The Gaussian formula and spherical aberration of the static and moving curved mirrors from Fermat's principle

The Gaussian formula and spherical aberrations of the static and relativistic curved mirrors are analyzed using the optical path length (OPL) and Fermat's principle. The geometrical figures generated by the rotation of conic sections about their symmetry axes are considered for the shapes of the mirrors. By comparing the results in static and relativistic cases, it is shown that the focal lengths and the spherical aberration relations of the relativistic mirrors obey the Lorentz contraction. Further analysis of the spherical aberrations for both static and relativistic cases have resulted in the information about the limits for the paraxial approximation, as well as for the minimum speed of the systems to reduce the spherical aberrations.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, uses iopart. Major revisions on the physical interpretations of the results. Accepted for publication in J. Op

Phase lapses in transmission through interacting two-level quantum dots

We investigate the appearance of pi lapses in the transmission phase theta of a two-level quantum dot with Coulomb interaction U. Using the numerical and functional renormalization group methods we study the entire parameter space for spin-polarized as well as spin-degenerate dots, modeled by spinless or spinful electrons, respectively. We investigate the effect of finite temperatures T. For small T and sufficiently small single-particle spacings delta of the dot levels we find pi phase lapses between two transmission peaks in an overwhelming part of the parameter space of the level-lead couplings. For large delta the appearance or not of a phase lapse between resonances depends on the relative sign of the level-lead couplings in analogy to the U=0 case. We show that this generic scenario is the same for spin-polarized and spin-degenerate dots. We emphasize that in contrast to dots with more levels, for a two-level dot with small delta and generic dot-lead couplings (that is up to cases with special symmetry) the "universal" phase lapse behavior is already established at U=0. The most important effect of the Coulomb interaction is to increase the separation of the transmission resonances. The relation of the appearance of phase lapses to the inversion of the population of the dot levels is discussed. For the spin-polarized case and low temperatures we compare our results to recent mean-field studies. For small delta correlations are found to strongly alter the mean-field picture.Comment: submitted to NJ

Phenomenology of the Baryon Resonance 70-plet at Large N_c

We examine the multiplet structure and decay channels of baryon resonances in the large N_c QCD generalization of the N_c = 3 SU(6) spin-flavor 70. We show that this ``70'', while a construct of large N_c quark models, actually consists of five model-independent irreducible spin-flavor multiplets in the large N_c limit. The preferred decay modes for these resonances fundamentally depend upon which of the five multiplets to which the resonance belongs. For example, there exists an SU(3) ``8'' of resonances that is eta-philic and pi-phobic, and an ``8'' that is the reverse. Moreover, resonances with a strong SU(3) ``1'' component prefer to decay via a K-bar rather than via a pi. Remarkably, available data appears to bear out these conclusions.Comment: 26 pages, ReVTe

Observation of Brewster's effect for transverse-electric electromagnetic waves in metamaterials: Experiment and theory

We have experimentally realized Brewster's effect for transverse-electric waves with metamaterials. In dielectric media, Brewster's no-reflection effect arises only for transverse-magnetic waves. However, it has been theoretically predicted that Brewster's effect arises for TE waves under the condition that the relative permeability r is not equal to unity. We have designed an array of split-ring resonators as a metamaterial with mu_r 1 using a finite-difference time-domain method. The reflection measurements were carried out in a 3-GHz region and the disappearance of reflected waves at a particular incident angle was confirmed.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

The feeding and reproductive biology of a South African Anabandid fish Sandelia bainsii

#Sandelia bainsii est un prédateur euryphage opportuniste. Il atteint sa maturité sexuelle à deux ans et se reproduit plusieurs fois entre octobre et février. La saison de reproduction est étroitement liée aux augmentations de température et des précipitations et s'accompagne d'une augmentation de l'alimentation. Certains grands traits de la biologie de cette espèce sont comparables à celles d'autres #Anabandidae. (Résumé d'auteur

Mesoscopic to universal crossover of transmission phase of multi-level quantum dots

Transmission phase \alpha measurements of many-electron quantum dots (small mean level spacing \delta) revealed universal phase lapses by \pi between consecutive resonances. In contrast, for dots with only a few electrons (large \delta), the appearance or not of a phase lapse depends on the dot parameters. We show that a model of a multi-level quantum dot with local Coulomb interactions and arbitrary level-lead couplings reproduces the generic features of the observed behavior. The universal behavior of \alpha for small \delta follows from Fano-type antiresonances of the renormalized single-particle levels.Comment: 4 pages, version accepted for publication in PR

Development of sputtered techniques for thrust chambers

Techniques and materials were developed and evaluated for the fabrication and coating of advanced, long life, regeneratively cooled thrust chambers. Materials were analyzed as fillers for sputter application of OFHC copper as a closeout layer to channeled inner structures; of the materials evaluated, aluminum was found to provide the highest bond strength and to be the most desirable for chamber fabrication. The structures and properties were investigated of thick sputtered OFHC copper, 0.15 Zr-Cu, Al2O3,-Cu, and SiC-Cu. Layered structures of OFHC copper and 0.15 Zr-Cu were investigated as means of improving chamber inner wall fatigue life. The evaluation of sputtered Ti-5Al-2.5Sn, NASA IIb-11, aluminum and Al2O3-Al alloys as high strength chamber outer jackets was performed. Techniques for refurbishing degraded thrust chambers with OFHC copper and coating thrust chambers with protective ZrO2 and graded ZrO2-copper thermal barrier coatings were developed

Representation Theory Approach to the Polynomial Solutions of q - Difference Equations : U_q(sl(3)) and Beyond,

A new approach to the theory of polynomial solutions of q - difference equations is proposed. The approach is based on the representation theory of simple Lie algebras and their q - deformations and is presented here for U_q(sl(n)). First a q - difference realization of U_q(sl(n)) in terms of n(n-1)/2 commuting variables and depending on n-1 complex representation parameters r_i, is constructed. From this realization lowest weight modules (LWM) are obtained which are studied in detail for the case n=3 (the well known n=2 case is also recovered). All reducible LWM are found and the polynomial bases of their invariant irreducible subrepresentations are explicitly given. This also gives a classification of the quasi-exactly solvable operators in the present setting. The invariant subspaces are obtained as solutions of certain invariant q - difference equations, i.e., these are kernels of invariant q - difference operators, which are also explicitly given. Such operators were not used until now in the theory of polynomial solutions. Finally the states in all subrepresentations are depicted graphically via the so called Newton diagrams.Comment: uuencoded Z-compressed .tar file containing two ps files

Introduction and extinction of brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) in an impoverished subantarctic stream

Brown trout were introduced to the Van den Boogaard River on subantarctic Marion Island in 1964, and a small population became established. The last individual was seen in 1984, and the species is now considered to be extinct on the island. Their diet was exclusively allochthonous, with snails and spiders predominating. Ages estimated at six to eleven years showed that spawning must have occurred since the original introduction. Since the Van den Boogaard River enters the sea via a waterfall, it is postulated that trout were not able to practice an anadromous life-style, and that this, as well as other factors connected with the impoverished nature of the stream, led to dwarfing of the resident population. No further introductions of alien fish to Marion Island should be contemplated