Miscibility in a degenerate fermionic mixture induced by linear coupling

We consider a one-dimensional mean-field-hydrodynamic model of a two-component degenerate Fermi gas in an external trap, each component representing a spin state of the same atom. We demonstrate that the interconversion between them (linear coupling), imposed by a resonant electromagnetic wave, transforms the immiscible binary gas into a miscible state, if the coupling constant, kappa, exceeds a critical value, kappa(cr). The effect is predicted in a variational approximation, and confirmed by numerical solutions. Unlike the recently studied model of a binary Bose-Einsten condensate with the linear coupling, the components in the immiscible phase of the binary fermion mixture never fill two separated domains with a wall between them, but rather form antilocked (pi-phase-shifted) density waves. Another difference from the bosonic mixture is spontaneous breaking of symmetry between the two components in terms of the numbers of atoms in them, N(1) and N(2). The latter effect is characterized by the parameter nu equivalent to(N(1)-N(2))/(N(1)+N(2)) (only N(1)+N(2) is a conserved quantity), the onset of miscibility at kappa >=kappa(cr) meaning a transition to nu equivalent to 0. At kappa

Using cubic splines to mitigate systematic errors in GPS relative positioning

Systematic errors can have a significant effect on GPS observable. In medium and long baselines the major systematic error source are the ionosphere and troposphere refraction and the GPS satellites orbit errors. But, in short baselines, the multipath is more relevant. These errors degrade the accuracy of the positioning accomplished by GPS. So, this is a critical problem for high precision GPS positioning applications. Recently, a method has been suggested to mitigate these errors: the semiparametric model and the penalised least squares technique. It uses a natural cubic spline to model the errors as a function which varies smoothly in time. The systematic errors functions, ambiguities and station coordinates, are estimated simultaneously. As a result, the ambiguities and the station coordinates are estimated with better reliability and accuracy than the conventional least square method.

Variable speed refrigeration system with HPF input rectifier stage

This paper is based on the analysis and implementation of a new drive system applied to refrigeration systems, complying with the restrictions imposed by the IEC standards (Harmonic/Flicker/EMI-Electromagnetic Interference restrictions), in order to obtain high efficiency, high power factor, reduced harmonic distortion in the input current and reduced electromagnetic interference, with excellent performance in temperature control of a refrigeration prototype system (automatic control, precision and high dynamic response). The proposal is replace the single-phase motor by a three-phase motor, in the conventional refrigeration system. In this way, a proper control technique can be applied, using a closed-loop (feedback control), that will allow an accurate adjustment of the desirable temperature. The proposed refrigeration prototype uses a 0.5Hp three-phase motor and an open (Belt-Drive) Bitzer IY type compressor. The input rectifier stage's features include the reduction in the input current ripple, the reduction in the output voltage ripple, the use of low stress devices, low volume for the EMI input filter, high input power factor (PF), and low total harmonic distortion (THD) in the input current, in compliance with the IEC61000-3-2 standards. The digital controller for the output three-phase inverter stage has been developed using a conventional voltage-frequency control (scalar V/f control), and a simplified stator oriented Vector control, in order to verify the feasibility and performance of the proposed digital controls for continuous temperature control applied at the refrigerator prototype. ©2008 IEEE.

Study of Er3+ fluorescence on tellurite glasses containing Ag nanoparticles

Optical characteristics of tellurite glasses containing silver nanoparticles (NPs) and the influence on the emission spectrum of Er 3+ ions were studied. The transitions 4f ↔ 4f from erbium ions, mainly the 4I13/2 → 4I15/2 transition that involve upconversion energy process, have a strongly dependence with the chemical structure of the rare earth ion. In the present work, silver nanparticles (NPs) embedded in the host vitreous material, show a significant enhance (or quenching) on the erbium fluorescence due the long-range electromagnetic interaction between the plasmon surface energy of the Ag NPs (Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance -LSPR) and the Er3+ ions.

Tolerância ao esforço físico e função cardíaca em diferentes períodos pós-indução de estenose aórtica em ratos

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Reparação tecidual pulpar sob ação bioestimuladora do laser de baixa intensidade (LILT), e do diodo emissor de luz (LED): estudo em macacos prego

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Modelamento da permissividade dielétrica de rochas saturadas de óleo e água e suas aplicações em perfilagem de poço

A ferramenta de propagação eletromagnética (EPT) fornece o tempo de propagação (T_pl) e a atenuação (A) de uma onda eletromagnética que se propaga num meio com perdas. Estas respostas da EPT são funções da permissividade dielétrica do meio. Existem vários modelos e fórmulas de misturas sobre a permissividade dielétrica de rochas reservatório que podem ser utilizados na interpretação da ferramenta de alta frequência. No entanto, as fórmulas de mistura não consideram a distribuição e a geometria do espaço poroso, e estes parâmetros são essenciais para que sejam obtidas respostas dielétricas mais próximas de uma rocha real. Foi selecionado um modelo baseado nos parâmetros descritos acima e este foi aplicado à dados dielétricos disponíveis na literatura. Foi obtida uma boa concordância entre as curvas teóricas e os dados experimentais, comprovando assim que a distribuição e a geometria dos poros têm que ser levadas em conta no desenvolvimento de um modelo realista. Foram conseguidas também funções de distribuição de razão de aspecto de poros, através das quais geramos várias curvas relacionando as respostas da EPT com diversas saturações de óleo/gás. Estas curvas foram aplicadas na análise de perfis. Como o modelo selecionado ajusta-se bem aos dados dielétricos disponíveis na literatura, torna-se atraente aplicá-lo à dados experimentais obtidos em rochas de campos brasileiros produtores de hidrocarbonetos para interpretação da EPT corrida em poços destes campos petrolíferos.

Search for Gravitational Waves Associated with gamma-ray Bursts Detected by the Interplanetary Network

We present the results of a search for gravitational waves associated with 223 gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) detected by the InterPlanetary Network (IPN) in 2005-2010 during LIGO's fifth and sixth science runs and Virgo's first, second, and third science runs. The IPN satellites provide accurate times of the bursts and sky localizations that vary significantly from degree scale to hundreds of square degrees. We search for both a well-modeled binary coalescence signal, the favored progenitor model for short GRBs, and for generic, unmodeled gravitational wave bursts. Both searches use the event time and sky localization to improve the gravitational wave search sensitivity as compared to corresponding all-time, all-sky searches. We find no evidence of a gravitational wave signal associated with any of the IPN GRBs in the sample, nor do we find evidence for a population of weak gravitational wave signals associated with the GRBs. For all IPN-detected GRBs, for which a sufficient duration of quality gravitational wave data are available, we place lower bounds on the distance to the source in accordance with an optimistic assumption of gravitational wave emission energy of 10(-2)M(circle dot)c(2) at 150 Hz, and find a median of 13 Mpc. For the 27 short-hard GRBs we place 90% confidence exclusion distances to two source models: a binary neutron star coalescence, with a median distance of 12 Mpc, or the coalescence of a neutron star and black hole, with a median distance of 22 Mpc. Finally, we combine this search with previously published results to provide a population statement for GRB searches in first-generation LIGO and Virgo gravitational wave detectors and a resulting examination of prospects for the advanced gravitational wave detectors.

Bulk plasmon polariton-gap soliton-induced transparency in one-dimensional Kerr-metamaterial superlattices

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

First all-sky search for continuous gravitational waves from unknown sources in binary systems

We present the first results of an all-sky search for continuous gravitational waves from unknown spinning neutron stars in binary systems using LIGO and Virgo data. Using a specially developed analysis program, the TwoSpect algorithm, the search was carried out on data from the sixth LIGO science run and the second and third Virgo science runs. The search covers a range of frequencies from 20 Hz to 520 Hz, a range of orbital periods from 2 to similar to 2,254 h and a frequency-and period-dependent range of frequency modulation depths from 0.277 to 100 mHz. This corresponds to a range of projected semimajor axes of the orbit from similar to 0.6 x 10(-3) ls to similar to 6,500 ls assuming the orbit of the binary is circular. While no plausible candidate gravitational wave events survive the pipeline, upper limits are set on the analyzed data. The most sensitive 95% confidence upper limit obtained on gravitational wave strain is 2.3 x 10(-24) at 217 Hz, assuming the source waves are circularly polarized. Although this search has been optimized for circular binary orbits, the upper limits obtained remain valid for orbital eccentricities as large as 0.9. In addition, upper limits are placed on continuous gravitational wave emission from the low-mass x-ray binary Scorpius X-1 between 20 Hz and 57.25 Hz.

Multimessenger search for sources of gravitational waves and high-energy neutrinos: Initial results for LIGO-Virgo and IceCube

We report the results of a multimessenger search for coincident signals from the LIGO and Virgo gravitational-wave observatories and the partially completed IceCube high-energy neutrino detector, including periods of joint operation between 2007-2010. These include parts of the 2005-2007 run and the 2009-2010 run for LIGO-Virgo, and IceCube's observation periods with 22, 59 and 79 strings. We find no significant coincident events, and use the search results to derive upper limits on the rate of joint sources for a range of source emission parameters. For the optimistic assumption of gravitational-wave emission energy of 10(-2) M(circle dot)c(2) at similar to 150 Hz with similar to 60 ms duration, and high-energy neutrino emission of 1051 erg comparable to the isotropic gamma-ray energy of gamma-ray bursts, we limit the source rate below 1.6 x 10(-2) Mpc(-3) yr(-1). We also examine how combining information from gravitational waves and neutrinos will aid discovery in the advanced gravitational-wave detector era.

Differential cross sections for elastic and inelastic positronium-hydrogen-atom scattering

A time reversal symmetric regularized electron exchange model was used to elastic scattering, target elastic Ps excitations and target inelastic excitation of hydrogen in a five state coupled model. A singlet Ps-H-S-wave resonance at 4.01 eV of width 0.15 eV and a P-wave resonance at 5.08 eV of width 0.004 eV were obtained using this model. The effect on the convergence of the coupled-channel scheme due to the inclusion of the excited Ps and H states was also analyzed.

Comparative study on the far-field spectra and near-field amplitudes for silver and gold nanocubes irradiated at 514, 633 and 785 nm as a function of the edge length

We describe a systematic investigation by the discrete dipole approximation on the optical properties of silver (Ag) and gold (Au) nanocubes as a function of the edge length in the 20-100 nm range. Our results showed that, as the nanocube size increased, the plasmon resonance modes shifted to higher wavelengths, the contribution from scattering to the extinction increased, and the quadrupole modes became more intense in the spectra. The electric field amplitudes at the surface of the nanocubes were calculated considering 514, 633 and 785 nm as the excitation wavelengths. While Ag nanocubes displayed the highest electric field amplitudes (vertical bar E vertical bar(max)) when excited at 514 nm, the Au nanocubes displayed higher vertical bar E vertical bar(max) values than Ag, for all sizes investigated, when the excitation wavelength was either 633 or 785 nm. The variations in vertical bar E vertical bar(max) as a function of size for both Ag and Au nanocubes could be explained based on the relative position of the surface plasmon resonance peak relative to the wavelength of the incoming electromagnetic wave. Our results show that not only size and composition, but also the excitation wavelength, can play an important role over the maximum near-field amplitudes values generated at the surface of the nanocubes.

Troposphere Calibration Techniques for Deep Space Probe Tracking

Ground-based Earth troposphere calibration systems play an important role in planetary exploration, especially to carry out radio science experiments aimed at the estimation of planetary gravity fields. In these experiments, the main observable is the spacecraft (S/C) range rate, measured from the Doppler shift of an electromagnetic wave transmitted from ground, received by the spacecraft and coherently retransmitted back to ground. If the solar corona and interplanetary plasma noise is already removed from Doppler data, the Earth troposphere remains one of the main error sources in tracking observables. Current Earth media calibration systems at NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) stations are based upon a combination of weather data and multidirectional, dual frequency GPS measurements acquired at each station complex. In order to support Cassini’s cruise radio science experiments, a new generation of media calibration systems were developed, driven by the need to achieve the goal of an end-to-end Allan deviation of the radio link in the order of 3×〖10〗^(-15) at 1000 s integration time. The future ESA’s Bepi Colombo mission to Mercury carries scientific instrumentation for radio science experiments (a Ka-band transponder and a three-axis accelerometer) which, in combination with the S/C telecommunication system (a X/X/Ka transponder) will provide the most advanced tracking system ever flown on an interplanetary probe. Current error budget for MORE (Mercury Orbiter Radioscience Experiment) allows the residual uncalibrated troposphere to contribute with a value of 8×〖10〗^(-15) to the two-way Allan deviation at 1000 s integration time. The current standard ESA/ESTRACK calibration system is based on a combination of surface meteorological measurements and mathematical algorithms, capable to reconstruct the Earth troposphere path delay, leaving an uncalibrated component of about 1-2% of the total delay. In order to satisfy the stringent MORE requirements, the short time-scale variations of the Earth troposphere water vapor content must be calibrated at ESA deep space antennas (DSA) with more precise and stable instruments (microwave radiometers). In parallel to this high performance instruments, ESA ground stations should be upgraded to media calibration systems at least capable to calibrate both troposphere path delay components (dry and wet) at sub-centimetre level, in order to reduce S/C navigation uncertainties. The natural choice is to provide a continuous troposphere calibration by processing GNSS data acquired at each complex by dual frequency receivers already installed for station location purposes. The work presented here outlines the troposphere calibration technique to support both Deep Space probe navigation and radio science experiments. After an introduction to deep space tracking techniques, observables and error sources, in Chapter 2 the troposphere path delay is widely investigated, reporting the estimation techniques and the state of the art of the ESA and NASA troposphere calibrations. Chapter 3 deals with an analysis of the status and the performances of the NASA Advanced Media Calibration (AMC) system referred to the Cassini data analysis. Chapter 4 describes the current release of a developed GNSS software (S/W) to estimate the troposphere calibration to be used for ESA S/C navigation purposes. During the development phase of the S/W a test campaign has been undertaken in order to evaluate the S/W performances. A description of the campaign and the main results are reported in Chapter 5. Chapter 6 presents a preliminary analysis of microwave radiometers to be used to support radio science experiments. The analysis has been carried out considering radiometric measurements of the ESA/ESTEC instruments installed in Cabauw (NL) and compared with the requirements of MORE. Finally, Chapter 7 summarizes the results obtained and defines some key technical aspects to be evaluated and taken into account for the development phase of future instrumentation.