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Full-Text Articles in Physics

Viscoelasticity From A Microscopic Model Of Dislocation Dynamics, M. Christina Marchetti, Karl Saunders Dec 2002

Viscoelasticity From A Microscopic Model Of Dislocation Dynamics, M. Christina Marchetti, Karl Saunders

Physics

It is shown that the dynamics of a viscoelastic medium can be modeled as that of a two-dimensional crystal with a finite concentration of dislocations, as well as vacancy and interstitial defects. At the longest length scales the viscoelasticity is described by the simplest Maxwell model, whose shear and compressional relaxation times are obtained in terms of microscopic quantities, including the density of free dislocations. At short length scales, t bond orientational order effects become important and lead to wave vector dependent corrections to the relaxation times.


Two-Dimensional Imaging Of Neutral Alkali Atom Samples Using Surface Ionization, Katharina Gillen-Christandl, Gregory P. Lafyatis, Andrei Modoran, Tung-Hsiu Shih Dec 2002

Two-Dimensional Imaging Of Neutral Alkali Atom Samples Using Surface Ionization, Katharina Gillen-Christandl, Gregory P. Lafyatis, Andrei Modoran, Tung-Hsiu Shih

Physics

We describe the design and characterization of a high resolution, high efficiency detector for two-dimensional imaging of neutral atoms. Incident atoms are surface-ionized by a tungsten-coated hot ribbon and the resulting ions are accelerated into a microchannel plate detector with a phosphor screen output. With this design we can detect individual alkali and other low ionization potential atoms and molecules with a spatial resolution of ∼ 20 μm. We find backgrounds on the order of 30 Hz over an active detection region of 20 mm2, a time response of ⩽ 1/30 s, and a detection efficiency of …


Discovery Of A Substellar Companion To The K2 Iii Giant Ɩ Draconis, Sabine Frink, David Mitchell, Andreas Quirrenbach, Debra A. Fischer, Geoffrey W. Marcy, R. Paul Butler Sep 2002

Discovery Of A Substellar Companion To The K2 Iii Giant Ɩ Draconis, Sabine Frink, David Mitchell, Andreas Quirrenbach, Debra A. Fischer, Geoffrey W. Marcy, R. Paul Butler

Physics

We report precise radial velocity measurements of the K giant ɩ Dra (HD 137759, HR 5744, HIP 75458), carried out at Lick Observatory, which reveal the presence of a substellar companion orbiting the primary star. A Keplerian fit to the data yields an orbital period of about 536 days and an eccentricity of 0.70. Assuming a mass of 1.05 M8 for ɩ Dra, the mass function implies a minimum companion mass m2 sin i of 8.9 MJ, making it a planet candidate. The corresponding semimajor axis is 1.3 AU. The nondetection of the orbital motion by Hipparcos …


Size And Structure Of The Narrow-Line Region Of Quasars, Nicola Bennert, Heino Falcke, Hartmut Schulz, Andrew S. Wilson, Beverley J. Wills Aug 2002

Size And Structure Of The Narrow-Line Region Of Quasars, Nicola Bennert, Heino Falcke, Hartmut Schulz, Andrew S. Wilson, Beverley J. Wills

Physics

We have observed the narrow-line regions (NLRs) of the seven brightest radio-quiet Palomar-Green (or Bright Quasar Survey) quasars (z < 0.5) with the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 on board the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Linear-ramp filters were used to image the [O III] λ5007 line emission with 00455-01 pixel resolution. We find that the NLRs are very compact with typical extents of 2''-4''. Two quasars show compact filamentary structures similar to Seyfert NLRs. They may be related to radio outflows. Most interestingly, when including a sample of Seyfert galaxies observed with HST, we tentatively find that the size of the NLR is proportional to the square root …


Asymmetries Between Strange And Antistrange Particle Production In Pion–Proton Interactions, Thomas D. Gutierrez, R. Vogt Jul 2002

Asymmetries Between Strange And Antistrange Particle Production In Pion–Proton Interactions, Thomas D. Gutierrez, R. Vogt

Physics

Recent measurements of the asymmetries between Feynman x distributions of strange and antistrange hadrons in ∏−A interactions show a strong effect as a function of xnF. We calculate strange hadron production in the context of the intrinsic model and make predictions for particle/antiparticle asymmetries in these interactions.


Visualizing The Phonon Wave Function, Scott C. Johnson, Thomas D. Gutierrez Mar 2002

Visualizing The Phonon Wave Function, Scott C. Johnson, Thomas D. Gutierrez

Physics

A phonon often is described as ‘‘a quantum of lattice vibration,’’ but this description can be difficult to reconcile with the wave functions explored in a typical undergraduate quantum mechanics class. A phonon wave function is similar to the harmonic oscillator wave functions studied in introductory quantum mechanics, except that it is many-dimensional. We suggest a way to visualize the probability density for this very high-dimensional wave function. The resulting pictures are especially clear and intuitive for a coherent state, which is both a good approximation to a sound wave and a discrete analog to laser light. These pictures can …


Variable Stars In The Field Of Open Cluster Ngc 6819, R. A. Street, Keith Horne, T. A. Lister, A. Penny, Y. Tsapras, A. Quirrenbach, N. Safizadeh, J. Cooke, David Mitchell, A. Collier Cameron Mar 2002

Variable Stars In The Field Of Open Cluster Ngc 6819, R. A. Street, Keith Horne, T. A. Lister, A. Penny, Y. Tsapras, A. Quirrenbach, N. Safizadeh, J. Cooke, David Mitchell, A. Collier Cameron

Physics

We report on the discovery of 25 variable stars plus 13 suspected variables found in the field of the open cluster NGC 6819. The stars were identified from time-series photometric data obtained on the Isaac Newton Telescope, La Palma, during two observing runs covering the 19 nights between 1999 June 22–30 and 1999 July 22–31. The variables found include 12 eclipsing binaries with an additional three suspected, nine BY Draconis systems, plus four variables of other types, including one star believed to be a Cepheid. Three of the 15 eclipsing binaries are believed to be cluster members. Details of a …