4,726 research outputs found
The diversity of supernovae and impostors shortly after explosion
Observational surveys are now able to detect an increasing number of
transients, such as core-collapse supernovae (SN) and powerful non-terminal
outbursts (SN impostors). Dedicated spectroscopic facilities can follow up
these events shortly after detection. Here we investigate the properties of
these explosions at early times. We use the radiative transfer code CMFGEN to
build an extensive library of spectra simulating the interaction of supernovae
and their progenitor's winds/circumstellar medium (CSM). We consider a range of
progenitor mass-loss rates (Mdot = 5e-4 to 1e-2 Msun/yr), abundances (solar,
CNO-processed, and He-rich), and SN luminosities (L = 1.9e8 to 2.5e10 Lsun).
The models simulate events ~1 day after explosion, and we assume a fixed
location of the shock front as Rin=8.6e13 cm. We show that the large range of
massive star properties at the pre-SN stage causes a diversity of early-time
interacting SN and impostors. We identify three main classes of early-time
spectra consisting of relatively high-ionisation (e.g. Ovi), medium-ionisation
(e.g. Ciii), and low-ionisation lines (e.g. Feii/iii). They are regulated by L
and the CSM density. Given a progenitor wind velocity Vinf, our models also
place a lower limit of Mdot > 5e-4 (Vinf/150 km/s) Msun/yr for detection of CSM
interaction signatures in observed spectra. Early-time SN spectra should
provide clear constraints on progenitors by measuring H, He, and CNO abundances
if the progenitors come from single stars. The connections are less clear
considering the effects of binary evolution. Yet, our models provide a clear
path for linking the final stages of massive stars to their post-explosion
spectra at early times, and guiding future observational follow-up of
transients with facilities such as the Zwicky Transient Facility.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. 14 pages, 7 figure
Static inconsistencies in certain axiomatic higher-order shear deformation theories for beams, plates and shells
AbstractStatic inconsistencies that arise when modelling the flexural behaviour of beams, plates and shells with clamped boundary conditions using a certain class of axiomatic, higher-order shear deformation theory are discussed. The inconsistencies pertain to displacement-based theories that enforce conditions of vanishing shear strain at the top and bottom surfaces a priori. First it is shown that the essential boundary condition of vanishing Kirchhoff rotation perpendicular to an edge (w,x=0 or w,y=0) is physically inaccurate, as the rotation at a clamped edge may in fact be non-zero due to the presence of transverse shear rotation. As a result, the shear force derived from constitutive equations erroneously vanishes at a clamped edge. In effect, this boundary condition overconstrains the structure leading to underpredictions in transverse bending deflection and overpredictions of axial stresses compared to high-fidelity 3D finite element solutions for thick and highly orthotropic plates. Generalised higher-order theories written in the form of a power series, as in Carrera’s Unified Formulation, do not produce this inconsistency. It is shown that the condition of vanishing shear tractions at the top and bottom surfaces need not be applied a priori, as the transverse shear strains inherently vanish if the order of the theory is sufficient to capture all higher-order effects. Finally, the transverse deflection of the generalised higher-order theories is expanded in a power series of a non-dimensional parameter and used to derive a material and geometry dependent shear correction factor that provides more accurate solutions of bending deflection than the classical value of 5/6
Episodic modulations in supernova radio light curves from luminous blue variable supernova progenitor models
Ideally, one would like to know which type of core-collapse SNe is
produced by different progenitors and the channels of stellar evolution leading
to these progenitors. These links have to be very well known to use the
observed frequency of different types of SN events for probing the star
formation rate and massive star evolution in different types of galaxies.
We investigate the link between LBV as SN progenitors and the appearance
of episodic radio light curve modulations of the SN event. We use the
20Msun and 25Msun models with rotation at solar metallicity, part of an
extended grid of stellar models computed by the Geneva team. At their pre-SN
stage, these two models have recently been shown to have spectra similar to
those of LBV stars and possibly explode as Type IIb SNe. Based on the wind
properties before the explosion, we derive the density structure of their
circumstellar medium. This structure is used as input for computing the SN
radio light curve. We find that the 20Msun model shows radio light
curves with episodic luminosity modulations, similar to those observed in some
Type IIb SNe. This occurs because the evolution of the 20Msun model terminates
in a region of the HR diagram where radiative stellar winds present strong
density variations, caused by the bistability limit. The 25Msun model, ending
its evolution in a zone of the HR diagram where no change of the mass-loss
rates is expected, presents no such modulations in its radio SN light curve.
Our results reinforce the link between SN progenitors and LBV
stars. We also confirm the existence of a physical mechanism for a single star
to have episodic radio light curve modulations. In the case of the 25Msun
progenitors, we do not obtain modulations in the radio light curve, but our
models may miss some outbursting behavior in the late stages of massive stars.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted by Astronomy & Astrophysics Letter
Crystal structures and freezing of dipolar fluids
We investigate the crystal structure of classical systems of spherical
particles with an embedded point dipole at T=0. The ferroelectric ground state
energy is calculated using generalizations of the Ewald summation technique.
Due to the reduced symmetry compared to the nonpolar case the crystals are
never strictly cubic. For the Stockmayer (i.e., Lennard-Jones plus dipolar)
interaction three phases are found upon increasing the dipole moment:
hexagonal, body-centered orthorhombic, and body-centered tetragonal. An even
richer phase diagram arises for dipolar soft spheres with a purely repulsive
inverse power law potential . A crossover between qualitatively
different sequences of phases occurs near the exponent . The results are
applicable to electro- and magnetorheological fluids. In addition to the exact
ground state analysis we study freezing of the Stockmayer fluid by
density-functional theory.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev.
Magnetization of ferrofluids with dipolar interactions - a Born--Mayer expansion
For ferrofluids that are described by a system of hard spheres interacting
via dipolar forces we evaluate the magnetization as a function of the internal
magnetic field with a Born--Mayer technique and an expansion in the dipolar
coupling strength. Two different approximations are presented for the
magnetization considering different contributions to a series expansion in
terms of the volume fraction of the particles and the dipolar coupling
strength.Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures submitted to PR
Virtual Testing of Experimental Continuation
We present a critical advance in experimental testing of nonlinear
structures. Traditional quasi-static experimental methods control the
displacement or force at one or more load-introduction points on a structure.
This approach is unable to traverse limit points in the control parameter, as
the immediate equilibrium beyond these points is statically unstable, causing
the structure to snap to another equilibrium. As a result, unstable
equilibria---observed numerically---are yet to be verified experimentally.
Based on previous experimental work, and a virtual testing environment
developed herein, we propose a new experimental continuation method that can
path-follow along unstable equilibria and traverse limit points. To support
these developments, we provide insightful analogies between a fundamental
building block of our technique---shape control---and analysis concepts such as
the principle of virtual work and Galerkin's method. The proposed testing
method will enable the validation of an emerging class of nonlinear structures
that exploit instabilities for novel functionality
Shape Control for Experimental Continuation
An experimental method has been developed to locate unstable equilibria of
nonlinear structures quasi-statically. The technique involves loading a
structure by application of either a force or a displacement at a main
actuation point, while simultaneously controlling the overall shape using
additional probe points. The method is applied to a shallow arch, and unstable
segments of its equilibrium path are identified experimentally for the first
time. Shape control is a fundamental building block for the experimental---as
opposed to numerical---continuation of nonlinear structures, which will
significantly expand our ability to measure their mechanical response.Comment: Updated Figure 6 experimental results with correct calibration factor
for linear transducer. Updated Figure 6 finite element results with correct
load multiplier for half-model. Updated paper text to reflect these changes.
5 pages, 6 figure
Inhomogeneous magnetization in dipolar ferromagnetic liquids
At high densities fluids of strongly dipolar spherical particles exhibit
spontaneous long-ranged orientational order. Typically, due to demagnetization
effects induced by the long range of the dipolar interactions, the
magnetization structure is spatially inhomogeneous and depends on the shape of
the sample. We determine this structure for a cubic sample by the free
minimization of an appropriate microscopic density functional using simulated
annealing. We find a vortex structure resembling four domains separated by four
domain walls whose thickness increases proportional to the system size L. There
are indications that for large L the whole configuration scales with the system
size. Near the axis of the mainly planar vortex structure the direction of the
magnetization escapes into the third dimension or, at higher temperatures, the
absolute value of the magnetization is strongly reduced. Thus the orientational
order is characterized by two point defects at the top and the bottom of the
sample, respectively. The equilibrium structure in an external field and the
transition to a homogeneous magnetization for strong fields are analyzed, too.Comment: 17 postscript figures included, submitted to Phys. Rev.
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