27,219 research outputs found
Turbulence and turbulent mixing in natural fluids
Turbulence and turbulent mixing in natural fluids begins with big bang
turbulence powered by spinning combustible combinations of Planck particles and
Planck antiparticles. Particle prograde accretions on a spinning pair releases
42% of the particle rest mass energy to produce more fuel for turbulent
combustion. Negative viscous stresses and negative turbulence stresses work
against gravity, extracting mass-energy and space-time from the vacuum.
Turbulence mixes cooling temperatures until strong-force viscous stresses
freeze out turbulent mixing patterns as the first fossil turbulence. Cosmic
microwave background temperature anisotropies show big bang turbulence fossils
along with fossils of weak plasma turbulence triggered as plasma photon-viscous
forces permit gravitational fragmentation on supercluster to galaxy mass
scales. Turbulent morphologies and viscous-turbulent lengths appear as linear
gas-proto-galaxy-clusters in the Hubble ultra-deep-field at z~7. Proto-galaxies
fragment into Jeans-mass-clumps of primordial-gas-planets at decoupling: the
dark matter of galaxies. Shortly after the plasma to gas transition,
planet-mergers produce stars that explode on overfeeding to fertilize and
distribute the first life.Comment: 23 pages 12 figures, Turbulent Mixing and Beyond 2009 International
Center for Theoretical Physics conference, Trieste, Italy. Revision according
to Referee comments. Accepted for Physica Scripta Topical Issue to be
published in 201
Contour surveying system Patent
Describing device for surveying contour of surface using X-Y plotter and traveling transduce
A Non-Centrosymmetric Superconductor with a Bulk 3D Dirac Cone Gapped by Strong Spin Orbit Coupling
Layered, non-centrosymmetric, heavy element PbTaSe2 is found to be
superconducting. We report its electronic properties accompanied by electronic
structure calculations. Specific heat, electrical resistivity and magnetic
susceptibility measurements indicate that PbTaSe2 is a moderately coupled,
type-II BCS superconductor (Tc = 3.72 K, Ginzburg-Landau parameter Kappa = 14)
with an electronphonon coupling constant of Lambda_ep = 0.74. Electronic
structure calculations reveal a single bulk 3D Dirac cone at the K point of the
Brillouin Zone derived exclusively from its hexagonal Pb layer; it is similar
to the feature found in graphene except there is a 0.8 eV gap opened by
spin-orbit coupling. The combination of large spin-orbit coupling and lack of
inversion symmetry also results in large Rashba splitting on the order of
tenths of eV
Weighing the galactic disc using the Jeans equation: lessons from simulations
Using three-dimensional stellar kinematic data from simulated galaxies, we examine the efficacy of a Jeans equation analysis in reconstructing the total disk surface density, including the dark matter, at the ‘Solar’ radius. Our simulation data set includes galaxies formed in a cosmological context using state-of-the-art high-resolution cosmological zoom simulations, and other idealized models. The cosmologically formed galaxies have been demonstrated to lie on many of the observed scaling relations for late-type spirals, and thus offer an interesting surrogate for real galaxies with the obvious advantage that all the kinematical data are known perfectly. We show that the vertical velocity dispersion is typically the dominant kinematic quantity in the analysis, and that the traditional method of using only the vertical force is reasonably effective at low heights above the disk plane. At higher heights the inclusion of the radial force becomes increasingly important. We also show that the method is sensitive to uncertainties in the measured disk parameters, particularly the scalelengths of the assumed double exponential density distribution, and the scalelength of the radial velocity dispersion. In addition, we show that disk structure and low number statistics can lead to significant errors in the calculated surface densities. Finally, we examine the implications of our results for previous studies of this sort, suggesting that more accurate measurements of the scalelengths may help reconcile conflicting estimates of the local dark matter density in the literature
Outcomes of a virus degeneration study in sweetpotato in the Lake zone of Tanzania
In 2010, a project called Marando Bora was started in the Lake Zone of Tanzania to test whether virus-free sweetpotato planting material could be distributed large-scale to farmers. Two local Tanzanian sweetpotato varieties Polista and Ukerewe; two Ugandan varieties Ejumula and Kabode, and one American variety Jewel, were included in a trial to determine whether the vines remained virus-free though all the stages of multiplication. This trial has shown that a combination of a fairly resistant variety (e.g.,Kabode) plus roguing and selection of clean planting material, preferably by researcher-trained farmers, can maintain a good degree of health. This flyer summarizes the results and conclusions that were drawn from this work
X-raying the Winds of Luminous Active Galaxies
We briefly describe some recent observational results, mainly at X-ray
wavelengths, on the winds of luminous active galactic nuclei (AGNs). These
winds likely play a significant role in galaxy feedback. Topics covered include
(1) Relations between X-ray and UV absorption in Broad Absorption Line (BAL)
and mini-BAL quasars; (2) X-ray absorption in radio-loud BAL quasars; and (3)
Evidence for relativistic iron K BALs in the X-ray spectra of a few bright
quasars. We also mention some key outstanding problems and prospects for future
advances; e.g., with the International X-ray Observatory (IXO).Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, to appear in proceedings of the conference "The
Monster's Fiery Breath: Feedback in Galaxies, Groups, and Clusters", June
2009, Madison, Wisconsi
A Chandra Survey of the X-ray Properties of Broad Absorption Line Radio-Loud Quasars
This work presents the results of a Chandra study of 21 broad absorption line
(BAL) radio-loud quasars (RLQs). We conducted a Chandra snapshot survey of 12
bright BAL RLQs selected from SDSS/FIRST data and possessing a wide range of
radio and CIV absorption properties. Optical spectra were obtained nearly
contemporaneously with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope; no strong flux or BAL
variability was seen between epochs. We also include in our sample 9 additional
BAL RLQs possessing archival Chandra coverage. We compare the properties of
(predominantly high-ionization) BAL RLQs to those of non-BAL RLQs as well as to
BAL radio-quiet quasars (RQQs) and non-BAL RQQs for context.
All 12 snapshot and 8/9 archival BAL RLQs are detected, with observed X-ray
luminosities less than those of non-BAL RLQs having comparable optical/UV
luminosities by typical factors of 4.1-8.5. (BAL RLQs are also X-ray weak by
typical factors of 2.0-4.5 relative to non-BAL RLQs having both comparable
optical/UV and radio luminosities.) However, BAL RLQs are not as X-ray weak
relative to non-BAL RLQs as are BAL RQQs relative to non-BAL RQQs. While some
BAL RLQs have harder X-ray spectra than typical non-BAL RLQs, some have
hardness ratios consistent with those of non-BAL RLQs, and there does not
appear to be a correlation between X-ray weakness and spectral hardness, in
contrast to the situation for BAL RQQs. RLQs are expected to have X-ray
continuum contributions from both disk-corona and small-scale jet emission.
While the entire X-ray continuum in BAL RLQs cannot be obscured to the same
degree as in BAL RQQs, we calculate that the jet is likely partially covered in
many BAL RLQs. We comment briefly on implications for geometries and source
ages in BAL RLQs.Comment: 48 pages, 5 tables, 14 figures, accepted by Ap
Simple and accurate modelling of the gravitational potential produced by thick and thin exponential discs
We present accurate models of the gravitational potential produced by a radially exponential disc mass distribution. The models are produced by combining three separate Miyamoto–Nagai discs. Such models have been used previously to model the disc of the Milky Way, but here we extend this framework to allow its application to discs of any mass, scalelength, and a wide range of thickness from infinitely thin to near spherical (ellipticities from 0 to 0.9). The models have the advantage of simplicity of implementation, and we expect faster run speeds over a double exponential disc treatment. The potentials are fully analytical, and differentiable at all points. The mass distribution of our models deviates from the radial mass distribution of a pure exponential disc by <0.4 per cent out to 4 disc scalelengths, and <1.9 per cent out to 10 disc scalelengths. We tabulate fitting parameters which facilitate construction of exponential discs for any scalelength, and a wide range of disc thickness (a user-friendly, web-based interface is also available). Our recipe is well suited for numerical modelling of the tidal effects of a giant disc galaxy on star clusters or dwarf galaxies. We consider three worked examples; the Milky Way thin and thick disc, and a discy dwarf galaxy
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