Magnetic structure of iron-doped UPd2Ge2

Neutron diffraction investigations have shown that a 2% substitution Fe atoms for Pd radically alters the magnetic structure of UPd²Ge². If the magnetic structure in the undoped compound at T>50 K consists of a longitudinal spin density wave (LSDW) with “square” modulation, then in polycrystalline U(Pd^0.98Fe^0.02)²Ge² a “simple” antiferromagnetic (AF) phase is observed below 65 K and a sinusoidally modulated LSDW-AF phase is observed between 65 K and the Neel temperature T ^N =135 K. In the interval 65> T>135 K the magnetic cell is incommensurate with the crystal cell, with the exception of the point T=93 K, where the wave vector of the magnetic structure passes through a “commensurate” value equal to 0.75. Below T ^N the magnetic moments of the uranium atoms are always parallel to the tetragonal axis c of the unit cell. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 66, No. 9, 615–619 (10 November 1997)     

Super Universality of the Quantum Hall Effect and the?“Large N Picture” of the ? Angle

It is shown that the “massless chiral edge excitations” are an integral and universal aspect of the low energy dynamics of the ϑ vacuum that has historically gone unnoticed. Within the SU(M+N)/S(U(M)×U(N)) non-linear sigma model we introduce an effective theory of “edge excitations” that fundamentally explains the quantum Hall effect. In sharp contrast to the common beliefs in the field our results indicate that this macroscopic quantization phenomenon is, in fact, a super universal strong coupling feature of the ϑ angle with the replica limit M=N=0 only playing a role of secondary importance. To demonstrate super universality we revisit the large N expansion of the CP ^N−1 model. We obtain, for the first time, explicit scaling results for the quantum Hall effect including quantum criticality of the quantum Hall plateau transition. Consequently a scaling diagram is obtained describing the cross-over between the weak coupling “instanton phase” and the strong coupling “quantum Hall phase” of the large N theory. Our results are in accordance with the “instanton picture” of the ϑ angle but fundamentally invalidate all the ideas, expectations and conjectures that are based on the historical “large N picture.”     

Quantum information entropies of ultracold atomic gases in a harmonic trap

The position and momentum space information entropies of weakly interacting trapped atomic Bose–Einstein condensates and spin-polarized trapped atomic Fermi gases at absolute zero temperature are evaluated. We find that sum of the position and momentum space information entropies of these quantum systems containing N atoms confined in a D( ≤ 3)-dimensional harmonic trap has a universal form as S_t^(D) = N(a D - b lnN) S_\mathrm{t}^{(D)} = N(a D - b \ln N) , where a ≃ 2.332 and b = 2 for interacting bosonic systems and a ≃ 1.982 and b = 1 for ideal fermionic systems. These results obey the entropic uncertainty relation given by Beckner, Bialynicki-Birula and Myceilski.     

On Ruelle’s Construction of the Thermodynamic Limit for the Classical Microcanonical Entropy

In 1969 Ruelle published his construction of the thermodynamic limit, in the sense of Fisher, for the quasi-microcanonical entropy density of classical Hamiltonian N-body systems with stable and tempered pair interactions. Here, “quasi-microcanonical” refers to the fact that he discussed the entropy defined with a regularized microcanonical measure as ln (N!⁻¹ ∫ χ _{{ℰ−▵ℰ<H<ℰ}}d^6N X) rather than defined with the proper microcanonical measure as ln (N!⁻¹ ∫ δ(ℰ−H) d^6N X). Replacing δ(ℰ−H) by χ _{{ℰ−▵ℰ<H<ℰ}} seems to have become the standard procedure for rigorous treatments of the microcanonical ensemble hence. In this note we make a very elementary technical observation to the effect that Ruelle’s proof (still based on regularization) does establish the thermodynamic limit also for the entropy density defined with the proper microcanonical measure. We also show that with only minor changes in the proof the regularization of δ(ℰ−H) is actually not needed at all.     

Color Grosse–Wulkenhaar models: one-loop <Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis>-functions

The β-functions of O(N) and U(N) invariant Grosse–Wulkenhaar models are computed at one loop using the matrix basis. In particular, for “parallel interactions”, the model is proved to be asymptotically free in the UV limit for N>1, and it has a triviality problem or Landau ghost for N<1. The vanishing β-function is recovered solely at N=1. We discuss various possible consequences of these results. Work supported by the ANR Program “GENOPHY” and by the Daniel Iagolnitzer Foundation, France.     

Mott-insulator-superfluid-liquid transition in a one-dimensional bosonic Hubbard model: Quantum Monte Carlo method

The values of the insulator gap Δ in one-dimensional systems of interacting bosons described by the Hubbard Hamiltonian are calculated at low temperatures by the quantum world-line Monte Carlo algorithm. The dependence of Δ on the size of the system, the temperature, and the parameters of the model is investigated. It is shown that a chain with N _a=50 sites is already sufficient to estimate the thermodynamic value of the critical quantity (t/U)_c for which a transition from the insulator into the superfluid state occurs in a commensurate system. To within the computational error, this value, (t/U)_c=0.300±0.005, agrees with the value (t/U)_c=0.304±0.002 obtained previously by the combined “exact diagonalization + renormalization-group analysis” method. The characteristic Kosterlitz-Thouless behavior of the insulator gap is demonstrated near the critical region: Δ∼exp[−b(1−t/t _c)^−1/2]. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 64, No. 2, 92–96 (25 July 1996)     

Superrelativity as an element of a final theory

The ordinary quantum theory points out that general relativity (GR) is negligible for spatial distances up to the Planck scale l_P=(hG/c³)^1/2∼10⁻³³cm. Consistency in the foundations of the quantum theory requires a “soft” spacetime structure of the GR at essentially longer length. However, for some reasons this appears to be not enough. A new framework (“superrelativity”) for the desirable generalization of the foundation of quantum theory is proposed. A generalized nonlinear Klein-Gordon equation has been derived in order to shape a stable wave packet.     

Nonlinear transformation of a spectrum of femtosecond laser pulses in a gas-filled microcapillary

Features of light pulse propagation and nonlinear optical transformation of the spectrum generated by titanium-sapphire laser pulses (τ_0.5 = 27 fs, λ₀ = 790 nm) have been studied experimentally in a 50-cm cylindrical hollow waveguide (microcapillary with 280-μm diameter core) filled with gaseous molecular nitrogen and helium. Stable guided propagation of light pulses with an intensity of ~1.5⋅10¹⁴ W/cm² in the fundamental EH₁₁ mode of the gas-filled capillary has been demonstrated. Exact focusing of the laser light made it possible to obtain rather high relative (≥95%) and absolute (~60%) energy transmission efficiencies for the pulses at gas pressures equal to or lower than 760 Torr. A method to determine the nonlinear phase shift of the pulses has been proposed. Values of the nonlinear refractive index n₂ ≈ 4.5⋅10^–23 cm²/(W⋅Torr) (N₂) and n₂ ≈ 2.8⋅10^–23 cm²/(W⋅Torr) (He) have been found. A short-wavelength shift in addition to the Kerr nonlinearity has been shown to be contributed by the generated electron plasma at high pulse intensities (≥10¹⁴ W/cm²).     

Effective Dynamics for Particles Coupled to a Quantized Scalar Field

We consider a system of N non-relativistic spinless quantum particles (“electrons”) interacting with a quantized scalar Bose field (whose excitations we call “photons”). We examine the case when the velocity v of the electrons is small with respect to the one of the photons, denoted by c (v/c = ε ≪ 1). We show that dressed particle states exist (particles surrounded by “virtual photons”), which, up to terms of order (v/c)³, follow Hamiltonian dynamics. The effective N-particle Hamiltonian contains the kinetic energies of the particles and Coulomb-like pair potentials at order (v/c)⁰ and the velocity dependent Darwin interaction and a mass renormalization at order (v/c)². Beyond that order the effective dynamics are expected to be dissipative. The main mathematical tool we use is adiabatic perturbation theory. However, in the present case there is no eigenvalue which is separated by a gap from the rest of the spectrum, but its role is taken by the bottom of the absolutely continuous spectrum, which is not an eigenvalue. Nevertheless we construct approximate dressed electron subspaces, which are adiabatically invariant for the dynamics up to order . We also give an explicit expression for the non-adiabatic transitions corresponding to emission of free photons. For the radiated energy we obtain the quantum analogue of the Larmor formula of classical electrodynamics.     

Tuning X/(TiO2)x–(SiO2)100 – x (0 < x < 40) xerogel photocatalysts

Microporous (TiO₂) _x –(SiO₂)_{100 − x} (0 < x < 40) xerogels have been produced by sol–gel methods either by partial pre-hydrolysis or reflux of tetraethoxysilane and titanium isopropoxide. These have been characterised by ²⁹Si nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray diffraction, EXAFS at the Ti–K edge, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, temperature-programmed reduction, FT infrared, N₂ adsorption at 78 K (BET), transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS). These were dip coated onto fused silica and characterised by atomic force microscopy and UV–visible absorption. Their photoactivity in removal of alkylphenol ethoxylate TX100 from water was less than for less porous titania. The advantages of including thermally removable PEG or PPG templates in terms of increasing surface, meso-porosity and photon absorbance at visible wavelengths to give nanoengineered photocatalytic films are described.     

A Colorimetric and Ratiometric Fluorescent Chemosensor for Fluoride Based on Proton Transfer

N-Phenyl-N’-(3-quinolinyl)urea (1) has been developed as a highly selective colorimetric and ratiometric fluorescent chemosensor for fluoride ion based on a proton transfer mechanism. Evidences for the mechanism were provided by UV-vis and fluorescence titration and especially ¹H and ¹⁹F NMR experiments. The sensor gave the largest ratiometric fluorescent response reported so far (R_max/R_min = 2620) to fluoride. Taking H⁺ as the “recovering reagent”, the sensor can be reversibly “used” and “recovered” for several cycles with only a slight decay of the response ability.     

Twist deformations for algebras of motion

We study the twist deformations of algebras of motiong ^H ⊂ sl(N) with the Cartan subalgebraH(g^H) equal toH(sl(N)). The proposed deformations are maximal in the sense that their carrier algebrasg _c coincide withg ^H. The algebraic properties are demonstrated forg ^H ⊂ sl(5). Presented at the 11th Colloquium “Quantum Groups and Integrable Systems”, Prague, 20–22 June 2002. This work has been partially supported by the Russian Foundation for Fundamental Research under the grant N 00-01-00500.     

The volume inside a black hole

The horizon (the surface) of a black hole is a null surface, defined by those hypothetical “outgoing” light rays that just hover under the influence of the strong gravity at the surface. Because the light rays are orthogonal to the spatial two-dimensional surface at one instant of time, the surface area of the black hole is the same for all observers (i.e. the same for all coordinate definitions of “instant of time”). This value is 4π(2Gm/c ²)² for nonspinning black holes, with G = Newton’s constant, c = speed of light, and m = mass of the black hole. The three-dimensional spatial volume inside a black hole, in contrast, depends explicitly on the definition of time, and can even be time dependent, or zero. We give examples of the volume found inside a standard, nonspinning spherical black hole, for several different standard time-coordinate definitions. Elucidating these results for the volume provides a new pedagogical resource of facts already known in principle to the relativity community, but rarely worked out.     

Search for signatures of phase transition and critical point in heavy-ion collisions

The general concepts in the critical phenomena related with the notions of “scaling” and “universality” are considered. Behavior of various systems near a phase transition is displayed. Search for clear signatures of the phase transition of the nuclear matter and location of the critical point in heavy-ion collisions (HIC) is discussed. The experimental data on inclusive spectra measured in HIC at RHIC and SPS over a wide range of energies s _{N N} ^1/2 = 9–200 GeV are analyzed in the framework of z-scaling. A microscopic scenario of the constituent interactions is presented. Dependence of the energy loss on the momentum of the produced hadron, energy and centrality of the collision is studied. Self-similarity of the constituent interactions described in terms of momentum fractions is used to characterize the nuclear medium by “specific heat” and colliding nuclei by fractal dimensions. Preferable kinematical regions to search for signatures of the phase transition of the nuclear matter produced in HIC are discussed. Discontinuity of the “specific heat” is assumed to be a signature of the phase transition and the critical point.     

Baryon resonances in the mean field approach and a simple explanation of the Θ<Superscript>+</Superscript> pentaquark

We suggest to classify baryon resonances as single-quark states in a mean field, and/or as its collective excitations. Identifying the Roper resonance N(1440, 1/2⁺), the nucleon resonance N(1535, 1/2⁻), and the singlet hyperon Λ(1405, 1/2⁻) as single-quark excitations, we find that there must be an exotic S = +1 baryon resonance Θ⁺ (the “pentaquark”) with a mass about 1440 + 1535 − 1405 = 1570 MeV and spin-parity 1/2⁺. We argue that Θ⁺ is an analog of the Gamov-Teller excitation long known in nuclear physics.     

Steady State and Time-Resolved Fluorescence Studies of a Hemagglutinin from Moringa oleifera

The saccharide binding and conformational characterization of a hemagglutinin, a low molecular weight protein from the seeds of Moringa oleifera was studied using steady state and time resolved fluorescence. The lectin binds sugars LacNAc (K _a = 1380 M⁻¹) and fructose (K _a = 975 M⁻¹), as determined by the fluorescence spectroscopy. It has a single tryptophan per monomer which is exposed on the surface and is in a strong electropositive environment as revealed by quenching with iodide. Quenching of the fluorescence by acrylamide involved both static (K _s = 0.216 M⁻¹) and collisional (K _sv = 8.19 M⁻¹) components. The native protein showed two different lifetimes, τ ₁ (1.6 ns) and τ ₂ (4.36 ns) which decrease and get converted into a single one, (2.21 ns) after quenching with 0.15 M acrylamide. The bimolecular quenching constant, k _q was 7.55 × 10¹¹ M⁻¹ s⁻¹. ANS binding studies showed that the native protein has exposed hydrophobic patches which get further exposed at extreme acidic or alkaline pH. However, they get buried in the interior of the protein in presence of 1 M GdnHCl or urea.     

Wegner-type Bounds for a Two-particle Lattice Model with a Generic “Rough” Quasi-periodic Potential

In this paper, we consider a class of two-particle tight-binding Hamiltonians, describing pairs of interacting quantum particles on the lattice ℤ ^d , d ≥ 1, subject to a common external potential V(x) which we assume quasi-periodic and depending on auxiliary parameters. Such parametric families of ergodic deterministic potentials (“grands ensembles”) have been introduced earlier in Chulaevsky (2007), in the framework of single-particle lattice systems, where it was proved that a non-uniform analog of the Wegner bound holds true for a class of quasi-periodic grands ensembles. Using the approach proposed in Chulaevsky and Suhov (Commun Math Phys 283(2):479–489, 2008), we establish volume-dependent Wegner-type bounds for a class of quasi-periodic two-particle lattice systems with a non-random short-range interaction.     

Bragg reflection during the propagation of magnetoelastic microwave pulses in a structure consisting of a ferrite thin film on a dielectric substrate

The propagation of a microwave pulse in a ferrite thin film-substrate structure in a regime of rereflections (“ringing”) of the acoustic component of the substrate is studied theoretically. It is shown that as a result of the interaction of microwave pulses with the boundaries of the substrate, propagation of a microwave excitation in this system can be regarded as a propagation of a wave packet in a periodic nonuniform medium. The basic characteristics of a propagating wave packet are obtained. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 82–86 (December 1999)     

Studying the energy dependence of elliptic and directed flow within a relativistic transport approach

The energy excitation functions of directed flow (v₁) and elliptic flow (v₂) from E_beam=90 A MeV to E_cm=200 A GeV are explored within the UrQMD framework and discussed in the context of the available data. The radial and the elliptic flow of the particles produced in a relativistic heavy-ion collision are intimately connected to the pressure and its gradients in the early stage of the reaction. Therefore, these observables should also be sensitive to changes in the equation of state. To prove this connection, the temporal evolution of the pressure, pressure gradients and elliptic flow are shown. For the flow excitation functions it is found that, in the energy regime below E_beam≤10 A GeV, the inclusion of nuclear potentials is necessary to describe the data. Above 40 A GeV beam energy, the UrQMD model starts to underestimate the elliptic flow. Around the same energy the slope of the rapidity spectra of the proton directed flow develops negative values. This effect is known as the third flow component (“antiflow”) and cannot be reproduced by the transport model. The difference between the data and the UrQMD model can possibly be explained by assuming a phase transition from hadron gas to quark–gluon plasma around E_lab=40 A GeV. This would be consistent with the model calculations, indicating a transition from hadronic matter to “string matter” in this energy range. Thus, we speculate that the missing pressure might be generated by strong interactions in the early pre-hadronic/partonic phase of central Au + Au (Pb + Pb) collisions already at lower SPS energies. PACS 25.75.-q; 25.75.Ld; 25.75.Dw; 25.75.Gz; 24.10.Lx     

Biophysical Studies on the Interactions of a Classic Mitochondrial Uncoupler with Bovine Serum Albumin by Spectroscopic,Isothermal Titration Calorimetric and Molecular Modeling Methods

The interaction between a classic uncoupler (2,4-dinitrophenol, DNP) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy under the physiological conditions. The fluorescence quenching constants were calculated by the Stern-Volmer equation, and based upon the temperature dependence of quenching constants, it was proved that DNP caused a static quenching of the intrinsic fluorescence of BSA. Owing to the static quenching mechanism, different associative binding constants at various temperatures were determined and thus the thermodynamic parameters, namely enthalpy (ΔH = −21.12 kJ mol⁻¹) and entropy changes (ΔS = 23.51 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹) could be calculated based on the binding constants. Moreover, the enthalpy and entropy changes are consistent with the “Enthalpy-Entropy Compensation” equation obtained from our previous work. The negative enthalpy and positive entropy indicated that the electrostatic interactions played a major role in DNP-BSA binding process. Site marker competitive displacement experiments were carried out by using fluorescence and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) methods. These results showed that DNP bound with high affinity to Sudlow’s site I (subdomain IIA) of BSA. The distance (r = 3.78 nm) between donor (BSA) and acceptor (DNP) was obtained according to the mechanism of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Furthermore, the results of synchronous fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic studies indicated that the microenvironment and the secondary conformation of BSA were altered. The above results were supported by theoretical molecular modeling methods.