38,841 research outputs found
Elasticity, fluctuations and vortex pinning in ferromagnetic superconductors: A "columnar elastic glass"
We study the elasticity, fluctuations and pinning of a putative spontaneous
vortex solid in ferromagnetic superconductors. Using a rigorous thermodynamic
argument, we show that in the idealized case of vanishing crystalline pinning
anisotropy the long-wavelength tilt modulus of such a vortex solid vanishes
identically, as guaranteed by the underlying rotational invariance. The
vanishing of the tilt modulus means that, to lowest order, the associated
tension elasticity is replaced by the softer, curvature elasticity. The effect
of this is to make the spontaneous vortex solid qualitatively more susceptible
to the disordering effects of thermal fluctuations and random pinning. We study
these effects, taking into account the nonlinear elasticity, that, in three
dimensions, is important at sufficiently long length scales, and showing that a
``columnar elastic glass'' phase of vortices results. This phase is controlled
by a previously unstudied zero-temperature fixed point and it is characterized
by elastic moduli that have universal strong wave-vector dependence out to
arbitrarily long length scales, leading to non-Hookean elasticity. We argue
that, although translationally disordered for weak disorder, the columnar
elastic glass is stable against the proliferation of dislocations and is
therefore a topologically ordered {\em elastic} glass. As a result, the
phenomenology of the spontaneous vortex state of isotropic magnetic
superconductors differs qualitatively from a conventional,
external-field-induced mixed state. For example, for weak external fields ,
the magnetic induction scales {\em universally} like , with .Comment: Minor editorial changes, version to be published in PRB, 39 pages, 7
figure
SDSS J1254+0846: A Binary Quasar Caught in the Act of Merging
We present the first luminous, spatially resolved binary quasar that clearly
inhabits an ongoing galaxy merger. SDSS J125455.09+084653.9 and SDSS
J125454.87+084652.1 (SDSS J1254+0846 hereafter) are two luminous z=0.44 radio
quiet quasars, with a radial velocity difference of just 215 km/s, separated on
the sky by 21 kpc in a disturbed host galaxy merger showing obvious tidal
tails. The pair was targeted as part of a complete sample of binary quasar
candidates with small transverse separations drawn from SDSS DR6 photometry. We
present follow-up optical imaging which shows broad, symmetrical tidal arm
features spanning some 75 kpc at the quasars' redshift. Numerical modeling
suggests that the system consists of two massive disk galaxies prograde to
their mutual orbit, caught during the first passage of an active merger. This
demonstrates rapid black hole growth during the early stages of a merger
between galaxies with pre-existing bulges. Neither of the two luminous nuclei
show significant instrinsic absorption by gas or dust in our optical or X-ray
observations, illustrating that not all merging quasars will be in an obscured,
ultraluminous phase. We find that the Eddington ratio for the fainter component
B is rather normal, while for the A component L/LEdd is quite (>3sigma) high
compared to quasars of similar luminosity and redshift, possibly evidence for
strong merger-triggered accretion. More such mergers should be identifiable at
higher redshifts using binary quasars as tracers.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures, accepted to the Astrophysical Journal for the
February 2010 - 20 v710 issue. Latest version corrects author lis
Precise radial velocities of giant stars. IV. A correlation between surface gravity and radial velocity variation and a statistical investigation of companion properties
Since 1999, we have been conducting a radial velocity survey of 179 K giants
using the CAT at UCO/Lick observatory. At present ~20-100 measurements have
been collected per star with a precision of 5 to 8 m/s. Of the stars monitored,
145 (80%) show radial velocity (RV) variations at a level >20 m/s, of which 43
exhibit significant periodicities. Our aim is to investigate possible
mechanism(s) that cause these observed RV variations. We intend to test whether
these variations are intrinsic in nature, or possibly induced by companions, or
both. In addition, we aim to characterise the parameters of these companions. A
relation between log g and the amplitude of the RV variations is investigated
for all stars in the sample. Furthermore, the hypothesis that all periodic RV
variations are caused by companions is investigated by comparing their inferred
orbital statistics with the statistics of companions around main sequence
stars. A strong relation is found between the amplitude of the RV variations
and log g in K giant stars, as suggested earlier by Hatzes & Cochran (1998).
However, most of the stars exhibiting periodic variations are located above
this relation. These RV variations can be split in a periodic component which
is not correlated with log g and a random residual part which does correlate
with log g. Compared to main-sequence stars, K giants frequently exhibit
periodic RV variations. Interpreting these RV variations as being caused by
companions, the orbital param eters are different from the companions orbiting
dwarfs. Intrinsic mechanisms play an important role in producing RV variations
in K giants stars, as suggested by their dependence on log g. However, it
appears that periodic RV variations are additional to these intrinsic
variations, consistent with them being caused by companions.Comment: 10 pages, accepted by A&
The Lick AGN Monitoring Project 2011: Reverberation Mapping of Markarian 50
The Lick AGN Monitoring Project 2011 observing campaign was carried out over
the course of 11 weeks in Spring 2011. Here we present the first results from
this program, a measurement of the broad-line reverberation lag in the Seyfert
1 galaxy Mrk 50. Combining our data with supplemental observations obtained
prior to the start of the main observing campaign, our dataset covers a total
duration of 4.5 months. During this time, Mrk 50 was highly variable,
exhibiting a maximum variability amplitude of a factor of 4 in the U-band
continuum and a factor of 2 in the H-beta line. Using standard
cross-correlation techniques, we find that H-beta and H-gamma lag the V-band
continuum by tau_cen = 10.64(-0.93,+0.82) and 8.43(-1.28,+1.30) days,
respectively, while the lag of He II 4686 is unresolved. The H-beta line
exhibits a symmetric velocity-resolved reverberation signature with shorter
lags in the high-velocity wings than in the line core, consistent with an
origin in a broad-line region dominated by orbital motion rather than infall or
outflow. Assuming a virial normalization factor of f=5.25, the virial estimate
of the black hole mass is (3.2+-0.5)*10^7 solar masses. These observations
demonstrate that Mrk 50 is among the most promising nearby active galaxies for
detailed investigations of broad-line region structure and dynamics.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ Letters. 6 pages, 4 figure
Fundamental Flaws in Feller's Classical Derivation of Benford's Law
Feller's classic text 'An Introduction to Probability Theory and its
Applications' contains a derivation of the well known significant-digit law
called Benford's law. More specifically, Feller gives a sufficient condition
("large spread") for a random variable to be approximately Benford
distributed, that is, for to be approximately uniformly
distributed modulo one. This note shows that the large-spread derivation, which
continues to be widely cited and used, contains serious basic errors. Concrete
examples and a new inequality clearly demonstrate that large spread (or large
spread on a logarithmic scale) does not imply that a random variable is
approximately Benford distributed, for any reasonable definition of "spread" or
measure of dispersionComment: 7 page
Perturbed breakup of gas bubbles in water: Memory, gas flow, and coalescence
The pinch-off of an air bubble from an underwater nozzle ends in a
singularity with a remarkable sensitivity to a variety of perturbations. I
report on experiments that break both the axial (i.e., vertical) and azimuthal
symmetry of the singularity formation. The density of the inner gas influences
the axial asymmetry of the neck near pinch-off. For denser gases, flow through
the neck late in collapse changes the pinch-off dynamics. Gas density is also
implicated in the formation of satellite bubbles. The azimuthal shape
oscillations described by Schmidt et al., can be initiated by anisotropic
boundary conditions in the liquid as well as with an asymmetric nozzle shape. I
measure the n = 3 oscillatory mode, and observe the nonlinear, highly
three-dimensional outcomes of pinch-off with large azimuthal perturbations.
These are consistent with prior theory
An axiomatic approach to the non-linear theory of generalized functions and consistency of Laplace transforms
We offer an axiomatic definition of a differential algebra of generalized
functions over an algebraically closed non-Archimedean field. This algebra is
of Colombeau type in the sense that it contains a copy of the space of Schwartz
distributions. We study the uniqueness of the objects we define and the
consistency of our axioms. Next, we identify an inconsistency in the
conventional Laplace transform theory. As an application we offer a free of
contradictions alternative in the framework of our algebra of generalized
functions. The article is aimed at mathematicians, physicists and engineers who
are interested in the non-linear theory of generalized functions, but who are
not necessarily familiar with the original Colombeau theory. We assume,
however, some basic familiarity with the Schwartz theory of distributions.Comment: 23 page
Fluid-Induced Propulsion of Rigid Particles in Wormlike Micellar Solutions
In the absence of inertia, a reciprocal swimmer achieves no net motion in a
viscous Newtonian fluid. Here, we investigate the ability of a reciprocally
actuated particle to translate through a complex fluid that possesses a network
using tracking methods and birefringence imaging. A geometrically polar
particle, a rod with a bead on one end, is reciprocally rotated using magnetic
fields. The particle is immersed in a wormlike micellar (WLM) solution that is
known to be susceptible to the formation of shear bands and other localized
structures due to shear-induced remodeling of its microstructure. Results show
that the nonlinearities present in this WLM solution break time-reversal
symmetry under certain conditions, and enable propulsion of an artificial
"swimmer." We find three regimes dependent on the Deborah number (De): net
motion towards the bead-end of the particle at low De, net motion towards the
rod-end of the particle at intermediate De, and no appreciable propulsion at
high De. At low De, where the particle time-scale is longer then the fluid
relaxation time, we believe that propulsion is caused by an imbalance in the
fluid first normal stress differences between the two ends of the particle
(bead and rod). At De~1, however, we observe the emergence of a region of
network anisotropy near the rod using birefringence imaging. This anisotropy
suggests alignment of the micellar network, which is "locked in" due to the
shorter time-scale of the particle relative to the fluid
Double-beta decay of Te to the first 0 excited state of Xe with CUORICINO
The CUORICINO experiment was an array of 62 TeO single-crystal
bolometers with a total Te mass of kg. The experiment finished
in 2008 after more than 3 years of active operating time. Searches for both
and double-beta decay to the first excited state in
Xe were performed by studying different coincidence scenarios. The
analysis was based on data representing a total exposure of
N(Te)t=y. No evidence for a signal was
found. The resulting lower limits on the half lives are y (90% C.L.), and
y (90%
C.L.).Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure
Evidence for Merger Remnants in Early-Type Host Galaxies of Low-Redshift QSOs
We present results from a pilot HST ACS deep imaging study in broad-band V of
five low-redshift QSO host galaxies classified in the literature as
ellipticals. The aim of our study is to determine whether these early-type
hosts formed at high redshift and have since evolved passively, or whether they
have undergone relatively recent mergers that may be related to the triggering
of the nuclear activity. We perform two-dimensional modeling of the light
distributions to analyze the host galaxies' morphology. We find that, while
each host galaxy is reasonably well fitted by a de Vaucouleurs profile, the
majority of them (4/5) reveal significant fine structure such as shells and
tidal tails. These structures contribute between ~5% and 10% to the total
V-band luminosity of each host galaxy within a region of r ~ 3 r_eff and are
indicative of merger events that occurred between a few hundred Myr and a Gyr
ago. These timescales are comparable to starburst ages in the QSO hosts
previously inferred from Keck spectroscopy. Our results thus support a
consistent scenario in which most of the QSO host galaxies suffered mergers
with accompanying starbursts that likely also triggered the QSO activity in
some way, but we are also left with considerable uncertainty on physical
mechanisms that might have delayed this triggering for several hundred Myr
after the merger.Comment: 22 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical
Journa
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