Rapid Bayesian position reconstruction for gravitational-wave transients

Within the next few years, Advanced LIGO and Virgo should detect gravitational waves from binary neutron star and neutron star-black hole mergers. These sources are also predicted to power a broad array of electromagnetic transients. Because the electromagnetic signatures can be faint and fade rapidly, observing them hinges on rapidly inferring the sky location from the gravitational-wave observations. Markov chain Monte Carlo methods for gravitational-wave parameter estimation can take hours or more. We introduce BAYESTAR, a rapid, Bayesian, non-Markov chain Monte Carlo sky localization algorithm that takes just seconds to produce probability sky maps that are comparable in accuracy to the full analysis. Prompt localizations from BAYESTAR will make it possible to search electromagnetic counterparts of compact binary mergers.Comment: 23 pages, 12 figures, published in Phys. Rev.

Nonpecuniary Class Action Settlements

Miller and Singer offer a theoretical and empirical analysis of nonpecuniary class action settlements, including coupons, securities and fluid recoveries

Long distance contributions in D→VγD \to V \gamma decays

Using the factorization scheme for the nonleptonic $D \to V V_0$ weak amplitudes, we classify all diagrams which arise in $D \to V \gamma$ decays and calculate them with the help of the hybrid model which combines the heavy quark effective theory and the chiral Lagrangian approach. Thus we determine the long distance contribution to the amplitudes of Cabibbo allowed and Cabibbo suppressed $D \to V\gamma$ decays. The calculation of the expected range of the branching ratios of nine different $D \to V \gamma$ channels is compared with results of other approaches. The present work establishes an increase of the parity violating contribution in these decays in comparison with previous analyses.Comment: 15 pages, latex, 2 figures; we have changed Table 2 and the caption of Table 1. To be published in Eur. Phys.

Vegetarianism

Ethical vegetarians maintain that vegetarianism is morally required. The principal reasons offered in support of ethical vegetarianism are: (i) concern for the welfare and well-being of the animals being eaten, (ii) concern for the environment, (iii) concern over global food scarcity and the just distribution of resources, and (iv) concern for future generations. Each of these reasons is explored in turn, starting with a historical look at ethical vegetarianism and the moral status of animals

Collective excitations and instability of an optical lattice due to unbalanced pumping

We solve self-consistently the coupled equations of motion for trapped particles and the field of a one-dimensional optical lattice. Optomechanical coupling creates long-range interaction between the particles, whose nature depends crucially on the relative power of the pump beams. For asymmetric pumping, traveling density wave-like collective oscillations arise in the lattice, even in the overdamped limit. Increasing the lattice size or pump asymmetry these waves can destabilize the lattice.Comment: 5 pages, minor changes (SI units, new references

Preshaping command inputs to reduce telerobotic system oscillations

The results of using a new technique for shaping inputs to a model of the space shuttle Remote Manipulator System (RMS) are presented. The shapes inputs move the system to the same location that was originally commanded, however, the oscillations of the machine are considerably reduced. An overview of the new shaping method is presented. A description of RMS model is provided. The problem of slow joint servo rates on the RMS is accommodated with an extension of the shaping method. The results and sample data are also presented for both joint and three-dimensional cartesian motions. The results demonstrate that the new shaping method performs well on large, telerobotic systems which exhibit significant structural vibration. The new method is shown to also result in considerable energy savings during operations of the RMS manipulator