Gamma-Ray Burst Spectra and Light Curves as Signatures of a Relativistically Expanding Plasma

Several patterns have been discovered in how some spectral characteristics change during the decaying phase of long (> few s.) GRB pulses. We compare these observed signatures with those expected from a relativistically expanding shell. Within the internal shock model and assuming a short cooling time, we show that the angular dependence in arrival time can explain the general characteristics of long GRB pulses. This includes the pulse shape, with a fast rise and a slower decay, ~ (1+t/tau)^2, and the spectral evolution, which can be described by the hardness-intensity correlation (HIC), with the intensity being proportional to the square of the hardness. A variation of the relevant time scales involved (the angular spreading and the dynamic) can explain the broad, observed dispersion of the HIC index. Reasonable estimates of physical parameters lead to situations where the HIC relation deviates from a pure power law; features that are indeed present in the observations. Depending on the relative values of the rise and decay times of the intrinsic light curve, the spectral/temporal behavior, as seen by an observer, will produce hard-to-soft or tracking pulses. The observed spectrum is a superposition of many intrinsic spectra arriving from different parts of the shell with varying spectral shifts. Therefore, it will be broader than the emitted spectrum and its spectral parameters could have complex relations with the intrinsic ones. Furthermore, we show that the softening of the low-energy power-law index, that has been observed in some pulses, can be explained by geometric effects and does not need to be an intrinsic behavior.Comment: To appear in ApJ, better resolution figures at http://www.astro.su.se/~felix/research.htm

Controlling stress state of a hoisting shaft frame in the context of specific freezing process

Purpose is to obtain regularities of a stress state of such multilayer system as neighbourhood rock mass – frozen soil – hoisting shaft frame in the process of numerical analysis to control a frame state with the selection of efficient parameters; thickness depending upon a specific frozen process specifically. Methods. Numerical analysis on the basis of a finite-element method has been implemented relying upon Pro Complex Structure CAD for Windows (SCAD) which made it possible to obtain stress state of a hoisting shaft frame and its interaction with ice-soil blocking as well as with neighbourhood rock mass soil. Findings. Hoisting shaft model has been developed. The model is based upon actual geometry and results of laboratory studies. Three blocking types (i.e. reinforced-concrete blocks, gray cast-iron tubbings, and modified gray cast-iron tubbings) and two soil types (i.e. sand and clayish soil at +8°С temperature) in terms of different freezing temperatures (i.e. (–2, –6 and –10°С) were analyzed numerically with the use of the SCAD. Results of the research have helped identify dependences concerning formation of a stress state of the multilayer neighbourhood rock mass – frozen soil – hoisting shaft frame system while varying properties of the listed types of a frame, neighbourhood rock mass, and ice-soil blocking. Regularities of the stressed state components deepening upon the frozen soil elasticity modulus, corresponding to its certain temperature, and elasticity modulus of a hoisting shaft frame have been obtained. The regularities connect changes in the stress of a hoisting shaft blocking in the context of specific freezing process. Originality. The obtained dependences of the stressed state of a hoisting shaft frame on the soil elasticity modulus and the material are composite spatial surfaces reflecting representatively the stressed state of such multilayer systems as neighbourhood rock mass – frozen soil – hoisting shaft frame. Practical implications. The regularities of the stressed state, determined for such multilayer systems as neighbourhood rock mass – frozen soil – hoisting shaft frame, make it possible to control stress components selecting rational geometry of a frame and its material or temperature cycle to freeze soils while applying the specific method.Мета. Отримання в ході чисельного аналізу закономірностей зміни напруженого стану багатошарової системи “ґрунт оточуючого масиву – заморожений ґрунт – оправа шахтного стовбуру” для управління напруженим станом оправи із підбором ефективних параметрів (наприклад, товщини) в залежності від параметрів спеціального способу заморожування. Методика. Застосовано чисельний аналіз на основі методу скінченних елементів, реалізований на базі професійного комплексу Structure CAD for Windows (SCAD), що дозволив отримати напружений стан оправи шахтного стовбуру із його взаємодією із льодоґрунтовим огородженням та ґрунтом оточуючого масиву. Результати. Створено модель шахтного стовбура, що побудована на основі реальних геометричних розмірів і результатів лабораторних досліджень. В ході чисельного аналізу із застосуванням SCAD досліджено три типи оправи (залізобетонні блоки, тюбінги з сірого чавуну та тюбінги з модифікованого сірого чавуну), два типи ґрунтів (пісок та суглинок при температурі +8°С) при різних температурах заморожування (–2, –6 і –10°С). Результати досліджень дозволили відшукати залежності формування напруженого стану багатошарової системи “ґрунт оточуючого масиву – заморожений ґрунт – оправа шахтного стовбуру” при варіації властивостей вказаних типів оправи, ґрунту оточуючого масиву та льодоґрунтового огородження. Отримано закономірності компонент напруженого стану від модуля пружності замороженого ґрунту, що відповідає певній його температурі, та модуля пружності оправи шахтного стовбуру. Дані закономірності пов’язують зміну напружень оправи шахтного стовбуру при спеціальному способі заморожування. Наукова новизна. Отримані залежності компонент напруженого стану оправи шахтного стовбуру від модулю пружності ґрунту та матеріалу є складними просторовими поверхнями, що репрезентативно відображають напружений стан багатошарової системи “ґрунт оточуючого масиву – заморожений ґрунт – оправа шахтного стовбуру”. Практична значимість. Закономірності напруженого стану, визначені для багатошарової системи “ґрунт оточуючого масиву – заморожений ґрунт – оправа шахтного стовбуру”, дозволяють управляти компонентами напружень, підбираючи раціональні геометричних параметри та матеріал оправи, або температуру циклу заморожування ґрунтів при застосуванні цього спеціального способу.Цель. Получение в ходе численного анализа закономерностей изменения напряженного состояния многослойной системы “ґрунт окружающего массива – замороженный грунт – оправа шахтного ствола” для управления напряженным состоянием оправы с подбором эффективных параметров (например, толщины) в зависимости от параметров специального способа замораживания. Методика. Применен численный анализ на основе метода конечных элементов, реализованный на базе про-профессионального комплекса Structure CAD for Windows (SCAD), позволивший получить напряженное состояние оправы шахтного ствола с его взаимодействием с льодоґрунтовым ограждением и грунтом окружающего массива. Результаты. Создана модель шахтного ствола, построенная на основе реальных геометрических размеров и результатов лабораторных исследований. В ходе численного анализа с применением SCAD исследованы три типа оправы (железобетонные блоки, тюбинги из серого чугуна и тюбинги из модифицированного серого чугуна), два типа грунтов (песок и суглинок при температуре +8°С) при различных температурах замораживания (–2, –6 и –10°С). Результаты исследований позволили отыскать зависимости формирования напряженного состояния многослойной системы “грунт окружающего массива – замороженный грунт – оправа шахтного ствола” при вариации свойств указанных типов оправы, грунта окружающей массива и льодоґрунтового ограждения. Получены закономерности компонент напряженного состояния от модуля упругости замороженного грунта, что соответствует определенной его температуре, и модуля упругости оправы шахтного ствола. Данные закономерности связывают изменение напряжений оправы шахтного ствола при специальном способе замораживания. Научная новизна. Полученные зависимости компонент напряженного состояния оправы шахтного ствола от модуля упругости грунта и материала являются сложными пространственными поверхностями, репрезентативно отражающие напряженное состояние многослойной системы “грунт окружающей массива – замороженный грунт – оправа шахтного ствола”. Практическая значимость. Закономерности напряженного состояния, определенные для многослойной системы “грунт окружающей массива – замороженный грунт – оправа шахтного ствола”, позволяют управлять компонентами напряжений, подбирая рациональные геометрические параметры и материал оправы, или температуру цикла замораживания грунтов при применении этого специального способа.The results of the study were obtained in the process of implementing the state-financed research Analytical regularities of a stress-strain state of frame of hoisting shafts while specific operation performing (official registration No. 0117U006810). The authors express thanks to S.M. Likhman, Chief Engineer of Kyivmetrobud PJSC, and M.V. Bilous, Candidate of Science and Director of a Ukrheodezmark being a subsidiary company of Kyivmetrobud PJSC for their counseling as for the specific method of soil freezing and selection of rational designs of a hoisting shaft

Stochastic Acceleration of Low Energy Electrons in Plasmas with Finite Temperature

This paper extends our earlier work on the acceleration of low-energy electrons by plasma turbulence to include the effects of finite temperature of the plasma. We consider the resonant interaction of thermal electrons with the whole transverse branch of plasma waves propagating along the magnetic field. We show that our earlier published results for acceleration of low-energy electrons can be applied to the case of finite temperature if a sufficient level of turbulence is present. From comparison of the acceleration rate of the thermal particles with the decay rate of the waves with which they interact, we determine the required energy density of the waves as a fraction of the magnetic energy density, so that a substantial fraction of the background plasma electrons can be accelerated. The dependence of this value on the plasma parameter alpha = omega_pe / Omega_e (the ratio of electron plasma frequency to electron gyrofrequency), plasma temperature, and turbulence spectral parameters is quantified. We show that the result is most sensitive to the plasma parameter alpha. We estimate the required level of total turbulence by calculating the level of turbulence required for the initial acceleration of thermal electrons and that required for further acceleration to higher energies

New and Old Tests of Cosmological Models and Evolution of Galaxies

We describe the classical cosmological tests, such as the Log$N$-Log$S$, redshift-magnitude and angular diameter tests, and propose some new tests of the evolution of galaxies and the universe. Most analyses of these tests treat the problem in terms of a luminosity function and its evolution which can lead to incorrect conclusions when dealing with high redshift sources. We develop a proper treatment in three parts. In the first part we describe these tests based on the isophotal values of the quantities such as flux, size or surface brightness. We show the shortcomings of the simple point source approximation based solely on the luminosity function and consideration of the flux limit. We emphasize the multivariate nature of the problem and quantify the effects of other selection biases due to the surface brightness and angular size limitations. In these considerations the surface brightness profile plays a critical role. In the second part we show that considerable simplification over the complicated isophotal scheme is achieved if these test are carried out in some sort of metric scheme, for example that suggested by Petrosian (1976). This scheme, however, is limited to well resolved sources. Finally, we describe the new tests, which use the data to a fuller extent than the isophotal or metric based tests, and amount to simply counting the pixels or adding their intensities as a function of the pixel surface brightness, instead of dealing with surface brightness, sizes and fluxes of individual galaxies. We show that the data analysis and its comparison with the theoretical models of the distributions and evolution of galaxies has the simplicity of the metric test and utilizes the data more fully than the isophotal test.Comment: 29 pages including 8 figures. http://www-bigbang.stanford.edu/~vahe/papers/finals/newtest.ps. To appear in ApJ, Oct. 199

INNOVATIVE POTENTIAL OF THE ORGANIZATION AS A COMPETITIVE FORCE OF «ELENA FURS» FACTORY

The purpose of the article consists in the choice of the approach to the assessment of the innovative potential of the organization, since the quality of the assessment of innovation potential becomes the basis of the strategy of innovation transformation. Each approach is tested on the example of the fur factory «Elena Furs» and the feasibility and validity of the assessment of the innovative potential of the organization is checked. The article contains calculations confirming the availability of innovative capacity in the organization, but the use of these approaches did not allow us to identify specific areas for its development. The estimation of innovative potential from positions of competitive force in the external environment is offered that will allow to compare innovative potential with potential of participants of an environment and to develop strategic directions of development of innovative potential in the field of new technologies of production, marketing, personnel management, etc

INNOVATIVE POTENTIAL OF THE ORGANIZATION AS A COMPETITIVE FORCE OF «ELENA FURS» FACTORY

The purpose of the article consists in the choice of the approach to the assessment of the innovative potential of the organization, since the quality of the assessment of innovation potential becomes the basis of the strategy of innovation transformation. Each approach is tested on the example of the fur factory «Elena Furs» and the feasibility and validity of the assessment of the innovative potential of the organization is checked. The article contains calculations confirming the availability of innovative capacity in the organization, but the use of these approaches did not allow us to identify specific areas for its development. The estimation of innovative potential from positions of competitive force in the external environment is offered that will allow to compare innovative potential with potential of participants of an environment and to develop strategic directions of development of innovative potential in the field of new technologies of production, marketing, personnel management, etc

Five supernova survey galaxies in the southern hemisphere. II. The supernova rates

Based on the database compiled in the first article of this series, with 56 SN events discovered in 3838 galaxies of the southern hemisphere, we compute the rate of supernovae (SNe) of different types along the Hubble sequence normalized to the optical and near-infrared luminosities as well as to the stellar mass of the galaxies. We find that the rates of all SN types show a dependence on both morphology and colors of the galaxies, and therefore, on the star-formation activity. The rate of core-collapse (CC) SNe is confirmed to be closely related to the Star Formation Rate (SFR) and only indirectly to the total mass of the galaxies. The rate of SNe Ia can be explained by assuming that at least 15% of Ia events in spiral galaxies originates in relatively young stellar populations. We find that the rates show no modulation with nuclear activity or environment. The ratio of SN rates between types Ib/c and II shows no trend with spiral type.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures, 5 tables, published in Astrophysics (English translation of Astrofizika

Five supernova survey galaxies in the southern hemisphere. I. Optical and near-infrared database

The determination of the supernova (SN) rate is based not only on the number of detected events, but also on the properties of the parent galaxy population. This is the first paper of a series aimed at obtaining new, refined, SN rates from a set of five SN surveys, by making use of a joint analysis of near-infrared (NIR) data. We describe the properties of the 3838 galaxies that were monitored for SNe events, including newly determined morphologies and their DENIS and POSS-II/UKST I, 2MASS and DENIS J and Ks and 2MASS H magnitudes. We have compared 2MASS, DENIS and POSS-II/UKST IJK magnitudes in order to find possible systematic photometric shifts in the measurements. The DENIS and POSS-II/UKST I band magnitudes show large discrepancies (mean absolute difference of 0.4 mag), mostly due to different spectral responses of the two instruments, with an important contribution (0.33 mag rms) from the large uncertainties in the photometric calibration of the POSS-II and UKST photographic plates. In the other wavebands, the limiting near infrared magnitude, morphology and inclination of the galaxies are the most influential factors which affect the determination of photometry of the galaxies. Nevertheless, no significant systematic differences have been found between of any pair of NIR magnitude measurements, except for a few percent of galaxies showing large discrepancies. This allows us to combine DENIS and 2MASS data for the J and Ks filters.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figures, 5 tables, published in Astrophysics, Vol. 52, No. 1, 2009 (English translation of Astrofizika