1,255 research outputs found
Lateral current density fronts in asymmetric double-barrier resonant-tunneling structures
We present a theoretical analysis and numerical simulations of lateral
current density fronts in bistable resonant-tunneling diodes with Z-shaped
current-voltage characteristics. The bistability is due to the charge
accumulation in the quantum well of the double-barrier structure. We focus on
asymmetric structures in the regime of sequential incoherent tunneling and
study the dependence of the bistability range, the front velocity and the front
width on the structure parameters. We propose a sectional design of a structure
that is suitable for experimental observation of front propagation and discuss
potential problems of such measurements in view of our theoretical findings. We
point out the possibility to use sectional resonant-tunneling structures as
controllable three-terminal switches.Comment: to appear in J.Appl.Phy
Classical and quantum three-dimensional integrable systems with axial symmetry
We study the most general form of a three dimensional classical integrable
system with axial symmetry and invariant under the axis reflection. We assume
that the three constants of motion are the Hamiltonian, , with the standard
form of a kinetic part plus a potential dependent on the position only, the
-component of the angular momentum, , and a Hamiltonian-like constant,
, for which the kinetic part is quadratic in the momenta. We find
the explicit form of these potentials compatible with complete integrability.
The classical equations of motion, written in terms of two arbitrary potential
functions, is separated in oblate spheroidal coordinates. The quantization of
such systems leads to a set of two differential equations that can be presented
in the form of spheroidal wave equations.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figure
Gravitational instabilities in Kerr space-times
In this paper we consider the possible existence of unstable axisymmetric
modes in Kerr space times, resulting from exponentially growing solutions of
the Teukolsky equation. We describe a transformation that casts the radial
equation that results upon separation of variables in the Teukolsky equation,
in the form of a Schr\"odinger equation, and combine the properties of the
solutions of this equations with some recent results on the asymptotic
behaviour of spin weighted spheroidal harmonics to prove the existence of an
infinite family of unstable modes. Thus we prove that the stationary region
beyond a Kerr black hole inner horizon is unstable under gravitational linear
perturbations. We also prove that Kerr space-time with angular momentum larger
than its square mass, which has a naked singularity, is unstable.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, comments, references and calculation details
added, asymptotic expansion typos fixe
The location, clustering, and propagation of massive star formation in giant molecular clouds
Massive stars are key players in the evolution of galaxies, yet their
formation pathway remains unclear. In this work, we use data from several
galaxy-wide surveys to build an unbiased dataset of ~700 massive young stellar
objects (MYSOs), ~200 giant molecular clouds (GMCs), and ~100 young (<10 Myr)
optical stellar clusters (SCs) in the Large Magellanic Cloud. We employ this
data to quantitatively study the location and clustering of massive star
formation and its relation to the internal structure of GMCs. We reveal that
massive stars do not typically form at the highest column densities nor centers
of their parent GMCs at the ~6 pc resolution of our observations. Massive star
formation clusters over multiple generations and on size scales much smaller
than the size of the parent GMC. We find that massive star formation is
significantly boosted in clouds near SCs. Yet, whether a cloud is associated
with a SC does not depend on either the cloud's mass or global surface density.
These results reveal a connection between different generations of massive
stars on timescales up to 10 Myr. We compare our work with Galactic studies and
discuss our findings in terms of GMC collapse, triggered star formation, and a
potential dichotomy between low- and high-mass star formation.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, in pres
The Rayleigh-Brillouin Spectrum in Special Relativistic Hydrodynamics
In this paper we calculate the Rayleigh-Brillouin spectrum for a relativistic
simple fluid according to three different versions available for a relativistic
approach to non-equilibrium thermodynamics. An outcome of these calculations is
that Eckart's version predicts that such spectrum does not exist. This provides
an argument to question its validity. The remaining two results, which differ
one from another, do provide a finite form for such spectrum. This raises the
rather intriguing question as to which of the two theories is a better
candidate to be taken as a possible version of relativistic non-equilibrium
thermodynamics. The answer will clearly require deeper examination of this
problem.Comment: 13 pages, no figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
Dust composition and mass-loss return from the luminous blue variable R71 in the LMC
We present an analysis of mid-and far-infrared (IR) spectrum and spectral
energy distribution (SED) of the LBV R71 in the LMC.This work aims to
understand the overall contribution of high-mass LBVs to the total dust-mass
budget of the interstellar medium (ISM) of the LMC and compare this with the
contribution from low-mass asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. As a case
study, we analyze the SED of R71. We compiled all the available photometric and
spectroscopic observational fluxes from various telescopes for a wide
wavelength range (0.36 -- 250\,m). We determined the dust composition from
the spectroscopic data, and derived the ejected dust mass, dust mass-loss rate,
and other dust shell properties by modeling the SED of R71. We noted nine
spectral features in the dust shell of R71 by analyzing Spitzer spectroscopic
data. Among these, we identified three new crystalline silicate features. We
computed our model spectrum by using 3D radiative transfer code MCMax. Our
model calculation shows that dust is dominated by amorphous silicates, with
some crystalline silicates, metallic iron, and a very tiny amount of polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules. The presence of both silicates and PAHs
indicates that the dust has a mixed chemistry. We derived a dust mass of 0.01
M, from which we arrive at a total ejected mass of 5
M. This implies a time-averaged dust mass-loss rate of
2.510 M\,yr with an explosion about 4000 years
ago. We assume that the other five confirmed dusty LBVs in the LMC loose mass
at a similar rate, and estimate the total contribution to the mass budget of
the LMC to be 10 M\,yr, which is comparable to
the contribution by all the AGB stars in the LMC. Based on our analysis on R71,
we speculate that LBVs as a class may be an important dust source in the ISM of
the LMC.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, 2 table
The Multitude of Molecular Hydrogen Knots in the Helix Nebula
We present HST/NICMOS imaging of the H_2 2.12 \mu m emission in 5 fields in
the Helix Nebula ranging in radial distance from 250-450" from the central
star. The images reveal arcuate structures with their apexes pointing towards
the central star. Comparison of these images with comparable resolution ground
based images reveals that the molecular gas is more highly clumped than the
ionized gas line tracers. From our images, we determine an average number
density of knots in the molecular gas ranging from 162 knots/arcmin^2 in the
denser regions to 18 knots/arcmin^2 in the lower density outer regions. Using
this new number density, we estimate that the total number of knots in the
Helix to be ~23,000 which is a factor of 6.5 larger than previous estimates.
The total neutral gas mass in the Helix is 0.35 M_\odot assuming a mass of
\~1.5x10^{-5} M_\odot for the individual knots. The H_2 intensity, 5-9x10^{-5}
erg s^{-1} cm^{-2} sr^{-1}, remains relatively constant with projected distance
from the central star suggesting a heating mechanism for the molecular gas that
is distributed almost uniformly in the knots throughout the nebula. The
temperature and H_2 2.12 \mu m intensity of the knots can be approximately
explained by photodissociation regions (PDRs) in the individual knots; however,
theoretical PDR models of PN under-predict the intensities of some knots by a
factor of 10.Comment: 26 pages, 3 tables, 10 figures; AJ accepte
The Casimir Effect in Spheroidal Geometries
We study the zero point energy of massless scalar and vector fields subject
to spheroidal boundary conditions. For massless scalar fields and small
ellipticity the zero-point energy can be found using both zeta function and
Green's function methods. The result agrees with the conjecture that the zero
point energy for a boundary remains constant under small deformations of the
boundary that preserve volume (the boundary deformation conjecture), formulated
in the case of an elliptic-cylindrical boundary. In the case of massless vector
fields, an exact solution is not possible. We show that a zonal approximation
disagrees with the result of the boundary deformation conjecture. Applying our
results to the MIT bag model, we find that the zero point energy of the bag
should stabilize the bag against deformations from a spherical shape.Comment: 24 pages, 3 figures. To appear in Phys. Rev.
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