521 research outputs found
Cygnus X-3 in outburst : quenched radio emission, radiation losses and variable local opacity
We present multiwavelength observations of Cygnus X-3 during an extended
outburst in 1994 February - March. Intensive radio monitoring at 13.3, 3.6 &
2.0 cm is complemented by observations at (sub)millimetre and infrared
wavelengths, which find Cyg X-3 to be unusually bright and variable, and
include the first reported detection of the source at 0.45 mm. We report the
first confirmation of quenched radio emission prior to radio flaring
independent of observations at Green Bank. The observations reveal evidence for
wavelength-dependent radiation losses and gradually decreasing opacity in the
environment of the radio jet. We find that the radiation losses are likely to
be predominantly inverse Compton losses experienced by the radio-emitting
electrons in the strong radiation field of a luminous companion to the compact
object. We interpret the decreasing opacity during the flare sequence as
resulting from a decreasing proportion of thermal electrons entrained in the
jet, reflecting a decreasing density in the region of jet formation. We
present, drawing in part on the work of other authors, a model based upon
mass-transfer rate instability predicting gamma-ray, X-ray, infrared and radio
trends during a radio flaring sequence.Comment: LaTeX, 11 pages, 6 figures. Submitted to MNRA
Legislative strengthening meets party support in international assistance: a closer relationship?
Recent reports recommend that international efforts to help strengthen legislatures in emerging democracies should work more closely with support for building stronger political parties and competitive party systems. This article locates the recommendations within international assistance more generally and reviews the arguments. It explores problems that must be addressed if the recommendations are to be implemented effectively. The article argues that an alternative, issue-based approach to strengthening legislatures and closer links with civil society could gain more traction. However, that is directed more centrally at promoting good governance for the purpose of furthering development than at democratisation goals sought by party aid and legislative strengtheners in the democracy assistance industry
The incidence of Gorlin syndrome in 173 consecutive cases of medulloblastoma.
We have investigated the incidence of Gorlin syndrome (GS) in patients with the childhood brain tumour, medulloblastoma. One hundred and seventy-three consecutive cases of medulloblastoma in the North-West Regional Health Authority between 1954 and 1989 (Manchester Regional Health Board before 1974) were studied. After review of case notes, X-rays and health surveys only 2/173 cases had evidence supporting a diagnosis of GS. A further case at 50% risk of GS died of a brain tumour aged 4 years. The incidence of GS in medulloblastoma is, therefore, probably between 1-2%. A population based study of GS in the region started in 1983 was used to assess the incidence of medulloblastoma in GS, which was found to be between 3-5%. This figure is lower than previous estimates, but this is the first population based study undertaken. In view of the early age of onset in GS (mean 2 years) children presenting with medulloblastoma, especially under 5 years, should be examined for signs of the syndrome. Those at high risk of developing multiple invasive basal cell carcinomata will then be identified
Dynamical N-body Equlibrium in Circular Dilaton Gravity
We obtain a new exact equilibrium solution to the N-body problem in a
one-dimensional relativistic self-gravitating system. It corresponds to an
expanding/contracting spacetime of a circle with N bodies at equal proper
separations from one another around the circle. Our methods are
straightforwardly generalizable to other dilatonic theories of gravity, and
provide a new class of solutions to further the study of (relativistic)
one-dimensional self-gravitating systems.Comment: 4 pages, latex, reference added, minor changes in wordin
Chaos in an Exact Relativistic 3-body Self-Gravitating System
We consider the problem of three body motion for a relativistic
one-dimensional self-gravitating system. After describing the canonical
decomposition of the action, we find an exact expression for the 3-body
Hamiltonian, implicitly determined in terms of the four coordinate and momentum
degrees of freedom in the system. Non-relativistically these degrees of freedom
can be rewritten in terms of a single particle moving in a two-dimensional
hexagonal well. We find the exact relativistic generalization of this
potential, along with its post-Newtonian approximation. We then specialize to
the equal mass case and numerically solve the equations of motion that follow
from the Hamiltonian. Working in hexagonal-well coordinates, we obtaining
orbits in both the hexagonal and 3-body representations of the system, and plot
the Poincare sections as a function of the relativistic energy parameter . We find two broad categories of periodic and quasi-periodic motions that we
refer to as the annulus and pretzel patterns, as well as a set of chaotic
motions that appear in the region of phase-space between these two types.
Despite the high degree of non-linearity in the relativistic system, we find
that the the global structure of its phase space remains qualitatively the same
as its non-relativisitic counterpart for all values of that we could
study. However the relativistic system has a weaker symmetry and so its
Poincare section develops an asymmetric distortion that increases with
increasing . For the post-Newtonian system we find that it experiences a
KAM breakdown for : above which the near integrable regions
degenerate into chaos.Comment: latex, 65 pages, 36 figures, high-resolution figures available upon
reques
Political strategies of external support for democratization
Political strategies of external support to democratization are contrasted and critically examined in respect of the United States and European Union. The analysis begins by defining its terms of reference and addresses the question of what it means to have a strategy. The account briefly notes the goals lying behind democratization support and their relationship with the wider foreign policy process, before considering what a successful strategy would look like and how that relates to the selection of candidates. The literature's attempts to identify strategy and its recommendations for better strategies are compared and assessed. Overall, the article argues that the question of political strategies of external support for democratization raises several distinct but related issues including the who?, what?, why?, and how? On one level, strategic choices can be expected to echo the comparative advantage of the "supporter." On a different level, the strategies cannot be divorced from the larger foreign policy framework. While it is correct to say that any sound strategy for support should be grounded in a theoretical understanding of democratization, the literature on strategies reveals something even more fundamental: divergent views about the nature of politics itself. The recommendations there certainly pinpoint weaknesses in the actual strategies of the United States and Europe but they have their own limitations too. In particular, in a world of increasing multi-level governance strategies for supporting democratization should go beyond preoccupation with just an "outside-in" approach
Phase diagram of bismuth in the extreme quantum limit
Elemental bismuth provides a rare opportunity to explore the fate of a
three-dimensional gas of highly mobile electrons confined to their lowest
Landau level. Coulomb interaction, neglected in the band picture, is expected
to become significant in this extreme quantum limit with poorly understood
consequences. Here, we present a study of the angular-dependent Nernst effect
in bismuth, which establishes the existence of ultraquantum field scales on top
of its complex single-particle spectrum. Each time a Landau level crosses the
Fermi level, the Nernst response sharply peaks. All such peaks are resolved by
the experiment and their complex angular-dependence is in very good agreement
with the theory. Beyond the quantum limit, we resolve additional Nernst peaks
signaling a cascade of additional Landau sub-levels caused by electron
interaction
The Discovery of a Neutron Star with a Spin Frequency of 530 Hz in A1744-361
We report the detection with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE)
Proportional Counter Array (PCA) of 530 Hz burst oscillations in a
thermonuclear (type I) burst from the transient X-ray source A1744-361. This is
only the second burst ever observed from this source, and the first to be seen
in any detail. Our results confirm that A1744-361 is a low mass X-ray binary
(LMXB) system harboring a rapidly rotating neutron star. The oscillations are
first detected along the rising edge of the burst, and they show evidence for
frequency evolution of a magnitude similar to that seen in other burst sources.
The modulation amplitude and its increase with photon energy are also typical
of burst oscillations. The lack of any strong indication of photospheric radius
expansion during the burst suggests a 9 kpc upper limit of the source distance.
We also find energy dependent dips, establishing A1744-361 as a high
inclination, dipping LMXB. The timescale between the two episodes of observed
dips suggests an orbital period of ~ 97 minutes. We have also detected a 2 - 4
Hz quasi-periodic-oscillation (QPO) for the first time from this source. This
QPO appears consistent with ~ 1 Hz QPOs seen from other high-inclination
systems. We searched for kilohertz QPOs, and found a suggestive 2.3 sigma
feature at 800 Hz in one observation. The frequency, strength, and quality
factor are consistent with that of a lower frequency kilohertz QPO, but the
relatively low significance argues for caution, so we consider this a tentative
detection requiring confirmation.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, published in ApJ Letter
Evaluating object permanence in embodied agents using the animal-AI environment
This is the final version. Available from CEUR Workshop Proceedings via the URL in this record.âŻObject permanence, the understanding and belief that objects continue to exist even when they are not directly observable, is
important for any agent interacting with the world. Psychologists have been studying object permanence in animals for at
least 50 years, and in humans for almost 50 more. In this paper, we apply the methodologies from psychology and cognitive
science to present a novel testbed for evaluating whether artificial agents have object permanence. Built in the Animal-AI
environment, Object-Permanence In Animal-Ai: GEneralisable Test Suites (O-PIAAGETS) improves on other benchmarks for
assessing object permanence in terms of both size and validity. We discuss the layout of O-PIAAGETS and how it can be used
to robustly evaluate OP in embodied agents.Future of Life Institute (FLI)European Unionâs Horizon 2020DARPAEconomic and Social Research Counci
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