12,634 research outputs found
On the gravitomagnetic effects in cylindrically symmetric spacetimes
Using gyroscopes we generalize results, obtained for the gravitomagnetic
clock effect in the particular case when the exterior spacetime is produced by
a rotating dust cylinder, to the case when the vacuum spacetime is described by
the general cylindrically symmetric Lewis spacetime. Results are contrasted
with those obtained for the Kerr spacetime.Comment: 11 pages Latex, to appear in J.Math.Phy
On the dual interpretation of zero-curvature Friedmann-Robertson-Walker models
Two possible interpretations of FRW cosmologies (perfect fluid or dissipative
fluid)are considered as consecutive phases of the system. Necessary conditions
are found, for the transition from perfect fluid to dissipative regime to
occur, bringing out the conspicuous role played by a particular state of the
system (the ''critical point '').Comment: 13 pages Latex, to appear in Class.Quantum Gra
A search for radio pulsars and fast transients in M31 using the WSRT
We present the results of the most sensitive and comprehensive survey yet
undertaken for radio pulsars and fast transients in the Andromeda galaxy (M31)
and its satellites, using the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) at a
central frequency of 328 MHz. We used the WSRT in a special configuration
called 8gr8 (eight-grate) mode, which provides a large instantaneous
field-of-view, about 5 square degrees per pointing, with good sensitivity, long
dwell times (up to 8 hours per pointing), and good spatial resolution (a few
arc minutes) for locating sources. We have searched for both periodicities and
single pulses in our data, aiming to detect bright, persistent radio pulsars
and rotating radio transients (RRATs) of either Galactic or extragalactic
origin. Our searches did not reveal any confirmed periodic signals or bright
single bursts from (potentially) cosmological distances. However, we do report
the detection of several single pulse events, some repeating at the same
dispersion measure, which could potentially originate from neutron stars in
M31. One in particular was seen multiple times, including a burst of six pulses
in 2000 seconds, at a dispersion measure of 54.7 pc cm^-3, which potentially
places the origin of this source outside of our Galaxy. Our results are
compared to a range of hypothetical populations of pulsars and RRATs in M31 and
allow us to constrain the luminosity function of pulsars in M31. They also show
that, unless the pulsar population in M31 is much dimmer than in our Galaxy,
there is no need to invoke any violation of the inverse square law of the
distance for pulsar fluxes.Comment: 18 pages, 14 figures, 8 tables. Accepted for publication in the main
journal of MNRA
Non-spherical sources of static gravitational fields: investigating the boundaries of the no-hair theorem
A new, globally regular model describing a static, non spherical gravitating
object in General Relativity is presented. The model is composed by a vacuum
Weyl--Levi-Civita special field - the so called gamma metric - generated by a
regular static distribution of mass-energy. Standard requirements of physical
reasonableness such as, energy, matching and regularity conditions are
satisfied. The model is used as a toy in investigating various issues related
to the directional behavior of naked singularities in static spacetimes and the
blackhole (Schwarschild) limit.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figure
A source of a quasi--spherical space--time: The case for the M--Q solution
We present a physically reasonable source for an static, axially--symmetric
solution to the Einstein equations. Arguments are provided, supporting our
belief that the exterior space--time produced by such source, describing a
quadrupole correction to the Schwarzschild metric, is particularly suitable
(among known solutions of the Weyl family) for discussing the properties of
quasi--spherical gravitational fields.Comment: 34 pages, 9 figures. To appear in GR
Heat flow in the postquasistatic approximation
We apply the postquasistatic approximation to study the evolution of
spherically symmetric fluid distributions undergoing dissipation in the form of
radial heat flow. For a model which corresponds to an incompressible fluid
departing from the static equilibrium, it is not possible to go far from the
initial state after the emission of a small amount of energy. Initially
collapsing distributions of matter are not permitted. Emission of energy can be
considered as a mechanism to avoid the collapse. If the distribution collapses
initially and emits one hundredth of the initial mass only the outermost layers
evolve. For a model which corresponds to a highly compressed Fermi gas, only
the outermost shell can evolve with a shorter hydrodynamic time scale.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure
Electromagnetic radiation produces frame dragging
It is shown that for a generic electrovacuum spacetime, electromagnetic
radiation produces vorticity of worldlines of observers in a Bondi--Sachs
frame. Such an effect (and the ensuing gyroscope precession with respect to the
lattice) which is a reminiscence of generation of vorticity by gravitational
radiation, may be linked to the nonvanishing of components of the Poynting and
the super--Poynting vectors on the planes othogonal to the vorticity vector.
The possible observational relevance of such an effect is commented.Comment: 8 pages RevTex 4-1; updated version to appear in Physical Review
Static cylindrical symmetry and conformal flatness
We present the whole set of equations with regularity and matching conditions
required for the description of physically meaningful static cylindrically
symmmetric distributions of matter, smoothly matched to Levi-Civita vacuum
spacetime. It is shown that the conformally flat solution with equal principal
stresses represents an incompressible fluid. It is also proved that any
conformally flat cylindrically symmetric static source cannot be matched
through Darmois conditions to the Levi-Civita spacetime. Further evidence is
given that when the Newtonian mass per unit length reaches 1/2 the spacetime
has plane symmetry.Comment: 13 pages, Late
Geodesics in a quasispherical spacetime: A case of gravitational repulsion
Geodesics are studied in one of the Weyl metrics, referred to as the M--Q
solution. First, arguments are provided, supporting our belief that this
space--time is the more suitable (among the known solutions of the Weyl family)
for discussing the properties of strong quasi--spherical gravitational fields.
Then, the behaviour of geodesics is compared with the spherically symmetric
situation, bringing out the sensitivity of the trajectories to deviations from
spherical symmetry. Particular attention deserves the change of sign in proper
radial acceleration of test particles moving radially along symmetry axis,
close to the surface, and related to the quadrupole moment of the
source.Comment: 30 pages late
Levi-Civita Solutions Coupled with Electromagnetic Fields
The local and global properties of the Levi-Civita (LC) solutions coupled
with an electromagnetic field are studied and some limits to the vacuum LC
solutions are given. By doing such limits, the physical and geometrical
interpretations of the free parameters involved in the solutions are made
clear. Sources for both the LC vacuum solutions and the LC solutions coupled
with an electromagnetic field are studied, and in particular it is found that
all the LC vacuum solutions with can be produced by
cylindrically symmetric thin shells that satisfy all the energy conditions,
weak, dominant, and strong. When the electromagnetic field is present, the
situation changes dramatically. In the case of a purely magnetic field, all the
solutions with or can be
produced by physically acceptable cylindrical thin shells, while in the case of
a purely electric field, no such shells are found for any value of .Comment: Typed in Revtex, including two figure
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