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Category: particle physics – Page 13

New 3D topological phase of matter exhibits anomalous symmetry at non-zero temperatures

Some phases of matter cannot be described using the conventional framework of symmetry breaking and exhibit a so-called quantum order. One type of quantum order, known as topological order, is characterized by long-range entanglement between particles across an entire system, a ground state degeneracy that depends on the global shape of the system, and a robustness against local disturbances.

Topological phases of matter primarily occur at zero temperature, as thermal fluctuations tend to destroy them and disrupt their underlying order. In a recent paper published in Physical Review Letters, however, researchers at Nanjing University, Yale University and other institutes reported a new 3D topological phase of matter characterized by an anomalous two-form symmetry that occurs at non-zero temperatures.

“In the last several years, we have made substantial progress in our ability to control —over a range of different platforms: , trapped ions, , photonics, and so on,” Tyler D. Ellison, senior author of the paper, told Phys.org.

Astronomers spot the ‘Eye of Sauron’ in deep space

A stunning new image of a cosmic jet has helped astronomers unlock the mystery behind the unusually bright emission of high-energy gamma rays and neutrinos from a peculiar celestial object. The source is a blazar—a type of active galaxy powered by a supermassive black hole devouring matter at the heart of a galaxy. They have captured what looks like the mythical “Eye of Sauron” in the distant universe and may have just solved a decade-long cosmic puzzle.

Massive magnets are on the move: Repurposing electromagnets for research

Plan a route, grab some snacks, and fuel up. Engineers and scientists have been sending massive magnets from U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national labs on cross-country road trips.

Magnets are at the heart of many scientific instruments at DOE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory. They are not like typical refrigerator magnets, which apply a relatively weak and uniform force to . These electromagnets are often incredibly large and powerful, with variable fields that can be controlled by changing the electric current that runs through them.

One of their applications is to apply magnetic force to subatomic particles. For example, the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) is made of superconducting electromagnets that steer and focus particle beams as they circulate through the accelerator at nearly the speed of light.

“It’s Now Twice Florida’s Size”: NASA Tracks Rapidly Expanding Anomaly In Earth’s Magnetic Field Threatening Satellites And Power Systems

IN A NUTSHELL 🔍 NASA monitors the South Atlantic Anomaly, a region of weakened magnetic intensity impacting satellite operations. 🛰️ The anomaly poses risks to technological systems in spacecraft due to exposure to solar particles. 🧭 The anomaly’s evolution involves dynamic changes and a potential split into two distinct cells. 🌌 Ongoing research explores the

Is A Mirror Universe Trapping Our Antimatter?

What happened to GUT grand unified theory.

Is our missing antimatter hiding in a mirror universe?
Some scientists think a time-reversed anti-universe exists alongside ours — a place where antimatter rules and their “forward” is our “backwards.” If true, it could solve one of physics’ biggest mysteries.

In this video: the antimatter imbalance, CPT symmetry, and what life in a mirror reality might be like.

Could our missing antimatter be hiding in a parallel, time-reversed universe?
Physicists have long puzzled over one of the biggest mysteries in cosmology: why our universe is made almost entirely of matter, when the Big Bang should have created equal amounts of matter and antimatter. Some theories suggest that the answer lies in a mirror universe — a realm where antimatter dominates and time flows in the opposite direction to ours.

In this episode of Stellar Stories, we explore:

Continue reading “Is A Mirror Universe Trapping Our Antimatter?” | >

Wave-like domain walls drive polarization switching in sliding ferroelectrics, study finds

Sliding ferroelectrics are a type of two-dimensional (2D) material realized by stacking nonpolar monolayers (atom-thick layers that lack an electric dipole). When these individual layers are stacked, they produce ferroelectric materials with an intrinsic polarization (i.e., in which positive and negative charges are spontaneously separated), which can be switched using an external electric field that is perpendicular to them.

Understanding the mechanisms driving the switching of this polarization in sliding ferroelectrics has been a key goal of many studies rooted in physics and materials science. This could ultimately inform the development of new advanced nanoscale electronics and quantum technologies.

Researchers at Westlake University and the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China recently uncovered a new mechanism that could drive the switching of polarization in sliding ferroelectrics. Their paper, published in Physical Review Letters (PRL), suggests that polarization switching in the materials is prompted by wave-like movements of domain walls (i.e., boundaries between regions with an opposite polarization), rather than by synchronized shifts affecting entire monolayers at once, as was assumed by some earlier works.

Experimental device demonstrates how electron beams reconfigure plasma structure

In a scientific first, South Korean scientists have provided experimental proof of “multi-scale coupling” in plasma, where interactions between phenomena at the microscopic level and macroscopic level influence each other. The findings could help advance nuclear fusion research and improve our fundamental understanding of the universe.

Plasma is often referred to as the fourth state of matter, distinct from solid, liquid and gaseous states. This unique state is formed when you heat a gas to such high temperatures that electrons are stripped away from their atoms, creating a mix of free-floating positively and negatively charged particles. This state of matter is the most abundant in the universe, and take place within it.

Proving multi-scale coupling has been a long-standing challenge in . But in a study published in Nature, a research team led by Dr. Jong Yoon Park from Seoul National University and Dr. Young Dae Yoon from the Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics (APCTP) proved how microscopic phenomena induce macroscopic changes that affect the entire plasma system.

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