13,415 research outputs found
Autonomous spacecraft maintenance study group
A plan to incorporate autonomous spacecraft maintenance (ASM) capabilities into Air Force spacecraft by 1989 is outlined. It includes the successful operation of the spacecraft without ground operator intervention for extended periods of time. Mechanisms, along with a fault tolerant data processing system (including a nonvolatile backup memory) and an autonomous navigation capability, are needed to replace the routine servicing that is presently performed by the ground system. The state of the art fault handling capabilities of various spacecraft and computers are described, and a set conceptual design requirements needed to achieve ASM is established. Implementations for near term technology development needed for an ASM proof of concept demonstration by 1985, and a research agenda addressing long range academic research for an advanced ASM system for 1990s are established
Modification of Projected Velocity Power Spectra by Density Inhomogeneities in Compressible Supersonic Turbulence
(Modified) The scaling of velocity fluctuation, dv, as a function of spatial
scale L in molecular clouds can be measured from size-linewidth relations,
principal component analysis, or line centroid variation. Differing values of
the power law index of the scaling relation dv = L^(g3D) in 3D are given by
these different methods: the first two give g3D=0.5, while line centroid
analysis gives g3D=0. This discrepancy has previously not been fully
appreciated, as the variation of projected velocity line centroid fluctuations
(dv_{lc} = L^(g2D)) is indeed described, in 2D, by g2D=0.5. However, if
projection smoothing is accounted for, this implies that g3D=0. We suggest that
a resolution of this discrepancy can be achieved by accounting for the effect
of density inhomogeneity on the observed g2D obtained from velocity line
centroid analysis. Numerical simulations of compressible turbulence are used to
show that the effect of density inhomogeneity statistically reverses the effect
of projection smoothing in the case of driven turbulence so that velocity line
centroid analysis does indeed predict that g2D=g3D=0.5. Using our numerical
results we can restore consistency between line centroid analysis, principal
component analysis and size-linewidth relations, and we derive g3D=0.5,
corresponding to shock-dominated (Burgers) turbulence. We find that this
consistency requires that molecular clouds are continually driven on large
scales or are only recently formed.Comment: 28 pages total, 20 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
Anisotropic exciton Stark shift in black phosphorus
We calculate the excitonic spectrum of few-layer black phosphorus by direct
diagonalization of the effective mass Hamiltonian in the presence of an applied
in-plane electric field. The strong attractive interaction between electrons
and holes in this system allows one to investigate the Stark effect up to very
high ionizing fields, including also the excited states. Our results show that
the band anisotropy in black phosphorus becomes evident in the direction
dependent field induced polarizability of the exciton
On the formation of current sheets in response to the compression or expansion of a potential magnetic field
The compression or expansion of a magnetic field that is initially potential
is considered. It was recently suggested by Janse & Low [2009, ApJ, 690, 1089]
that, following the volumetric deformation, the relevant lowest energy state
for the magnetic field is another potential magnetic field that in general
contains tangential discontinuities (current sheets). Here we examine this
scenario directly using a numerical relaxation method that exactly preserves
the topology of the magnetic field. It is found that of the magnetic fields
discussed by Janse & Low, only those containing magnetic null points develop
current singularities during an ideal relaxation, while the magnetic fields
without null points relax toward smooth force-free equilibria with finite
non-zero current.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap
Temperature Fluctuations driven by Magnetorotational Instability in Protoplanetary Disks
The magnetorotational instability (MRI) drives magnetized turbulence in
sufficiently ionized regions of protoplanetary disks, leading to mass
accretion. The dissipation of the potential energy associated with this
accretion determines the thermal structure of accreting regions. Until
recently, the heating from the turbulence has only been treated in an
azimuthally averaged sense, neglecting local fluctuations. However, magnetized
turbulence dissipates its energy intermittently in current sheet structures. We
study this intermittent energy dissipation using high resolution numerical
models including a treatment of radiative thermal diffusion in an optically
thick regime. Our models predict that these turbulent current sheets drive
order unity temperature variations even where the MRI is damped strongly by
Ohmic resistivity. This implies that the current sheet structures where energy
dissipation occurs must be well resolved to correctly capture the flow
structure in numerical models. Higher resolutions are required to resolve
energy dissipation than to resolve the magnetic field strength or accretion
stresses. The temperature variations are large enough to have major
consequences for mineral formation in disks, including melting chondrules,
remelting calcium-aluminum rich inclusions, and annealing silicates; and may
drive hysteresis: current sheets in MRI active regions could be significantly
more conductive than the remainder of the disk.Comment: 16 pages, 13 figures, ApJ In Press, updated to match proof
Effects of Collisional Decoherence on Multipartite Entanglement - How would entanglement not be relatively common?
We consider the collision model of Ziman {\em et al.} and study the
robustness of -qubit Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ), W, and linear
cluster states. Our results show that -qubit entanglement of GHZ states
would be extremely fragile under collisional decoherence, and that of W states
could be more robust than of linear cluster states. We indicate that the
collision model of Ziman {\em et al.} could provide a physical mechanism to
some known results in this area of investigations. More importantly, we show
that it could give a clue as to how -partite distillable entanglement would
be relatively rare in our macroscopic classical world.Comment: 10 page
The Inability of Ambipolar Diffusion to set a Characteristic Mass Scale in Molecular Clouds
We investigate the question of whether ambipolar diffusion (ion-neutral
drift) determines the smallest length and mass scale on which structure forms
in a turbulent molecular cloud. We simulate magnetized turbulence in a mostly
neutral, uniformly driven, turbulent medium, using a three-dimensional,
two-fluid, magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) code modified from Zeus-MP. We find that
substantial structure persists below the ambipolar diffusion scale because of
the propagation of compressive slow MHD waves at smaller scales. Contrary to
simple scaling arguments, ambipolar diffusion thus does not suppress structure
below its characteristic dissipation scale as would be expected for a classical
diffusive process. We have found this to be true for the magnetic energy,
velocity, and density. Correspondingly, ambipolar diffusion leaves the clump
mass spectrum unchanged. Ambipolar diffusion appears unable to set a
characteristic scale for gravitational collapse and star formation in turbulent
molecular clouds.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures. ApJ accepte
Nearby Clumpy, Gas Rich, Star Forming Galaxies: Local Analogs of High Redshift Clumpy Galaxies
Luminous compact blue galaxies (LCBGs) have enhanced star formation rates and
compact morphologies. We combine Sloan Digital Sky Survey data with HI data of
29 LCBGs at redshift z~0 to understand their nature. We find that local LCBGs
have high atomic gas fractions (~50%) and star formation rates per stellar mass
consistent with some high redshift star forming galaxies. Many local LCBGs also
have clumpy morphologies, with clumps distributed across their disks. Although
rare, these galaxies appear to be similar to the clumpy star forming galaxies
commonly observed at z~1-3. Local LCBGs separate into three groups: 1.
Interacting galaxies (~20%); 2. Clumpy spirals (~40%); 3. Non-clumpy,
non-spirals with regular shapes and smaller effective radii and stellar masses
(~40%). It seems that the method of building up a high gas fraction, which then
triggers star formation, is not the same for all local LCBGs. This may lead to
a dichotomy in galaxy characteristics. We consider possible gas delivery
scenarios and suggest that clumpy spirals, preferentially located in clusters
and with companions, are smoothly accreting gas from tidally disrupted
companions and/or intracluster gas enriched by stripped satellites. Conversely,
as non-clumpy galaxies are preferentially located in the field and tend to be
isolated, we suggest clumpy, cold streams, which destroy galaxy disks and
prevent clump formation, as a likely gas delivery mechanism for these systems.
Other possibilities include smooth cold streams, a series of minor mergers, or
major interactions.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figure
Have We Observed the Higgs (Imposter)?
We interpret the new particle at the Large Hadron Collider as a CP-even
scalar and investigate its electroweak quantum number. Assuming an unbroken
custodial invariance as suggested by precision electroweak measurements, only
four possibilities are allowed if the scalar decays to pairs of gauge bosons,
as exemplified by a dilaton/radion, a non-dilatonic electroweak singlet scalar,
an electroweak doublet scalar, and electroweak triplet scalars. We show that
current LHC data already strongly disfavor both the dilatonic and non-dilatonic
singlet imposters. On the other hand, a generic Higgs doublet give excellent
fits to the measured event rates of the newly observed scalar resonance, while
the Standard Model Higgs boson gives a slightly worse overall fit due to the
lack signal in the tau tau channel. The triplet imposter exhibits some tension
with the data. The global fit indicates the enhancement in the diphoton channel
could be attributed to an enhanced partial decay width, while the production
rates are consistent with the Standard Model expectations. We emphasize that
more precise measurements of the ratio of event rates in the WW over ZZ
channels, as well as the event rates in b bbar and tau tau channels, are needed
to further distinguish the Higgs doublet from the triplet imposter.Comment: 20 pages, 4 figures; v2: updated with most recent public data as of
August 7. A generic Higgs doublet now gives the best fit to data, while the
triplet imposter exhibits some tensio
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