660 research outputs found
FAST VARIABILITY AND MILLIMETER/IR FLARES IN GRMHD MODELS OF Sgr A* FROM STRONG-FIELD GRAVITATIONAL LENSING
We explore the variability properties of long, high-cadence general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations across the electromagnetic spectrum using an efficient, GPU-based radiative transfer algorithm. We focus on both standard and normal evolution (SANE) and magnetically arrested disk (MAD) simulations with parameters that successfully reproduce the time-averaged spectral properties of Sgr A* and the size of its image at 1.3 mm. We find that the SANE models produce short-timescale variability with amplitudes and power spectra that closely resemble those inferred observationally. In contrast, MAD models generate only slow variability at lower flux levels. Neither set of models shows any X-ray flares, which most likely indicates that additional physics, such as particle acceleration mechanisms, need to be incorporated into the GRMHD simulations to account for them. The SANE models show strong, short-lived millimeter/infrared (IR) flares, with short (≲1 hr) time lags between the millimeter and IR wavelengths, that arise from the combination of short-lived magnetic flux tubes and strong-field gravitational lensing near the horizon. Such events provide a natural explanation for the observed IR flares with no X-ray counterparts
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The antibacterial activity and release of quaternary ammonium compounds in an orthodontic primer
The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of 10 wt% benzalkonium chloride (TB-BAC) or 10 wt% cetylpyridinium chloride (TB-CPC) on the antimicrobial properties of the orthodontic adhesive primer, Transbond XT™ (TB). Antimicrobial activity was assessed using a zone of inhibition diffusion test and the release of the antimicrobial compounds was monitored by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Shear bond strength (SBS) was tested using bovine enamel. Control, TB, specimens failed to demonstrate intrinsic antibacterial activity at 1, 7 and 14 days; whereas, TB-BAC and TB-CPC showed antibacterial effects at all times. HPLC analysis indicated no significant differences in the release behaviour of TB-BAC and TB-CPC (t-test, p > 0.05), except for the 7-day release which was higher for TB-BAC (p 0.05)
Diffuse Gamma-Ray Emission from Starburst Galaxies and M31
We present a search for high energy gamma-ray emission from 9 nearby
starburst galaxies and M31 with the EGRET instrument aboard CGRO. Though the
diffuse gamma-ray emission from starburst galaxies was suspected to be
detectable, we find no emission from NGC 253, M82 nor from the average of all 9
galaxies. The 2 sigma upper limit for the EGRET flux above 100 MeV for the
averaged survey observations is 1.8 x 10-8 ph cm-2 s-1. From a model of the
expected radio and gamma-ray emission, we find that the magnetic field in the
nuclei of these galaxies is > 25 micro Gauss, and the ratio of proton and
electron densities is < 400. The EGRET limits indicate that the rate of massive
star formation in the survey galaxies is only about an order of magnitude
higher than in the Milky Way. The upper limit to the gamma-ray flux above 100
MeV for M31 is 1.6 x 10-8 ph cm-2 s-1. At the distance of M31, the Milky Way
flux would be over twice this value, indicating higher gamma-ray emissivities
in our Galaxy. Therefore, since the supernova rate of the Milky Way is higher
than in M31, our null detection of M31 supports the theory of the supernova
origin of cosmic rays in galaxies.Comment: 17 pages, plus 1 Postscript figure, AAS Latex macros v4.0, accepted
for publication in ApJ Main Journa
The quantification of surface roughness on root caries using Noncontact Optical Profilometry - An in vitro study
Purpose. The aim of this study was to quantify surface roughness of carious dentine using Noncontact Optical Profilometry (NCOP) in vitro. Methods. A total of 20 extracted teeth with root caries were examined according to clinical assessment criteria. NCOP (Proscan 2000, Scantron, Taunton, UK) was used to carry out the surface roughness measurements in vitro. Selection of sampling rate measurements were subsequently performed. Results. Results showed that the surface roughness (Ra) values were most accurately obtained at a sampling rate of 30 Hz. All lesions had rough texture, with cavitation ranging from 0.5 to 4 mm. Most lesions were leathery, whilst remaining few were soft. There was a significant difference in surface roughness between the carious and sound dentine (p0.05) whilst there was a significant correlation between the hardness and surface roughness (r: 0.47, p=0.04). There was an inverse relationship trend between surface roughness measurements and severity of root caries. Conclusions. There are limitations due to the sophisticated layout of collage network within the root carious dentine especially cavitated lesions. The NCOP could be considered for the quantification of surface roughness on noncavitated carious dentine in a laboratory setting. Clinical significance. The effect of different oral health care products on root caries using the NCOP without causing any potential damage to the noncavitated root surface could be assessed prior to the large scale clinical studies
EGRET Gamma-Ray Observations of the Crab P2/P1 Ratio
Recent observations of the Crab pulsar by the Energetic Gamma-Ray Experiment
Telescope (EGRET) on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory show that the
high-energy gamma-ray light curve has changed little over the lifetime of the
instrument. Previous data collected by SAS-2 and COS-B in the years 1972-82,
along with earlier EGRET data, suggested a 14 year sinusoidal variation in the
flux ratio between the first and second peaks. The new data from EGRET indicate
that the flux ratio is constant.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures. To be published in Ap
The identification of the optical companion to the binary millisecond pulsar J0610-2100 in the Galactic field
We have used deep V and R images acquired at the ESO Very Large Telescope to
identify the optical companion to the binary pulsar PSR J0610-2100, one of the
black-widow millisecond pulsars recently detected by the Fermi Gamma-ray
Telescope in the Galactic plane. We found a faint star (V~26.7) nearly
coincident (\delta r ~0".28) with the pulsar nominal position. This star is
visible only in half of the available images, while it disappears in the
deepest ones (those acquired under the best seeing conditions), thus indicating
that it is variable. Although our observations do not sample the entire orbital
period (P=0.28 d) of the pulsar, we found that the optical modulation of the
variable star nicely correlates with the pulsar orbital period and describes a
well defined peak (R~25.6) at \Phi=0.75, suggesting a modulation due to the
pulsar heating. We tentatively conclude that the companion to PSR J0610-2100 is
a heavily ablated very low mass star (~ 0.02Msun) that completely filled its
Roche Lobe.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures - Accepted for pubblication in Ap
Neutron rich matter, neutron stars, and their crusts
Neutron rich matter is at the heart of many fundamental questions in Nuclear
Physics and Astrophysics. What are the high density phases of QCD? Where did
the chemical elements come from? What is the structure of many compact and
energetic objects in the heavens, and what determines their electromagnetic,
neutrino, and gravitational-wave radiations? Moreover, neutron rich matter is
being studied with an extraordinary variety of new tools such as Facility for
Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) and the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave
Observatory (LIGO). We describe the Lead Radius Experiment (PREX) that is using
parity violation to measure the neutron radius in 208Pb. This has important
implications for neutron stars and their crusts. Using large scale molecular
dynamics, we model the formation of solids in both white dwarfs and neutron
stars. We find neutron star crust to be the strongest material known, some 10
billion times stronger than steel. It can support mountains on rotating neutron
stars large enough to generate detectable gravitational waves. Finally, we
describe a new equation of state for supernova and neutron star merger
simulations based on the Virial expansion at low densities, and large scale
relativistic mean field calculations.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures, Plenary talk International Nuclear Physics
Conference 2010, Vancouver, C
Shear thickening and jamming in densely packed suspensions of different particle shapes
We investigated the effects of particle shape on shear thickening in densely
packed suspensions. Rods of different aspect ratios and non-convex hooked rods
were fabricated. Viscosity curves and normal stresses were measured using a
rheometer for a wide range of packing fractions for each shape. Suspensions of
each shape exhibit qualitatively similar Discontinuous Shear Thickening. The
logarithmic slope of the stress/shear-rate relation increases dramatically with
packing fraction and diverges at a critical packing fraction phi_c which
depends on particle shape. The packing fraction dependence of the viscosity
curves for different convex shapes can be collapsed when the packing fraction
is normalized by phi_c. Intriguingly, viscosity curves for non-convex particles
do not collapse on the same set as convex particles, showing strong shear
thickening over a wider range of packing fraction. The value of phi_c is found
to coincide with the onset of a yield stress at the jamming transition,
suggesting the jamming transition also controls shear thickening. The yield
stress is found to correspond with trapped air in the suspensions, and the
scale of the stress can be attributed to interfacial tension forces which
dramatically increase above phi_c due to the geometric constraints of jamming.
The relationship between shear and normal stresses is found to be linear in
both the shear thickening and jammed regimes, indicating that the shear
stresses come from friction. In the limit of zero shear rate, normal stresses
pull the rheometer plates together due to the surface tension of the liquid
below phi_c, but push the rheometer plates apart due to jamming above phi_c.Comment: 13 pages, 13 figures. published in Physical Review
The Dark Side of ROTSE-III Prompt GRB Observations
We present several cases of optical observations during gamma-ray bursts
(GRBs) which resulted in prompt limits but no detection of optical emission.
These limits constrain the prompt optical flux densities and the optical
brightness relative to the gamma-ray emission. The derived constraints fall
within the range of properties observed in GRBs with prompt optical detections,
though at the faint end of optical/gamma flux ratios. The presently accessible
prompt optical limits do not require a different set of intrinsic or
environmental GRB properties, relative to the events with prompt optical
detections.Comment: ApJ accepted. 20 pages in draft manuscript form, which includes 6
pages of tables and 2 figure
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