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At least 1,495 records · Page 83

Test-Particle Simulations of Linear and Nonlinear Interactions Between a 2-D Whistler-Mode Wave Packet and Radiation Belt Electrons

Using test-particle simulations, we describe (in 2-D) the interaction of an ensemble of electrons with a discrete whistler-mode wave packet, which propagates with a moderate wave-normal angle with respect to the background magnetic field. We evaluate both the average transport coefficients used in quasi-linear diffusion transport and also the full nonlinear wave-particle interactions. The magnitude of the calculated diffusion coefficients is found to increase proportionally to the wave amplitude squared, in agreement with quasi-linear diffusion theory. Cyclotron resonance of counterstreaming electrons (n = 1 harmonic number) is more important for pitch angle scattering than Landau resonance. Landau resonance of costreaming electrons (n = 0) is comparable to cyclotron resonance for energy diffusion and advection. Strong acceleration of high pitch angle, costreaming electrons arises in nonlinear wave-particle interactions with high-amplitude waves. In our simulations with zero parallel electric field, the energy source for electron acceleration is the wave’s perpendicular electric field, in both the cyclotron and Landau resonances. The Landau resonance can happen even with zero parallel electric field, if the wave packet propagates with a finite wave-normal angle. This resonance between the particle’s azimuthal velocity and the wave fields leads to trapping and substantial parallel acceleration.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Spin-wave excitation and propagation in microstructured waveguides of yttrium iron garnet/Pt bilayers

We present an experimental study of spin-wave excitation and propagation in microstructured waveguides consisting of a 100 nm thick yttrium iron garnet/platinum (Pt) bilayer. The life time of the spin waves is found to be more than an order of magnitude higher than in comparably sized metallic structures, despite the fact that the Pt capping enhances the Gilbert damping. Utilizing microfocus Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy, we reveal the spin-wave mode structure for different excitation frequencies. An exponential spin-wave amplitude decay length of 31 μm is observed which is a significant step towards low damping, insulator based micro-magnonics.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Solving scattering problems in the half-line using methods developed for scattering in the full line

We reduce the solution of the scattering problem defined on the half-line [0,∞) by a real or complex potential v(x) and a general homogeneous boundary condition at x=0 to that of the extension of v(x) to the full line that vanishes for x<0. We find an explicit expression for the reflection amplitude of the former problem in terms of the reflection and transmission amplitudes of the latter. We obtain a set of conditions on these amplitudes under which the potential in the half-line develops bound states, spectral singularities, and time-reversed spectral singularities where the potential acts as a perfect absorber. We examine the application of these results in the study of the scattering properties of a δ-function potential and a finite barrier potential defined in [0,∞), discuss optical systems modeled by these potentials, and explore the configurations in which these systems act as a laser or perfect absorber. In particular, we derive an explicit formula for the laser threshold condition for a slab laser with a single mirror and establish the surprising fact that a nearly perfect mirror gives rise to a lower threshold gain than a perfect mirror. We also offer a nonlinear extension of our approach which allows for utilizing a recently developed nonlinear transfer matrix method in the full line to deal with finite-range nonlinear scattering interactions defined in the half-line.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

ISEE observations of low frequency waves and ion distribution function evolution in the plasma sheet boundary layer

This paper describes ISEE plasma and magnetic fluctuation observations during two crossings of the plasma sheet boundary layer (PSBL) in the earth's magnetotail. Distribution function observations show that the counterstreaming ion components undergo pitch-angle scattering and evolve into a shell distribution in velocity space. This evolution is correlated with the development of low frequency, low amplitude magnetic fluctuations. However, the measured wave amplitudes are insufficient to accomplish the observed degree of ion pitch-angle scatttering locally; the near-earth distributions may be the result of processes occurring much farther down the magnetotail. Results show a clear correlation between the ion component beta and the relative streaming speed of the two components, suggesting that electromagnetic ion/ion instabilities do play an important role in the scattering of PSBL ions.

Elphic, R. C.↗

Study of TMDs with polarized beam and/or targets

A Fourier analysis of single- and double-spin azimuthal asymmetries measured at HERMES in semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering of unpolarized or longitudinally polarized leptons off tranversely polarized protons is presented for pions and charged kaons. The extracted amplitudes can be interpreted as convolutions of transverse momentum-dependent distribution and fragmentation functions. In particular, the measured double-spin asymmetries are sensitive to the poorly known worm-gear quark distribution g{sup ⊥}{sub 1T}.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Scattering of Gaussian Beams by Disordered Particulate Media

A frequently observed characteristic of electromagnetic scattering by a disordered particulate medium is the absence of pronounced speckles in angular patterns of the scattered light. It is known that such diffuse speckle-free scattering patterns can be caused by averaging over randomly changing particle positions and/or over a finite spectral range. To get further insight into the possible physical causes of the absence of speckles, we use the numerically exact superposition T-matrix solver of the Maxwell equations and analyze the scattering of plane-wave and Gaussian beams by representative multi-sphere groups. We show that phase and amplitude variations across an incident Gaussian beam do not serve to extinguish the pronounced speckle pattern typical of plane-wave illumination of a fixed multi-particle group. Averaging over random particle positions and/or over a finite spectral range is still required to generate the classical diffuse speckle-free regime.

radiative transfer theory↗

BFKL Pomeron loop contribution in diffractive photoproduction and inclusive hadroproduction of J/ψ and Υ

We analyze contributions to the heavy vector meson production with large transverse momentum in proton-proton and diffractive photon-proton scattering driven by an exchange of two Balitsky-Fadin-Kuraev-Lipatov Pomerons in the squared amplitudes. The Pomerons couple to a single parton and form a Pomeron loop closed by the vector meson impact factors. For the photon-proton case the diffractive cut of the Pomeron loop contributes, and for the inclusive hadroproduction one finds the loop with two cut Pomerons. We compute both of these Pomeron loop contributions and study in detail their properties. The results are then used to calculate the cross sections for diffractive J/ψ photoproduction with large transverse momentum at HERA and the correlated two Pomeron contribution for inclusive J/ψ and γ production cross sections at the LHC. Within a unified approach a good description of the photoproduction data is found, but correlated two Pomeron mechanism gives only a small contribution to hadroproduction of the vector mesons at the LHC.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

P_11 Resonance Extracted from pi-N Data and Its Stability

We study the stability of resonance poles in {pi}N P{sub 11} partial wave, particularly the Roper resonance, by varying parameters significantly within the EBAC dynamical coupled-channels model, keeping a good fit to the empirical amplitude. We find that two Roper poles are stable against the variation. However, for higher energies, the number of poles can change depending on how the parameters are fitted within error bars. We also developed a model with a bare nucleon which forms the physical nucleon by being dressed by the meson-cloud. We still find a good stability of the Roper poles.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Detection of nonlinear picosecond acoustic pulses by time-resolved Brillouin scattering

In time-resolved Brillouin scattering (also called picosecond ultrasonic interferometry), the time evolution of the spatial Fourier component of an optically excited acoustic strain distribution is monitored. The wave number is determined by the momentum conservation in photon-phonon interaction. For linear acoustic waves propagating in a homogeneous medium, the detected time-domain signal of the optical probe transient reflectivity shows a sinusoidal oscillation at a constant frequency known as the Brillouin frequency. This oscillation is a result of heterodyning the constant reflection from the sample surface with the Brillouin-scattered field. Here, we present an analytical theory for the nonlinear reshaping of a propagating, finite amplitude picosecond acoustic pulse, which results in a time-dependence of the observed frequency. In particular, we examine the conditions under which this information can be used to study the time-evolution of the weak-shock front speed. Depending on the initial strain pulse parameters and the time interval of its nonlinear transformation, our theory predicts the detected frequency to either be monotonically decreasing or oscillating in time. We support these theoretical predictions by comparison with available experimental data. In general, we find that picosecond ultrasonic interferometry of nonlinear acoustic pulses provides access to the nonlinear acoustic properties of a medium spanning most of the GHz frequency range.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Plasmonically assisted channels of photoemission from metals

We analyze recently measured nonlinear photoemission spectra from Ag surfaces that reveal resonances whose energies do not scale with the applied photon energy but stay pinned to multiples of bulk plasmon energy $\hbar$ω p above the Fermi level. To elucidate these unexpected and peculiar features we investigate the spectra of plasmons generated in a solid by the optically pumped electronic polarization and their effect on photoemission. By combining quadratic response formalism for calculations of photoemission yield, a nonperturbative approach to inelastic electron scattering, and first-principles calculations for the electronic structure, we demonstrate the dependence of probability amplitude for single- and multiplasmon excitations on the basic parameters characterizing the photon pulse and the system. The resulting multiexcitation spectrum evolves towards a truncated plasmonic coherent state. Analogous concept is extrapolated to interpret plasmon generation by multiphoton excited electronic polarization. Based on this we elaborate a scenario that the thus created real plasmons act as supplementary frequency-locked pump field for non-Einsteinian plasmonically assisted channels of photoemission from metals. The established paradigm enables assignment and assessment of the observed linear $\hbar$ω p and nonlinear 2$\hbar$ω p electron yields from Ag. Such effects may be exploited for selective filtering of optical energy conversion in electronic systems.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

The NANOGrav nine-year data set: Noise budget for pulsar arrival times on intraday timescales

The use of pulsars as astrophysical clocks for gravitational wave (GW) experiments demands the highest possible timing precision. Pulse times of arrival (TOAs) are limited by stochastic processes that occur in the pulsar itself, along the line of sight through the interstellar medium, and in the measurement process. On timescales of seconds to hours, the TOA variance exceeds that from template-fitting errors due to additive noise. We assess contributions to the total variance from two additional effects: amplitude and phase jitter intrinsic to single pulses and changes in the interstellar impulse response from scattering. The three effects have different dependencies on time, frequency, and pulse signal-to-noise ratio. We use data on 37 pulsars from the North American Nanohertz Observatory for GWs to assess the individual contributions to the overall intraday noise budget for each pulsar. We detect jitter in 22 pulsars and estimate the average value of rms jitter in our pulsars to be ∼1% of pulse phase. We examine how jitter evolves as a function of frequency and find evidence for evolution. Finally, we compare our measurements with previous noise parameter estimates and discuss methods to improve GW detection pipelines.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Long-time variation in magnetic structure of CeIr 3 Si 2 : Observation of a nucleation-and-growth process of magnetic domains

CeIr 3 Si 2 is the first three-dimensional uniform magnet in which the long-time variation in magnetic structure was observed. To clarify the microscopic mechanism of this magnetic structural change, time-resolved neutron scattering measurements have been reinvestigated. Clear time variations in the line widths as well as the amplitudes of magnetic Bragg diffractions have been observed in this improved instrumentation. On the notion of this observation, a nucleation-and-growth model of magnetic structural change has been presented. The numerical calculation with this model reproduces well the observation.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Radiative forcing of the Venus mesosphere. I - Solar fluxes and heating rates

A radiative-transfer model has been used to derive the structure and amplitude of the solar fluxes and heating rates in the Venus mesosphere, accounting for absorption and scattering extinction sources that encompass CO2, H2O, SO2, and H2SO4 aerosols as well as an unidentified UV absorber. The unknown substance that causes the observed cloud-top UV contrasts is responsible for most of the absorption of sunlight within the upper cloud deck; this contributes to solar heating rates of the order of 6 K/day at levels near 65 km. These results are judged sufficiently reliable for use in numerical dynamical models of the Venus atmosphere.

Crisp, D.↗

A comparison of three time-dependent wave packet methods for calculating electron-atom elastic scattering cross sections

Three time-dependent wave packet methods for performing elastic scattering calculations from screened Coulomb potentials are compared. The three methods are the time-dependent amplitude density method (TDADM), a Cayley-transform method (CTM), and the Chebyshev propagation method of Tal-Ezer and Kosloff. Both the TDADM and the CTM are based on a time-dependent integral equation for the wave function. In the first, the time-dependent amplitude density is propagated, while in the other two, the wave function is propagated. As a numerical example, phase shifts and cross sections are calculated using a screened Coulomb, Yukawa type potential over the range 200-1000 eV. It is found that, in most cases, all three methods yield comparable accuracy and are about equally efficient computationally. However for l = 0, where the Coulomb well is not screened by the centrifugal potential, the TDADM requires smaller grid spacings to maintain accuracy.

Judson, Richard S.↗

Growth and Saturation of Ion Acoustic Waves in Hall Thrusters

In this paper we present for the first time a conjecture that the electron transport in Hall thrusters is controlled by ion acoustic waves in two distinct ion populations. The first, and largest population, is the main beam, an ion fluid generated upstream of the Acceleration Region. These ions experience electrons with largest ExB drift, but because beam ions have been heated during the ionization process, Landau damping limits the growth of ion acoustic waves. The second population is composed of ions generated at low potentials farther downstream that don’t thermalize with the fast moving ion beam. The existence of this separate population has been recognized for decades as the source of the high angle ions in Hall thruster plumes. Because these ions aren’t heated and have velocities much different from main beam ions, the amplitude of ion acoustic waves in this population is not Landau damped and grows to saturation. Scattering from these waves reduces the Hall parameter in the near plume where slow ions make up a significant fraction of the population.

Katz, Ira↗

Results on Searches for New Physics at B Factories

We summarize recent results on B{sup +} {yields} {tau}{sup +}{nu}{sub {tau}} setting constraints on the charged Higgs mass, discuss the CP puzzle in B {yields} K{pi} decays and present searches for a light neutral Higgs in radiative {Upsilon}(2S) and {Upsilon}(3S) decays. Rare decays are processes with branching fractions of {Omicron}(10{sup -4}) or smaller. Typically, they arise if amplitudes of higher-order processes (penguin loops, box diagrams) become dominant because tree amplitudes are suppressed in the Standard Model (SM). Additional suppression comes from small CKM couplings and helicity conservation. Contributions of New Physics (NP) processes may become significant modifying the prediction with respect to those in the SM. Thus, rare decays provide an interesting hunting ground for NP searches that are complementary to direct searches at the LHC.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Evolution of a wave packet scattered by a one-dimensional potential

We consider the evolution of a wave packet that is made up of a group of the wave functions describing the stationary scattering process and tunnels through a one-dimensional potential of arbitrary form. As the main characteristics of the time difference of the tunnelling process, use is made of the propagation speed of the wave-packet maximum. We show that the known Hartman formula for the tunnelling time corresponds to the wave packet with a wavenumber-uniform spectral composition in the case, when the phase and transmission coefficient modulus dispersions are taken into account only in the linear approximation. The amplitude of the main peak of the transmitted wave intensity is proven to be independent of the tunnelling time and is determined by the transmission coefficient of the spectral component at the carrier frequency and the spectral width of the wave packet. In the limit of an infinitely wide potential barrier the amplitude of the wave-packet maximum is shown to tend to zero slower than the tunnelling time tends to its asymptotic value, i.e., indeed we deal with the paradox of an infinitely large propagation speed of a wave disturbance through the barrier. (propagation of wave fronts)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗