1,237 research outputs found
Dynamical Scaling from Multi-Scale Measurements
We present a new measure of the Dynamical Critical behavior: the "Multi-scale
Dynamical Exponent (MDE)"Comment: 9 pages,Latex, Request figures from [email protected]
Block Spin Effective Action for 4d SU(2) Finite Temperature Lattice Gauge Theory
The Svetitsky-Yaffe conjecture for finite temperature 4d SU(2) lattice gauge
theory is confirmed by observing matching of block spin effective actions of
the gauge model with those of the 3d Ising model. The effective action for the
gauge model is defined by blocking the signs of the Polyakov loops with the
majority rule. To compute it numerically, we apply a variant of the IMCRG
method of Gupta and Cordery.Comment: LaTeX2e, 22 pages, 8 Figure
Mean Field Behavior of Cluster Dynamics
The dynamic behavior of cluster algorithms is analyzed in the classical mean
field limit. Rigorous analytical results below establish that the dynamic
exponent has the value for the Swendsen-Wang algorithm and
for the Wolff algorithm.
An efficient Monte Carlo implementation is introduced, adapted for using
these algorithms for fully connected graphs. Extensive simulations both above
and below demonstrate scaling and evaluate the finite-size scaling
function by means of a rather impressive collapse of the data.Comment: Revtex, 9 pages with 7 figure
Adjoint Wilson Line in SU(2) Lattice Gauge Theory
The behavior of the adjoint Wilson line in finite-temperature, ,
lattice gauge theory is discussed. The expectation value of the line and the
associated excess free energy reveal the response of the finite-temperature
gauge field to the presence of an adjoint source. The value of the adjoint line
at the critical point of the deconfining phase transition is highlighted. This
is not calculable in weak or strong coupling. It receives contributions from
all scales and is nonanalytic at the critical point. We determine the general
form of the free energy. It includes a linearly divergent term that is
perturbative in the bare coupling and a finite, nonperturbative piece. We use a
simple flux tube model to estimate the value of the nonperturbative piece. This
provides the normalization needed to estimate the behavior of the line as one
moves along the critical curve into the weak coupling region.Comment: 21 pages, no figures, Latex/Revtex 3, UCD-93-1
The deconfinement transition of finite density QCD with heavy quarks from strong coupling series
Starting from Wilson's action, we calculate strong coupling series for the
Polyakov loop susceptibility in lattice gauge theories for various small N_\tau
in the thermodynamic limit. Analysing the series with Pad\'e approximants, we
estimate critical couplings and exponents for the deconfinement phase
transition. For SU(2) pure gauge theory our results agree with those from
Monte-Carlo simulations within errors, which for the coarser N_\tau=1,2
lattices are at the percent level. For QCD we include dynamical fermions via a
hopping parameter expansion. On a N_\tau=1 lattice with N_f=1,2,3, we locate
the second order critical point where the deconfinement transition turns into a
crossover. We furthermore determine the behaviour of the critical parameters
with finite chemical potential and find the first order region to shrink with
growing \mu. Our series moreover correctly reflects the known Z(N) transition
at imaginary chemical potential.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figures, typos corrected, version published in JHE
Flavourful Production at Hadron Colliders
We ask what new states may lie at or below the TeV scale, with sizable
flavour-dependent couplings to light quarks, putting them within reach of
hadron colliders via resonant production, or in association with Standard Model
states. In particular, we focus on the compatibility of such states with
stringent flavour-changing neutral current and electric-dipole moment
constraints. We argue that the broadest and most theoretically plausible
flavour structure of the new couplings is that they are hierarchical, as are
Standard Model Yukawa couplings, although the hierarchical pattern may well be
different. We point out that, without the need for any more elaborate or
restrictive structure, new scalars with "diquark" couplings to standard quarks
are particularly immune to existing constraints, and that such scalars may
arise within a variety of theoretical paradigms. In particular, there can be
substantial couplings to a pair of light quarks or to one light and one heavy
quark. For example, the latter possibility may provide a flavour-safe
interpretation of the asymmetry in top quark production observed at the
Tevatron. We thereby motivate searches for diquark scalars at the Tevatron and
LHC, and argue that their discovery represents one of our best chances for new
insight into the Flavour Puzzle of the Standard Model.Comment: 18 pp., 8 figures, references adde
Observational and Physical Classification of Supernovae
This chapter describes the current classification scheme of supernovae (SNe).
This scheme has evolved over many decades and now includes numerous SN Types
and sub-types. Many of these are universally recognized, while there are
controversies regarding the definitions, membership and even the names of some
sub-classes; we will try to review here the commonly-used nomenclature, noting
the main variants when possible. SN Types are defined according to
observational properties; mostly visible-light spectra near maximum light, as
well as according to their photometric properties. However, a long-term goal of
SN classification is to associate observationally-defined classes with specific
physical explosive phenomena. We show here that this aspiration is now finally
coming to fruition, and we establish the SN classification scheme upon direct
observational evidence connecting SN groups with specific progenitor stars.
Observationally, the broad class of Type II SNe contains objects showing strong
spectroscopic signatures of hydrogen, while objects lacking such signatures are
of Type I, which is further divided to numerous subclasses. Recently a class of
super-luminous SNe (SLSNe, typically 10 times more luminous than standard
events) has been identified, and it is discussed. We end this chapter by
briefly describing a proposed alternative classification scheme that is
inspired by the stellar classification system. This system presents our
emerging physical understanding of SN explosions, while clearly separating
robust observational properties from physical inferences that can be debated.
This new system is quantitative, and naturally deals with events distributed
along a continuum, rather than being strictly divided into discrete classes.
Thus, it may be more suitable to the coming era where SN numbers will quickly
expand from a few thousands to millions of events.Comment: Extended final draft of a chapter in the "SN Handbook". Comments most
welcom
Long distance transport of magnon spin information in a magnetic insulator at room temperature
The transport of spin information has been studied in various materials, such
as metals, semiconductors and graphene. In these materials, spin is transported
by diffusion of conduction electrons. Here we study the diffusion and
relaxation of spin in a magnetic insulator, where the large bandgap prohibits
the motion of electrons. Spin can still be transported, however, through the
diffusion of non-equilibrium magnons, the quanta of spin wave excitations in
magnetically ordered materials. Here we show experimentally that these magnons
can be excited and detected fully electrically in linear response, and can
transport spin angular momentum through the magnetic insulator yttrium iron
garnet (YIG) over distances as large as 40 micrometer. We identify two
transport regimes: the diffusion limited regime for distances shorter than the
magnon relaxation length, and the relaxation limited regime for larger
distances. With a model similar to the diffusion-relaxation model for electron
spin transport in (semi)conducting materials, we extract the magnon relaxation
length lambda = 9.4 micrometer in a 200 nm thin YIG film at room temperature
Spatial Regulation of Membrane Fusion Controlled by Modification of Phosphoinositides
Membrane fusion plays a central role in many cell processes from vesicular
transport to nuclear envelope reconstitution at mitosis but the mechanisms that
underlie fusion of natural membranes are not well understood. Studies with
synthetic membranes and theoretical considerations indicate that accumulation of
lipids characterised by negative curvature such as diacylglycerol (DAG)
facilitate fusion. However, the specific role of lipids in membrane fusion of
natural membranes is not well established. Nuclear envelope (NE) assembly was
used as a model for membrane fusion. A natural membrane population highly
enriched in the enzyme and substrate needed to produce DAG has been isolated and
is required for fusions leading to nuclear envelope formation, although it
contributes only a small amount of the membrane eventually incorporated into the
NE. It was postulated to initiate and regulate membrane fusion. Here we use a
multidisciplinary approach including subcellular membrane purification,
fluorescence spectroscopy and Förster resonance energy transfer
(FRET)/two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) to demonstrate
that initiation of vesicle fusion arises from two unique sites where these
vesicles bind to chromatin. Fusion is subsequently propagated to the endoplasmic
reticulum-derived membranes that make up the bulk of the NE to ultimately
enclose the chromatin. We show how initiation of multiple vesicle fusions can be
controlled by localised production of DAG and propagated bidirectionally.
Phospholipase C (PLCγ), GTP hydrolysis and
(phosphatidylinsositol-(4,5)-bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2) are
required for the latter process. We discuss the general implications of membrane
fusion regulation and spatial control utilising such a mechanism
Natural variation in immune responses to neonatal mycobacterium bovis bacillus calmette-guerin (BCG) vaccination in a cohort of Gambian infants
Background There is a need for new vaccines for tuberculosis (TB) that protect against adult pulmonary disease in regions where BCG is not effective. However, BCG could remain integral to TB control programmes because neonatal BCG protects against disseminated forms of childhood TB and many new vaccines rely on BCG to prime immunity or are recombinant strains of BCG. Interferon-gamma (IFN-) is required for immunity to mycobacteria and used as a marker of immunity when new vaccines are tested. Although BCG is widely given to neonates IFN- responses to BCG in this age group are poorly described. Characterisation of IFN- responses to BCG is required for interpretation of vaccine immunogenicity study data where BCG is part of the vaccination strategy. Methodology/Principal Findings 236 healthy Gambian babies were vaccinated with M. bovis BCG at birth. IFN-, interleukin (IL)-5 and IL-13 responses to purified protein derivative (PPD), killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis (KMTB), M. tuberculosis short term culture filtrate (STCF) and M. bovis BCG antigen 85 complex (Ag85) were measured in a whole blood assay two months after vaccination. Cytokine responses varied up to 10 log-fold within this population. The majority of infants (89-98% depending on the antigen) made IFN- responses and there was significant correlation between IFN- responses to the different mycobacterial antigens (Spearman’s coefficient ranged from 0.340 to 0.675, p=10-6-10-22). IL-13 and IL-5 responses were generally low and there were more non-responders (33-75%) for these cytokines. Nonetheless, significant correlations were observed for IL-13 and IL-5 responses to different mycobacterial antigens Conclusions/Significance Cytokine responses to mycobacterial antigens in BCG-vaccinated infants are heterogeneous and there is significant inter-individual variation. Further studies in large populations of infants are required to identify the factors that determine variation in IFN- responses
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