The damping of gravitational waves in dust

We examine a simple model of interaction of gravitational waves with matter (primarily represented by dust). The aim is to investigate a possible damping effect on the intensity of gravitational wave when passing through media. This might be important for gravitational wave astronomy when the sources are obscured by dust or molecular clouds.Comment: 7 pages, accepted to Phys. Sc

A users guide for A344: A program using a finite difference method to analyze transonic flow over oscillating airfoils

The design and usage of a pilot program for calculating the pressure distributions over harmonically oscillating airfoils in transonic flow are described. The procedure used is based on separating the velocity potential into steady and unsteady parts and linearizing the resulting unsteady differential equations for small disturbances. The steady velocity potential which must be obtained from some other program, was required for input. The unsteady equation, as solved, is linear with spatially varying coefficients. Since sinusoidal motion was assumed, time was not a variable. The numerical solution was obtained through a finite difference formulation and either a line relaxation or an out of core direct solution method

Notes on Spinoptics in a Stationary Spacetime

In arXiv:1105.5629, equations of the modified geometrical optics for circularly polarized photon trajectories in a stationary spacetime are derived by using a (1+3)-decomposed form of Maxwell's equations. We derive the same results by using a four-dimensional covariant description. In our procedure, the null nature of the modified photon trajectory naturally appears and the energy flux is apparently null. We find that, in contrast to the standard geometrical optics, the inner product of the stationary Killing vector and the tangent null vector to the modified photon trajectory is no longer a conserved quantity along light paths. This quantity is furthermore different for left and right handed photon. A similar analysis is performed for gravitational waves and an additional factor of 2 appears in the modification due to the spin-2 nature of gravitational waves.Comment: 15 pages, to appear in PR

Cosmology With A Dark Refraction Index

We review Gordon's optical metric and the transport equations for the amplitude and polarization of a geometrical optics wave traveling in a gravity field. We apply the theory to the FLRW cosmologies by associating a refraction index with the cosmic fluid. We then derive an expression for the accumulated effect of a refraction index on the distance redshift relations and fit the Hubble curve of current supernova observations with a non-accelerating cosmological model. We also show that some observational effects caused by inhomogeneities, e.g. the Sachs-Wolfe effect, can be interpreted as being caused by an effective index of refraction, and hence this theory could extend to other speed of light communications such as gravitational radiation and neutrino fluxes.Comment: 21 pages, 3 figure

Conformal symmetry and deflationary gas universe

We describe the ``deflationary'' evolution from an initial de Sitter phase to a subsequent Friedmann-Lema\^{\i}tre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) period as a specific non-equilibrium configuration of a self-interacting gas. The transition dynamics corresponds to a conformal, timelike symmetry of an ``optical'' metric, characterized by a refraction index of the cosmic medium which continously decreases from a very large initial value to unity in the FLRW phase.Comment: 10 pages, to appear in "Exact Solutions and Scalar Fields in Gravity: Recent Developments", ed. by A. Macias, J. Cervantes-Cota, and C. L\"ammerzahl, Kluwer Academic Publishers 200

Materials review for improved automotive gas turbine engine

The potential role of superalloys, refractory alloys, and ceramics in the hottest sections of engines operating with turbine inlet temperatures as high as 1370 C is examined. The convential superalloys, directionally solidified eutectics, oxide dispersion strenghened alloys, and tungsten fiber reinforced superalloys are reviewed and compared on the basis of maximum turbine blade temperature capability. Improved high temperature protective coatings and special fabrication techniques for these advanced alloys are discussed. Chromium, columbium, molybdenum, tantalum, and tungsten alloys are also reviewed. Molbdenum alloys are found to be the most suitable for mass produced turbine wheels. Various forms and fabrication processes for silicon nitride, silicon carbide, and SIALON's are investigated for use in highstress and medium stress high temperature environments

The practical application of a finite difference method for analyzing transonic flow over oscillating airfoils and wings

Separating the velocity potential into steady and unsteady parts and linearizing the resulting unsteady equations for small disturbances was performed. The steady velocity potential was obtained first from the well known nonlinear equation for steady transonic flow. The unsteady velocity potential was then obtained from a linear differential equation in complex form with spatially varying coefficients. Since sinusoidal motion is assumed, the unsteady equation is independent of time. The results of an investigation into the relaxation-solution-instability problem was discussed. Concepts examined include variations in outer boundary conditions, a coordinate transformation so that the boundary condition at infinity may be applied to the outer boundaries of the finite difference region, and overlapping subregions. The general conclusion was that only a full direct solution in which all unknowns are obtained at the same time will avoid the solution instabilities of relaxation. An analysis of the one-dimensional form of the unsteady transonic equation was studied to evaluate errors between exact and finite difference solutions. Pressure distributions were presented for a low-aspect-ratio clipped delta wing at Mach number of 0.9 and for a moderate-aspect-ratio rectangular wing at a Mach number of 0.875

Computation of the transonic perturbation flow fields around two- and three-dimensional oscillating wings

Analytical and empirical studies of a finite difference method for the solution of the transonic flow about an harmonically oscillating wing are presented along with a discussion of the development of a pilot program for three-dimensional flow. In addition, some two- and three-dimensional examples are presented