139 research outputs found
Interest-based RDF Update Propagation
Many LOD datasets, such as DBpedia and LinkedGeoData, are voluminous and
process large amounts of requests from diverse applications. Many data products
and services rely on full or partial local LOD replications to ensure faster
querying and processing. While such replicas enhance the flexibility of
information sharing and integration infrastructures, they also introduce data
duplication with all the associated undesirable consequences. Given the
evolving nature of the original and authoritative datasets, to ensure
consistent and up-to-date replicas frequent replacements are required at a
great cost. In this paper, we introduce an approach for interest-based RDF
update propagation, which propagates only interesting parts of updates from the
source to the target dataset. Effectively, this enables remote applications to
`subscribe' to relevant datasets and consistently reflect the necessary changes
locally without the need to frequently replace the entire dataset (or a
relevant subset). Our approach is based on a formal definition for
graph-pattern-based interest expressions that is used to filter interesting
parts of updates from the source. We implement the approach in the iRap
framework and perform a comprehensive evaluation based on DBpedia Live updates,
to confirm the validity and value of our approach.Comment: 16 pages, Keywords: Change Propagation, Dataset Dynamics, Linked
Data, Replicatio
Long term flux variations in Cen X-3: clues from flux dependent orbital modulation and pulsed fraction
We have investigated the long term flux variation in Cen X-3 using orbital
modulation and pulsed fraction in different flux states using observations made
with the All Sky Monitor and the Proportional Counter Array on board the Rossi
X-ray Timing Explorer. In the high state, the eclipse ingress and egress are
found to be sharp whereas in the intermediate state the transitions are more
gradual. In the low state, instead of eclipse ingress and egress, the
lightcurve shows a smooth flux variation with orbital phase. The orbital
modulation of the X-ray lightcurve in the low state shows that the X-ray
emission observed in this state is from an extended object. The flux dependent
orbital modulations indicate that the different flux states of Cen X-3 are
primarily due to varying degree of obscuration. Measurement of the pulsed
fraction in different flux states is consistent with the X-ray emission of Cen
X-3 having one highly varying component with a constant pulsed fraction and an
unpulsed component and in the low state, the unpulsed component becomes
dominant. The observed X-ray emission in the low state is likely to be due to
scattering of X-rays from the stellar wind of the companion star. Though we can
not ascertain the origin and nature of the obscuring material that causes the
aperiodic long term flux variation, we point out that a precessing accretion
disk driven by radiative forces is a distinct possibility.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures. Paper accepted for publication in MNRA
On the tilting of protostellar disks by resonant tidal effects
We consider the dynamics of a protostellar disk surrounding a star in a
circular-orbit binary system. Our aim is to determine whether, if the disk is
initially tilted with respect to the plane of the binary orbit, the inclination
of the system will increase or decrease with time. The problem is formulated in
the binary frame in which the tidal potential of the companion star is static.
We consider a steady, flat disk that is aligned with the binary plane and
investigate its linear stability with respect to tilting or warping
perturbations. The dynamics is controlled by the competing effects of the m=0
and m=2 azimuthal Fourier components of the tidal potential. In the presence of
dissipation, the m=0 component causes alignment of the system, while the m=2
component has the opposite tendency. We find that disks that are sufficiently
large, in particular those that extend to their tidal truncation radii, are
generally stable and will therefore tend to alignment with the binary plane on
a time-scale comparable to that found in previous studies. However, the effect
of the m=2 component is enhanced in the vicinity of resonances where the outer
radius of the disk is such that the natural frequency of a global bending mode
of the disk is equal to twice the binary orbital frequency. Under such
circumstances, the disk can be unstable to tilting and acquire a warped shape,
even in the absence of dissipation. The outer radius corresponding to the
primary resonance is always smaller than the tidal truncation radius. For disks
smaller than the primary resonance, the m=2 component may be able to cause a
very slow growth of inclination through the effect of a near resonance that
occurs close to the disk center. We discuss these results in the light of
recent observations of protostellar disks in binary systems.Comment: 21 pages, 7 figures, to be published in the Astrophysical Journa
Changes in the long term intensity variations in Cyg X-2 and LMC X-3
We report the detection of changes in the long-term intensity variations in
two X-ray binaries, Cyg X-2 and LMC X-3. In this work, we have used the
long-term light curves obtained with the All-Sky Monitors (ASMs) of the Rossi
X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE), Ginga, Ariel 5, and Vela 5B and the scanning
modulation collimator of HEAO 1. It is found that in the light curves of both
the sources, obtained with these instruments at various times over the last 30
years, more than one periodic or quasi-periodic component is always present.
The multiple prominent peaks in the periodograms have frequencies unrelated to
each other. In Cyg X-2, RXTE-ASM data show strong peaks at 40.4 and 68.8 days,
and Ginga-ASM data show strong peaks at 53.7 and 61.3 days. Multiple peaks are
also observed in LMC X-3. The various strong peaks in the periodograms of LMC
X-3 appear at 104, 169, and 216 days (observed with RXTE-ASM) and 105, 214, and
328 days (observed with Ginga-ASM). The present results, when compared with the
earlier observations of periodicities in these two systems, demonstrate the
absence of any stable long period. The 78 day periodicity detected earlier in
Cyg X-2 was probably due to the short time base in the RXTE data that were
used, and the periodicity of 198 days in LMC X-3 was due to a relatively short
duration of observation with HEAO 1.Comment: 11 pages, 7 postscript figures include
Lense-Thirring precession of accretion disks around compact objects
Misaligned accretion disks surrounding rotating compact objects experience a
torque due to the Lense-Thirring effect, which leads to precession of the inner
disk. It has been suggested that this effect could be responsible for some low
frequency Quasi-Periodic Oscillations observed in the X-ray lightcurves of
neutron star and galactic black hole systems. We investigate this possibility
via time-dependent calculations of the response of the inner disk to impulsive
perturbations for both Newtonian point mass and Paczynski-Wiita potentials, and
compare the results to the predictions of the linearized twisted accretion disk
equations. For most of a wide range of disk models that we have considered, the
combination of differential precession and viscosity causes the warps to decay
extremely rapidly. Moreover, at least for relatively slowly rotating objects,
linear calculations in a Newtonian point mass potential provide a good measure
of the damping rate, provided only that the timescale for precession is much
shorter than the viscous time in the inner disk. The typically rapid decay
rates suggest that coherent precession of a fluid disk would not be observable,
though it remains possible that the damping rate of warp in the disk could be
low enough to permit weakly coherent signals from Lense-Thirring precession.Comment: ApJ, in press. Minor revisions to match accepted version. Animations
showing warp evolution are available at
http://www.cita.utoronto.ca/~armitage/lense_thirring.htm
A new clue to the transition mechanism between optical high and low states of the supersoft X-ray source RX J0513.9-6951, implied from the recurrent nova CI Aquilae 2000 outburst model
We have found a new clue to the transition mechanism between optical
high/X-ray off and optical low/X-ray on states of the LMC supersoft X-ray
source RX J0513.9-6951. A sharp ~1 mag drop is common to the CI Aql 2000
outburst. These drops are naturally attributed to cessation of optically thick
winds on white dwarfs. A detailed light-curve analysis of CI Aql indicates that
the size of a disk drastically shrinks when the wind stops. This causes ~1-2
mag drop in the optical light curve. In RX J0513.9-6951, the same mechanism
reproduces sharp ~1 mag drop from optical high to low states. We predict this
mechanism also works on the transition from low to high states. Interaction
between the wind and the companion star attenuates the mass transfer and drives
full cycles of low and high states.Comment: 9 pages including 5 figures, to appear in the Astrophysical Journa
A Wind Driven Warping Instability in Accretion Disks
A wind passing over a surface may cause an instability in the surface such as the flapping seen when wind blows across a flag or waves when wind blows across water. We show that when a radially outflowing wind blows across a dense thin rotating disk, an initially flat disk is unstable to warping. When the wind is subsonic, the growth rate is dependent on the lift generated by the wind and the phase lag between the pressure perturbation and the vertical displacement in the disk caused by drag. When the wind is supersonic, the grow rate is primarily dependent on the form drag caused by the surface. While the radiative warping instability proposed by Pringle is promising for generating warps near luminous accreting objects, we expect the wind driven instability introduced here would dominate in objects which generate energetic outflows
The 1999 Hercules X-1 Anomalous Low State
A failed main-on in the 35d cycle of Her X-1 was observed with the Rossi
X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) on 1999 April 26. Exceptions to the normal 35d
cycle have been seen only twice before; in 1983 and again 1993. We present
timing and spectral results of this latest Anomalous Low State (ALS) along with
comparisons to the main-on and normal low states. Pulsations were observed in
the 3-18 keV band with a fractional RMS variation of (0.037+-0.003). Spectral
analysis indicates that the ALS spectrum has the same shape as the main-on but
is modified by heavy absorption and scattering. We find that 70% of the
observed emission has passed through a cold absorber (N_H=5.0x10^{23}cm^{-2}).
This partially absorbing spectral fit can be applied to the normal low state
with similar results. We find that the ALS observations may be interpreted as a
decrease in inclination of the accretion disk causing the central X-Ray source
to be obscured over the entire 35d cycle.Comment: revised text, 6 revised figures, accepted for publication in Ap
Six supersoft X-ray binaries: system parameters and twin-jet outflows
A comparison is made between the properties of CAL 83, CAL 87, RX
J0513.9-6951, 1E 0035.4-7230 (SMC 13), RX J0019.8+2156, and RX J0925.7-4758,
all supersoft X-ray binaries. Spectra with the same resolution and wavelength
coverage of these systems are compared and contrasted. Some new photometry is
also presented. The equivalent widths of the principal emission lines of H and
He II differ by more than an order of magnitude among these sources, although
those of the highest ionization lines (e.g. O VI) are very similar. In
individual systems, the velocity curves derived from various ions often differ
in phasing and amplitude, but those whose phasing is consistent with the light
curves (implying the lines are formed near the compact star) give masses of
and for the degenerate and mass-losing
stars, respectively. This finding is in conflict with currently prevailing
theoretical models for supersoft binaries. The three highest luminosity sources
show evidence of "jet" outflows, with velocities of .
In CAL 83 the shape of the He II 4686\AA profile continues to show evidence
that these jets may precess with a period of days.Comment: 27 pages including 5 tables, plus 6 figures. To appear in Ap
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