millimeter wavelengths
We have developed an instrument for directly measuring the emissivity of reflective surfaces at near-millimeter wavelengths. The thermal emission of a test sample is compared with that of a reference surface, allowing the emissivity of the sample to be determined without heating. The emissivity of the reference surface is determined by oneâs heating the reference surface and measuring the increase in emission. The instrument has an absolute accuracy of Îe = 5 x 10^-4 and can reproducibly measure a difference in emissivity as small as Îe = 10^-4 between flat reflective samples. We have used the instrument to measure the emissivity of metal films evaporated on glass and carbon fiber-reinforced plastic composite surfaces. We measure an emissivity of (2.15 ± 0.4) x 10^-3 for gold evaporated on glass and (2.65 ± 0.5) x 10^-3 for aluminum evaporated on carbon fiber-reinforced plastic composite
How light can the Higgs be?
It is widely believed that, for a given Top mass, the Higgs mass has a lower
bound: if m_Higgs is too small, the Higgs vacuum is unstable due to Top
dynamics. From vacuum instability, the state-of-the-art calculation of the
lower bound is close to the current experimental limit. Using non-perturbative
simulations and large N calculations, we show that the vacuum is in fact never
unstable. Instead, we investigate the existence of a new lower bound, based on
the intrinsic cut-off of this trivial theory.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figures, uses espcrc2.sty, Lattice2003(higgs
The Phase Diagram and Spectrum of Gauge-Fixed Abelian Lattice Gauge Theory
We consider a lattice discretization of a covariantly gauge-fixed abelian
gauge theory. The gauge fixing is part of the action defining the theory, and
we study the phase diagram in detail. As there is no BRST symmetry on the
lattice, counterterms are needed, and we construct those explicitly. We show
that the proper adjustment of these counterterms drives the theory to a new
type of phase transition, at which we recover a continuum theory of (free)
photons. We present both numerical and (one-loop) perturbative results, and
show that they are in good agreement near this phase transition. Since
perturbation theory plays an important role, it is important to choose a
discretization of the gauge-fixing action such that lattice perturbation theory
is valid. Indeed, we find numerical evidence that lattice actions not
satisfying this requirement do not lead to the desired continuum limit. While
we do not consider fermions here, we argue that our results, in combination
with previous work, provide very strong evidence that this new phase transition
can be used to define abelian lattice chiral gauge theories.Comment: 42 pages, 30 figure
A paradox of syntactic priming: why response tendencies show priming for passives, and response latencies show priming for actives
Speakers tend to repeat syntactic structures across sentences, a phenomenon called syntactic priming. Although it has been suggested that repeating syntactic structures should result in speeded responses, previous research has focused on effects in response tendencies. We investigated syntactic priming effects simultaneously in response tendencies and response latencies for active and passive transitive sentences in a picture description task. In Experiment 1, there were priming effects in response tendencies for passives and in response latencies for actives. However, when participants' pre-existing preference for actives was altered in Experiment 2, syntactic priming occurred for both actives and passives in response tendencies as well as in response latencies. This is the first investigation of the effects of structure frequency on both response tendencies and latencies in syntactic priming. We discuss the implications of these data for current theories of syntactic processing
Myelofibrosis: molecular and cell biological aspects
A subset of myeloproliferative disorders (MPN) and myelodyplastic syndromes (MDS) evolves to fibrosis of the bone marrow associated with haematopoietic insufficiency. We have been interested in chemokines involved in fibrogenesis within the bone marrow. Besides TGFÎČ we could identify a number of additional mediators including osteoprotegerin and bone morphogenic proteins. In MPN JAK2 or MPL mutation are not linked to the propensity for bone marrow fibrosis. The hypothesis that an increased intramedullary decay of megakaryocytes undergoing appotosis takes place within the marrow, thus liberating fibrogenic cytokines, could not be confirmed. On the contrary, megakaryocytes in primary fibrosis revealed low expression of proapoptotic genes such as BNIP3. Interestingly, BNIP 3 expression was down regulated in megakaryocytic cell lines kept in hypoxic conditions. Furthermore, expression arrays revealed hypoxia inducible genes to be up-regulated in primary myelofibrosis. Fibrotic MPN are characterized by aberrant proplatelet formation which represent cytoplasmic pseudopodia and normally extend into the sinus. In fibrotic MPN orientation of proplatelet growth appears to be disturbed, which could lead to an aberrant deposition of platelets in the marrow with consecutive liberation of fibrogenic cytokines
Ca & Sr dynamics in the Indogangetic plains: different sources and mobilization processes in northwestern India
The leachable fraction of the sediments from the Thar Desert fringe and the adjacent Ganges alluvial plains, has been studied to determine the sources and the processes responsible for the mobilization of Ca and Sr using Sr isotopes and Ca/Sr ratios. In the desert the leachable fraction of the soil/sediments is probably derived from mixing of old marine carbonates, microfossils with the sea-spray of the Arabian Sea and rainwater. Aeolian reworking of soil carbonates of this mixed origin could have provided the carbonate found at the desert fringe. The sub-humid zone of the Gangetic plains, just outside the desert fringe, has relatively higher 87Sr/86Sr ratios with lower Ca/Sr ratios, indicating silicate weathering as the major contributor of leachable fraction. The spatial geochemical differences could also be related to the ineffectiveness of dust transport and accumulation processes in the humid Ganga plain. The 87Sr/86Sr ratio of the present-day dust leachate from the polluted city of Delhi indicates that its Sr source is petroleum burnt residues
Is river Ghaggar, Saraswati? Geochemical constraints
The identity of the river along which the famous
Harappan Civilization developed and the causes of the
demise of this culture are topics of considerable debate.
Many of the Harappan sites are located along
the ephemeral Ghaggar river within the Thar Desert
in the northwestern India and adjacent Pakistan. The
Ghaggar was also thought to be the mythical river
Saraswati, which was described as glacial-fed river. Sr
and Nd isotopic composition of the Ghaggar alluvium
as well as Thar Desert sediments suggests a Sub-Himalayan
sediment source, with no contribution from the
glaciated regions. The development of extensive
Harappan Civilization all along the Ghaggar suggests
a catchment with high monsoon rainfall. It is likely
that with the changes in the monsoon scenario after
3500 BC could have gradually dried up the Ghaggar
river and resulted in the migration and/or extinction
of the Harappan Civilization on this river
Is Rhiver Ghaggar, Saraswati? Geochemical constraints
The identity of the river along which the famous Harappan Civilization developed and the causes of the demise of this culture are topics of considerable debate. Many of the Harappan sites are located along the ephemeral Ghaggar river within the Thar Desert in the northwestern India and adjacent Pakistan. The Ghaggar was also thought to be the mythical river Saraswati, which was described as glacial-fed river. Sr and Nd isotopic composition of the Ghaggar alluvium as well as Thar Desert sediments suggests a Sub-Himalayan sediment source, with no contribution from the glaciated regions. The development of extensive Harappan Civilization all along the Ghaggar suggests a catchment with high monsoon rainfall. It is likely that with the changes in the monsoon scenario after 3500 BC could have gradually dried up the Ghaggar river and resulted in the migration and/or extinction of the Harappan Civilization on this rive
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