Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Fast Implementation Of Depth Contours Using Topological Sweep, Kim Miller, Suneeta Ramaswami, Peter Rousseeuw, Toni Sellarès, Diane Souvaine, Ileana Streinu, Anja Struyf

Computer Science: Faculty Publications

The concept of location depth was introduced in statistics as a way to extend the univariate notion of ranking to a bivariate configuration of data points. It has been used successfully for robust estimation, hypothesis testing, and graphical display. These reguire the computation of depth regions, which form a collection of nested polygons. The center of the deepest region is called the Tukey median. The only available implemented algorithms for the depth contours and the Tukey median are slow, which limits their usefulness. In this paper we describe an optimal algorithm which computes all depth contours in &Ogr;(n 2) time …

Influence Of Early Lithification On Late Diagenesis Of Microbialities: Insights From Δ 18O Composition Of Upper Cambrian Carbonate Deposits From The Southern Appalachians, B. Glumac

Geosciences: Faculty Publications

This paper documents a difference in isotopic compositions between Upper Cambrian microbial and non-microbial micritic deposits and proposes implications for diagenesis of calcimicrobial deposits. The δ 18O values (-10.98 to -8.71; average -9.88‰ VPDB) of calcimicrite comprising shallow subtidal microbialites from the southern Appalachians are more negative than: (1) the calcimicrite from associated subtidal non-microbial deposits (-8.98 to -7.16; average -7.82), suggesting a different diagenetic history; and (2) estimates of Late Cambrian marine calcite values (-5 to -3 ‰), indicating postdepositional modifications. Early diagenetic calcification of microbial deposits promoted the formation of growth cavities and borings rimmed with marine fibrous …

Tachyonic Instability And Dynamics Of Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking, Gary Felder, Lev Kofman, Andrei Linde

Physics: Faculty Publications

Spontaneous symmetry breaking usually occurs due to the tachyonic (spinodal) instability of a scalar field near the top of its effective potential at φ=0. Naively, one might expect the field φ to fall from the top of the effective potential and then experience a long stage of oscillations with amplitude O(v) near the minimum of the effective potential at φ=v until it gives its energy to particles produced during these oscillations. However, it was recently found that the tachyonic instability rapidly converts most of the potential energy V(0) into the energy of colliding classical waves of the scalar field. This …

Polygonal Chains Cannot Lock In 4d, Roxana Cocan, Joseph O'Rourke

Computer Science: Faculty Publications

We prove that, in all dimensions d ≥ 4, every simple open polygonal chain and every tree may be straightened, and every simple closed polygonal chain may be convexified. These reconfigurations can be achieved by algorithms that use polynomial time in the number of vertices, and result in a polynomial number of “moves.” These results contrast to those known for d = 2, where trees can “lock,” and for d = 3, where open and closed chains can lock.

Computational Geometry Column 42, Joseph S. B. Mitchell, Joseph O'Rourke

Computer Science: Faculty Publications

A compendium of thirty previously published open problems in computational geometry is presented.

Dynamics Of Symmetry Breaking And Tachyonic Preheating, Gary Felder, Juan García-Bellido, Patrick B. Greene, Lev Kofman, Andrei Linde, Igor Tkachev

Physics: Faculty Publications

We reconsider the old problem of the dynamics of spontaneous symmetry breaking (SSB) using 3D lattice simulations. We develop a theory of tachyonic preheating, which occurs due to the spinodal instability of the scalar field. Tachyonic preheating is so efficient that SSB typically completes within a single oscillation as the field rolls towards the minimum of its effective potential. We show that, contrary to previous expectations, preheating in hybrid inflation is typically tachyonic. Our results may also be relevant for the theory of the formation of topological defects and of disoriented chiral condensates in heavy ion collisions.

Simultaneous Measurement Of Changes In Thickness And Refractive Index Of Weakly Absorbing Self-Standing Solid Films Using Optical Interferometry, Nalini Easwar, R. Fantini, E. Willis

Physics: Faculty Publications

A nondestructive optical interferometric method, which enables a direct and simultaneous measurement of small changes in both thickness and refractive index of thin films, is described. Optical interferometric methods are sensitive to the changes in the optical path length (the product of the refractive index and the physical thickness) through the film. Thus, when the film is subjected to changing environmental conditions such as changing temperature or humidity, it is a challenge to determine the change in thickness and the change in refractive index separately, using interferometry. By simultaneously monitoring two different sets of interference fringes, i.e., transmission and reflection …

Helium Emission From Classical T Tauri Stars: Dual Origin In Magnetospheric Infall And Hot Wind, Georgina Beristain, Suzan Edwards, John Kwan

Astronomy: Faculty Publications

High-resolution emission-line profiles of He I and He II in 31 classical T Tauri stars are analyzed with the aim of probing the environs of the star-disk interface in accreting low-mass young stars. The diagnostic power of the helium lines lies in their high-excitation potentials, which restrict their formation to a region either of high temperature or close proximity to a source of ionizing radiation. The He I profiles are decomposed into kinematic components that support the paradigm of magnetically controlled accretion from the disk onto the stellar surface but also require a significant contribution from a hot wind. A …

Computational Geometry Column 41, Joseph O'Rourke

Computer Science: Faculty Publications

The recent result that n congruent balls in R^d have at most 4 distinct geometric permutations is described.

On The Folkman-Lawrence Topological Representation Theorem For Oriented Matroids Of Rank 3, Jürgen Bokowski, Susanne Mock, Ileana Streinu

Computer Science: Faculty Publications

We present a new direct proof of the Folkman-Lawrence topological representation theorem for oriented matroids of rank 3. © 2001 Academic Press.

Development Of Equilibrium After Preheating, Gary Felder, Lev Kofman

Physics: Faculty Publications

We present a fully nonlinear study of the development of equilibrium after preheating. Preheating is the exponentially rapid transfer of energy from the nearly homogeneous inflaton field to fluctuations of other fields and/or the inflaton itself. This rapid transfer leaves these fields in a highly nonthermal state with energy concentrated in infrared modes. We have performed lattice simulations of the evolution of interacting scalar fields during and after preheating for a variety of inflationary models. We have formulated a set of generic rules that govern the thermalization process in all of these models. Notably, we see that once one of …

Quantum Confinement Transition In A D-Wave Superconductor, Courtney Lannert, T. Senthil, Matthew P. Fisher

Physics: Faculty Publications

We study the nature of the zero-temperature phase transition between a d-wave superconductor and a Mott insulator in two dimensions. In this "quantum confinement transition", spin and charge are confined to form the electron in the Mott insulator. Within a dual formulation, direct transitions from d-wave superconductors at half-filling to insulators with spin-Peierls (as well as other) order emerge naturally. The possibility of striped superconductors is also discussed within the dual formulation. The transition is described by nodal fermions and bosonic vortices, interacting via a long-ranged statistical interaction modeled by two coupled Chern-Simons gauge fields, and the critical properties of …

Electron Spectral Function In Two-Dimensional Fractionalized Phases, Courtney Lannert, Matthew P.A. Fisher, T. Senthil

Physics: Faculty Publications

We study the electron spectral function of various zero-temperature spin-charge separated phases in two dimensions. In these phases, the electron is not a fundamental excitation of the system, but rather “decays” into a spin-1/2 chargeless fermion (the spinon) and a spinless charge e boson (the chargon). Using low-energy effective theories for the spinons (d-wave pairing plus possible Néel order) and the chargons (condensed or quantum-disordered bosons), we explore three phases of possible relevance to the cuprate superconductors: (1) (formula presented) a fractionalized antiferromagnet where the spinons are paired into a state with long-ranged Néel order and the chargons are 1/2-filled …

Hα Imaging With Hubble Space Telescope-Nicmos Of An Elusive Damped Lyα Cloud At Z = 0.61, Nicolas Bouché, James D. Lowenthal, Jane C. Charlton, Matthew A. Bershady, Christopher W. Churchill, Charles C. Steidel

Astronomy: Faculty Publications

Despite previous intensive ground-based imaging and spectroscopic campaigns and wideband Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging of the z = 0.927 QSO 3C 336 field, the galaxy that hosts the damped Lyα system along this line of sight has eluded detection. We present a deep narrowband Hα image of the field of this zabs = 0.656 damped Lyα absorber, obtained through the F108N filter of NICMOSI on board the HST. The goal of this project was to detect any Hα emission 10 times closer than previous studies to unveil the damped absorber. We do not detect Hα emission between 0".05 and …

A Sea-Level Lowstand (Devil's Point Event) Recorded In Bahamian Reefs: Comparison With Other Last Interglacial Climate Proxies, Brian White, H. Allen Curran, Mark A. Wilson

Geosciences: Faculty Publications

Reprinted from: Benjamin J. Greenstein and Cindy K. Carney (eds.) Proceedings of the 10th Symposium on the Geology of the Bahamas and Other Carbonate Regions: San Salvador, Gerace Research Center

Behavioral Plasticity Of Modern And Cenozoic Burrowing Thalassinidean Shrimp, M. F. Miller, H. Allen Curran

Geosciences: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Ichnology Of Holocene Carbonate Eolianites Of The Bahamas, H. Allen Curran, Brian White

Geosciences: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Resilience And Recovery Of Coral Reefs From Large-Scale Disturbances: Contrasting Patterns For San Salvador Island, Bahamas, And Belize, Paulette M. Peckol, H. Allen Curran, Martha Robbart, Benjamin J. Greenstein

Geosciences: Faculty Publications

Benjamin J. Greenstein and Cindy K. Carney (eds)

San Salvador, Gerace Research Center

Coastal Effects Of Hurricane Floyd On San Salvador Island, Bahamas, H. Allen Curran, Priscilla Delano, Brian White, Meredith Barrett

Geosciences: Faculty Publications

Hurricane Floyd, a Category 4 storm with winds up to I 55 mph, made a close encounter with San Salvador Island on September 13-14, 1999. In addition to inflicting severe damage to homes, tourist facilities, businesses, and infrastructure on the island, the storm also caused considerable beach erosion and coastal modification, mostly on the western and northern coasts. This paper reports and documents with photos the findings of a survey of coastal erosion effects on four areas of the San Salvador coastline: Coast Guard Beach, Rocky Point south to Cockburn Town and Fernandez Bay, South of Sugarloaf toward Grotto Bay, …