15,663 research outputs found
Sealed containers in Z
Physical means of securing information, such as sealed envelopes and scratch cards, can be used to achieve cryptographic objectives. Reasoning about this has so far been informal.
We give a model of distinguishable sealed envelopes in Z, exploring design decisions and further analysis and development of such models
A new magnetic white dwarf : PG2329+267
We have discovered that the white dwarf PG 2329+267 is magnetic, and assuming
a centered dipole structure, has a dipole magnetic field strength of
approximately 2.3MG. This makes it one of only approximately 4% of isolated
white dwarfs with a detectable magnetic field. Linear Zeeman splitting as well
as quadratic Zeeman shifts are evident in the hydrogen Balmer sequence and
circular spectropolarimetry reveals 10% circular polarisation in the two
displaced sigma components of Halpha. We suggest from comparison with spectra
of white dwarfs of known mass that PG 2329+267 is more massive than typical
isolated white dwarfs, in agreement with the hypothesis that magnetic white
dwarfs evolve from magnetic chemically peculiar Ap and Bp type main sequence
stars.Comment: 5 pages, with 2 encapsulated postscipts figures include
The mass ratio distribution of short period double degenerate stars
Short period double degenerates (DDs) are close white dwarf - white dwarf
binary stars which are the result of the evolution of interacting binary stars.
We present the first definitive measurements of the mass ratio for two DDs,
WD0136+768 and WD1204+450, and an improved measurement of the mass ratio for
WD0957-666. We compare the properties of the 6 known DDs with measured mass
ratios to the predictions of various theoretical models. We confirm the result
that standard models for the formation of DDs do not predict sufficient DDs
with mass ratios near 1. We also show that the observed difference in cooling
ages between white dwarfs in DDs is a useful constraint on the initial mass
ratio of the binary. A more careful analysis of the properties of the white
dwarf pair WD1704+481.2 leads us to conclude that the brighter white dwarf is
older than its fainter companion. This is the opposite of the usual case for
DDs and is caused by the more massive white dwarf being smaller and cooling
faster. The mass ratio in the sense (mass of younger star)/(mass of older star)
is then 1.43+-0.06 rather than the value 0.70+-0.03 given previously.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA
The mass and radius of the M dwarf companion to GD 448
We present spectroscopy and photometry of GD 448, a detached white dwarf - M
dwarf binary with a period of 2.47h. We find that the NaI 8200A feature is
composed of narrow emission lines due to irradiation of the M dwarf by the
white dwarf within broad absorption lines that are essentially unaffected by
heating. Combined with an improved spectroscopic orbit and gravitational red
shift measurement from spectra of the H-alpha line, we are able to derive
masses for the white dwarf and M dwarf directly (0.41 +/- 0.01 solar masses and
0.096 +/- 0.004 solar masses, respectively). We use a simple model of the CaII
emission lines to establish the radius of the M dwarf assuming the emission
from its surface to be proportional to the incident flux per unit area from the
white dwarf. The radius derived is 0.125 +/- 0.020 solar radii. The M dwarf
appears to be a normal main-sequence star in terms of its mass and radius and
is less than half the size of its Roche lobe. The thermal timescale of the M
dwarf is much longer than the cooling age of the white dwarf so we conclude
that the M dwarf was unaffected by the common-envelope phase. The anomalous
width of the H-alpha emission from the M dwarf remains to be explained, but the
strengh of the line may be due to X-ray heating of the M dwarf due to accretion
onto the white dwarf from the M dwarf wind.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure
The triple degenerate star WD1704+481
WD1704+481 is a visual binary in which both components are white dwarfs. We
present spectra of the H-alpha line of both stars which show that one component
(WD1704+481.2 = Sanduleak B = GR 577) is a close binary with two white dwarf
components. Thus, WD1704+481 is the first known triple degenerate star. From
radial velocity measurements of the close binary we find an orbital period of
0.1448d, a mass ratio, q=Mbright/Mfaint of q=0.70+-0.03 and a difference in the
gravitational redshifts of 11.5+-2.3km/s. The masses of the close pair of white
dwarfs predicted by the mass ratio and gravitational redshift difference
combined with theoretical cooling curves are 0.39+-0.05 solar mass and
0.56+-0.07 solar masses. WD1704+481 is therefore also likely to be the first
example of a double degenerate in which the less massive white dwarf is
composed of helium and the other white dwarf is composed of carbon and oxygen.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
A mystery solved: the mass ratio of the dwarf nova EM Cygni
We have discovered that the spectrum of the well-known dwarf nova EM Cyg is
contaminated by light from a K2-5V star (in addition to the K-type mass donor
star). The K2-5V star contributes approximately 16 per cent of the light from
the system and if not taken into account has a considerable effect upon radial
velocity measurements of the mass donor star. We obtain a new radial velocity
amplitude for the mass donor star of K2 = 202 +/- 3 km/s, which compares with
the value of K2 = 135 +/- 3 km/s obtained in Stover, Robinson & Nather's
classic 1981 study of EM Cyg. The revised value of the amplitude combined with
a measurement of rotational broadening of the mass donor vsini = 140 +/- 6
km/s, leads to a new mass ratio of q = M2/M1 = 0.88 +/- 0.05. This solves a
long standing problem with EM Cyg because Stover et al.'s measurements
indicated a mass ratio q > 1, a value which should have led to dynamically
unstable mass transfer for the secondary mass deduced by Stover et al. The
revised value of the mass ratio combined with the orbital inclination i = 67
+/- 2 degrees leads to masses of 0.99 +/- 0.12 Msun and 1.12 +/- 0.08 Msun for
the mass donor and white dwarf respectively. The mass donor is evolved, since
it has a later spectral type (K3) than its mass would imply. We discuss whether
the K star could be physically associated with EM Cyg or not, and present the
results of the spectroscopic study.Comment: 10 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Orbital periods of the binary sdB stars PG0940+068 and PG1247+554
We have used the radial velocity variations of two sdB stars previously
reported to be binaries to establish their orbital periods. They are
PG0940+068, (P=8.33d) and PG1247+554 (P=0.599d). The minimum masses of the
unseen companions, assuming a mass of 0.5 solar masses for the sdB stars, are
0.090 +/- 0.003 solar masses for PG1247+554 and 0.63 +/- 0.02 solar masses for
PG0940+068. The nature of the companions is not constrained further by our
data.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure
The Offender Personality Disorder pathway for women in England and Wales: a hopeful new development?
The Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) pathway was jointly commissioned by Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and NHS England in 2011. Representing one of the most significant recent developments in mental health and criminal justice, the pathway provides psychologically-informed and relationally-focused treatment for high risk offenders with personality disorder. Acknowledging the gender differences that exist in terms of the psychosocial and criminogenic needs of offenders, the OPD pathway provides female-specific services, delivering “wraparound” support for eligible women throughout their sentences, in custody and in the community. The OPD pathway for women is seeking to make a valuable contribution to managing this population of female offenders who are among the most vulnerable individuals in the criminal justice system, but who pose a high risk to the public. The pathway constitutes an innovative development in terms of delivering improved outcomes for this challenging and complex offender group, but knowledge about its impact will require close on-going evaluation
BIOMECHANICS OF RUNNING - Electromyographic Analysis of the Hip during Jogging, Running and Sprinting
The patterns of muscle action during human locomotion have
been investigated for several decades. Lower extremity
electromyographic activity in walking was investigated by Bartholomew and the Prosthetic Research Group at Berkeley in 1953. (1) Others investigated the actions of specific muscles during various leg movements. Basmajian and LeBan et al. (6) examined the electromyographic action of the iliopsoas muscle. These studies have led to the investigation of running. Saito et aI., (10) presented temporal data on the gait cycle of running. James and Brubaker (5) presented a descriptive analysis of running. Other researchers have directed their work toward sprinting: Fenn (4) investigated frictional and kinetic factors in 1930, and Dillman (3) and Ralph Mann (7) used kinetic analysis. Mann and Hagy (9) and Mann et aI. (8) investigated temporal and electromyographic patterns of walking, running and sprinting. This study investigates and describes the electromyographic activity ofthe lower extrJmities and trunk musculature duringjogging, running, and sprinting
A detached double degenerate with a 1.4 hr orbital period
We have discovered that the detached double degenerate binary WD 0957-666 has
an orbital period of 1.46 hours, rather than the 1.15 day orbital period
reported earlier. This is the shortest period example of such a system yet
discovered. We obtain a unique period, which fits both our and earlier data. At
this period the emission of gravitational radiation will cause the binary to
merge within approximately 2.0 x 10*8 years. This system represents a
population of short orbital period binaries which will merge within a Hubble
time, and so could account for type Ia supernovae, although due to the low mass
of both stars (0.3 to 0.4 solar masses), it is unlikely to become a supernova
itself. We have detected the companion star and have measured a mass ratio of q
= 1.15. This is the third double degenerate for which q has been measured and
all three have q close to 1, which is in conflict with the predicted mass ratio
distribution which peaks at 0.7. This system is viewed close to edge on, and we
estimate that the probability of this system undergoing eclipses is 15 %.Comment: 7 pages, with 7 encapsulated postscipts figures include
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