420 research outputs found
Eclipses of the inner satellites of Jupiter observed in 2015
During the 2014-2015 campaign of mutual events, we recorded ground-based
photometric observations of eclipses of Amalthea (JV) and, for the first time,
Thebe (JXIV) by the Galilean moons. We focused on estimating whether the
positioning accuracy of the inner satellites determined with photometry is
sufficient for dynamical studies. We observed two eclipses of Amalthea and one
of Thebe with the 1 m telescope at Pic du Midi Observatory using an IR filter
and a mask placed over the planetary image to avoid blooming features. A third
observation of Amalthea was taken at Saint-Sulpice Observatory with a 60 cm
telescope using a methane filter (890 nm) and a deep absorption band to
decrease the contrast between the planet and the satellites. After background
removal, we computed a differential aperture photometry to obtain the light
flux, and followed with an astrometric reduction. We provide astrometric
results with an external precision of 53 mas for the eclipse of Thebe, and 20
mas for that of Amalthea. These observation accuracies largely override
standard astrometric measurements. The (O-C)s for the eclipse of Thebe are 75
mas on the X-axis and 120 mas on the Y-axis. The (O-C)s for the total eclipses
of Amalthea are 95 mas and 22 mas, along the orbit, for two of the three
events. Taking into account the ratio of (O-C) to precision of the astrometric
results, we show a significant discrepancy with the theory established by
Avdyushev and Ban'shikova in 2008, and the JPL JUP 310 ephemeris.Comment: 7 pages, 10 figures, 4 table
Hybrid fuzzy and sliding-mode control for motorised tether spin-up when coupled with axial vibration
A hybrid fuzzy sliding mode controller is applied to the control of motorised tether spin-up coupled with an axial oscillation phenomenon. A six degree of freedom dynamic model of a motorised momentum exchange tether is used as a basis for interplanetary payload exchange. The tether comprises a symmetrical double payload configuration, with an outrigger counter inertia and massive central facility. It is shown that including axial elasticity permits an enhanced level of performance prediction accuracy and a useful departure from the usual rigid body representations, particularly for accurate payload positioning at strategic points. A special simulation program has been devised in MATLAB and MATHEMATICA for a given initial condition data case
A precise modeling of Phoebe's rotation
Although the rotation of some Saturn's satellites in spin-orbit has already
been studied by several authors, this is not the case of the rotation of
Phoebe, which has the particularity of being non resonant. The purpose of the
paper is to determine for the first time and with precision its
precession-nutation motion. We adopt an Hamiltonian formalism of the motion of
rotation of rigid celestial body set up by Kinoshita (1977) based on Andoyer
variables and canonical equations. First we calculate Phoebe's obliquity at
J2000,0 from available astronomical data as well as the gravitational
perturbation due to Saturn on Phoebe rotational motion. Then we carry out a
numerical integration and we compare our results for the precession rate and
the nutation coefficients with pure analytical model. Our results for Phoebe
obliquity (23{\deg}95) and Phoebe precession rate (5580".65/cy) are very close
to the respective values for the Earth. Moreover the amplitudes of the
nutations (26" peak to peak for the nutaton in longitude and 8" for the
nutation in obliquity) are of the same order as the respective amplitudes for
the Earth. We give complete tables of nutation, obtained from a FFT analysis
starting from the numerical signals. We show that a pure analytical model of
the nutation is not accurate due to the fact that Phoebe orbital elements e, M
and Ls are far from having a simple linear behaviour. The precession and
nutation of Phoebe have been calculated for the first time in this paper. We
should keep on the study in the future by studying the additional gravitational
effects of the Sun, of the large satellites as Titan, as well as Saturn
dynamical ellipticity.Comment: 11 pages,15 figures, accepted for publication in A&
The last integrable case of kozlov-Treshchev Birkhoff integrable potentials
We establish the integrability of the last open case in the Kozlov-Treshchev
classification of Birkhoff integrable Hamiltonian systems. The technique used
is a modification of the so called quadratic Lax pair for Toda lattice
combined with a method used by M. Ranada in proving the integrability of the
Sklyanin case.Comment: 13 page
Discovery of the neutron star nature of SLX 1737-282
SLX 1737-282 is a persistent moderately bright X-ray source 1.2 deg from the
Galactic center. X-ray observations with the Wide Field Cameras on BeppoSAX
have for the first time revealed the true nature of SLX 1737-282: a 15-min long
thermonuclear flash was detected exposing the source as a neutron star in a
binary system. The flash was Eddington-limited constraining the distance to
between 5 and 8 kpc. We analyze BeppoSAX, ROSAT, and RXTE data on SLX 1737-282.
The persistent 0.5-200 keV luminosity is close to or less than 1% of the
Eddington limit which implies a rarely-seen circumstance for thermonuclear
flash activity.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A Letter
Nontrivial dependence of dielectric stiffness and SHG on dc bias in relaxors and dipole glasses
Dielectric permittivity and Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) studies in the
field-cooled mode show a linear dependence of dielectric stiffness (inverse
dielectric permittivity) on dc bias in PMN-PT crystals and SHG intensity in
KTaO:Li at small Li concentrations. We explain this unusual result in the
framework of a theory of transverse, hydrodynamic-type, instability of local
polarization.Comment: 5 figure
Revisiting the 'LSND anomaly' II: critique of the data analysis
This paper, together with a preceding paper, questions the so-called 'LSND
anomaly': a 3.8 sigma excess of antielectronneutrino interactions over standard
backgrounds, observed by the LSND Collaboration in a beam dump experiment with
800 MeV protons. That excess has been interpreted as evidence for the
antimuonneutrino to antielectronneutrino oscillation in the \Deltam2 range from
0.2 eV2 to 2 eV2. Such a \Deltam2 range is incompatible with the widely
accepted model of oscillations between three light neutrino species and would
require the existence of at least one light 'sterile' neutrino. In a preceding
paper, it was concluded that the estimates of standard backgrounds must be
significantly increased. In this paper, the LSND Collaboration's estimate of
the number of antielectronneutrino interactions followed by neutron capture,
and of its error, is questioned. The overall conclusion is that the
significance of the 'LSND anomaly' is not larger than 2.3 sigma.Comment: 30 pages, 16 figures, 6 table
Reply to 'Corrections to the HARP-CDP Analysis of the LSND Neutrino Oscillation Backgrounds'
The alleged mistakes in recent papers that reanalyze the backgrounds to the
'LSND anomaly' do not exist. We maintain our conclusion that the significance
of the 'LSND anomaly' is not 3.8 sigma but not larger than 2.3 sigma.Comment: 3 page
Strong tidal dissipation in Saturn and constraints on Enceladus' thermal state from astrometry
Tidal interactions between Saturn and its satellites play a crucial role in
both the orbital migration of the satellites and the heating of their
interiors. Therefore constraining the tidal dissipation of Saturn (here the
ratio k2/Q) opens the door to the past evolution of the whole system. If
Saturn's tidal ratio can be determined at different frequencies, it may also be
possible to constrain the giant planet's interior structure, which is still
uncertain. Here, we try to determine Saturn's tidal ratio through its current
effect on the orbits of the main moons, using astrometric data spanning more
than a century. We find an intense tidal dissipation (k2/Q= (2.3 \pm 0.7)
\times 10-4), which is about ten times higher than the usual value estimated
from theoretical arguments. As a consequence, eccentricity equilibrium for
Enceladus can now account for the huge heat emitted from Enceladus' south pole.
Moreover, the measured k2/Q is found to be poorly sensitive to the tidal
frequency, on the short frequency interval considered. This suggests that
Saturn's dissipation may not be controlled by turbulent friction in the fluid
envelope as commonly believed. If correct, the large tidal expansion of the
moon orbits due to this strong Saturnian dissipation would be inconsistent with
the moon formations 4.5 Byr ago above the synchronous orbit in the Saturnian
subnebulae. But it would be compatible with a new model of satellite formation
in which the Saturnian satellites formed possibly over longer time scale at the
outer edge of the main rings. In an attempt to take into account for possible
significant torques exerted by the rings on Mimas, we fitted a constant rate
da/dt on Mimas semi-major axis, also. We obtained an unexpected large
acceleration related to a negative value of da/dt= -(15.7 \pm 4.4) \times 10-15
au/day
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