Excitation of g modes in Wolf-Rayet stars by a deep opacity bump

We examine the stability of l=1 and l=2 g modes in a pair of nitrogen-rich Wolf-Rayet stellar models characterized by differing hydrogen abundances. We find that modes with intermediate radial orders are destabilized by a kappa mechanism operating on an opacity bump at an envelope temperature log T ~ 6.25. This `deep opacity bump' is due primarily to L-shell bound-free transitions of iron. Periods of the unstable modes span ~ 11-21 hr in the model containing some hydrogen, and ~ 3-12 hr in the hydrogen-depleted model. Based on the latter finding, we suggest that self-excited g modes may be the source of the 9.8 hr-periodic variation of WR 123 recently reported by Lefevre et al. (2005).Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted by MNRAS letter

Artificial intelligence approaches to software engineering

Artificial intelligence approaches to software engineering are examined. The software development life cycle is a sequence of not so well-defined phases. Improved techniques for developing systems have been formulated over the past 15 years, but pressure continues to attempt to reduce current costs. Software development technology seems to be standing still. The primary objective of the knowledge-based approach to software development presented in this paper is to avoid problem areas that lead to schedule slippages, cost overruns, or software products that fall short of their desired goals. Identifying and resolving software problems early, often in the phase in which they first occur, has been shown to contribute significantly to reducing risks in software development. Software development is not a mechanical process but a basic human activity. It requires clear thinking, work, and rework to be successful. The artificial intelligence approaches to software engineering presented support the software development life cycle through the use of software development techniques and methodologies in terms of changing current practices and methods. These should be replaced by better techniques that that improve the process of of software development and the quality of the resulting products. The software development process can be structured into well-defined steps, of which the interfaces are standardized, supported and checked by automated procedures that provide error detection, production of the documentation and ultimately support the actual design of complex programs

Thematic mapper data quality and performance assessment in renewable resource/agricultural remote sensing

A "quick look" investigation of the initial LANDSAT-4, thematic mapper (TM) scene received from Goddard Space Flight Center was performed to gain early insight into the characteristics of TM data. The initial scene, containing only the first four bands of the seven bands recorded by the TM, was acquired over the Detroit, Michigan, area on July 20, 1982. It yielded abundant information for scientific investigation. A wide variety of studies were conducted to assess all aspects of TM data. They ranged from manual analyses of image products to detect obvious optical, electronic, or mechanical defects to detailed machine analyses of the digital data content for evaluation of spectral separability of vegetative/nonvegetative classes. These studies were applied to several segments extracted from the full scene. No attempt was made to perform end-to-end statistical evaluations. However, the output of these studies do identify a degree of positive performance from the TM and its potential for advancing state-of-the-art crop inventory and condition assessment technology

Trapping of magnetic flux by the plunge region of a black hole accretion disk

The existence of the radius of marginal stability means that accretion flows around black holes invariably undergo a transition from a MHD turbulent disk-like flow to an inward plunging flow. We argue that the plunging inflow can greatly enhance the trapping of large scale magnetic field on the black hole, and therefore may increase the importance of the Blandford-Znajek (BZ) effect relative to previous estimates that ignore the plunge region. We support this hypothesis by constructing and analyzing a toy-model of the dragging and trapping of a large scale field by a black hole disk, revealing a strong dependence of this effect on the effective magnetic Prandtl number of the MHD turbulent disk. Furthermore, we show that the enhancement of the BZ effect depends on the geometric thickness of the accretion disk. This may be, at least in part, the physical underpinnings of the empirical relation between the inferred geometric thickness of a black hole disk and the presence of a radio jet.Comment: 18 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal. See http://www.astro.umd.edu/~chris/publications/movies/flux_trapping.html for animation

Extracting Energy from a Black Hole through Its Disk

When some magnetic field lines connect a Kerr black hole with a disk rotating around it, energy and angular momentum are transferred between them. If the black hole rotates faster than the disk, $ca/GM_H>0.36$ for a thin Keplerian disk, then energy and angular momentum are extracted from the black hole and transferred to the disk ($M_H$ is the mass and $a M_H$ is the angular momentum of the black hole). This way the energy originating in the black hole may be radiated away by the disk. The total amount of energy that can be extracted from the black hole spun down from $ca/GM_H = 0.998$ to $ca/GM_H = 0.36$ by a thin Keplerian disk is $\approx 0.15 M_Hc^2$. This is larger than $\approx 0.09 M_Hc^2$ which can be extracted by the Blandford-Znajek mechanism.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figure

Neonatal weight loss in breast and formula-fed infants

We have observed an increase in the number of breast fed babies presenting with dehydration and/or failure to thrive because of lactation failure and non-recognition of feeding problems. Recent reports1,2 support this experience and recommend monitoring of the weight of infants through the neonatal period. However, these reports acknowledge uncertainty as to what actually constitutes normal neonatal weight loss. Maisels and colleagues published two studies which have been quoted as giving guidance on normal loss. Both studies were designed primarily to study factors that influence breast milk jaundice. The first3 reported a mean weight loss of about 6% in 100 unselected well babies during the first 3 days. The subsequent study4 reported a mean weight loss of 6.86% in 186 infants. The timescale over which babies were weighed was not clearly indicated, although it may have only been 2-3 days. The sample was neither population based nor randomly selected, being largely preselected because of the presence of more pronounced jaundice. The distribution of data points for early neonatal weight loss are likely to be skewed, yet both studies reported the results as mean (SD). Owing to the design and method of data presentation, these studies cannot reliably inform the debate as to what constitutes the norm. Marchini and colleagues published reports also designed primarily to study other issues. One5 indicated a mean early weight loss of 5.7%. Measurements were recorded over a three day period, and no indication is given of the skewness of the data. Another study6 reported a median weight loss of about 6% recorded over a four day period. At least one baby lost > 15% of his/her birth weight during this time, but there is no clear information as to the frequency with which more extreme degrees of weight loss are observed

Analytic Solutions to the Constraint Equation for a Force-Free Magnetosphere around a Kerr Black Hole

The Blandford-Znajek constraint equation for a stationary, axisymmetric black-hole force-free magnetosphere is cast in a 3+1 absolute space and time formulation, following Komissarov (2004). We derive an analytic solution for fields and currents to the constraint equation in the far-field limit that satisfies the Znajek condition at the event horizon. This solution generalizes the Blandford-Znajek monopole solution for a slowly rotating black hole to black holes with arbitrary angular momentum. Energy and angular momentum extraction through this solution occurs mostly along the equatorial plane. We also present a nonphysical, reverse jet-like solution.Comment: 6 pages, accepted for publication in Ap

Quantum Dots in Strong Magnetic Fields: Stability Criteria for the Maximum Density Droplet

In this article we discuss the ground state of a parabolically confined quantum dots in the limit of very strong magnetic fields where the electron system is completely spin-polarized and all electrons are in the lowest Landau level. Without electron-electron interactions the ground state is a single Slater determinant corresponding to a droplet centered on the minimum of the confinement potential and occupying the minimum area allowed by the Pauli exclusion principle. Electron-electron interactions favor droplets of larger area. We derive exact criteria for the stability of the maximum density droplet against edge excitations and against the introduction of holes in the interior of the droplet. The possibility of obtaining exact results in the strong magnetic field is related to important simplifications associated with broken time-reversal symmetry in a strong magnetic field.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures (not included), RevTeX 3.0. (UCF-CM-93-002