51,484 research outputs found
Probing Strong Gravitational Fields in X-ray Novae
Most X-ray novae (aka soft X-ray transients) contain black hole primaries. In
particular, the large mass functions measured for six X-ray novae directly
clinch the argument (within general relativity) that they contain black holes.
These firm dynamical results are discussed, and the urgent need to determine
precise masses for black holes is stressed. The dynamical evidence for black
holes is convincing but it is indirect. Now it appears that direct evidence may
be at hand. Three recent studies have revealed phenomena that very likely probe
strong gravitational fields: (1) a comparison of the luminosities of black hole
systems and neutron star systems has yielded compelling evidence for the
existence of event horizons; (2) RXTE observations of fast, stable QPOs have
probed the very inner accretion disks of two black holes; and (3) three
different types of low energy spectra have been linked to different black-hole
spin states (e.g. Kerr vs. Schwarzschild).Comment: To appear in "Accretion Processes in Astrophysical Systems,"
Proceedings of the 8th Annual Astrophysics Conference in Maryland, eds. S.S.
Holt & T. Kallman (NY: AIP
Relations Without Polyadic Properties: Albert the Great On the Nature and Ontological Status of Relations
I think it would be fair to say that, until about 1900, philosophers were generally reluctant to admit the existence of what are nowadays called polyadic properties.1 It is important to recognize, however, that this reluctance on the part of pre-twentieth-century philosophers did not prevent them from theorizing about relations. On the contrary, philosophers from the ancient through the modern period have had much to say about both the nature and the ontological status of relations. In this paper I examine the views of one such philosopher, namely, Albert the Grea
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