697 Search Results

Abstract The radial profile of the binary fraction may vary with environment and is of significant importance for studying the formation mechanisms of binary stars and their dynamical evolution within globular clusters and galaxies. However, existing studies remain limited to the Milky Way and its neighboring galaxies. Leveraging the method proposed by Zhang et al. for estimating the variation in the binary fraction from integrated spectral features, we analyze a sample of 513 elliptical galaxies drawn from the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory survey to measure their radial binary fraction profiles. Our results show that after accounting formore » the effect induced by radial variations in the stellar population (SP), the median SP-subtracted binary fraction, r b , sub med , becomes approximately flat. For nearly all elliptical galaxies in our sample, the variation in the binary fraction relative to the galaxy center at 1 R e is less than 5%. No clear correlation is found between the ​​​​​gradient of the binary fraction and the gradients of the SP properties. Moreover, we also compare differences between ultraviolet (UV) upturn and non-UV upturn galaxies. The overall binary fraction profiles and the SP properties of the non-UV upturn galaxies in our sample are comparable to those of the UV upturn galaxies. This similarity may arise from the presence of residual star formation in the non-UV upturn systems.« less

Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) can produce green hydrogen while removing organic contaminants from liquid waste streams by leveraging the metabolic activity of electroactive microorganisms. Despite their potential in a sustainable, circular economy, large-scale MECs that can treat relevant volumes of wastewater have failed to deliver performance proportional to their lab-scale counterparts. The reason behind this lower performance at scale remains unclear. Here, in this study, we developed a combined electrochemistry-, hydrodynamic-, and microbial ecology-informed framework to analyze and optimize MEC performance during scale-up, enabling accurate quantification of major limitations and the identification of strategies to overcome them, ultimately facilitating equivalentmore » performance at scale. Applying this framework to the scale-up of a zero-gap MEC from 9 cm² electrode area to 100 cm² electrode area, resulted in similar maximum current densities in a 100 cm² MEC (21.7 ± 1.1 A/m²) compared to a 9 cm² system (25.1 ± 2.7 A/m²), as well as equivalent hydrogen production rates of 69.3 L/L-d (100 cm²) and 67.7 ± 2.4 L/L-d (9 cm²). COMSOL flow dynamics simulations were used to scale up the reactor configuration without negatively affecting electrolyte velocity and distribution in the cell, minimizing the increase in internal resistances during scale-up (11.7 ± 0.5 mΩm² at 9 cm²; 19.7 ± 1.3 mΩm² at 100 cm²). Microbial community structures were assessed at both scales using high-throughput sequencing, highlighting the differences of populations across electrode dimensions and operational parameters. The framework presented here accelerates the development of effective strategies toward the scale-up of MECs by furthering the understanding of how electrochemical, hydrodynamic, and microbial ecology parameters change as the reactor dimension is increased. Ultimately, this approach contributes to advancing electrochemical biotechnology toward practical deployment in energy-efficient wastewater treatment systems.« less

The 2HDM+S is the singlet extension of the Two-Higgs-Doublets Model (2HDM). The singlet field and its mixing with the 2HDM Higgs sector lead to new contributions to the electroweak precision observables, in particular, the oblique parameters. In this paper, we performed a systematic study of the impacts of each mixing angle to the oblique parameters. We adopted the mixing angles and physical Higgs masses as our parameters, which allows a mapping when specific symmetry structure of the Higgs potential and various theoretical considerations are taken into account. We identify five benchmark cases, where at most one mixing angle is nonzeromore » and analyze the 95\% C.L. allowed parameter space by the oblique parameters. In the alignment limit of the 2HDM, we find that other than the usual mass relations of $$m_H\sim m_{H^\pm}$$ or $$m_A\sim m_{H^\pm}$$, electroweak precision measurements also impose an upper limit on the neutral Higgs masses. In the cases with nonzero singlet mixing with the 2HDM Higgses $$H$$ or $$A$$, we find approximate mass relations of $$c^2_{\alpha_{HS}} m_{H} + s^2_{\alpha_{HS}}m_{h_S} = m_{H^\pm}$$ or $$c^2_{\alpha_{AS}} m_{A} + s^2_{\alpha_{AS}}m_{A_S} = m_{H^\pm}$$. Those relations are universal to the 2HDM+S models, with or without further symmetry assumption. We also study the non-alignment limit of the 2HDM+S, which typically has tighter constraints on the masses and mixing angles. At the end, we examine the complementarity between the electroweak precision analyses and the Higgs coupling precision measurements.« less

Based on 12.0 fb⁻¹ of 𝑒⁺⁢𝑒⁻ collision data samples collected by the BESIII detector at center-of-mass energies from 4.1271 to 4.3583 GeV, a partial wave analysis is performed for the process 𝑒⁺⁢𝑒⁻ → 𝜋⁺⁢𝜋⁻⁢𝐽/𝜓. The cross sections for the subprocesses 𝑒⁺⁢𝑒⁻ → 𝜋⁺⁢𝑍_𝑐⁢(3900)⁻ + c.c. → 𝜋⁺⁢𝜋⁻⁢𝐽/𝜓, 𝑓₀⁡(980)⁢(→ 𝜋⁺⁢𝜋⁻)⁢𝐽/𝜓, and (𝜋⁺⁢𝜋⁻)_S−wave⁢𝐽/𝜓 are measured for the first time. The mass and width of the 𝑍_𝑐⁢(3900)^± are determined to be 3884.6 ± 0.7 ± 3.3 MeV/𝑐² and 37.2 ± 1.3 ± 6.6 MeV, respectively. The first errors are statistical and the second systematic. The final state (𝜋⁺⁢𝜋⁻)_S−wave⁢𝐽/𝜓 dominates the process 𝑒⁺⁢𝑒⁻ →more » 𝜋⁺⁢𝜋⁻⁢𝐽/𝜓. By analyzing the cross sections of 𝜋^±⁢𝑍_𝑐⁢(3900)^∓ and 𝑓₀⁡(980)⁢𝐽/𝜓, 𝑌⁡(4220) has been observed. Its mass and width are determined to be 4225.7 ± 4.1 ± 3.4 MeV/𝑐² and 57.5 ± 9.4 ± 12.1 MeV, respectively.« less

The first direct measurement of the relative phase between the strong and electromagnetic amplitudes for a J/ψ decaying into a vector-pseudoscalar final state is performed using 26 energy points of e⁺e⁻ annihilation data between 3.00 GeV and 3.12 GeV. The data sets were collected by the BESIII detector with a total integrated luminosity of 452 pb⁻¹. By investigating the interference pattern in the cross section lineshape of e⁺e⁻ → ϕη, the relative phase between the strong and electromagnetic amplitudes of J/ψ decay is determined to be within [133°, 228°] at 68% confidence level.

Layered oxide battery cathodes often require extra stabilization strategies, such as surface coating or doping, to mitigate side reactions and enhance longevity. Conventional methods such as aqueous deposition and atomic layer deposition are costly and environmentally unfriendly and even damage the original structure, especially for air-sensitive sodium-ion battery (SIB) cathodes. Herein, we introduce an all-dry mechanofusion technique that modifies hydroxide precursors with TiO₂ coating before sintering with a sodium source. Using advanced characterizations including X-ray diffraction, neutron diffraction, and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance for structural insights, X-ray absorption spectroscopy to study metal valence states, and transmission X-ray microscopy for nanoscalemore » visualization of nickel oxidation states, we verified that postsintering transforms TiO₂ surface coating into Ti doping, leading to improved Ni-oxidation homogeneity, modified charge compensation, and enhanced thermal stability. Electrochemical tests reveal superior performance in capacity retention, rate capability, and air stability for these modified cathodes, with pouch cells maintaining over 85% capacity after 650 cycles. This method presents a sustainable, cost-effective route for advanced SIB cathode development.« less

Understanding how composition affects deformation mechanisms in austenitic stainless steels is essential for developing accurate predictive models of stress-induced failures and stress corrosion cracking. Nickel (Ni), an element classified as a critical element, plays a crucial role in these processes. It is important to examine how Ni concentration influences stacking fault energy (SFE) and, consequently, the deformation mechanisms of austenitic stainless steels. However, in commercial stainless steels, the effects of other alloying elements and impurities can obscure Ni's role, complicating efforts to isolate its impact. Here, in this study, we use two high-purity Fe-Cr-Ni alloys to investigate how Ni concentrationmore » and SFE interact to alter deformation mechanisms and induce martensitic transformation. By combining in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) tensile testing and post-mortem electron microscopy with density functional theory simulations, we gain precise insights into these phenomena. We find that the Fe18Cr10Ni (wt%) alloy, with its low SFE, exhibits higher stacking fault probability, deformation-induced martensitic transformation, and a lesser increase in dislocation density with plastic strain. In contrast, the Fe18Cr14Ni (wt%) alloy, with its higher SFE, shows enhanced deformation twinning and greater dislocation density with increasing strain. These findings from high-purity ternary alloys provide valuable insights that can guide the search for alternative elements to replace Ni while achieving similar effects on phase stability and deformation behavior.« less

Quantum ghost imaging (QGI) leverages correlations between entangled photon pairs to reconstruct an image using light that has never physically interacted with an object. Despite extensive research interest, this technique has long been hindered by slow acquisition speeds, due to the use of raster-scanned detectors or the slow response of intensified cameras. Here, we utilize a single-photon-sensitive time-stamping camera to perform QGI at ultra-low-light levels with rapid data acquisition and processing times, achieving high-resolution and high-contrast images in under 1 min. Our work addresses the trade-off between image quality, optical power, data acquisition time, and data processing time in QGI,more » paving the way for practical applications in biomedical and quantum-secured imaging.« less

Soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy of first row transition elements at their respective L -edges provides important information about the oxidation and spin states of the metal centers. However, the associated sample damage in radiation-sensitive samples substantially alters the electronic and chemical structures of redox-active metal centers. Here, we measure the soft X-ray spectrum of the model Mn ^III (acac) ₃ complex containing a redox-active Mn ^III metal center in an octahedral environment with a superconducting transition-edge sensor detector. To reduce the secondary damage resulting primarily from the diffusion of radicals and electrons, the spectra are collected at 30 K and 80 Kmore » on solid samples. Starting from the first scan, we detect the contribution of X-ray induced sample damage leading to a change in the Mn ^II intensity. However, at low temperatures, particularly at 30 K, we do not observe a gradual increase in the radiation damage with successive scans with the X-ray beam at the same spot. At our estimated dose of 90 kGy, we find 62% of Mn ^III (acac) ₃ is still intact at 30 K. However, at room temperature, we see a gradual increase in radiation damage with increasing numbers of scans at the same spot, which is consistent with the possibility of increased diffusion rates of secondary radicals and electrons as noted in other studies.« less

Solid-state Li-ion electrolytes (SSEs) are essential for the development of next-generation solid-state Li-metal batteries and new Li-extraction electrochemical cells.