6,967 research outputs found
On the Relevance of Compton Scattering for the Soft X-ray Spectra of Hot DA White Dwarfs
We re-examine the effects of Compton scattering on the emergent spectra of
hot DA white dwarfs in the soft X-ray range. Earlier studies have implied that
sensitive X-ray observations at wavelengths \AA might be capable
of probing the flux deficits predicted by the redistribution of
electron-scattered X-ray photons toward longer wavelengths. We adopt two
independent numerical approaches to the inclusion of Compton scattering in the
computation of pure hydrogen atmospheres in hydrostatic equilibrium. One
employs the Kompaneets diffusion approximation formalism, while the other uses
the cross-sections and redistribution functions of Guilbert. Models and
emergent spectra are computed for stellar parameters representative of HZ 43
and Sirius B, and for models with an effective temperature K. The differences between emergent spectra computed for Compton and
Thomson scattering cases are completely negligible in the case of both HZ 43
and Sirius B models, and are also negligible for all practical purposes for
models with temperatures as high as K. Models of the
soft X-ray flux from these stars are instead dominated by uncertainties in
their fundamental parameters.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in A&
Stationary problems for equation of the KdV type and dynamical -matrices.
We study a quite general family of dynamical -matrices for an auxiliary
loop algebra related to restricted flows for equations of
the KdV type. This underlying -matrix structure allows to reconstruct Lax
representations and to find variables of separation for a wide set of the
integrable natural Hamiltonian systems. As an example, we discuss the
Henon-Heiles system and a quartic system of two degrees of freedom in detail.Comment: 25pp, LaTe
Theory of minimum effort control
Optimum control theory formulations for solving problems in optimum guidance for interplanetary manned space flight mission
The Lax pairs for the Holt system
By using non-canonical transformation between the Holt system and the
Henon-Heiles system the Lax pairs for all the integrable cases of the Holt
system are constructed from the known Lax representations for the Henon-Heiles
system.Comment: 7 pages, LaTeX2e, a4.st
Absorption features in the spectra of X-ray bursting neutron stars
The discovery of photospheric absorption lines in XMM-Newton spectra of the
X-ray bursting neutron star in EXO0748-676 by Cottam and collaborators allows
us to constrain the neutron star mass-radius ratio from the measured
gravitational redshift. A radius of R=9-12km for a plausible mass range of
M=1.4-1.8Msun was derived by these authors. It has been claimed that the
absorption features stem from gravitationally redshifted (z=0.35) n=2-3 lines
of H- and He-like iron. We investigate this identification and search for
alternatives. We compute LTE and non-LTE neutron-star model atmospheres and
detailed synthetic spectra for a wide range of effective temperatures
(effective temperatures of 1 - 20MK) and different chemical compositions.
We are unable to confirm the identification of the absorption features in the
X-ray spectrum of EXO0748-676 as n=2-3 lines of H- and He-like iron (Fe XXVI
and Fe XXV). These are subordinate lines that are predicted by our models to be
too weak at any effective temperature. It is more likely that the strongest
feature is from the n=2-3 resonance transition in Fe XXIV with a redshift of
z=0.24. Adopting this value yields a larger neutron star radius, namely
R=12-15km for the mass range M=1.4-1.8Msun, favoring a stiff equation-of-state
and excluding mass-radius relations based on exotic matter. Combined with an
estimate of the stellar radius R>12.5km from the work of Oezel and
collaborators, the z=0.24 value provides a minimum neutron-star mass of
M>1.48Msun, instead of M>1.9Msun, when assuming z=0.35.Comment: 8 pages, 17 figure
Blow-Up of Test Fields Near Cauchy Horizons
The behaviour of test fields near a compact Cauchy horizon is investigated.
It is shown that solutions of nonlinear wave equations on Taub spacetime with
generic initial data cannot be continued smoothly to both extensions of the
spacetime through the Cauchy horizon. This is proved using an energy method.
Similar results are obtained for the spacetimes of Moncrief containing a
compact Cauchy horizon and for more general matter models.Comment: 10 pages, Plain TeX, MPA-AR-92-
Dynamics of the Tippe Top -- properties of numerical solutions versus the dynamical equations
We study the relationship between numerical solutions for inverting Tippe Top
and the structure of the dynamical equations. The numerical solutions confirm
oscillatory behaviour of the inclination angle for the symmetry
axis of the Tippe Top. They also reveal further fine features of the dynamics
of inverting solutions defining the time of inversion. These features are
partially understood on the basis of the underlying dynamical equations
Incoherent dynamics in neutron-matter interaction
Coherent and incoherent neutron-matter interaction is studied inside a
recently introduced approach to subdynamics of a macrosystem. The equation
describing the interaction is of the Lindblad type and using the Fermi
pseudopotential we show that the commutator term is an optical potential
leading to well-known relations in neutron optics. The other terms, usually
ignored in optical descriptions and linked to the dynamic structure function of
the medium, give an incoherent contribution to the dynamics, which keeps
diffuse scattering and attenuation of the coherent beam into account, thus
warranting fulfilment of the optical theorem. The relevance of this analysis to
experiments in neutron interferometry is briefly discussed.Comment: 15 pages, revtex, no figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Observability of an induced electric dipole moment of the neutron from nonlinear QED
It has been shown recently that a neutron placed in an external quasistatic
electric field develops an induced electric dipole moment
due to quantum fluctuations in the QED vacuum. A
feasible experiment which could detect such an effect is proposed and described
here. It is shown that the peculiar angular dependence of
on the orientation of the neutron spin leads to a
characteristic asymmetry in polarized neutron scattering by heavy nuclei. This
asymmetry can be of the order of for neutrons with epithermal
energies. For thermalized neutrons from a hot moderator one still expects
experimentally accessible values of the order of . The contribution of
the induced effect to the neutron scattering length is expected to be only one
order of magnitude smaller than that due to the neutron polarizability from its
quark substructure. The experimental observation of this scattering asymmetry
would be the first ever signal of nonlinearity in electrodynamics due to
quantum fluctuations in the QED vacuum
Light Curves of Rapidly Rotating Neutron Stars
We consider the effect of rapid rotation on the light curves of neutron stars
with hot polar caps. For ms spin periods, the pulse fractions can
be as much as an order of magnitude larger than with simple slowly-rotating
(Schwarzschild) estimates. Doppler boosting, in particular, leads to
characteristic distortion and ``soft lags'' in the pulse profiles, which are
easily measurable in light curves with moderate energy resolution. With photons it should also be possible to isolate the more subtle distortions
of light travel time variations and frame dragging. Detailed analysis of high
quality millisecond pulsar data from upcoming X-ray missions must include these
effects
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