Accretion of a satellite onto a spherical galaxy. II. Binary evolution and orbital decay

We study the dynamical evolution of a satellite orbiting outside of a companion spherical galaxy. The satellite is subject to a back-reaction force resulting from the density fluctuations excited in the primary stellar system. We evaluate this force using the linear response theory developed in Colpi and Pallavicini (1997). The force is computed in the reference frame comoving with the primary galaxy and is expanded in multipoles. To capture the relevant features of the physical process determining the evolution of the detached binary, we introduce in the Hamiltonian the harmonic potential as interaction potential among stars. The dynamics of the satellite is computed self-consistently. We determine the conditions for tidal capture of a satellite from an asymptotic free state. If the binary comes to existence as a bound pair, stability against orbital decay is lost near resonance. The time scale of binary coalescence is computed as a function of the eccentricity and mass ratio. In a comparison with Weinberg's perturbative technique we demonstrate that pinning the center of mass of the galaxy would induce a much larger torque on the satellite.Comment: 13 pages, Tex,+ 10 .ps figures Submitted to The Astrophysical Journa

The Value of Liquidity

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72848/1/1080-8620.00026.pd

Dynamical friction and the evolution of satellites in virialized halos: the theory of linear response

The evolution of a small satellite inside a more massive truncated isothermal spherical halo is studied using both the Theory of Linear Response for dynamical friction and N-Body simulations. The analytical approach includes the effects of the gravitational wake, of the tidal deformation and the shift of the barycenter of the primary, so unifying the local versus global interpretation of dynamical friction. Sizes, masses, orbital energies and eccentricities are chosen as expected in hierarchical clustering models. We find that in general the drag force in self-gravitating backgrounds is weaker than in uniform media and that the orbital decay is not accompanied by a significant circularization. We also show that the dynamical friction time scale is weakly dependent on the initial circularity. We provide a fitting formula for the decay time that includes the effect of mass and angular momentum loss. Live satellites with dense cores can survive disruption up to an Hubble time within the primary, notwithstanding the initial choice of orbital parameters. Dwarf spheroidal satellites of the Milky Way, like Sagittarius A and Fornax, have already suffered mass stripping and, with their present masses, the sinking times exceed 10 Gyr even if they are on very eccentric orbits.Comment: 27 pages including 9 figures. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal. Part 2, issue November 10 1999, Volume 52

GaN/AlN Quantum Dots for Single Qubit Emitters

We study theoretically the electronic properties of $c$-plane GaN/AlN quantum dots (QDs) with focus on their potential as sources of single polarized photons for future quantum communication systems. Within the framework of eight-band k.p theory we calculate the optical interband transitions of the QDs and their polarization properties. We show that an anisotropy of the QD confinement potential in the basal plane (e.g. QD elongation or strain anisotropy) leads to a pronounced linear polarization of the ground state and excited state transitions. An externally applied uniaxial stress can be used to either induce a linear polarization of the ground-state transition for emission of single polarized photons or even to compensate the polarization induced by the structural elongation.Comment: 6 pages, 9 figures. Accepted at Journal of Physics: Condensed Matte

Toward a validation process for model based safety analysis

International audienceToday, Model Based Safety Analysis processes become more and more widespread to achieve the safety analysis of a system. However and at our knowledge, there is no formal testing approach to ensure that the formal model is compliant with the real system. In the paper, we choose to study AltaRica model. We present a general process to well construct and validate an AltaRica formal model. The focus is made on this validation phase, i.e. verifying the compliance between the model and the real system. For it, the proposed process recommends to build a specification for the AltaRica model. Then, the validation process is transformed to a classical verification problem between an implementation and a specification. We present the first phase of a method to verify the compliance between the model and the specification

Darwin Tames an Andromeda Dwarf: Unraveling the Orbit of NGC 205 Using a Genetic Algorithm

NGC 205, a close satellite of the M31 galaxy, is our nearest example of a dwarf elliptical galaxy. Photometric and kinematic observations suggest that NGC 205 is undergoing tidal distortion from its interaction with M31. Despite earlier attempts, the orbit and progenitor properties of NGC 205 are not well known. We perform an optimized search for these unknowns by combining a genetic algorithm with restricted N-body simulations of the interaction. This approach, coupled with photometric and kinematic observations as constraints, allows for an effective exploration of the parameter space. We represent NGC 205 as a static Hernquist potential with embedded massless test particles that serve as tracers of surface brightness. We explore 3 distinct, initially stable configurations of test particles: cold rotating disk, warm rotating disk, and hot, pressure-supported spheroid. Each model reproduces some, but not all, of the observed features of NGC 205, leading us to speculate that a rotating progenitor with substantial pressure support could match all of the observables. Furthermore, plausible combinations of mass and scale length for the pressure-supported spheroid progenitor model reproduce the observed velocity dispersion profile. For all 3 models, orbits that best match the observables place the satellite 11+/-9 kpc behind M31 moving at very large velocities: 300-500 km/s on primarily radial orbits. Given that the observed radial component is only 54 km/s, this implies a large tangential motion for NGC 205, moving from the NW to the SE. These results suggest NGC 205 is not associated with the stellar arc observed to the NE of NGC 205. Furthermore, NGC 205's velocity appears to be near or greater than its escape velocity, signifying that the satellite is likely on its first M31 passage.Comment: 34 pages, 20 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal, A pdf version with high-resolution figures may be obtained from http://www.ucolick.org/~kirsten/ms.pd

Heliophysics Event Knowledgebase for the Solar Dynamics Observatory and Beyond

The immense volume of data generated by the suite of instruments on SDO requires new tools for efficient identifying and accessing data that is most relevant to research investigations. We have developed the Heliophysics Events Knowledgebase (HEK) to fill this need. The HEK system combines automated data mining using feature-detection methods and high-performance visualization systems for data markup. In addition, web services and clients are provided for searching the resulting metadata, reviewing results, and efficiently accessing the data. We review these components and present examples of their use with SDO data.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figure

Debt, Agency, and Management Contracts in REITs: The External Advisor Puzzle

This study investigates why externally advised real estate investment trusts (REITs) underperform their internally managed counterparts. Consistent with previous studies, we find that REITs managed by external advisors underperform internally managed ones by over 7 percent per year. Property-level cash-flow yields are similar between the two managerial forms, but corporate-level expenses and especially interest expenses are responsible for lower levels of cash available to shareholders in externally advised REITs. We document that the higher-interest expenses are due to both higher levels of debt and to higher debt yields for externally advised REITs. We posit that compensating managers based on either assets under management or on property-level cash flows creates incentives for managers to increase the asset base by issuing debt even if the interest costs are unfavorable.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47758/1/11146_2004_Article_254942.pd

Conformational Entropy as a Means to Control the Behavior of Poly(diketoenamine) Vitrimers In and Out of Equilibrium.

Control of equilibrium and non-equilibrium thermomechanical behavior of poly(diketoenamine) vitrimers is shown by incorporating linear polymer segments varying in molecular weight (MW) and conformational degrees of freedom into the dynamic covalent network. While increasing MW of linear segments yields a lower storage modulus at the rubbery plateau after softening above the glass transition (Tg ), both Tg and the characteristic time of stress relaxation are independently governed by the conformational entropy of the embodied linear segments. Activation energies for bond exchange in the solid state are lower for networks incorporating flexible chains; the network topology freezing temperature decreases with increasing MW of flexible linear segments but increases with increasing MW of stiff segments. Vitrimer reconfigurability is therefore influenced not only by the energetics of bond exchange for a given network density, but also the entropy of polymer chains within the network