245 research outputs found
On the time variability of gamma-ray sources: A numerical analysis of variability indices
We present a Monte Carlo analysis of the recently introduced variability
indices (Tompkins 1999) and (Zhang et al. 2000 & Torres et al. 2001)
for -ray sources. We explore different variability criteria and prove
that these two indices, despite the very different approaches used to compute
them, are statistically correlated (5 to 7). This conclusion is
maintained also for the subset of AGNs and high latitude ( deg)
sources, whereas the correlation is lowered for the low latitude ones, where
the influence of the diffuse galactic emission background is strong.Comment: Small changes to match published version in Astronomische Nachrichten
(2001). Paper accepted in July 200
The signature of the magnetorotational instability in the Reynolds and Maxwell stress tensors in accretion discs
The magnetorotational instability is thought to be responsible for the
generation of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence that leads to enhanced outward
angular momentum transport in accretion discs. Here, we present the first
formal analytical proof showing that, during the exponential growth of the
instability, the mean (averaged over the disc scale-height) Reynolds stress is
always positive, the mean Maxwell stress is always negative, and hence the mean
total stress is positive and leads to a net outward flux of angular momentum.
More importantly, we show that the ratio of the Maxwell to the Reynolds
stresses during the late times of the exponential growth of the instability is
determined only by the local shear and does not depend on the initial spectrum
of perturbations or the strength of the seed magnetic. Even though we derived
these properties of the stress tensors for the exponential growth of the
instability in incompressible flows, numerical simulations of shearing boxes
show that this characteristic is qualitatively preserved under more general
conditions, even during the saturated turbulent state generated by the
instability.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures. Minor revisions. Accepted for publication in
MNRA
Sustained Magnetorotational Turbulence in Local Simulations of Stratified Disks with Zero Net Magnetic Flux
We examine the effects of density stratification on magnetohydrodynamic
turbulence driven by the magnetorotational instability in local simulations
that adopt the shearing box approximation. Our primary result is that, even in
the absence of explicit dissipation, the addition of vertical gravity leads to
convergence in the turbulent energy densities and stresses as the resolution
increases, contrary to results for zero net flux, unstratified boxes. The ratio
of total stress to midplane pressure has a mean of ~0.01, although there can be
significant fluctuations on long (>~50 orbit) timescales. We find that the time
averaged stresses are largely insensitive to both the radial or vertical aspect
ratio of our simulation domain. For simulations with explicit dissipation, we
find that stratification extends the range of Reynolds and magnetic Prandtl
numbers for which turbulence is sustained. Confirming the results of previous
studies, we find oscillations in the large scale toroidal field with periods of
~10 orbits and describe the dynamo process that underlies these cycles.Comment: 13 pages, 18 figures, submitted to Ap
Gravitational microlensing of gamma-ray blazars
We present a detailed study of the effects of gravitational microlensing on
compact and distant -ray blazars. These objects have -ray
emitting regions which are small enough as to be affected by microlensing
effects produced by stars lying in intermediate galaxies. We analyze the
temporal evolution of the gamma-ray magnification for sources moving in a
caustic pattern field, where the combined effects of thousands of stars are
taken into account using a numerical technique. We propose that some of the
unidentified -ray sources (particularly some of those lying at high
galactic latitude whose gamma-ray statistical properties are very similar to
detected -ray blazars) are indeed the result of gravitational lensing
magnification of background undetected Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs).Comment: 30 pages, 27 figures. Four figures are being submitted only as .gif
files, and should be printed separately. The abstract below has been
shortened from the actual version appearing in the pape
Interaction of the magnetorotational instability with hydrodynamic turbulence in accretion disks
Accretion disks in which angular momentum transport is dominated by the
magnetorotational instability (MRI) can also possess additional, purely
hydrodynamic, drivers of turbulence. Even when the hydrodynamic processes, on
their own, generate negligible levels of transport, they may still affect the
evolution of the disk via their influence on the MRI. Here, we study the
interaction between the MRI and hydrodynamic turbulence using local MRI
simulations that include hydrodynamic forcing. As expected, we find that
hydrodynamic forcing is generally negligible if it yields a saturated kinetic
energy density that is small compared to the value generated by the MRI. For
stronger hydrodynamic forcing levels, we find that hydrodynamic turbulence
modifies transport, with the effect varying depending upon the spatial scale of
hydrodynamic driving. Large scale forcing boosts transport by an amount that is
approximately linear in the forcing strength, and leaves the character of the
MRI (for example the ratio between Maxwell and Reynolds stresses) unchanged, up
to the point at which the forced turbulence is an order of magnitude stronger
than that generated by the MRI. Low amplitude small scale forcing may modestly
suppress the MRI. We conclude that the impact of hydrodynamic turbulence on the
MRI is generically ignorable in cases, such as convection, where the additional
turbulence arises due to the accretion energy liberated by the MRI itself.
Hydrodynamic turbulence may affect (and either enhance or suppress) the MRI if
it is both strong, and driven by independent mechanisms such as self-gravity,
supernovae, or solid-gas interactions in multiphase protoplanetary disks.Comment: ApJ, in pres
Thermal Equilibria of Optically Thin, Magnetically Supported, Two-Temperature, Black Hole Accretion Disks
We obtained thermal equilibrium solutions for optically thin, two-temperature
black hole accretion disks incorporating magnetic fields. The main objective of
this study is to explain the bright/hard state observed during the bright/slow
transition of galactic black hole candidates. We assume that the energy
transfer from ions to electrons occurs via Coulomb collisions. Bremsstrahlung,
synchrotron, and inverse Compton scattering are considered as the radiative
cooling processes. In order to complete the set of basic equations, we specify
the magnetic flux advection rate. We find magnetically supported (low-beta),
thermally stable solutions. In these solutions, the total amount of the heating
via the dissipation of turbulent magnetic fields goes into electrons and
balances the radiative cooling. The low- solutions extend to high mass
accretion rates and the electron temperature is moderately cool. High
luminosities and moderately high energy cutoffs in the X-ray spectrum observed
in the bright/hard state can be explained by the low-beta solutions.Comment: 24 pages, 10 figures,accepted for publication in Astrophysical
Journa
Ryanodine receptor and FK506 binding protein 1 in the Atlantic killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) : a phylogenetic and population-based comparison
Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2017. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here under a nonexclusive, irrevocable, paid-up, worldwide license granted to WHOI. It is made available for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Aquatic Toxicology 192 (2017): 105-115, doi:10.1016/j.aquatox.2017.09.002.Non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (NDL PCBs) activate ryanodine receptors (RyR), microsomal Ca2+ channels of broad significance. Teleost fish may be important models for NDL PCB neurotoxicity, and we used sequencing databases to characterize teleost RyR and FK506 binding protein 12 or 12.6 kDa (genes FKBP1A; FKBP1B), which promote NDL PCB-triggered Ca2+ dysregulation. Particular focus was placed on describing genes in the Atlantic killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) genome and searching available RNA-sequencing datasets for single nucleotide variants (SNV) between PCB tolerant killifish from New Bedford Harbor (NBH) versus sensitive killifish from Scorton Creek (SC), MA. Consistent with the teleost whole genome duplication (tWGD), killifish have six RyR genes, corresponding to a and b paralogs of mammalian RyR1, 2 and 3. The presence of six RyR genes was consistent in all teleosts investigated including zebrafish. Killifish have four FKBP1; one FKBP1b and three FKBP1a named FKBP1aa, FKBP1ab, likely from the tWGD and a single gene duplicate FKBP1a3 suggested to have arisen in Atherinomorphae. The RyR and FKBP1 genes displayed tissue and developmental stage-specific mRNA expression, and the previously uncharacterized RyR3, herein named RyR3b, and all FKBP1 genes were prominent in brain. We identified a SNV in RyR3b encoding missense mutation E1458D. In NBH killifish, 57% were heterozygous and 28% were homozygous for this SNV, whereas almost all SC killifish (94%) lacked the variant (n≥39 per population). The outlined sequence differences between mammalian and teleost RyR and FKBP1 together with outlined population differences in SNV frequency may contribute to our understanding of NDL PCB neurotoxicity.This research was supported by the KC Donnelly Research Externship made possible by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ Superfund Research Program (EBH) and the Superfund Research Programs at UC Davis (INP and EBH; P42ES004699) and Boston University (JJS, JVG, MEH, SIK; P42ES007381). Additional support was provided by the National Institute of Health (INP; R01 ES014901; and P01 AR052354) and by National Science Foundation collaborative research grants (MEH and SIK; DEB-1265282 and DEB-1120263). This research was also supported in part by an appointment (to BC) with the Postdoctoral Research Program at the U.S. Environmental Protection (US EPA) Office of Research and Development administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) through Interagency Agreement No. DW92429801 between the U.S. Department of Energy and the US EPA
Accretion Disks and Dynamos: Toward a Unified Mean Field Theory
Conversion of gravitational energy into radiation in accretion discs and the
origin of large scale magnetic fields in astrophysical rotators have often been
distinct topics of research. In semi-analytic work on both problems it has been
useful to presume large scale symmetries, necessarily resulting in mean field
theories. MHD turbulence makes the underlying systems locally asymmetric and
nonlinear. Synergy between theory and simulations should aim for the
development of practical mean field models that capture essential physics and
can be used for observational modeling. Mean field dynamo (MFD) theory and
alpha-viscosity accretion theory exemplify such ongoing pursuits. 21st century
MFD theory has more nonlinear predictive power compared to 20th century MFD
theory, whereas accretion theory is still in a 20th century state. In fact,
insights from MFD theory are applicable to accretion theory and the two are
artificially separated pieces of what should be a single theory. I discuss
pieces of progress that provide clues toward a unified theory. A key concept is
that large scale magnetic fields can be sustained via local or global magnetic
helicity fluxes or via relaxation of small scale magnetic fluctuations, without
the kinetic helicity driver of 20th century textbooks. These concepts may help
explain the formation of large scale fields that supply non-local angular
momentum transport via coronae and jets in a unified theory of accretion and
dynamos. In diagnosing the role of helicities and helicity fluxes in disk
simulations, each disk hemisphere should be studied separately to avoid being
misled by cancelation that occurs as a result of reflection asymmetry. The
fraction of helical field energy in disks is expected to be small compared to
the total field in each hemisphere as a result of shear, but can still be
essential for large scale dynamo action.Comment: For the Proceedings of the Third International Conference and
Advanced School "Turbulent Mixing and Beyond," TMB-2011 held on 21 - 28
August 2011 at the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics,
Trieste, http://users.ictp.it/~tmb/index2011.html Italy, To Appear in Physica
Scripta (corrected small items to match version in print
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