Peculiar Asymmetry Research Articles

A constraint on remnant movement

This paper addresses a peculiar asymmetry that arises with so-called remnant movement in German, that is, movement of an XP from which some other movement has already applied. It appears that an XP from which scrambling has taken place can undergo topicalization or wh-movement (thereby creating a trace that is not bound at S-structure), but not scrambling or left dislocation. It is argued that this apparent movement type asymmetry cannot be accounted for by invoking the notion of reconstruction, as has sometimes been suggested. Rather, the pertinent constraint on remnant movement follows from a principle of Unambiguous Domination which states that a trace with a (not necessarily c-commanding) antecedent in a position of type α must not be dominated by a category in a position of the same type α. Under this view, any movement type may in principle apply to a remnant XP — whether or not remnant movement is possible depends on whether or not the remnant XP ends up in a position that is formally different from the position occupied by the antecedent of the unbound trace. This prediction is shown to be corroborated by additional empirical evidence drawn mainly from German and English. Finally, the conceptual status of the Unambiguous Domination requirement is clarified.

Electromechanical effect in charge- and spin-density waves

We study the sound propagation in charge- and spin-density wave systems in the hydrodynamic limit. For the longitudinal sound wave the long-range Coulomb interaction plays a crucial role in suppressing charge fluctuations. We find that the longitudinal wave does not couple to the phason (i.e. no electromechanical effect) independent of the direction of the polarization vector u, while the transverse wave couples to the phason only if u is parallel to the chain direction. This describes at least qualitatively a peculiar asymmetry found recently in sound propagation in (TaSe 4 ) 2 I.

The role of angular momentum in the splitting of isolated eddies

The question of which oceanic eddies can split and break up is addressed with the aid of two simplified analytical models which rely on the conservation of integrated angular momentum. First, an inviscid barotropic model with an initial round vortex is considered. The conditions necessary for the breakup of the vortex without exchanging angular momentum with its environment are examined. A solution for the final state is obtained without solving for the highly nonlinear transient splitting process. It is found that only cyclonic eddies meet the necessary condition for splitting — anticyclonic eddies can never split, no matter what their structure is . The cyclones are subject to a critical intensity above which breaking is possible and below which splitting is impossible. Specifically, cyclones with relative vorticity higher than f (where f is the (uniform) Coriolis parameter) can split into 2 eddies, whereas cyclones with a vorticity higher than f /3 can split into 3 or 4 vortices. The peculiar asymmetry between anticyclones and cyclones is a result of the conservation of integrated angular momentum. This can be demonstrated by noting that during the splitting process, the newly formed eddies are pushed away from their original center of rotation acquiring planetary torque. Therefore, in order for splitting to occur, the torque of the parent eddy must be large enough to accommodate for this addition of planetary torque. It turns out that only cyclones, which typically have more absolute angular momentum than their anticyclonic counterparts (because they rotate in the same sense as the spin of the earth), have enough torque to allow splitting. The above analysis is also applied to the splitting of a fully nonlinear zero potential vorticity lens. As in the barotropic anticyclonic cases, splitting is strictly impossible because the parent eddy does not have enough angular momentum. DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0870.1990.t01-2-00006.x

Peculiar asymmetry in the wings of self-broadened Li and Na first resonance lines

We report on resonance line wings measurements in lithium and sodium flute-type hollow cathode discharges in the heat-pipe oven. At lower pressure and electric currents qualitative agreement with theoretical wing profile is established. At increased pressure and current a peculiar blue asymmetry in lithium and red asymmetry in sodium case was found.

Solar radio emission at 9.1 cm and sector boundaries

A possible connection between solar radio emission from 1.0 to 9.4 GHz and the interplanetary sector boundaries has been previously reported in the literature. The present research does not support the previous work as expected. The 9.1 cm activity appears to be organized around sector boundaries only in a very limited sense in that the distribution of very strong active regions peaks near the −/+ boundaries. However, this phenomenon is only observed during the most active part of the solar cycle. A peculiar asymmetry is found regarding the length of the positive and negative sectors.

Societies and Academies

LONDONLinnean Society, March 18.—Prof. Allman, F.R.S., president, in the chair.—The President said that before entering on the ordinary business of the meeting it became his melancholy duty to announce the death of Prof. Thos. Bell at the age of eighty-seven. Prof. Bell was the oldest Fellow of the Society, having been elected into it in the year 1815. He had held the presidential chair for many years, and under his judicious and able guidance the Society had marvellously advanced in prosperity. He was a distinguished zoologist, and by his researches had largely advanced our knowledge of the fauna of the British Isles. His labours have left their mark on the zoology of Britain, and it is hard to say who can take his place in the department of natural history, in which he had shown himself so loving and conscientious an observer. He was known personally to many here present, and by reputation to all of us, and the meeting will receive with sorrow the sad announcement that he has his place no longer among the Fellows.—Mr. Thos. Christy exhibited a collection of dried flowers from Western Australia, made by Mrs. Bunbury. She observes that the once common native flowers are becoming rapidly scarce in the pasture land of the colony, and that it is even difficult to propagate them by culture.—There was also shown for Mr. J. T. Carrington a male and female example of the Northern Stone Crab (Lithodes arctica), which had lived in the Westminster Aquarium. The peculiar asymmetry of the abdominal segments in the female was adverted to, and from this and other reasons an affinity with the Hermit Crabs pointed out.mdash;The Secretary read a communication from Mr. H. M. Brewer, of Wanganui Acclimatisation Society, on the indigenous timber and on plants introduced into New Zealand. Among the former, “Manaka”(Leptospermum ericoides) is useful for spokes, tool-handles, &c.; “Korohai” (Sophora tetraptera) forms admirable material for carving, &c.; “Totara”(Podocarpa totara) is most durable for piles, railway sleepers, &c.; red birch (Fagus fusca), on account of its strength, is well adapted for beams and framework; and the “Matai”(P. spicata) is so durable that a prostrate tree found in damp bush and supposed to have lain there for a couple of centuries still retained its soundness when cut up. Of plants introduced quite a host thrive out of doors. Aicong others the coral tree (Erythrina caffra), with its brilliant scarlet flowers. Fourcroyia gigantea, which produces a fine fibre and grows well without any cultivation on the waste clay hills; also F. flavoviridis, another fibre-yielding plant. Chamærops excelsa, C. humilis, Musa textilis, and M. sapientum, equally thrive, the banana ripening good fruit. Broussonetia papyrifera, from which paper is made in Japan. The pomegranate (Punica granatum) and the olive (Olea europæa) hereafter are likely to become important as commercial products. The Natal plum (Arduina grandiflord), the fig (Ficus carica), custard-apple (Anona muricata), Eriobotrya japonica, ginger (Zingiber officinalis), the tallow tree (Slillingia sebifera), cinnamon, camphor, orange, lemon, and citrons, besides many other sub-tropical plants, afford sufficient proof of the mildness of the climate and capabilities of the country ultimately to depend on its own resources. Of araucarias and pines a great number of introduced species have thriven well, some only requiring a little shelter at first. Oaks, eltrs, poplars, &c., all take naturally to the New Zealand soil, but sufficient has been said to indicate the great variety of flora indigenous and introduced into this flourishing though distant colony.—A paper by Prof. J. O. Westwood, on a supposed polymorphic butterfly from India, was also read by the Secretary for the author. The Conclusions arrived at are: (1) of Papilio Castor being males of a species whose females have not yet been discovered; (2) that the typical P. Pollux are females of which the male with rounded hind wings having a diffused row of markings has yet to be discovered; and (3) that the coloured figures given by the author represent the two sexes of a dimorphic form of the species.