56,988 research outputs found
The Deep Lens Survey Transient Search I : Short Timescale and Astrometric Variability
We report on the methodology and first results from the Deep Lens Survey
transient search. We utilize image subtraction on survey data to yield all
sources of optical variability down to 24th magnitude. Images are analyzed
immediately after acquisition, at the telescope and in near-real time, to allow
for followup in the case of time-critical events. All classes of transients are
posted to the web upon detection. Our observing strategy allows sensitivity to
variability over several decades in timescale. The DLS is the first survey to
classify and report all types of photometric and astrometric variability
detected, including solar system objects, variable stars, supernovae, and short
timescale phenomena. Three unusual optical transient events were detected,
flaring on thousand-second timescales. All three events were seen in the B
passband, suggesting blue color indices for the phenomena. One event (OT
20020115) is determined to be from a flaring Galactic dwarf star of spectral
type dM4. From the remaining two events, we find an overall rate of \eta = 1.4
events deg-2 day-1 on thousand-second timescales, with a 95% confidence limit
of \eta < 4.3. One of these events (OT 20010326) originated from a compact
precursor in the field of galaxy cluster Abell 1836, and its nature is
uncertain. For the second (OT 20030305) we find strong evidence for an extended
extragalactic host. A dearth of such events in the R passband yields an upper
95% confidence limit on short timescale astronomical variability between 19.5 <
R < 23.4 of \eta_R < 5.2. We report also on our ensemble of astrometrically
variable objects, as well as an example of photometric variability with an
undetected precursor.Comment: 24 pages, 12 figures, 3 tables. Accepted for publication in ApJ.
Variability data available at http://dls.bell-labs.com/transients.htm
Magnetically tuned spin dynamics resonance
We present the experimental observation of a magnetically tuned resonance
phenomenon resulting from spin mixing dynamics of ultracold atomic gases. In
particular we study the magnetic field dependence of spin conversion in F=2
87Rb spinor condensates in the crossover from interaction dominated to
quadratic Zeeman dominated dynamics. We discuss the observed phenomenon in the
framework of spin dynamics as well as matter wave four wave mixing. Furthermore
we show that the validity range of the single mode approximation for spin
dynamics is significantly extended in the regime of high magnetic field
Analytical ground state for the three-band Hubbard model
For the calculation of charge excitations as those observed in, e.g.,
photo-emission spectroscopy or in electron-energy loss spectroscopy, a correct
description of ground-state charge properties is essential. In strongly
correlated systems like the undoped cuprates this is a highly non-trivial
problem. In this paper we derive a non-perturbative analytical approximation
for the ground state of the three-band Hubbard model on an infinite, half
filled CuO_2 plane. By comparison with Projector Quantum Monte Carlo
calculations it is shown that the resulting expressions correctly describe the
charge properties of the ground state. Relations to other approaches are
discussed. The analytical ground state preserves size consistency and can be
generalized for other geometries, while still being both easy to interpret and
to evaluate.Comment: REVTeX, 8 pages, 6 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Search for L5 Earth Trojans with DECam
Most of the major planets in the Solar system support populations of co-orbiting bodies, known as Trojans, at their L4 and L5 Lagrange points. In contrast, Earth has only one known co-orbiting companion. This paper presents the results from a search for Earth Trojans (ETs) using the DECam instrument on the Blanco Telescope at CTIO. This search found no additional Trojans in spite of greater coverage compared to previous surveys of the L5 point. Therefore, the main result of this work is to place the most stringent constraints to date on the population of ETs. These constraints depend on assumptions regarding the underlying population properties, especially the slope of the magnitude distribution (which in turn depends on the size and albedo distributions of the objects). For standard assumptions, we calculate upper limits to a 90 per cent confidence limit on the L5 population of N_(ET) < 1 for magnitude H < 15.5, N_(ET) = 60–85 for H < 19.7, and N_(ET) = 97 for H = 20.4. This latter magnitude limit corresponds to Trojans ∼300 m in size for albedo 0.15. At H = 19.7, these upper limits are consistent with previous L4 ET constraints and significantly improve L5 constraints
Search for magnetic fields in particle-accelerating colliding-wind binaries
Some colliding-wind massive binaries, called particle-accelerating
colliding-wind binaries (PACWB), exhibit synchrotron radio emission, which is
assumed to be generated by a stellar magnetic field. However, no measurement of
magnetic fields in these stars has ever been performed. We aim at quantifying
the possible stellar magnetic fields present in PACWB to provide constraints
for models. We gathered 21 high-resolution spectropolarimetric observations of
9 PACWB available in the ESPaDOnS, Narval and HarpsPol archives. We analysed
these observations with the Least Squares Deconvolution method. We separated
the binary spectral components when possible. No magnetic signature is detected
in any of the 9 PACWB stars and all longitudinal field measurements are
compatible with 0 G. We derived the upper field strength of a possible field
that could have remained hidden in the noise of the data. While the data are
not very constraining for some stars, for several stars we could derive an
upper limit of the polar field strength of the order of 200 G. We can therefore
exclude the presence of strong or moderate stellar magnetic fields in PACWB,
typical of the ones present in magnetic massive stars. Weak magnetic fields
could however be present in these objects. These observational results provide
the first quantitative constraints for future models of PACWB.Comment: Accepted in A&
{BiQ} Analyzer {HiMod}: An Interactive Software Tool for High-throughput Locus-specific Analysis of 5-Methylcytosine and its Oxidized Derivatives
Recent data suggest important biological roles for oxidative modifications of methylated cytosines, specifically hydroxymethylation, formylation and carboxylation. Several assays are now available for profiling these DNA modifications genome-wide as well as in targeted, locus-specific settings. Here we present BiQ Analyzer HiMod, a user-friendly software tool for sequence alignment, quality control and initial analysis of locus-specific DNA modification data. The software supports four different assay types, and it leads the user from raw sequence reads to DNA modification statistics and publication-quality plots. BiQ Analyzer HiMod combines well-established graphical user interface of its predecessor tool, BiQ Analyzer HT, with new and extended analysis modes. BiQ Analyzer HiMod also includes updates of the analysis workspace, an intuitive interface, a custom vector graphics engine and support of additional input and output data formats. The tool is freely available as a stand-alone installation package from http://biq-analyzer-himod.bioinf.mpi-inf.mpg.de/
Critical slowing down near the multiferroic phase transition in MnWO
By using broadband dielectric spectroscopy in the radiofrequency and
microwave range we studied the magnetoelectric dynamics in the multiferroic
chiral antiferromagnet MnWO. Above the multiferroic phase transition at
K we observe a critical slowing down of the corresponding
magnetoelectric fluctuations resembling the soft-mode behavior in canonical
ferroelectrics. This electric field driven excitation carries much less
spectral weight than ordinary phonon modes. Also the critical slowing down of
this mode scales with an exponent larger than one which is expected for
magnetic second order phase transition scenarios. Therefore the investigated
dynamics have to be interpreted as the softening of an electrically active
magnetic excitation, an electromagnon.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, appendi
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