932 research outputs found
Manipulation of Light with Magneto-optic Stripe Domain Films
Magnetic diffraction grating materials, being developed to provide a simple means of deflecting light in a two dimensional, solid state fashion are discussed. The most promising material, for several applications, appears to be bismuth substituted iron garnet films in epitaxial form. Calculations indicate that deflection efficiency greater than 60% is possible in the near infrared region of the spectrum. Within the field of view of the deflector, measurements predict that 105 resolvable spots can be expected. Applications include: (1) general purpose deflection of free laser light, (2) image processing of extended sources such as transparencies, (3) programmable lensing, and (4) fiber optic matrix switching
Black hole spin inferred from 3:2 epicyclic resonance model of high-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations
Estimations of black hole spin in the three Galactic microquasars GRS
1915+105, GRO J1655-40, and XTE J1550-564 have been carried out based on
spectral and timing X-ray measurements and various theoretical concepts. Among
others, a non-linear resonance between axisymmetric epicyclic oscillation modes
of an accretion disc around a Kerr black hole has been considered as a model
for the observed high-frequency quasi-periodic oscillations (HF QPOs).
Estimates of spin predicted by this model have been derived based on the
geodesic approximation of the accreted fluid motion. Here we assume accretion
flow described by the model of a pressure-supported torus and carry out related
corrections to the mass-spin estimates. We find that for dimensionless black
hole spin a<0.9, the resonant eigenfrequencies are very close to those
calculated for the geodesic motion. Their values slightly grow with increasing
torus thickness. These findings agree well with results of a previous study
carried out in the pseudo-Newtonian approximation. The situation becomes
different for a>0.9, in which case the resonant eigenfrequencies rapidly
decrease as the torus thickness increases. We conclude that the assumed
non-geodesic effects shift the lower limit of the spin, implied for the three
microquasars by the epicyclic model and independently measured masses, from
a~0.7 to a~0.6. Their consideration furthermore confirms compatibility of the
model with the rapid spin of GRS 1915+105 and provides highly testable
predictions of the QPO frequencies. Individual sources with a moderate spin
(a<0.9) should exhibit a smaller spread of the measured 3:2 QPO frequencies
than sources with a near-extreme spin (a~1). This should be further examined
using the large amount of high-resolution data expected to become available
with the next generation of X-ray instruments, such as the proposed Large
Observatory for X-ray Timing (LOFT).Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, accepted by Astronomy & Astrophysic
The Electromagnetic Self-Energy Contribution to M_p - M_n and the Isovector Nucleon Magnetic Polarizability
We update the determination of the isovector nucleon electromagnetic
self-energy, valid to leading order in QED. A technical oversight in the
literature concerning the elastic contribution to Cottingham's formula is
corrected and modern knowledge of the structure functions is used to precisely
determine the inelastic contribution. We find \delta M_{p-n}^\gamma =
1.30(03)(47) MeV. The largest uncertainty arises from a subtraction term
required in the dispersive analysis, which can be related to the isovector
magnetic polarizability. With plausible model assumptions, we can combine our
calculation with additional input from lattice QCD to constrain this
polarizability as: \beta_{p-n} = -0.87(85) x 10^{-4} fm^3.Comment: 5 pages, version accepted for publication in PR
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