2,514 research outputs found
Limits on the Position Wander of Sgr A*
We present measurements with the VLBA of the variability in the centroid
position of Sgr A* relative to a background quasar at 7-mm wavelength. We find
an average centroid wander of 71 +/- 45 micro-arcsec for time scales between 50
and 100 min and 113 +/- 50 micro-arcsec for timescales between 100 and 200 min,
with no secular trend. These are sufficient to begin constraining the viability
of the hot-spot model for the radio variability of Sgr A*. It is possible to
rule out hot spots with orbital radii above 15GM_SgrA*/c^2 that contribute more
than 30% of the total 7-mm flux. However, closer or less luminous hot spots
remain unconstrained. Since the fractional variability of Sgr A* during our
observations was ~20% on time scales of hours, the hot-spot model for Sgr A*'s
radio variability remains consistent with these limits. Improved monitoring of
Sgr A*'s centroid position has the potential to place significant constraints
upon the existence and morphology of inhomogeneities in a supermassive black
hole accretion flow.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures submitted to Ap
Inside the Bondi radius of M87
Chandra X-ray observations of the nearby brightest cluster galaxy M87 resolve
the hot gas structure across the Bondi accretion radius of the central
supermassive black hole, a measurement possible in only a handful of systems
but complicated by the bright nucleus and jet emission. By stacking only short
frame-time observations to limit pileup, and after subtracting the nuclear PSF,
we analysed the X-ray gas properties within the Bondi radius at 0.12-0.22 kpc
(1.5-2.8 arcsec), depending on the black hole mass. Within 2 kpc radius, we
detect two significant temperature components, which are consistent with
constant values of 2 keV and 0.9 keV down to 0.15 kpc radius. No evidence was
found for the expected temperature increase within ~0.25 kpc due to the
influence of the SMBH. Within the Bondi radius, the density profile is
consistent with . The lack of a temperature increase inside
the Bondi radius suggests that the hot gas structure is not dictated by the
SMBH's potential and, together with the shallow density profile, shows that the
classical Bondi rate may not reflect the accretion rate onto the SMBH. If this
density profile extends in towards the SMBH, the mass accretion rate onto the
SMBH could be at least two orders of magnitude less than the Bondi rate, which
agrees with Faraday rotation measurements for M87. We discuss the evidence for
outflow from the hot gas and the cold gas disk and for cold feedback, where gas
cooling rapidly from the hot atmosphere could feed the cirumnuclear disk and
fuel the SMBH. At 0.2 kpc radius, the cooler X-ray temperature component
represents ~20% of the total X-ray gas mass and, by losing angular momentum to
the hot gas component, could provide a fuel source of cold clouds within the
Bondi radius.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, accepted by MNRA
Theory and design of InGaAsBi mid-infrared semiconductor lasers: type-I quantum wells for emission beyond 3 m on InP substrates
We present a theoretical analysis and optimisation of the properties and
performance of mid-infrared semiconductor lasers based on the dilute bismide
alloy InGaAsBi, grown on conventional (001) InP
substrates. The ability to independently vary the epitaxial strain and emission
wavelength in this quaternary alloy provides significant scope for band
structure engineering. Our calculations demonstrate that structures based on
compressively strained InGaAsBi quantum wells (QWs)
can readily achieve emission wavelengths in the 3 -- 5 m range, and that
these QWs have large type-I band offsets. As such, these structures have the
potential to overcome a number of limitations commonly associated with this
application-rich but technologically challenging wavelength range. By
considering structures having (i) fixed QW thickness and variable strain, and
(ii) fixed strain and variable QW thickness, we quantify key trends in the
properties and performance as functions of the alloy composition, structural
properties, and emission wavelength, and on this basis identify routes towards
the realisation of optimised devices for practical applications. Our analysis
suggests that simple laser structures -- incorporating
InGaAsBi QWs and unstrained ternary
InGaAs barriers -- which are compatible with established
epitaxial growth, provide a route to realising InP-based mid-infrared diode
lasers.Comment: Submitted versio
Oscillating Starless Cores: The Nonlinear Regime
In a previous paper, we modeled the oscillations of a thermally-supported
(Bonnor-Ebert) sphere as non-radial, linear perturbations following a standard
analysis developed for stellar pulsations. The predicted column density
variations and molecular spectral line profiles are similar to those observed
in the Bok globule B68 suggesting that the motions in some starless cores may
be oscillating perturbations on a thermally supported equilibrium structure.
However, the linear analysis is unable to address several questions, among them
the stability, and lifetime of the perturbations. In this paper we simulate the
oscillations using a three-dimensional numerical hydrodynamic code. We find
that the oscillations are damped predominantly by non-linear mode-coupling, and
the damping time scale is typically many oscillation periods, corresponding to
a few million years, and persisting over the inferred lifetime of gobules.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures, accepted by Ap
Natural history contributions of the University of Glasgow Exploration Society to Scotland and the World
Expeditions with a natural history focus have been
organised by University of Glasgow staff and
students since the 1930s. The educational benefits of
such expeditions to students have been reported by
Harper
et
al.
(
Journal
of
Biological
Education
51, 3-
16; 2017). Here, we present a short history of these
expeditions, concentrating on their scientific
achievements. In addition to expedition reports, a
large number of PhD theses, masters and honours
project reports and scientific papers have been
based on expedition work. Many biological
specimens have been deposited in museums,
including some new species. We provide case
histories of four expedition locations, to demonstrate
the variety of work done, and the value of returning
many times to the same place: Scotland, Trinidad and
Tobago, North Cyprus and Ecuador. A major problem
for expeditions is funding. For many years, the
Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland ran a
funding stream that was crucial to the viability of
Scottish university expeditions, but this has sadly
now closed. For Glasgow University expeditions, the
Blodwen Lloyd Binns Bequest has provided a reliable
source since 1994, and we hope that it will continue
to do so
Strong deflection limit of black hole gravitational lensing with arbitrary source distances
The gravitational field of supermassive black holes is able to strongly bend
light rays emitted by nearby sources. When the deflection angle exceeds ,
gravitational lensing can be analytically approximated by the so-called strong
deflection limit. In this paper we remove the conventional assumption of
sources very far from the black hole, considering the distance of the source as
an additional parameter in the lensing problem to be treated exactly. We find
expressions for critical curves, caustics and all lensing observables valid for
any position of the source up to the horizon. After analyzing the spherically
symmetric case we focus on the Kerr black hole, for which we present an
analytical 3-dimensional description of the higher order caustic tubes.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figures, appendix added. In press on Physical Review
Solid state television camera system Patent
Solid state television camera system consisting of monolithic semiconductor mosaic sensor and molecular digital readout system
Where are all the gravastars? Limits upon the gravastar model from accreting black holes
The gravastar model, which postulates a strongly correlated thin shell of
anisotropic matter surrounding a region of anti-de Sitter space, has been
proposed as an alternative to black holes. We discuss constraints that
present-day observations of well-known black hole candidates place on this
model. We focus upon two black hole candidates known to have extraordinarily
low luminosities: the supermassive black hole in the Galactic Center,
Sagittarius A*, and the stellar-mass black hole, XTE J1118+480. We find that
the length scale for modifications of the type discussed in Chapline et al.
(2003) must be sub-Planckian.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure
Effects of Feeding Legume Silage With Differing Tannin Levels on Lactating Dairy Cattle
Condensed tannins (CT) bind to plant proteins in the rumen, reducing protein degradation to ammonia and increasing milk production and milk protein (e.g. Waghorn, 1987). Previous research showed that the reduced soluble non-protein nitrogen (NPN) content of red clover (Trifolium pratense) silage (RCS) was related to its greater N efficiency relative to lucerne (Medicago sativa) silage (LS) (Broderick et al., 2001). Commercial cultivars of birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus; BFT) contain modest levels of CT which reduce NPN formation in silage (Albrecht & Muck, 1991). The objective was to compare silages made from BFT with RCS and LS for milk production and N efficiency in lactating dairy cows
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