65,322 research outputs found
r-Process Nucleosynthesis in Shocked Surface Layers of O-Ne-Mg Cores
We demonstrate that rapid expansion of the shocked surface layers of an
O-Ne-Mg core following its collapse can result in r-process nucleosynthesis. As
the supernova shock accelerates through these layers, it makes them expand so
rapidly that free nucleons remain in disequilibrium with alpha-particles
throughout most of the expansion. This allows heavy r-process isotopes
including the actinides to form in spite of the very low initial neutron excess
of the matter. We estimate that yields of heavy r-process nuclei from this site
may be sufficient to explain the Galactic inventory of these isotopes.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure, to appear in the Astrophysical Journal Letter
Configuration management and automatic control of an augmentor wing aircraft with vectored thrust
An advanced structure for automatic flight control logic for powered-lift aircraft operating in terminal areas is under investigation at Ames Research Center. This structure is based on acceleration control; acceleration commands are constructed as the sum of acceleration on the reference trajectory and a corrective feedback acceleration to regulate path tracking errors. The central element of the structure, termed a Trimmap, uses a model of the aircraft aerodynamic and engine forces to calculate the control settings required to generate the acceleration commands. This report describes the design criteria for the Trimmap and derives a Trimmap for Ames experimental augmentor wing jet STOL research aircraft
Nuclear Reactions Rates Governing the Nucleosynthesis of Ti44
Large excesses of Ca44 in certain presolar graphite and silicon carbide
grains give strong evidence for Ti44 production in supernovae. Furthermore,
recent detection of the Ti44 gamma-line from the Cas A SNR by CGRO/COMPTEL
shows that radioactive Ti44 is produced in supernovae. These make the Ti44
abundance an observable diagnostic of supernovae. Through use of a nuclear
reaction network, we have systematically varied reaction rates and groups of
reaction rates to experimentally identify those that govern Ti44 abundance in
core-collapse supernova nucleosynthesis. We survey the nuclear-rate dependence
by repeated calculations of the identical adiabatic expansion, with peak
temperature and density chosen to be 5.5xE9 K and 1E7 g/cc, respectively, to
approximate the conditions in detailed supernova models. We find that, for
equal total numbers of neutrons and protons (eta=0), Ti44 production is most
sensitive to the following reaction rates: Ti44(alpha,p)V47,
alpha(2alpha,gamma)C12, Ti44(alpha,gamma)Cr48, V45(p,gamma)Cr46. We tabulate
the most sensitive reactions in order of their importance to the Ti44
production near the standard values of currently accepted cross-sections, at
both reduced reaction rate (0.01X) and at increased reaction rate (100X)
relative to their standard values. Although most reactions retain their
importance for eta > 0, that of V45(p,gamma)Cr46 drops rapidly for eta >=
0.0004. Other reactions assume greater significance at greater neutron excess:
C12(alpha,gamma)O16, Ca40(alpha,gamma)Ti44, Al27(alpha,n)P30, Si30(alpha,n)S33.
Because many of these rates are unknown experimentally, our results suggest the
most important targets for future cross section measurements governing the
value of this observable abundance.Comment: 37 pages, LaTex, 17 figures, 8 table
Nucleosynthesis in Fast Expansions of High-Entropy, Proton Rich Matter
We demonstrate that nucleosynthesis in rapid, high-entropy expansions of
proton-rich matter from high temperature and density can result in a wider
variety of abundance patterns than heretofore appreciated. In particular, such
expansions can produce iron-group nuclides, p-process nuclei, or even heavy,
neutron-rich isotopes. Such diversity arises because the nucleosynthesis enters
a little explored regime in which the free nucleons are not in equilibrium with
the abundant alpha particles. This allows nuclei significantly heavier than
iron to form in t he presence of abundant free nucleons early in the expansion.
As the temperature drops, nucleons increasingly assemble into alpha particles
and heavier nuclei. If the assembly is efficient, the resulting depletion of
free neutrons allows disintegrat ion flows to drive nuclei back down to iron
and nickel. If this assembly is inefficient, then the large abundance of free
nucleons prevents the disintegration flows and leaves a distribution of heavy
nuclei after reaction freezeout. For cases in between, an intermediate
abundance distribution, enriched in p-process isotopes, is frozen out. These
last expansions may contribute to the solar system's supply of the p-process
nuclides if mildly proton-rich, high-entropy matter is ejected from
proto-neutron stars winds or other astrophysical sites. Also sign ificant is
the fact that, because the nucleosynthesis is primary, the signature of this
nucleosyn thesis may be evident in metal poor stars.Comment: 11 pages, 2 tables, 1 figure. Submitted to ApJ Letter
Two-temperature coronal flow above a thin disk
We extended the disk corona model (Meyer & Meyer-Hofmeister 1994; Meyer, Liu,
& Meyer-Hofmeister 2000a) to the inner region of galactic nuclei by including
different temperatures in ions and electrons as well as Compton cooling. We
found that the mass evaporation rate and hence the fraction of accretion energy
released in the corona depend strongly on the rate of incoming mass flow from
outer edge of the disk, a larger rate leading to more Compton cooling, less
efficient evaporation and a weaker corona. We also found a strong dependence on
the viscosity, higher viscosity leading to an enhanced mass flow in the corona
and therefore more evaporation of gas from the disk below. If we take accretion
rates in units of the Eddington rate our results become independent on the mass
of the central black hole. The model predicts weaker contributions to the hard
X-rays for objects with higher accretion rate like narrow-line Seyfert 1
galaxies (NLS1s), in agreement with observations. For luminous active galactic
nuclei (AGN) strong Compton cooling in the innermost corona is so efficient
that a large amount of additional heating is required to maintain the corona
above the thin disk.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures. ApJ accepte
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