Circumbinary disc survival during binary-single scattering: towards a dynamical model of the Orion BN/KL complex

The Orion BN/KL complex is the nearest site of ongoing high-mass star formation. Recent proper motion observations provide convincing evidence of a recent (about 500 years ago) dynamical interaction between two massive young stellar objects in the region resulting in high velocities: the BN object and radio Source I. At the same time, Source I is surrounded by a nearly edge-on disc with radius ~50 au. These two observations taken together are puzzling: a dynamical encounter between multiple stars naturally yields the proper motions, but the survival of a disc is challenging to explain. In this paper we take the first steps to numerically explore the preferred dynamical scenario of Goddi et al., in which Source I is a binary that underwent a scattering encounter with BN, in order to determine if a pre-existing disc can survive this encounter in some form. Treating only gravitational forces, we are able to thoroughly and efficiently cover a large range of encounter parameters. We find that disc material can indeed survive a three-body scattering event if 1) the encounter is close, i.e. BN's closest approach to Source I is comparable to Source I's semi-major axis; and 2) the interplay of the three stars is of a short duration. Furthermore, we are able to constrain the initial conditions that can broadly produce the orientation of the present-day system's disc relative to its velocity vector. To first order we can thus confirm the plausibility of the scattering scenario of Goddi et al., and we have significantly constrained the parameters and narrowed the focus of future, more complex and expensive attempts to computationally model the complicated BN/KL region.Comment: MNRAS in pres

Maximum Production Of Transmission Messages Rate For Service Discovery Protocols

Minimizing the number of dropped User Datagram Protocol (UDP) messages in a network is regarded as a challenge by researchers. This issue represents serious problems for many protocols particularly those that depend on sending messages as part of their strategy, such us service discovery protocols. This paper proposes and evaluates an algorithm to predict the minimum period of time required between two or more consecutive messages and suggests the minimum queue sizes for the routers, to manage the traffic and minimise the number of dropped messages that has been caused by either congestion or queue overflow or both together. The algorithm has been applied to the Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) protocol using ns2 simulator. It was tested when the routers were connected in two configurations; as a centralized and de centralized. The message length and bandwidth of the links among the routers were taken in the consideration. The result shows Better improvement in number of dropped messages `among the routers

Methodology for an integrated modelling of macro and microscopic processes in urban transport demand

The paper presents the theoretical formulation and the underlying assumptions for an activity-based approach of transport demand modelling. Starting with the definition of a time hierarchy of decision-making in the urban environment, rules are formulated that dictate the general hierarchic structure of individuals’ choices in the urban system. The temporal scale defines decisions for activities and their daily sequence, the geographical scale decisions associated to destination choice processes. We build activity plans (number and daily sequence of activities) from an empirical data set and calculate trip paths (time-spatial trajectories including transport modes and travel destinations) assuming consumers to maximize their utility in the decision-making process. First results of the translation of the theoretical model into a real-world application are shown for the city of Santiago, Chile

Safety problems in urban cycling mobility. A quantitative risk analysis at urban intersections

The attention to the most vulnerable road users has grown rapidly in recent decades. The experience gained reveals an important number of cyclist fatalities due to road crashes; most of which occur at intersections. In this study, dispersion of trajectories in urban intersections has been considered to identify the whole conflict area and the largest conflict areas between cars and bicycles, and the speeds have been used to calculate exposure time of cyclists and reaction time available to drivers to avoid collision. These data allow the summary approach to the problem, while a risk probability model has been developed to adopt an elementary approach analysis. A quantitative damage model has been proposed to classify each conflict point, and a probabilistic approach has been defined to consider the traffic volume and the elementary unit of exposure. The combination of damage and probability, permitted to assess the risk of crash, at the examined intersection. Three types of urban four-arm intersection, with and without bike paths, were considered. For each scheme, the authors assessed the risk of collision between the cyclist and the vehicle. The obtained results allowed the identification of the most hazardous maneuvers and highlighted that geometry and kinematics of traffic movements cannot be overlooked, when designing an urban road intersection. The strategy proposed by the authors could have a significant impact on the risk management of urban intersections. The obtained results and the proposed hazard estimation methodology could be used to design safer intersections

Solar neutrino measurements in Super-Kamiokande-I

The details of Super--Kamiokande--I's solar neutrino analysis are given. Solar neutrino measurement in Super--Kamiokande is a high statistics collection of $^8$B solar neutrinos via neutrino-electron scattering. The analysis method and results of the 1496 day data sample are presented. The final oscillation results for the data are also presented.Comment: 32pages, 57figures, submitted to Physical Review

An evaluation of the life-cycle effects of minimum pensions on retirement behavior

In this paper we explore the effects of the minimum pension program on welfare and retirement in Spain. This is done with a stylized life-cycle model which provides a convenient analytical characterization of optimal behavior. We use data from the Spanish Social Security to estimate the behavioral parameters of the model and then simulate the changes induced by the minimum pension in aggregate retirement patterns. The impact is substantial: there is threefold increase in retirement at 60 (the age of first entitlement) with respect to the economy without minimum pensions, and total early retirement (before or at 60) is almost 50% larger.Retirement, life cycle model, minimum pension, structural estimation