Accurate Photometry of Saturated Stars Using the Point-spread-function Wing Technique with Spitzer

We report Spitzer 3.6 and 4.5 μm photometry of 11 bright stars relative to Sirius, exploiting the unique optical stability of the Spitzer Space Telescope point-spread function (PSF). Spitzer's extremely stable beryllium optics in its isothermal environment enables precise comparisons in the wings of the PSF from heavily saturated stars. These bright stars stand as the primary sample to improve stellar models, and to transfer the absolute flux calibration of bright standard stars to a sample of fainter standards useful for missions like JWST and for large ground-based telescopes. We demonstrate that better than 1% relative photometry can be achieved using the PSF wing technique in the radial range of 20″–100″ for stars that are fainter than Sirius by 8 mag (from outside the saturated core to a large radius where a high signal-to-noise ratio profile can still be obtained). We test our results by (1) comparing the [3.6]−[4.5] color with that expected between the WISE W1 and W2 bands, (2) comparing with stars where there is accurate K S photometry, and (3) also comparing with relative fluxes obtained with the DIRBE instrument on COBE. These tests confirm that relative photometry is achieved to better than 1%.

Optically reconfigurable quasi-phase-matching in silicon nitride microresonators

Quasi-phase-matching has long been a widely used approach in nonlinear photonics, enabling efficient parametric frequency conversions such as second-harmonic generation. However, in silicon photonics the task remains challenging, as materials best suited for photonic integration lack second-order susceptibility (χ(2)), and means for achieving momentum conservation are limited. Here we present optically reconfigurable quasi-phase-matching in large-radius silicon nitride microresonators, resulting in up to 12.5-mW on-chip second-harmonic generated power and a conversion efficiency of 47.6% W−1. Most importantly, we show that such all-optical poling can occur unconstrained from intermodal phase-matching, leading to broadly tunable second-harmonic generation. We confirm the phenomenon by two-photon imaging of the inscribed χ(2) grating structures within the microresonators as well as by in situ tracking of both the pump and second-harmonic mode resonances during all-optical poling. These results unambiguously establish that the photogalvanic effect, responsible for all-optical poling, can overcome phase mismatch constraints, even in resonant systems.

Achievements of Actively Controlled Divertor Detachment Compatible with Sustained High Confinement Core in DIII-D and EAST

The compatibility of efficient divertor detachment with high-performance core plasma is vital to the development of magnetically controlled fusion energy. The joint research on the EAST and DIII-D tokamaks demonstrates successful integration of divertor detachment with excellent core plasma confinement quality, a milestone towards solving the critical Plasma-wall-interaction (PWI) issue and core-edge integration for ITER and future reactors. In EAST, actively controlled partial detachment with Tet,div ~ 5 eV around the strike point and H98 > 1 in different H-mode scenarios including the high βP H-mode scenario have been achieved with ITER-like tungsten divertor, by optimizing the detachment access condition and performing detailed experiments for core-edge integration. For active long pulse detachment feedback control, a 30s H-mode operation with detachment-control duration being 25s has been successfully achieved in EAST. DIII-D has achieved actively controlled fully detached divertor with low plasma electron temperature (Tet,div ≤ 5 eV across the entire divertor target) and low particle flux (degree of detachment, DoD >3), simultaneously with very high core performance (βN ~3, βP >2 and H98~1.5) in the high βP scenario being developed for ITER and future reactors. The high-βP high confinement scenario is characterized by an internal transport barrier (ITB) at large radius and a weak edge transport barrier (ETB, or pedestal), which are synergistically self-organized. Both the high-βP scenario and impurity seeding facilitate divertor detachment. The detachment access leads to the reduction of ETB, which facilitates the development of an even stronger ITB at large radius in the high βP scenario. Thus, this strong large radius ITB enables the core confinement improvement during detachment. These significant joint DIII-D and EAST advances on the compatibility of high confinement core and detached divertor show a great potential for achieving a high-performance core plasma suitable for long pulse operation of fusion reactors with controllable steady-state PWIs.

Search for a heavy resonance decaying to a top quark and a W boson at $$ \sqrt{s} $$ = 13 TeV in the fully hadronic final state

A search for a heavy resonance decaying to a top quark and a W boson in the fully hadronic final state is presented. The analysis is performed using data from proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb−1 recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC. The search is focused on heavy resonances, where the decay products of each top quark or W boson are expected to be reconstructed as a single, large-radius jet with a distinct substructure. The production of an excited bottom quark, b*, is used as a benchmark when setting limits on the cross section for a heavy resonance decaying to a top quark and a W boson. The hypotheses of b* quarks with left-handed, right-handed, and vector-like chiralities are excluded at 95% confidence level for masses below 2.6, 2.8, and 3.1 TeV, respectively. These are the most stringent limits on the b* quark mass to date, extending the previous best limits by almost a factor of two.

A de-Sitter weak gravity conjecture

The study of de-Sitter Reissner–Nordstrøm black holes allows us to uncover a Weak Gravity Conjecture in de-Sitter space. It states that for a given mass [Formula: see text] there should be a state with a charge [Formula: see text] bigger than a minimal value [Formula: see text], depending on the mass and the de-Sitter radius [Formula: see text], in Planck units. This reproduces the well-known flat space–time result [Formula: see text] in the large radius limit (large [Formula: see text]). In the highly curved de-Sitter space, ([Formula: see text]) [Formula: see text] behaves as [Formula: see text]. Finally, we discuss the case of backgrounds from gauged R-symmetry in [Formula: see text] supergravity. This paper is based on [I. Antoniadis and K. Benakli, Fortsch. Phys. 68, 2000054 (2020), arXiv:2006.12512 [hep-th]].

Climbing parrots achieve pitch stability using forces and free moments produced by axial-appendicular couples

During vertical climbing, the gravitational moment tends to pitch the animal's head away from the climbing surface and this may be countered by 1) applying a correcting torque at a discrete contact point, or 2) applying opposing horizontal forces at separate contact points to produce a free moment. We tested these potential strategies in small parrots with an experimental climbing apparatus imitating the fine branches and vines of their natural habitat. The birds climbed on a vertical ladder with four instrumented rungs that measured three-dimensional force and torque, representing the first measurements of multiple contacts from a climbing bird. The parrots ascend primarily by pulling themselves upward using the beak and feet. They resist the gravitational pitching moment with a free moment produced by horizontal force couples between the beak and feet during the first third of the stride and the tail and feet during the last third of the stride. The reaction torque from individual rungs did not counter, but exacerbated the gravitational pitching moment, which was countered entirely by the free moment. Possible climbing limitations were explored using two different rung radii, each with low and high friction surfaces. Rung torque was limited in the large-radius, low-friction condition, however, rung condition did not significantly influence free moments produced. These findings have implications for our understanding of avian locomotor modules (i.e., coordinated actions of the head-neck, hindlimbs, and tail), the use of force couples in vertical locomotion, and the evolution of associated structures.

Influence of electron emission on operation of a constricted arc discharge in a pulsed forevacuum plasma-cathode electron source

The research of influence of electron emission and processes associated with the formation of a pulsed large-radius electron beam on operation of a constricted arc discharge, which forms emission plasma in a forevacuum plasma-cathode electron source, is presented. Processes, occurring in case of generation of the electron beam at forevacuum pressure range 3–20 Pa, provide lower operating voltage of the constricted arc discharge. The constricted arc voltage decreases with increasing pressure and increasing accelerating voltage. However, at pressure more than 15 Pa, the arc voltage decreases until a certain minimum value is reached, and then arc voltage is almost independent on pressure and accelerating voltage. This minimum value of the constricted arc voltage is on average 1.5–2 times higher as compared with voltage of the cathodic arc at the same discharge current. The observed decrease of operating voltage of the constricted arc is most likely caused by accelerated back-streaming ions, which move toward the emission electrode from beam-produced plasma. These accelerated ions partially penetrate into the hollow anode of discharge system through the mesh emission electrode and facilitate formation of the arc plasma, and thus provides lower voltage of the constricted arc.

Search for new particles in events with energetic jets and large missing transverse momentum in proton-proton collisions at $$ \sqrt{s} $$ = 13 TeV

A search is presented for new particles produced at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at $$ \sqrt{s} $$ s = 13 TeV, using events with energetic jets and large missing transverse momentum. The analysis is based on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 101 fb−1, collected in 2017–2018 with the CMS detector. Machine learning techniques are used to define separate categories for events with narrow jets from initial-state radiation and events with large-radius jets consistent with a hadronic decay of a W or Z boson. A statistical combination is made with an earlier search based on a data sample of 36 fb−1, collected in 2016. No significant excess of events is observed with respect to the standard model background expectation determined from control samples in data. The results are interpreted in terms of limits on the branching fraction of an invisible decay of the Higgs boson, as well as constraints on simplified models of dark matter, on first-generation scalar leptoquarks decaying to quarks and neutrinos, and on models with large extra dimensions. Several of the new limits, specifically for spin-1 dark matter mediators, pseudoscalar mediators, colored mediators, and leptoquarks, are the most restrictive to date.

Influence of accelerating gap configuration on parameters of a forevacuum plasma-cathode source of pulsed electron beam

The research of influence of accelerating gap configuration on parameters of a forevacuum plasma-cathode source of a pulsed low-energy (up to 10 keV) large-radius electron beam is presented. An increase in cell sizes of a mesh emission electrode increases electron emission efficiency, but leads to a decrease in electric strength of an accelerating gap. Larger cell sizes of a mesh extractor provide higher electron beam current. An increase in the length of the accelerating gap first leads to an increase in the electron emission efficiency, but when optimal value is reached, a further increase in the length leads to a decrease in the emission efficiency. This optimal length of the accelerating gap is about 25 mm. However, the electron emission efficiency changes relatively small (within 15%). The dependencies of maximum emission current and maximum operating gas pressure on the length of acceleration gap is similar to the dependence for the emission efficiency, but the gap length much stronger influences on these maximum values. Moreover, the optimal length, at which maximum emission current or maximum pressure is provided, is depended on gas pressure (for current) or emission current (for pressure), accelerating voltage and pulse duration.