455 research outputs found
Fast, large volume, GPU enabled simulations for the Ly-alpha forest: power spectrum forecasts for baryon acoustic oscillation experiments
High redshift measurements of the baryonic acoustic oscillation scale (BAO)
from large Ly-alpha forest surveys represent the next frontier of dark energy
studies. As part of this effort, efficient simulations of the BAO signature
from the Ly-alpha forest will be required. We construct a model for producing
fast, large volume simulations of the Ly-alpha forest for this purpose.
Utilising a calibrated semi-analytic approach, we are able to run very large
simulations in 1 Gpc^3 volumes which fully resolve the Jeans scale in less than
a day on a desktop PC using a GPU enabled version of our code. The Ly-alpha
forest spectra extracted from our semi-analytical simulations are in excellent
agreement with those obtained from a fully hydrodynamical reference simulation.
Furthermore, we find our simulated data are in broad agreement with
observational measurements of the flux probability distribution and 1D flux
power spectrum. We are able to correctly recover the input BAO scale from the
3D Ly-alpha flux power spectrum measured from our simulated data, and estimate
that a BOSS-like 10^4 deg^2 survey with ~15 background sources per square
degree and a signal-to-noise of ~5 per pixel should achieve a measurement of
the BAO scale to within ~1.4 per cent. We also use our simulations to provide
simple power-law expressions for estimating the fractional error on the BAO
scale on varying the signal-to-noise and the number density of background
sources. The speed and flexibility of our approach is well suited for exploring
parameter space and the impact of observational and astrophysical systematics
on the recovery of the BAO signature from forthcoming large scale spectroscopic
surveys.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures, accepted to MNRA
Cross-correlations of the Lyman-alpha forest with weak lensing convergence I: Analytical Estimates of S/N and Implications for Neutrino Mass and Dark Energy
We expect a detectable correlation between two seemingly unrelated
quantities: the four point function of the cosmic microwave background (CMB)
and the amplitude of flux decrements in quasar (QSO) spectra. The amplitude of
CMB convergence in a given direction measures the projected surface density of
matter. Measurements of QSO flux decrements trace the small-scale distribution
of gas along a given line-of-sight. While the cross-correlation between these
two measurements is small for a single line-of-sight, upcoming large surveys
should enable its detection. This paper presents analytical estimates for the
signal to noise (S/N) for measurements of the cross-correlation between the
flux decrement and the convergence and for measurements of the
cross-correlation between the variance in flux decrement and the convergence.
For the ongoing BOSS (SDSS III) and Planck surveys, we estimate an S/N of 30
and 9.6 for these two correlations. For the proposed BigBOSS and ACTPOL
surveys, we estimate an S/N of 130 and 50 respectively. Since the
cross-correlation between the variance in flux decrement and the convergence is
proportional to the fourth power of , the amplitude of these
cross-correlations can potentially be used to measure the amplitude of
at z~2 to 2.5% with BOSS and Planck and even better with future data
sets. These measurements have the potential to test alternative theories for
dark energy and to constrain the mass of the neutrino. The large potential
signal estimated in our analytical calculations motivate tests with non-linear
hydrodynamical simulations and analyses of upcoming data sets.Comment: 24 pages, 9 figure
Anomalous structure in the single particle spectrum of the fractional quantum Hall effect
The two-dimensional electron system (2DES) is a unique laboratory for the
physics of interacting particles. Application of a large magnetic field
produces massively degenerate quantum levels known as Landau levels. Within a
Landau level the kinetic energy of the electrons is suppressed, and
electron-electron interactions set the only energy scale. Coulomb interactions
break the degeneracy of the Landau levels and can cause the electrons to order
into complex ground states. In the high energy single particle spectrum of this
system, we observe salient and unexpected structure that extends across a wide
range of Landau level filling fractions. The structure appears only when the
2DES is cooled to very low temperature, indicating that it arises from delicate
ground state correlations. We characterize this structure by its evolution with
changing electron density and applied magnetic field. We present two possible
models for understanding these observations. Some of the energies of the
features agree qualitatively with what might be expected for composite
Fermions, which have proven effective for interpreting other experiments in
this regime. At the same time, a simple model with electrons localized on
ordered lattice sites also generates structure similar to those observed in the
experiment. Neither of these models alone is sufficient to explain the
observations across the entire range of densities measured. The discovery of
this unexpected prominent structure in the single particle spectrum of an
otherwise thoroughly studied system suggests that there exist core features of
the 2DES that have yet to be understood.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figure
Cosmological Limits on the Neutrino Mass from the Lya Forest
The Lya forest in quasar spectra probes scales where massive neutrinos can
strongly suppress the growth of mass fluctuations. Using hydrodynamic
simulations with massive neutrinos, we successfully test techniques developed
to measure the mass power spectrum from the forest. A recent observational
measurement in conjunction with a conservative implementation of other
cosmological constraints places upper limits on the neutrino mass: m_nu < 5.5
eV for all values of Omega_m, and m_nu < 2.4 (Omega_m/0.17 -1) eV, if 0.2 <
Omega_m <0.5 as currently observationally favored (both 95 % C.L.).Comment: 4 pages, 2 ps figures, REVTex, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let
Measuring V_ub and probing SUSY with double ratios of purely leptonic decays of B and D mesons
The experimental prospects for precise measurements of the leptonic decays
B_u -> tau nu / mu nu, B_s -> mu+ mu-, D -> mu nu and D_s -> mu nu / tau nu are
very promising. Double ratios involving four of these decays can be defined in
which the dependence on the values of the decay constants is essentially
eliminated, thus enabling complementary measurements of the CKM matrix element
V_ub with a small theoretical error. We quantify the experimental error in a
possible future measurement of |V_ub| using this approach, and show that it is
competitive with the anticipated precision from the conventional approaches.
Moreover, it is shown that such double ratios can be more effective than the
individual leptonic decays as a probe of the parameter space of supersymmetric
models. We emphasize that the double ratios have the advantage of using |V_ub|
as an input parameter (for which there is experimental information), while the
individual decays have an uncertainty from the decay constants (e.g. f_B_s),
and hence a reliance on theoretical techniques such as lattice QCD.Comment: 21 pages, 4 figure
Patterns of antimicrobial resistance in a surgical intensive care unit of a university hospital in Turkey
BACKGROUND: Several studies have reported higher rates of antimicrobial resistance among isolates from intensive care units than among isolates from general patient-care areas. The aims of this study were to review the pathogens associated with nosocomial infections in a surgical intensive care unit of a university hospital in Turkey and to summarize rates of antimicrobial resistance in the most common pathogens. The survey was conducted over a period of twelve months in a tertiary-care teaching hospital located in the south-eastern part of Turkey, Gaziantep. A total of 871 clinical specimens from 615 adult patients were collected. From 871 clinical specimens 771 bacterial and fungal isolates were identified. RESULTS: Most commonly isolated microorganisms were: Pseudomonas aeruginosa (20.3%), Candida species (15%) and Staphylococcus aureus (12.9%). Among the Gram-negative microorganisms P. aeruginosa were mostly resistant to third-generation cephalosporins (71.3–98.1%), while Acinetobacter baumannii were resistant in all cases to piperacillin, ceftazidime and ceftriaxone. Isolates of S. aureus were mostly resistant to penicillin, ampicillin, and methicillin (82–95%), whereas coagulase-negative staphylococci were 98.6% resistant to methicillin and in all cases resistant to ampicillin and tetracycline. CONCLUSION: In order to reduce the emergence and spread of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens in ICUs, monitoring and optimization of antimicrobial use in hospitals are strictly recommended. Therefore local resistance surveillance programs are of most value in developing appropriate therapeutic guidelines for specific infections and patient types
Even-denominator fractional quantum Hall physics in ZnO
The fractional quantum Hall (FQH) effect emerges in high-quality two-dimensional electron systems exposed to a magnetic field when the Landau-level filling factor, ν_e, takes on a rational value. Although the overwhelming majority of FQH states have odd-denominator fillings, the physical properties of the rare and fragile even-denominator states are most tantalizing in view of their potential relevance for topological quantum computation. For decades, GaAs has been the preferred host for studying these even-denominator states, where they occur at ν_e = 5/2 and 7/2. Here we report an anomalous series of quantized even-denominator FQH states outside the realm of III–V semiconductors in the MgZnO/ZnO 2DES electron at ν_e = 3/2 and 7/2, with precursor features at 9/2; all while the 5/2 state is absent. The effect in this material occurs concomitantly with tunability of the orbital character of electrons at the chemical potential, thereby realizing a new experimental means for investigating these exotic ground states
Effectiveness of disinfection with alcohol 70% (w/v) of contaminated surfaces not previously cleaned
Precision Measurement of the Mass of the h_c(1P1) State of Charmonium
A precision measurement of the mass of the h_c(1P1) state of charmonium has
been made using a sample of 24.5 million psi(2S) events produced in e+e-
annihilation at CESR. The reaction used was psi(2S) -> pi0 h_c, pi0 -> gamma
gamma, h_c -> gamma eta_c, and the reaction products were detected in the
CLEO-c detector.
Data have been analyzed both for the inclusive reaction and for the exclusive
reactions in which eta_c decays are reconstructed in fifteen hadronic decay
channels. Consistent results are obtained in the two analyses. The averaged
results of the present measurements are M(h_c)=3525.28+-0.19 (stat)+-0.12(syst)
MeV, and B(psi(2S) -> pi0 h_c)xB(h_c -> gamma eta_c)= (4.19+-0.32+-0.45)x10^-4.
Using the 3PJ centroid mass, Delta M_hf(1P)= - M(h_c) =
+0.02+-0.19+-0.13 MeV.Comment: 9 pages, available through http://www.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS/,
submitted to PR
Precision Measurement of B(D+ -> mu+ nu) and the Pseudoscalar Decay Constant fD+
We measure the branching ratio of the purely leptonic decay of the D+ meson
with unprecedented precision as B(D+ -> mu+ nu) = (3.82 +/- 0.32 +/-
0.09)x10^(-4), using 818/pb of data taken on the psi(3770) resonance with the
CLEO-c detector at the CESR collider. We use this determination to derive a
value for the pseudoscalar decay constant fD+, combining with measurements of
the D+ lifetime and assuming |Vcd| = |Vus|. We find fD+ = (205.8 +/- 8.5 +/-
2.5) MeV. The decay rate asymmetry [B(D+ -> mu+ nu)-B(D- -> mu- nu)]/[B(D+ ->
mu+ nu)+B(D- -> mu- nu)] = 0.08 +/- 0.08, consistent with no CP violation. We
also set 90% confidence level upper limits on B(D+ -> tau+ nu) < 1.2x10^(-3)
and B(D+ -> e+ nu) < 8.8x10^(-6).Comment: 24 pages, 11 figures and 6 tables, v2 replaced some figure vertical
axis scales, v3 corrections from PRD revie
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