3,114 research outputs found
Magnetically Torqued Thin Accretion Disks
We compute the properties of a geometrically thin, steady accretion disk
surrounding a central rotating, magnetized star. The magnetosphere is assumed
to entrain the disk over a wide range of radii. The model is simplified in that
we adopt two (alternate) ad hoc, but plausible, expressions for the azimuthal
component of the magnetic field as a function of radial distance. We find a
solution for the angular velocity profile tending to corotation close to the
central star, and smoothly matching a Keplerian curve at a radius where the
viscous stress vanishes. The value of this ''transition'' radius is nearly the
same for both of our adopted B-field models. We then solve analytically for the
torques on the central star and for the disk luminosity due to gravity and
magnetic torques. When expressed in a dimensionless form, the resulting
quantities depend on one parameter alone, the ratio of the transition radius to
the corotation radius. For rapid rotators, the accretion disk may be powered
mostly by spin-down of the central star. These results are independent of the
viscosity prescription in the disk. We also solve for the disk structure for
the special case of an optically thick alpha disk. Our results are applicable
to a range of astrophysical systems including accreting neutron stars,
intermediate polar cataclysmic variables, and T Tauri systems.Comment: 9 sharper figs, updated reference
"Propeller" Regime of Disk Accretion to Rapidly Rotating Stars
We present results of axisymmetic magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the
interaction of a rapidly-rotating, magnetized star with an accretion disk. The
disk is considered to have a finite viscosity and magnetic diffusivity. The
main parameters of the system are the star's angular velocity and magnetic
moment, and the disk's viscosity, diffusivity. We focus on the "propeller"
regime where the inner radius of the disk is larger than the corotation radius.
Two types of magnetohydrodynamic flows have been found as a result of
simulations: "weak" and "strong" propellers. The strong propeller is
characterized by a powerful disk wind and a collimated magnetically dominated
outflow or jet from the star. The weak propeller have only weak outflows. We
investigated the time-averaged characteristics of the interaction between the
main elements of the system, the star, the disk, the wind from the disk, and
the jet. Rates of exchange of mass and angular momentum between the elements of
the system are derived as a function of the main parameters. The propeller
mechanism may be responsible for the fast spinning-down of the classical T
Tauri stars in the initial stages of their evolution, and for the spinning-down
of accreting millisecond pulsars.Comment: 18 pages, 16 figures, ApJ (accepted), added references, corrected
typos; see animation at
http://astrosun2.astro.cornell.edu/us-rus/disk_prop.ht
The Propeller Regime of Disk Accretion to a Rapidly Rotating Magnetized Star
The propeller regime of disk accretion to a rapidly rotating magnetized star
is investigated here for the first time by axisymmetric 2.5D
magnetohydrodynamic simulations. An expanded, closed magnetosphere forms in
which the magnetic field is predominantly toroidal. A smaller fraction of the
star's poloidal magnetic flux inflates vertically, forming a magnetically
dominated tower. Matter accumulates in the equatorial region outside
magnetosphere and accretes to the star quasi-periodically through elongated
funnel streams which cause the magnetic field to reconnect. The star spins-down
owing to the interaction of the closed magnetosphere with the disk. For the
considered conditions, the spin-down torque varies with the angular velocity of
the star omega* as omega*^1.3 for fixed mass accretion rate. The propeller
stage may be important in the evolution of X-ray pulsars, cataclysmic variables
and young stars. In particular, it may explain the present slow rotation of the
classical T Tauri stars.Comment: 5 pages with 4 figures, LaTeX, macros: emulapj.sty, avi movies are
available at http://www.astro.cornell.edu/us-russia/disk_prop.ht
Force-Free Models of Magnetically Linked Star-Disk Systems
Disk accretion onto a magnetized star occurs in a variety of astrophysical
contexts, from young stars to X-ray pulsars. The magnetohydrodynamic
interaction between the stellar field and the accreting matter can have a
strong effect on the disk structure, the transfer of mass and angular momentum
between the disk and the star, and the production of bipolar outflows, e.g.,
plasma jets. We study a key element of this interaction - the time evolution of
the magnetic field configuration brought about by the relative rotation between
the disk and the star - using simplified, largely semianalytic, models. We
first discuss the rapid inflation and opening up of the magnetic field lines in
the corona above the accretion disk, which is caused by the differential
rotation twisting. Then we consider additional physical effects that tend to
limit this expansion, such as the effect of plasma inertia and the possibility
of reconnection in the disk's corona, the latter possibly leading to repeated
cycles in the evolution. We also derive the condition for the existence of a
steady state for a resistive disk and conclude that a steady state
configuration is not realistically possible. Finally, we generalize our
analysis of the opening of magnetic field lines by using a non-self-similar
numerical model that applies to an arbitrarily rotating (e.g. keplerian) disk.Comment: 75 pages, 22 figures, 2 tables. Submitted to Astrophysical Journa
Constraining Antimatter Domains in the Early Universe with Big Bang Nucleosynthesis
We consider the effect of a small-scale matter-antimatter domain structure on
big bang nucleosynthesis and place upper limits on the amount of antimatter in
the early universe. For small domains, which annihilate before nucleosynthesis,
this limit comes from underproduction of He-4. For larger domains, the limit
comes from He-3 overproduction. Most of the He-3 from antiproton-helium
annihilation is annihilated also. The main source of He-3 is
photodisintegration of He-4 by the electromagnetic cascades initiated by the
annihilation.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, revtex, (slightly shortened
Entanglement-assisted quantum low-density parity-check codes
This paper develops a general method for constructing entanglement-assisted
quantum low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes, which is based on combinatorial
design theory. Explicit constructions are given for entanglement-assisted
quantum error-correcting codes (EAQECCs) with many desirable properties. These
properties include the requirement of only one initial entanglement bit, high
error correction performance, high rates, and low decoding complexity. The
proposed method produces infinitely many new codes with a wide variety of
parameters and entanglement requirements. Our framework encompasses various
codes including the previously known entanglement-assisted quantum LDPC codes
having the best error correction performance and many new codes with better
block error rates in simulations over the depolarizing channel. We also
determine important parameters of several well-known classes of quantum and
classical LDPC codes for previously unsettled cases.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figures. Final version appearing in Physical Review
Power-Law Sensitivity to Initial Conditions within a Logistic-like Family of Maps: Fractality and Nonextensivity
Power-law sensitivity to initial conditions, characterizing the behaviour of
dynamical systems at their critical points (where the standard Liapunov
exponent vanishes), is studied in connection with the family of nonlinear 1D
logistic-like maps The main ingredient of our approach is the generalized deviation
law \lim_{\Delta x(0) -> 0} \Delta x(t) / \Delta x(0)} = [1+(1-q)\lambda_q
t]^{1/(1-q)} (equal to for q=1, and proportional, for large
t, to for is the entropic index appearing in
the recently introduced nonextensive generalized statistics). The relation
between the parameter q and the fractal dimension d_f of the onset-to-chaos
attractor is revealed: q appears to monotonically decrease from 1
(Boltzmann-Gibbs, extensive, limit) to -infinity when d_f varies from 1
(nonfractal, ergodic-like, limit) to zero.Comment: LaTeX, 6 pages , 5 figure
Performance of a Large-Area GEM Detector Prototype for the Upgrade of the CMS Muon Endcap System
Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) technology is being considered for the forward
muon upgrade of the CMS experiment in Phase 2 of the CERN LHC. Its first
implementation is planned for the GE1/1 system in the region of the muon endcap mainly to control muon level-1 trigger rates
after the second long LHC shutdown. A GE1/1 triple-GEM detector is read out by
3,072 radial strips with 455 rad pitch arranged in eight -sectors.
We assembled a full-size GE1/1 prototype of 1m length at Florida Tech and
tested it in 20-120 GeV hadron beams at Fermilab using Ar/CO 70:30 and
the RD51 scalable readout system. Four small GEM detectors with 2-D readout and
an average measured azimuthal resolution of 36 rad provided precise
reference tracks. Construction of this largest GEM detector built to-date is
described. Strip cluster parameters, detection efficiency, and spatial
resolution are studied with position and high voltage scans. The plateau
detection efficiency is [97.1 0.2 (stat)]\%. The azimuthal resolution is
found to be [123.5 1.6 (stat)] rad when operating in the center of
the efficiency plateau and using full pulse height information. The resolution
can be slightly improved by 10 rad when correcting for the bias due
to discrete readout strips. The CMS upgrade design calls for readout
electronics with binary hit output. When strip clusters are formed
correspondingly without charge-weighting and with fixed hit thresholds, a
position resolution of [136.8 2.5 stat] rad is measured, consistent
with the expected resolution of strip-pitch/ = 131.3 rad. Other
-sectors of the detector show similar response and performance.Comment: 8 pages, 32 figures, submitted to Proc. 2014 IEEE Nucl. Sci.
Symposium, Seattle, WA, reference adde
A novel application of Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors in MPGD
We present a novel application of Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors in the
construction and characterisation of Micro Pattern Gaseous Detector (MPGD),
with particular attention to the realisation of the largest triple (Gas
electron Multiplier) GEM chambers so far operated, the GE1/1 chambers of the
CMS experiment at LHC. The GE1/1 CMS project consists of 144 GEM chambers of
about 0.5 m2 active area each, employing three GEM foils per chamber, to be
installed in the forward region of the CMS endcap during the long shutdown of
LHC in 2108-2019. The large active area of each GE1/1 chamber consists of GEM
foils that are mechanically stretched in order to secure their flatness and the
consequent uniform performance of the GE1/1 chamber across its whole active
surface. So far FBGs have been used in high energy physics mainly as high
precision positioning and re-positioning sensors and as low cost, easy to
mount, low space consuming temperature sensors. FBGs are also commonly used for
very precise strain measurements in material studies. In this work we present a
novel use of FBGs as flatness and mechanical tensioning sensors applied to the
wide GEM foils of the GE1/1 chambers. A network of FBG sensors have been used
to determine the optimal mechanical tension applied and to characterise the
mechanical tension that should be applied to the foils. We discuss the results
of the test done on a full-sized GE1/1 final prototype, the studies done to
fully characterise the GEM material, how this information was used to define a
standard assembly procedure and possible future developments.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, presented by Luigi Benussi at MPGD 2015 (Trieste,
Italy). arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1512.0848
Psychometric Evaluation of the Arabic Version of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale on a Sample of Jordanian Arab Christians
This paper assesses the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) in an Arab Christian sample by analyzing its internal structure. A convenience sample of 340 Arab Christians was recruited from the adult community population of northern Jordan. Data were collected through a self-completion, anonymous questionnaire distributed through church and community groups. Principal Components factor analysis, non-parametric bivariate statistics, and Cronbach's alpha were used to assess the psychometric properties of the total scale and its subscales. The findings broadly supported the factor structure of the SWBS in other Arab samples in that the scale consists of three factors, representing positive existential well-being, affiliation, and alienation subscales. In conclusion, these preliminary findings suggest that the Arabic version of the SWBS can be used as an instrument to measure levels of spiritual well-being in Arab Christian populations. </jats:p
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