Computational modelling of cracks in viscoplastic media

A newly developed numerical model is used to simulate propagating cracks in a strain softening viscoplastic medium. The model allows the simulation of displacement discontinuities independently of a finite element mesh. This is possible using the partition of unity concept, in which fracture is treated as a coupled problem, with separate variational equations corresponding to the continuous and discontinuous parts of the displacement field. The equations are coupled through the dependence of the stress field on the strain state. Numerical examples show that allowing displacement discontinuities in a viscoplastic Von Mises material can lead to a failure mode that differs from a continuum-only model

Population synthesis of classical low-mass X-ray binaries in the Galactic Bulge

Aims. We model the present-day population of 'classical' low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) with neutron star accretors, which have hydrogen-rich donor stars. Their population is compared with that of hydrogen-deficient LMXBs, known as ultracompact X-ray binaries (UCXBs). We model the observable LMXB population and compare it to observations. Methods. We combine the binary population synthesis code SeBa with detailed LMXB evolutionary tracks to model the size and properties of the present-day LMXB population in the Galactic Bulge. Whether sources are persistent or transient, and what their instantaneous X-ray luminosities are, is predicted using the thermal-viscous disk instability model. Results. We find a population of ~2.1 x 10^3 LMXBs with neutron star accretors. Of these about 15 - 40 are expected to be persistent (depending on model assumptions), with luminosities higher than 10^35 erg s^-1. About 7 - 20 transient sources are expected to be in outburst at any given time. Within a factor of two these numbers are consistent with the observed population of bright LMXBs in the Bulge. This gives credence to our prediction of the existence of a population of ~1.6 x 10^3 LMXBs with low donor masses that have gone through the period minimum, and have present-day mass transfer rates below 10^-11 Msun yr^-1. Conclusions. Even though the observed population of hydrogen-rich LMXBs in the Bulge is larger than the observed population of (hydrogen-deficient) UCXBs, the latter have a higher formation rate. While UCXBs may dominate the total LMXB population at the present, the majority would be very faint, or may have become detached and produced millisecond radio pulsars. In that case UCXBs would contribute significantly more to the formation of millisecond radio pulsars than hydrogen-rich LMXBs. [abridged]Comment: 8 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics. v2: minor language correction

New horizons in computer analysis of damage and fracture in quasi-brittle materials

Continuum approaches are reviewed which can properly model localised deformations that act as a precursor to final fracture in quasi-brittle materials. Next, one such higher-order damaging continuum model is combined with a stochastic approach to describe the heterogeneity in quasi-brittle materials

The effects of LIGO detector noise on a 15-dimensional Markov-chain Monte-Carlo analysis of gravitational-wave signals

Gravitational-wave signals from inspirals of binary compact objects (black holes and neutron stars) are primary targets of the ongoing searches by ground-based gravitational-wave (GW) interferometers (LIGO, Virgo, and GEO-600). We present parameter-estimation results from our Markov-chain Monte-Carlo code SPINspiral on signals from binaries with precessing spins. Two data sets are created by injecting simulated GW signals into either synthetic Gaussian noise or into LIGO detector data. We compute the 15-dimensional probability-density functions (PDFs) for both data sets, as well as for a data set containing LIGO data with a known, loud artefact ("glitch"). We show that the analysis of the signal in detector noise yields accuracies similar to those obtained using simulated Gaussian noise. We also find that while the Markov chains from the glitch do not converge, the PDFs would look consistent with a GW signal present in the data. While our parameter-estimation results are encouraging, further investigations into how to differentiate an actual GW signal from noise are necessary.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, NRDA09 proceeding

New horizons in computer analysis of damage and fracture in quasi-brittle materials

Continuum approaches are reviewed which can properly model localised deformations that act as a precursor to final fracture in quasi-brittle materials. Next, one such higher-order damaging continuum model is combined with a stochastic approach to describe the heterogeneity in quasi-brittle materials

Gravitational-Wave Astronomy with Inspiral Signals of Spinning Compact-Object Binaries

Inspiral signals from binary compact objects (black holes and neutron stars) are primary targets of the ongoing searches by ground-based gravitational-wave interferometers (LIGO, Virgo, GEO-600 and TAMA-300). We present parameter-estimation simulations for inspirals of black-hole--neutron-star binaries using Markov-chain Monte-Carlo methods. For the first time, we have both estimated the parameters of a binary inspiral source with a spinning component and determined the accuracy of the parameter estimation, for simulated observations with ground-based gravitational-wave detectors. We demonstrate that we can obtain the distance, sky position, and binary orientation at a higher accuracy than previously suggested in the literature. For an observation of an inspiral with sufficient spin and two or three detectors we find an accuracy in the determination of the sky position of typically a few tens of square degrees.Comment: v2: major conceptual changes, 4 pages, 1 figure, 1 table, submitted to ApJ