Undulation textures at the phase transitions of some alkyloxybenzoic acids

We observed undulated smectic textures for some compounds of the 4,n-alkyloxybenzoic (nOBAC) acid series, at transitions between the smectic and the isotropic phase and between the smectic and nematic phase. Studied compounds were 12OBAC, 16OBAC and a binary mixture of 12- and 16OBAC. The undulations are dressing a usual Schlieren texture. In the case of the binary mixture, an interesting fingerprint pattern is observed too

Time properties of the the rho-class burst of the microquasar GRS 1915+105 observed with BeppoSAX in April 1999

We present a temporal analysis of a BeppoSAX observation of GRS 1915+105 performed on April 13, 1999 when the source was in the rho class, which is characterised by quasi-regular bursting activity. The aim of the present work is to confirm and extend the validity of the results obtained with a BeppoSAX observation performed on October 2000 on the recurrence time of the burst and on the hard X-ray delay. We divided the entire data set into several series, each corresponding to a satellite orbit, and performed the Fourier and wavelet analysis and the limit cycle mapping technique using the count rate and the average energy as independent variables. We found that the count rates correlate with the recurrence time of bursts and with hard X-ray delay, confirming the results previously obtained. In this observation, however, the recurrence times are distributed along two parallel branches with a constant difference of 5.2+/-0.5 s.Comment: Accepted for publication in Section 7. Stellar structure and evolution of Astronomy and Astrophysic

Mass loss rates from mid-IR excesses in LMC and SMC O stars

We use a combination of BVJHK and Spitzer [3.6], [5.8] and [8.0] photometry to determine IR excesses for a sample of 58 LMC and 46 SMC O stars. This sample is ideal for determining IR excesses because the very small line of sight reddening minimizes uncertainties due to extinction corrections. We use the core-halo model developed by Lamers & Waters (1984a) to translate the excesses into mass loss rates and demonstrate that the results of this simple model agree with the more sophisticated CMFGEN models to within a factor of 2. Taken at face value, the derived mass loss rates are larger than those predicted by Vink et al. (2001), and the magnitude of the disagreement increases with decreasing luminosity. However, the IR excesses need not imply large mass loss rates. Instead, we argue that they probably indicate that the outer atmospheres of O stars contain complex structures and that their winds are launched with much smaller velocity gradients than normally assumed. If this is the case, it could affect the theoretical and observational interpretations of the "weak wind" problem, where classical mass loss indicators suggest that the mass loss rates of lower luminosity O stars are far less than expected.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

The effects of clumping on wind line variability

We review the effects of clumping on the profiles of resonance doublets. By allowing the ratio of the doublet oscillator strenghts to be a free parameter, we demonstrate that doublet profiles contain more information than is normally utilized. In clumped (or porous) winds, this ratio can lies between unity and the ratio of the f-values, and can change as a function of velocity and time, depending on the fraction of the stellar disk that is covered by material moving at a particular velocity at a given moment. Using these insights, we present the results of SEI modeling of a sample of B supergiants, zeta Pup and a time series for a star whose terminal velocity is low enough to make the components of its Si IV 1400 doublet independent. These results are interpreted within the framework of the Oskinova et al. (2007) model, and demonstrate how the doublet profiles can be used to extract infromation about wind structure.Comment: 3 pages, to appear in Clumping in Hot Star Winds, W.-R. Hamann, A. Feldmeier & L. Oskinova, eds., Potsdam: Univ.-Verl., 2007, URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-1398

A FUSE View of the Stellar Winds of Planetary Nebula Central Stars

Since the IUE satellite produced a vast collection of high-resolution UV spectra of central stars of planetary nebulae (CSPNe), there has not been any further systematic study of the stellar winds of these stars. The high spectral resolution, sensitivity and large number of archival observations in the FUSE archive allow the study of the stellar winds of CSPNe in the far UV domain where lines of species spanning a wide excitation range can be observed. We present here a preliminary analysis of the P Cygni profiles of a sample of 60 CSPNe observed by FUSE. P Cygni profiles evidencing fast stellar winds with velocities between 200 and 4,300 km/s have been found in 40 CSPNe. In many cases, this is the first time that fast stellar winds have been reported for these PNe. A detailed study of these far-UV spectra is on-going.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures; accepted, to appear in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australi

Quantum mechanics with time-dependent parameters

Smooth composite bundles provide the adequate geometric description of classical mechanics with time-dependent parameters. We show that the Berry's phase phenomenon is described in terms of connections on composite Hilbert space bundles.Comment: 7 pages, LaTe

Lyapunov functions for a non-linear model of the X-ray bursting of the microquasar GRS 1915+105

This paper introduces a biparametric family of Lyapunov functions for a non-linear mathematical model based on the FitzHugh-Nagumo equations able to reproduce some main features of the X-ray bursting behaviour exhibited by the microquasar GRS 1915+105. These functions are useful to investigate the properties of equilibrium points and allow us to demonstrate a theorem on the global stability. The transition between bursting and stable behaviour is also analyzed.Comment: Published on International Journal of Non-Linear Mechanics, vol. 88, pp. 142-14

Attitudes and Social Factors as Predictors of Male Perpetration of Sexual Assault

Previous research has demonstrated a significant association between sexual assault perpetration and hooking up, male peer support for woman abuse, alcohol consumption, and rape myth acceptance (Burt, 1980; Flack, Daubman, Caron, Asadorian, D’Aureli, Gigliotti & Stine, 2007; Schwartz & DeKeseredy, 1997). In the present study, we tested these relationships on the collegiate level by asking male students to indicate levels of male peer support for woman abuse (MPS), acceptance of rape myths (RMA), alcohol consumption, and history of hooking up and sexual assault perpetration during their undergraduate experience. Participants in this study were 200 male Bucknell students (sophomores - seniors) who completed an online survey concerning these issues. The overall prevalence rate for some type of sexual assault perpetration was 10.5%. Specific prevalence rates for non-invasive contact, completed rape, and attempted rape were 5.5%, 2.0%, and 5.0%, respectively. Sexual assault perpetration was positively correlated with MPS and alcohol consumption but not with RMA. Sexual assault was perpetrated most frequently during acquaintance hook ups. These findings demonstrate direct, significant relationships between sexual assault perpetration, alcohol abuse, different types of hooking up, and rape-supportive attitudes, and an association between perpetration and MPS that requires further elaboration

Structure and clumping in the fast wind of NGC6543

Far-UV spectroscopy from the FUSE satellite is analysed to uniquely probe spatial structure and clumping in the fast wind of the central star of the H-rich planetary nebula NGC6543 (HD164963). Time-series data of the unsaturated PV 1118, 1128 resonance line P Cygni profiles provide a very sensitive diagnostic of variable wind conditions in the outflow. We report on the discovery of episodic and recurrent optical depth enhancements in the PV absorption troughs, with some evidence for a 0.17-day modulation time-scale. SEI line-synthesis modelling is used to derive physical properties, including the optical depth evolution of individual `events'. The characteristics of these features are essentially identical to the `discrete absorption components' (DACs) commonly seen in the UV lines of massive OB stars. We have also employed the unified model atmosphere code CMFGEN to explore spectroscopic signatures of clumping, and report in particular on the clear sensitivity of the PV lines to the clump volume filling factor. The results presented here have implications for the downward revision of mass-loss rates in PN central stars. We conclude that the temporal structures seen in the PV lines of NGC6543 likely have a physical origin that is similar to that operating in massive, luminous stars, and may be related to near-surface perturbations caused by stellar pulsation and/or magnetic fields.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA