2,941 research outputs found
Theoretical Black Hole Mass Distributions
We derive the theoretical distribution function of black hole masses by
studying the formation processes of black holes. We use the results of recent
2D simulations of core-collapse to obtain the relation between remnant and
progenitor masses and fold it with an initial mass function for the
progenitors. We examine how the calculated black-hole mass distributions are
modified by (i) strong wind mass loss at different evolutionary stages of the
progenitors, and (ii) the presence of close binary companions to the black-hole
progenitors. Thus, we are able to derive the binary black hole mass
distribution. The compact remnant distribution is dominated by neutron stars in
the mass range 1.2-1.6Msun and falls off exponentially at higher remnant
masses. Our results are most sensitive to mass loss from winds which is even
more important in close binaries. Wind mass-loss causes the black hole
distribution to become flatter and limits the maximum possible black-hole mass
(<10-15Msun). We also study the effects of the uncertainties in the explosion
and unbinding energies for different progenitors. The distributions are
continuous and extend over a broad range. We find no evidence for a gap at low
values (3-5Msun) or for a peak at higher values (~7Msun) of black hole masses,
but we argue that our black hole mass distribution for binaries is consistent
with the current sample of measured black-hole masses in X-ray transients. We
discuss possible biases against the detection or formation of X-ray transients
with low-mass black holes. We also comment on the possibility of black-hole
kicks and their effect on binaries.Comment: 22 pages, submitted to Ap
Type Ib/c supernovae in binary systems I. Evolution and properties of the progenitor stars
We investigate the evolution of Type Ib/c supernova (SN Ib/c) progenitors in
close binary systems, using new evolutionary models that include the effects of
rotation, with initial masses of 12 - 25 Msun for the primary components, and
of single helium stars with initial masses of 2.8 - 20 Msun. We find that,
despite the impact of tidal interaction on the rotation of primary stars, the
amount of angular momentum retained in the core at the presupernova stage in
different binary model sequences converge to a value similar to those found in
previous single star models. This amount is large enough to produce millisecond
pulsars, but too small to produce magnetars or long gamma-ray bursts. We employ
the most up-to-date estimate for the Wolf-Rayet mass loss rate, and its
implications for SN Ib/c progenitors are discussed in detail. In terms of
stellar structure, SN Ib/c progenitors in binary systems are predicted to have
a wide range of final masses even up to 7 Msun, with helium envelopes of 0.16 -
1.5 Msun. Our results indicate that, if the lack of helium lines in the spectra
of SNe Ic were due to small amounts of helium, the distribution of both initial
and final masses of SN Ic progenitors should be bimodal. Furthermore, we find
that a thin hydrogen layer (0.001 - 0.01 Msun) is expected to be present in
many SN Ib progenitors at the presupernova stage. We show that the presence of
hydrogen, together with a rather thick helium envelope, can lead to a
significant expansion of some SN Ib/c progenitors by the time of supernova
explosion. This may have important consequences for the shock break-out and
supernova light curve. We also argue that some SN progenitors with thin
hydrogen layers produced via Case AB/B transfer might be related to Type IIb
supernova progenitors with relatively small radii of about 10 Rsun.Comment: 16 pages, 15 figures, 2 tables, ApJ, in pres
Broad P V Absorption in the BALQSO, PG 1254+047: Column Densities, Ionizations and Metal Abundances in BAL Winds
This paper discusses the detection of P V 1118,1128 and other broad
absorption lines (BALs) in archival HST spectra of the low-redshift BALQSO, PG
1254+047. The P V identification is secured by excellent redshift and profile
coincidences with the other BALs, such as C IV 1548,1550 and Si IV 1393,1403,
and by photoionization calculations showing that other lines near this
wavelength, e.g. Fe III 1123, should be much weaker than P V. The observed BAL
strengths imply that either 1) there are extreme abundance ratios such as [C/H]
>~ +1.0, [Si/H] >~ +1.8 and [P/C] >~ +2.2, or 2) at least some of the lines are
much more optically thick than they appear. I argue that the significant
presence of P V absorption indicates severe line saturation, which is disguised
in the observed (moderate-strength) BALs because the absorber does not fully
cover the continuum source(s) along our line(s) of sight. Computed optical
depths for all UV resonance lines show that the observed BALs are consistent
with solar abundances if 1) the ionization parameter is at least moderately
high, log U >~ -0.6, 2) the total hydrogen column density is log N_H(cm-2) >~
22.0, and 3) the optical depths in strong lines like C IV and O VI 1032,1038
are >~25 and >~80, respectively. These optical depths and column densities are
at least an order of magnitude larger than expected from the residual
intensities in the BAL troughs, but they are consistent with the large
absorbing columns derived from X-ray observations of BALQSOs. The outflowing
BALR, at velocities from -15,000 to -27,000 km/s in PG 1254+047, is therefore a
strong candidate for the X-ray absorber in BALQSOs.Comment: 16 pages (LaTeX) plus 8 pages of figures in one file
(pg1254_figs.ps.gz), in press with Ap
The influence of surface stress on the equilibrium shape of strained quantum dots
The equilibrium shapes of InAs quantum dots (i.e., dislocation-free, strained
islands with sizes >= 10,000 atoms) grown on a GaAs (001) substrate are studied
using a hybrid approach which combines density functional theory (DFT)
calculations of microscopic parameters, surface energies, and surface stresses
with elasticity theory for the long-range strain fields and strain relaxations.
In particular we report DFT calculations of the surface stresses and analyze
the influence of the strain on the surface energies of the various facets of
the quantum dot. The surface stresses have been neglected in previous studies.
Furthermore, the influence of edge energies on the island shapes is briefly
discussed. From the knowledge of the equilibrium shape of these islands, we
address the question whether experimentally observed quantum dots correspond to
thermal equilibrium structures or if they are a result of the growth kinetics.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. B (February 2, 1998).
Other related publications can be found at
http://www.rz-berlin.mpg.de/th/paper.htm
How Massive Single Stars End their Life
How massive stars die -- what sort of explosion and remnant each produces --
depends chiefly on the masses of their helium cores and hydrogen envelopes at
death. For single stars, stellar winds are the only means of mass loss, and
these are chiefly a function of the metallicity of the star. We discuss how
metallicity, and a simplified prescription for its effect on mass loss, affects
the evolution and final fate of massive stars. We map, as a function of mass
and metallicity, where black holes and neutron stars are likely to form and
where different types of supernovae are produced. Integrating over an initial
mass function, we derive the relative populations as a function of metallicity.
Provided single stars rotate rapidly enough at death, we speculate upon stellar
populations that might produce gamma-ray bursts and jet-driven supernovae.Comment: 24 pages, 9 figues, submitted to Ap
High-Resolution Keck Spectra of the Associated Absorption Lines in 3C 191
Associated absorption lines (AALs) are valuable probes of the gaseous
environments near quasars. Here we discuss high-resolution (6.7 km/s) spectra
of the AALs in the radio-loud quasar 3C 191 (redshift z=1.956). The measured
AALs have ionizations ranging from Mg I to N V, and multi-component profiles
that are blueshifted by ~400 to ~1400 km/s relative to the quasar's broad
emission lines. These data yield the following new results. 1) The density
based on Si II*/Si II lines is ~300 cm-3, implying a distance of ~28 kpc from
the quasar if the gas is photoionized. 2) The characteristic flow time is thus
\~3 x 10^7 yr. 3) Strong Mg I AALs identify neutral gas with very low
ionization parameter and high density. We estimate n_H > 5 x 10^4 cm-3 in this
region, compared to ~15 cm-3 where the N V lines form. 4) The total column
density is N_H < 4 x 10^18 cm-2 in the neutral gas and N_H ~ 2 x 10^20 cm-2 in
the moderately ionized regions. 5) The total mass in the AAL outflow is M ~ 2 x
10^9 Mo, assuming a global covering factor (as viewed from the quasar) of ~10%
>. 6) The absorbing gas only partially covers the background light source(s)
along our line(s) of sight, requiring absorption in small clouds or filaments
<0.01 pc across. The ratio N_H/n_H implies that the clouds have radial (line-
of-sight) thicknesses <0.2 pc. These properties might characterize a sub-class
of AALs that are physically related to quasars but form at large distances. We
propose a model for the absorber in which pockets of dense neutral gas are
surrounded by larger clouds of generally lower density and higher ionization.
This outflowing material might be leftover from a blowout associated with a
nuclear starburst, the onset of quasar activity or a past broad absorption line
(BAL) wind phase.Comment: 15 pages text plus 6 figures, in press with Ap
The Stellar Composition of the Star Formation Region CMa R1 -- III. A new outburst of the Be star component in Z CMa
We report on a recent event in which, after more than a decade of slowly
fading, the visual brightness of the massive young binary Z CMa suddenly
started to rise by about 1 magnitude in December 1999, followed by a rapid
decline to its previous brightness over the next six months. This behaviour is
similar to that exhibited by this system around its eruption in February 1987.
A comparison of the intrinsic luminosities of the system with recent
evolutionary calculations shows that Z CMa may consist of a 16 M_sun B0 IIIe
primary star and a ~ 3 M_sun FUOr secondary with a common age of ~ 3 x 10^5 yr.
We also compare new high-resolution spectra obtained in Jan. and Feb. 2000,
during the recent rise in brightness, with archive data from 1991 and 1996. The
spectra are rich in emission lines, which originate from the envelope of the
early B-type primary star. The strength of these emission lines increased
strongly with the brightness of Z CMa. We interpret the collected spectral data
in terms of an accretion disc with atmosphere around the Herbig B0e component
of Z CMa, which has expanded during the outbursts of 1987 and 2000. A high
resolution profile of the 6300 A [O I] emission line, obtained by us in March
2002 shows an increase in flux and a prominent blue shoulder to the feature
extending to ~ -700 km/s, which was much fainter in the pre-outburst spectra.
We propose that this change in profile is a result of a strong change in the
collimation of a jet, as a result of the outburst at the start of this century.Comment: 22 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Effects of the stellar wind on X-ray spectra of Cygnus X-3
We study X-ray spectra of Cyg X-3 from BeppoSAX, taking into account
absorption and emission in the strong stellar wind of its companion. We find
the intrinsic X-ray spectra are well modelled by disc blackbody emission, its
upscattering by hot electrons with a hybrid distribution, and by Compton
reflection. These spectra are strongly modified by absorption and reprocessing
in the stellar wind, which we model using the photoionization code cloudy. The
form of the observed spectra implies the wind is composed of two phases. A hot
tenuous plasma containing most of the wind mass is required to account for the
observed features of very strongly ionized Fe. Small dense cool clumps filling
<0.01 of the volume are required to absorb the soft X-ray excess, which is
emitted by the hot phase but not present in the data. The total mass-loss rate
is found to be (0.6--1.6) x 10^-5 solar masses per year. We also discuss the
feasibility of the continuum model dominated by Compton reflection, which we
find to best describe our data. The intrinsic luminosities of our models
suggest that the compact object is a black hole.Comment: MNRAS, in pres
Surface Screening Charge and Effective Charge
The charge on an atom at a metallic surface in an electric field is defined
as the field-derivative of the force on the atom, and this is consistent with
definitions of effective charge and screening charge. This charge can be found
from the shift in the potential outside the surface when the atoms are moved.
This is used to study forces and screening on surface atoms of Ag(001)
c -- Xe as a function of external field. It is found that at low
positive (outward) fields, the Xe with a negative effective charge of -0.093
is pushed into the surface. At a field of 2.3 V \AA the charge
changes sign, and for fields greater than 4.1 V \AA the Xe experiences
an outward force. Field desorption and the Eigler switch are discussed in terms
of these results.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, RevTex (accepted by PRL
Structure and oxidation kinetics of the Si(100)-SiO2 interface
We present first-principles calculations of the structural and electronic
properties of Si(001)-SiO2 interfaces. We first arrive at reasonable structures
for the c-Si/a-SiO2 interface via a Monte-Carlo simulated annealing applied to
an empirical interatomic potential, and then relax these structures using
first-principles calculations within the framework of density-functional
theory. We find a transition region at the interface, having a thickness on the
order of 20\AA, in which there is some oxygen deficiency and a corresponding
presence of sub-oxide Si species (mostly Si^+2 and Si^+3). Distributions of
bond lengths and bond angles, and the nature of the electronic states at the
interface, are investigated and discussed. The behavior of atomic oxygen in
a-SiO2 is also investigated. The peroxyl linkage configuration is found to be
lower in energy than interstitial or threefold configurations. Based on these
results, we suggest a possible mechanism for oxygen diffusion in a-SiO2 that
may be relevant to the oxidation process.Comment: 7 pages, two-column style with 6 postscript figures embedded. Uses
REVTEX and epsf macros. Also available at
http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/~dhv/preprints/index.html#ng_sio
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