26,368 research outputs found
A Generic Dynamical Model of Gamma-ray Burst Remnants
The conventional generic model is deemed to explain the dynamics of
-ray burst remnants very well, no matter whether they are adiabatic or
highly radiative. However, we find that for adiabatic expansion, the model
could not reproduce the Sedov solution in the non-relativistic phase, thus the
model needs to be revised. In the present paper, a new differential equation is
derived. The generic model based on this equation has been shown to be correct
for both radiative and adiabatic fireballs, and in both ultra-relativistic and
non-relativistic phase.Comment: 10 pages, LaTeX, 4 postscript figures, accepted for publication in
MNRA
Intrinsic Parameters of GRB990123 from Its Prompt Optical Flash and Afterglow
We have constrained the intrinsic parameters, such as the magnetic energy
density fraction (), the electron energy density fraction
(), the initial Lorentz factor () and the Lorentz factor
of the reverse external shock (), of GRB990123, in terms of the
afterglow information (forward shock model) and the optical flash information
(reverse shock model). Our result shows: 1) the inferred values of
and are consistent with the suggestion that they may be universal
parameters, comparing to those inferred for GRB970508; 2) the reverse external
shock may have become relativistic before it passed through the ejecta shell.
Other instrinsic parameters of GRB990123, such as energy contained in the
forward shock and the ambient density are also determined and discussed
in this paper.Comment: 5 pages, MN LaTeX style, a few changes made according to referee's
suggestions, references up dated, MNRAS accepte
Two-Dimensional Inversion Asymmetric Topological Insulators in Functionalized III-Bi Bilayers
The search for inversion asymmetric topological insulators (IATIs) persists
as an effect for realizing new topological phenomena. However, so for only a
few IATIs have been discovered and there is no IATI exhibiting a large band gap
exceeding 0.6 eV. Using first-principles calculations, we predict a series of
new IATIs in saturated Group III-Bi bilayers. We show that all these IATIs
preserve extraordinary large bulk band gaps which are well above
room-temperature, allowing for viable applications in room-temperature
spintronic devices. More importantly, most of these systems display large bulk
band gaps that far exceed 0.6 eV and, part of them even are up to ~1 eV, which
are larger than any IATIs ever reported. The nontrivial topological situation
in these systems is confirmed by the identified band inversion of the band
structures and an explicit demonstration of the topological edge states.
Interestingly, the nontrivial band order characteristics are intrinsic to most
of these materials and are not subject to spin-orbit coupling. Owning to their
asymmetric structures, remarkable Rashba spin splitting is produced in both the
valence and conduction bands of these systems. These predictions strongly
revive these new systems as excellent candidates for IATI-based novel
applications.Comment: 17 pages,5figure
Gamma-ray bursts: postburst evolution of fireballs
The postburst evolution of fireballs that produce -ray bursts is
studied, assuming the expansion of fireballs to be adiabatic and relativistic.
Numerical results as well as an approximate analytic solution for the evolution
are presented. Due to adoption of a new relation among , and
(see the text), our results differ markedly from the previous studies.
Synchrotron radiation from the shocked interstellar medium is attentively
calculated, using a convenient set of equations. The observed X-ray flux of GRB
afterglows can be reproduced easily. Although the optical afterglows seem much
more complicated, our results can still present a rather satisfactory approach
to observations. It is also found that the expansion will no longer be highly
relativistic about 4 days after the main GRB. We thus suggest that the
marginally relativistic phase of the expansion should be investigated so as to
check the afterglows observed a week or more later.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures, MNRAS in pres
Optical Flashes and Very Early Afterglows in Wind Environments
The interaction of a relativistic fireball with its ambient medium is
described through two shocks: a reverse shock that propagates into the
fireball, and a forward shock that propagates into the medium. The observed
optical flash of GRB 990123 has been considered to be the emission from such a
reverse shock. The observational properties of afterglows suggest that the
progenitors of some GRBs may be massive stars and their surrounding media may
be stellar winds. We here study very early afterglows from the reverse and
forward shocks in winds. An optical flash mainly arises from the relativistic
reverse shock while a radio flare is produced by the forward shock. The peak
flux densities of optical flashes are larger than 1 Jy for typical parameters,
if we do not take into account some appropriate dust obscuration along the line
of sight. The radio flare always has a long lasting constant flux, which will
not be covered up by interstellar scintillation. The non-detections of optical
flashes brighter than about 9th magnitude may constrain the GRBs isotropic
energies to be no more than a few ergs and wind intensities to be
relatively weak.Comment: 21 pages, 6 figures, accepted by MNRAS on March 7, 200
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