2,723 research outputs found
The Microlensing Properties of a Sample of 87 Lensed Quasars
Gravitational microlensing is a powerful tool for probing the physical
properties of quasar accretion disks and properties of the lens galaxy such as
its dark matter fraction and mean stellar mass. Unfortunately the number of
lensed quasars () exceeds our monitoring capabilities. Thus,
estimating their microlensing properties is important for identifying good
microlensing candidates as well as for the expectations of future surveys. In
this work we estimate the microlensing properties of a sample of 87 lensed
quasars. While the median Einstein radius crossing time scale is 20.6 years,
the median source crossing time scale is 7.3 months. Broadly speaking, this
means that on year timescales roughly half the lenses will be
quiescent, with the source in a broad demagnified valley, and roughly half will
be active with the source lying in the caustic ridges. We also found that the
location of the lens system relative to the CMB dipole has a modest effect on
microlensing timescales, and in theory microlensing could be used to confirm
the kinematic origin of the dipole. As a corollary of our study we analyzed the
accretion rate parameters in a sub-sample of 32 lensed quasars. At fixed black
hole mass, it is possible to sample a broad range of luminosities (i.e.,
Eddington factors) if it becomes feasible to monitor fainter lenses.Comment: 31 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables, corrected typos in Table 2, revised
version accepted for publication in Ap
A study of nano-particle based silane consolidants for Globigerina limestone
This STEPS funded study focuses on the application of hybrid and nanoparticle loaded hybrid silane consolidants for the treatment of 'Franka' type Globigerina Limestone. Consolidants act by gluing the deteriorated stone material to the underlying healthy stone (Dukes, 1972; Gutt, 1973; Alessandrini et al., 1975; Garrod, 2001).
The consolidants evaluated in this work were a laboratory prepared hybrid silane based on a mixture of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and 3-(glycidoxypropyl) trimethoxysilane (GPTMS), the same hybrid consolidant loaded with silica nanoparticles and GPTMS-modified silica nanoparticles. In addition, a consolidant based on the hydrolysis product of TEOS was also tested. Prepared consolidants were applied to Globigerina Limestone test blocks by complete immersion. Untreated stone block were used as benchmarks. Following application of the consolidants, half of the treated limestone blocks were subjected to accelerated weathering.
Non-weathered and weathered limestone blocks were then characterised by optical and electron microscopy and the stone colour before and after treatment with consolidants was assessed by a colorimetric technique. The pore size distribution before and after application of the different consolidant treatments was assessed by Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry. A water absorption by capillarity technique was also carried out to assess how the water uptake rate into the limestone alters with the different treatments. The mechanical properties of the consolidated limestone blocks were assessed by resistance to sodium sulfate crystallisation.
Microscopy observations showed that the consolidants penetrated the stone to different extents depending on the consolidant and the method of application. The hybrid consolidant on its own led to yellowing of the limestone but the addition of nanoparticles to the hybrid (modified or not) appeared to help restore the original colour of the stone. The porosity of the limestone was only marginally affected by the different treatments but the somewhat hydrophobic nature of the consolidants led to a disruption in the capillary flow of water into the limestone.peer-reviewe
Nonlinear electrodynamics and the gravitational redshift of highly magnetised neutron stars
The idea that the nonlinear electromagnetic interaction, i. e., light
propagation in vacuum, can be geometrized was developed by Novello et al.
(2000) and Novello & Salim (2001). Since then a number of physical consequences
for the dynamics of a variety of systems have been explored. In a recent paper
Mosquera Cuesta & Salim (2003) presented the first astrophysical study where
such nonlinear electrodynamics (NLEDs) effects were accounted for in the case
of a highly magnetized neutron star or pulsar. In that paper the NLEDs was
invoked {\it a l\`a} Euler-Heisenberg, which is an infinite series expansion of
which only the first term was used for the analisys. The immediate consequence
of that study was an overall modification of the space-time geometry around the
pulsar, which is ``perceived'', in principle, only by light propagating out of
the star. This translates into an significant change in the surface redshift,
as inferred from absorption (emission) lines observed from a super magnetized
pulsar. The result proves to be even more dramatic for the so-called magnetars,
pulsars endowed with magnetic () fields higher then the Schafroth quantum
electrodynamics critical -field. Here we demonstrate that the same effect
still appears if one calls for the NLEDs in the form of the one rigorously
derived by Born & Infeld (1934) based on the special relativistic limit for the
velocity of approaching of an elementary particle to a pointlike electron [From
the mathematical point of view, the Born & Infeld (1934) NLEDs is described by
an exact Lagrangean, whose dynamics has been successfully studied in a wide set
of physical systems.].Comment: Accepted for publication in Month. Not. Roy. Ast. Soc. latex file,
mn-1.4.sty, 5 pages, 2 figure
- …