Many problems in the experimental estimation of parameters for models can be solved through use of the likelihood ratio test. Applications of the likelihood ratio, with particular attention to photon counting experiments, are discussed. The procedures presented solve a greater range of problems than those currently in use, yet are no more difficult to apply. The procedures are proved analytically, and examples from current problems in astronomy are discussed.

Parameter estimation in astronomy through application of the likelihood ratio. [satellite data analysis techniques

Graphene systems are clean platforms for studying electron–electron (e–e) collisions. Electron transport in graphene constrictions is now found to behave anomalously due to e–e interactions: conductance values exceed the maximum free-electron value. Electron–electron (e–e) collisions can impact transport in a variety of surprising and sometimes counterintuitive ways1,2,3,4,5,6. Despite strong interest, experiments on the subject proved challenging because of the simultaneous presence of different scattering mechanisms that suppress or obscure consequences of e–e scattering7,8,9,10,11. Only recently, sufficiently clean electron systems with transport dominated by e–e collisions have become available, showing behaviour characteristic of highly viscous fluids12,13,14. Here we study electron transport through graphene constrictions and show that their conductance below 150 K increases with increasing temperature, in stark contrast to the metallic character of doped graphene15. Notably, the measured conductance exceeds the maximum conductance possible for free electrons16,17. This anomalous behaviour is attributed to collective movement of interacting electrons, which ‘shields’ individual carriers from momentum loss at sample boundaries18,19. The measurements allow us to identify the conductance contribution arising due to electron viscosity and determine its temperature dependence. Besides fundamental interest, our work shows that viscous effects can facilitate high-mobility transport at elevated temperatures, a potentially useful behaviour for designing graphene-based devices.

Superballistic flow of viscous electron fluid through graphene constrictions

Quantum anomalous Hall goes intrinsic Quantum anomalous Hall effect—the appearance of quantized Hall conductance at zero magnetic field—has been observed in thin films of the topological insulator Bi2Se3 doped with magnetic atoms. The doping, however, introduces inhomogeneity, reducing the temperature at which the effect occurs. Two groups have now observed quantum anomalous Hall effect in intrinsically magnetic materials (see the Perspective by Wakefield and Checkelsky). Serlin et al. did so in twisted bilayer graphene aligned to hexagonal boron nitride, where the effect enabled the switching of magnetization with tiny currents. In a complementary work, Deng et al. observed quantum anomalous Hall effect in the antiferromagnetic layered topological insulator MnBi2Te4. Science, this issue p. 900, p. 895; see also p. 848 Transport measurements indicate quantized Hall conductance without a magnetic field. The quantum anomalous Hall (QAH) effect combines topology and magnetism to produce precisely quantized Hall resistance at zero magnetic field. We report the observation of a QAH effect in twisted bilayer graphene aligned to hexagonal boron nitride. The effect is driven by intrinsic strong interactions, which polarize the electrons into a single spin- and valley-resolved moiré miniband with Chern number C = 1. In contrast to magnetically doped systems, the measured transport energy gap is larger than the Curie temperature for magnetic ordering, and quantization to within 0.1% of the von Klitzing constant persists to temperatures of several kelvin at zero magnetic field. Electrical currents as small as 1 nanoampere controllably switch the magnetic order between states of opposite polarization, forming an electrically rewritable magnetic memory.

Intrinsic Quantized Anomalous Hall Effect in a Moiré Heterostructure, Part III: Scanning Probe Magnetometry

Context. The eROSITA X-ray telescope on board the Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma (SRG) observatory combines a large field of view and collecting area in the energy range $\sim$0.2 to $\sim$8.0 keV with the capability to perform uniform scanning observations of large sky areas. Aims. SRG/eROSITA performed scanning observations of the $\sim$140 square degrees eROSITA Final Equatorial Depth Survey (eFEDS) field as part of its performance verification phase. The observing time was chosen to slightly exceed the depth of equatorial fields after the completion of the eROSITA all-sky survey. We present a catalog of detected X-ray sources in the eFEDS field providing source positions and extent information, as well as fluxes in multiple energy bands and document a suite of tools and procedures developed for eROSITA data processing and analysis, validated and optimized by the eFEDS work. Methods. A multi-stage source detection procedure was optimized and calibrated by performing realistic simulations of the eROSITA eFEDS observations. We cross-matched the eROSITA eFEDS source catalog with previous XMM-ATLAS observations, confirming excellent agreement of the eROSITA and XMM-ATLAS source fluxes. Result. We present a primary catalog of 27910 X-ray sources, including 542 with significant spatial extent, detected in the 0.2-2.3 keV energy range with detection likelihoods $\ge 6$, corresponding to a (point source) flux limit of $\approx 6.5 \times 10^{-15}$ erg/cm$^2$/s in the 0.5-2.0 keV energy band (80% completeness). A supplementary catalog contains 4774 low-significance source candidates with detection likelihoods between 5 and 6. In addition, a hard band sample of 246 sources detected in the energy range 2.3-5.0 keV above a detection likelihood of 10 is provided. The dedicated data analysis software package, calibration database, and calibrated data products are described in an appendix. 

https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/pdf/2022/05/aa41266-21.pdf

The eROSITA Final Equatorial Depth Survey (eFEDS)

Context. In the currently debated context of using clusters of galaxies as cosmological probes, the need for well-defined cluster samples is critical.Aims. The XXL Survey has been specifically designed to provide a well characterised sample of some 500 X-ray detected clusters suitable for cosmological studies. The main goal of present article is to make public and describe the properties of the cluster catalogue in its present state, as well as of associated catalogues of more specific objects such as super-clusters and fossil groups.Methods. Following from the publication of the hundred brightest XXL clusters, we now release a sample containing 365 clusters in total, down to a flux of a few 10−15 erg s−1 cm−2 in the [0.5–2] keV band and in a 1′ aperture. This release contains the complete subset of clusters for which the selection function is well determined plus all X-ray clusters which are, to date, spectroscopically confirmed. In this paper, we give the details of the follow-up observations and explain the procedure adopted to validate the cluster spectroscopic redshifts. Considering the whole XXL cluster sample, we have provided two types of selection, both complete in a particular sense: one based on flux-morphology criteria, and an alternative based on the [0.5–2] keV flux within 1 arcmin of the cluster centre. We have also provided X-ray temperature measurements for 80% of the clusters having a flux larger than 9 × 10−15 erg s−1 cm−2 .Results. Our cluster sample extends from z ~ 0 to z ~ 1.2, with one cluster at z ~ 2. Clusters were identified through a mean number of six spectroscopically confirmed cluster members. The largest number of confirmed spectroscopic members in a cluster is 41. Our updated luminosity function and luminosity–temperature relation are compatible with our previous determinations based on the 100 brightest clusters, but show smaller uncertainties. We also present an enlarged list of super-clusters and a sample of 18 possible fossil groups.Conclusions. This intermediate publication is the last before the final release of the complete XXL cluster catalogue when the ongoing C2 cluster spectroscopic follow-up is complete. It provides a unique inventory of medium-mass clusters over a 50 deg2 area out to z ~ 1.

/pdf/the-xxl-survey-xx-the-365-cluster-catalogue-1n5xl56rxo.pdf

The XXL Survey : XX : the 365 cluster catalogue

The quantum Hall effect in curved space has been the subject of many theoretical investigations in the past, but devising a physical system to observe this effect is hard. Many works have indicated that electronic excitations in strained graphene realize Dirac fermions in curved space in the presence of a background pseudo-gauge field, providing an ideal playground for this. However, the absence of a direct matching between a numerical, strained tight-binding calculation of an observable and the corresponding curved space prediction has hindered realistic predictions. In this work, we provide this matching by deriving the low-energy Hamiltonian from the tight-binding model analytically to second order in the strain and mapping it to the curved-space Dirac equation. Using a strain profile that produces a constant pseudo-magnetic field and a constant curvature, we compute the Landau level spectrum with real-space numerical tight-binding calculations and find excellent agreement with the prediction of the quantum Hall effect in curved space. We conclude discussing experimental schemes for measuring this effect.

Glenn Wagner

Papers

Landau levels in curved space realized in strained graphene