Interactions of fast ions with carbon nanotubes: Two-fluid model
We propose a simple, parameter-free two-fluid model for the collective electron response of a single-walled carbon nanotube, which treats the s and p electrons as separate two-dimensional fluids constrained to the same cylindrical surface. The electrostatic interaction between the fluids gives rise to splitting of the plasmon frequencies into two groups closely following the experimentally determined longitudinal dispersions of the s +p and p plasmons. The model is used to calculate the induced electron density on the nanotube, as well as the stopping power for a charged particle moving parallel to the axis of the nanotube. It is found that these quantities exhibit novel features when the particle speed matches the phase velocity of the quasiacoustic p plasmon.

title: Dynamic interactions of fast ions with carbon nanotubes
abstract: We used the hydrodynamic model to describe the dielectric response of a multi-walled carbon nanotube to a fast point charge moving paraxially, either inside or outside the nanotube. Calculations are performed for a two-walled nanotube, giving rise to a splitting of the plasmon frequencies due to the interaction between the electron fluids on the two cylinders. The dependences of the projectile stopping power and the self-energy (image potential) on the velocity and the distance from the nanotube axis show interesting features when the projectile velocity matches the phase velocity of the plasmon mode with a quasi-linear dispersion.

title: Dynamic interactions of fast ions with multiwalled carbon nanotubes
abstract: We use a two-fluid hydrodynamic model to describe the dielectric response of the σ and π electron systems on a multiwalled carbon nanotube consisting of up to several tens of concentric cylindrical shells. In particular, we evaluate the stopping power and the dynamical image potential for ions moving parallel to the nanotube axis. It is found that both quantities are profoundly affected by the increasing number of nanotube shells, as a consequence of the rich plasmon spectra developed due to the inter- and intra-shell electrostatic interactions between the electron systems.

title: Interactions of fast ions with carbon nanotubes: Self-energy and stopping power
abstract: The interactions of charged particles with carbon nanotubes are studied by means of the linearized hydrodynamic theory for electronic excitations on the nanotube surface. General expressions are derived for the induced potential, the self-energy, and the stopping power for a charged particle moving paraxially in a nanotube. Numerical results are obtained showing the influence of the damping factor, the nanotube radius, and the particle position on its self-energy and the stopping power. Results for stopping power in the linearized hydrodynamic model are compared with those obtained by means of the dielectric formalism in random-phase approximation, showing a close agreement between the two approaches for high speeds of charged particles.

title: Dynamic polarization effects in ion channeling through single-wall carbon nanotubes
abstract: Ion channeling through a single-wall carbon nanotube is simulated by solving Newton’s equations for ion motion at intermediate energies, under the action of both the surface-atom repulsive forces and the polarization forces due to the dynamic perturbation of the nanotube electrons. The atomic repulsion is described by a continuum potential based on the Thomas-Fermi-Moliere model, whereas the dynamic polarization of the nanotube electrons is described by a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model, giving rise to the transverse dynamic image force and the longitudinal stopping force. In the absence of centrifugal forces, a balance between the image force and the atomic repulsion is found to give rise to ion trajectories which oscillate over peripheral radial regions in the nanotube, provided the ion impact position is not too close to the nanotube wall, the impact angle is sufficiently small, and the incident speed is not too high. Otherwise, the ion is found to oscillate between the nanotube walls, passing over a local maximum of the potential in the center of the nanotube, which results from the image interaction. The full statistical analysis of 10 3 ion trajectories has been made to further demonstrate the actual effect of dynamic polarization on the ion channeling.

title: Coulomb explosions and stopping of molecular ions channeled through carbon nanotubes
abstract: We study Coulomb explosions of fast H{sub 2}{sup +} molecules under the channeling conditions through a single-wall carbon nanotube by solving the classical equations of motion for the fragment ions, involving both the repulsive continuum potential of the nanotube wall and the dynamically screened Coulomb repulsion between the two ions. Dynamic polarization of the nanotube electrons, described by a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model, gives rise to the correlated energy losses, a wakelike interaction between the fragment ions, as well as the dynamical image force on each ion. The explosion dynamics is dominated by the bare Coulomb repulsion and it mostly proceeds in the longitudinal direction, accompanied with the radially constrained oscillations of the fragment ions. Strong vicinage effects are found in both the molecule self-energy and its stopping power in the early stages of explosions, but they quickly diminish with the increasing dwell time in a manner which depends on the impact molecule speed and its axis orientation.

title: Multi-stream inflation
abstract: We propose a ``multi-stream'' inflation model, which is a double field model with spontaneous breaking and restoration of an approximate symmetry. We calculate the density perturbation and non-Gaussianity in this model. We find that this model can have large, scale dependent, and probably oscillating non-Gaussianity. We also note that our model can produce features in the CMB power spectrum and hemispherical power asymmetry.

title: Contribution of starburst mergers at z ∼ 1 to the strong evolution of infrared and submillimeter deep surveys
abstract: Recent far-infrared and submillimetre waveband observations revealed a large number of Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies (ULIGs) with infrared luminosities >10 L . These sources are proposed to lie at redshifts above one, and in normally interacting systems with very dusty environments. We discussed in a previous paper that a population with a fast evolving infrared burst phase triggered by gas-rich mergers at z ∼ 1 predicted successfully the steep slope of faint IRAS 60 μm source counts within the flux range of 100 mJy ∼ 1 Jy, still leaving the infrared background level at this wavelength compatible with the upper limit from recent high energy TeV γ ray detection of Mrk 501. To extend the model to mid and far infrared wavelengths, we adopt a reasonable template spectral energy distribution typical for nearby-infrared-bright starburst galaxies (Lir <= 10 12 L ), such as Arp 220. We construct the SED for the dusty starburst mergers at z ∼ 1 by a simple dust extinction law and a thermal continuum assumption for the far-infrared emission. Since the radiation process at mid-infrared for these starburst merging systems is still uncertain, we assume it is similar to the MIR continuum of Arp 220, but modify it by the observed flux correlation of ULIGs from IRAS and ISOCAM deep surveys. We show in this paper that the strong evolution of the European Large Area ISO Survey (ELAIS) at 90μm, ISO 170μm and the Submillimeter deep survey at 850μm could be sufficiently accounted for by such an evolutionary scenario, especially the hump of the ISOCAM 15μm source count around 0.4 mJy. From current best fit results, we find that the dust temperature of those extremely bright starburst merging system at z ∼ 1 would be higher than that of Arp 220 for a reconciliation of the multi-wavelength infrared deep surveys. We thus propose that the infrared burst phase of dusty starburst galaxies or AGNs from gas-rich mergers at z ∼ 1 could contribute significantly to the strong evolution of the IRAS 60μm, the ISO 15μm, 90μm, 170μm, as well as the SCUBA 850μm number counts, while being compatible with the current observational limits of the cosmic infrared background and the redshift distributions. The major difference of our current model prediction is that we see a fast convergence of the differential number counts at 60μm below 50 mJy, which is about a factor of two brighter than other model predictions. Future infrared satellites like Astro-F or SIRTF would give strong constraints to the models.

title: Determination of astrophysical 12N(p,g)13O reaction rate from the 2H(12N, 13O)n reaction and its astrophysical implications
abstract: The evolution of massive stars with very low-metallicities depends critically on the amount of CNO nuclides which they produce. The $^{12}$N($p$,\,$\gamma$)$^{13}$O reaction is an important branching point in the rap-processes, which are believed to be alternative paths to the slow 3$\alpha$ process for producing CNO seed nuclei and thus could change the fate of massive stars. In the present work, the angular distribution of the $^2$H($^{12}$N,\,$^{13}$O)$n$ proton transfer reaction at $E_{\mathrm{c.m.}}$ = 8.4 MeV has been measured for the first time. Based on the Johnson-Soper approach, the square of the asymptotic normalization coefficient (ANC) for the virtual decay of $^{13}$O$_\mathrm{g.s.}$ $\rightarrow$ $^{12}$N + $p$ was extracted to be 3.92 $\pm$ 1.47 fm$^{-1}$ from the measured angular distribution and utilized to compute the direct component in the $^{12}$N($p$,\,$\gamma$)$^{13}$O reaction. The direct astrophysical S-factor at zero energy was then found to be 0.39 $\pm$ 0.15 keV b. By considering the direct capture into the ground state of $^{13}$O, the resonant capture via the first excited state of $^{13}$O and their interference, we determined the total astrophysical S-factors and rates of the $^{12}$N($p$,\,$\gamma$)$^{13}$O reaction. The new rate is two orders of magnitude slower than that from the REACLIB compilation. Our reaction network calculations with the present rate imply that $^{12}$N($p,\,\gamma$)$^{13}$O will only compete successfully with the $\beta^+$ decay of $^{12}$N at higher ($\sim$two orders of magnitude) densities than initially predicted.

title: Predicting neutron production from cosmic-ray muons
abstract: Fast neutrons from cosmic-ray muons are an important background to underground low-energy experiments. The estimate of such a background is often hampered by the difficulty of measuring and calculating neutron production with sufficient accuracy. Indeed substantial disagreement exists between the different analytical calculations performed so far, while data reported by different experiments are not always consistent. We discuss a new unified approach to estimate the neutron yield, the energy spectrum, the multiplicity, and the angular distribution from cosmic muons using the Monte Carlo simulation package FLUKA and show that it gives a good description of most of the existing measurements once the appropriate corrections have been applied.

title: Revisiting generalized Chaplygin gas as a unified dark matter and dark energy model
abstract: In this paper, we revisit the generalized Chaplygin gas (GCG) model as a unified dark matter and dark energy model. The energy density of GCG model is given as ρGCG/ρGCG0=[Bs+(1−Bs)a−3(1+α)]1/(1+α), where α and Bs are two model parameters which will be constrained by type Ia supernova as standard candles, baryon acoustic oscillation as standard rulers and the seventh year full WMAP data points. In this paper, we will not separate GCG into dark matter and dark energy parts any more as adopted in the literature. By using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo method, we find the results $\alpha=0.00126_{-0.00126- 0.00126}^{+ 0.000970+ 0.00268}$ and $B_{s}= 0.775_{-0.0161- 0.0338}^{+ 0.0161+ 0.0307}$.