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R. Huerta

Publications and source records attributed to R. Huerta.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2022

MATISSE, the VLTI mid-infrared imaging spectro-interferometer

Context:Optical interferometry is at a key development stage. ESO's VLTI has established a stable, robust infrastructure for long-baseline interferometry for general astronomical observers. The present second-generation instruments offer a wide wavelength coverage and improved performance. Their sensitivity and measurement accuracy lead to data and images of high reliability. Aims:We have developed MATISSE, the Multi AperTure mid-Infrared SpectroScopic Experiment, to access high resolution imaging in a wide spectral domain and explore topics such: stellar activity and mass loss; planet formation and evolution in the gas and dust disks around young stars; accretion processes around super massive black holes in AGN. Methods:The instrument is a spectro-interferometric imager covering three atmospheric bands (L,M,N) from 2.8 to 13.0 mu, combining four optical beams from the VLTI's telscopes. Its concept, related observing procedure, data reduction and calibration approach are the product of 30 years of instrumental research. The instrument utilizes a multi-axial beam combination that delivers spectrally dispersed fringes. The signal provides the following quantities at several spectral resolutions: photometric flux, coherent fluxes, visibilities, closure phases, wavelength differential visibilities and phases, and aperture-synthesis imaging. Results:We provide an overview of the physical principle of the instrument and its functionalities, the characteristics of the delivered signal, a description of the observing modes and of their performance limits. An ensemble of data and reconstructed images are illustrating the first acquired key observations. Conclusion:The instrument has been in operation at Cerro Paranal, ESO, Chile since 2018, and has been open for science use by the international community since April 2019. The first scientific results are being published now.

astro-ph.IM↗
arXiv2021

Mid-infrared circumstellar emission of the long-period Cepheid l Carinae resolved with VLTI/MATISSE

The nature of circumstellar envelopes (CSE) around Cepheids is still a matter of debate. The physical origin of their infrared (IR) excess could be either a shell of ionized gas, or a dust envelope, or both. This study aims at constraining the geometry and the IR excess of the environment of the long-period Cepheid $\ell$ Car (P=35.5 days) at mid-IR wavelengths to understand its physical nature. We first use photometric observations in various bands and Spitzer Space Telescope spectroscopy to constrain the IR excess of $\ell$ Car. Then, we analyze the VLTI/MATISSE measurements at a specific phase of observation, in order to determine the flux contribution, the size and shape of the environment of the star in the L band. We finally test the hypothesis of a shell of ionized gas in order to model the IR excess. We report the first detection in the L band of a centro-symmetric extended emission around l Car, of about 1.7$R_\star$ in FWHM, producing an excess of about 7.0\% in this band. In the N band, there is no clear evidence for dust emission from VLTI/MATISSE correlated flux and Spitzer data. On the other side, the modeled shell of ionized gas implies a more compact CSE ($1.13\pm0.02\,R_\star$) and fainter (IR excess of 1\% in the L band). We provide new evidences for a compact CSE of $\ell$ Car and we demonstrate the capabilities of VLTI/MATISSE for determining common properties of CSEs. While the compact CSE of $\ell$ Car is probably of gaseous nature, the tested model of a shell of ionized gas is not able to simultaneously reproduce the IR excess and the interferometric observations. Further Galactic Cepheids observations with VLTI/MATISSE are necessary for determining the properties of CSEs, which may also depend on both the pulsation period and the evolutionary state of the stars.

astro-ph.SR↗
arXiv2020

The asymmetric inner disk of the Herbig Ae star HD 163296 in the eyes of VLTI/MATISSE: evidence for a vortex?

Context. The inner few au region of planet-forming disks is a complex environment. High angular resolution observations have a key role in understanding the disk structure and the dynamical processes at work. Aims. In this study we aim to characterize the mid-infrared brightness distribution of the inner disk of the young intermediate-mass star HD 163296, from VLTI/MATISSE observations. Methods. We use geometric models to fit the data. Our models include a smoothed ring, a flat disk with inner cavity, and a 2D Gaussian. The models can account for disk inclination and for azimuthal asymmetries as well. We also perform numerical hydro-dynamical simulations of the inner edge of the disk. Results. Our modeling reveals a significant brightness asymmetry in the L-band disk emission. The brightness maximum of the asymmetry is located at the NW part of the disk image, nearly at the position angle of the semimajor axis. The surface brightness ratio in the azimuthal variation is $3.5 \pm 0.2$. Comparing our result on the location of the asymmetry with other interferometric measurements, we confirm that the morphology of the $r<0.3$ au disk region is time-variable. We propose that this asymmetric structure, located in or near the inner rim of the dusty disk, orbits the star. For the physical origin of the asymmetry, we tested a hypothesis where a vortex is created by Rossby wave instability, and we find that a unique large scale vortex may be compatible with our data. The half-light radius of the L-band emitting region is $0.33\pm 0.01$ au, the inclination is ${52^\circ}^{+5^\circ}_{-7^\circ}$, and the position angle is $143^\circ \pm 3^\circ$. Our models predict that a non-negligible fraction of the L-band disk emission originates inside the dust sublimation radius for $μ$m-sized grains. Refractory grains or large ($\gtrsim 10\ μ$m-sized) grains could be the origin for this emission.

astro-ph.SR↗
arXiv2004

The baryon magnetic moments of the octet and the decuplet using different limits of the SU(3) flavor group

Working within the non relativistic quark model a two parameter fit to the magnetic moments of baryons is presented. The fit has an excellent $χ^2$. The model is based on taking different flavor groups to describe the different magnetic moments. The selection of which group to assign to each baryon is guided by the structure of its wavefunction. The model corresponds to assigning different effective masses to a quark depending on which baryon is being considered. Using the values extracted from the fit, the magnetic moments of the $Ω^-$ and the $Δ^{++}$ have been predicted and the comparison to the existing experimental values is quite satisfactory.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2003

Mirror matter admixtures and isospin breaking in the ΔI=1/2 rule in Ω^- two body non-leptonic decays

We discuss a description of Ω^- two body non-leptonic decays based on possible, albeit tiny, admixtures of mirror matter in ordinary hadrons. The ΔI=1/2 rule enhancement is obtained as a result of isospin symmetry and, more importantly, the rather large observed deviations from this rule result from small isospin breaking. This analysis lends support to the possibility that the enhancement phenomenon observed in low energy weak interactions may be systematically described by mirror matter admixtures in ordinary hadrons.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2001

Effective theory of systems coupled strongly to rapidly-varying external sources

We consider quantum systems which interact strongly with a rapidly varying environment and derive a Schrodinger-like equation which describes the time evolution of the average wave function. We show that the corresponding Hamiltonian can be taken to be Hermitian provided all states are rotated using an appropriate unitary transformation. The formalism is applied to a variety of systems and is compared and contrasted with related results describing stochastic resonances.

physics.gen-ph↗
arXiv2001

A priori mixed hadrons, hyperon non-leptonic decays, and the |ΔI|=1/2 rule

The |ΔI|=1/2 rule in non-leptonic decays of hyperons can be naturally understood by postulating a priori mixed physical hadrons, along with the isospin invariance of the responsible transition operator. It is shown that this operator can be identified with the strong interaction Yukawa hamiltonian.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2001

Flavor symmetry breaking, baryons magnetic moments, and low energy phenomenology of hadrons

A priori mixings of eigenstates in physical states are quantum mechanical effects well known in several realms of physics. The possibility that such effects are also present in particle physics, in the form of mixings that break flavor and parity symmetries, is studied. Applications to non-leptonic and weak radiative decays of hyperons are discussed. The results are very encouraging but should be improved by eventually including the W and Z contributions, assumed small (non-enhanced) in this work.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2000

An estimate of a lower bound on the masses of mirror baryons

We consider the most favorable conditions to indirectly observe the mixing of ordinary and mirror hadrons in non-leptonic and weak radiative decays of hyperons. This allows us to set a lower bound on the masses of mirror baryons. This bound turns out to be impressively high, of the order of $10^6$GeV.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1999

A priori mixing of mesons and the |Delta I|=1/2 rule in K\toππ

We consider the hypothesis of a priori mixings in the mass eigenstates of mesons to obtain the |Delta I|=1/2 rule in K\toππ. The Hamiltonian responsible for the transition is the strong interacting one. The experimental data are described using the isospin symmetry relations between the strong coupling constants.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1999

Topology of Central Pattern Generators: Selection by Chaotic Neurons

Central Pattern Generators (CPGs) in invertebrates are comprised of networks of neurons in which every neuron has reciprocal connections to other members of the CPG. This is a ``closed'' network topology. An ``open'' topology, where one or more neurons receives input but does not send output to other member neurons, is not found in these CPGs. In this paper we investigate a possible reason for this topological structure using the ability to perform a biological functional task as a measure of the efficacy of the network. When the CPG is composed of model neurons which exhibit regular membrane voltage oscillations, open topologies are essentially as able to maximize this functionality as closed topologies. When we replace these models by neurons which exhibit chaotic membrane voltage oscillations, the functional criterion selects closed topologies when the demands of the task are increased, and these are the topologies observed in known CPG networks. As isolated neurons from invertebrate CPGs are known in some cases to undergo chaotic oscillations (Abarbanel et al 1996, Hayashi Ishuzuka 1992) this provides a biological basis for understanding the class of closed network topologies we observe.

chao-dyn↗
arXiv1999

Sensory Coding with Dynamically Competitive Networks

Studies of insect olfactory processing indicate that odors are represented by rich spatio-temporal patterns of neural activity. These patterns are very difficult to predict a priori, yet they are stimulus specific and reliable upon repeated stimulation with the same input. We formulate here a theoretical framework in which we can interpret these experimental results. We propose a paradigm of ``dynamic competition'' in which inputs (odors) are represented by internally competing neural assemblies. Each pattern is the result of dynamical motion within the network and does not involve a ``winner'' among competing possibilities. The model produces spatio-temporal patterns with strong resemblance to those observed experimentally and possesses many of the general features one desires for pattern classifiers: large information capacity, reliability, specific responses to specific inputs, and reduced sensitivity to initial conditions or influence of noise. This form of neural processing may thus describe the organizational principles of neural information processing in sensory systems and go well beyond the observations on insect olfactory processing which motivated its development.

q-bio.NC↗
arXiv1998

A Priori Mixed Hadrons, Weak Radiative and Non-leptonic Decays of Hyperons

A priori mixings of eigenstates in physical states are quantum mechanical effects well known in several realms of physics. The possibility that such effects are also present in particle physics, in the form of flavor and parity mixings, is studied. Applications to weak radiative and non-leptonic decays of hyperons are discussed.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1998

On the universality of the a priori mixing angles in weak radiative decays of hyperons

Strong-flavor and parity a priori mixing in hadrons are shown to describe well the experimental evidence on weak radiative decays of hyperons. An independent determination of the a priori mixing angles is performed. The values obtained for them are seen to have a universality-like property, when compared to their values in non-leptonic decays of hyperons.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1998

A detailed determination of the a priori mixing angles in non-leptonic decays of hyperons

Non-leptonic Decays of Hyperons can provide a detailed determination of the a priori mixing angles that appear in physical hadrons in the approach in which non-perturbative flavor and parity violations are present in tiny pieces of the hadron mass operator. The determination of such angles in these decays will provide a bench mark to test their necessary universality-like property in other types of decays. Our main result is that the magnitudes of the a priori mixing angles can be determined quite accurately.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1998

Hyperon Non-leptonic Decays, the |Delta I|=1/2 Rule, and A Priori Mixed Hadrons

The $|ΔI|=1/2$ rule in non-leptonic decays of hyperons can be naturally understood by postulating a priori mixed physical hadrons, along with the isospin invariance of the responsible transition operator. It is shown that this operator can be identified with the strong interaction Yukawa hamiltonian. The experimental amplitudes are well reproduced.

hep-ph↗