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We present a method to quantify the upper-limit of the energy transmitted from the intense stellar wind to the upper atmospheres of three of the Trappist-1 planets (e, f, and g). We use a formalism that treats the system as two electromagnetic regions, where the efficiency of the energy transmission between one region (the stellar wind at the planetary orbits) to the other (the planetary ionospheres) depends on the relation between the conductances and impedances of the two regions. Since the energy flux of the stellar wind is very high at these planetary orbits, we find that for the case of high transmission efficiency (when the conductances and impedances are close in magnitude), the energy dissipation in the upper planetary atmospheres is also very large. On average, the Ohmic energy can reach $0.5-1~W/m^2$, about 1\% of the stellar irradiance and 5-15 times the EUV irradiance. Here, using constant values for the ionospheric conductance, we demonstrate that the stellar wind energy could potentially drive large atmospheric heating in terrestrial planets, as well as in hot jupiters. More detailed calculations are needed to assess the ionospheric conductance and to determine more accurately the amount of heating the stellar wind can drive in close-orbit planets., Comment: 6 pages, 1 table, 2 figures, accepted to ApJ Letters

We compute Green's functions with a bilinear quark operator inserted at non-zero momentum for a generalized momentum configuration to two loops. These are required to assist lattice gauge theory measurements of the same quantity in matching to the high energy behaviour. The flavour non-singlet operators considered are the scalar, vector and tensor currents as well as the second moment of the twist-2 Wilson operator used in deep inelastic scattering for the measurement of nucleon structure functions., Comment: 19 latex pages, 4 figures, anc directory contains electronic version of amplitudes

The vertex structure of QCD fixed in the maximal abelian gauge (MAG) and Curci-Ferrari gauge is analysed at two loops at the fully symmetric point for the 3-point functions corresponding to the three momentum subtraction (MOM) renormalization schemes. Consequently the three loop renormalization group functions are determined for each of these three schemes in each gauge using properties of the renormalization group equation., Comment: 23 latex pages, 4 figures, anc directory contains txt files with electronic version of renormalization group functions, coupling constant mappings, conversion functions and amplitudes in analytic form for each gauge

We study the interaction between the atmospheres of Venus-like, non-magnetized exoplanets orbiting an M-dwarf star, and the stellar wind using a multi-species Magnetohydrodynaic (MHD) model. We focus our investigation on the effect of enhanced stellar wind and enhanced EUV flux as the planetary distance from the star decreases. Our simulations reveal different topologies of the planetary space environment for sub- and super-Alfvenic stellar wind conditions, which could lead to dynamic energy deposition in to the atmosphere during the transition along the planetary orbit. We find that the stellar wind penetration for non-magnetized planets is very deep, up to a few hundreds of kilometers. We estimate a lower limit for the atmospheric mass-loss rate and find that it is insignificant over the lifetime of the planet. However, we predict that when accounting for atmospheric ion acceleration, a significant amount of the planetary atmosphere could be eroded over the course of a billion years., Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, accepted to ApJ

We study the magnetospheric structure and the ionospheric Joule Heating of planets orbiting M-dwarf stars in the habitable zone using a set of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models. The stellar wind solution is used to drive a model for the planetary magnetosphere, which is coupled with a model for the planetary ionosphere. Our simulations reveal that the space environment around close-in habitable planets is extreme, and the stellar wind plasma conditions change from sub- to super-Alfvenic along the planetary orbit. As a result, the magnetospheric structure changes dramatically with a bow shock forming in the super-Alfvenic sectors, while no bow shock forms in the sub-Alfvenic sectors. The planets reside most of the time in the sub-Alfvenic sectors with poor atmospheric protection. A significant amount of Joule Heating is provided at the top of the atmosphere as a result of the planetary interaction with the stellar wind. For the steady-state solution, the heating is about 0.1-3\% of the total incoming stellar irradiation, and it is enhanced by 50\% for the time-dependent case. The significant Joule Heating obtained here should be considered in models for the atmospheres of habitable planets in terms of the thickness of the atmosphere, the top-side temperature and density, the boundary conditions for the atmospheric pressure, and particle radiation and transport., Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures

The one loop 3-point vertex functions of QCD in the maximal abelian gauge (MAG) are evaluated at the fully symmetric point at one loop. As a consequence the theory is renormalized in the various momentum (MOM) schemes which are defined by the trivalent vertices, as well as in the MSbar scheme. From these the two loop renormalization group functions in the MOM schemes are derived using the one loop conversion functions. In parallel we repeat the analysis for the Curci-Ferrari gauge which corresponds to the MAG in a specific limit. The relation between the Lambda parameters in different schemes is also provided., Comment: 32 latex pages, anc directory contains txt file with beta-functions, anomalous dimensions, coupling constant mappings, conversion functions and amplitudes in analytic form

The resonant Raman scattering in N-IR - UV range from amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a-C:H) reveal inclusions of trans-polyacetylene (trans-(CH)x) chains with approximate length of up to 120 C=C units and inclusions of poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) polymer chains. The PPV is evidenced by a strong dispersive mode at ca. 1175 cm-1. It was found that the Raman response from core Ag trans-(CH)x modes incorporated into a-C:H to changing excitation energy is identical to of free-standing chains thus facilitating identification of trans-(CH)x in complex carbonaceous materials spectra., Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures

The synthesis of polymer-like amorphous carbon (a-C:H) thin-films by microwave excited collisional hydrocarbon plasma process is reported. Stable and highly aromatic a-C:H were obtained containing significant inclusions of poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV). PPV confers universal optoelectronic properties to the synthesised material. That is a-C:H with tailor-made refractive index are capable of becoming absorption-free in visible (red) - near infrared wavelength range. Production of large aromatic hydrocarbon including phenyl clusters and/or particles is attributed to enhanced coagulation of elemental plasma species under collisional plasma conditions. Detailed structural and morphological changes that occur in a-C:H during the plasma synthesis are also described., Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures

Inclusions of sp-hybridised, trans-polyacetylene [trans-(CH)x] and poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) chains are revealed using resonant Raman scattering (RRS) investigation of amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a-C:H) films in the near IR - UV range. The RRS spectra of trans-(CH)x core Ag modes and the PPV CC-H phenylene mode are found to transform and disperse as the laser excitation energy \hbar{\omega}L is increased from near IR through visible to UV, whereas sp-bonded inclusions only become evident in UV. This is attributed to \hbar{\omega}L probing of trans-(CH)x chain inhomogeneity and the distribution of chains with varying conjugation length; for PPV to the resonant probing of phelynene ring disorder; and for sp segments, to \hbar{\omega}L probing of a local band gap of end-terminated polyynes. The IR spectra analysis confirmed the presence of sp, trans-(CH)x and PPV inclusions. The obtained RRS results for a-C:H denote differentiation between the core Ag trans-(CH)x modes and the PPV phenylene mode. Furthermore, it was found that at various laser excitation energies the changes in Raman spectra features for trans-(CH)x segments included in an amorphous carbon matrix are the same as in bulk trans-polyacetylene. The latter finding can be used to facilitate identification of trans-(CH)x in the spectra of complex carbonaceous materials., Comment: 31 page, 9 figures