6,897 research outputs found
Correlated measurements of UHF radar signatures, RF radiation and electric field changes from lightning
During Storm Hazards - 82, simultaneous measurements are made of radar echoes, fast and slow field changes and RF radiation from lightning. Radio frequency radiation and radar echoes are also obtained during periods when the research aircraft is struck by lightning. These data are presently used to better understand the electrical processes which occur during strikes to the aircraft. Preliminary conclusions verify that the events recorded aboard the aircraft occurred during lightning but also indicate that they occur with surprising frequency very early in the flash
Are There Topological Black Hole Solitons in String Theory?
We point out that the celebrated Hawking effect of quantum instability of
black holes seems to be related to a nonperturbative effect in string theory.
Studying quantum dynamics of strings in the gravitational background of black
holes we find classical instability due to emission of massless string
excitations. The topology of a black hole seems to play a fundamental role in
developing the string theory classical instability due to the effect of sigma
model instantons. We argue that string theory allows for a qualitative
description of black holes with very small masses and it predicts topological
solitons with quantized spectrum of masses. These solitons would not decay into
string massless excitations but could be pair created and may annihilate also.
Semiclassical mass quantization of topological solitons in string theory is
based on the argument showing existence of nontrivial zeros of beta function of
the renormalization group.Comment: 12 pages, TeX, requires phyzzx.tex, published in Gen. Rel. Grav. 19
(1987) 1173; comment added on December 18, 199
3D global simulations of a cosmic-ray-driven dynamo in dwarf galaxies
Star-forming dwarf galaxies can be seen as the local proxies of the
high-redshift building blocks of more massive galaxies according to the current
paradigm of the hierarchical galaxy formation. They are low-mass objects, and
therefore their rotation speed is very low. Several galaxies are observed to
show quite strong magnetic fields. These cases of strong ordered magnetic
fields seem to correlate with a high, but not extremely high, star formation
rate. We investigate whether these magnetic fields could be generated by the
cosmic-ray-driven dynamo. The environment of a dwarf galaxy is unfavourable for
the large-scale dynamo action because of the very slow rotation that is
required to create the regular component of the magnetic field. We built a 3D
global model of a dwarf galaxy that consists of two gravitational components:
the stars and the dark-matter halo described by the purely phenomenological
profile proposed previously. We solved a system of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD)
equations that include an additional cosmic-ray component described by the
fluid approximation. We found that the cosmic-ray-driven dynamo can amplify the
magnetic field with an exponential growth rate. The -folding time is
correlated with the initial rotation speed. The final mean value of the
azimuthal flux for our models is of the order of few G and the system
reaches its equipartition level. The results indicate that the
cosmic-ray-driven dynamo is a process that can explain the magnetic fields in
dwarf galaxies.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Cosmic-ray driven dynamo in the interstellar medium of irregular galaxies
Irregular galaxies are usually smaller and less massive than their spiral,
S0, and elliptical counterparts. Radio observations indicate that a magnetic
field is present in irregular galaxies whose value is similar to that in spiral
galaxies. However, the conditions in the interstellar medium of an irregular
galaxy are unfavorable for amplification of the magnetic field because of the
slow rotation and low shearing rate. We investigate the cosmic-ray driven
dynamo in the interstellar medium of an irregular galaxy. We study its
efficiency under the conditions of slow rotation and weak shear. The star
formation is also taken into account in our model and is parametrized by the
frequency of explosions and modulations of activity. The numerical model
includes a magnetohydrodynamical dynamo driven by cosmic rays that is injected
into the interstellar medium by randomly exploding supernovae. In the model, we
also include essential elements such as vertical gravity of the disk,
differential rotation approximated by the shearing box, and resistivity leading
to magnetic reconnection. We find that even slow galactic rotation with a low
shearing rate amplifies the magnetic field, and that rapid rotation with a low
value of the shear enhances the efficiency of the dynamo. Our simulations have
shown that a high amount of magnetic energy leaves the simulation box becoming
an efficient source of intergalactic magnetic fields.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figure
A dynamical model for the heavily ram pressure stripped Virgo spiral galaxy NGC 4522
A dynamical model including ram pressure stripping is applied to the strongly
HI deficient Virgo spiral galaxy NGC 4522. A carefully chosen model snapshot is
compared with existing VLA HI observations. The model successfully reproduces
the large-scale gas distribution and the velocity field. However it fails to
reproduce the large observed HI linewidths in the extraplanar component, for
which we give possible explanations. In a second step, we solve the induction
equation on the velocity fields of the dynamical model and calculate the large
scale magnetic field. Assuming a Gaussian distribution of relativistic
electrons we obtain the distribution of polarized radio continuum emission
which is also compared with our VLA observations at 6 cm. The observed maximum
of the polarized radio continuum emission is successfully reproduced. Our model
suggests that the ram pressure maximum occurred only ~50 Myr ago. Since NGC
4522 is located far away from the cluster center (~1 Mpc) where the
intracluster medium density is too low to cause the observed stripping if the
intracluster medium is static and smooth, two scenarios are envisaged: (i) the
galaxy moves very rapidly within the intracluster medium and is not even bound
to the cluster; in this case the galaxy has just passed the region of highest
intracluster medium density; (ii) the intracluster medium is not static but
moving due to the infall of the M49 group of galaxies. In this case the galaxy
has just passed the region of highest intracluster medium velocity. This study
shows the strength of combining high resolution HI and polarized radio
continuum emission with detailed numerical modeling of the evolution of the gas
and the large-scale magnetic field.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Large-scale radio continuum properties of 19 Virgo cluster galaxies The influence of tidal interactions, ram pressure stripping, and accreting gas envelopes
Deep scaled array VLA 20 and 6cm observations including polarization of 19
Virgo spirals are presented. This sample contains 6 galaxies with a global
minimum of 20cm polarized emission at the receding side of the galactic disk
and quadrupolar type large-scale magnetic fields. In the new sample no
additional case of a ram-pressure stripped spiral galaxy with an asymmetric
ridge of polarized radio continuum emission was found. In the absence of a
close companion, a truncated HI disk, together with a ridge of polarized radio
continuum emission at the outer edge of the HI disk, is a signpost of ram
pressure stripping. 6 out of the 19 observed galaxies display asymmetric 6cm
polarized emission distributions. Three galaxies belong to tidally interacting
pairs, two galaxies host huge accreting HI envelopes, and one galaxy had a
recent minor merger. Tidal interactions and accreting gas envelopes can lead to
compression and shear motions which enhance the polarized radio continuum
emission. In addition, galaxies with low average star formation rate per unit
area have a low average degree of polarization. Shear or compression motions
can enhance the degree of polarization. The average degree of polarization of
tidally interacting galaxies is generally lower than expected for a given
rotation velocity and star formation activity. This low average degree of
polarization is at least partly due to the absence of polarized emission from
the thin disk. Ram pressure stripping can decrease whereas tidal interactions
most frequently decreases the average degree of polarization of Virgo spiral
galaxies. We found that moderate active ram pressure stripping has no influence
on the spectral index, but enhances the global radio continuum emission with
respect to the FIR emission, while an accreting gas envelope can but not
necessarily enhances the radio continuum emission with respect to the FIR
emission.Comment: 37 pages, 26 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Real Time Relativity: exploration learning of special relativity
Real Time Relativity is a computer program that lets students fly at
relativistic speeds though a simulated world populated with planets, clocks,
and buildings. The counterintuitive and spectacular optical effects of
relativity are prominent, while systematic exploration of the simulation allows
the user to discover relativistic effects such as length contraction and the
relativity of simultaneity. We report on the physics and technology
underpinning the simulation, and our experience using it for teaching special
relativity to first year university students
On the ubiquity of trivial torsion on elliptic curves
The purpose of this paper is to give a "down--to--earth" proof of the
well--known fact that a randomly chosen elliptic curve over the rationals is
most likely to have trivial torsion
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