Orbital Decay of the PSR J0045-7319/B Star Binary System: Age of Radio Pulsar and Initial Spin of Neutron Star

Recent timing observations of PSR J0045-7319 reveal that the neutron star/B star binary orbit is decaying on a time scale of |\Porb/\dot\Porb|=0.5 Myr, shorter than the characteristic age ($\tau_c=3$ Myr) of the pulsar (Kaspi et al.~1996a). We study mechanisms for the orbital decay. The standard weak friction theory based on static tide requires far too short a viscous time to explain the observed \dot\Porb. We show that dynamical tidal excitation of g-modes in the B star can be responsible for the orbital decay. However, to explain the observed short decay timescale, the B star must have some significant retrograde rotation with respect to the orbit --- The retrograde rotation brings lower-order g-modes, which couple much more strongly to the tidal potential, into closer ``resonances'' with the orbital motion, thus significantly enhancing the dynamical tide. A much less likely possibility is that the g-mode damping time is much shorter than the ordinary radiative damping time. The observed orbital decay timescale combined with a generic orbital evolution model based on dynamical tide can be used as a ``timer'', giving an upper limit of $1.4$ Myr for the age of the binary system since the neutron star formation. Thus the characteristic age of the pulsar is not a good age indicator. Assuming standard magnetic dipole braking for the pulsar and no significant magnetic field decay on a timescale \lo 1 Myr, the upper limit for the age implies that the initial spin of the neutron star at birth was close to its current value.Comment: AASTeX, 9 pages, 3 ps figures. ApJ Letters, in pres

Geometrical and electronic structures of the (5, 3) single-walled gold nanotube from first-principles calculations

The geometrical and electronic structures of the 4 {\AA} diameter perfect and deformed (5, 3) single-walled gold nanotube (SWGT) have been studied based upon the density-functional theory in the local-density approximation (LDA). The calculated relaxed geometries show clearly significant deviations from those of the ideally rolled triangular gold sheet. It is found that the different strains have different effects on the electronic structures and density of states of the SWGTs. And the small shear strain can reduce the binding energy per gold atom of the deformed SWGT, which is consistent with the experimentally observed result. Finally, we found the finite SWGT can show the metal-semiconductor transition.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure

Constructions of the soluble potentials for the non-relativistic quantum system by means of the Heun functions

The Schr\"{o}dinger equation $\psi"(x)+\kappa^2 \psi(x)=0$ where $\kappa^2=k^2-V(x)$ is rewritten as a more popular form of a second order differential equation through taking a similarity transformation $\psi(z)=\phi(z)u(z)$ with $z=z(x)$. The Schr\"{o}dinger invariant $I_{S}(x)$ can be calculated directly by the Schwarzian derivative $\{z, x\}$ and the invariant $I(z)$ of the differential equation $u_{zz}+f(z)u_{z}+g(z)u=0$. We find an important relation for moving particle as $\nabla^2=-I_{S}(x)$ and thus explain the reason why the Schr\"{o}dinger invariant $I_{S}(x)$ keeps constant. As an illustration, we take the typical Heun differential equation as an object to construct a class of soluble potentials and generalize the previous results through choosing different $\rho=z'(x)$ as before. We get a more general solution $z(x)$ through integrating $(z')^2=\alpha_{1}z^2+\beta_{1}z+\gamma_{1}$ directly and it includes all possibilities for those parameters. Some particular cases are discussed in detail.Comment: 11 page

A complex environment around Cir X-1

We present the results of an archival 54 ks long Chandra observation of the peculiar source Cir X--1 during the phase passage 0.223-0.261. A comparative analysis of X-ray spectra, selected at different flux levels of the source, allows us to distinguish between a very hard state, at a low countrate, and a brighter, softer, highly absorbed spectrum during episodes of flaring activity, when the unabsorbed source luminosity is about three times the value in the hard state. The spectrum of the hard state clearly shows emission lines of highly ionized elements, while, during the flaring state, the spectrum also shows strong resonant absorption lines. The most intense and interesting feature in this latter state is present in the Fe K alpha region: a very broadened absorption line at energies ~ 6.5 keV that could result from a smeared blending of resonant absorption lines of moderately ionized iron ions (Fe XX - Fe XXIV). We also observe strong resonant absorption lines of Fe XXV and Fe XXVI, together with a smeared absorption edge above 7 keV. We argue that the emitting region during the quiescent/hard state is constituted of a purely photo-ionized medium, possibly present above an accretion disk, or of a photo-ionized plasma present in a beamed outflow. During the flaring states the source undergoes enhanced turbulent accretion that modifies both the accretion geometry and the optical depth of the gas surrounding the primary X-ray source.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap

Exact solution of Schrodinger equation for Pseudoharmonic potential

Exact solution of Schrodinger equation for the pseudoharmonic potential is obtained for an arbitrary angular momentum. The energy eigenvalues and corresponding eigenfunctions are calculated by Nikiforov-Uvarov method. Wavefunctions are expressed in terms of Jacobi polynomials. The energy eigenvalues are calculated numerically for some values of l and n with n<5 for some diatomic molecules.Comment: 10 page

Internalisation of membrane progesterone receptor-α after treatment with progesterone: Potential involvement of a clathrin-dependent pathway

This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.Internalisation and recycling of seven trans-membrane domain receptors is a critical regulatory event for their signalling. The mechanism(s) by which membrane progesterone receptor-α (mPRα) number is regulated on the cell surface is unclear. In this study, we investigated the cellular distribution of mPRα and mechanisms of mPRα trafficking using a cell line derived from a primary culture of human myometrial cells (M11) as an experimental model. RT-PCR and immunofluorescent analysis demonstrated expression of mPRα in M11 cells with mPRα primarily distributed on the cell surface under basal conditions. For the first time, plasma membrane localisation of mPRα was confirmed using immuno-gold transmission electron microscopy. Stimulation of M11 cells with progesterone (P4, 100 nM) resulted in internalisation of mPRα from the plasma membrane to the cytoplasm (10 min) and subsequent partial translocation back to the cell surface (20 min). We investigated potential endocytotic pathways involved in trafficking of mPRα after its internalisation. Partial co-localisation of clathrin with mPRα was obvious after 10 min of P4 treatment. Of note, chlorpromazine (inhibitor of clathrin-mediated pathway) inhibited the endocytosis of mPRα, whereas treatment with nystatin (inhibitor of caveolae-mediated pathway) did not affect internalisation. Collectively, these data suggest that mPRα is expressed on the cell surface of M11 cells and undergoes endocytosis after P4 stimulation primarily via a clathrin-mediated pathway.This article is available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fun

NMR study of a bimesogenic liquid crystal with two nematic phases

Recent interest in bimesogenic liquid crystals showing two nematic phases has led us to investigate the nematic mean-field interactions in these nematic phases by using rigid solutes as probes. The nematic potential that is modelled by two independent Maier-Saupe terms is successful in fitting the observed dipolar couplings (order parameters) of para-, meta- and ortho-dichlorobenzene solutes in both the nematic phases of 39 wt% of 4-n-pentyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl (5CB) in α,ω-bis(4-4′-cyanobiphenyl)nonane (CB_C9_CB) to better than the 5% level. The derived liquid-crystal potential parameters G₁ and G₂ for each solute in the N and Ntb phases will be discussed. The most interesting observation is that G1 (associated with size and shape interactions) is almost constant in the Ntb phase, whereas G₂ (associated with longer-range electrostatic interactions) has large variation, even changing sign

Spin-Kick Correlation in Neutron Stars: Alignment Conditions and Implications

Recent observations of pulsar wind nebulae and radio polarization profiles revealed a tendency of the alignment between the spin and velocity directions in neutron stars. We study the condition for spin-kick alignment using a toy model, in which the kick consists of many off-centered, randomly-oriented thrusts. Both analytical considerations and numerical simulations indicate that spin-kick alignment cannot be easily achieved if the proto-neutron star does not possess some initial angular momentum, contrary to some previous claims. To obtain the observed spin-kick misalignment angle distribution, the initial spin period of the neutron star must be smaller than the kick timescale. Typically, an initial period of a hundred milliseconds or less is required.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures. Accepted by Ap

Algebraic approach to the Hulthen potential

In this paper the energy eigenvalues and the corresponding eigenfunctions are calculated for Hulthen potential. Then we obtain the ladder operators and show that these operators satisfy SU(2) commutation relation.Comment: 8 Pages, 1 Tabl