Gravitational-Wave Implications for the Parity Symmetry of Gravity at GeV Scale

Gravitational waves generated by the coalescence of compact binary open a new window to test the fundamental properties of gravity in the strong-field and dynamical regime. In this work, we focus on the parity symmetry of gravity which, if broken, can leave imprints on the waveform of gravitational wave. We construct generalized waveforms with amplitude and velocity birefringence due to parity violation in the effect field theory formalism, then analyze the open data of the ten binary black-hole merger events and the two binary neutron-star merger events detected by LIGO and Virgo collaboration. We do not find any signatures of violation of gravitational parity conservation, thereby setting the lower bound of the parity-violating energy scale to be $0.07$ GeV. This presents the first observational evidence of the parity conservation of gravity at high energy scale, about 17 orders of magnitude tighter than the constraints from the Solar system tests and binary pulsar observation. The third-generation gravitational-wave detector is capable of probing the parity-violating energy scale at $\mathcal{O}(10^2)$ GeV

A Nonthermal Radio Filament Connected to the Galactic Black Hole?

Using the Very Large Array, we have investigated a non-thermal radio filament (NTF) recently found very near the Galactic black hole and its radio counterpart, SgrA*. While this NTF -- the Sgr A West Filament (SgrAWF) -- shares many characteristics with the population of NTFs occupying the central few hundred parsecs of the Galaxy, the SgrAWF has the distinction of having an orientation and sky location that suggest an intimate physical connection to SgrA*. We present 3.3 and 5.5 cm images constructed using an innovative methodology that yields a very high dynamic range, providing an unprecedentedly clear picture of the SgrAWF. While the physical association of the SgrAWF with SgrA* is not unambiguous, the images decidedly evoke this interesting possibility. Assuming that the SgrAWF bears a physical relationship to SgrA*, we examine the potential implications. One is that SgrA* is a source of relativistic particles constrained to diffuse along ordered local field lines. The relativistic particles could also be fed into the local field by a collimated outflow from SgrA*, perhaps driven by the Poynting flux accompanying the black hole spin in the presence of a magnetic field threading the event horizon. Second, we consider the possibility that the SgrAWF is the manifestation of a low-mass-density cosmic string that has become anchored to the black hole. The simplest form of these hypotheses would predict that the filament be bi-directional, whereas the SgrAWF is only seen on one side of SgrA*, perhaps because of the dynamics of the local medium.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, accepted for ApJ Letter

A New Perspective of the Radio Bright Zone at The Galactic Center: Feedback from Nuclear Activities

New observations of Sgr A have been carried out with the VLA using the broadband (2 GHz) continuum mode at 5.5 GHz, covering the central 30 pc region of the RBZ at the Galactic center. Using the MS-MFS algorithms in CASA, we have imaged Sgr A with a resolution of 1", achieving an rms 8 $\mu$Jy/beam, and a dynamic range 100,000:1.The radio image is compared with X-ray, CN emission-line and Paschen-$\alpha$ images obtained using Chandra, SMA and HST/NICMOS, respectively. We discuss several prominent radio features. The "Sgr A West Wings" extend 5 pc from the NW and SE tips of the ionized "Mini-spiral" in Sgr A West to positions located 2.9 and 2.4 arc min to the NW and SE of Sgr A*, respectively. The NW wing, along with several other prominent features, including the "NW Streamers", form an elongated radio lobe (NW lobe), oriented nearly perpendicular to the Galactic plane. This radio lobe, with a size of 14.4 pc x 7.3 pc, has a known X-ray counterpart. A row of three thermally emitting rings is observed in the NW lobe. A field containing numerous amorphous radio blobs extends for a distance of ~2 arc min beyond the tip of the SE wing; these features coincide with the SE X-ray lobe. Most of the amorphous radio blobs in the NW and SE lobes have Paschen-$\alpha$ counterparts, suggesting that a shock interaction of ambient gas concentrations with a collimated nuclear wind (outflow) that may be driven by radiation force from the central star cluster within the CND. Finally, we remark on a prominent radio feature located within the shell of the Sgr A East SNR. Because this feature -- the "Sigma Front" -- correlates well in shape and orientation with the nearby edge of the CND, we propose that it is a reflected shock wave resulting from the impact of the Sgr A East blast wave on the CND.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures, ApJ accepte

Spatial oscillations in the spontaneous emission rate of an atom inside a metallic wedge

A method of images is applied to study the spontaneous emission of an atom inside a metallic wedge with an opening angle of $\pi/N$, where N is an arbitrary positive integer. We show the method of images gives a rate formula consistent with that from Quantum Electrodynamics. Using the method of images, we show the correspondence between the oscillations in the spontaneous emission rate and the closed-orbits of emitted photon going away and returning to the atom inside the wedge. The closed-orbits can be readily constructed using the method of images and they are also extracted from the spontaneous emission rate.Comment: 8 figure

Can an observer really catch up with light

Given a null geodesic $\gamma_0(\lambda)$ with a point $r$ in $(p,q)$ conjugate to $p$ along $\gamma_0(\lambda)$, there will be a variation of $\gamma_0(\lambda)$ which will give a time-like curve from $p$ to $q$. This is a well-known theory proved in the famous book\cite{2}. In the paper we prove that the time-like curves coming from the above-mentioned variation have a proper acceleration which approaches infinity as the time-like curve approaches the null geodesic. This means no observer can be infinitesimally near the light and begin at the same point with the light and finally catch the light. Only separated from the light path finitely, does the observer can begin at the same point with the light and finally catch the light.Comment: 6 pages, no figures, submited to Physical Review

Adaptive control of CO2_2 bending vibration: deciphering field-system dynamics

We combined adaptive closed-loop optimization, phase-shaping with a restricted search space and imaging to control dynamics and decipher the optimal pulse. The approach was applied to controlling the amplitude of CO$_2$ bending vibration during strong-field Coulomb explosion. The search space was constrained by expressing the spectral phase as a Taylor series, which generated pulses with characteristics commensurate with the natural physical features of this problem. Optimal pulses were obtained that enhanced bending by up to 56% relative to what is observed with comparably intense, transform limited pulses. We show that (1) this judicious choice of a reduced parameter set made unwrapping the dynamics more transparent and (2) the enhancement is consistent with field-induced structural changes to a bent excited state of CO$_2^{2+}$, which theoretical simulations have identified as the state from which the explosion originates.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, added reference