26,828 research outputs found
Effect of topology on dynamics of knots in polymers under tension
We use computer simulations to compare the dynamical behaviour of torus and
even-twist knots in polymers under tension. The knots diffuse through a
mechanism similar to reptation. Their friction coefficients grow linearly with
average knot length for both knot types. For similar complexity, however, the
torus knots diffuse faster than the even twist knots. The knot-length
auto-correlation function exhibits a slow relaxation time that can be linked to
a breathing mode. Its timescale depends on knot type, being typically longer
for torus than for even-twist knots. These differences in dynamical behaviour
are interpreted in terms of topological features of the knots.Comment: 6 pages, 8 figure
Complex dynamics of knotted filaments in shear flow
Coarse-grained simulations are used to demonstrate that knotted filaments in
shear flow at zero Reynolds number exhibit remarkably rich dynamic behaviour.
For stiff filaments that are weakly deformed by the shear forces, the knotted
filaments rotate like rigid objects in the flow. But away from this regime the
interplay between between shear forces and the flexibility of the filament
leads to intricate regular and chaotic modes of motion that can be divided into
distinct families. The set of accessible mode families depends to first order
on a dimensionless number that relates the filament length, the elastic
modulus, the friction per unit length and the shear rate.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure
Scattering Theory for Quantum Hall Anyons in a Saddle Point Potential
We study the theory of scattering of two anyons in the presence of a
quadratic saddle-point potential and a perpendicular magnetic field. The
scattering problem decouples in the centre-of-mass and the relative
coordinates. The scattering theory for the relative coordinate encodes the
effects of anyon statistics in the two-particle scattering. This is fully
characterized by two energy-dependent scattering phase shifts. We develop a
method to solve this scattering problem numerically, using a generalized lowest
Landau level approximation.Comment: 5 pages. Published version, with clarified presentatio
Outbursts of Young Stellar Objects
We argue that the outbursts of the FU Orionis stars occur on timescales which
are much longer than expected from the standard disc instability model with
\alpha_{c} \gtrsim 10^{-3}. The outburst, recurrence, and rise times are
consistent with the idea that the accretion disc in these objects is truncated
at a radius R_{i} \sim 40 \rsun. In agreement with a number of previous authors
we suggest that the inner regions of the accretion discs in FU Ori objects are
evacuated by the action of a magnetic propeller anchored on the central star.
We develop an analytic solution for the steady state structure of an accretion
disc in the presence of a central magnetic torque, and present numerical
calculations to follow its time evolution. These calculations confirm that a
recurrence time that is consistent with observations can be obtained by
selecting appropriate values for viscosity and magnetic field strength.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, accepted by MNRA
The steady-state structure of accretion discs in central magnetic fields
We develop a new analytic solution for the steady-state structure of a thin
accretion disc under the influence of a magnetic field that is anchored to the
central star. The solution takes a form similar to that of Shakura and Sunyaev
and tends to their solution as the magnetic moment of the star tends to zero.
As well as the Kramer's law case, we obtain a solution for a general opacity.
The effects of varying the mass transfer rate, spin period and magnetic field
of the star as well as the opacity model applied to the disc are explored for a
range of objects. The solution depends on the position of the magnetic
truncation radius. We propose a new approach for the identification of the
truncation radius and present an analytic expression for its position.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, accepted by MNRA
Orbits and origins of the young stars in the central parsec of the galaxy
We present new proper motions from the 10 m Keck telescopes for a puzzling population of massive, young stars located within a parsec of the supermassive black hole at the Galactic Center. Our proper motion measurements have uncertainties of only 0.07 mas yr^(â1) (3 km s^(â1) ), which is âł7 times better than previous proper motion measurements for these stars, and enables us to measure accelerations as low as 0.2 mas yr^(â2) (7 km s^(â1) yr^(â1) ). These measurements, along with stellar line-of-sight velocities from the literature, constrain the true orbit of each individual star and allow us to directly test the hypothesis that the massive stars reside in two stellar disks as has been previously proposed. Analysis of the stellar orbits reveals only one disk of young stars using a method that is capable of detecting disks containing at least 7 stars. The detected disk contains 50% (38 of 73) of the young stars, is inclined by ~115° from the plane of the sky, and is oriented at a position angle of âŒ100° East of North. The on-disk and off-disk populations have similar K-band luminosity functions and radial distributions that decrease at larger radii as â r^(â2). The disk has an out-of-the-disk velocity dispersion of 28±6 km s^(â1) , which corresponds to a half-opening angle of 7°±2° , and several candidate disk members have eccentricities greater than 0.2. Our findings suggest that the young stars may have formed in situ but in a more complex geometry than a simple thin circular disk
Jet Collimation by Small-Scale Magnetic Fields
A popular model for jet collimation is associated with the presence of a
large-scale and predominantly toroidal magnetic field originating from the
central engine (a star, a black hole, or an accretion disk). Besides the
problem of how such a large-scale magnetic field is generated, in this model
the jet suffers from the fatal long-wave mode kink magnetohydrodynamic
instability. In this paper we explore an alternative model: jet collimation by
small-scale magnetic fields. These magnetic fields are assumed to be local,
chaotic, tangled, but are dominated by toroidal components. Just as in the case
of a large-scale toroidal magnetic field, we show that the ``hoop stress'' of
the tangled toroidal magnetic fields exerts an inward force which confines and
collimates the jet. The magnetic ``hoop stress'' is balanced either by the gas
pressure of the jet, or by the centrifugal force if the jet is spinning. Since
the length-scale of the magnetic field is small (< the cross-sectional radius
of the jet << the length of the jet), in this model the jet does not suffer
from the long-wave mode kink instability. Many other problems associated with
the large-scale magnetic field are also eliminated or alleviated for
small-scale magnetic fields. Though it remains an open question how to generate
and maintain the required small-scale magnetic fields in a jet, the scenario of
jet collimation by small-scale magnetic fields is favored by the current study
on disk dynamo which indicates that small-scale magnetic fields are much easier
to generate than large-scale magnetic fields.Comment: 14 pages, no figur
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