Decoupling Transition I. Flux Lattices in Pure Layered Superconductors

We study the decoupling transition of flux lattices in a layered superconductors at which the Josephson coupling J is renormalized to zero. We identify the order parameter and related correlations; the latter are shown to decay as a power law in the decoupled phase. Within 2nd order renormalization group we find that the transition is always continuous, in contrast with results of the self consistent harmonic approximation. The critical temperature for weak J is ~1/B, where B is the magnetic field, while for strong J it is~1/sqrt{B} and is strongly enhanced. We show that renormaliztion group can be used to evaluate the Josephson plasma frequency and find that for weak J it is~1/BT^2 in the decoupled phase.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures. New sections III, V. Companion to following article on "Decoupling and Depinning II: Flux lattices in disordered layered superconductors

Self-Similar Random Processes and Infinite-Dimensional Configuration Spaces

We discuss various infinite-dimensional configuration spaces that carry measures quasiinvariant under compactly-supported diffeomorphisms of a manifold M corresponding to a physical space. Such measures allow the construction of unitary representations of the diffeomorphism group, which are important to nonrelativistic quantum statistical physics and to the quantum theory of extended objects in d-dimensional Euclidean space. Special attention is given to measurable structure and topology underlying measures on generalized configuration spaces obtained from self-similar random processes (both for d = 1 and d > 1), which describe infinite point configurations having accumulation points

SAMBA: Superconducting antenna-coupled, multi-frequency, bolometric array

We present a design for a multipixel, multiband (100 GHz, 200 GHz and 400 GHz) submillimeter instrument: SAMBA (Superconducting Antenna-coupled, Multi-frequency, Bolometric Array). SAMBA uses slot antenna coupled bolometers and microstrip filters. The concept allows for a much more compact, multiband imager compared to a comparable feedhorn-coupled bolometric system. SAMBA incorporates an array of slot antennas, superconducting transmission lines, a wide band multiplexer and superconducting transition edge bolometers. The transition-edge film measures the millimeter-wave power deposited in the resistor that terminates the transmission line

Some Variations on Maxwell's Equations

In the first sections of this article, we discuss two variations on Maxwell's equations that have been introduced in earlier work--a class of nonlinear Maxwell theories with well-defined Galilean limits (and correspondingly generalized Yang-Mills equations), and a linear modification motivated by the coupling of the electromagnetic potential with a certain nonlinear Schroedinger equation. In the final section, revisiting an old idea of Lorentz, we write Maxwell's equations for a theory in which the electrostatic force of repulsion between like charges differs fundamentally in magnitude from the electrostatic force of attraction between unlike charges. We elaborate on Lorentz' description by means of electric and magnetic field strengths, whose governing equations separate into two fully relativistic Maxwell systems--one describing ordinary electromagnetism, and the other describing a universally attractive or repulsive long-range force. If such a force cannot be ruled out {\it a priori} by known physical principles, its magnitude should be determined or bounded experimentally. Were it to exist, interesting possibilities go beyond Lorentz' early conjecture of a relation to (Newtonian) gravity.Comment: 26 pages, submitted to a volume in preparation to honor Gerard Emch v. 2: discussion revised, factors of 4\pi corrected in some equation

Indigenous and institutional profile: Limpopo River Basin

River basins / Water resource management / History / Institutions / Social aspects / Legal aspects

On the virial coefficients of nonabelian anyons

We study a system of nonabelian anyons in the lowest Landau level of a strong magnetic field. Using diagrammatic techniques, we prove that the virial coefficients do not depend on the statistics parameter. This is true for all representations of all nonabelian groups for the statistics of the particles and relies solely on the fact that the effective statistical interaction is a traceless operator.Comment: 9 pages, 3 eps figure

Anharmonicity of flux lattices and thermal fluctuations in layered superconductors

We study elasticity of a perpendicular flux lattice in a layered superconductor with Josephson coupling between layers. We find that the energy contains ln(flux displacement) terms, so that elastic constants cannot be strictly defined. Instead we define effective elastic constants by a thermal average. The tilt modulus has terms with ln(T) which for weak fields, i.e. Josephson length smaller than the flux line spacing, lead to displacement square average proportional to T/ln(T). The expansion parameter indicates that the dominant low temperature phase transition is either layer decoupling at high fields or melting at low fields.Comment: 15 pages, 2 eps figures, Revtex, submitted to Phys. Rev. B. Sunj-class: superconductivit

Gesture analysis for physics education researchers

Systematic observations of student gestures can not only fill in gaps in students' verbal expressions, but can also offer valuable information about student ideas, including their source, their novelty to the speaker, and their construction in real time. This paper provides a review of the research in gesture analysis that is most relevant to physics education researchers and illustrates gesture analysis for the purpose of better understanding student thinking about physics.Comment: 14 page

Integrated Focal Plane Arrays for Millimeter-wave Astronomy

We are developing focal plane arrays of bolometric detectors for sub-millimeter and millimeter-wave astrophysics. We propose a flexible array architecture using arrays of slot antennae coupled via low-loss superconducting Nb transmission line to microstrip filters and antenna-coupled bolometers. By combining imaging and filtering functions with transmission line, we are able to realize unique structures such as a multi-band polarimeter and a planar, dispersive spectrometer. Micro-strip bolometers have significantly smaller active volume than standard detectors with extended absorbers, and can realize higher sensitivity and speed of response. The integrated array has natural immunity to stray radiation or spectral leaks, and minimizes the suspended mass operating at 0.1 - 0.3 K. We also discuss future space-borne spectroscopy and polarimetry applications

A Search for Cosmic Microwave Background Anisotropies on Arcminute Scales with Bolocam

We have surveyed two science fields totaling one square degree with Bolocam at 2.1 mm to search for secondary CMB anisotropies caused by the Sunyaev- Zel'dovich effect (SZE). The fields are in the Lynx and Subaru/XMM SDS1 fields. Our survey is sensitive to angular scales with an effective angular multipole of l_eff = 5700 with FWHM_l = 2800 and has an angular resolution of 60 arcseconds FWHM. Our data provide no evidence for anisotropy. We are able to constrain the level of total astronomical anisotropy, modeled as a flat bandpower in C_l, with frequentist 68%, 90%, and 95% CL upper limits of 590, 760, and 830 uKCMB^2. We statistically subtract the known contribution from primary CMB anisotropy, including cosmic variance, to obtain constraints on the SZE anisotropy contribution. Now including flux calibration uncertainty, our frequentist 68%, 90% and 95% CL upper limits on a flat bandpower in C_l are 690, 960, and 1000 uKCMB^2. When we instead employ the analytic spectrum suggested by Komatsu and Seljak (2002), and account for the non-Gaussianity of the SZE anisotropy signal, we obtain upper limits on the average amplitude of their spectrum weighted by our transfer function of 790, 1060, and 1080 uKCMB^2. We obtain a 90% CL upper limit on sigma8, which normalizes the power spectrum of density fluctuations, of 1.57. These are the first constraints on anisotropy and sigma8 from survey data at these angular scales at frequencies near 150 GHz.Comment: 68 pages, 17 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in Ap