7,692 research outputs found
Neutrino-Accelerated Hot Hydrogen Burning
We examine the effects of significant electron anti-neutrino fluxes on
hydrogen burning. Specifically, we find that the bottleneck weak nuclear
reactions in the traditional pp-chain and the hot CNO cycle can be accelerated
by anti-neutrino capture, increasing the energy generation rate. We also
discuss how anti-neutrino capture reactions can alter the conditions for break
out into the rp-process. We speculate on the impact of these considerations for
the evolution and dynamics of collapsing very- and super- massive compact
objects.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures, submitted to ApJ; minor content chang
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The Importance of the Lithium Ion Transference Number in Lithium/Polymer Cells
Presupernova collapse models with improved weak-interaction rates
Improved values for stellar weak interaction rates have been recently
calculated based upon a large shell model diagonalization. Using these new
rates (for both beta decay and electron capture), we have examined the
presupernova evolution of massive stars in the range 15-40 Msun. Comparing our
new models with a standard set of presupernova models by Woosley and Weaver, we
find significantly larger values for the electron-to-baryon ratio Ye at the
onset of collapse and iron core masses reduced by approximately 0.1 Msun. The
inclusion of beta-decay accounts for roughly half of the revisions, while the
other half is a consequence of the improved nuclear physics. These changes will
have important consequences for nucleosynthesis and the supernova explosion
mechanism.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
Comment on "Elasticity Model of a Supercoiled DNA Molecule"
We perform simulations to numerically study the writhe distribution of a
stiff polymer. We compare with analytic results of Bouchiat and Mezard (PRL 80
1556- (1998); cond-mat/9706050).Comment: 1 page, 1 figure revtex
Elasticity model of a supercoiled DNA molecule
Within a simple elastic theory, we study the elongation versus force
characteristics of a supercoiled DNA molecule at thermal equilibrium in the
regime of small supercoiling. The partition function is mapped to the path
integral representation for a quantum charged particle in the field of a
magnetic monopole with unquantized charge.
We show that the theory is singular in the continuum limit and must be
regularised at an intermediate length scale. We find good agreement with
existing experimental data, and point out how to measure the twist rigidity
accurately.Comment: Latex, 4 pages. The figure contains new experimental data, giving a
new determination of the twist rigidit
Twist and writhe dynamics of stiff filaments
This letter considers the dynamics of a stiff filament, in particular the
coupling of twist and bend via writhe. The time dependence of the writhe of a
filament is for a linear filament and for a curved filament. Simulations are used to study the relative
importance of crankshaft motion and tube like motion in twist dynamics.
Fuller's theorem, and its relation with the Berry phase, is reconsidered for
open filamentsComment: 7 Pages with 2 figure
Direct Detection of Warm Dark Matter in the X-ray
We point out a serendipitous link between warm dark matter (WDM) models for
structure formation on the one hand and the high sensitivity energy range (1-10
keV) for x-ray photon detection on the Chandra and XMM-Newton observatories on
the other. This fortuitous match may provide either a direct detection of the
dark matter or exclusion of many candidates. We estimate expected x-ray fluxes
from field galaxies and clusters of galaxies if the dark matter halos of these
objects are composed of WDM candidate particles with rest masses in the
structure formation-preferred range (~1 keV to ~20 keV) and with small
radiative decay branches. Existing observations lead us to conclude that for
singlet neutrinos (possessing a very small mixing with active neutrinos) to be
a viable WDM candidate they must have rest masses < 5 keV in the zero lepton
number production mode. Future deeper observations may detect or exclude the
entire parameter range for the zero lepton number case, perhaps restricting the
viability of singlet neutrino WDM models to those where singlet production is
driven by a significant lepton number. The Constellation X project has the
capability to detect/exclude singlet neutrino WDM for lepton number values up
to 10% of the photon number. We also consider diffuse x-ray background
constraints on these scenarios. These same x-ray observations additionally may
constrain parameters of active neutrino and gravitino WDM candidates.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, replacement to match ApJ versio
Spherical collapse of supermassive stars: neutrino emission and gamma-ray bursts
We present the results of numerical simulations of the spherically symmetric
gravitational collapse of supermassive stars (SMS). The collapse is studied
using a general relativistic hydrodynamics code. The coupled system of Einstein
and fluid equations is solved employing observer time coordinates, by foliating
the spacetime by means of outgoing null hypersurfaces. The code contains an
equation of state which includes effects due to radiation, electrons and
baryons, and detailed microphysics to account for electron-positron pairs. In
addition energy losses by thermal neutrino emission are included. We are able
to follow the collapse of SMS from the onset of instability up to the point of
black hole formation. Several SMS with masses in the range are simulated. In all models an apparent horizon
forms initially, enclosing the innermost 25% of the stellar mass. From the
computed neutrino luminosities, estimates of the energy deposition by
-annihilation are obtained. Only a small fraction of this energy
is deposited near the surface of the star, where, as proposed recently by
Fuller & Shi (1998), it could cause the ultrarelativistic flow believed to be
responsible for -ray bursts. Our simulations show that for collapsing
SMS with masses larger than the energy deposition is
at least two orders of magnitude too small to explain the energetics of
observed long-duration bursts at cosmological redshifts. In addition, in the
absence of rotational effects the energy is deposited in a region containing
most of the stellar mass. Therefore relativistic ejection of matter is
impossible.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, submitted to A&
Snapshots in time: MicroCT scanning of pottery sherds determines early domestication of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) in East Africa
MicroCT visualisations of organic inclusions within pottery sherds from Khashm el Girba 23 (KG23), Sudan, reveal domesticated sorghum (Sorghum bicolor subsp. bicolor) at c. 3700â2900 BCE. The percentage of non-shattering spikelet bases was c. 73% of identifiable visualizations, with c. 27% representing wild types. These analyses demonstrate the domestication of sorghum is significantly earlier than suggested by previous archaeological research. These results also demonstrate that microCT scanning is a major qualitative and quantitative advance on pre-existing methods for the investigation of crop remains in pottery sherds, which hitherto have been reliant on surface impressions; it is non-destructive, provides higher resolution 3D imaging of organic inclusions, and enables greater archaeobotanical recovery of inclusions within a sherd. MicroCT analysis of ceramics, mudbrick and other building materials has considerable potential for improving the chronologies and resolution for the domestication of other cereals in the past
Probing highly obscured, self-absorbed galaxy nuclei with vibrationally excited HCN
We present high resolution (0."4) IRAM PdBI and ALMA mm and submm
observations of the (ultra) luminous infrared galaxies ((U)LIRGs)
IRAS17208-0014, Arp220, IC860 and Zw049.057 that reveal intense line emission
from vibrationally excited (=1) J=3-2 and 4-3 HCN. The emission is
emerging from buried, compact (r<17-70 pc) nuclei that have very high implied
mid-infrared surface brightness L kpc.
These nuclei are likely powered by accreting supermassive black holes (SMBHs)
and/or hot (>200 K) extreme starbursts. Vibrational, =1, lines of HCN
are excited by intense 14 micron mid-infrared emission and are excellent probes
of the dynamics, masses, and physical conditions of (U)LIRG nuclei when H
column densities exceed cm. It is clear that these lines open
up a new interesting avenue to gain access to the most obscured AGNs and
starbursts. Vibrationally excited HCN acts as a proxy for the absorbed
mid-infrared emission from the embedded nuclei, which allows for reconstruction
of the intrinsic, hotter dust SED. In contrast, we show strong evidence that
the ground vibrational state (=0), J=3-2 and 4-3 rotational lines of HCN
and HCO fail to probe the highly enshrouded, compact nuclear regions owing
to strong self- and continuum absorption. The HCN and HCO line profiles are
double-peaked because of the absorption and show evidence of non-circular
motions - possibly in the form of in- or outflows. Detections of vibrationally
excited HCN in external galaxies are so far limited to ULIRGs and early-type
spiral LIRGs, and we discuss possible causes for this. We tentatively suggest
that the peak of vibrationally excited HCN emission is connected to a rapid
stage of nuclear growth, before the phase of strong feedback.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and
Astrophysic
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