arXiv subjects

J. A. Rodriguez

Publications and source records attributed to J. A. Rodriguez.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2021

Galactic Extinction: How Many Novae Does it Hide and How Does it Affect the Galactic Nova Rate?

There is a longstanding discrepancy between the observed Galactic classical nova rate of $\sim 10$ yr$^{-1}$ and the predicted rate from Galactic models of $\sim 30$--50 yr$^{-1}$. One explanation for this discrepancy is that many novae are hidden by interstellar extinction, but the degree to which dust can obscure novae is poorly constrained. We use newly available all-sky three-dimensional dust maps to compare the brightness and spatial distribution of known novae to that predicted from relatively simple models in which novae trace Galactic stellar mass. We find that only half ($\sim 48$\%) of novae are expected to be easily detectable ($g \lesssim 15$) with current all-sky optical surveys such as the All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN). This fraction is much lower than previously estimated, showing that dust does substantially affect nova detection in the optical. By comparing complementary survey results from ASAS-SN, OGLE-IV, and the Palomar Gattini IR-survey in the context of our modeling, we find a tentative Galactic nova rate of $\sim 40$ yr$^{-1}$, though this could decrease to as low as $\sim 30$ yr$^{-1}$ depending on the assumed distribution of novae within the Galaxy. These preliminary estimates will be improved in future work through more sophisticated modeling of nova detection in ASAS-SN and other surveys.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2020

Monopolar and dipolar relaxation in spin ice Ho$_2$Ti$_2$O$_7$

When degenerate states are separated by large energy barriers, the approach to thermal equilibrium can be slow enough that physical properties are defined by the thermalization process rather than the equilibrium. The exploration of thermalization pushes experimental boundaries and provides refreshing insights into atomic scale correlations and processes that impact steady state dynamics and prospects for realizing solid state quantum entanglement. We present a comprehensive study of magnetic relaxation in Ho$_2$Ti$_2$O$_7$ based on frequency-dependent susceptibility measurements and neutron diffraction studies of the real-time atomic-scale response to field quenches. Covering nearly ten decades in time scales, these experiments uncover two distinct relaxation processes that dominate in different temperature regimes. At low temperatures (0.6K<T<1K) magnetic relaxation is associated with monopole motion along the applied field direction through the spin-ice vacuum. The increase of the relaxation time upon cooling indicates reduced monopole conductivity driven by decreasing monopole concentration and mobility as in a semiconductor. At higher temperatures (1K<T<2K) magnetic relaxation is associated with the reorientation of monopolar bound states as the system approaches the single-spin tunneling regime. Spin fractionalization is thus directly exposed in the relaxation dynamics.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2020

The observation of vibrating pear shapes in radon nuclei: update

There is a large body of evidence that atomic nuclei can undergo octupole distortion and assume the shape of a pear. This phenomenon is important for measurements of electric-dipole moments of atoms, which would indicate CP violation and hence probe physics beyond the standard model of particle physics. Isotopes of both radon and radium have been identified as candidates for such measurements. Here, we have observed the low-lying quantum states in $^{224}$Rn and $^{226}$Rn by accelerating beams of these radioactive nuclei. We report here additional states not assigned in our 2019 publication. We show that radon isotopes undergo octupole vibrations but do not possess static pear-shapes in their ground states. We conclude that radon atoms provide less favourable conditions for the enhancement of a measurable atomic electric-dipole moment.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2020

Evolution of Octupole Deformation in Radium Nuclei from Coulomb Excitation of Radioactive $^{222}$Ra and $^{228}$Ra Beams

There is sparse direct experimental evidence that atomic nuclei can exhibit stable pear shapes arising from strong octupole correlations. In order to investigate the nature of octupole collectivity in radium isotopes, electric octupole ($E3$) matrix elements have been determined for transitions in $^{222,228}$Ra nuclei using the method of sub-barrier, multi-step Coulomb excitation. Beams of the radioactive radium isotopes were provided by the HIE-ISOLDE facility at CERN. The observed pattern of $E$3 matrix elements for different nuclear transitions is explained by describing $^{222}$Ra as pear-shaped with stable octupole deformation, while $^{228}$Ra behaves like an octupole vibrator.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2014

Novel technique for constraining r-process (n,$γ$) reaction rates

A novel technique has been developed, which will open exciting new opportunities for studying the very neutron-rich nuclei involved in the r-process. As a proof-of-principle, the $γ$-spectra from the $β$-decay of $^{76}$Ga have been measured with the SuN detector at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory. The nuclear level density and $γ$-ray strength function are extracted and used as input to Hauser-Feshbach calculations. The present technique is shown to strongly constrain the $^{75}$Ge($n,γ$)$^{76}$Ge cross section and reaction rate.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2013

Muon diffusion and electronic magnetism in Y$_2$Ti$_2$O$_7$

We report a $μ$SR study in a Y$_2$Ti$_2$O$_7$ single crystal. We observe slow local field fluctuations at low temperature which become faster as the temperature is increased. Our analysis suggests that muon diffusion is present in this system and becomes small below 40 K and therefore incoherent. A surprisingly strong electronic magnetic signal is observed with features typical for muons thermally diffusing towards magnetic traps below $\approx 100$ K and released from them above this temperature. We attribute the traps to Ti$^{3+}$ defects in the diluted limit. Our observations are highly relevant to the persistent spin dynamics debate on $R_2$Ti$_2$O$_7$ pyrochlores and their crystal quality.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2012

Vibrating-coil magnetometry of the spin liquid properties of Tb2Ti2O7

We have explored the spin liquid state in Tb2Ti2O7 with vibrating coil magnetometry down to 0.04 K under magnetic fields up to 5 T. We observe magnetic history dependence below $T < 0.2$K reminiscent of the classical spin ice systems Ho2Ti2O7 and Dy2Ti2O7. The magnetic phase diagram inferred from the magnetization is essentially isotropic, without evidence of magnetization plateaux as anticipated for so-called quantum spin ice, predicted theoretically for [111] when quantum fluctuations renormalize the interactions. Instead, the magnetization for $T \ll T*$ agrees semi-quantitatively with the predictions of "all-in/all-out" (AIAO) antiferromagnetism. Taken together this suggests that the spin liquid state in Tb2Ti2O7 is akin to an incipient AIAO-antiferromagnet.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2011

Absence of static magnetic order in lightly-doped Ti1-xScxOCl down to 1.7 K

Impurity-induced magnetic order has been observed in many quasi-1D systems including doped variants of the spin-Peierls system CuGeO3. TiOCl is another quasi-1D quantum magnet with a spin-Peierls ground state, and the magnetic Ti sites of this system can be doped with non-magnetic Sc. To investigate the role of non-magnetic impurities in this system, we have performed both zero field and longitudinal field muSR experiments on polycrystalline Ti1-xScxOCl samples with x = 0, 0.01, and 0.03. We verified that TiOCl has a non-magnetic ground state, and we found no evidence for spin freezing or magnetic ordering in the lightly-doped Sc samples down to 1.7 K. Our results instead suggest that these systems remain non-magnetic up to the x = 0.03 Sc doping level.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2010

From (pi, 0) magnetic order to superconductivity with (pi, pi) magnetic resonance in Fe1.02(Te1-xSex)

The iron chalcogenide Fe1+y(Te1-xSex) is structurally the simplest of the Fe-based superconductors. Although the Fermi surface is similar to iron pnictides, the parent compound Fe1+yTe exhibits antiferromagnetic order with in-plane magnetic wave-vector (pi, 0). This contrasts the pnictide parent compounds where the magnetic order has an in-plane magnetic wave-vector (pi, pi) that connects hole and electron parts of the Fermi surface. Despite these differences, both the pnictide and chalcogenide Fe-superconductors exhibit superconducting spin resonances around (pi, pi), suggesting a common symmetry for their superconducting order parameter. A central question in this burgeoning field is therefore how (pi, pi) superconductivity can emerge from a (pi, 0) magnetic instability. Here, we report that the magnetic soft mode evolving from the (pi, 0)-type magnetic long-range order is associated with weak charge carrier localization. Bulk superconductivity occurs only as the magnetic mode at (pi, pi) becomes dominant upon doping. Our results suggest a common magnetic origin for superconductivity in iron chalcogenide and pnictide superconductors.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2010

Global defensive k-alliances in graphs

Let $Γ=(V,E)$ be a simple graph. For a nonempty set $X\subseteq V$, and a vertex $v\in V$, $δ_{X}(v)$ denotes the number of neighbors $v$ has in $X$. A nonempty set $S\subseteq V$ is a \emph{defensive $k$-alliance} in $Γ=(V,E)$ if $δ_S(v)\ge δ_{\bar{S}}(v)+k,$ $\forall v\in S.$ A defensive $k$-alliance $S$ is called \emph{global} if it forms a dominating set. The \emph{global defensive $k$-alliance number} of $Γ$, denoted by $γ_{k}^{a}(Γ)$, is the minimum cardinality of a defensive $k$-alliance in $Γ$. We study the mathematical properties of $γ_{k}^{a}(Γ)$.

math.CO↗

arXiv2009

Muon Spin Rotation Measurements of Heterogeneous Field Response in Overdoped La2-xSrxCuO4

Transverse-field muon spin rotation measurements of overdoped La2-xSrxCuO4 reveal a large broadening of the local magnetic field distribution in response to applied field, persisting to high temperatures. The field-response is approximately Curie-Weiss like in temperature and is largest for the highest doping investigated. Such behaviour is contrary to the canonical Fermi-liquid picture commonly associated with the overdoped cuprates and implies extensive heterogeneity in this region of the phase diagram. A possible explanation for the result lies in regions of staggered magnetization about dopant cations, analogous to what is argued to exist in underdoped systems.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

$μ$SR studies of the frustrated quasi-2d square-lattice spin system Cu(Cl,Br)La(Nb,Ta)$_{2}$O$_{7}$: evolution from spin-gap to antiferromagnetic state

We report muon spin relaxation ($μ$SR) and magnetic susceptibility measurements on Cu(Cl,Br)La(Nb,Ta)$_{2}$O$_{7}$, which demonstrate: (a) the absence of static magnetism in (CuCl)LaNb$_{2}$O$_{7}$ down to 15 mK confirming a spin-gapped ground state; (b) phase separation between partial volumes with a spin-gap and static magnetism in (CuCl)La(Nb,Ta)$_{2}$O$_{7}$; (c) history-dependent magnetization in the (Nb,Ta) and (Cl,Br) substitution systems; (d) a uniform long-range collinear antiferromagnetic state in (CuBr)LaNb$_{2}$O$_{7}$; and (e) a decrease of Néel temperature with decreasing Br concentration $x$ in Cu(Cl$_{1-x}$Br$_{x}$)LaNb$_{2}$O$_{7}$ with no change in the ordered Cu moment size for $0.33 \leq x \leq 1$. Together with several other $μ$SR studies of quantum phase transitions in geometrically-frustrated spin systems, the present results reveal that the evolution from a spin-gap to a magnetically ordered state is often associated with phase separation and/or a first order phase transition.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2008

MuSR studies of RE(O,F)FeAs (RE = La, Nd, Ce) and LaOFeP systems: possible incommensurate/stripe magnetism and superfluid density

Muon spin relaxation (MuSR) measurements in iron oxy-pnictide systems have revealed: (1) commensurate long-range order in undoped LaOFeAs; (2) Bessel function line shape in La(O0.97F0.03)FeAs which indicates possible incommensurate or stripe magnetism; (3) anomalous weak magnetism existing in superconducting LaOFeP, Ce(O0.84F0.16)FeAs, and Nd(O0.88F0.12)FeAs but absent in superconducting La(O0.92F0.08)FeAs; and (4) scaling of superfluid density and Tc in the Ce, La, and Nd-FeAs superconductors following a nearly linear relationship found in cuprates.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2007

Impurity-induced singlet breaking in SrCu2(BO3)2

We have performed $μ$SR studies on single crystals of SrCu$_2$(BO$_3$)$_2$, a quasi-two-dimensional spin system with a spin singlet ground state. We observe two different muon sites which we associate with muons located adjacent to the two inequivalent O sites. One site, presumed to be located in the Cu-O-Cu superexchange path, exhibits a large increase in the frequency shift with decreasing temperature which is unaffected by the singlet formation, indicating that the muon has locally broken the singlet bond. We have also performed $μ$SR on single crystals of SrMg$_{0.05}$Cu$_{1.95}$(BO$_3$)$_2$, Sr$_{0.96}$La$_{0.04}$Cu$_2$(BO$_3$)$_2$, and Sr$_{0.95}$Na$_{0.05}$Cu$_2$(BO$_3$)$_2$. We have found that the frequency shifts of these doped samples are equivalent and contain three branches at low temperatures. Two of these branches map on to the branches observed in the pure sample reasonably well and so we attribute the third branch to effect of the dopants. Specifically, this third branch represents the case when the muon sits at a site in the superexchange path lacking a corresponding singlet, due to it already being broken as a result of doping. This then leads to the conclusion that singlets are broken in this system when it is doped both in and out of the CuBO$_3$ planes.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2007

Offensive k-alliances in graphs

Let $G=(V,E)$ be a simple graph. For a nonempty set $X\subset V,$ and a vertex $v\in V,$ $δ_{X}(v)$ denotes the number of neighbors $v$ has in $X.$ A nonempty set $S\subset V$ is an \emph{offensive $r$-alliance} in $G$ if $δ_S(v)\ge δ_{\bar{S}}(v)+r,$ $\forall v\in \partial (S),$ where $\partial (S)$ denotes the boundary of $S$. An offensive $r$-alliance $S$ is called \emph{global} if it forms a dominating set. The \emph{global offensive $r$-alliance number} of $G$, denoted by $γ_{r}^{o}(G)$, is the minimum cardinality of a global offensive $r$-alliance in $G$. We show that the problem of finding optimal (global) offensive $r$-alliances is NP-complete and we obtain several tight bounds on $γ_{r}^{o}(G)$.

math.CO↗

arXiv2006

Functional centrality in graphs

In this paper we introduce the functional centrality as a generalization of the subgraph centrality. We propose a general method for characterizing nodes in the graph according to the number of closed walks starting and ending at the node. Closed walks are appropriately weighted according to the topological features that we need to measure.

math.CO↗

arXiv2006

Offensive alliances in cubic graphs

An offensive alliance in a graph $Γ=(V,E)$ is a set of vertices $S\subset V$ where for every vertex $v$ in its boundary it holds that the majority of vertices in $v$'s closed neighborhood are in $S$. In the case of strong offensive alliance, strict majority is required. An alliance $S$ is called global if it affects every vertex in $V\backslash S$, that is, $S$ is a dominating set of $Γ$. The global offensive alliance number $γ_o(Γ)$ (respectively, global strong offensive alliance number $γ_{\hat{o}}(Γ)$) is the minimum cardinality of a global offensive (respectively, global strong offensive) alliance in $Γ$. If $Γ$ has global independent offensive alliances, then the \emph{global independent offensive alliance number} $γ_i(Γ)$ is the minimum cardinality among all independent global offensive alliances of $Γ$. In this paper we study mathematical properties of the global (strong) alliance number of cubic graphs. For instance, we show that for all connected cubic graph of order $n$, $$\frac{2n}{5}\le γ_i(Γ)\le \frac{n}{2}\le γ_{\hat{o}}(Γ)\le \frac{3n}{4} \le γ_{\hat{o}}({\cal L}(Γ))=γ_{o}({\cal L}(Γ))\le n,$$ where ${\cal L}(Γ)$ denotes the line graph of $Γ$. All the above bounds are tight.

math.CO↗

arXiv2006

On the global offensive alliance number of a graph

An offensive alliance in a graph $Γ=(V,E)$ is a set of vertices $S\subset V$ where for every vertex $v$ in its boundary it holds that the majority of vertices in $v$'s closed neighborhood are in $S$. In the case of strong offensive alliance, strict majority is required. An alliance $S$ is called global if it affects every vertex in $V\backslash S$, that is, $S$ is a dominating set of $Γ$. The offensive alliance number $a_o(Γ)$ (respectively, strong offensive alliance number $a_{\hat{o}}(Γ)$) is the minimum cardinality of an offensive (respectively, strong offensive) alliance in $Γ$. The global offensive alliance number $γ_o(Γ)$ and the global strong offensive alliance number $γ_{\hat{o}}(Γ)$ are defined similarly. Clearly, $a_o(Γ)\le γ_o(Γ)$ and $a_{\hat{o}}(Γ)\le γ_{\hat{o}}(Γ)$. It was shown in [Discuss. Math. Graph Theory, 24 (2004), no. 2, 263-275] that $ a_o(Γ)\le \frac{2n}{3}$ and $ a_{\hat{o}}(Γ)\le \frac{5n}{6}$, where $n$ denotes the order of $Γ$. In this paper we obtain several tight bounds on $γ_o(Γ)$ and $γ_{\hat{o}}(Γ)$ in terms of several parameters of $Γ$. For instance, we show that $\frac{2m+n}{3Δ+1} \le γ_o(Γ)\le \frac{2n}{3}$ and $\frac{2(m+n)}{3Δ+2} \leγ_{\hat{o}}(Γ)\le \frac{5n}{6}$, where $m$ denotes the size of $Γ$ and $Δ$ its maximum degree (the last upper bound holds true for all $Γ$ with minimum degree greatest or equal to two).

math.CO↗