2,163 research outputs found
Polarization lightcurves and position angle variation of beamed gamma-ray bursts
The recently detected linear polarization in the optical lightcurve of GRB
990510 renewed the interest on how polarization can be produced in gamma-ray
burst fireballs. Here we present a model based on the assumption that we are
seeing a collimated fireball, observed slightly off-axis. This introduces some
degree of anisotropy, and makes it possible to observe a linearly polarized
flux even if the magnetic field is completely tangled in the plane orthogonal
to the line of sight. We construct the lightcurve of the polarization flux,
showing that it is always characterized by two maxima, with the polarization
position angle changing by 90 deg. between the first and the second maximum.
The very same geometry here assumed implies that the total flux initially
decays in time as a power law, but gradually steepens as the bulk Lorentz
factor of the fireball decreases.Comment: 5 pages, 4 postscript figures, submitted to MNRAS letter
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Complex coupled-cluster approach to an ab-initio description of open quantum systems
We develop ab-initio coupled-cluster theory to describe resonant and weakly
bound states along the neutron drip line. We compute the ground states of the
helium chain 3-10He within coupled-cluster theory in singles and doubles (CCSD)
approximation. We employ a spherical Gamow-Hartree-Fock basis generated from
the low-momentum N3LO nucleon-nucleon interaction. This basis treats bound,
resonant, and continuum states on equal footing, and is therefore optimal for
the description of properties of drip line nuclei where continuum features play
an essential role. Within this formalism, we present an ab-initio calculation
of energies and decay widths of unstable nuclei starting from realistic
interactions.Comment: 4 pages, revtex
Simulated Dark-Matter Halos as a Test of Nonextensive Statistical Mechanics
In the framework of nonextensive statistical mechanics, the equilibrium
structures of astrophysical self-gravitating systems are stellar polytropes,
parameterized by the polytropic index n. By careful comparison to the
structures of simulated dark-matter halos we find that the density profiles, as
well as other fundamental properties, of stellar polytropes are inconsistent
with simulations for any value of n. This result suggests the need to
reconsider the applicability of nonextensive statistical mechanics (in its
simplest form) to equilibrium self-gravitating systems.Comment: Accepted for publication in Physical Review
Medium-mass nuclei from chiral nucleon-nucleon interactions
We compute the binding energies, radii, and densities for selected
medium-mass nuclei within coupled-cluster theory and employ the "bare" chiral
nucleon-nucleon interaction at order N3LO. We find rather well-converged
results in model spaces consisting of 15 oscillator shells, and the doubly
magic nuclei 40Ca, 48Ca, and the exotic 48Ni are underbound by about 1 MeV per
nucleon within the CCSD approximation. The binding-energy difference between
the mirror nuclei 48Ca and 48Ni is close to theoretical mass table evaluations.
Our computation of the one-body density matrices and the corresponding natural
orbitals and occupation numbers provides a first step to a microscopic
foundation of the nuclear shell model.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure
One- and Two-Nucleon Structure form Green's Function Theory
We review some applications of self-consistent Green's function theory to
studies of one- and two-nucleon structure in finite nuclei.
Large-scale microscopic calculations that employ realistic nuclear forces are
now possible. Effects of long-range correlations are seen to play a dominant
role in determining the quenching of absolute spectroscopic factors. They also
enhance considerably (e,e'pn) cross sections in superparallel kinematics, in
agreement with observations.Comment: Proceedings of the International Symposium on "Forefronts of
Researches in Exotic Nuclear Structures" (Niigata2010)
Microlensing variability in time-delay quasars
We have searched for microlensing variability in the light curves of five
gravitationally lensed quasars with well-determined time delays: SBS 1520+530,
FBQ 0951+2635, RX J0911+0551, B1600+434 and HE 2149-2745. By comparing the
light curve of the leading image with a suitably time offset light curve of a
trailing image we find that two (SBS 1520+530 and FBQ 0951+2635) out of the
five quasars have significant long-term (years) and short-term (100 days)
brightness variations that may be attributed to microlensing.The short-term
variations may be due to nanolenses, relativistic hot or cold spots in the
quasar accretion disks, or coherent microlensing at large optical depth.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, uses natbib.sty and aa.cl
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