81 research outputs found
Topological doping and the stability of stripe phases
We analyze the properties of a general Ginzburg-Landau free energy with
competing order parameters, long-range interactions, and global constraints
(e.g., a fixed value of a total ``charge'') to address the physics of stripe
phases in underdoped high-Tc and related materials. For a local free energy
limited to quadratic terms of the gradient expansion, only uniform or
phase-separated configurations are thermodynamically stable. ``Stripe'' or
other non-uniform phases can be stabilized by long-range forces, but can only
have non-topological (in-phase) domain walls where the components of the
antiferromagnetic order parameter never change sign, and the periods of charge
and spin density waves coincide. The antiphase domain walls observed
experimentally require physics on an intermediate lengthscale, and they are
absent from a model that involves only long-distance physics. Dense stripe
phases can be stable even in the absence of long-range forces, but domain walls
always attract at large distances, i.e., there is a ubiquitous tendency to
phase separation at small doping. The implications for the phase diagram of
underdoped cuprates are discussed.Comment: 18 two-column pages, 2 figures, revtex+eps
Weak quasistatic magnetism in the frustrated Kondo lattice Pr_2Ir_2O_7
Muon spin relaxation experiments have been performed in the pyrochlore
iridate Pr_2Ir_2O_7 for temperatures in the range 0.025-250 K. Kubo-Toyabe
relaxation functions are observed up to > 200 K, indicating static magnetism
over this temperature range. The T -> 0 static muon spin relaxation rate
Delta(0) ~ 8 mus^-1 implies a weak quasistatic moment (~0.1 mu_B). The
temperature dependence of Delta is highly non-mean-field-like, decreasing
smoothly by orders of magnitude but remaining nonzero below ~150 K. The data
rule out ordering of the full Pr^3+ CEF ground-state moment (3.0 mu_B) down to
0.025 K. The weak static magnetism is most likely due to hyperfine-enhanced
^141Pr nuclear magnetism. The dynamic relaxation rate lambda increases markedly
below ~20 K, probably due to slowing down of spin fluctuations in the
spin-liquid state. At low temperatures lambda is strong and
temperature-independent, indicative of a high density of low-lying spin
excitations as is common in frustrated antiferromagnets.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Proc. 11th Int. Conf. on Muon Spin
Rotation, Relaxation and Resonance (muSR2008
Hard Scattering Factorization from Effective Field Theory
In this paper we show how gauge symmetries in an effective theory can be used
to simplify proofs of factorization formulae in highly energetic hadronic
processes. We use the soft-collinear effective theory, generalized to deal with
back-to-back jets of collinear particles. Our proofs do not depend on the
choice of a particular gauge, and the formalism is applicable to both exclusive
and inclusive factorization. As examples we treat the pi-gamma form factor
(gamma gamma* -> pi^0), light meson form factors (gamma* M -> M), as well as
deep inelastic scattering (e- p -> e- X), Drell-Yan (p pbar -> X l+ l-), and
deeply virtual Compton scattering (gamma* p -> gamma(*) p).Comment: 35 pages, 4 figures, typos corrected, journal versio
Discourses of antagonism and desire : marketing for international students in neighbourhood schools
This paper explores the consequences of these discourses for the ways that international students are identified and positioned within school communities. My argument is developed in four sections. The first describes my ongoing exploration into the impact of international student programmes in Australia. The second exemplifies my argument: exploring the day-to-day experiences of vice principals in two Victorian government state secondary schools as they market their schools, and examining the systemic and ontological discourses played out within those conversations. The third interrogates discourses of identity and difference, neo-liberalism and nave cosmopolitanism which I find shape teacher conversations about international student programmes. In the final section, I argue that the impact of the discourse formations implicit in teacher talk about international student programmes has been the objectification of international students and their ambivalent inclusion within the school community.<br /
The check of QCD based on the tau-decay data analysis in the complex q^2-plane
The thorough analysis of the ALEPH data on hadronic tau-decay is performed in
the framework of QCD. The perturbative calculations are performed in 3 and
4-loop approximations. The terms of the operator product expansion (OPE) are
accounted up to dimension D=8. The value of the QCD coupling constant
alpha_s(m_tau^2)=0.355 pm 0.025 was found from hadronic branching ratio R_tau.
The V+A and V spectral function are analyzed using analytical properties of
polarization operators in the whole complex q^2-plane. Borel sum rules in the
complex q^2 plane along the rays, starting from the origin, are used. It was
demonstrated that QCD with OPE terms is in agreement with the data for the
coupling constant close to the lower error edge alpha_s(m_tau^2)=0.330. The
restriction on the value of the gluonic condensate was found
=0.006 pm 0.012 GeV^2. The analytical perturbative QCD was
compared with the data. It is demonstrated to be in strong contradiction with
experiment. The restrictions on the renormalon contribution were found. The
instanton contributions to the polarization operator are analyzed in various
sum rules. In Borel transformation they appear to be small, but not in spectral
moments sum rules.Comment: 24 pages; 1 latex + 13 figure files. V2: misprints are corrected,
uncertainty in alpha_s is explained in more transparent way, acknowledgement
is adde
Exclusion limits on the WIMP-nucleon cross-section from the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search
The Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS) employs low-temperature Ge and Si
detectors to search for Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) via their
elastic-scattering interactions with nuclei while discriminating against
interactions of background particles. For recoil energies above 10 keV, events
due to background photons are rejected with >99.9% efficiency, and surface
events are rejected with >95% efficiency. The estimate of the background due to
neutrons is based primarily on the observation of multiple-scatter events that
should all be neutrons. Data selection is determined primarily by examining
calibration data and vetoed events. Resulting efficiencies should be accurate
to about 10%. Results of CDMS data from 1998 and 1999 with a relaxed
fiducial-volume cut (resulting in 15.8 kg-days exposure on Ge) are consistent
with an earlier analysis with a more restrictive fiducial-volume cut.
Twenty-three WIMP candidate events are observed, but these events are
consistent with a background from neutrons in all ways tested. Resulting limits
on the spin-independent WIMP-nucleon elastic-scattering cross-section exclude
unexplored parameter space for WIMPs with masses between 10-70 GeV c^{-2}.
These limits border, but do not exclude, parameter space allowed by
supersymmetry models and accelerator constraints. Results are compatible with
some regions reported as allowed at 3-sigma by the annual-modulation
measurement of the DAMA collaboration. However, under the assumptions of
standard WIMP interactions and a standard halo, the results are incompatible
with the DAMA most likely value at >99.9% CL, and are incompatible with the
model-independent annual-modulation signal of DAMA at 99.99% CL in the
asymptotic limit.Comment: 40 pages, 49 figures (4 in color), submitted to Phys. Rev. D;
v.2:clarified conclusions, added content and references based on referee's
and readers' comments; v.3: clarified introductory sections, added figure
based on referee's comment
Mass spectra of doubly heavy Omega_QQ' baryons
We evaluate the masses of baryons composed of two heavy quarks and a strange
quark with account for spin-dependent splittings in the framework of potential
model with the KKO potential motivated by QCD with a three-loop beta-function
for the effective charge consistent with both the perturbative limit at short
distances and linear confinement term at long distances between the quarks. The
factorization of dynamics is supposed and explored in the nonrelativistic
Schroedinger equation for the motion in the system of two heavy quarks
constituting the doubly heavy diquark and the strange quark interaction with
the diquark. The limits of approach, its justification and uncertainties are
discussed. Excited quasistable states are classified by the quantum numbers of
heavy diquark composed by the heavy quarks of the same flavor.Comment: 14 pages, revtex4-file, 3 eps-figures, 5 tables, typos correcte
Eco-evolutionary dynamics on deformable fitness landscapes
Conventional approaches to modelling ecological dynamics often do not include evolutionary changes in the genetic makeup of component species and, conversely, conventional approaches to modelling evolutionary changes in the genetic makeup of a population often do not include ecological dynamics. But recently there has been considerable interest in understanding the interaction of evolutionary and ecological dynamics as coupled processes. However, in the context of complex multi-species ecosytems, especially where ecological and evolutionary timescales are similar, it is difficult to identify general organising principles that help us understand the structure and behaviour of complex ecosystems. Here we introduce a simple abstraction of coevolutionary interactions in a multi-species ecosystem. We model non-trophic ecological interactions based on a continuous but low-dimensional trait/niche space, where the location of each species in trait space affects the overlap of its resource utilisation with that of other species. The local depletion of available resources creates, in effect, a deformable fitness landscape that governs how the evolution of one species affects the selective pressures on other species. This enables us to study the coevolution of ecological interactions in an intuitive and easily visualisable manner. We observe that this model can exhibit either of the two behavioural modes discussed in the literature; namely, evolutionary stasis or Red Queen dynamics, i.e., continued evolutionary change. We find that which of these modes is observed depends on the lag or latency between the movement of a species in trait space and its effect on available resources. Specifically, if ecological change is nearly instantaneous compared to evolutionary change, stasis results; but conversely, if evolutionary timescales are closer to ecological timescales, such that resource depletion is not instantaneous on evolutionary timescales, then Red Queen dynamics result. We also observe that in the stasis mode, the overall utilisation of resources by the ecosystem is relatively efficient, with diverse species utilising different niches, whereas in the Red Queen mode the organisation of the ecosystem is such that species tend to clump together competing for overlapping resources. These models thereby suggest some basic conditions that influence the organisation of inter-species interactions and the balance of individual and collective adaptation in ecosystems, and likewise they also suggest factors that might be useful in engineering artificial coevolution
Basic Methods for Computing Special Functions
This paper gives an overview of methods for the numerical evaluation of special functions, that is, the functions that arise in many problems from mathematical physics, engineering, probability theory, and other applied sciences. We consider in detail a selection of basic methods which are
frequently used in the numerical evaluation of special functions: converging and asymptotic series, including Chebyshev expansions, linear recurrence relations, and numerical quadrature. Several other methods are available and some of these will be discussed in less detail. We give examples of recent software for special functions where these methods are used. We mention a list of new publications on computational aspects of special functions available on our website
Genome-wide meta-analysis of muscle weakness identifies 15 susceptibility loci in older men and women
Low muscle strength is an important heritable indicator of poor health linked to morbidity and mortality in older people. In a genome-wide association study meta-analysis of 256,523 Europeans aged 60 years and over from 22 cohorts we identify 15 loci associated with muscle weakness (European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People definition: n = 48,596 cases, 18.9% of total), including 12 loci not implicated in previous analyses of continuous measures of grip strength. Loci include genes reportedly involved in autoimmune disease (HLA-DQA1p = 4 Ă 10â17), arthritis (GDF5p = 4 Ă 10â13), cell cycle control and cancer protection, regulation of transcription, and others involved in the development and maintenance of the musculoskeletal system. Using Mendelian randomization we report possible overlapping causal pathways, including diabetes susceptibility, haematological parameters, and the immune system. We conclude that muscle weakness in older adults has distinct mechanisms from continuous strength, including several pathways considered to be hallmarks of ageing
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