Signatures of the Unruh effect from electrons accelerated by ultrastrong laser fields

We calculate the radiation resulting from the Unruh effect for strongly accelerated electrons and show that the photons are created in pairs whose polarizations are perfectly correlated. Apart from the photon statistics, this quantum radiation can further be discriminated from the classical (Larmor) radiation via the different spectral and angular distributions. The signatures of the Unruh effect become significant if the external electromagnetic field accelerating the electrons is not too far below the Schwinger limit and might be observable with future facilities. Finally, the corrections due to the birefringent nature of the QED vacuum at such ultrahigh fields are discussed.     

Thermal emission properties of 2D and 3D silicon photonic crystals

We present measurements of the thermal emission properties of 2D and 3D silicon photonic crystals with and without substrate heated resistively as well as passively with an aluminium hotplate. The out-of-plane and in-plane emission properties were recorded and compared to numerical simulation. It turned out that for the in-plane 2D photonic crystal and out-of-plane 3D photonic crystal emission a photonic stop gap effect is visible. For the out-of-plane 2D photonic crystal emission, no photonic bandgap effect is observable but instead strong silicon oxide emission from native oxide inside the pores of silicon are observable. A model for the modified thermal emission is presented.     

Formation of Glyoxylic Acid in Interstellar Ices: A Key Entry Point for Prebiotic Chemistry

With nearly 200 molecules detected in interstellar and circumstellar environments, the identification of the biologically relevant α‐keto carboxylic acid, glyoxylic acid (HCOCOOH), is still elusive. Herein, the formation of glyoxylic acid via cosmic‐ray driven, non‐equilibrium chemistry in polar interstellar ices of carbon monoxide (CO) and water (H₂O) at 5 K via barrierless recombination of formyl (HCO) and hydroxycarbonyl radicals (HOCO) is reported. In temperature‐programmed desorption experiments, the subliming neutral molecules were selectively photoionized and identified based on the ionization energy and distinct mass‐to‐charge ratios in combination with isotopically labeled experiments exploiting reflectron time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry. These studies unravel a key reaction path to glyoxylic acid, an organic molecule formed in interstellar ices before subliming in star‐forming regions like SgrB2(N), thus providing a critical entry point to prebiotic organic synthesis.     

Local Multigrid in H（curl）

We consider H（curl, Ω）-elliptic variational problems on bounded Lipschitz polyhedra and their finite element Galerkin discretization by means of lowest order edge elements. We assume that the underlying tetrahedral mesh has been created by successive local mesh refinement, either by local uniform refinement with hanging nodes or bisection refinement. In this setting we develop a convergence theory for the the so-called local multigrid correction scheme with hybrid smoothing. We establish that its convergence rate is uniform with respect to the number of refinement steps. The proof relies on corresponding results for local multigrid in a H^1 （Ω）-context along with local discrete Helmholtz-type decompositions of the edge element space.     

A viscoelastic-diffusion model for cartilage replacement material

In order to predict deformations and internal stresses of articular cartilage replacement material, two viscoelastic diffusion models are proposed in the present study. Also, the remodeling effect of the material seeded with human cells is verified experimentally. (© 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Modeling and mitigation of sample relief effects applied to chemistry measurements by the Mars Science Laboratory Alpha Particle X‐ray Spectrometer

The Alpha Particle X‐ray Spectrometer (APXS) onboard the Mars rover Curiosity conducts high‐precision in situ chemical measurements of rocks and regolith. Target surfaces are not always flat and thus can pose issues for interpretations that assume such. Here, we investigate when variable target relief is an important effect to consider for APXS targets. We provide operational recommendations on how to most efficiently study targets of significant changes in surface relief with the rover‐arm‐mounted APXS and Mars Hand Lens Imager camera. Additionally, we deconvolve the chemistry of heterogeneous targets of significant vertical relief encountered along Curiosity's traverse, providing the chemical composition of visible endmembers in the process. Specifically, presented here are the deconvolved endmember compositions of two recent targets. The first is a manganese‐rich, calcium‐rich, and zinc‐rich dark‐toned vein at Garden City that is chemically and visually unique compared with the intermixed light‐toned Ca‐sulfate‐dominated vein. The other target is a weathered Mg‐sulfate‐rich nodule that is unique compared with a previously encountered nodule that had significant nickel enrichment. The distinctly different chemistry both at Garden City and with the Mg‐sulfate‐rich nodules along the traverse provides further evidence for either multiple fluid events or an evolving fluid on the surface of ancient Mars. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

关于在HIAF-BRing上开展自旋物理研究的提议(英文)

国家重大科技基础设施"强流重离子加速器装置"（High Intensity heavy-ion Accelerator Facility,HIAF）已由国家发改委批准立项并开始建设。建成之后,HIAF将为微观物质结构和重离子应用等研究提供很好的实验平台。HIAF的加速储存环（Booster Ring,BRing）设计可以加速最高动量为11.9 GeV/c的高流强质子束流。因此,HIAF-BRing将为GeV能区的核物理和强子物理研究带来新的机遇。另一方面,极化实验是研究微观物质及其相互作用的有力工具。我们提议启动相关物理和极化技术的预研工作,为在HIAF-BRing上开展自旋物理研究打下基础。The construction of the future scientific facility High Intensity heavy-ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF) in China has started. Once established, HIAF will provide excellent conditions for fundamental investigations on both matter structure and heavy-ion applications. The booster ring (BRing) of HIAF is designed to accelerate high-intensity protons with the maximum momentum of 11.9 GeV/c. Therefore it will bring new opportunities for the nuclear and hadron physics in the GeV region. Polarized experiments have been proved as a powerful tool in the explorations of the building blocks of matter. We propose to initiate a pre-investigation for the related physics and polarization techniques, which will lay the foundation of the spin physics at the HIAF-BRing.     

A characteristic destabilization profile in parent-child interactions associated with treatment efficacy for aggressive children

This study examined profiles of change in repeated mother-child interactions over the course of a 12 week treatment period for childhood aggression. The aim of this study was to investigate whether it was possible to detect the characteristic profile of change, typical for phase transitions, over the course of treatment, and whether this profile was associated with positive treatment outcomes. Entropy values were computed for six repeated real-time observations of each mother-child dyad, using a novel application of recurrence quantification analysis for categorical time series. Subsequent latent class growth curve analysis on the sequences of entropy values revealed two distinct classes of dyads, with one class showing a clear peak in entropy over the six measurement points. The latent class membership variables showed a significant systematic relationship with observed dyad improvement (as rated by clinicians). The class with the peak in entropy over the sessions consisted largely of treatment improvers. Further analysis revealed that improvers and non-improvers could not be distinguished based on content-specific changes (e.g. more positivity or less negativity during the interaction). The present study revealed a treatment-related destabilization pattern in real-time behaviors that was related to better treatment outcomes, and underlines the value of dynamic nonlinear time-series analysis (especially RQA) in the study of dyadic interactions in clinical contexts.