Long time-scale variability in GRS1915+105

We present very high resolution hydrodynamical simulations of accretion discs in black hole X-ray binaries accreting near the Eddington limit. The results show that mass loss, irradiation and tidal interactions all have a profound effect on the observed behaviour of long period X-ray transients. In particular, the interplay of all of these effects in the outer regions of the accretion disc is able to drive long time-scale (weeks to years) variability is these objects, and is a possible origin for some of the extreme variability of GRS1915+105.Comment: 7 pages, 9 figures (2 in colour), accepted for publication in MNRA

The steady-state structure of accretion discs in central magnetic fields

We develop a new analytic solution for the steady-state structure of a thin accretion disc under the influence of a magnetic field that is anchored to the central star. The solution takes a form similar to that of Shakura and Sunyaev and tends to their solution as the magnetic moment of the star tends to zero. As well as the Kramer's law case, we obtain a solution for a general opacity. The effects of varying the mass transfer rate, spin period and magnetic field of the star as well as the opacity model applied to the disc are explored for a range of objects. The solution depends on the position of the magnetic truncation radius. We propose a new approach for the identification of the truncation radius and present an analytic expression for its position.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, accepted by MNRA

Accretion disc dynamics in extreme mass ratio compact binaries

An analysis is presented of a numerical investigation of the dynamics and geometry of accretion discs in binary systems with mass ratios q < 0.1, applicable to ultra-compact X-ray binaries, AM CVn stars and very short period cataclysmic variables. The steady-state geometry of the disc in the binary reference frame is found to be quite different from that expected at higher mass ratios. For q ~ 0.1, the disc takes on the usual elliptical shape, with the major axis aligned perpendicular to the line of centres of the two stars. However, at smaller mass ratios the elliptical gaseous orbits in the outer regions of the disc are rotated in the binary plane. The angle of rotation increases with gas temperature, but is found to vary inversely with q. At q = 0.01, the major axis of these orbits is aligned almost parallel to the line of centres of the two stars. These effects may be responsible for the similar disc structure inferred from Doppler tomography of the AM CVn star GP Com (Morales-Rueda et al. 2003), which has q = 0.02. The steady-state geometry at low mass ratios is not predicted by an inviscid, restricted three-body model of gaseous orbits; it is related to the effects of tidal-viscous truncation of the disc near the Roche lobe boundary. Since the disc geometry can be inferred observationally for some systems, it is proposed that this may offer a useful diagnostic for the determination of mass ratios in ultra-compact binaries.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures, 7 in colour. Accepted for publication in MNRAS. Plain article formatting to get round arXiv problems with mn2e.st

Texas Oil and Gas Case Law Update

As the Texas economy enjoys the impact of robust oil and gas exploration and development spurred on by the shale drilling boom, Texas courts continue to experience similarly swollen dockets of oil and gas disputes. The Texas Supreme Court remained active in the energy sector in the 2011-2012 term with significant opinions affecting the areas of pipeline condemnation, exploration and production industry contracts, and lessor-lessee relations. Texas intermediate appellate courts also issued dozens of opinions touching various aspects of the industry from title and conveyancing disputes to lease operating issues. The following update will address the significant Texas Supreme Court opinions from the 2011-2012 term as well as selected cases from the intermediate appellate courts

Hydrodynamic modelling of accretion flows

In the proceedings of this, and of several recent close binary conferences, there have been several contributions describing smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations of accretion disks. It is apposite therefore to review the numerical scheme itself with emphasis on its advantages for disk modelling, and the methods used for modelling viscous processes.Comment: 3 pages, to appear in proceedings of IAU Colloquium 194: Compact binaries in the galaxy and beyon

Reconstructing the Topology on Monoids and Polymorphism Clones of the Rationals

We show how to reconstruct the topology on the monoid of endomorphisms of the rational numbers under the strict or reflexive order relation, and the polymorphism clone of the rational numbers under the reflexive relation. In addition we show how automatic homeomorphicity results can be lifted to polymorphism clones generated by monoids

Classification of some countable descendant-homogeneous digraphs

For finite q, we classify the countable, descendant-homogeneous digraphs in which the descendant set of any vertex is a q-valent tree. We also give conditions on a rooted digraph G which allow us to construct a countable descendant-homogeneous digraph in which the descendant set of any vertex is isomorphic to G.Comment: 16 page

Propeller-activated resonances and the fate of short-period cataclysmic variables

We show that the combination of a weak magnetic propeller and accretion disc resonances can effectively halt accretion in short-period cataclysmic variables (CVs) for large fractions of their lifetimes. This may help to explain the discrepancy between the observed and predicted orbital period distributions of CVs at short periods. Orbital resonances cause the disc to become eccentric, allowing material to fall back on to the donor star or out of the system. A weak magnetic field on a rapidly spinning primary star propels disc material outwards, allowing it to access these resonances. Numerical and analytic calculations show that this state can be long lived (∼1011 yr). This is because the magnetic propeller is required only to maintain access to the resonances, and not to push matter out of the Roche lobe, so that the spin-down time-scale is much longer than that for a classical propeller mode