Correlated transport through junction arrays in the small Josephson energy limit: incoherent Cooper-pairs and hot electrons

We study correlated transport in a Josephson junction array for small Josephson energies. In this regime transport is dominated by Cooper-pair hopping, although we observe that quasiparticles can not be neglected. We assume that the energy dissipated by a Cooper-pair is absorbed by the intrinsic impedance of the array. This allows us to formulate explicit Cooper-pair hopping rates without adding any parameters to the system. We show that the current is correlated and crucially, these correlations rely fundamentally on the interplay between the Cooper-pairs and equilibrium quasiparticles.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures - Published Versio

Influence of two-level fluctuators on adiabatic passage techniques

We study the process of Stimulated Raman Adiabatic Passage (STIRAP) under the influence of a non-trivial solid-state environment, particularly the effect of two-level fluctuators (TLFs) as they are frequently present in solid-state devices. When the amplitudes of the driving-pulses used in STIRAP are in resonance with the level spacing of the fluctuators the quality of the protocol, i.e., the transferred population decreases sharply. In general the effect can not be reduced by speeding up the STIRAP process. We also discuss the effect of a structured noise environment on the process of Coherent Tunneling by Adiabatic Passage (CTAP). The effect of a weakly structured environment or TLFs with short coherence times on STIRAP and CTAP can be described by the Bloch-Redfield theory. For a strongly structured environment a higher-dimensional approach must be used, where the TLFs are treated as part of the system.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure

The parity effect in Josephson junction arrays

We study the parity effect and transport due to quasiparticles in circuits comprised of many superconducting islands. We develop a general approach and show that it is equivalent to previous methods for describing the parity effect in their more limited regimes of validity. As an example we study transport through linear arrays of Josephson junctions in the limit of negligible Josephson energy and observe the emergence of the parity effect with decreasing number of non-equilibrium quasiparticles. Due to the exponential increase in the number of relevant charge states with increasing length, in multi-junction arrays the parity effect manifests in qualitatively different ways to the two junction case. The role of charge disorder is also studied as this hides much of the parity physics which would otherwise be observed. Nonetheless, we see that the current through a multi-junction array at low bias is limited by the formation of meta-stable even-parity states.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Sex and Marital Status Differences in Death Anxiety

Previous research in death anxiety has suggested that marital roles, and especially the male’s role as the family provider, influence the sex differences in death attitudes (Diggory & Rothman, 1961; Tolor & Murphy, 1967). The present study attempted to directly investigate the effect of marital roles by comparing the sex differences in death anxiety scores (as measured by the Templer Death Anxiety Scale) of married persons, with and without children, and single persons. In addition, 20 demographic covariates were investigated to observe their possible effect on death anxiety. The results of the multiple regression analysis indicated that marital status was not significantly related to death anxiety. However, single males were found to have significantly higher death anxiety than single females. Additional multiple regressions revealed that 18% of the variance in death anxiety scores was accounted for by the five covariates of whether a family member or friend had died in the last year, education, race, age and religious preference. These further analyses indicated that higher death anxiety can be expected if the subject had not experienced a recent death of a family member or friend. Persons with less education, as well as black and younger persons, also have higher death anxiety. Finally, persons who have a religious preference have higher death anxiety than persons who do not have a religious preference

Combinatory Effect of Changing CO2, Temperature, and Long-term Growth Temperature on Isoprene Emissions

Isoprene, the most abundant hydrocarbon in the atmosphere, plays a significant role in atmospheric chemistry. Its reactions with NOx lead to the formation of ozone in the lower troposphere, which is harmful to plants and detrimental to human health. As air temperatures and CO2 concentrations increase with climate change, it is uncertain how isoprene emissions from plants will respond. We hypothesized that isoprene emissions will increase with the combination of increasing temperature and CO­2 concentrations. We predict that oaks grown at a higher temperature will exhibit an increase in isoprene emissions with combined short-term increases in temperature and CO2 concentration. Five post oaks (Quercus stellata) were placed in two growth chambers set at 25°C and 30°C. Isoprene emissions were measured at varying temperature and CO2 conditions with two different instruments. Results indicate that in the presence of a combinatory increase in temperature and CO­­2 concentration, isoprene emission is suppressed, contrary to results from a short-term experiment

A Taste of Georgia. Far Right Populism with a Unique Georgian Flavour

Georgia has proved no exception to recent political trends which have seen the increased prominence and influence of far right populist parties and movements purporting to represent ‘the people’ in an antagonistic struggle against the ‘elites’ or ‘enemies’. However, while a great deal of academic attention has been devoted to cases in Central and Western Europe (CWE), studies of Georgian far right populism are much less common. Therefore, this paper first examines the political styles of two Georgian far right actors, the Alliance of Patriots of Georgia (APG) and Georgian March (GM). I argue that the populist discursive frames both employ demonstrates enough commonalities with their CWE counterparts to consider them members of the far-right populist ‘family’. However, the prevalence of populist ways of ‘doing politics’, highly influential role of ‘traditional values’ promoted by the Georgian Orthodox Church (GOC), and influence of Russia, are three important factors which produce a uniquely Georgian ‘flavour’ to far right populist movements in Georgia

Review of Lisa Jardine and Jerry Brotton, Global Interests: Renaissance Art between East & West.

Lisa Jardine and Jerry Brotton, Global Interests: Renaissance Art between East & West. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 2000. 223 pp. ISBN 080143808X