4,955 research outputs found
Application of Pade Approximants to Determination of alpha_s(M_Z^2) from Hadronic Event Shape Observables in e+e- Annihilation
We have applied Pade approximants to perturbative QCD calculations of event
shape observables in e+e- --> hadrons. We used the exact O(alpha_s^2)
prediction and the [0/1] Pade approximant to estimate the O(alpha_s^3) term for
15 observables, and in each case determined alpha_s(M_Z^2) from comparison with
hadronic Z^0 decay data from the SLD experiment. We found the scatter among the
alpha_s(M_Z^2) values to be significantly reduced compared with the standard
O(alpha_s^2) determination, implying that the Pade method provides at least a
partial approximation of higher-order perturbative contributions to event shape
observables.Comment: 15 pages, 1 EPS figure, Submitted to Physics Letters
Mu and Tau Neutrino Thermalization and Production in Supernovae: Processes and Timescales
We investigate the rates of production and thermalization of and
neutrinos at temperatures and densities relevant to core-collapse
supernovae and protoneutron stars. Included are contributions from electron
scattering, electron-positron annihilation, nucleon-nucleon bremsstrahlung, and
nucleon scattering. For the scattering processes, in order to incorporate the
full scattering kinematics at arbitrary degeneracy, the structure function
formalism developed by Reddy et al. (1998) and Burrows and Sawyer (1998) is
employed. Furthermore, we derive formulae for the total and differential rates
of nucleon-nucleon bremsstrahlung for arbitrary nucleon degeneracy in
asymmetric matter. We find that electron scattering dominates nucleon
scattering as a thermalization process at low neutrino energies
( MeV), but that nucleon scattering is always faster
than or comparable to electron scattering above MeV. In
addition, for g cm, MeV, and
neutrino energies MeV, nucleon-nucleon bremsstrahlung always
dominates electron-positron annihilation as a production mechanism for
and neutrinos.Comment: 29 pages, LaTeX (RevTeX), 13 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. C. Also
to be found at anonymous ftp site http://www.astrophysics.arizona.edu; cd to
pub/thompso
Equation-of-State Dependent Features in Shock-Oscillation Modulated Neutrino and Gravitational-Wave Signals from Supernovae
We present 2D hydrodynamic simulations of the long-time accretion phase of a
15 solar mass star after core bounce and before the launch of a supernova
explosion. Our simulations are performed with the Prometheus-Vertex code,
employing multi-flavor, energy-dependent neutrino transport and an effective
relativistic gravitational potential. Testing the influence of a stiff and a
soft equation of state for hot neutron star matter, we find that the non-radial
mass motions in the supernova core due to the standing accretion shock
instability (SASI) and convection impose a time variability on the neutrino and
gravitational-wave signals. These variations have larger amplitudes as well as
higher frequencies in the case of a more compact nascent neutron star. After
the prompt shock-breakout burst of electron neutrinos, a more compact accreting
remnant radiates neutrinos with higher luminosities and larger mean energies.
The observable neutrino emission in the direction of SASI shock oscillations
exhibits a modulation of several 10% in the luminosities and ~1 MeV in the mean
energies with most power at typical SASI frequencies of 20-100 Hz. At times
later than 50-100 ms after bounce the gravitational-wave amplitude is dominated
by the growing low-frequency (<200 Hz) signal associated with anisotropic
neutrino emission. A high-frequency wave signal is caused by nonradial gas
flows in the outer neutron star layers, which are stirred by anisotropic
accretion from the SASI and convective regions. The gravitational-wave power
then peaks at about 300-800 Hz with distinctively higher spectral frequencies
originating from the more compact and more rapidly contracting neutron star.
The detectability of the SASI effects in the neutrino and gravitational-wave
signals is briefly discussed. (abridged)Comment: 21 pages, 11 figures, 45 eps files; revised version including
discussion of signal detectability; accepted by Astronomy & Astrophysics;
high-resolution images can be obtained upon reques
Many-Body Corrections to Charged-Current Neutrino Absorption Rates in Nuclear Matter
Including nucleon--nucleon correlations due to both Fermi statistics and
nuclear forces, we have developed a general formalism for calculating the
charged--current neutrino--nucleon absorption rates in nuclear matter. We find
that at one half nuclear density many--body effects alone suppress the rates by
a factor of two and that the suppression factors increase to 5 at
g cm. The associated increase in the neutrino--matter
mean--free--paths parallels that found for neutral--current interactions and
opens up interesting possibilities in the context of the delayed supernova
mechanism and protoneutron star cooling.Comment: 11 pages, APS REVTeX format, 1 PostScript figure, uuencoded
compressed, and tarred, submitted to Physical Review Letter
Distances to the high galactic latitude molecular clouds G192-67 and MBM 23-24
We report on distance determinations for two high Galactic latitude cloud
complexes, G192-67 and MBM 23-24. No distance determination exists in the
literature for either cloud. Thirty-four early type stars were observed towards
the two clouds, more than half of which have parallaxes measured by the
Hipparcos satellite. For the remaining stars we have made spectroscopic
distance estimates. The data consist of high resolution echelle spectra
centered on the Na I D lines, and were obtained over six nights at the Coude
Feed telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. Interstellar absorption lines
were detected towards some of the stars, enabling estimates of the distances to
the clouds of 109 +/- 14 pc for G192-67, and of 139 +/- 33 pc for MBM 23-24. We
discuss the relationship of these clouds to other ISM features such as the
Local Hot Bubble and the local cavity in neutral hydrogen.Comment: 15 pages, 6 embedded figures, to be published in the ApJ Vol. 516,
No.
Limits to differences in active and passive charges
We explore consequences of a hypothetical difference between active charges,
which generate electric fields, and passive charges, which respond to them. A
confrontation to experiments using atoms, molecules, or macroscopic matter
yields limits on their fractional difference at levels down to 10^-21, which at
the same time corresponds to an experimental confirmation of Newtons third law.Comment: 6 pages Revtex. To appear in Phys. Rev.
Strong Water Absorption in the Dayside Emission Spectrum of the Planet HD 189733b
Recent observations of the extrasolar planet HD 189733b did not reveal the
presence of water in the emission spectrum of the planet. Yet models of such
'Hot Jupiter' planets predict an abundance of atmospheric water vapour.
Validating and constraining these models is crucial for understanding the
physics and chemistry of planetary atmospheres in extreme environments.
Indications of the presence of water in the atmosphere of HD 189733b have
recently been found in transmission spectra, where the planet's atmosphere
selectively absorbs the light of the parent star, and in broadband photometry.
Here we report on the detection of strong water absorption in a high
signal-to-noise, mid-infrared emission spectrum of the planet itself. We find
both a strong downturn in the flux ratio below 10 microns and discrete spectral
features that are characteristic of strong absorption by water vapour. The
differences between these and previous observations are significant and admit
the possibility that predicted planetary-scale dynamical weather structures
might alter the emission spectrum over time. Models that match the observed
spectrum and the broadband photometry suggest that heat distribution from the
dayside to the night side is weak. Reconciling this with the high night side
temperature will require a better understanding of atmospheric circulation or
possible additional energy sources.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure, published in Natur
Multi-Dimensional Simulations of the Accretion-Induced Collapse of White Dwarfs to Neutron Stars
We present 2.5D radiation-hydrodynamics simulations of the accretion-induced
collapse (AIC) of white dwarfs, starting from 2D rotational equilibrium
configurations of a 1.46-Msun and a 1.92-Msun model. Electron capture leads to
the collapse to nuclear densities of these cores within a few tens of
milliseconds. The shock generated at bounce moves slowly, but steadily,
outwards. Within 50-100ms, the stalled shock breaks out of the white dwarf
along the poles. The blast is followed by a neutrino-driven wind that develops
within the white dwarf, in a cone of ~40deg opening angle about the poles, with
a mass loss rate of 5-8 x 10^{-3} Msun/yr. The ejecta have an entropy on the
order of 20-50 k_B/baryon, and an electron fraction distribution that is
bimodal. By the end of the simulations, at >600ms after bounce, the explosion
energy has reached 3-4 x 10^{49}erg and the total ejecta mass has reached a few
times 0.001Msun. We estimate the asymptotic explosion energies to be lower than
10^{50}erg, significantly lower than those inferred for standard core collapse.
The AIC of white dwarfs thus represents one instance where a neutrino mechanism
leads undoubtedly to a successful, albeit weak, explosion.
We document in detail the numerous effects of the fast rotation of the
progenitors: The neutron stars are aspherical; the ``nu_mu'' and anti-nu_e
neutrino luminosities are reduced compared to the nu_e neutrino luminosity; the
deleptonized region has a butterfly shape; the neutrino flux and electron
fraction depend strongly upon latitude (a la von Zeipel); and a quasi-Keplerian
0.1-0.5-Msun accretion disk is formed.Comment: 25 pages, 19 figures, accpeted to ApJ, high resolution of the paper
and movies available at http://hermes.as.arizona.edu/~luc/aic/aic.htm
Theoretical Support for the Hydrodynamic Mechanism of Pulsar Kicks
The collapse of a massive star's core, followed by a neutrino-driven,
asymmetric supernova explosion, can naturally lead to pulsar recoils and
neutron star kicks. Here, we present a two-dimensional, radiation-hydrodynamic
simulation in which core collapse leads to significant acceleration of a
fully-formed, nascent neutron star (NS) via an induced, neutrino-driven
explosion. During the explosion, a ~10% anisotropy in the low-mass,
high-velocity ejecta lead to recoil of the high-mass neutron star. At the end
of our simulation, the NS has achieved a velocity of ~150 km s and is
accelerating at ~350 km s, but has yet to reach the ballistic regime.
The recoil is due almost entirely to hydrodynamical processes, with anisotropic
neutrino emission contributing less than 2% to the overall kick magnitude.
Since the observed distribution of neutron star kick velocities peaks at
~300-400 km s, recoil due to anisotropic core-collapse supernovae
provides a natural, non-exotic mechanism with which to obtain neutron star
kicks.Comment: Replaced with Phys. Rev. D accepted versio
Features of the Acoustic Mechanism of Core-Collapse Supernova Explosions
In the context of 2D, axisymmetric, multi-group, radiation/hydrodynamic
simulations of core-collapse supernovae over the full 180 domain, we
present an exploration of the progenitor dependence of the acoustic mechanism
of explosion. All progenitor models we have tested with our Newtonian code
explode. We investigate the roles of the Standing-Accretion-Shock-Instability
(SASI), the excitation of core g-modes, the generation of core acoustic power,
the ejection of matter with r-process potential, the wind-like character of the
explosion, and the fundamental anisotropy of the blasts. We find that the
breaking of spherical symmetry is central to the supernova phenomenon and the
blasts, when top-bottom asymmetric, are self-collimating. We see indications
that the initial explosion energies are larger for the more massive
progenitors, and smaller for the less massive progenitors, and that the
neutrino contribution to the explosion energy may be an increasing function of
progenitor mass. The degree of explosion asymmetry we obtain is completely
consistent with that inferred from the polarization measurements of Type Ic
supernovae. Furthermore, we calculate for the first time the magnitude and sign
of the net impulse on the core due to anisotropic neutrino emission and suggest
that hydrodynamic and neutrino recoils in the context of our asymmetric
explosions afford a natural mechanism for observed pulsar proper motions.
[abridged]Comment: Accepted to the Astrophysical Journal, 23 pages in emulateapj format,
including 12 figure
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