1,736 research outputs found
The rapid evolution of the exciting star of the Stingray Nebula
SAO244567, the exciting star of the Stingray nebula, is rapidly evolving.
Previous analyses suggested that it has heated up from an effective temperature
of about 21kK in 1971 to over 50kK in the 1990s. Canonical post-asymptotic
giant branch evolution suggests a relatively high mass while previous analyses
indicate a low-mass star. Fitting line profiles from static and expanding
non-LTE model atmospheres to the observed UV and optical spectra, taken during
1988-2013, allowed us to study the temporal change of effective temperature,
surface gravity, mass-loss rate, and terminal wind velocity. In addition, we
determined the chemical composition of the atmosphere. We find that the central
star has steadily increased its effective temperature from 38kK in 1988 to a
peak value of 60kK in 2002. During the same time, the star was contracting, as
concluded from an increase in surface gravity from log g = 4.8 to 6.0 and a
drop in luminosity. Simultaneously, the mass-loss rate declined from log
(dM/dt/Msun/yr)=-9.0 to -11.6 and the terminal wind velocity increased from
1800km/s to 2800km/s. Since around 2002, the star stopped heating and has
cooled down again to 55kK by 2006. It has a largely solar surface composition
with the exception of slightly subsolar carbon, phosphorus, and sulfur. By
comparison with stellar-evolution calculations, we confirm that SAO244567 must
be a low-mass star (M < 0.55 Msun). However, the slow evolution of the
respective stellar evolutionary models is in strong contrast to the observed
fast evolution and the young planetary nebula with a kinematical age of only
about 1000 years. We speculate that the star could be a late He-shell flash
object. Alternatively, it could be the outcome of close-binary evolution. Then
SAO244567 would be a low-mass (0.354 Msun) helium prewhite dwarf after the
common-envelope phase, during which the planetary nebula was ejected.Comment: 16 pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Scattering of polarized laser light by an atomic gas in free space: a QSDE approach
We propose a model, based on a quantum stochastic differential equation
(QSDE), to describe the scattering of polarized laser light by an atomic gas.
The gauge terms in the QSDE account for the direct scattering of the laser
light into different field channels. Once the model has been set, we can
rigorously derive quantum filtering equations for balanced polarimetry and
homodyne detection experiments, study the statistics of output processes and
investigate a strong driving, weak coupling limit.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figure
Stability, Gain, and Robustness in Quantum Feedback Networks
This paper concerns the problem of stability for quantum feedback networks.
We demonstrate in the context of quantum optics how stability of quantum
feedback networks can be guaranteed using only simple gain inequalities for
network components and algebraic relationships determined by the network.
Quantum feedback networks are shown to be stable if the loop gain is less than
one-this is an extension of the famous small gain theorem of classical control
theory. We illustrate the simplicity and power of the small gain approach with
applications to important problems of robust stability and robust
stabilization.Comment: 16 page
Quantum Stochastic Processes: A Case Study
We present a detailed study of a simple quantum stochastic process, the
quantum phase space Brownian motion, which we obtain as the Markovian limit of
a simple model of open quantum system. We show that this physical description
of the process allows us to specify and to construct the dilation of the
quantum dynamical maps, including conditional quantum expectations. The quantum
phase space Brownian motion possesses many properties similar to that of the
classical Brownian motion, notably its increments are independent and
identically distributed. Possible applications to dissipative phenomena in the
quantum Hall effect are suggested.Comment: 35 pages, 1 figure
Non Markovian Quantum Repeated Interactions and Measurements
A non-Markovian model of quantum repeated interactions between a small
quantum system and an infinite chain of quantum systems is presented. By
adapting and applying usual pro jection operator techniques in this context,
discrete versions of the integro-differential and time-convolutioness Master
equations for the reduced system are derived. Next, an intuitive and rigorous
description of the indirect quantum measurement principle is developed and a
discrete non Markovian stochastic Master equation for the open system is
obtained. Finally, the question of unravelling in a particular model of
non-Markovian quantum interactions is discussed.Comment: 22 page
N-Photon wave packets interacting with an arbitrary quantum system
We present a theoretical framework that describes a wave packet of light
prepared in a state of definite photon number interacting with an arbitrary
quantum system (e.g. a quantum harmonic oscillator or a multi-level atom).
Within this framework we derive master equations for the system as well as for
output field quantities such as quadratures and photon flux. These results are
then generalized to wave packets with arbitrary spectral distribution
functions. Finally, we obtain master equations and output field quantities for
systems interacting with wave packets in multiple spatial and/or polarization
modes.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figures. Published versio
Far-UV Spectroscopic Analyses of Four Central Stars of Planetary Nebulae
We analyze the Far-UV/UV spectra of four central stars of planetary nebulae
with strong wind features -- NGC 2371, Abell 78, IC 4776 and NGC 1535, and
derive their photospheric and wind parameters by modeling high-resolution FUSE
(Far-Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer) data in the Far-UV and HST-STIS and
IUE data in the UV with spherical non-LTE line-blanketed model atmospheres.
Abell 78 is a hydrogen-deficient transitional [WR]-PG 1159 object, and we find
NGC 2371 to be in the same stage, both migrating from the constant-luminosity
phase to the white dwarf cooling sequence with Teff ~= 120 kK, Mdot ~= 5x10^-8
Msun/yr. NGC 1535 is a ``hydrogen-rich'' O(H) CSPN, and the exact nature of IC
4776 is ambiguous, although it appears to be helium burning. Both objects lie
on the constant-luminosity branch of post-AGB evolution and have Teff ~= 65 kK,
Mdot ~= 1x10^-8 Msun/yr. Thus, both the H-rich and H-deficient channels of PN
evolution are represented in our sample. We also investigate the effects of
including higher ionization stages of iron (up to FeX) in the model atmosphere
calculations of these hot objects (usually neglected in previous analyses), and
find iron to be a useful diagnostic of the stellar parameters in some cases.
The Far-UV spectra of all four objects show evidence of hot (T ~ 300 K)
molecular hydrogen in their circumstellar environments.Comment: 38 pages, 8 figures (6 color). Accepted for publication in Ap
Covariant Quantum Dynamical Semigroups: Unbounded generators
A survey of the probabilistic approaches to quantum dynamical semigroups with
unbounded generators is given. An emphasis is made upon recent advances in the
structural theory of covariant Markovian master equations. The relations with
the classical Levy-Khinchin formula are elucidated. As an example, a complete
characterizations of the Galilean covariant irreversible quantum Markovian
evolutions is given in terms of the corresponding quantum master and Langevin
equations. Important topics for future investigation are outlined.Comment: 14 pages,Latex, no figures, submitted to the Semigroup Volume, Group
21, Goslar 199
Towards the solution of the anomaly in shell-model calculations of muon capture
Recently many authors have performed shell-model calculations of nuclear
matrix elements determining the rates of the ordinary muon capture in light
nuclei. These calculations have employed well-tested effective interactions in
large scale shell-model studies. For one of the nuclei of interest, namely
Si, there exists recent experimental data which can be used to deduce
the value of the ratio by using the calculated matrix elements.
Surprisingly enough, all the abovementioned shell-model results suggest a very
small value () for , quite far from the PCAC prediction
and recent data on muon capture in hydrogen. We show that this rather
disturbing anomaly is solved by employing effective transition operators. This
finding is also very important in studies of the scalar coupling of the weak
charged current of leptons and hadrons.Comment: Revtex, 6 pages, 2 figs include
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