20,271 research outputs found
A Luminous Companion to SGR 1806-20
We have obtained infrared spectra of the star suggested to be the counterpart
of the soft gamma-ray repeater (SGR) 1806-20. We found strong emission lines
similar to those seen in the spectra of the rare Luminous Blue Variables and
B[e] stars. A He I absorption line is also seen, from which we infer a spectral
type O9--B2. This classification, in combination with the minimum distance of
\simgt6 kpc inferred from its extinction, makes the star one of the most
luminous in the Galaxy. We infer that it is a companion to SGR 1806-20, and
suggest that the presence of a companion is somehow related to the SGR
phenomenon.Comment: 5 pages, AASTEX text+table and 2 PostScript figures (needs LaTeX
style files aaspptwo.sty, epsf.sty and rotate.sty). In case of problems,
contact [email protected]. Postscript file of complete article available
on request. (Replaced because first version had one wrong reference in it
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An assessment of the impact of lean interventions within the UK police service
The police service in England and Wales continues to face intense pressures to manage and reduce budgets while simultaneously maintaining and improving levels of service. In achieving reform, attention has been directed towards the implementation of proven operational improvement frameworks, such as 'lean thinking' taken from the automotive industry. This research draws on contemporary views of 'lean' as a knowledge creation process that is integrated into an absorptive capacity theoretical perspective. The work provides a new perspective on operational improvement within police forces and new insight into how such a reconceptualization may contribute to more successful police transformation
Cosmic ray acceleration to ultrahigh energy in radio galaxies
The origin of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) is an open question. In
this proceeding, we first review the general physical requirements that a
source must meet for acceleration to 10-100 EeV, including the consideration
that the shock is not highly relativistic. We show that shocks in the backflows
of radio galaxies can meet these requirements. We discuss a model in which
giant-lobed radio galaxies such as Centaurus A and Fornax A act as
slowly-leaking UHECR reservoirs, with the UHECRs being accelerated during a
more powerful past episode. We also show that Centaurus A, Fornax A and other
radio galaxies may explain the observed anisotropies in data from the Pierre
Auger Observatory, before examining some of the difficulties in associating
UHECR anisotropies with astrophysical sources.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures. Proceedings of UHECR 2018, 8-12 October 2018,
Paris, Franc
Amplification of perpendicular and parallel magnetic fields by cosmic ray currents
Cosmic ray (CR) currents through magnetised plasma drive strong instabilities
producing amplification of the magnetic field. This amplification helps explain
the CR energy spectrum as well as observations of supernova remnants and radio
galaxy hot spots. Using magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations, we study the
behaviour of the non-resonant hybrid (NRH) instability (also known as the Bell
instability) in the case of CR currents perpendicular and parallel to the
initial magnetic field. We demonstrate that extending simulations of the
perpendicular case to 3D reveals a different character to the turbulence from
that observed in 2D. Despite these differences, in 3D the perpendicular NRH
instability still grows exponentially far into the non-linear regime with a
similar growth rate to both the 2D perpendicular and 3D parallel situations. We
introduce some simple analytical models to elucidate the physical behaviour,
using them to demonstrate that the transition to the non-linear regime is
governed by the growth of thermal pressure inside dense filaments at the edges
of the expanding loops. We discuss our results in the context of supernova
remnants and jets in radio galaxies. Our work shows that the NRH instability
can amplify magnetic fields to many times their initial value in parallel and
perpendicular shocks.Comment: Published in MNRAS. 14 pages, 12 figures, 2 tables. Replacement
corrects some typesetting error
Computer generated animation and movie production at LARC: A case study
The process of producing computer generated 16mm movies using the MOVIE.BYU software package developed by Brigham Young University and the currently available hardware technology at the Langley Research Center is described. A general overview relates the procedures to a specific application. Details are provided which describe the data used, preparation of a storyboard, key frame generation, the actual animation, title generation, filming, and processing/developing the final product. Problems encountered in each of these areas are identified. Both hardware and software problems are discussed along with proposed solutions and recommendations
SMP: A solid modeling program version 2.0
The Solid Modeling Program (SMP) provides the capability to model complex solid objects through the composition of primitive geometric entities. In addition to the construction of solid models, SMP has extensive facilities for model editing, display, and analysis. The geometric model produced by the software system can be output in a format compatible with existing analysis programs such as PATRAN-G. The present version of the SMP software supports six primitives: boxes, cones, spheres, paraboloids, tori, and trusses. The details for creating each of the major primitive types is presented. The analysis capabilities of SMP, including interfaces to existing analysis programs, are discussed
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