Weak Gravitational Flexion

Flexion is the significant third-order weak gravitational lensing effect responsible for the weakly skewed and arc-like appearance of lensed galaxies. Here we demonstrate how flexion measurements can be used to measure galaxy halo density profiles and large-scale structure on non-linear scales, via galaxy-galaxy lensing, dark matter mapping and cosmic flexion correlation functions. We describe the origin of gravitational flexion, and discuss its four components, two of which are first described here. We also introduce an efficient complex formalism for all orders of lensing distortion. We proceed to examine the flexion predictions for galaxy-galaxy lensing, examining isothermal sphere and Navarro, Frenk & White (NFW) profiles and both circularly symmetric and elliptical cases. We show that in combination with shear we can precisely measure galaxy masses and NFW halo concentrations. We also show how flexion measurements can be used to reconstruct mass maps in 2-D projection on the sky, and in 3-D in combination with redshift data. Finally, we examine the predictions for cosmic flexion, including convergence-flexion cross-correlations, and find that the signal is an effective probe of structure on non-linear scales.Comment: 17 pages, including 12 figures, submitted to MNRA

Microscopic Study of the Isoscalar Giant Monopole Resonance in Cd, Sn and Pb Isotopes

The isoscalar giant monopole resonance (ISGMR) in Cd, Sn and Pb isotopes has been studied within the self-consistent Skyrme Hartree-Fock+BCS and quasi-particle random phase approximation (QRPA). Three Skyrme parameter sets are used in the calculations, i.e., SLy5, SkM* and SkP, since they are characterized by different values of the compression modulus in symmetric nuclear matter, namely K=230, 217, and 202 MeV, respectively. We also investigate the effect of different types of pairing forces on the ISGMR in Cd, Sn and Pb isotopes. The calculated peak energies and the strength distributions of ISGMR are compared with available experimental data. We find that SkP fails completely to describe the ISGMR strength distribution for all isotopes due to its low value of the nuclear matter incompressibility, namely K=202 MeV. On the other hand, the SLy5 parameter set, supplemented by an appropriate pairing interaction, gives a reasonable description of the ISGMR in Cd and Pb isotopes. A better description of ISGMR in Sn isotopes is achieved by the SkM* interaction, that has a somewhat softer value of the nuclear incompressibility.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev.

An exactly solvable model of a superconducting to rotational phase transition

We consider a many-fermion model which exhibits a transition from a superconducting to a rotational phase with variation of a parameter in its Hamiltonian. The model has analytical solutions in its two limits due to the presence of dynamical symmetries. However, the symmetries are basically incompatible with one another; no simple solution exists in intermediate situations. Exact (numerical) solutions are possible and enable one to study the behavior of competing but incompatible symmetries and the phase transitions that result in a semirealistic situation. The results are remarkably simple and shed light on the nature of phase transitions.Comment: 11 pages including 1 figur

Testing a phantom eye under various signal-to-noise ratio conditions using eleven different OCT devices

We compared eleven OCT devices in their ability to quantify retinal layer thicknesses under different signal-strength conditions, using a commercially available phantom eye. We analyzed a medium-intensity 50 µm layer in an identical manner for all devices, using the provided log-scale images and a reconstructed linear-scale tissue reflectivity metric. Thickness measurements were highly comparable when the data were analyzed in an identical manner. With optimal signal strength, the thickness of the 50 µm layer was overestimated by a mean of 4.3 µm in the log-scale images and of 2.7 µm in the linear-scale images

Classical mappings of the symplectic model and their application to the theory of large-amplitude collective motion

We study the algebra Sp(n,R) of the symplectic model, in particular for the cases n=1,2,3, in a new way. Starting from the Poisson-bracket realization we derive a set of partial differential equations for the generators as functions of classical canonical variables. We obtain a solution to these equations that represents the classical limit of a boson mapping of the algebra. The relationship to the collective dynamics is formulated as a theorem that associates the mapping with an exact solution of the time-dependent Hartree approximation. This solution determines a decoupled classical symplectic manifold, thus satisfying the criteria that define an exactly solvable model in the theory of large amplitude collective motion. The models thus obtained also provide a test of methods for constructing an approximately decoupled manifold in fully realistic cases. We show that an algorithm developed in one of our earlier works reproduces the main results of the theorem.Comment: 23 pages, LaTeX using REVTeX 3.

Dual-moods and creativity in organisation: A bidirectional mood regulation perspective

The mixed impacts of mood states on creativity call for reconciliation. Contrary to the prevailing notion that positive moods foster creativity, an emerging body of research suggests that negative moods can also boost creativity, and even that positive moods may impair creativity. More recent research suggests that the dual-moods, instead of singular positive or negative moods, can jointly foster creativity, opening a new avenue for mood-creativity research. Nevertheless, the current research which focuses on static mood states is still inadequate to explain the dynamic impacts of moods on creativity over time. To answer this question, we propose that a bidirectional moodregulatory process can reconcile the mixed impacts of dual-moods on creativity with respect to mood changes, and discuss possible research approaches

Hermitian boson mapping and finite truncation

Starting from a general, microscopic fermion-to-boson mapping that preserves Hermitian conjugation, we discuss truncations of the boson Fock space basis. We give conditions under which the exact boson images of finite fermion operators are also finite (e.g., a 1+2-body fermion Hamiltonian is mapped to a 1+2-body boson Hamiltonian) in the truncated basis. For the most general case, where the image is not necessarily exactly finite, we discuss how to make practical and controlled approximations.Comment: 12 pages in RevTex with no figures, Los Alamos preprint # LA-UR-94-146

Six-dimensional Davidson potential as a dynamical symmetry of the symplectic Interacting Vector Boson Model

A six-dimensional Davidson potential, introduced within the framework of the Interacting Vector Boson Model (IVBM), is used to describe nuclei that exhibit transitional spectra between the purely rotational and vibrational limits of the theory. The results are shown to relate to a new dynamical symmetry that starts with the $Sp(12,R) \supset SU(1,1) \times SO(6)$ reduction. Exact solutions for the eigenstates of the model Hamiltonian in the basis defined by a convenient subgroup chain of SO(6) are obtained. A comparison of the theoretical results with experimental data for heavy nuclei with transitional spectra illustrates the applicability of the theory.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure

Spin dependent photoelectron tunnelling from GaAs into magnetic Cobalt

The spin dependence of the photoelectron tunnel current from free standing GaAs films into out-of- plane magnetized Cobalt films is demonstrated. The measured spin asymmetry (A) resulting from a change in light helicity, reaches +/- 6% around zero applied tunnel bias and drops to +/- 2% at a bias of -1.6 V applied to the GaAs. This decrease is a result of the drop in the photoelectron spin polarization that results from a reduction in the GaAs surface recombination velocity. The sign of A changes with that of the Cobalt magnetization direction. In contrast, on a (nonmagnetic) Gold film A ~ 0%