878 research outputs found
Der Tod ist kein Zufall: Ungleiche Lebenszeitchancen als Herausforderung fĂŒr die Sozialpolitik
Menschen sind vor dem Tod ungleich, und zwar nicht nur hinsichtlich sozialem Status, sondern auch im Hinblick auf ihre Lebenszeitchancen. Menschen mit geringen Lebenschancen verfĂŒgen ĂŒber weniger Bildung, Einkommen, Vermögen und sterben frĂŒher als Menschen mit grösserer Ressourcenausstattung. Dieser Zusammenhang lĂ€sst sich sowohl global als auch innerhalb von reichen LĂ€ndern wie etwa der Schweiz nachweisen. Der vorliegende Beitrag gibt zunĂ€chst einen Ăberblick ĂŒber die Ursachen ungleicher Lebenszeitchancen. Danach folgt ein Ăberblick ĂŒber ausgewĂ€hlte empirische Analysen. Abschliessend wird auf sozialpolitische Aspekte fokussiert. So liegt es auf der Hand, dass ein fixes Rentenalter, sei das 65 oder 67 Jahre, vor allem jene Menschen benachteiligt, die ĂŒber ein hohes Risiko verfĂŒgen, unterdurchschnittlich frĂŒh zu sterben
Quantifying excitations of quasinormal mode systems
Computations of the strong field generation of gravitational waves by black
hole processes produce waveforms that are dominated by quasinormal (QN)
ringing, a damped oscillation characteristic of the black hole. We describe
here the mathematical problem of quantifying the QN content of the waveforms
generated. This is done in several steps: (i) We develop the mathematics of QN
systems that are complete (in a sense to be defined) and show that there is a
quantity, the ``excitation coefficient,'' that appears to have the properties
needed to quantify QN content. (ii) We show that incomplete systems can (at
least sometimes) be converted to physically equivalent complete systems. Most
notably, we give a rigorous proof of completeness for a specific modified model
problem. (iii) We evaluate the excitation coefficient for the model problem,
and demonstrate that the excitation coefficient is of limited utility. We
finish by discussing the general question of quantification of QN excitations,
and offer a few speculations about unavoidable differences between normal mode
and QN systems.Comment: 27 pages, 14 figures. To be published in: J. Math. Phys. (1999
Perturbative evolution of the static configurations, quasinormal modes and quasi normal ringing in the Apostolatos - Thorne cylindrical shell model
We study the perturbative evolution of the static configurations, quasinormal
modes and quasi normal ringing in the Apostolatos - Thorne cylindrical shell
model. We consider first an expansion in harmonic modes and show that it
provides a complete solution for the characteristic value problem for the
finite perturbations of a static configuration. As a consequence of this
completeness we obtain a proof of the stability of static solutions under this
type of perturbations. The explicit expression for the mode expansion are then
used to obtain numerical values for some of the quasi normal mode complex
frequencies. Some examples involving the numerical evaluation of the integral
mode expansions are described and analyzed, and the quasi normal ringing
displayed by the solutions is found to be in agreement with quasi normal modes
found previously. Going back to the full relativistic equations of motion we
find their general linear form by expanding to first order about a static
solution. We then show that the resulting set of coupled ordinary and partial
differential equations for the dynamical variables of the system can be used to
set an initial plus boundary values problem, and prove that there is an
associated positive definite constant of the motion that puts absolute bounds
on the dynamic variables of the system, establishing the stability of the
motion of the shell under arbitrary, finite perturbations. We also show that
the problem can be solved numerically, and provide some explicit examples that
display the complete agreement between the purely numerical evolution and that
obtained using the mode expansion, in particular regarding the quasi normal
ringing that results in the evolution of the system. We also discuss the
relation of the present work to some recent results on the same model that have
appeared in the literature.Comment: 27 pages, 7 figure
Black hole quasinormal mode spectroscopy with LISA
The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for black hole quasinormal mode sources of
low-frequency gravitational waves is estimated using a Monte Carlo approach
that replaces the all-sky average approximation. We consider an eleven
dimensional parameter space that includes both source and detector parameters.
We find that in the black-hole mass range - the
SNR is significantly higher than the SNR for the all-sky average case, as a
result of the variation of the spin parameter of the sources. This increased
SNR may translate to a higher event rate for the Laser Interferometer Space
Antenna (LISA). We also study the directional dependence of the SNR, show at
which directions in the sky LISA will have greater response, and identify the
LISA blind spots.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure
Near-Extreme Black Holes and the Universal Relaxation Bound
A fundamental bound on the relaxation time \tau of a perturbed
thermodynamical system has recently been derived, \tau \geq \hbar/\pi T, where
is the system's temperature. We demonstrate analytically that black holes
saturate this bound in the extremal limit and for large values of the azimuthal
number m of the perturbation field.Comment: 2 Pages. Submitted to PRD on 5/12/200
Participation and Sharing, or Peaceful Co-Existence? Visions of Integration among Muslims in Switzerland
At least three traditions in sociological thought address the question of social inclusion. In the systems theory proposed by Luhmann, inclusion means that individuals are able to adapt and gain access to functional subsystems, such as the labor market or the welfare state. In the tradition of Simmel, social inclusion is seen as an outcome of âcross-cutting social circlesâ. Both perspectives are addressed in Lockwoodâs distinction between social integration and system integration. Building on these theoretical traditions, the study proposes a typology of migrant integration in which inclusion requires a realization of both social and system integration. Against this theoretical background, the paper deals with the question of which kind of integration the Swiss Muslims strive for through civic engagement. Drawing on narrative autobiographical interviews, the study reveals two main tendencies among the studied Muslims. While some seek an opportunity to engage with people of other worldviews through civic engagement (social integration), others limit their civic engagement only to those religious communities that cultivate a strong collective Muslim identity, and reduce their contact with non-Muslims to a peaceful co-existence (system integration). The study also shows that these two attitudes are associated with two views on outgroup tolerance. While the advocates of social integration are for liberal tolerance, the supporters of system integration show tendency towards multicultural tolerance
Editorial: Sterben und Tod
Editorial zum Schwerpunktheft "Sterben und Tod
Self lensing effects for compact stars and their mass-radius relation
During the last couple of years astronomers and astrophysicists have been
debating on the fact whether the so called `strange stars' - stars made up of
strange quark matter, have been discovered with the candidates like SAX
J1808.4-3658, 4U 1728-34, RX J1856.5-3754, etc. The main contention has been
the estimation of radius of the star for an assumed mass of ~ 1.4 M_sun and to
see whether the point overlaps with the graphs for the neutron star equation of
state or whether it goes to the region of stars made of strange matter equation
of state. Using the well established formulae from general relativity for the
gravitational redshift and the `lensing effect' due to bending of photon
trajectories, we, in this letter, relate the parameters M and R with the
observable parameters, the redshift z and the radiation radius R_\infty, thus
constraining both M and R for specific ranges, without any other arbitrariness.
With the required inputs from observations, one ought to incorporate the
effects of self lensing of the compact stars which has been otherwise ignored
in all of the estimations done so far. Nonetheless, these effect of self
lensing makes a marked difference and constraints on the M-R relation.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication in Mod. Phys. Lett.
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