Muons and magnets

Abstract:

We demonstrate that quantum-critical spin dynamics can be probed in high magnetic fields using muon-spin relaxation (μ+SR). Our model system is the strong-leg spin ladder bis(2,3-dimethylpyridinium) tetrabromocuprate (DIMPY). In the gapless Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid phase we observe finite-temperature scaling of the μ+SR 1/T1 relaxation rate which allows us to determine the Luttinger parameter K. We discuss the benefits and limitations of local probes compared with inelastic neutron scattering.

Abstract:

Predictability of Atlantic Ocean sea surface temperatures (SST) on seasonal and decadal timescales is investigated using a suite of statistical linear inverse models (LIM). Observed monthly SST anomalies in the Atlantic sector (between 22(Formula presented.)S and 66(Formula presented.)N) are used to construct the LIMs for seasonal and decadal prediction. The forecast skills of the LIMs are then compared to that from two current operational forecast systems. Results indicate that the LIM has good forecast skill for time periods of 3–4 months on the seasonal timescale with enhanced predictability in the spring season. On decadal timescales, the impact of inter-annual and intra-annual variability on the predictability is also investigated. The results show that the suite of LIMs have forecast skill for about 3–4 years over most of the domain when we use only the decadal variability for the construction of the LIM. Including higher frequency variability helps improve the forecast skill and maintains the correlation of LIM predictions with the observed SST anomalies for longer periods. These results indicate the importance of temporal scale interactions in improving predictability on decadal timescales. Hence, LIMs can not only be used as benchmarks for estimates of statistical skill but also to isolate contributions to the forecast skills from different timescales, spatial scales or even model components.

Abstract:

We have determined the superconducting and magnetic properties of a hydrothermally synthesized powder sample of tetragonal FeS using muon spin rotation (μSR). The superconducting properties are entirely consistent with those of a recently published study, showing fully gapped behavior and giving a penetration depth of λab=204(3) nm. However, our zero-fieldμSR data are rather different and indicate the presence of a small, nonsuperconducting magnetic phase within the sample. These results highlight that sample-to-sample variations in magnetism can arise in hydrothermally prepared phases, but interestingly the superconducting behavior is remarkably insensitive to these variations.