Analysis of the Accuracy of Prediction of the Celestial Pole Motion

VLBI observations carried out by global networks provide the most accurate values of the precession-nutation angles determining the position of the celestial pole; as a rule, these results become available two to four weeks after the observations. Therefore, numerous applications, such as satellite navigation systems, operational determination of Universal Time, and space navigation, use predictions of the coordinates of the celestial pole. In connection with this, the accuracy of predictions of the precession- nutation angles based on observational data obtained over the last three years is analyzed for the first time, using three empiric nutation models---namely, those developed at the US Naval Observatory, the Paris Observatory, and the Pulkovo Observatory. This analysis shows that the last model has the best of accuracy in predicting the coordinates of the celestial pole. The rms error for a one-month prediction proposed by this model is below 100 microarcsecond.Comment: 13 p

Mechanical Model for Relativistic Blast Waves

Relativistic blast waves can be described by a mechanical model. In this model, the "blast" -- the compressed gas between the forward and reverse shocks -- is viewed as one hot body. Equations governing its dynamics are derived from conservation of mass, energy, and momentum. Simple analytical solutions are obtained in the two limiting cases of ultra-relativistic and non-relativistic reverse shock. Equations are derived for the general explosion problem.Comment: 8 pages, accepted to ApJ Letter

On the Coulomb-Sturmian matrix elements of the Coulomb Green's operator

The two-body Coulomb Hamiltonian, when calculated in Coulomb-Sturmian basis, has an infinite symmetric tridiagonal form, also known as Jacobi matrix form. This Jacobi matrix structure involves a continued fraction representation for the inverse of the Green's matrix. The continued fraction can be transformed to a ratio of two $_{2}F_{1}$ hypergeometric functions. From this result we find an exact analytic formula for the matrix elements of the Green's operator of the Coulomb Hamiltonian.Comment: 8 page

Experimental and theoretical investigations of a supercavitating hydrofoil

An experimental investigation of the two-dimensional hydrodynamic characteristics of a thin, supercavitating hydrofoil is described. The effects of twist and vibration of the thin hydrofoil model are considered, and experimental techniques for investigating spanwise twist and leading edge vibration and data correction methods are described. The theory of Wu for the forces on fully cavitating hydrofoils was used to calculate the forces on this profile. The calculated lift is in good agreement with the experimental results; however, the measured drag differs appreciably from the theoretical values

Enhancement of vortex pinning in superconductor/ferromagnet bilayers via angled demagnetization

We use local and global magnetometry measurements to study the influence of magnetic domain width w on the domain-induced vortex pinning in superconducting/ferromagnetic bilayers, built of a Nb film and a ferromagnetic Co/Pt multilayer with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, with an insulating layer to eliminate proximity effect. The quasi-periodic domain patterns with different and systematically adjustable width w, as acquired by a special demagnetization procedure, exert tunable vortex pinning on a superconducting layer. The largest enhancement of vortex pinning, by a factor of more than 10, occurs when w ~ 310 nm is close to the magnetic penetration depth.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted to Phys. Rev. B, Rapid Communication