A comparison of evolutionary tracks for single Galactic massive stars

In this paper, we compare the currently available evolutionary tracks for Galactic massive stars. Our main goal is to highlight the uncertainties on the predicted evolutionary paths. We compute stellar evolution models with the codes MESA and STAREVOL. We compare our results with those of four published grids of massive stellar evolution models (Geneva, STERN, Padova and FRANEC codes). We first investigate the effects of overshooting, mass loss, metallicity, chemical composition. We subsequently focus on rotation. Finally, we compare the predictions of published evolutionary models with the observed properties of a large sample of Galactic stars. We find that all models agree well for the main sequence evolution. Large differences in luminosity and temperatures appear for the post main sequence evolution, especially in the cool part of the HR diagram. Depending on the physical ingredients, tracks of different initial masses can overlap, rendering any mass estimate doubtful. For masses between 7 and 20 Msun, we find that the main sequence width is slightly too narrow in the Geneva models including rotation. It is (much) too wide for the (STERN) FRANEC models. This conclusion is reached from the investigation of the HR diagram and from the evolution of the surface velocity as a function of surface gravity. An overshooting parameter alpha between 0.1 and 0.2 in models with rotation is preferred to reproduce the main sequence width. Determinations of surface abundances of carbon and nitrogen are partly inconsistent and cannot be used at present to discriminate between the predictions of published tracks. For stars with initial masses larger than about 60 Msun, the FRANEC models with rotation can reproduce the observations of luminous O supergiants and WNh stars, while the Geneva models remain too hot.Comment: 17 pages, 12 figures. Accepted by Astronomy & Astrophysic

Optimal boundary geometry in an elasticity problem: a systematic adjoint approach

p. 509-524In different problems of Elasticity the definition of the optimal geometry of the boundary, according to a given objective function, is an issue of great interest. Finding the shape of a hole in the middle of a plate subjected to an arbitrary loading such that the stresses along the hole minimizes some functional or the optimal middle curved concrete vault for a tunnel along which a uniform minimum compression are two typical examples. In these two examples the objective functional depends on the geometry of the boundary that can be either a curve (in case of 2D problems) or a surface boundary (in 3D problems). Typically, optimization is achieved by means of an iterative process which requires the computation of gradients of the objective function with respect to design variables. Gradients can by computed in a variety of ways, although adjoint methods either continuous or discrete ones are the more efficient ones when they are applied in different technical branches. In this paper the adjoint continuous method is introduced in a systematic way to this type of problems and an illustrative simple example, namely the finding of an optimal shape tunnel vault immersed in a linearly elastic terrain, is presented.Garcia-Palacios, J.; Castro, C.; Samartin, A. (2009). Optimal boundary geometry in an elasticity problem: a systematic adjoint approach. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/654

Transport in magnetically ordered Pt nanocontacts

Pt nanocontacts, like those formed in mechanically controlled break junctions, are shown to develop spontaneous local magnetic order. Our density functional calculations predict that a robust local magnetic order exists in the atoms presenting low coordination, i. e., those forming the atom-sized neck. In contrast to previous work, we thus find that the electronic transport can be spin-polarized, although the net value of the conductance still agrees with available experimental information. Experimental implications of the formation of this new type of nanomagnet are discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Metastability and paramagnetism in superconducting mesoscopic disks

A projected order parameter is used to calculate, not only local minima of the Ginzburg-Landau energy functional, but also saddle points or energy barriers responsible for the metastabilities observed in superconducting mesoscopic disks (Geim et al. Nature {\bf 396}, 144 (1998)). We calculate the local minima magnetization and find the energetic instability points between vortex configurations with different vorticity. We also find that, for any vorticity, the supercurrent can reverse its flow direction on decreasing the magnetic field before one vortex can escape.Comment: Modified version as to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Cross sections for short pulse single and double ionization of helium

In a previous publication, procedures were proposed for unambiguously extracting amplitudes for single and double ionization from a time-dependent wavepacket by effectively propagating for an infinite time following a radiation pulse. Here we demonstrate the accuracy and utility of those methods for describing two-photon single and one-photon double ionization of helium. In particular it is shown how narrow features corresponding to autoionizing states are easily resolved with these methods.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figure

On the variational structure of breather solutions

In this paper we give a systematic and simple account that put in evidence that many breather solutions of integrable equations satisfy suitable variational elliptic equations, which also implies that the stability problem reduces in some sense to $(i)$ the study of the spectrum of explicit linear systems (\emph{spectral stability}), and $(ii)$ the understanding of how bad directions (if any) can be controlled using low regularity conservation laws. We exemplify this idea in the case of the modified Korteweg-de Vries (mKdV), Gardner, and sine-Gordon (SG) equations. Then we perform numerical simulations that confirm, at the level of the spectral problem, our previous rigorous results, where we showed that mKdV breathers are $H^2$ and $H^1$ stable, respectively. In a second step, we also discuss the Gardner and the Sine-Gordon cases, where the spectral study of a fourth-order linear matrix system is the key element to show stability. Using numerical methods, we confirm that all spectral assumptions leading to the $H^2\times H^1$ stability of SG breathers are numerically satisfied, even in the ultra-relativistic, singular regime. In a second part, we study the periodic mKdV case, where a periodic breather is known from the work of Kevrekidis et al. We rigorously show that these breathers satisfy a suitable elliptic equation, and we also show numerical spectral stability. However, we also identify the source of nonlinear instability in the case described in Kevrekidis et al. Finally, we present a new class of breather solution for mKdV, believed to exist from geometric considerations, and which is periodic in time and space, but has nonzero mean, unlike standard breathers.Comment: 55 pages; This paper is an improved version of our previous paper 1309.0625 and hence we replace i

Redefining the boundaries of interplanetary coronal mass ejections from observations at the ecliptic plane

On 2015 January 6-7, an interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) was observed at L1. This event, which can be associated with a weak and slow coronal mass ejection, allows us to discuss on the differences between the boundaries of the magnetic cloud and the compositional boundaries. A fast stream from a solar coronal hole surrounding this ICME offers a unique opportunity to check the boundaries' process definition and to explain differences between them. Using Wind and ACE data, we perform a complementary analysis involving compositional, magnetic, and kinematic observations providing relevant information regarding the evolution of the ICME as travelling away from the Sun. We propose erosion, at least at the front boundary of the ICME, as the main reason for the difference between the boundaries, and compositional signatures as the most precise diagnostic tool for the boundaries of ICMEs.Comment: 9 pages and 7 figures in the original forma