4,092 research outputs found
Pulsar kicks by anisotropic neutrino emission from quark matter
We discuss an acceleration mechanism for pulsars out of their supernova
remnants based on asymmetric neutrino emission from quark matter in the
presence of a strong magnetic field. The polarized electron spin fixes the
neutrino emission from the direct quark Urca process in one direction along the
magnetic field. We calculate the magnetic field strength which is required to
polarize the electron spin as well as the required initial proto-neutron star
temperature for a successfull acceleration mechanism. In addition we discuss
the neutrino mean free paths in quark as well as in neutron matter which turn
out to be very small. Consequently, the high neutrino interaction rates will
wash out the asymmetry in neutrino emission. As a possible solution to this
problem we take into account effects from colour superconductivity.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, poster contribution at the conference "Nuclear
Physics in Astrophysics III",Dresden,March 26-31,200
SSX MHD Plasma Wind Tunnel
A new turbulent plasma source at the Swarthmore Spheromak Experiment (SSX) facility is described. The MHD wind tunnel configuration employs a magnetized plasma gun to inject high-beta plasma into a large, well-instrumented, vacuum drift region. This provides unique laboratory conditions approaching that in the solar wind: there is no applied background magnetic field in the drift region and has no net axial magnetic flux; the plasma flow speed is on the order of the local sound speed (M ~ 1), so flow energy density is comparable to thermal energy density; and the ratio of thermal to magnetic pressure is of order unity (plasma β ~ 1) so thermal energy density is also comparable to magnetic energy density. Results presented here and referenced within demonstrate the new capabilities and show how the new platform is proving useful for fundamental plasma turbulence studies
Economic Activity Associated With the Garrison Diversion Unit in 1984
Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,
Temporal and Spatial Turbulent Spectra of MHD Plasma and an Observation of Variance Anisotropy
The nature of MHD turbulence is analyzed through both temporal and spatial
magnetic fluctuation spectra. A magnetically turbulent plasma is produced in
the MHD wind-tunnel configuration of the Swarthmore Spheromak Experiment (SSX).
The power of magnetic fluctuations is projected into directions perpendicular
and parallel to a local mean field; the ratio of these quantities shows the
presence of variance anisotropy which varies as a function of frequency.
Comparison amongst magnetic, velocity, and density spectra are also made,
demonstrating that the energy of the turbulence observed is primarily seeded by
magnetic fields created during plasma production. Direct spatial spectra are
constructed using multi-channel diagnostics and are used to compare to
frequency spectra converted to spatial scales using the Taylor Hypothesis.
Evidence for the observation of dissipation due to ion inertial length scale
physics is also discussed as well as the role laboratory experiment can play in
understanding turbulence typically studied in space settings such as the solar
wind. Finally, all turbulence results are shown to compare fairly well to a
Hall-MHD simulation of the experiment.Comment: 17 pages, 17 figures, Submitted to Astrophysical Journa
Mass, radius, and composition of the outer crust of nonaccreting cold neutron stars
The properties and composition of the outer crust of nonaccreting cold
neutron stars are studied by applying the model of Baym, Pethick, and
Sutherland, which was extended by including higher order corrections of the
atomic binding, screening, exchange and zero-point energy. The most recent
experimental nuclear data from the atomic mass table of Audi, Wapstra, and
Thibault from 2003 is used. Extrapolation to the drip line is utilized by
various state-of-the-art theoretical nuclear models (finite range droplet,
relativistic nuclear field and non-relativistic Skyrme Hartree-Fock
parameterizations). The different nuclear models are compared with respect to
the mass and radius of the outer crust for different neutron star
configurations and the nuclear compositions of the outer crust.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, submitted to J. Phys. G, part of the proceedings
of the Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics III conference in Dresde
- …