Brownian motors and stochastic resonance

We study the transport properties for a walker on a ratchet potential. The walker consists of two particles coupled by a bistable potential that allow the interchange of the order of the particles while moving through a one-dimensional asymmetric periodic ratchet potential. We consider the stochastic dynamics of the walker on a ratchet with an external periodic forcing, in the overdamped case. The coupling of the two particles corresponds to a single effective particle, describing the internal degree of freedom, in a bistable potential. This double-well potential is subjected to both a periodic forcing and noise and therefore is able to provide a realization of the phenomenon of stochastic resonance. The main result is that there is an optimal amount of noise where the amplitude of the periodic response of the system is maximum, a signal of stochastic resonance, and that precisely for this optimal noise, the average velocity of the walker is maximal, implying a strong link between stochastic resonance and the ratchet effect.     

Two-dimensional supersymmetry: From SUSY quantum mechanics to integrable classical models

Two known two-dimensional SUSY quantum mechanical constructions—the direct generalization of SUSY with first-order supercharges and higher-order SUSY with second-order supercharges—are combined for a class of 2-dim quantum models, which are not amenable to separation of variables. The appropriate classical limit of quantum systems allows us to construct SUSY-extensions of original classical scalar Hamiltonians. Special emphasis is placed on the symmetry properties of the models thus obtained—the explicit expressions of quantum symmetry operators and of classical integrals of motion are given for all (scalar and matrix) components of SUSY-extensions. Using Grassmanian variables, the symmetry operators and classical integrals of motion are written in a unique form for the whole Superhamiltonian. The links of the approach to the classical Hamilton-Jacobi method for related “flipped” potentials are established.     

Constructing networks of defects with scalar fields

We propose a new way to build networks of defects. The idea takes advantage of the deformation procedure recently employed to describe defect structures, which we use to construct networks, spread from small rudimentary networks that appear in simple models of scalar fields.     

Experimental calibration and field investigation of the oxygen isotopic fractionation between biogenic aragonite and water

Marine molluscs have long been recognised as potential records of palaeoclimate change using the patterns and differences in the stable isotopic composition of the carbonate shells. The aim of this study is to improve the robustness of this approach for aragonitic molluscs by completing the first experimental calibration of the fractionation between water and biogenic aragonite. Fractionation factors were calibrated by growing specimens of the freshwater mollusc Lymnaea peregra under controlled conditions of water temperature and isotopic composition. Fifteen populations of L. peregra were maintained at constant temperature and isotopic conditions for five months (at five different temperatures and using three different water compositions). Water samples and temperature measurements were taken regularly throughout the experiment. The temperature dependence of the fractionation factor, between 8 and 24 degrees C, is given by: 1000 ln alpha=16.74x(1000T(-1))-26.39 (T in Kelvin) and the relationship between temperature (T), delta(18)O(carb) and delta(18)O(wat) is given by: T=21.36-4.83xdelta(+ degrees )O(carb)-delta(+ degrees )O(wat) (T is in degrees C, delta(18)O(carb) is with respect to Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite (PDB), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) replacement standard for PDB, and delta(18)O(wat) is with respect to Vienna standard mean ocean water (VSMOW)) The outcome of the controlled experiment is compared with previous studies on synthetic, and biogenic, calcite and aragonite from field and laboratory investigations. These comparisons suggest that although a vital offset exists between the fractionation of isotopes in synthetic and biogenic aragonite for molluscs in general, there is no vital effect that is specific either to freshwater, or to individual, genera. Therefore, the calibrated relationship may be used for any freshwater or marine mollusc to derive palaeotemperatures providing the isotopic composition of the environmental water can be reliably constrained. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Utility efficiency and its approximation

Summary We assume a multi-attribute decision making problem under uncertainty with partial information on the decision maker's preferences, by a vector utility function with two components and imprecision over their scaling constants. We propose an approximation set whose determination may be easier than the one of the utility efficient set and we consider an interactive procedure which uses such approximation to decision aid. We study some nesting and convergence properties based on the interactive reduction of the approximation set. Finally, we illustrate the procedure with a numerical example.     

Implementation of a Sequential Injection Pre-Treatment Method for Simultaneous Radium and Strontium Determination

A semi-automatic procedure for the simultaneous determination of Ra and Sr in two steps has been developed. In the first step, separation and pre-concentration of both analytes is performed by using a sequential injection procedure. In the second step, the activities of ²²⁶Ra and ⁹⁰Sr, alpha and beta emitters, respectively, are determined using a low background proportional counter at the corresponding plateau potentials. ²²⁶Ra concentration is obtained by a single measurement of the precipitate. ⁹⁰Sr activity is determined by means of its daughter ⁹⁰Y carrying out two different measurements along the first day after the separation process; the solution of the Bateman radioactivity decay equations allows to obtain the initial ⁹⁰Sr-⁹⁰Y activities. The activities analysed in the present work have been ranged between 0-14 Bq/L for ²²⁶Ra and 0-175 Bq/L for ⁹⁰Sr.     

Kinks in a nonlinear massive sigma model

We describe the kink solitary waves of a massive nonlinear sigma model with an S2 sphere as the target manifold. Our solutions form a moduli space of nonrelativistic solitary waves in the long wavelength limit of ferromagnetic linear spin chains.     

Passive mode locking of Yb:KLuW using a single-walled carbon nanotube saturable absorber

Mode locking of an Yb-doped bulk laser in the 1 microm spectral range using a single-walled carbon nanotube saturable absorber (SWCNT-SA) is demonstrated for the first time, to our knowledge. Passive mode locking of an Yb:KLuW laser resulted in nearly transform-limited pulses as short as 115 fs at 1048 nm. In addition, the nonlinear response of the SWCNT-SA was measured, yielding a modulation depth of 0.25% and a relaxation time of 750 fs.