25,560 research outputs found
Dynamics of Black Hole Pairs I: Periodic Tables
Although the orbits of comparable mass, spinning black holes seem to defy
simple decoding, we find a means to decipher all such orbits. The dynamics is
complicated by extreme perihelion precession compounded by spin-induced
precession. We are able to quantitatively define and describe the fully three
dimensional motion of comparable mass binaries with one black hole spinning and
expose an underlying simplicity. To do so, we untangle the dynamics by
capturing the motion in the orbital plane. Our results are twofold: (1) We
derive highly simplified equations of motion in a non-orthogonal orbital basis,
and (2) we define a complete taxonomy for fully three-dimensional orbits. More
than just a naming system, the taxonomy provides unambiguous and quantitative
descriptions of the orbits, including a determination of the zoom-whirliness of
any given orbit. Through a correspondence with the rationals, we are able to
show that zoom-whirl behavior is prevalent in comparable mass binaries in the
strong-field regime. A first significant conclusion that can be drawn from this
analysis is that all generic orbits in the final stages of inspiral under
gravitational radiation losses are characterized by precessing clovers with few
leaves and that no orbit will behave like the tightly precessing ellipse of
Mercury. The gravitational waveform produced by these low-leaf clovers will
reflect the natural harmonics of the orbital basis -- harmonics that,
importantly, depend only on radius. The significance for gravitational wave
astronomy will depend on the number of windings the pair executes in the
strong-field regime and could be more conspicuous for intermediate mass pairs
than for stellar mass pairs.Comment: 19 pages, lots of figure
Predictions for Impurity-Induced Tc Suppression in the High-Temperature Superconductors
We address the question of whether anisotropic superconductivity is
compatible with the evidently weak sensitivity of the critical temperature Tc
to sample quality in the high-Tc copper oxides. We examine this issue
quantitatively by solving the strong-coupling Eliashberg equations numerically
as well as analytically for s-wave impurity scattering within the second Born
approximation. For pairing interactions with a characteristically low energy
scale, we find an approximately universal dependence of the d-wave
superconducting transition temperature on the planar residual resistivity which
is independent of the details of the microscopic pairing. These results, in
conjunction with future systematic experiments, should help elucidate the
symmetry of the order parameter in the cuprates.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures upon request, revtex version
Study of color center formation in white powder compounds
White powder compounds of metal oxides for thermal protective coating of spacecraf
An application of multiattribute decision analysis to the Space Station Freedom program. Case study: Automation and robotics technology evaluation
The results are described of an application of multiattribute analysis to the evaluation of high leverage prototyping technologies in the automation and robotics (A and R) areas that might contribute to the Space Station (SS) Freedom baseline design. An implication is that high leverage prototyping is beneficial to the SS Freedom Program as a means for transferring technology from the advanced development program to the baseline program. The process also highlights the tradeoffs to be made between subsidizing high value, low risk technology development versus high value, high risk technology developments. Twenty one A and R Technology tasks spanning a diverse array of technical concepts were evaluated using multiattribute decision analysis. Because of large uncertainties associated with characterizing the technologies, the methodology was modified to incorporate uncertainty. Eight attributes affected the rankings: initial cost, operation cost, crew productivity, safety, resource requirements, growth potential, and spinoff potential. The four attributes of initial cost, operations cost, crew productivity, and safety affected the rankings the most
Hydromagnetic and gravitomagnetic crust-core coupling in a precessing neutron star
We consider two types of mechanical coupling between the crust and the core
of a precessing neutron star. First, we find that a hydromagnetic (MHD)
coupling between the crust and the core strongly modifies the star's
precessional modes when ; here is the
Alfven crossing timescale, and and are the star's spin and
precession periods, respectively. We argue that in a precessing pulsar PSR
B1828-11 the restoring MHD stress prevents a free wobble of the crust relative
to the non-precessing core. Instead, the crust and the proton-electron plasma
in the core must precess in unison, and their combined ellipticity determines
the period of precession. Link has recently shown that the neutron superfluid
vortices in the core of PSR B1828-11 cannot be pinned to the plasma; he has
also argued that this lack of pinning is expected if the proton Fermi liquid in
the core is type-I superconductor. In this case, the neutron superfluid is
dynamically decoupled from the precessing motion. The pulsar's precession
decays due to the mutual friction between the neutron superfluid and the plasma
in the core. The decay is expected to occur over tens to hundreds of precession
periods and may be measurable over a human lifetime. Such a measurement would
provide information about the strong n-p interaction in the neutron-star core.
Second, we consider the effect of gravitomagnetic coupling between the neutron
superfluid in the core and the rest of the star and show that this coupling
changes the rate of precession by about 10%. The general formalism developed in
this paper may be useful for other applications.Comment: 6 page
Exact asymptotic expansions for the cylindrical Poisson-Boltzmann equation
The mathematical theory of integrable Painleve/Toda type systems sheds new
light on the behavior of solutions to the Poisson-Boltzmann equation for the
potential due to a long rod-like macroion. We investigate here the case of
symmetric electrolytes together with that of 1:2 and 2:1 salts. Short and large
scale features are analyzed, with a particular emphasis on the low salinity
regime. Analytical expansions are derived for several quantities relevant for
polyelectrolytes theory, such as the Manning radius. In addition, accurate and
practical expressions are worked out for the electrostatic potential, which
improve upon previous work and cover the full range of radial distances
Calibration of the visible and near-infrared channels of the LANDSAT-5 Thematic Mapper using high-altitude aircraft measurements
Visible near-infrared sensors mounted on operational satellites now in use do not have on-board full aperture absolute calibration devices. One means of establishing an in-orbit calibration for a satellite sensor is to make simultaneous measurements of a bright, uniform scene along the satellite view vector from a calibrated instrument on board a high altitude aircraft. In the work reported here, aircraft data were recorded over White Sands, New Mexico at satellite overpass time for the LANDSAT-5 Thematic Mapper (TM). A comparison of the coincident aircraft and orbiting satellite data showed the radiometric gain for TM channel 1 had degraded 4.7 percent by August 28, 1985; gains for TM channels 2 and 3 were within 1 percent of prelaunch values
Hybrid vehicle assessment. Phase 1: Petroleum savings analysis
The results of a comprehensive analysis of near term electric hybrid vehicles are presented, with emphasis on their potential to save significant amounts of petroleum on a national scale in the 1990s. Performance requirements and expected annual usage patterns of these vehicles are first modeled. The projected U.S. fleet composition is estimated, and conceptual hybrid vehicle designs are conceived and analyzed for petroleum use when driven in the expected annual patterns. These petroleum consumption estimates are then compared to similar estimates for projected 1990 conventional vehicles having the same performance and driven in the same patterns. Results are presented in the form of three utility functions and comparisons of sevral conceptual designs are made. The Hybrid Vehicle (HV) design and assessment techniques are discussed and a general method is explained for selecting the optimum energy management strategy for any vehicle mission battery combination. Conclusions and recommendations are presented, and development recommendations are identified
Calibration of the visible and near-infrared channels of the NOAA-9 AVHRR using high-altitude aircraft measurements from August 1985 and October 1986
Visible and near infrared wavelength sensors mounted on operational satellites now in use do not have onboard absolute calibration devices. One means of establishing an in-orbit calibration for a satellite sensor is to make simultaneous measurement of a bright, relatively uniform scene along the satellite view vector from a calibrated instrument on board a high altitude aircraft. Herein, aircraft data were recorded over White Sands, New Mexico at satellite overpass time. Comparison of the coincident aircraft and orbiting satellite data for the visible and near infrared wavelength channels of the NOAA-9 Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer shows that the calibration of the visible channel was unchanged from prelaunch values, but that the near infrared channel has degraded 6 percent by Aug. 1985. By Oct. 1986 the visible channel had degraded 13 percent and the near infrared channel had degraded 19 percent
Visible and near-infrared channel calibration of the GOES-6 VISSR using high-altitude aircraft measurements
Present and future visible and near-infrared wavelength sensors mounted on operational satellites do not have on-board absolute calibration devices. One means of establishing an in-orbit calibration for a satellite sensor is to make simultaneous measurements of a bright, relatively uniform scene along the satellite view vector from a calibrated instrument on board a high altitude aircraft. Aircraft data were recorded over White Sands, New Mexico, and the coincident aircraft and orbiting satellite data is compared for the visible and near-infrared wavelength channel of the GOES-6 Visible Infrared Spin-Scan Radiometer
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