The effects of a background potential in star cluster evolution: a delay in the relaxation time-scale and runaway collision processes

Runaway stellar collisions in dense star clusters are invoked to explain the presence of very massive stars or blue stragglers in the center of those systems. This process has also been explored for the first star clusters in the Universe and shown to yield stars that may collapse at some points into an intermediate mass black hole. Although the early evolution of star clusters requires the explicit modeling of the gas out of which the stars form, these calculations would be extremely time-consuming and often the effects of the gas can be accurately treated by including a background potential to account for the extra gravitational force. We apply this approximation to model the early evolution of the first dense star clusters formed in the Universe by performing $N$-body simulations, our goal is to understand how the additional gravitational force affects the growth of a very massive star through stellar mergers in the central parts of the star cluster. Our results show that the background potential increases the velocities of the stars, causing an overall delay in the evolution of the clusters and in the runaway growth of a massive star at the center. The population of binary stars is lower due to the increased kinetic energy of the stars, initially reducing the number of stellar collisions, and we show that relaxation processes are also affected. Despite these effects, the external potential enhances the mass of the merger product by a factor $\sim$2 if the collisions are maintained for long times.Comment: 16 pages. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic

The physical origin of super-competitive accretion during the formation of the first supermassive black holes

Numerical simulations have shown the occurence of a scenario termed ''super-competitive accretion'', a term that describes a situation where only the central few objects grow supermassive while a larger number of stars compete for the reservoir, with significant accretion flows of $\gtrsim0.1$ M$_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$. This scenario particularly implies that the presence of fragmentation will not necessarily impeed the formation of a central massive object. We here explore this phenomenon using analytical estimates for growth via collisions and accretion, considering accretion due to self-gravity as well as Bondi-Hoyle accretion. Particularly, we explore under what conditions the accretion onto the central massive object breaks down, and derive a criterion that depends on the mass of the most massive object and the mass in fragments. For compact clusters with sizes about $0.1$~pc, we further find that the mass growth by collisions is comparable to the growth via accretion. Our results are validated through the comparison with numerical simulations, and we overall conclude that super-competitive accretion is a valid mechanism for the formation of very massive objects in the early Universe.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

A comparative evaluation of interest point detectors and local descriptors for visual SLAM

Abstract In this paper we compare the behavior of different interest points detectors and descriptors under the conditions needed to be used as landmarks in vision-based simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM). We evaluate the repeatability of the detectors, as well as the invariance and distinctiveness of the descriptors, under different perceptual conditions using sequences of images representing planar objects as well as 3D scenes. We believe that this information will be useful when selecting an appropriat

Weather radar for urban hydrological applications: lessons learnt and research needs identified from 4 pilot catchments in North-West Europe

International audienceThis study investigates the impact of rainfall estimates of different spatial resolutions on the hydraulic outputs of the models of four of the EU RainGain project’s pilot locations (the Cranbrook catchment (UK), the Herent catchment (Belgium), the Morée-Sausset catchment (France) and the Kralingen District (The Netherlands)). Two storm events, one convective and one stratiform, measured by a polarimetric X-band radar located in Cabauw (The Netherlands) were selected for analysis. The original radar estimates, at 100 m and 1 min resolutions, were aggregated to a spatial resolution of 1000 m. These estimates were then applied to the high-resolution semi-distributed hydraulic models of the four urban catchments, all of which have similar size (between 5 and 8 km2), but different morphological, hydrological and hydraulic characteristics. When doing so, methodologies for standardising rainfall inputs and making results comparable were implemented. The response of the different catchments to rainfall inputs of varying spatial resolution is analysed in the light of model configuration, catchment and storm characteristics. Rather surprisingly, the results show that for the two events under consideration the spatial resolution (i.e. 100 m vs 1000 m) of rainfall inputs does not have a significant influence on the outputs of urban drainage models. The present study will soon be extended to more storms as well as model structures and resolutions, with the final aim of identifying critical spatial-temporal resolutions for urban catchment modelling in relation to catchment and storm event characteristics

Global instability by runaway collisions in nuclear stellar clusters: Numerical tests of a route for massive black hole formation

The centers of galaxies host nuclear stellar clusters, supermassive black holes, or both, but the origin of this dichotomy is still a mystery. Nuclear stellar clusters are the densest stellar system of the Universe, so they are ideal places for runaway collisions to occur. In these dense clusters it is possible that global instability occurs, triggered by collisions and mergers forming a massive black hole. Here we test a new mechanism to form massive black holes through runaway stellar collisions in nuclear stellar clusters, performing N-body simulations using the code nbody6++gpu. Our idealized models show that there is a critical mass where collisions become very efficient making it possible to form massive black holes in nuclear stellar clusters. The most massive objects reach masses of the order of $10^4-10^5\rm~ M_\odot$. We find that our highest black hole formation efficiency is up to $50\%$ of the stellar mass at the end of the simulation. In real astrophysical systems, the critical mass scale for this transition is expected to occur in stellar clusters of $10^7-10^9\rm~M_\odot$, implying the formation of quite massive central objects.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figure

Crack arrest through branching at curved weak interfaces: an experimental and numerical study

The phenomenon of arrest of an unstably-growing crack due to a curved weak interface is investigated. The weak interface can produce the deviation of the crack path, trapping the crack at the interface, leading to stable crack growth for certain interface geometries. This idea could be used as a technical solution for a new type of crack arrester, with a negligible impact on the global stiffness, strength and weight of the structure. In order to exploit this concept, an experimental campaign based on photo-elasticity and digital image correlation is carried out, showing the capability of curved weak interfaces to arrest cracks. The experiment is repeated for several geometrical configurations through the modification of the interface curvature radii. The phenomenon of crack deviation and subsequent arrest at the interface is also investigated with the assistance of a computational model based on the finite element method. The computational predictions provide the rationale for the interpretation of the experimental observations, and distinguish between the different behaviour of concave and convex interfaces. Consequently, as is shown in the present study, the curved interface concept fosters new routes for the attainment of structures with enhanced fracture resistance capacities, which are of paramount importance for materials and components used in extreme conditions.Comment: 19 pages, 13 figure

Magnetism and electrode dependant resistive switching in Ca-doped ceramic bismuth ferrite

Here we report on the preparation and structural, magnetic and electrical characterization of BiFeO 3 and Bi 0.9Ca 0.1FeO 3 ceramic multiferroic samples. We suggest that Ca-doping creates oxygen vacancies and destabilizes the BiFeO 3 spiral magnetic structure. We also study resistive switching effects in Bi 0.9Ca 0.1FeO 3 with metallic electrodes, finding that the appearance of the effect is dependant on the fabrication procedure of the metallic electrode. On the basis of these observations, we critically revise some assumptions in currently available models of resistive switching of complex oxides.Fil: Rubi, Diego. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Martín; ArgentinaFil: Marlasca, F. G.. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; ArgentinaFil: Reinoso, M.. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Bonville, P.. No especifíca;Fil: Levy, Pablo Eduardo. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Impactos en el consumo de energía eléctrica por el uso de refrigeradores eficientes - caso Ecuador

This article presents an analysis of the impacts that the Renova Refrigerator program will have, on electricity consumption in Ecuador; the main objective of this program is to replace refrigerators that are more than 10 years old with efficient class “A” domestic refrigerators. The development and implementation of the program reduces energy consumption by 8\%, motivates people to use electric energy efficiently and encourages the national industry to use new technologies, which increases productivity and domestic product consumption.Additionally, in compliance with the current Ecuadorian and international regulations, the variation in electricity consumption of a domestic refrigerator is evaluated when it runs at the different temperatures determined by the thermal floors, which are very distinct in the Coast, Sierra and eastern regions of Ecuador.En este artículo se presenta un análisis de los impactos que tendrá el programa «Renova Refrigerador», en el consumo de energía eléctrica en el Ecuador; programa que tiene como principal objetivo la renovación de refrigeradores domésticos eficientes etiquetados con A, por refrigeradores ineficientes y con una vida útil que ha sobrepasado los diez años. Su desarrollo e implementación contribuye a la reducción de consumo energético en un 8 %, motiva a la población a utilizar la energía eléctrica de manera eficiente e impulsa a la industria nacional en el uso de nuevas tecnologías incrementando así la productividad y el consumo de productos nacionales.Bajo el cumplimiento de la normativa vigente ecuatoriana y sus similares internacionales; se considera, además, la variación en el consumo eléctrico que presenta un refrigerador doméstico cuando trabaja a distintas temperaturas, determinadas por los pisos térmicos, marcados plenamente en el Ecuador por las regiones Costa, Sierra y Oriente