4,201 research outputs found
Where is the Inner Edge of an Accretion Disk Around a Black Hole?
What is meant by the "inner edge" of an accretion disk around a black hole
depends on the property that defines the edge. We discuss four such definitions
using data from recent high-resolution numerical simulations. These are: the
"turbulence edge", where flux-freezing becomes more important than turbulence
in determining the magnetic field structure; the "stress edge", where plunging
matter loses dynamical contact with the outer accretion flow; the "reflection
edge", the smallest radius capable of producing significant X-ray reflection
features; and the "radiation edge", the innermost place from which significant
luminosity emerges. All these edges are dependent on the accretion rate and are
non-axisymmetric and time-variable. Although all are generally located in the
vicinity of the marginally stable orbit, significant displacements can occur,
and data interpretations placing the disk edge precisely at this point can be
misleading. If observations are to be used successfully as diagnostics of
accretion in strong gravity, the models used to interpret them must take
careful account of these distinctions.Comment: accepted by Ap.J., 26 p
Seed kikuyu performs well
The kikuya variety, Whittet, which can be established from seed has performed well in a trial at Denmark
Electron Acceleration around the Supermassive Black Hole at the Galactic Center
The recent detection of variable infrared emission from Sagittarius A*,
combined with its previously observed flare activity in X-rays, provides
compelling evidence that at least a portion of this object's emission is
produced by nonthermal electrons. We show here that acceleration of electrons
by plasma wave turbulence in hot gases near the black hole's event horizon can
account both for Sagittarius A*'s mm and shorter wavelengths emission in the
quiescent state, and for the infrared and X-ray flares, induced either via an
enhancement of the mass accretion rate onto the black hole or by a
reorganization of the magnetic field coupled to the accretion gas. The
acceleration model proposed here produces distinct flare spectra that may be
compared with future coordinated multi-wavelength observations. We further
suggest that the diffusion of high energy electrons away from the acceleration
site toward larger radii might be able to account for the observed
characteristics of Sagittarius A*'s emission at cm and longer wavelengths.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures and 1 table, submitted to ApJ
Nitrogen fertilisers for pasture production
At current prices nitrogen fertiliser is not an economic substitute for good clover pastures, but it can supplement the system by increasing nitrogen supply at peak growth periods. It can also provide useful increases in pasture production at critical feed times. Nitrogen usage for pasture production is still in the experimental stages and small areas should be tried before large-scale application
A feasibility study for advanced technology integration for general aviation
An investigation was conducted to identify candidate technologies and specific developments which offer greatest promise for improving safety, fuel efficiency, performance, and utility of general aviation airplanes. Interviews were conducted with general aviation airframe and systems manufacturers and NASA research centers. The following technologies were evaluated for use in airplane design tradeoff studies conducted during the study: avionics, aerodynamics, configurations, structures, flight controls, and propulsion. Based on industry interviews and design tradeoff studies, several recommendations were made for further high payoff research. The most attractive technologies for use by the general aviation industry appear to be advanced engines, composite materials, natural laminar flow airfoils, and advanced integrated avionics systems. The integration of these technologies in airplane design can yield significant increases in speeds, ranges, and payloads over present aircraft with 40 percent to 50 percent reductions in fuel used
EVALUATING CHANGES IN TRAINING MANAGER’S ROLE PERCEPTIONS: A CASE STUDY OF TRHE NUCLEAR POWER INDUSTRY
Organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of moving from training to performance improvement in Human Resource Development (HRD). Business organizations need to dramatically alter the roles of training managers to ensure that they move towards a performance improvement process, and to ensure that potential solutions are linked to organizational and individual performance problems. As part of a program for nuclear power managers at a major university, we evaluated the changes in the perceptions of twenty-one training managers from around the United States. The evaluation data lead us to conclusions regarding the changing role of training managers from strictly training to that of performance consultant and the challenges manger’s face as they try to build partnering relationships
Magnetically Driven Jets in the Kerr Metric
We compute a series of three-dimensional general relativistic
magnetohydrodynamic simulations of accretion flows in the Kerr metric to
investigate the properties of the unbound outflows that result. The overall
strength of these outflows increases sharply with increasing black hole
rotation rate, but a number of generic features are found in all cases. The
mass in the outflow is concentrated in a hollow cone whose opening angle is
largely determined by the effective potential for matter orbiting with angular
momentum comparable to that of the innermost stable circular orbit. The
dominant force accelerating the matter outward comes from the pressure of the
accretion disk's corona. The principal element that shapes the outflow is
therefore the centrifugal barrier preventing accreting matter from coming close
to the rotation axis. Inside the centrifugal barrier, the cone contains very
little matter and is dominated by electromagnetic fields that rotate at a rate
tied closely to the rotation of the black hole. These fields carry an
outward-going Poynting flux whose immediate energy source is the rotating
spacetime of the Kerr black hole. When the spin parameter a/M of the black hole
exceeds ~0.9, the energy carried to infinity by these outflows can be
comparable to the nominal radiative efficiency predicted in the Novikov-Thorne
model. Similarly, the expelled angular momentum can be comparable to that
accreted by the black hole. Both the inner electromagnetic part and the outer
matter part can contribute in significant fashion to the energy and angular
momentum of the outflow.Comment: 43 pages 12 figures To Appear in the Astrophysical Journal replaced
figure 3c with correct imag
Return to driving after traumatic brain injury : a British perspective
Primary Objective: to identify current legal situation, and professional practice in assisting persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) to return to safe driving after injury.
Methods and Procedures
A brief review of relevant literature, a description of the current statutory and quasi-statutory authorities regulating return to driving after TBI in the UK, and a description of the nature and resolution of clinical and practical dilemmas facing professionals helping return to safe driving after TBI. Each of the 15 UK mobility centres was contacted and literature requested; in addition a representative of each centre responded to a structured telephone survey.
Main Outcome and Results: The current situation in Great Britain is described, with a brief analysis of the strengths and weaknesses both of the current statutory situation, and also the practical situation (driving centres), with suggestions for improvements in practice.
Conclusion
Although brain injury may cause serious limitations in driving ability, previous drivers are not routinely assessed or advised regarding return to driving after TBI
Shire of Manjimup : a brief assessment of the physical land resources with respect to horticultural land use
Targeting determinants of dosage compensation in Drosophila
The dosage compensation complex (DCC) in Drosophila melanogaster is responsible for up-regulating transcription from the single male X chromosome to equal the transcription from the two X chromosomes in females. Visualization of the DCC, a large ribonucleoprotein complex, on male larval polytene chromosomes reveals that the complex binds selectively to many interbands on the X chromosome. The targeting of the DCC is thought to be in part determined by DNA sequences that are enriched on the X. So far, lack of knowledge about DCC binding sites has prevented the identification of sequence determinants. Only three binding sites have been identified to date, but analysis of their DNA sequence did not allow the prediction of further binding sites. We have used chromatin immunoprecipitation to identify a number of new DCC binding fragments and characterized them in vivo by visualizing DCC binding to autosomal insertions of these fragments, and we have demonstrated that they possess a wide range of potential to recruit the DCC. By varying the in vivo concentration of the DCC, we provide evidence that this range of recruitment potential is due to differences in affinity of the complex to these sites. We were also able to establish that DCC binding to ectopic high-affinity sites can allow nearby low-affinity sites to recruit the complex. Using the sequences of the newly identified and previously characterized binding fragments, we have uncovered a number of short sequence motifs, which in combination may contribute to DCC recruitment. Our findings suggest that the DCC is recruited to the X via a number of binding sites of decreasing affinities, and that the presence of high-and moderate-affinity sites on the X may ensure that lower-affinity sites are occupied in a context-dependent manner. Our bioinformatics analysis suggests that DCC binding sites may be composed of variable combinations of degenerate motifs
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