2,241 research outputs found
Gas Giant Protoplanets Formed by Disk Instability in Binary Star Systems
We present a suite of three dimensional radiative gravitational hydrodynamics
models suggesting that binary stars may be quite capable of forming planetary
systems similar to our own. The new models with binary companions do not employ
any explicit artificial viscosity, and also include the third (vertical)
dimension in the hydrodynamic calculations, allowing for transient phases of
convective cooling. The calculations of the evolution of initially marginally
gravitationally stable disks show that the presence of a binary star companion
may actually help to trigger the formation of dense clumps that could become
giant planets. We also show that in models without binary companions, which
begin their evolution as gravitationally stable disks, the disks evolve to form
dense rings, which then break-up into self-gravitating clumps. These latter
models suggest that the evolution of any self-gravitating disk with sufficient
mass to form gas giant planets is likely to lead to a period of disk
instability, even in the absence of a trigger such as a binary star companion.Comment: 52 pages, 28 figure
Phase noise measurements of the 400-kW, 2.115-GHz (S-band) transmitter
The measurement theory is described and a test method to perform phase noise verification using off-the-shelf components and instruments is presented. The measurement technique described consists of a double-balanced mixer used as phase detector, followed by a low noise amplifier. An FFT spectrum analyzer is then used to view the modulation components. A simple calibration procedure is outlined that ensures accurate measurements. A block diagram of the configuration is presented as well as actual phase noise data from the 400 kW, 2.115 GHz (S-band) klystron transmitter
Migration of giant planets in planetesimal discs
Planets orbiting a planetesimal circumstellar disc can migrate inward from
their initial positions because of dynamical friction between planets and
planetesimals. The migration rate depends on the disc mass and on its time
evolution. Planets that are embedded in long-lived planetesimal discs, having
total mass of , can migrate inward a large distance and
can survive only if the inner disc is truncated or because of tidal interaction
with the star. In this case the semi-major axis, a, of the planetary orbit is
less than 0.1 AU. Orbits with larger are obtained for smaller value of the
disc mass or for a rapid evolution (depletion) of the disc. This model may
explain several of the orbital features of the giant planets that were
discovered in last years orbiting nearby stars as well as the metallicity
enhancement found in several stars associated with short-period planets.Comment: 21 pages; 6 encapsulated figures. Accepted by MNRA
Dynamical Stability and Habitability of Gamma Cephei Binary-Planetary System
It has been suggested that the long-lived residual radial velocity variations
observed in the precision radial velocity measurements of the primary of Gamma
Cephei (HR8974, HD222404, HIP116727) are likely due to a Jupiter-like planet
around this star (Hatzes et al, 2003). In this paper, the orbital dynamics of
this plant is studied and also the possibility of the existence of a
hypothetical Earth-like planet in the habitable zone of its central star is
discussed. Simulations, which have been carried out for different values of the
eccentricity and semimajor axis of the binary, as well as the orbital
inclination of its Jupiter-like planet, expand on previous studies of this
system and indicate that, for the values of the binary eccentricity smaller
than 0.5, and for all values of the orbital inclination of the Jupiter-like
planet ranging from 0 to 40 degrees, the orbit of this planet is stable. For
larger values of the binary eccentricity, the system becomes gradually
unstable. Integrations also indicate that, within this range of orbital
parameters, a hypothetical Earth-like planet can have a long-term stable orbit
only at distances of 0.3 to 0.8 AU from the primary star. The habitable zone of
the primary, at a range of approximately 3.1 to 3.8 AU, is, however, unstable.Comment: 25 pages, 7 figures, 3 tables, submitted for publicatio
Particle Dark Energy
We explore the physics of a gas of particles interacting with a condensate
that spontaneously breaks Lorentz invariance. The equation of state of this gas
varies from 1/3 to less than -1 and can lead to the observed cosmic
acceleration. The particles are always stable. In our particular class of
models these particles are fermions with a chiral coupling to the condensate.
They may behave as relativistic matter at early times, produce a brief period
where they dominate the expansion with w<0 today, and behave as matter at late
time. There are no small parameters in our models, which generically lead to
dark energy clustering and, depending on the choice of parameters, smoothing of
small scale power.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures; minor update with added refs; version appearing
in Phys. Rev.
Carbon-Based Ocean Productivity and Phytoplankton Physiology from Space
Ocean biogeochemical and ecosystem processes are linked by net primary production (NPP) in the ocean\u27s surface layer, where inorganic carbon is fixed by photosynthetic processes. Determinations of NPP are necessarily a function of phytoplankton biomass and its physiological status, but the estimation of these two terms from space has remained an elusive target. Here we present new satellite ocean color observations of phytoplankton carbon (C) and chlorophyll (Chl) biomass and show that derived Chl:C ratios closely follow anticipated physiological dependencies on light, nutrients, and temperature. With this new information, global estimates of phytoplankton growth rates (mu) and carbon-based NPP are made for the first time. Compared to an earlier chlorophyll-based approach, our carbon-based values are considerably higher in tropical oceans, show greater seasonality at middle and high latitudes, and illustrate important differences in the formation and demise of regional algal blooms. This fusion of emerging concepts from the phycological and remote sensing disciplines has the potential to fundamentally change how we model and observe carbon cycling in the global oceans
Carbon-Based Primary Productivity Modeling With Vertically Resolved Photoacclimation
Net primary production (NPP) is commonly modeled as a function of chlorophyll concentration (Chl), even though it has been long recognized that variability in intracellular chlorophyll content from light acclimation and nutrient stress confounds the relationship between Chl and phytoplankton biomass. It was suggested previously that satellite estimates of backscattering can be related to phytoplankton carbon biomass (C) under conditions of a conserved particle size distribution or a relatively stable relationship between C and total particulate organic carbon. Together, C and Chl can be used to describe physiological state (through variations in Chl:C ratios) and NPP. Here, we fully develop the carbon-based productivity model (CbPM) to include information on the subsurface light field and nitracline depths to parameterize photoacclimation and nutrient stress throughout the water column. This depth-resolved approach produces profiles of biological properties (Chl, C, NPP) that are broadly consistent with observations. The CbPM is validated using regional in situ data sets of irradiance-derived products, phytoplankton chlorophyll: carbon ratios, and measured NPP rates. CbPM-based distributions of global NPP are significantly different in both space and time from previous Chl-based estimates because of the distinction between biomass and physiological influences on global Chl fields. The new model yields annual, areally integrated water column production of similar to 52 Pg C a(-1) for the global oceans
Radiative transfer and the energy equation in SPH simulations of star formation
We introduce and test a new and highly efficient method for treating the
thermal and radiative effects influencing the energy equation in SPH
simulations of star formation. The method uses the density, temperature and
gravitational potential of each particle to estimate a mean optical depth,
which then regulates the particle's heating and cooling. The method captures --
at minimal computational cost -- the effects of (i) the rotational and
vibrational degrees of freedom of H2, H2 dissociation, H0 ionisation, (ii)
opacity changes due to ice mantle melting, sublimation of dust, molecular
lines, H-, bound-free and free-free processes and electron scattering; (iv)
external irradiation; and (v) thermal inertia. The new algorithm reproduces the
results of previous authors and/or known analytic solutions. The computational
cost is comparable to a standard SPH simulation with a simple barotropic
equation of state. The method is easy to implement, can be applied to both
particle- and grid-based codes, and handles optical depths 0<tau<10^{11}.Comment: Submitted to A&A, recommended for publicatio
The Thermal Regulation of Gravitational Instabilities in Protoplanetary Disks II. Extended Simulations with Varied Cooling Rates
In order to investigate mass transport and planet formation by gravitational
instabilities (GIs), we have extended our 3-D hydrodynamic simulations of
protoplanetary disks from a previous paper. Our goal is to determine the
asymptotic behavior of GIs and how it is affected by different constant cooling
times. Initially, Rdisk = 40 AU, Mdisk = 0.07 Mo, M* = 0.5 Mo, and Qmin = 1.8.
Sustained cooling, with tcool = 2 orps (outer rotation periods, 1 orp ~ 250
yrs), drives the disk to instability in ~ 4 orps. This calculation is followed
for 23.5 orps. After 12 orps, the disk settles into a quasi-steady state with
sustained nonlinear instabilities, an average Q = 1.44 over the outer disk, a
well-defined power-law Sigma(r), and a roughly steady Mdot ~ 5(-7) Mo/yr. The
transport is driven by global low-order spiral modes. We restart the
calculation at 11.2 orps with tcool = 1 and 1/4 orp. The latter case is also
run at high azimuthal resolution. We find that shorter cooling times lead to
increased Mdots, denser and thinner spiral structures, and more violent dynamic
behavior. The asymptotic total internal energy and the azimuthally averaged
Q(r) are insensitive to tcool. Fragmentation occurs only in the high-resolution
tcool = 1/4 orp case; however, none of the fragments survive for even a quarter
of an orbit. Ring-like density enhancements appear and grow near the boundary
between GI active and inactive regions. We discuss the possible implications of
these rings for gas giant planet formation.Comment: Due to document size restrictions, the complete manuscript could not
be posted on astroph. Please go to http://westworld.astro.indiana.edu to
download the full document including figure
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