Anomalous intensity of pinned speckles at high adaptive correction

Ground-based optical searches for faint stellar or planetary companions about other stars may be limited by speckle noise, which is the rapid intensity fluctuations that are due to motions of remnant atmospheric speckles. Adaptive optics (AO) can reduce residual wave-front phase errors to low values, substantially reducing the unwanted power in the speckle halo. At high correction, however, the noise in the halo will be dominated by anomalously bright "pinned" speckles that have a number of unusual properties. They can have negative intensities and will appear in spatially antisymmetric patterns; they are spatially pinned to Airy rings and have zero mean in a sufficiently long integration. Some of these properties may be used to reduce the unanticipated effect of pinned speckles on companion searches, depending on details of the AO system. But, in short exposures, pinned speckles dominate speckle noise over much of the inner halo for Strehl ratios S as low as 0.6 and over much of the outer halo too as Strehl and deformable-mirror actuator densities increase. I show that these anomalously bright pinned speckles are not included in the traditional expression for speckle power in an image, (1 - S), on which sensitivity estimates of future high-performance AO systems have been based.     

Unexpected higher-order effects in charged particle impact ionization at high energies

Most of the experimental and theoretical studies of electron-impact ionization of atoms, referred to as (e, 2e), have concentrated on the scattering plane. The assumption has been that all the important physical effects will be observable in the scattering plane. However, very recently it has been shown that, for C6+-helium ionization, experiment and theory are in nice agreement in the scattering plane and in very bad agreement out of the scattering plane. This lack of agreement between experiment and theory has been explained in terms of higher-order scattering effects between the projectile and target ion. We have examined electron-impact ionization of magnesium and have observed similar higher-order effects. The results of the electron-impact ionization of magnesium indicate the possible deficiencies in the calculation of fully differential cross sections in previous heavy particle ionization work.     

Nonlinear correction to the longitudinal structure function at small x

We computed the longitudinal proton structure function F_L, using the nonlinear Dokshitzer-Gribov-Lipatov-Altarelli-Parisi (NLDGLAP) evolution equation approach at small x . For the gluon distribution, the nonlinear effects are related to the longitudinal structure function. As the very small-x behavior of the gluon distribution is obtained by solving the Gribov, Levin, Ryskin, Mueller and Qiu (GLR-MQ) evolution equation with the nonlinear shadowing term incorporated, we show that the strong rise that corresponds to the linear QCD evolution equations can be tamed by screening effects. Consequently, the obtained longitudinal structure function shows a tamed growth at small x . We computed the predictions for all details of the nonlinear longitudinal structure function in the kinematic range where it has been measured by the H1 Collaboration and made comparisons with the computation by Moch, Vermaseren and Vogt at the second order with input data from the MRST QCD fit.     

Static features in real-time recognition of isolated vowels at high pitch

This paper addresses the problem of automatic identification of vowels uttered in isolation by female and child speakers. In this case, the magnitude spectrum of voiced vowels is sparsely sampled since only frequencies at integer multiples of F0 are significant. This impacts negatively on the performance of vowel identification techniques that either ignore pitch or rely on global shape models. A new pitch-dependent approach to vowel identification is proposed that emerges from the concept of timbre and that defines perceptual spectral clusters (PSC) of harmonic partials. A representative set of static PSC-related features are estimated and their performance is evaluated in automatic classification tests using the Mahalanobis distance. Linear prediction features and Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC) coefficients are used as a reference and a database of five (Portuguese) natural vowel sounds uttered by 44 speakers (including 27 child speakers) is used for training and testing the Gaussian models. Results indicate that perceptual spectral cluster (PSC) features perform better than plain linear prediction features, but perform slightly worse than MFCC features. However, PSC features have the potential to take full advantage of the pitch structure of voiced vowels, namely in the analysis of concurrent voices, or by using pitch as a normalization parameter.     

The local field correction to the optical potential at high energy

A key assumption in the derivation of the optical potential for high energy hadron-nucleus scattering is that no target nucleon is struck more than once. The local field (rescattering) amplitude gives the probability for the projectile to strike a target nucleon twice with an intermediate interaction with another nucleon. This rescattering amplitude generates a correction to the basic high energy optical potential, and it must be small for the above assumption to be valid. We evaluate the local field correction to the optical potential using the formalism of Foldy and Walecka. The projectile-nucleon potential is assumed to have a finite range, and the target nucleons are kept sufficiently far apart by a hard core correlation function that there is no overlap between target particles, and all off-energy-shell effects vanish. With a specific form for the high energy behavior of the on-shell projectile-nucleon scattering amplitude, we find that the local field correction vanishes rapidly at high energy.     

Green's function estimation in speckle using the decomposition of the time reversal operator: application to aberration correction in medical imaging

The FDORT method (French acronym for decomposition of the time reversal operator using focused beams) is a time reversal based method that can detect point scatterers in a heterogeneous medium and extract their Green's function. It is particularly useful when focusing in a heterogeneous medium. This paper generalizes the theory of the FDORT method to random media (speckle), and shows that it is possible to extract Green's functions from the speckle signal using this method. Therefore it is possible to achieve a good focusing even if no point scatterers are present. Moreover, a link is made between FDORT and the Van Cittert-Zernike theorem. It is deduced from this interpretation that the normalized first eigenvalue of the focused time reversal operator is a well-known focusing criterion. The concept of an equivalent virtual object is introduced that allows the random problem to be replaced by an equivalent deterministic problem and leads to an intuitive understanding of FDORT in speckle. Applications to aberration correction are presented. The reduction of the variance of the Green's function estimate is discussed. Finally, it is shown that the method works well in the presence of strong interfering scatterers.     

Fcc-hcp phase coexistence in Al at high pressures: Explanation in terms of density of states

The density of states (DOS) of fcc and hcp structures of Al has been calculated for normal and high pressures. It has been found that the DOS of both structures, near the Fermi level, is similar over a range of compressed volumes close to the fcc-hcp transition volume (V/V₀∼0.53). This similarity is the reason for the reported coexistence of fcc-hcp phases over a wide range of pressures near the fcc-hcp phase transition. All calculations have been performed using the FP-LAPW method with GGA.     

Excitation function of (p, pn) reactions at high energy

A closed theoretical formula for the (p, pn) reaction cross section at high energies in light, medium and heavy nuclei has been derived, and a comparison of the calculated cross sections with the experimental datais made for ¹²C, ¹⁹F, ⁵⁴Fe, ⁵⁸Ni, ⁵⁹Co, ⁶⁴Zn, ⁶⁵Cu, ¹⁰⁰Mo, ¹²⁷I, ¹⁴²Ce, ¹⁸²Ta and ²³⁸U at incident energies above 50 MeV. Good agreement between experimental and calculated cross sections is obtained in the entire energy range considered. In deducing the formula a direct reaction with a pure knock-out mechanism has been assumed.     

Generation of high average power, 7.5-fs blue pulses at 5 kHz by adaptive phase control

The spectral width of a 5-kHz Ti:sapphire laser system was broadened by spectral control in a regenerative amplifier consisting of broadband chirped mirrors. The dispersion over the wide spectral range was compensated by a deformable mirror along with a genetic algorithm, resulting in a pulse width of 15 fs. The pulse width is the shortest, to our knowledge, in chirped pulse amplification systems with a regenerative amplifier. The phase distortion of broadband frequency doubling in addition to the Ti:sapphire laser was compensated by using the self-diffraction intensity in sapphire as the feedback signal into the genetic algorithm, resulting in a pulse width of 7.5 fs. The average power of the second harmonic was 1 W with a fundamental input of 7 W.     

x-distribution of non-singlet structure function at low and high x

In recent years, study of parton distribution function (PDF) has itself become a topic of significant interest. To overcome the shortcoming of the conventional PDF, several alternative methods have been proposed in recent years like neural network formalism. In the present work, x distribution of the non-singlet structure function is obtained using the recently reported complete solution of Taylor-approximated DGLAP equation. The results are compared with exact results as well as CCFR data.     

On the behavior of the nuclear spectral function at high momentum and removal energy

We propose a procedure to extrapolate the nuclear spectral function P(|k|E) obtained from nonrelativistic many-body theory to large values of three-momentum and removal energy. Our approach is based on phenomenological information extracted from both soft hadron-nucleus interactions, in the regime where the proton inclusive spectrum is dictated by Regge asymptotic, and deep-inelastic lepton-nucleus collisions. The extrapolated P(|k|E) is used to compute the semi-inclusive spectra of backward protons produced in electron-nucleus scattering. Received: 1 December 1998 / Revised version: 19 January 1999     

Baryon scattering at high energies: wave function,impact factor,and gluon radiation

The scattering of a baryon consisting of three massive quarks is investigated in the high energy limit of perturbative QCD. A model of a relativistic proton-like wave function, dependent on valence quark longitudinal and transverse momenta and on quark helicities, is proposed, and we derive the baryon impact factors for two, three and four t-channel gluons. We find that the baryonic impact factor can be written as a sum of three pieces: in the first one a subsystem consisting of two of the three quarks behaves very much like the quark–antiquark pair in γ^* scattering, whereas the third quark acts as a spectator. The second term belongs to the odderon, whereas in the third (C-even) piece all three quarks participate in the scattering. This term is new and has no analogue in γ^* scattering. We also study the small x evolution of gluon radiation for each of these three terms. The first term follows the same pattern of gluon radiation as the γ^*-initiated quark–antiquark dipole, and, in particular, it contains the BFKL evolution followed by the 2→4 transition vertex (triple pomeron vertex). The odderon term is described by the standard BKP evolution, and the baryon couples to both known odderon solutions, the Janik–Wosiek solution and the BLV solution. Finally, the t-channel evolution of the third term starts with a three-reggeized gluon state, which then, via a new 3→4 transition vertex, couples to the four-gluon (two-pomeron) state. We briefly discuss a few consequences of these findings, in particular the pattern of unitarization of high energy baryon scattering amplitudes.     

Non-uniformity correction of human brain imaging at high field by RF field mapping of B1+ and B1-

A new method of non-uniform image correction is proposed. Image non-uniformity is originated from the spatial distribution of RF transmission and reception fields, represented as B(1)(+) and B(1)(-), respectively. In our method, B(1)(+) mapping was performed invivo by a phase method. In B(1)(-) mapping, images with multiple TEs were acquired with a multi-echo adiabatic spin echo (MASE) sequence which enables homogeneous excitation. By T(2) fitting of these images an M(0) map (M(0)(MASE)) was obtained, in which signal intensity was expressed as the product of B(1)(-) and M?(1-e?(TR/T1)) . The ratio of this M(0)(MASE) map to the B(1)(+) map showed a similar spatial pattern in different human brains. These ratios of M(0)(MASE) to B(1)(+) in 24 subjects were averaged and then fitted with a spatially polynomial function to obtain a ratio map of B(1)(-)/B(1)(+)(α). Uniform image was achieved in spin echo (SE), MASE and inversion recovery turboFLASH (IRTF) images using measured B(1)(+) and calculated B(1)(-) by αB(1)(+). Water fractions in gray and white matters obtained from the M(0) images corrected by this method were in good agreement with previously reported values. From these experimental results, the proposed method of non-uniformity correction is validated at 4.7 T imaging.     

High-twist contribution to the longitudinal structure function F_\mathrm{L} at high x

We perform the NLO QCD fit to the combined deep inelastic scattering (DIS) data at high x from the SLAC, BCDMS, and NMC collaborations. The model-independent x shape of the high-twist contribution to structure function is extracted. The twist-4 contribution to is found to be in a qualitative agreement with the predictions of the infrared renormalon model. The twist-6 contribution exhibits a weak trend to negative values, although on the whole, it is compatible with zero within the errors. Received: 21 April 1999 / Revised version: 17 June 1999 / Published online: 27 January 2000     

Spectral function at high E<Subscript>m</Subscript> and P<Subscript>m</Subscript>

Experiment E97-006 was performed at JLab in Hall C to measure the spectral function S(E_m, P_m) via (e,e'p) for the nuclei C, Al, Fe, Au in the region of high missing energy E_m and missing momentum P_m. To study short-range correlations as well as the reaction mechanism beyond PWIA data were taken in parallel and perpendicular kinematics covering a P_m range of up to 800 MeV/c. Assuming PWIA the spectral function can be extracted from the data. Preliminary results of the spectral function are compared to the Correlated Basis Function theory of Benhar and the Green's function approach of Müther et al.. The spectral functions obtained for different targets are compared as well.Received: 1 November 2002, Published online: 15 July 2003PACS: 21.10.-k Properties of nuclei; nuclear energy levels - 25.30.-c Lepton-induced reactionsD. Rohe: For the E97-006 Collaboration     

Change in work function during phase transition of Sc-O/W(1 0 0) system at high temperatures

The change in work function during the phase transition of a Sc-O/W(1 0 0) system at high temperatures of 1500-1700 K was investigated in order to elucidate the mechanism of the decrease in the work function of a (1 × 1)-Sc-O/W(1 0 0) surface. For the measurement of the work function using a secondary electron method at high temperatures, a sample holder was uniquely designed in order to suppress contributions of a large number of thermionic electrons emitted from a low-work-function surface. The obtained work function revealed that the change in work function strongly correlates with the coverage of Sc-O complexes, the stoichiometry of which is Sc₁O₁. The higher the coverage of ScO is, the lower the work function is, suggesting that the work function of the (1 × 1)-Sc-O/W(1 0 0) surface is reduced by the formation of ScO electric dipoles. Furthermore, the decrease in work function was modeled in combination with a previously reported kinetic model describing surface phenomena, i.e., the oxidation, oxygen desorption, diffusion and surface segregation of Sc-O complexes, during the phase transition of the Sc-O/W(1 0 0) surface at high temperatures. It was confirmed that the proposed model can explain the experimentally obtained change in work function very well. The value of the dipole moment of a ScO electric dipole was determined to be 2.7 × 10⁻³⁰ C m.     

Contribution of the hadronic component of a virtual photon to the structure function for charm leptoproduction at high <Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Q</Emphasis><Superscript>2</Superscript>

The contribution of the hadronic component of a virtual photon to the structure function for charm leptoproduction is calculated. This contribution comes from the scattering of c quarks of a virtual photon on proton quarks and gluons. A comparison of the results of our calculations for this structure function with relevant data obtained by the European Muon Collaboration (EMC) for μ⁺p scattering gives reasons to believe that the contribution of the resolved photon may be responsible for the excess in these EMC data over the predictions of the model of photon-gluon fusion at high momentum transfers. Therefore, it may become possible to describe the EMC data without resort to the hypothesis of a nonperturbative charmed-quark admixture in the proton wave function (intrinsic-charm hypothesis).