18,381 research outputs found
Inversion of polarimetric data from eclipsing binaries
We describe a method for determining the limb polarization and limb darkening
of stars in eclipsing binary systems, by inverting photometric and polarimetric
light curves.
Because of the ill-conditioning of the problem, we use the Backus-Gilbert
method to control the resolution and stability of the recovered solution, and
to make quantitative estimates of the maximum accuracy possible. Using this
method we confirm that the limb polarization can indeed be recovered, and
demonstrate this with simulated data, thus determining the level of
observational accuracy required to achieve a given accuracy of reconstruction.
This allows us to set out an optimal observational strategy, and to critcally
assess the claimed detection of limb polarization in the Algol system.
The use of polarization in stars has been proposed as a diagnostic tool in
microlensing surveys by Simmons et al. (1995), and we discuss the extension of
this work to the case of microlensing of extended sources.Comment: 10pp, 5 figures. To appear in A&
Compact extra-dimensions as solution to the strong CP problem
We show that the strong CP problem can, in principle, be solved dynamically
by adding extra-dimensions with compact topology. To this aim we consider a toy
model for QCD, which contains a vacuum angle and a strong CP like problem. We
further consider a higher dimensional theory, which has a trivial vacuum
structure and which reproduces the perturbative properties of the toy model in
the low-energy limit. In the weak coupling regime, where our computations are
valid, we show that the vacuum structure of the low-energy action is still
trivial and the strong CP problem is solved. No axion-like particle occur in
this setup and therefore it is not ruled out by astrophysical bounds.Comment: Discussion adde
Commutating brushes tested in dc motors in dry argon atmospheres
Test apparatus, procedures, and results are given for dc-motor brushes operating in dry argon. Minimum concentrations of argon impurities are also determined
Titanium-nitrogen reaction investigated for application to gettering systems
Titanium is one of several gettering materials available for removing nitrogen from inert gases. The reaction rate of titanium-metal sponge and nitrogen in argon-nitrogen mixtures was studied at 900 degrees C. The rate was found to depend upon the partial pressure of nitrogen in the gas phase. Mathematical relationships simulate titanium systems
Non Equilibrium Noise as a Probe of the Kondo Effect in Mesoscopic Wires
We study the non-equilibrium noise in mesoscopic diffusive wires hosting
magnetic impurities. We find that the shot-noise to current ratio develops a
peak at intermediate source-drain biases of the order of the Kondo temperature.
The enhanced impurity contribution at intermediate biases is also manifested in
the effective distribution. The predicted peak represents increased inelastic
scattering rate at the non-equilibrium Kondo crossover.Comment: 4+ pages, 4 figures, published versio
Field Decomposition and the Ground State Structure of SU(2) Yang-Mills Theory
We compute the effective potential of SU(2) Yang-Mills theory using the
background field method and the Faddeev-Niemi decomposition of the gauge
fields. In particular, we find that the potential will depend on the values of
two scalar fields in the decomposition and that its structure will give rise to
a symmetry breaking.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure. Typos corrected and title change
Minimal Potentials with Very Many Minima
We demonstrate, by construction, that simple renormalizable matrix potentials
with S_N, as opposed to O(N), symmetry can exhibit an exponentially large
number of inequivalent deep local minima.Comment: LaTeX, 9 pages, 2 figures. Additional applications and references
adde
Quantum Fermion Hair
It is shown that the Dirac operator in the background of a magnetic
%Reissner-Nordstr\"om black hole and a Euclidean vortex possesses normalizable
zero modes in theories containing superconducting cosmic strings. One
consequence of these zero modes is the presence of a fermion condensate around
magnetically charged black holes which violates global quantum numbers.Comment: 16pp (harvmac (l)) and 2 figs.(not included
A study of the effects of environmental and ablator performance uncertainties on heat shielding requirements for hyperbolic entry vehicles. Volume 2 - Summary of calculations
Calculated ablative quantities for nylon phenolic heat shielding materials of hyperbolic reentry vehicle
Microlensing of Extended Stellar Sources
We investigate the feasibility of reconstructing the radial intensity profile
of extended stellar sources by inverting their microlensed light curves. Using
a simple, linear, limb darkening law as an illustration, we show that the
intensity profile can be accurately determined, at least over the outer part of
the stellar disc, with realistic light curve sampling and photometric errors.
The principal requirement is that the impact parameter of the lens be less than
or equal to the stellar radius. Thus, the analysis of microlensing events
provides a powerful method for testing stellar atmosphere models.Comment: 4 pages LaTeX, to appear in New Astronomy Reviews - proceedings of
the Oxford Workshop `Gravitational Lensing: Nature's Own Weighing Scales'.
Uses elsart.cls. Paper also available at
ftp://info.astro.gla.ac.uk/pub/martin/extended.p
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