Author(s): N. Paul et al.
The first measurement of the low-lying states of the neutron-rich ^{110}Zr and ^{112}Mo was performed via in-beam γ-ray spectroscopy after one proton removal on hydrogen at ∼200 MeV/nucleon. The 2_{1}^{+} excitation energies were found at 185(11) keV in ^{110}Zr, and 235(7) keV in ^{112}Mo, while t…
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 032501] Published Wed Jan 18, 2017
Holography of the Dirac Fluid in Graphene with Two Currents
Author(s): Yunseok Seo, Geunho Song, Philip Kim, Subir Sachdev, and Sang-Jin SinA holographic model is proposed for a strongly coupled Dirac fluid that describes graphene near charge neutrality.[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 036601] Published Wed Jan 18, 2017
Holography of the Dirac Fluid in Graphene with Two Currents
Author(s): Yunseok Seo, Geunho Song, Philip Kim, Subir Sachdev, and Sang-Jin SinA holographic model is proposed for a strongly coupled Dirac fluid that describes graphene near charge neutrality.[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 036601] Published Wed Jan 18, 2017
Interaction of Ultraintense Laser Vortices with Plasma Mirrors
Author(s): A. Denoeud, L. Chopineau, A. Leblanc, and F. Quéré
Laser vortex beams can exchange their optical angular momentum with a plasma from which they are reflected.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 033902] Published Wed Jan 18, 2017
Interaction of Ultraintense Laser Vortices with Plasma Mirrors
Author(s): A. Denoeud, L. Chopineau, A. Leblanc, and F. Quéré
Laser vortex beams can exchange their optical angular momentum with a plasma from which they are reflected.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 033902] Published Wed Jan 18, 2017
Discrete Time Crystals: Rigidity, Criticality, and Realizations
Author(s): N. Y. Yao, A. C. Potter, I.-D. Potirniche, and A. Vishwanath
A detailed theoretical recipe for making time crystals has been unveiled and swiftly implemented by two groups using vastly different experimental systems.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 030401] Published Wed Jan 18, 2017
Discrete Time Crystals: Rigidity, Criticality, and Realizations
Author(s): N. Y. Yao, A. C. Potter, I.-D. Potirniche, and A. Vishwanath
A detailed theoretical recipe for making time crystals has been unveiled and swiftly implemented by two groups using vastly different experimental systems.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 030401] Published Wed Jan 18, 2017
#Sentinel2Go launch
Be a part of Europe’s Earth observation revolution: apply to join top Earth experts at the Sentinel launch SocialSpace on 6–7 March in Darmstadt, Germany
#Sentinel2Go launch
Be a part of Europe’s Earth observation revolution: apply to join top Earth experts at the Sentinel launch SocialSpace on 6–7 March in Darmstadt, Germany
Is the multiverse physics, philosophy, or something else entirely?
The many universes interpretation could settle some lingering questions in physics. That is, if it’s correct at all.
Researchers have peered through pulsar winds
The Chandra X-ray Observatory is giving astronomers a new look at the geometry of pulsars to explain why observations often differ from object to object.
This study shows Earth may have harbored complex life 2 billion years ago
And how selenium could expand the search of extraterrestrial life
SmallGEO briefing replay
Replay of SmallGEO media briefing, 18 January at ESA HQ, with ESA DG, Director of Telecommunications Magali Vaissiere, and the SmallGEO first flight partners
SmallGEO briefing replay
Replay of SmallGEO media briefing, 18 January at ESA HQ, with ESA DG, Director of Telecommunications Magali Vaissiere, and the SmallGEO first flight partners
DG media briefing
Replay of ESA Director General Jan Woerner’s media briefing at ESA Headquarters in Paris, 18 January
DG media briefing
Replay of ESA Director General Jan Woerner’s media briefing at ESA Headquarters in Paris, 18 January
Seizing the future
Technology image of the week: ESA’s e.Deorbit mission will be the world’s first space debris removal mission
Mars Rover Curiosity Examines Possible Mud Cracks
Scientists used NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover in recent weeks to examine slabs of rock cross-hatched with shallow ridges that likely originated as cracks in drying mud.
Mars Rover Curiosity Examines Possible Mud Cracks
Scientists used NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover in recent weeks to examine slabs of rock cross-hatched with shallow ridges that likely originated as cracks in drying mud.
Phononic Frequency Comb via Intrinsic Three-Wave Mixing
Author(s): Adarsh Ganesan, Cuong Do, and Ashwin Seshia
A micromechanical device generates a series of precise, equally spaced vibration frequencies, analogous to the light of the “optical frequency comb,” which has dramatically improved precision measurements.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 033903] Published Tue Jan 17, 2017
Efficient Electrical Spin Readout of NV^{−} Centers in Diamond
Author(s): Florian M. Hrubesch, Georg Braunbeck, Martin Stutzmann, Friedemann Reinhard, and Martin S. BrandtEnhanced readout contrast is achieved for the magnetic resonance of nitrogen-vacancy center spins in diamond using a new pulsed detection approa…
Efficient Electrical Spin Readout of NV^{−} Centers in Diamond
Author(s): Florian M. Hrubesch, Georg Braunbeck, Martin Stutzmann, Friedemann Reinhard, and Martin S. BrandtEnhanced readout contrast is achieved for the magnetic resonance of nitrogen-vacancy center spins in diamond using a new pulsed detection approa…
Phononic Frequency Comb via Intrinsic Three-Wave Mixing
Author(s): Adarsh Ganesan, Cuong Do, and Ashwin Seshia
A micromechanical device generates a series of precise, equally spaced vibration frequencies, analogous to the light of the “optical frequency comb,” which has dramatically improved precision measurements.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 033903] Published Tue Jan 17, 2017
Holding on
Human spaceflight and robotic exploration image of the week: Thomas Pesquet spacewalk
New observations of FO Aquarii reveal strange behavior within this cannibalistic binary system
Astronomers thought they knew everything they needed to know about this famous binary star system — but they were wrong.
SmallGEO briefing
Watch the SmallGEO media briefing on Wednesday 18 January at ESA Headquarters, from 11:30 CET
Bulge in Venus’ atmosphere likely caused by gravity waves
A massive, bow-shaped wave was spotted for the first time in the highest regions of Venus’ atmosphere, perplexing astronomers.
The structure was captured by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in some of the first images returned by th…
Gene Cernan, the last man to walk on the Moon, dies at 82
Cernan was a Gemini astronaut who flew two Apollo missions who bid the Moon farewell in 1972.
NASA Has the Asteroid Protection Plan, But Where’s the Money?
Asteroid impacts have the distinction of being one of the few sci-fi concepts that will definitely happen at some point. But despite the clear and present (although potentially far off) danger of getting smacked by an asteroid, we’ve devoted few …
Moon Express raised enough funds for trip to the Moon
The stars have aligned for the American Google Lunar X Prize team
Daily Sun
Space Science Image of the Week: An image a day of the Sun, taken by the Proba-2 satellite throughout 2016
Pulsejet engine dynamics in vertical motion using momentum conservation
The momentum conservation law is applied to analyse the dynamics of a pulsejet engine in vertical
motion in a uniform gravitational field in the absence of friction. The model predicts the existence
of a terminal speed given the frequency of the shor…
Modelling the dynamics of a hypothetical Planet X by way of gravitational N-body simulator
This paper describes a novel activity to model the dynamics of a Jupiter-mass, trans-Neptunian
planet of a highly eccentric orbit. Despite a history rooted in modern astronomy, ‘Planet X’, a
hypothesised hidden planet lurking in our outer Solar S…
Stokes’ and Lamb’s viscous drag laws
Since Galileo used his pulse to measure the time period of a swinging chandelier in the 17th
century, pendulums have fascinated scientists. It was not until Stokes’ (1851 Camb. Phil. Soc. 9
8–106) (whose interest was spurred by the pendulur time p…
Teaching the Doppler effect in astrophysics
The Doppler effect is a shift in the frequency of waves emitted from an object moving relative to
the observer. By observing and analysing the Doppler shift in electromagnetic waves from
astronomical objects, astronomers gain greater insight into the…
Kelvin transformation and inverse multipoles in electrostatics
The inversion in the sphere or Kelvin transformation, which exchanges the radial coordinate for its
inverse, is used as a guide to relate distinct electrostatic problems with dual features. The exact
solution of some nontrivial problems are obtained …
Teaching hands-on geophysics: examples from the Rū seismic network in New Zealand
Education in physics and geosciences can be effectively illustrated by the analysis of earthquakes
and the subsequent propagation of seismic waves in the Earth. Educational seismology has matured to
a level where both the hard- and software are robus…
Variational symmetries as the existence of ignorable coordinates
It is shown that given a Lagrangian for a system with a finite number of degrees of freedom, the
existence of a variational symmetry is equivalent to the existence of coordinates in the extended
configuration space such that one of the coordinates is…
An apparent paradox concerning the field of an ideal dipole
The electric or magnetic field of an ideal dipole is known to have a Dirac delta function at the
origin. The usual textbook derivation of this delta function is rather ad hoc and cannot be used to
calculate the delta-function structure for higher mul…
Variational symmetries as the existence of ignorable coordinates
It is shown that given a Lagrangian for a system with a finite number of degrees of freedom, the
existence of a variational symmetry is equivalent to the existence of coordinates in the extended
configuration space such that one of the coordinates is…
Pulsejet engine dynamics in vertical motion using momentum conservation
The momentum conservation law is applied to analyse the dynamics of a pulsejet engine in vertical
motion in a uniform gravitational field in the absence of friction. The model predicts the existence
of a terminal speed given the frequency of the shor…
Teaching hands-on geophysics: examples from the Rū seismic network in New Zealand
Education in physics and geosciences can be effectively illustrated by the analysis of earthquakes
and the subsequent propagation of seismic waves in the Earth. Educational seismology has matured to
a level where both the hard- and software are robus…
Combinatorics in tensor-integral reduction
We illustrate a rigorous approach to express the totally symmetric isotropic tensors of arbitrary
rank in the n -dimensional Euclidean space as a linear combination of products of Kronecker deltas.
By making full use of the symmetries, one can greatl…
Teaching the Doppler effect in astrophysics
The Doppler effect is a shift in the frequency of waves emitted from an object moving relative to
the observer. By observing and analysing the Doppler shift in electromagnetic waves from
astronomical objects, astronomers gain greater insight into the…
An apparent paradox concerning the field of an ideal dipole
The electric or magnetic field of an ideal dipole is known to have a Dirac delta function at the
origin. The usual textbook derivation of this delta function is rather ad hoc and cannot be used to
calculate the delta-function structure for higher mul…
Modelling the dynamics of a hypothetical Planet X by way of gravitational N-body simulator
This paper describes a novel activity to model the dynamics of a Jupiter-mass, trans-Neptunian
planet of a highly eccentric orbit. Despite a history rooted in modern astronomy, ‘Planet X’, a
hypothesised hidden planet lurking in our outer Solar S…
Stokes’ and Lamb’s viscous drag laws
Since Galileo used his pulse to measure the time period of a swinging chandelier in the 17th
century, pendulums have fascinated scientists. It was not until Stokes’ (1851 Camb. Phil. Soc. 9
8–106) (whose interest was spurred by the pendulur time p…
Kelvin transformation and inverse multipoles in electrostatics
The inversion in the sphere or Kelvin transformation, which exchanges the radial coordinate for its
inverse, is used as a guide to relate distinct electrostatic problems with dual features. The exact
solution of some nontrivial problems are obtained …
DG media briefing
ESA Director General Jan Woerner meets the media on 18 January at ESA Headquarters in Paris. Streaming starts at 09:00 CET
Space sortie
Thomas Pesquet and Shane Kimbrough’s spacewalk in pictures
Rolling on the (Atmospheric) River
A series of atmospheric rivers that brought drought-relieving rain, snow and flooding to California this week is highlighted in a new movie created with NASA satellite data.
Rolling on the (Atmospheric) River
A series of atmospheric rivers that brought drought-relieving rain, snow and flooding to California this week is highlighted in a new movie created with NASA satellite data.
Catching Cassini’s call
This week, ESA deep-space radio dishes on two continents are listening for signals from the international Cassini spacecraft, now on its final tour of Saturn.
Catching Cassini’s call
This week, ESA deep-space radio dishes on two continents are listening for signals from the international Cassini spacecraft, now on its final tour of Saturn.
Spectrum of Wind Power Fluctuations
Author(s): M. M. Bandi
A turbulence-based model of wind variations explains observed fluctuations in the power output from wind turbines.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 028301] Published Fri Jan 13, 2017
Spectrum of Wind Power Fluctuations
Author(s): M. M. Bandi
A turbulence-based model of wind variations explains observed fluctuations in the power output from wind turbines.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 028301] Published Fri Jan 13, 2017
Week In Images
Our week through the lens: 9-13 January 2017
This video recaps the stellar landing of Huygens on Titan
In 2005, ESA did something no craft had ever done before … land on an alien moon.
NASA Plans Another Busy Year for Earth Science Fieldwork
NASA scientists are crisscrossing the globe in 2017 to investigate critical science questions about how our planet is changing and what impacts humans are having on it.
NASA Plans Another Busy Year for Earth Science Fieldwork
NASA scientists are crisscrossing the globe in 2017 to investigate critical science questions about how our planet is changing and what impacts humans are having on it.
Metabolic Trade-Offs Promote Diversity in a Model Ecosystem
Author(s): Anna Posfai, Thibaud Taillefumier, and Ned S. WingreenA new ecosystem model, which accounts for metabolic trade-offs between coexisting species, shows that population diversity can increase even when species compete for the same limited nutr…
Quasiphase Transition in a Single File of Water Molecules Encapsulated in (6,5) Carbon Nanotubes Observed by Temperature-Dependent Photoluminescence Spectroscopy
Author(s): Xuedan Ma, Sofie Cambré, Wim Wenseleers, Stephen K. Doorn, and Han Htoon
A temperature induced phase transition occurs in water molecules packed single-file inside a carbon nanotube, as shown by photoluminescence measurements and first-principles calculations.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 027402] Published Thu Jan 12, 2017
Metabolic Trade-Offs Promote Diversity in a Model Ecosystem
Author(s): Anna Posfai, Thibaud Taillefumier, and Ned S. WingreenA new ecosystem model, which accounts for metabolic trade-offs between coexisting species, shows that population diversity can increase even when species compete for the same limited nutr…
Quasiphase Transition in a Single File of Water Molecules Encapsulated in (6,5) Carbon Nanotubes Observed by Temperature-Dependent Photoluminescence Spectroscopy
Author(s): Xuedan Ma, Sofie Cambré, Wim Wenseleers, Stephen K. Doorn, and Han Htoon
A temperature induced phase transition occurs in water molecules packed single-file inside a carbon nanotube, as shown by photoluminescence measurements and first-principles calculations.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 027402] Published Thu Jan 12, 2017
Earth from Space
Join us Friday, 13 January, at 10:00 CET for the ‘Earth from Space’ video programme. This week we explore Saint Petersburg and the Neva Bay
Sentinel-2B launch preparations off to a flying start
Some of us may be easing ourselves gently into the New Year, but for the team readying Sentinel-2B for liftoff on 7 March it’s full steam ahead.
Sentinel-2B launch preparations off to a flying start
Some of us may be easing ourselves gently into the New Year, but for the team readying Sentinel-2B for liftoff on 7 March it’s full steam ahead.
Training up
Operations image of the week: Sentinel-2 mission controllers begin the year with intensive training for the March launch
Caltech’s newest instrument will untangle the cosmic web with new imaging capabilities
The best instrument in the world for studying the spectra of astronomical objects has just been shipped to its Hawaiian home.
The Moon is much older than everyone thought
Somewhere between 40 million and 140 million years older, to be exact.
Are there volcanoes on comets?
Explosive research says there may be cryovolcanism on cometary bodies.
Huygens: ‘Ground Truth’ From an Alien Moon
The 2005 descent of ESA’s Huygens probe to Saturn’s moon Titan remains a major milestone in solar system exploration.
Cassini-Huygens: ‘Ground Truth’ from Alien Moon Titan
The 2005 descent of ESA’s Huygens probe to Saturn’s moon Titan remains a major milestone in solar system exploration.
Dark Energy from Violation of Energy Conservation
Author(s): Thibaut Josset, Alejandro Perez, and Daniel SudarskyA theoretical analysis suggests that quantum mechanical violations of energy conservation may arise in some proposed models of quantum gravity. If realized in nature, these violations could…
Observation of J/ψϕ Structures Consistent with Exotic States from Amplitude Analysis of B^{+} →J/ψϕK^{+} Decays
Author(s): R. Aaij et al. (LHCb Collaboration)The LHCb collaboration has identified four new structures in B+ decays that are likely to be tetraquark states. These tetraquark systems contain neither of the light u and d quarks.[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 02…
Results from a Search for Dark Matter in the Complete LUX Exposure
Author(s): D. S. Akerib et al. (LUX Collaboration)
No dark matter particles have been observed by two of the world’s most sensitive direct-detection experiments, casting doubt on a favored dark matter model.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 021303] Published Wed Jan 11, 2017
Two-Photon X-Ray Diffraction
Author(s): J. Stöhr
Conventional diffraction theory is predicted to break down for x-rays when spontaneous scattering is replaced by stimulated scattering by a thin film source. The stimulated diffraction pattern generated by the cooperative interaction of two coherent, unentangled photons results in self-focussing beyond the diffraction limit.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 024801] Published Wed Jan 11, 2017
Observation of J/ψϕ Structures Consistent with Exotic States from Amplitude Analysis of B^{+} →J/ψϕK^{+} Decays
Author(s): R. Aaij et al. (LHCb Collaboration)The LHCb collaboration has identified four new structures in B+ decays that are likely to be tetraquark states. Two of these tetraquark systems contain neither of the light u and d quarks.[Phys. Rev. Lett. …
Two-Photon X-Ray Diffraction
Author(s): J. Stöhr
Conventional diffraction theory is predicted to break down for x-rays when spontaneous scattering is replaced by stimulated scattering by a thin film source. The stimulated diffraction pattern generated by the cooperative interaction of two coherent, unentangled photons results in self-focussing beyond the diffraction limit.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 024801] Published Wed Jan 11, 2017
Results from a Search for Dark Matter in the Complete LUX Exposure
Author(s): D. S. Akerib et al. (LUX Collaboration)
No dark matter particles have been observed by two of the world’s most sensitive direct-detection experiments, casting doubt on a favored dark matter model.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 021303] Published Wed Jan 11, 2017
Dark Energy from Violation of Energy Conservation
Author(s): Thibaut Josset, Alejandro Perez, and Daniel SudarskyA theoretical analysis suggests that quantum mechanical violations of energy conservation may arise in some proposed models of quantum gravity. If realized in nature, these violations could…
Astronomers uncover the hidden struggles of photons in distant galaxies
A new detection of huge, faint halos of photons around young galaxies could tell us more about the formation of the Milky Way.
The Milky Way may have stolen stars from another galaxy
At the outer rims of our galaxy lie a few truly alien stars
Live: Proxima spacewalk
Watch ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet and NASA’s Shane Kimbrough’s spacewalk to upgrade the Space Station’s power system
Weather watchtower
Technology image of the week: the towering payload module of MetOp-C, Europe’s next weather satellite, arrives at ESA’s technical heart
Caravan on ice
Human spaceflight and robotic exploration image of the week: delivering supplies in Antarctica
Biochemical Machines for the Interconversion of Mutual Information and Work
Author(s): Thomas McGrath, Nick S. Jones, Pieter Rein ten Wolde, and Thomas E. OuldridgeAn enzyme in a chemical bath can act as an autonomous biochemical device that exploits information to do work.[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 028101] Published Tue Jan 10, 2017
Relativistic Coupled Cluster Calculations with Variational Quantum Electrodynamics Resolve the Discrepancy between Experiment and Theory Concerning the Electron Affinity and Ionization Potential of Gold
Author(s): L. F. Pašteka, E. Eliav, A. Borschevsky, U. Kaldor, and P. Schwerdtfeger
A long-standing discrepancy between experiments and theory concerning the electronic properties of gold has now been resolved.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 023002] Published Tue Jan 10, 2017
Biochemical Machines for the Interconversion of Mutual Information and Work
Author(s): Thomas McGrath, Nick S. Jones, Pieter Rein ten Wolde, and Thomas E. OuldridgeAn enzyme in a chemical bath can act as an autonomous biochemical device that exploits information to do work.[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 028101] Published Tue Jan 10, 2017
Relativistic Coupled Cluster Calculations with Variational Quantum Electrodynamics Resolve the Discrepancy between Experiment and Theory Concerning the Electron Affinity and Ionization Potential of Gold
Author(s): L. F. Pašteka, E. Eliav, A. Borschevsky, U. Kaldor, and P. Schwerdtfeger
A long-standing discrepancy between experiments and theory concerning the electronic properties of gold has now been resolved.
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 023002] Published Tue Jan 10, 2017
This small star may be dimming because it ate a Jupiter-sized planet
RZ Piscium appears both young and old at once. The reason may be a violent event leaving a trail of doom.
The inside story of “Hidden Figures”
From pre-NASA days to Apollo, the struggles of black women in the early space program rarely came to light. Until now.
New images from Mars orbiter show the Earth and Moon
What it’s like seeing our home planet from the red planet
Asteroid sleuths go back to the future
Careful sleuthing through decade-old images has enabled ESA’s asteroid team to decide that a newly discovered space rock poses little threat of hitting Earth any time soon.
Asteroid sleuths go back to the future
Careful sleuthing through decade-old images has enabled ESA’s asteroid team to decide that a newly discovered space rock poses little threat of hitting Earth any time soon.
Channeling of Branched Flow in Weakly Scattering Anisotropic Media
Author(s): Henri Degueldre, Jakob J. Metzger, Erik Schultheis, and Ragnar FleischmannA theoretical analysis of wave propagation through anisotropic media shows unexpected collective effects occur.[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 024301] Published Mon Jan 09, 2017
Channeling of Branched Flow in Weakly Scattering Anisotropic Media
Author(s): Henri Degueldre, Jakob J. Metzger, Erik Schultheis, and Ragnar FleischmannA theoretical analysis of wave propagation through anisotropic media shows unexpected collective effects occur.[Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 024301] Published Mon Jan 09, 2017
An asteroid swooped right between the Earth and the moon today
The newly discovered asteroid came within half the distance from the Earth to the Moon
ESO and the Breakthrough Initiatives team up to search for extrasolar planets next door
A new partnership will increase the sensitivity of the VLT so it can look more closely at the Sun’s closest stellar neighbors, paving the way for a potential future flyby.
How colleagues remember astrophysics pioneer Vera Rubin
She was a pioneer in the study of dark matter. But just as much, she was an inspiration in pushing through entrenched sexism in the sciences.