cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implications of Recent Stellar Wind Measurements

Very recent measurements of stellar winds are used to update relations between winds and coronal activity. New wind constraints include an upper limit of < 0.1 ⊙ for τ Ceti (G8 V), derived from a nondetection of astrospheric H I Lyman-α absorption. This upper limit is reported here for the first time, and represents the weakest wind constrained using the astrospheric absorption technique. A high mass loss rate measurement of = 10 ⊙ for δ Pav (G8 IV) from astrospheric Lyman-α absorption suggests stronger winds for subgiants than for main sequence stars of equivalent activity. A very low mass-loss rate of ≈ 0.06 ⊙ recently estimated for GJ 436 (M3 V) from Lyman-α absorption from an evaporating exoplanetary atmosphere implies inactive M dwarfs may have weak winds compared with GK dwarfs of similar activity.
Rigidity of convex divisible domains in flag manifolds

In contrast to the many examples of convex divisible domains in real projective space, we prove that up to projective isomorphism there is only one convex divisible domain in the Grassmannian of p-planes in R when p > 1. Moreover, this convex divisible domain is a model of the symmetric space associated to the simple Lie group SO(p, p).
A classification of spanning surfaces for alternating links

A classification of spanning surfaces for alternating links is provided up to genus, orientability, and a new invariant that we call aggregate slope. That is, given an alternating link, we determine all possible combinations of genus, orientability, and aggregate slope that a surface spanning that link can have. To this end, we describe a straightforward algorithm, much like Seifert's algorithm, through which to construct certain spanning surfaces called state surfaces, obtained by splitting each crossing one of the two ways, filling in the resulting circles with disks and connecting these disks with half twisted bands at the crossings. A particularly important subset of these will be what we call basic state surfaces. We can alter these surfaces by performing the entirely local operations of adding handles and/or crosscaps, each of which increases genus. The main result then shows that if we are given an alternating projection P.L/ and a surface S spanning L, we can construct a surface T spanning L with the same genus, orientability, and aggregate slope as S that is a basic state surface with respect to P , except perhaps at a collection of added crosscaps and/or handles. Furthermore, S must be connected if L is nonsplittable. This result has several useful corollaries. In particular, it allows for the determination of nonorientable genus for alternating links. It also can be used to show that mutancy of alternating links preserves nonorientable genus. And it allows one to prove that there are knots that have a pair of minimal nonorientable genus spanning surfaces, one boundary-incompressible and one boundary-compressible. 57M25
Magnetic structure determination from the magnetic pair distribution function (mPDF): ground state of MnO.

An experimental determination of the magnetic pair distribution function (mPDF) defined in an earlier paper [Frandsen et al. (2014). Acta Cryst. A70, 3–11] is presented for the first time. The mPDF was determined from neutron powder diffraction data from a reactor and a neutron time-of-flight total scattering source on a powder sample of the antiferromagnetic oxide MnO. A description of the data treatment that allowed the measured mPDF to be extracted and then modelled is provided and utilized to investigate the low-temperature structure of MnO. Atomic and magnetic co-refinements support the scenario of a locally monoclinic ground-state atomic structure, despite the average structure being rhombohedral, with the mPDF analysis successfully recovering the known antiferromagnetic spin configuration. The total scattering data suggest a preference for the spin axis to lie along the pseudocubic [10{\overline 1}] direction. Finally, r-dependent PDF refinements indicate that the local monoclinic structure tends toward the average rhombohedral R{\overline 3}m symmetry over a length scale of approximately 100 A.
Classification of families of pr- and epr-sequences

AbstractThis paper establishes new restrictions for attainable enhanced principal rank characteristic sequences (epr-sequences). These results are then used to classify two related families of sequences that are attainable by a real symmetric matrix: the family of principal rank characteristic sequences (pr-sequences) not containing three consecutive 1s and the family of epr-sequences which contains an N in every subsequence of length 3.
Selecting data to clean for fact checking: minimizing uncertainty vs. maximizing surprise

We study the optimization problem of selecting numerical quantities to clean in order to fact-check claims based on such data. Oftentimes, such claims are technically correct, but they can still mislead for two reasons. First, data may contain uncertainty and errors. Second, data can be "fished" to advance particular positions. In practice, fact-checkers cannot afford to clean all data and must choose to clean what "matters the most" to checking a claim. We explore alternative definitions of what "matters the most": one is to ascertain claim qualities (by minimizing uncertainty in these measures), while an alternative is just to counter the claim (by maximizing the probability of finding a counterargument). We show whether the two objectives align with each other, with important implications on when fact-checkers should exercise care in selective data cleaning, to avoid potential bias introduced by their desire to counter claims. We develop efficient algorithms for solving the various variants of the optimization problem, showing significant improvements over naive solutions. The problem is particularly challenging because the objectives in the fact-checking context are complex, non-linear functions over data. We obtain results that generalize to a large class of functions, with potential applications beyond fact-checking.
Solitonic Aspects of q-Field Theories

We have examined the deformation of a generic non-Abelian gauge theory obtained by replacing its Lie group by the corresponding quantum group. This deformed gauge theory has more degrees of freedom than the theory from which it is derived. By going over from point particles in the standard theory to solitonic particles in the deformed theory, it is proposed that we interpret the new degrees of freedom as being descriptive of the non-locality of the deformed theory. It also turns out that the original Lie algebra gets replaced by two dual algebras, one of which lies close to and approaches the original Lie algebra in a correspondence limit, while the second algebra is new and disappears in this same correspondence limit. The exotic field particles associated with the second algebra can be interpreted as quark-like constituents of the solitons, which are themselves described as point particles in the first algebra. These ideas are explored for q-deformed SU(2) and GLq(3).
On the homotopy of Q(3) and Q(5) at the prime 2

We study modular approximations Q(l), l = 3,5, of the K(2)-local sphere at the prime 2 that arise from l-power degree isogenies of elliptic curves. We develop Hopf algebroid level tools for working with Q(l) and record Hill, Hopkins, and Ravenel's computation of the homotopy groups of TMF_0(5). Using these tools and formulas of Mahowald and Rezk for Q(3) we determine the image of Shimomura's 2-primary divided beta-family in the Adams-Novikov spectral sequences for Q(3) and Q(5). Finally, we use low-dimensional computations of the homotopy of Q(3) and Q(5) to explore the role of these spectra as approximations to the K(2)-local sphere.
Direct excitation of a single quantum dot with cavity-SPDC photons

The ability to generate mode-engineered single photons to interface with disparate quantum systems is of importance for building a quantum network. Here we report on the generation of a pulsed, heralded single photon source with a sub-GHz spectral bandwidth that couples to indium arsenide quantum dots centered at 942 nm. The source is built with a type-II PPKTP down-conversion crystal embedded in a semi-confocal optical cavity and pumped with a 76 MHz repetition rate pulsed laser to emit collinear, polarization-correlated photon pairs resonant with a single quantum dot. In order to demonstrate direct coupling, we use the mode-engineered cavity-SPDC single-photon source to resonantly excite an isolated single quantum dot.
SOURCE MATCHING IN THE SDSS AND RASS: WHICH GALAXIES ARE REALLY X-RAY SOURCES?

The current view of galaxy formation holds that all massive galaxies harbor a massive black hole at their center, but that these black holes are not always in an actively accreting phase. X-ray emission is often used to identify accreting sources, but for galaxies that are not harboring quasars (low-luminosity active galaxies), the X-ray flux may be weak, or obscured by dust. To aid in the understanding of weakly accreting black holes in the local universe, a large sample of galaxies with X-ray detections is needed. We cross-match the ROSAT All Sky Survey (RASS) with galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 4 (SDSS DR4) to create such a sample. Because of the high SDSS source density and large RASS positional errors, the cross-matched catalog is highly contaminated by random associations. We investigate the overlap of these surveys and provide a statistical test of the validity of RASS-SDSS galaxy cross-matches. The SDSS quasars provide a test of our cross-match validation scheme, as they have a very high fraction of true RASS matches. We find that the number of true matches between the SDSS main galaxy sample and the RASS is highly dependent on the optical spectral classification of the galaxy; essentially no star-forming galaxies are detected, while more than 0.6% of narrow-line Seyferts are detected in the RASS. Also, galaxies with ambiguous optical classification have a surprisingly high RASS detection fraction. This allows us to further constrain the SEDs of low-luminosity active galaxies. Our technique is quite general, and can be applied to any cross-matching between surveys with well-understood positional errors.
The pulsation-rotation interaction: Greatest hits and the B-side

It has long been known that rotation can have an appreciable impact on stellar pulsation — by modifying the usual p and g modes found in the non-rotating case, and by introducing new classes of mode. However, its only relatively recently that advances in numerical simulations and complementary theoretical treatments have enabled us to model these phenomena in any great detail. In this talk I’ll review highlights in this area (the ‘Greatest Hits’), before considering the flip side (or the ‘B-side’, for those of us old enough to remember vinyl records) of the pulsation-rotation interaction: how pulsation can itself influence internal rotation profiles.
Evolution of a Pulsar Wind Nebula within a Composite Supernova Remnant

The interaction between a pulsar wind nebula (PWN) and its host supernova remnant (SNR) can produce a vast array of observable structures. Asymmetry present within these structures derives from the complexity of the composite system, where many factors take turns playing a dominating hand throughout the stages of composite SNR evolution. Of particular interest are systems characterized by blastwave expansion within a nonuniform interstellar medium (ISM), which contain an active pulsar having a substantial "kick" velocity (upward of 300 km s$^{-1}$ ), because these systems tend to produce complex morphologies. We present a numerical model that employs these and several other factors in an effort to generate asymmetry similar to that seen in various X-ray and radio observations. We find that the main parameters driving structure are ISM uniformity and total pulsar spin- down energy, with secondary contributions from factors such as pulsar trajectory and initial spin-down luminosity. We also investigate the dynamics behind PWN "tails," which may form to link active pulsars to a crushed, relic nebula as the reverse shock passes. We find that the directions of such tails are not good indicators of pulsar motion, but direction does reveal the flow of ejecta created by the passage of a reverse shock.
THE SYNTHETIC-OVERSAMPLING METHOD: USING PHOTOMETRIC COLORS TO DISCOVER EXTREMELY METAL-POOR STARS

Extremely metal-poor (EMP) stars ([Fe/H] ≤ −3.0 dex) provide a unique window into understanding the first generation of stars and early chemical enrichment of the universe. EMP stars are exceptionally rare, however, and the relatively small number of confirmed discoveries limits our ability to exploit these near-field probes of the first ~500 Myr after the Big Bang. Here, a new method to photometrically estimate [Fe/H] from only broadband photometric colors is presented. I show that the method, which utilizes machine-learning algorithms and a training set of ~170,000 stars with spectroscopically measured [Fe/H], produces a typical scatter of ~0.29 dex. This performance is similar to what is achievable via low-resolution spectroscopy, and outperforms other photometric techniques, while also being more general. I further show that a slight alteration to the model, wherein synthetic EMP stars are added to the training set, yields the robust identification of EMP candidates. In particular, this synthetic-oversampling method recovers ~20% of the EMP stars in the training set, at a precision of ~0.05. Furthermore, ~65% of the false positives from the model are very metal-poor stars ([Fe/H] ≤ −2.0 dex). The synthetic-oversampling method is biased toward the discovery of warm (~F-type) stars, a consequence of the targeting bias from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey/Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding survey. This EMP selection method represents a significant improvement over alternative broadband optical selection techniques. The models are applied to >12 million stars, with an expected yield of ~600 new EMP stars, which promises to open new avenues for exploring the early universe.
Constraining Solar Flare Differential Emission Measures with EVE and RHESSI

Deriving a well-constrained differential emission measure (DEM) distribution for solar flares has historically been difficult, primarily because no single instrument is sensitive to the full range of coronal temperatures observed in flares, from 2 to 50 MK. We present a new technique, combining extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectra from the EUV Variability Experiment (EVE) onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory with X-ray spectra from the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI), to derive, for the first time, a self-consistent, well-constrained DEM for jointly observed solar flares. EVE is sensitive to ~2-25 MK thermal plasma emission, and RHESSI to 10 MK; together, the two instruments cover the full range of flare coronal plasma temperatures. We have validated the new technique on artificial test data, and apply it to two X-class flares from solar cycle 24 to determine the flare DEM and its temporal evolution; the constraints on the thermal emission derived from the EVE data also constrain the low energy cutoff of the non-thermal electrons, a crucial parameter for flare energetics. The DEM analysis can also be used to predict the soft X-ray flux in the poorly observed ~0.4-5 nm range, with important applications for geospace science.
Star Clusters in M31: VII. Global Kinematics and Metallicity Subpopulations of the Globular Clusters

We carry out a joint spatial-kinematical-metallicity analysis of globular clusters (GCs) around the Andromeda Galaxy (M31), using a homogeneous, high-quality spectroscopic dataset. In particular, we remove the contaminating young clusters that have plagued many previous analyses. We find that the clusters can be divided into three major metallicity groups based on their radial distributions: (1) an inner metal-rich group ([Fe/H] > -0.4), (2) a group with intermediate metallicity (with median [Fe/H]=-1), (3) and a metal-poor group, with [Fe/H] < -1.5. The metal-rich group has kinematics and spatial properties like the disk of M31, while the two more metal-poor groups show mild prograde rotation overall, with larger dispersions - in contrast to previous claims of stronger rotation. The metal-poor GCs are the least concentrated group; such clusters occur five times less frequently in the central bulge than do clusters of higher metallicity. Despite some well-known differences between the M31 and Milky Way GC systems, our revised analysis points to remarkable similarities in their chemodynamical properties, which could help elucidate the different formation stages of galaxies and their GCs. In particular, the M31 results motivate further exploration of a metal-rich GC formation mode in situ, within high-redshift, clumpy galactic disks.
The extended thermodynamic phase structure of Taub–NUT and Taub–Bolt

We study aspects of the extended gravitational thermodynamics for the Taub–NUT and Taub–Bolt geometries in four dimensional locally anti-de Sitter spacetime, where the cosmological constant is treated as a dynamical pressure. Attention is paid to the phase structure in the (p, T) plane, which has a line of first order phase transitions extending from the origin. We argue for a dynamical interpretation of the unstable physics in the negative specific heat region. A deformation corresponding to a dyonic Taub–NUT/Bolt system is also explored, and the effect of the deformation on the phase diagram is characterized.
CASTRO: A NEW COMPRESSIBLE ASTROPHYSICAL SOLVER. II. GRAY RADIATION HYDRODYNAMICS

We describe the development of a flux-limited gray radiation solver for the compressible astrophysics code, CASTRO. CASTRO uses an Eulerian grid with block-structured adaptive mesh refinement based on a nested hierarchy of logically rectangular variable-sized grids with simultaneous refinement in both space and time. The gray radiation solver is based on a mixed-frame formulation of radiation hydrodynamics. In our approach, the system is split into two parts, one part that couples the radiation and fluid in a hyperbolic subsystem, and another parabolic part that evolves radiation diffusion and source-sink terms. The hyperbolic subsystem is solved explicitly with a high-order Godunov scheme, whereas the parabolic part is solved implicitly with a first-order backward Euler method.
Prime vertex labelings of several families of graphs

A simple and connected $n$-vertex graph has a prime vertex labeling if the vertices can be injectively labeled with the integers $1, 2, 3,\ldots, n$, such that adjacent vertices have relatively prime labels. We will present previously unknown prime vertex labelings for new families of graphs including cycle pendant stars, cycle chains, prisms, and generalized books.
Stability of the Inverse Problem for Dini Continuous Conductivities in the Plane

We show that the inverse problem of Calderon for conductivities in a two-dimensional Lipschitz domain is stable in a class of conductivities that are Dini continuous. This extends previous stabilit...
Enhanced sampling in molecular dynamics using metadynamics, replica-exchange, and temperature-acceleration

We review a selection of methods for performing enhanced sampling in 1 molecular dynamics simulations. We consider methods based on collective variable biasing 2
STRING FIELD THEORY FROM QUANTUM GRAVITY

Recent work on neutrino oscillations suggests that the three generations of fermions in the standard model are related by representations of the finite group A(4), the group of symmetries of the tetrahedron. Motivated by this, we explore models which extend the EPRL model for quantum gravity by coupling it to a bosonic quantum field of representations of A(4). This coupling is possible because the representation category of A(4) is a module category over the representation categories used to construct the EPRL model. The vertex operators which interchange vacua in the resulting quantum field theory reproduce the bosons and fermions of the standard model, up to issues of symmetry breaking which we do not resolve. We are led to the hypothesis that physical particles in nature represent vacuum changing operators on a sea of invisible excitations which are only observable in the A(4) representation labels which govern the horizontal symmetry revealed in neutrino oscillations. The quantum field theory of the A(4) representations is just the dual model on the extended lattice of the Lie group E6, as explained by the quantum McKay correspondence of Frenkel, Jing and Wang. The coupled model can be thought of as string field theory, but propagating on a discretized quantum spacetime rather than a classical manifold.
A unified thermostat scheme for efficient configurational sampling for classical/quantum canonical ensembles via molecular dynamics

We show a unified second-order scheme for constructing simple, robust, and accurate algorithms for typical thermostats for configurational sampling for the canonical ensemble. When Langevin dynamics is used, the scheme leads to the BAOAB algorithm that has been recently investigated. We show that the scheme is also useful for other types of thermostats, such as the Andersen thermostat and Nose-Hoover chain, regardless of whether the thermostat is deterministic or stochastic. In addition to analytical analysis, two 1-dimensional models and three typical real molecular systems that range from the gas phase, clusters, to the condensed phase are used in numerical examples for demonstration. Accuracy may be increased by an order of magnitude for estimating coordinate-dependent properties in molecular dynamics (when the same time interval is used), irrespective of which type of thermostat is applied. The scheme is especially useful for path integral molecular dynamics because it consistently improves the efficiency for evaluating all thermodynamic properties for any type of thermostat.
Proving differential privacy with shadow execution

Recent work on formal verification of differential privacy shows a trend toward usability and expressiveness -- generating a correctness proof of sophisticated algorithm while minimizing the annotation burden on programmers. Sometimes, combining those two requires substantial changes to program logics: one recent paper is able to verify Report Noisy Max automatically, but it involves a complex verification system using customized program logics and verifiers. In this paper, we propose a new proof technique, called shadow execution, and embed it into a language called ShadowDP. ShadowDP uses shadow execution to generate proofs of differential privacy with very few programmer annotations and without relying on customized logics and verifiers. In addition to verifying Report Noisy Max, we show that it can verify a new variant of Sparse Vector that reports the gap between some noisy query answers and the noisy threshold. Moreover, ShadowDP reduces the complexity of verification: for all of the algorithms we have evaluated, type checking and verification in total takes at most 3 seconds, while prior work takes minutes on the same algorithms.
Node Embeddings and Exact Low-Rank Representations of Complex Networks

Low-dimensional embeddings, from classical spectral embeddings to modern neural-net-inspired methods, are a cornerstone in the modeling and analysis of complex networks. Recent work by Seshadhri et al. (PNAS 2020) suggests that such embeddings cannot capture local structure arising in complex networks. In particular, they show that any network generated from a natural low-dimensional model cannot be both sparse and have high triangle density (high clustering coefficient), two hallmark properties of many real-world networks. In this work we show that the results of Seshadhri et al. are intimately connected to the model they use rather than the low-dimensional structure of complex networks. Specifically, we prove that a minor relaxation of their model can generate sparse graphs with high triangle density. Surprisingly, we show that this same model leads to exact low-dimensional factorizations of many real-world networks. We give a simple algorithm based on logistic principal component analysis (LPCA) that succeeds in finding such exact embeddings. Finally, we perform a large number of experiments that verify the ability of very low-dimensional embeddings to capture local structure in real-world networks.
Real-variables characterization of generalized Stieltjes functions

Abstract We obtain a characterization of generalized Stieltjes functions of any order λ > 0 in terms of inequalities for their derivatives on ( 0 , ∞ ) . When λ = 1 , this provides a new and simple proof of a characterization of Stieltjes functions first obtained by Widder in 1938.
Fully coupled simulation of the plasma liquid interface and interfacial coefficient effects

There is a growing interest in the study of coupled plasma-liquid systems because of their applications to biomedicine, biological and chemical disinfection, agriculture, and other areas. Optimizing these applications requires a fundamental understanding of the coupling between phases. Though much progress has been made in this regard, there is still more to be done. One area that requires more research is the transport of electrons across the plasma-liquid interface. Some pioneering works (Rumbach et al 2015 Nat. Commun. 6, Rumbach et al 2015 J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 48 424001) have begun revealing the near-surface liquid characteristics of electrons. However, there has been little work to determine the near-surface gas phase electron characteristics. Without an understanding of the near-surface gas dynamics, modellers are left to make assumptions about the interfacial conditions. For instance it is commonly assumed that the surface loss or sticking coefficient of gas-phase electrons at the interface is equal to 1. In this work we explore the consequences of this assumption and introduce a couple of ways to think about the electron interfacial condition. In one set of simulations we impose a kinetic condition with varying surface loss coefficient on the gas phase interfacial electrons. In a second set of simulations we introduce a Henry's law like condition at the interface in which the gas-phase electron concentration is assumed to be in thermodynamic equilibrium with the liquid-phase electron concentration. It is shown that for a range of electron Henry coefficients spanning a range of known hydrophilic specie Henry coefficients, the gas phase electron density in the anode can vary by orders of magnitude. Varying reflection of electrons by the interface also has consequences for the electron energy profile; increasing reflection may lead to increasing thermalization of electrons depending on choices about the electron energy boundary condition. This variation in anode electron density and energy as a function of the interface characteristics could also lead to significant variation in near-surface gas chemistries when such reactions are included in the model; this could very well in turn affect the reactive species impinging on the liquid surface. We draw the conclusion that in order to make more confident model predictions about plasma-liquid systems, finer scale simulations and/or new experimental techniques must be used to elucidate the near-surface gas phase electron dynamics.
Collapse and Fragmentation of Magnetic Molecular Cloud Cores with the Enzo AMR MHD Code. II. Prolate and Oblate Cores

We present the results of a large suite of three-dimensional models of the collapse of magnetic molecular cloud cores using the adaptive mesh refinement code Enzo2.2 in the ideal magnetohydrodynamics approximation. The cloud cores are initially either prolate or oblate, centrally condensed clouds with masses of 1.73 or 2.73 M ?, respectively. The radial density profiles are Gaussian, with central densities 20?times higher than boundary densities. A barotropic equation of state is used to represent the transition from low density isothermal phases, to high density optically thick phases. The initial magnetic field strength ranges from 6.3 to 100 ?G, corresponding to clouds that are strongly to marginally supercritical, respectively, in terms of the mass to magnetic flux ratio. The magnetic field is initially uniform and aligned with the clouds' rotation axes, with initial ratios of rotational to gravitational energy ranging from 10?4 to 0.1. Two significantly different outcomes for collapse result: (1) formation of single protostars with spiral arms, and (2) fragmentation into multiple protostar systems. The transition between these two outcomes depends primarily on the initial magnetic field strength, with fragmentation occurring for mass to flux ratios greater than about 14?times the critical ratio for prolate clouds. Oblate clouds typically fragment into several times more clumps than prolate clouds. Multiple, rather than binary, system formation is the general rule in either case, suggesting that binary stars are primarily the result of the orbital dissolution of multiple protostar systems.
THE ROLE OF WHITE DWARFS IN CATACLYSMIC VARIABLE SPIN-DOWN

We study the effect of a white dwarf on the spin-down of a cataclysmic variable (CV) system using a three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic numerical model. The model includes the stellar corona, the stellar wind, and the WD mass and magnetic field. The existence of the WD modifies the system spin-down by physically blocking the stellar wind, restructuring the wind, channeling the wind toward the WD surface, and modifying the shape and size of the Alfven surface. The combination of these processes differs among a set of simple test cases, and the resulting angular momentum loss rates vary by factors of 2-3, and by factors of 2 relative to a test model with a single M dwarf. While the model employs some simplifications, the results suggest that angular momentum loss schemes currently employed in CV studies do not require drastic revision. Insights are also gained on wind accretion. We find that efficient accretion switches on quite rapidly with decreasing orbital separation. Accretion rates depend on magnetic field alignment and should be modulated by magnetic cycles on the M dwarf. For particular values of white dwarf magnetic field strength, an efficient syphoning of coronal plasma from the inward facing M dwarf hemisphere occurs. Wind accretion rates are expected to vary by factors of 10 or more between fairly similar close binaries, depending on magnetic field strengths and orbital separation.
The Impact of Environmental Fluctuations on Evolutionary Fitness Functions

The concept of fitness as a measure for a species’ success in natural selection is central to the theory of evolution. We here investigate how reproduction rates which are not constant but vary in response to environmental fluctuations, influence a species’ prosperity and thereby its fitness. Interestingly, we find that not only larger growth rates but also reduced sensitivities to environmental changes substantially increase the fitness. Thereby, depending on the noise level of the environment, it might be an evolutionary successful strategy to minimize this sensitivity rather than to optimize the reproduction speed. Also for neutral evolution, where species with exactly the same properties compete, variability in the growth rates plays a crucial role. The time for one species to fixate is strongly reduced in the presence of environmental noise. Hence, environmental fluctuations constitute a possible explanation for effective population sizes inferred from genetic data that often are much smaller than the census population size.
Determination of stellar, orbital and planetary parameters using complete Monte-Carlo analysis - the case of HAT-P-7b

The recently discovered transiting very hot Jupiter, HAT-P-7b, a planet detected by the telescopes of HATNet, turned out to be among the ones subjected to the highest irradiation from the parent star. As known, the combination of photometric and spectroscopic data for such an object yields the stellar, orbital and planetary parameters. In order to best characterize this particular planet, we carried out a complex analysis based on a complete and simultaneous Monte-Carlo solution using all available data. We included the discovery light curves, partial follow-up light curves, the radial velocity data, and we used the stellar evolution models to infer the stellar properties. This self-consistent way of modeling provides the most precise estimate of the a posteriori distributions of all of the system parameters of interest, and avoids making assumptions on the values and uncertainties of any of the internally derived variables describing the system. This analysis demonstrates that even partial light curve information can be valuable. This may become very important for future discoveries of planets with longer periods -- and therefore longer transit durations -- where the chance of observing a full event is small.
The Dirac Equation in Two Dimensions: Dispersive Estimates and Classification of Threshold Obstructions

We investigate dispersive estimates for the two dimensional Dirac equation with a potential. In particular, we show that the Dirac evolution satisfies a t −1 decay rate as an operator from the Hardy space H 1 to BMO, the space of functions of bounded mean oscillation. This estimate, along with the L 2 conservation law allows one to deduce a family of Strichartz estimates. We classify the structure of threshold obstructions as being composed of s-wave resonances, p-wave resonances and eigenfunctions. We show that, as in the case of the Schrodinger evolution, the presence of a threshold s-wave resonance does not destroy the t −1 decay rate. As a consequence of our analysis we obtain a limiting absorption principle in the neighborhood of the threshold, and show that there are only finitely many eigenvalues in the spectral gap.
On the simulation of general tempered stable Ornstein–Uhlenbeck processes

We give an explicit representation for the transition law of a tempered stable Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process and use it to develop a rejection sampling algorithm for exact simulation of increments fro...
Data Clustering using a Hybrid of Fuzzy C-Means and Quantum-behaved Particle Swarm Optimization

Fuzzy clustering has become a widely used data mining technique and plays an important role in grouping, traversing and selectively using data for user specified applications. The deterministic Fuzzy C-Means (FCM) algorithm may result in suboptimal solutions when applied to multidimensional data in real-world, time-constrained problems. In this paper the Quantum-behaved Particle Swarm Optimization (QPSO) with a fully connected topology is coupled with the Fuzzy C-Means Clustering algorithm and is tested on a suite of datasets from the UCI Machine Learning Repository. The global search ability of the QPSO algorithm helps in avoiding stagnation in local optima while the soft clustering approach of FCM helps to partition data based on membership probabilities. Clustering performance indices such as F-Measure, Accuracy, Quantization Error, Intercluster and Intracluster distances are reported for competitive techniques such as PSO K-Means, QPSO K-Means and QPSO FCM over all datasets considered. Experimental results indicate that QPSO FCM provides comparable and in most cases superior results when compared to the others.
Asynchronous majority dynamics in preferential attachment trees

We study information aggregation in networks where agents make binary decisions (labeled incorrect or correct). Agents initially form independent private beliefs about the better decision, which is correct with probability $1/2+\delta$. The dynamics we consider are asynchronous (each round, a single agent updates their announced decision) and non-Bayesian (agents simply copy the majority announcements among their neighbors, tie-breaking in favor of their private signal). Our main result proves that when the network is a tree formed according to the preferential attachment model \cite{BarabasiA99}, with high probability, the process stabilizes in a correct majority within $O(n \log n/ \log\log n)$ rounds. We extend our results to other tree structures, including balanced $M$-ary trees for any $M$.
RELATIVISTIC RECONNECTION: AN EFFICIENT SOURCE OF NON-THERMAL PARTICLES

In magnetized astrophysical outflows, the dissipation of field energy into particle energy via magnetic reconnection is often invoked to explain the observed non-thermal signatures. By means of two- and three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, we investigate anti-parallel reconnection in magnetically dominated electron-positron plasmas. Our simulations extend to unprecedentedly long temporal and spatial scales, so we can capture the asymptotic state of the system beyond the initial transients, and without any artificial limitation by the boundary conditions. At late times, the reconnection layer is organized into a chain of large magnetic islands connected by thin X-lines. The plasmoid instability further fragments each X-line into a series of smaller islands, separated by X-points. At the X-points, the particles become unmagnetized and they get accelerated along the reconnection electric field. We provide definitive evidence that the late-time particle spectrum integrated over the whole reconnection region is a power law whose slope is harder than –2 for magnetizations σ 10. Efficient particle acceleration to non-thermal energies is a generic by-product of the long-term evolution of relativistic reconnection in both two and three dimensions. In three dimensions, the drift-kink mode corrugates the reconnection layer at early times, but the long-term evolution is controlled by the plasmoid instability which facilitates efficient particle acceleration, analogous to the two-dimensional physics. Our findings have important implications for the generation of hard photon spectra in pulsar winds and relativistic astrophysical jets.
Generating Octave-Bandwidth Soliton Frequency Combs with Compact Low-Power Semiconductor Lasers

We report a comprehensive study of low-power octave-bandwidth single-soliton microresonator frequency combs in both the 1550-nm and 1064-nm bands. Our experiments utilize fully integrated silicon-nitride Kerr microresonators and we demonstrate direct soliton generation with widely available distributed-Bragg-reflector lasers that provide less than 40 mW of chip-coupled laser power. We report measurements of soliton thermal dynamics and demonstrate how rapid laser-frequency control, consistent with the thermal time scale of a microresonator, facilitates stabilization of octave-bandwidth soliton combs. Moreover, since soliton combs are completely described by the fundamental linear and nonlinear dynamics of the intraresonator field, we demonstrate the close connection between modeling and generation of octave-bandwidth combs. Our experiments advance the development of self-referenced frequency combs with integrated-photonics technology and comb-laser sources with a tens-of-terahertz pulse bandwidth across the near infrared.
Robust Model-Free Learning and Control without Prior Knowledge

We present a simple model-free control algorithm that is able to robustly learn and stabilize an unknown discretetime linear system with full control and state feedback subject to arbitrary bounded disturbance and noise sequences. The controller does not require any prior knowledge of the system dynamics, disturbances or noise, yet can guarantee robust stability, uniform asymptotic bounds and uniform worst-case bounds on the state-deviation. Rather than the algorithm itself, we would like to highlight the new approach taken towards robust stability analysis which served as a key enabler in providing the presented stability and performance guarantees. We will conclude with simulation results that show that despite the generality and simplicity, the controller demonstrates good closed-loop performance.
Detection of Magnesium-rich Ejecta in the Middle-aged Supernova Remnant N49B

The middle-aged supernova remnant (SNR) N49B in the Large Magellanic Cloud has been observed with the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. The superb angular resolution of Chandra resolves the complex structure of X-ray-emitting filaments across the SNR. All observed features are soft (E < 3 keV), and we find no evidence of either pointlike or extended hard emission within the SNR. Spectral lines from O, Ne, Mg, Si, S, and Fe are present. Equivalent width images for the detected elemental species and spatially resolved spectral analysis reveal the presence of Mg-rich ejecta within the SNR. We find no such enrichment in O or Ne, which may reflect details of the nucleosynthesis process or the heating and cooling of the ejecta as it evolved. The bright circumferential filaments are emission from the shocked dense interstellar medium (ISM). We detect faint diffuse X-ray emission that extends beyond the X-ray-bright filaments toward the west and southeast. These features appear to be the blast wave shock front expanding into lower density portions of the ISM seen in projection. We set an upper limit of ~2 × 1033 ergs s-1 on the 0.5-5 keV band X-ray luminosity of any embedded compact object.
Covariant effective action for a Galilean invariant quantum Hall system

We construct effective field theories for gapped quantum Hall systems coupled to background geometries with local Galilean invariance i.e. Bargmann spacetimes. Along with an electromagnetic field, these backgrounds include the effects of curved Galilean spacetimes, including torsion and a gravitational field, allowing us to study charge, energy, stress and mass currents within a unified framework. A shift symmetry specific to single constituent theories constraints the effective action to couple to an effective background gauge field and spin connection that is solved for by a self-consistent equation, providing a manifestly covariant extension of Hoyos and Son’s improvement terms to arbitrary order in m.
Factor posets of frames and dual frames in finite dimensions

We consider frames in a finite-dimensional Hilbert space, where frames are exactly the spanning sets of the vector space. A factor poset of a frame is defined to be a collection of subsets of I, the index set of our vectors, ordered by inclusion so that nonempty J ⊆ I is in the factor poset if and only if {fi}i∈J is a tight frame. We first study when a poset P ⊆ 2I is a factor poset of a frame and then relate the two topics by discussing the connections between the factor posets of frames and their duals. Additionally we discuss duals with regard to lp-minimization.
Cosmic ray confinement and transport models for probing their putative sources

Recent efforts in cosmic ray (CR) confinement and transport theory are discussed. Three problems are addressed as being crucial for understanding the present day observations and their possible telltale signs of the CR origin. The first problem concerns CR behavior right after their release from a source, such as a supernova remnant. At this phase, the CRs are confined near the source by self-emitted Alfven waves. The second is the problem of diffusive propagation of CRs through the turbulent interstellar medium. This is a seemingly straightforward and long-resolved problem, but it remains controversial and reveals paradoxes. A resolution based on the Chapman-Enskog asymptotic CR transport analysis, that also includes magnetic focusing, is suggested. The third problem is about a puzzling sharp ( ∼ 10 ° ) anisotropies in the CR arrival directions that might bear on important clues of their transport between the source and observer. The overarching goal is to improve our understanding of all aspects of the CR's source escape and ensuing propagation through the galaxy to the level at which their sources can be identified observationally.
ANOMALIES OF E8 GAUGE THEORY ON STRING MANIFOLDS

In this paper we revisit the subject of anomaly cancelation in string theory and M-theory on manifolds with string structure and give three observations. First, that on string manifolds there is no E8 × E8 global anomaly in heterotic string theory. Second, that the description of the anomaly in the phase of the M-theory partition function of Diaconescu–Moore–Witten extends from the spin case to the string case. Third, that the cubic refinement law of Diaconescu–Freed–Moore for the phase of the M-theory partition function extends to string manifolds. The analysis relies on extending from invariants which depend on the spin structure to invariants which instead depend on the string structure. Along the way, the one-loop term is refined via the Witten genus.
MOPSS. I. Flat Optical Spectra for the Hot Jupiters WASP-4 b and WASP-52b

We present the first results from MOPSS, The Michigan Optical Planetary Spectra Survey, aimed at creating a database of optical planetary transmission spectra all observed, reduced, and analyzed with a uniform method for the benefit of enabling comparative exoplanet studies. We discuss our methods, and present results for our first two targets observed with the Magellan Baade 6.5 m telescope, one transit of the Hot Jupiter WASP-4b and two transits of the Hot Saturn WASP-52b. Both targets present flat, featureless spectra, corresponding to the presence of aerosols. We find that the cloud decks must begin no lower than 10−4 bar for both planets. For WASP-52b, we also consider the effects of star spots on the transmission spectrum, including unocculted spots and spots on the stellar limb influencing the light curve limb-darkening parameters. We discuss the usefulness of this program in the coming James Webb Space Telescope era.
IMAGING ANALYSIS OF THE HARD X-RAY TELESCOPE ProtoEXIST2 AND NEW TECHNIQUES FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION CODED-APERTURE TELESCOPES

Wide-field (greater than or approximately equal to 100 degrees squared) hard X-ray coded-aperture telescopes with high angular resolution (greater than or approximately equal to 2 minutes) will enable a wide range of time domain astrophysics. For instance, transient sources such as gamma-ray bursts can be precisely localized without the assistance of secondary focusing X-ray telescopes to enable rapid followup studies. On the other hand, high angular resolution in coded-aperture imaging introduces a new challenge in handling the systematic uncertainty: the average photon count per pixel is often too small to establish a proper background pattern or model the systematic uncertainty in a timescale where the model remains invariant. We introduce two new techniques to improve detection sensitivity, which are designed for, but not limited to, a high-resolution coded-aperture system: a self-background modeling scheme which utilizes continuous scan or dithering operations, and a Poisson-statistics based probabilistic approach to evaluate the significance of source detection without subtraction in handling the background. We illustrate these new imaging analysis techniques in high resolution coded-aperture telescope using the data acquired by the wide-field hard X-ray telescope ProtoEXIST2 during a high-altitude balloon flight in fall 2012. We review the imaging sensitivity of ProtoEXIST2 during the flight, and demonstrate the performance of the new techniques using our balloon flight data in comparison with a simulated ideal Poisson background.
Categorifying the ZX-calculus

We build a symmetric monoidal and compact closed bicategory by combining spans and cospans inside a topos. This can be used as a framework in which to study open networks and diagrammatic languages. We illustrate this framework with Coecke and Duncan's zx-calculus by constructing a bicategory with the natural numbers for 0-cells, the zx-calculus diagrams for 1-cells, and rewrite rules for 2-cells.