The evolution of the jet from Herbig Ae star HD 163296 from 1999 to 2011

Young A and B stars, the so-called Herbig Ae/Be stars (HAeBe), are surrounded by an active accretion disk and drive outflows. We study the jet HH 409, which is launched from the HAeBe star HD 163296, using new and archival observations from Chandra and HST/STIS. In X-rays we can show that the central source is not significantly extended. The approaching jet, but not the counter-jet, is detected in Ly alpha. In addition, there is red-shifted Ly alpha emission extended in the same direction as the jet, that is also absent in the counter-jet. We can rule out an accretion or disk-wind origin for this feature. In the optical we find the knots B and B2 in the counter-jet. Knot B has been observed previously, so we can derive its proper motion of 0.37+-0.01 arcsec/yr. Its electron density is 3000/cm^3, thus the cooling time scale is a few months only, so the knot needs to be reheated continuously. The shock speed derived from models of H alpha and forbidden emission lines (FELs) decreased from 50 km/s in 1999 to 30 km/s in 2011 because the shock front loses energy as it travels along the jet. Knot B2 is observed at a similar position in 2011 as knot B was in 1999, but shows a lower ionization fraction and higher mass loss rate, proving variations in the jet launching conditions.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, accepted by A&

Huygens' Principle for the Klein-Gordon equation in the de Sitter spacetime

In this article we prove that the Klein-Gordon equation in the de Sitter spacetime obeys the Huygens' principle only if the physical mass $m$ of the scalar field and the dimension $n\geq 2$ of the spatial variable are tied by the equation $m^2=(n^2-1)/4$. Moreover, we define the incomplete Huygens' principle, which is the Huygens' principle restricted to the vanishing second initial datum, and then reveal that the massless scalar field in the de Sitter spacetime obeys the incomplete Huygens' principle and does not obey the Huygens' principle, for the dimensions $n=1,3$, only. Thus, in the de Sitter spacetime the existence of two different scalar fields (in fact, with m=0 and $m^2=(n^2-1)/4$), which obey incomplete Huygens' principle, is equivalent to the condition $n=3$ (in fact, the spatial dimension of the physical world). For $n=3$ these two values of the mass are the endpoints of the so-called in quantum field theory the Higuchi bound. The value $m^2=(n^2-1)/4$ of the physical mass allows us also to obtain complete asymptotic expansion of the solution for the large time. Keywords: Huygens' Principle; Klein-Gordon Equation; de Sitter spacetime; Higuchi Boun

Procedure for Experiential Learning to Conduct Material Flow Simulation Projects, Enabled by Learning Factories

Material flow simulation is a powerful tool to identify improvements in factory operation. For conducting simulation projects, experts are required who know how to prepare, execute and evaluate simulation studies. To date, training mostly focusses on textual case studies, whereby learners perform simulation studies based on a problem and data given in a description. However, this hardly reflects the ways engineers learn. They are mostly used to physically experiment based on their experience. In this paper, a procedure for experiential learning to conduct material flow simulation projects is elaborated, enabled by learning factories. A learning situation at Vietnamese-German University is described. Results indicate, that the students gain particular awareness about the challenges associated with the abstraction of the reality and the interpretation of the simulation outcomes

Equation of State of Oscillating Brans-Dicke Scalar and Extra Dimensions

We consider a Brans-Dicke scalar field stabilized by a general power law potential with power index $n$ at a finite equilibrium value. Redshifting matter induces oscillations of the scalar field around its equilibrium due to the scalar field coupling to the trace of the energy momentum tensor. If the stabilizing potential is sufficiently steep these high frequency oscillations are consistent with observational and experimental constraints for arbitrary value of the Brans-Dicke parameter $\omega$. We study analytically and numerically the equation of state of these high frequency oscillations in terms of the parameters $\omega$ and $n$ and find the corresponding evolution of the universe scale factor. We find that the equation of state parameter can be negative and less than -1 but it is not related to the evolution of the scale factor in the usual way. Nevertheless, accelerating expansion is found for a certain parameter range. Our analysis applies also to oscillations of the size of extra dimensions (the radion field) around an equilibrium value. This duality between self-coupled Brans-Dicke and radion dynamics is applicable for $\omega= -1 + 1/D$ where D is the number of extra dimensions.Comment: 10 two-column pages, RevTex4, 8 figures. Added clarifying discussions, new references. Accepted in Phys. Rev. D (to appear

Chandra observation of Cepheus A: The diffuse emission of HH 168 resolved

X-ray emission from massive stellar outflows has been detected in several cases. We present a Chandra observation of HH 168 and show that the soft X-ray emission from a plasma of 0.55 keV within HH 168 is diffuse. The X-ray emission is observed on two different scales: Three individual, yet extended, regions are embedded within a complex of low X-ray surface brightness. Compared to the bow shock the emission is displaced against the outflow direction. We show that there is no significant contribution from young stellar objects (YSOs) and discuss several shock scenarios that can produce the observed signatures. We establish that the X-ray emission of HH 168 is excited by internal shocks in contrast to simple models, which expect the bow shock to be the most X-ray luminous.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in A&

The UV Perspective of Low-Mass Star Formation

The formation of low-mass stars in molecular clouds involves accretion disks and jets, which are of broad astrophysical interest. Accreting stars represent the closest examples of these phenomena. Star and planet formation are also intimately connected, setting the starting point for planetary systems like our own. The ultraviolet (UV) spectral range is particularly suited to study star formation, because virtually all relevant processes radiate at temperatures associated with UV emission processes or have strong observational signatures in the UV. In this review, we describe how UV observations provide unique diagnostics for the accretion process, the physical properties of the protoplanetary disk, and jets and outflows.Comment: 26 pages, 12 figures. Published in Galaxies special issue: "Star Formation in the UV", ed. Jorick Vin

AdS and stabilized extra dimensions in multidimensional gravitational models with nonlinear scalar curvature terms 1/R and R^4

We study multidimensional gravitational models with scalar curvature nonlinearities of the type 1/R and R^4. It is assumed that the corresponding higher dimensional spacetime manifolds undergo a spontaneous compactification to manifolds with warped product structure. Special attention is paid to the stability of the extra-dimensional factor spaces. It is shown that for certain parameter regions the systems allow for a freezing stabilization of these spaces. In particular, we find for the 1/R model that configurations with stabilized extra dimensions do not provide a late-time acceleration (they are AdS), whereas the solution branch which allows for accelerated expansion (the dS branch) is incompatible with stabilized factor spaces. In the case of the R^4 model, we obtain that the stability region in parameter space depends on the total dimension D=dim(M) of the higher dimensional spacetime M. For D>8 the stability region consists of a single (absolutely stable) sector which is shielded from a conformal singularity (and an antigravity sector beyond it) by a potential barrier of infinite height and width. This sector is smoothly connected with the stability region of a curvature-linear model. For D<8 an additional (metastable) sector exists which is separated from the conformal singularity by a potential barrier of finite height and width so that systems in this sector are prone to collapse into the conformal singularity. This second sector is not smoothly connected with the first (absolutely stable) one. Several limiting cases and the possibility for inflation are discussed for the R^4 model.Comment: 28 pages, minor cosmetic improvements, Refs. added; to appear in Class. Quantum Gra