1,211 research outputs found
A Modified Synchrotron Model for Knots in the M87 Jet
For explaining the broadband spectral shape of knots in the M87 jet from
radio through optical to X-ray, we propose a modified synchrotron model that
considers the integrated effect of particle injection from different
acceleration sources in the thin acceleration region. This results in two break
frequencies at two sides of which the spectral index of knots in the M87 jet
changes. We discuss the possible implications of these results for the physical
properties in the M87 jet. The observed flux of the knots in the M87 jet from
radio to X-ray can be satisfactorily explained by the model, and the predicted
spectra from ultraviolet to X-ray could be further tested by future
observations. The model implies that the knots D, E, F, A, B, and C1 are
unlikely to be the candidate for the TeV emission recently detected in M87.Comment: 12 pages, 1 figure, 2 tables, Accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
Solar Physics - Plasma Physics Workshop
A summary of the proceedings of a conference whose purpose was to explore plasma physics problems which arise in the study of solar physics is provided. Sessions were concerned with specific questions including the following: (1) whether the solar plasma is thermal or non-themal; (2) what spectroscopic data is required; (3) what types of magnetic field structures exist; (4) whether magnetohydrodynamic instabilities occur; (5) whether resistive or non-magnetohydrodynamic instabilities occur; (6) what mechanisms of particle acceleration have been proposed; and (7) what information is available concerning shock waves. Very few questions were answered categorically but, for each question, there was discussion concerning the observational evidence, theoretical analyses, and existing or potential laboratory and numerical experiments
Instanton approach to the Langevin motion of a particle in a random potential
We develop an instanton approach to the non-equilibrium dynamics in
one-dimensional random environments. The long time behavior is controlled by
rare fluctuations of the disorder potential and, accordingly, by the tail of
the distribution function for the time a particle needs to propagate along the
system (the delay time). The proposed method allows us to find the tail of the
delay time distribution function and delay time moments, providing thus an
exact description of the long-time dynamics. We analyze arbitrary environments
covering different types of glassy dynamics: dynamics in a short-range random
field, creep, and Sinai's motion.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur
The WKB Approximation without Divergences
In this paper, the WKB approximation to the scattering problem is developed
without the divergences which usually appear at the classical turning points. A
detailed procedure of complexification is shown to generate results identical
to the usual WKB prescription but without the cumbersome connection formulas.Comment: 13 pages, TeX file, to appear in Int. J. Theor. Phy
On the Existence of the Quantum Action
We have previously proposed a conjecture stating that quantum mechanical
transition amplitudes can be parametrized in terms of a quantum action. Here we
give a proof of the conjecture and establish the existance of a local quantum
action in the case of imaginary time in the Feynman-Kac limit (when temperature
goes to zero). Moreover we discuss some symmetry properties of the quantum
action.Comment: revised version, Text (LaTeX
Noise storm continua: power estimates for electron acceleration
We use a generic stochastic acceleration formalism to examine the power
() input to nonthermal electrons that cause
noise storm continuum emission. The analytical approach includes the derivation
of the Green's function for a general second-order Fermi process, and its
application to obtain the particular solution for the nonthermal electron
distribution resulting from the acceleration of a Maxwellian source in the
corona. We compare with the power observed in noise
storm radiation. Using typical values for the various parameters, we find that
, yielding an efficiency
estimate in the range 10^{-10} \lsim \eta
\lsim 10^{-6} for this nonthermal acceleration/radiation process. These
results reflect the efficiency of the overall process, starting from electron
acceleration and culminating in the observed noise storm emission.Comment: Accepted for publication in Solar Physic
Test of Quantum Action for Inverse Square Potential
We present a numerical study of the quantum action previously introduced as a
parametrisation of Q.M. transition amplitudes. We address the questions: Is the
quantum action possibly an exact parametrisation in the whole range of
transition times ()? Is the presence of potential terms beyond
those occuring in the classical potential required? What is the error of the
parametrisation estimated from the numerical fit? How about convergence and
stability of the fitting method (dependence on grid points, resolution, initial
conditions, internal precision etc.)? Further we compare two methods of
numerical determination of the quantum action: (i) global fit of the Q.M.
transition amplitudes and (ii) flow equation. As model we consider the inverse
square potential, for which the Q.M. transition amplitudes are analytically
known. We find that the relative error of the parametrisation starts from zero
at T=0 increases to about at and then decreases to zero
when . Second, we observe stability of the quantum action under
variation of the control parameters. Finally, the flow equation method works
well in the regime of large giving stable results under variation of
initial data and consistent with the global fit method.Comment: Text (LaTeX), Figures(ps
The X-ray Emissions from the M87 Jet: Diagnostics and Physical Interpretation
We reanalyze the deep Chandra observations of the M87 jet, first examined by
Wilson & Yang (2002). By employing an analysis chain that includes image
deconvolution, knots HST-1 and I are fully separated from adjacent emission. We
find slight but significant variations in the spectral shape, with values of
ranging from . We use VLA radio observations, as well
as HST imaging and polarimetry data, to examine the jet's broad-band spectrum
and inquire as to the nature of particle acceleration in the jet. As shown in
previous papers, a simple continuous injection model for synchrotron-emitting
knots, in which both the filling factor, , of regions within which
particles are accelerated and the energy spectrum of the injected particles are
constant, cannot account for the X-ray flux or spectrum. Instead, we propose
that is a function of position and energy and find that in the inner
jet, , and
in knots A and B, , where is the emitted photon energy and and is the
emitting electron energy. In this model, the index of the injected electron
energy spectrum () is at all locations in
the jet, as predicted by models of cosmic ray acceleration by ultrarelativistic
shocks. There is a strong correlation between the peaks of X-ray emission and
minima of optical percentage polarization, i.e., regions where the jet magnetic
field is not ordered. We suggest that the X-ray peaks coincide with shock waves
which accelerate the X-ray emitting electrons and cause changes in the
direction of the magnetic field; the polarization is thus small because of beam
averaging.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ; 21 pages, 9 figures, 2 tables;
abstract shortened for astro-ph; Figures 1, 7 and 8 at reduced resolutio
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