193,002 research outputs found
High-Field Superconductivity at an Electronic Topological Transition in URhGe
The emergence of superconductivity at high magnetic fields in URhGe is
regarded as a paradigm for new state formation approaching a quantum critical
point. Until now, a divergence of the quasiparticle mass at the metamagnetic
transition was considered essential for superconductivity to survive at
magnetic fields above 30 tesla. Here we report the observation of quantum
oscillations in URhGe revealing a tiny pocket of heavy quasiparticles that
shrinks continuously with increasing magnetic field, and finally disappears at
a topological Fermi surface transition close to or at the metamagnetic field.
The quasiparticle mass decreases and remains finite, implying that the Fermi
velocity vanishes due to the collapse of the Fermi wavevector. This offers a
novel explanation for the re-emergence of superconductivity at extreme magnetic
fields and makes URhGe the first proven example of a material where magnetic
field-tuning of the Fermi surface, rather than quantum criticality alone,
governs quantum phase formation.Comment: A revised version has been accepted for publication in Nature Physic
Slow light in moving media
We review the theory of light propagation in moving media with extremely low
group velocity. We intend to clarify the most elementary features of
monochromatic slow light in a moving medium and, whenever possible, to give an
instructive simplified picture
A Contemporary View of Coronal Heating
Determining the heating mechanism (or mechanisms) that causes the outer
atmosphere of the Sun, and many other stars, to reach temperatures orders of
magnitude higher than their surface temperatures has long been a key problem.
For decades the problem has been known as the coronal heating problem, but it
is now clear that `coronal heating' cannot be treated or explained in isolation
and that the heating of the whole solar atmosphere must be studied as a highly
coupled system. The magnetic field of the star is known to play a key role,
but, despite significant advancements in solar telescopes, computing power and
much greater understanding of theoretical mechanisms, the question of which
mechanism or mechanisms are the dominant supplier of energy to the chromosphere
and corona is still open. Following substantial recent progress, we consider
the most likely contenders and discuss the key factors that have made, and
still make, determining the actual (coronal) heating mechanism (or mechanisms)
so difficult
Conditional phase shift from a quantum dot in a pillar microcavity
Large conditional phase shifts from coupled atom-cavity systems are a key
requirement for building a spin photon interface. This in turn would allow the
realisation of hybrid quantum information schemes using spin and photonic
qubits. Here we perform high resolution reflection spectroscopy of a quantum
dot resonantly coupled to a pillar microcavity. We show both the change in
reflectivity as the quantum dot is tuned through the cavity resonance, and
measure the conditional phase shift induced by the quantum dot using an ultra
stable interferometer. These techniques could be extended to the study of
charged quantum dots, where it would be possible to realise a spin photon
interface
Sunspot rotation. I. A consequence of flux emergence
Context. Solar eruptions and high flare activity often accompany the rapid
rotation of sunspots. The study of sunspot rotation and the mechanisms driving
this motion are therefore key to our understanding of how the solar atmosphere
attains the conditions necessary for large energy release.
Aims. We aim to demonstrate and investigate the rotation of sunspots in a 3D
numerical experiment of the emergence of a magnetic flux tube as it rises
through the solar interior and emerges into the atmosphere. Furthermore, we
seek to show that the sub-photospheric twist stored in the interior is injected
into the solar atmosphere by means of a definitive rotation of the sunspots.
Methods. A numerical experiment is performed to solve the 3D resistive
magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations using a Lagrangian-Remap code. We track the
emergence of a toroidal flux tube as it rises through the solar interior and
emerges into the atmosphere investigating various quantities related to both
the magnetic field and plasma.
Results. Through detailed analysis of the numerical experiment, we find clear
evidence that the photospheric footprints or sunspots of the flux tube undergo
a rotation. Significant vertical vortical motions are found to develop within
the two polarity sources after the field emerges. These rotational motions are
found to leave the interior portion of the field untwisted and twist up the
atmospheric portion of the field. This is shown by our analysis of the relative
magnetic helicity as a significant portion of the interior helicity is
transported to the atmosphere. In addition, there is a substantial transport of
magnetic energy to the atmosphere. Rotation angles are also calculated by
tracing selected fieldlines; the fieldlines threading through the sunspot are
found to rotate through angles of up to 353 degrees over the course of the
experiment
Magnetic fields and accretion flows on the classical T Tauri star V2129 Oph
From observations collected with the ESPaDOnS spectropolarimeter, we report
the discovery of magnetic fields at the surface of the mildly accreting
classical T Tauri star V2129 Oph. Zeeman signatures are detected, both in
photospheric lines and in the emission lines formed at the base of the
accretion funnels linking the disc to the protostar, and monitored over the
whole rotation cycle of V2129 Oph. We observe that rotational modulation
dominates the temporal variations of both unpolarized and circularly polarized
line profiles. We reconstruct the large-scale magnetic topology at the surface
of V2129 Oph from both sets of Zeeman signatures simultaneously. We find it to
be rather complex, with a dominant octupolar component and a weak dipole of
strengths 1.2 and 0.35 kG, respectively, both slightly tilted with respect to
the rotation axis. The large-scale field is anchored in a pair of 2-kG unipolar
radial field spots located at high latitudes and coinciding with cool dark
polar spots at photospheric level. This large-scale field geometry is unusually
complex compared to those of non-accreting cool active subgiants with moderate
rotation rates. As an illustration, we provide a first attempt at modelling the
magnetospheric topology and accretion funnels of V2129 Oph using field
extrapolation. We find that the magnetosphere of V2129 Oph must extend to about
7R* to ensure that the footpoints of accretion funnels coincide with the
high-latitude accretion spots on the stellar surface. It suggests that the
stellar magnetic field succeeds in coupling to the accretion disc as far out as
the corotation radius, and could possibly explain the slow rotation of V2129
Oph. The magnetospheric geometry we derive produces X-ray coronal fluxes
typical of those observed in cTTSs.Comment: MNRAS, in press (18 pages, 17 figures
A comparison of chemistry and dust cloud formation in ultracool dwarf model atmospheres
The atmospheres of substellar objects contain clouds of oxides, iron,
silicates, and other refractory condensates. Water clouds are expected in the
coolest objects. The opacity of these `dust' clouds strongly affects both the
atmospheric temperature-pressure profile and the emergent flux. Thus any
attempt to model the spectra of these atmospheres must incorporate a cloud
model. However the diversity of cloud models in atmospheric simulations is
large and it is not always clear how the underlying physics of the various
models compare. Likewise the observational consequences of different modeling
approaches can be masked by other model differences, making objective
comparisons challenging. In order to clarify the current state of the modeling
approaches, this paper compares five different cloud models in two sets of
tests. Test case 1 tests the dust cloud models for a prescribed L, L--T, and
T-dwarf atmospheric (temperature T, pressure p, convective velocity
vconv)-structures. Test case 2 compares complete model atmosphere results for
given (effective temperature Teff, surface gravity log g). All models agree on
the global cloud structure but differ in opacity-relevant details like grain
size, amount of dust, dust and gas-phase composition. Comparisons of synthetic
photometric fluxes translate into an modelling uncertainty in apparent
magnitudes for our L-dwarf (T-dwarf) test case of 0.25 < \Delta m < 0.875 (0.1
< \Delta m M 1.375) taking into account the 2MASS, the UKIRT WFCAM, the Spitzer
IRAC, and VLT VISIR filters with UKIRT WFCAM being the most challenging for the
models. (abr.)Comment: 22 pages, 17 figures, MNRAS 2008, accepted, (minor grammar/typo
corrections
The unusual protoplanetary disk around the T Tauri star ET Cha
We present new continuum and line observations, along with modelling, of the
faint (6-8) Myr old T Tauri star ET Cha belonging to the eta Chamaeleontis
cluster. We have acquired HERSCHEL/PACS photometric fluxes at 70 mic and 160
mic, as well as a detection of the [OI] 63 mic fine-structure line in emission,
and derived upper limits for some other far-IR OI, CII, CO and o-H2O lines. The
HERSCHEL data is complemented by new ANDICAM B-K photometry, new HST/COS and
HST/STIS UV-observations, a non-detection of CO J=3-2 with APEX, re-analysis of
a UCLES high-resolution optical spectrum showing forbidden emission lines like
[OI] 6300A, [SII] 6731A and 6716A, and [NII] 6583A, and a compilation of
existing broad-band photometric data. We used the thermo-chemical disk code
ProDiMo and the Monte-Carlo radiative transfer code MCFOST to model the
protoplanetary disk around ET Cha. Based on these models we can determine the
disk dust mass Mdust = (2.E-8 - 5.E-8) Msun, whereas the total disk gas mass is
found to be only little constrained, Mgas = (5.E-5 - 3.E-3) Msun. In the
models, the disk extends from 0.022 AU (just outside of the co-rotation radius)
to only about 10 AU. Larger disks are found to be inconsistent with the CO
J=3-2 non-detection. The low velocity component of the [OI] 6300A emission line
is consistent with being emitted from the inner disk. The model can also
reproduce the line flux of H2 v=1-0 S(1) at 2.122 mic. An additional
high-velocity component of the [OI] 6300A emission line, however, points to the
existence of an additional jet/outflow of low velocity (40 - 65) km/s with mass
loss rate ~1.E-9 Msun/yr. In relation to our low estimations of the disk mass,
such a mass loss rate suggests a disk lifetime of only ~(0.05 - 3) Myr,
substantially shorter than the cluster age. The evolutionary state of this
unusual protoplanetary disk is discussed.Comment: accepted by Astronomy & Astrophysics (18 pages, 11 figures and 7
tables). Additional 9-page appendix with 6 figures, 3 tables and 37 equation
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