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At least 487 records · Page 27

Enhancing Organic Semiconductor Molecular Packing Using Perovskite Interfaces to Improve Singlet Fission

Singlet fission, a process by which one singlet exciton is converted into two lower energy triplet excitons, is sensitive to the degree of electronic coupling within a molecular packing structure. Variations in molecular packing can be detrimental to triplet formation and triplet–triplet separation, ultimately affecting the harvesting of triplets for electricity in organic photovoltaic devices. Here, six phase-pure molecular packing structures of 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene (TIPS-pentacene) with varying optoelectronic properties are isolated using 2D lead halide perovskites as tunable, crystalline surfaces for crystallization. Transient absorption spectroscopy reveals that while triplet formation is fast (<100 fs) regardless of template structure, the increased ordering in perovskite-templated samples speeds up triplet–triplet separation and recombination, providing evidence that the benefits of phase-purity offset minor variations in molecular packing. Molecular dynamics modeling of the interface reveals that perovskite-templating allows for closer packing of TIPS-pentacene molecules for all perovskite templates. With an extensive number of organic molecule-perovskite pairings, this work provides a methodology to use ordered, periodic surfaces to elucidate structure–property relationships of small organic molecules in order to adjust structural or optoelectronic responses, such as molecular packing and singlet fission.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

High-dispersion spectroscopic observations of Venus during 1968 and 1969 II. The carbon-dioxide band at 8689A

Thirty well-exposed photographic plates showing the spectrum of the carbon dioxide band at 8689A in the atmosphere of Venus were obtained during 1968 and 1969. All spectra were obtained at a dispersion of 2 A/mm for Venus phase angles varying from 10 deg. to 126 deg. Rotational temperatures ranging from 236 K to 274 K were found. The average value of the rotational temperature is 246 + or - 1 K (one standard deviation); for 1967 observations, the rotational temperatures ranged from 222 to 248 K, with an average value of 238 + or - 4 K. The variation of the equivalent width of the 8689A band, with Venus phase angle, was very similar for the two sets of observations (53 plates). The temporal variations, of approximately 30 percent, were comparable with the phase variations over this limited range of phase angle.

Schorn, R. A. J.↗

Event Horizon Telescope imaging of the archetypal blazar 3C 279 at an extreme 20 microarcsecond resolution

3C 279 is an archetypal blazar with a prominent radio jet that show broadband flux density variability across the entire electromagnetic spectrum. We use an ultra-high angular resolution technique – global Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) at 1.3 mm (230 GHz) – to resolve the innermost jet of 3C 279 in order to study its fine-scale morphology close to the jet base where highly variable γ-ray emission is thought to originate, according to various models. The source was observed during four days in April 2017 with the Event Horizon Telescope at 230 GHz, including the phased Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), at an angular resolution of ∼20 μas (at a redshift of z = 0.536 this corresponds to ∼0.13 pc ∼ 1700 Schwarzschild radii with a black hole mass MBH = 8 × 108 M⊙). Imaging and model-fitting techniques were applied to the data to parameterize the fine-scale source structure and its variation. We find a multicomponent inner jet morphology with the northernmost component elongated perpendicular to the direction of the jet, as imaged at longer wavelengths. The elongated nuclear structure is consistent on all four observing days and across different imaging methods and model-fitting techniques, and therefore appears robust. Owing to its compactness and brightness, we associate the northern nuclear structure as the VLBI “core”. This morphology can be interpreted as either a broad resolved jet base or a spatially bent jet. We also find significant day-to-day variations in the closure phases, which appear most pronounced on the triangles with the longest baselines. Our analysis shows that this variation is related to a systematic change of the source structure. Two inner jet components move non-radially at apparent speeds of ∼15 c and ∼20 c (∼1.3 and ∼1.7 μas day−1, respectively), which more strongly supports the scenario of traveling shocks or instabilities in a bent, possibly rotating jet. The observed apparent speeds are also coincident with the 3C 279 large-scale jet kinematics observed at longer (cm) wavelengths, suggesting no significant jet acceleration between the 1.3 mm core and the outer jet. The intrinsic brightness temperature of the jet components are ≲1010 K, a magnitude or more lower than typical values seen at ≥7 mm wavelengths. The low brightness temperature and morphological complexity suggest that the core region of 3C 279 becomes optically thin at short (mm) wavelengths.Key words: galaxies: active / galaxies: jets / galaxies: individual: 3C 279 / techniques: interferometric⋆ The data are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/A+A/640/A69 and at https://eventhorizontelescope.org/for-astronomers/data⋆⋆ Deceased.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Whole Earth Telescope observations of V471 Tauri - The nature of the white dwarf variations

Time-series photometric observations of the binary star V471 Tauri were conducted using the Whole Earth Telescope observing network. The purpose was to determine the mechanism responsible for causing the 555 and 277 s periodic luminosity variations exhibited by the white dwarf in this binary. Previous observers have proposed that either g-mode pulsations or rotation of an accreting magnetic white dwarf could cause the variations, but were unable to decide which was the correct model. The present observations have answered this question. Learning the cause of the white dwarf variations has been possible because of the discovery of a periodic signal at 562 s in the Johnson U-band flux of the binary. By identifying this signal as reprocessed radiation and using its phase to infer the phase of the shorter wavelength radiation which produces it, made it possible to compare the phase of the 555 s U-band variations to the phase of the X-ray variations. It was found that U-band maximum coincides with X-ray minimum. From this result it was concluded that the magnetic rotator model accurately describes the variations observed, but that models involving g-mode pulsations do not.

Clemens, J. C.↗

Automatic oscillator frequency control system

A frequency control system makes an initial correction of the frequency of its own timing circuit after comparison against a frequency of known accuracy and then sequentially checks and corrects the frequencies of several voltage controlled local oscillator circuits. The timing circuit initiates the machine cycles of a central processing unit which applies a frequency index to an input register in a modulo-sum frequency divider stage and enables a multiplexer to clock an accumulator register in the divider stage with a cyclical signal derived from the oscillator circuit being checked. Upon expiration of the interval, the processing unit compares the remainder held as the contents of the accumulator against a stored zero error constant and applies an appropriate correction word to a correction stage to shift the frequency of the oscillator being checked. A signal from the accumulator register may be used to drive a phase plane ROM and, with periodic shifts in the applied frequency index, to provide frequency shift keying of the resultant output signal. Interposition of a phase adder between the accumulator register and phase plane ROM permits phase shift keying of the output signal by periodic variation in the value of a phase index applied to one input of the phase adder.

Smith, S. F.↗

The global response of stratospheric ozone to ultraviolet solar flux variations

The relation between rotational modulation of the ultraviolet solar irradiance and variations in atmospheric ozone has been investigated using Fourier transform harmonic analysis and cross-correlations. Ozone variations with the same period and phase as 13.5 day or 27-day solar flux variations occur at tropical and subtropical latitudes over a range of pressure levels centered about 3 mbar. The solar-forced oscillation is stronger in the summer hemisphere; as temperature-related variations would be stronger in winter. Changes in solar irradiance over the 11-year cycle can be estimated by scaling rotational modulation. Using this estimate and the ozone-sun relation obtained for rotational modulation yields solar cycle changes of 3.5 percent in 3 percent mixing ratio comparable to that predicted from halocarbons and 0.7 mbar in total ozone.

Heath, D. F.↗

Wind turbine power phase control with DC collection bus for onshore/offshore windfarms

A DC bus collection system for a wind farm reduces the overall required number of converters and minimizes the energy storage system requirements. The DC bus collection system implements a power phasing control method between wind turbines that filters the variations and improves power quality. The phasing control method takes advantage of a novel power packet network concept with nonlinear power flow control design techniques that guarantees both stable and enhanced dynamic performance.

Weaver, Wayne W.↗

Atmospheric variations - Vacillations and index cycles

Zonal indices, momentum flux, and mean and perturbation kinetic energies of the Southern Hemisphere upper troposphere, derived from the EOLE constant density balloon data set, are found to possess strong 18-23 day variations which are statistically significant to a posteriori levels. Cross-spectra and phase relationships suggest that the variation appears as a barotropic interaction between the middle latitude mean westerlies and ultra large-scale perturbations. Long-period and high-amplitude variations in energy conversion between eddy and mean kinetic energies are found which average out in the long term mean to be very small and positive, consistent with previously measured average hemispheric energetics. Furthermore, the variation is shown to possess an ultra-long wave preference. Examination of two independent data sources, time series of total ozone and stratospheric thickness data from the Selective Chopper Radiometer, suggests that the periodicity is a property of general hemispheric motion rather than just a property of the EOLE data set.

Webster, P. J.↗

Profiles of emission lines in Be stars. II - Interpretation of the long-period V/R variation.

Investigation of the long-period V/R variation in some Be stars studied by McLaughlin (1966) and others, based on the assumption that the variation is caused by the apsidal motion of an elliptical ring in which the emitting atoms revolve around the star according to Kepler's laws of motion. The results indicate that the behavior of the V/R variation depends upon both the eccentricity and the lateral extent of the gaseous ring. However, if the ring is narrower than a certain limit, the dependence on the width is negligible. In such a case, the eccentricity of the ring can be determined by the observed amplitude of the V/R variation. Based on this model, the radial-velocity curves of both emission edges and central absorption are derived. It is found that they all have the same amplitude, which also depends on the eccentricity, and that all are changing in phase with the V/R variation.

Huang, S.-S.↗

A solar wind turbulence event during the Voyager 1978 solar conjunction profiled via new DSN radio science

A radio science data capability within the DSN Tracking System is described. This capability consists of routine provision of phase fluctuation data concurrently computed over several different time scales. This capability was used to observe phase fluctuation spectral characteristics during a rapid increase in solar wind turbulence that occurred during a July 23, 1978 track of the Voyager 1 spacecraft by Deep Space Station 11. It is suggested that the capability will prove useful in studies of variations of solar wind phase fluctuation spectral characteristics with, for instance, parameters such as the solar cycle and radial distance.

Berman, A. L.↗

Minor planets and related objects. XIX - Shape and pole orientation of /39/ Laetitia

Results are reported for analyses of UBV photoelectric photometric data and light curves of the asteroid Laetitia. The pole orientation is determined using a technique for reducing the scatter in the magnitude-phase relation. No significant variations in color are found over the surface, and the light curves are found to indicate topographic elements (peaks, scarps, or depressions) approximately 10 km in radius. It is shown that the light-curve amplitudes as well as the wide scatter in observed magnitude and phase relation can be explained by a triaxial ellipsoidal figure with a dimensional ratio of about 15:9:5. It is concluded that the size, shape, and composition of this asteroid are highly suggestive of a major collisional fragment from a substantially more massive differentiated parent body.

Sather, R. E.↗

Study of Tropospheric Ozone and UV Reflectivity Using TOMS Data

Perhaps the single most important result from the study of Chuang and Yung is that the interannual variability of the Earth's albedo (especially in Spring) on land is dominated by snow/ice, and not by clouds. This interannual variability could be the major driver of changes in the atmosphere and the biosphere. It is plausible that the interannual variability of snow/ice, through interactions with the atmosphere and biosphere, is responsible for the interannual variability of atmospheric CO2. By carefully studying the albedo variations off the Peru coast, we found evidence for indirect aerosol effect on clouds. Based on a detailed analysis of the cloud data obtained by the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (SCCP) in the years 1983-1991, we show that besides the reported 3 % variation in global cloudiness, the global mean cloud optical thickness (MCOT) also has significant variation which is out of phase with that of the global cloudiness. The combined effect of the two opposing variations may be a null effect on the cloud reflectivity. These results are consistent with the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) reflectively measurements. The MCOT variation is further shown to be correlated with both the solar cycle and the ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation) cycle. Our present analysis cannot distinguish which of the above two provides better correlation, although independent data from the High resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS) from 1990 to 1996 favor the solar cycle. Future data are needed to identify the true cause of these changes.

Yung, Yuk L.↗

Quantum Davidson algorithm for excited states

Abstract Excited state properties play a pivotal role in various chemical and physical phenomena, such as charge separation and light emission. However, the primary focus of most existing quantum algorithms has been the ground state, as seen in quantum phase estimation and the variational quantum eigensolver (VQE). Although VQE-type methods have been extended to explore excited states, these methods grapple with optimization challenges. In contrast, the quantum Krylov subspace (QKS) method has been introduced to address both ground and excited states, positioning itself as a cost-effective alternative to quantum phase estimation. However, conventional QKS methodologies depend on a pre-generated subspace through real or imaginary-time evolutions. This subspace is inherently expansive and can be plagued with issues like slow convergence or numerical instabilities, often leading to relatively deep circuits. Our research presents an economic QKS algorithm, which we term the quantum Davidson (QDavidson) algorithm. This innovation hinges on the iterative expansion of the Krylov subspace and the incorporation of a pre-conditioner within the Davidson framework. By using the residues of eigenstates to expand the Krylov subspace, we manage to formulate a compact subspace that aligns closely with the exact solutions. This iterative subspace expansion paves the way for a more rapid convergence in comparison to other QKS techniques, such as the quantum Lanczos. Using quantum simulators, we employ the novel QDavidson algorithm to delve into the excited state properties of various systems, spanning from the Heisenberg spin model to real molecules. Compared to the existing QKS methods, the QDavidson algorithm not only converges swiftly but also demands a significantly shallower circuit. This efficiency establishes the QDavidson method as a pragmatic tool for elucidating both ground and excited state properties on quantum computing platforms.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Observed solar near UV variability: A contribution to variations of the solar constant

Continuous Measurements of the Solar UV have been made by an instrument on the Solar Mesosphere Explorer (SME) since October 1981. The results for the wavelength interval 200 to 300 nm show an irradiance decrease to a minimum in early 1987 and a subsequent increase to mid-April 1989. The observed UV changes during part of solar cycles 21 to 22 represent approx. 35 percent (during the decreasing phase) and 25 percent (during the increasing phase) of the observed variations of the solar constant for the same time period as the SME measurements.

London, Julius↗

A prion-like protein regulator of seed germination undergoes hydration-dependent phase separation

Many organisms evolved strategies to survive desiccation. Plant seeds protect dehydrated embryos from various stressors and can lay dormant for millennia. Hydration is the key trigger to initiate germination, but the mechanism by which seeds sense water remains unresolved. Here we identified an uncharacterized Arabidopsis thaliana prion-like protein we named FLOE1, which phase separates upon hydration and allows the embryo to sense water stress. We demonstrate that biophysical states of FLOE1 condensates modulate its biological function in vivo in suppressing seed germination under unfavorable environments. We find intragenic, intraspecific, and interspecific natural variation in FLOE1 expression and phase separation and show that intragenic variation is associated with adaptive germination strategies in natural populations. This combination of molecular, organismal, and ecological studies uncovers FLOE1 as a tunable environmental sensor with direct implications for the design of drought-resistant crops, in the face of climate change.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

A collective trigger for widespread planetesimal formation revealed by accretion ages

The formation of planetesimals was an integral part of the cascading series of processes that built the terrestrial planets. To illuminate planetesimal formation, here we develop a refined thermal evolution model to calculate the formation ages of meteorite parent planetesimals. This model includes chemical reactions and phase changes during heating, as well as natural variations in the proportions of the constituent phases of these planetesimals. We find that the parent bodies of non-carbonaceous (NC) and carbonaceous (CC) iron meteorites start forming at very similar times ( ∼ 0.95 Myr after calcium-aluminium-rich inclusion [CAI] formation) and occupy overlapping time windows. NC and CC chondrite parent bodies formed later during non-overlapping periods. We combine these ages with proportions of isotopic end-members we recover from mixing models to construct records of motion throughout the protoplanetary disk. These records argue that NC and CC material traversed the barrier in the disk after ∼ 0.95 Myr after CAI formation. The onset of this motion coincided with planetesimal formation, indicating that the phenomenon that drove motion also triggered planetesimal formation. We argue that this feature also served as the semi-permeable barrier in the disk. Although its identity is uncertain, the effects this phenomenon had on the timing of planetesimal formation and motion through the disk can now serve as constraints on models of disk evolution. Models that reproduce these effects would elucidate the nature and implications of this phenomenon, which is key to unlocking a holistic model of terrestrial planet building.

Astronomy and AstroPhysics↗

Integration of human sleep-wake regulation and circadian rhythmicity

The human sleep-wake cycle is generated by a circadian process, originating from the suprachiasmatic nuclei, in interaction with a separate oscillatory process: the sleep homeostat. The sleep-wake cycle is normally timed to occur at a specific phase relative to the external cycle of light-dark exposure. It is also timed at a specific phase relative to internal circadian rhythms, such as the pineal melatonin rhythm, the circadian sleep-wake propensity rhythm, and the rhythm of responsiveness of the circadian pacemaker to light. Variations in these internal and external phase relationships, such as those that occur in blindness, aging, morning and evening, and advanced and delayed sleep-phase syndrome, lead to sleep disruptions and complaints. Changes in ocular circadian photoreception, interindividual variation in the near-24-h intrinsic period of the circadian pacemaker, and sleep homeostasis can contribute to variations in external and internal phase. Recent findings on the physiological and molecular-genetic correlates of circadian sleep disorders suggest that the timing of the sleep-wake cycle and circadian rhythms is closely integrated but is, in part, regulated differentially.

Review↗

Flaring and Spot Activities on the Semi-detached Binary System KIC 06852488

The continuous and unbroken time-series photometry data of Kepler and the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) provide a good opportunity to study the continuous variations in the light curve of binary stars. This paper reports the discoveries of the correlation between the two maxima on the light curve of KIC 06852488 and the correlation between the O’Connell effect and the O – C curve. The Max I and Max II vary with a same cycle length of ~2000 days and a 180° phase difference, and the variation of the Max II coincides with the O – C curve of the primary light minima. After analyzing the Kepler and TESS light curves, it is detected that this binary is a semi-detached system with a mass ratio of 0.4622(±0.0036). The secondary component is filling its critical Roche lobe, while the primary component is only filling 12.25(±0.10)% of the lobe volume that contributes more than 85% luminosity of the total system. The variation of the O’Connell effect could be explained by an evolving hot spot on the primary component and an evolving cool spot on the secondary component. It is found that their positions are symmetrical with the inner Lagrange L1 point. After subtracting the binary brightness changes, six optical flares are detected that come from the cool secondary. We calculated the energy of flares and found that all of the flares are superflares. Both the flares and an evolving dark spot on the lobe-filling secondary component make the system a very interesting source to investigate the effects of binary interaction on the magnetic activities.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗