1,281 research outputs found
Dark energy domination in the Virgocentric flow
The standard \LambdaCDM cosmological model implies that all celestial bodies
are embedded in a perfectly uniform dark energy background, represented by
Einstein's cosmological constant, and experience its repulsive antigravity
action. Can dark energy have strong dynamical effects on small cosmic scales as
well as globally? Continuing our efforts to clarify this question, we focus now
on the Virgo Cluster and the flow of expansion around it. We interpret the
Hubble diagram, from a new database of velocities and distances of galaxies in
the cluster and its environment, using a nonlinear analytical model which
incorporates the antigravity force in terms of Newtonian mechanics. The key
parameter is the zero-gravity radius, the distance at which gravity and
antigravity are in balance. Our conclusions are: 1. The interplay between the
gravity of the cluster and the antigravity of the dark energy background
determines the kinematical structure of the system and controls its evolution.
2. The gravity dominates the quasi-stationary bound cluster, while the
antigravity controls the Virgocentric flow, bringing order and regularity to
the flow, which reaches linearity and the global Hubble rate at distances \ga
15 Mpc. 3. The cluster and the flow form a system similar to the Local Group
and its outflow. In the velocity-distance diagram, the cluster-flow structure
reproduces the group-flow structure with a scaling factor of about 10; the
zero-gravity radius for the cluster system is also 10 times larger. The phase
and dynamical similarity of the systems on the scales of 1-30 Mpc suggests that
a two-component pattern may be universal for groups and clusters: a
quasi-stationary bound central component and an expanding outflow around it,
due to the nonlinear gravity-antigravity interplay with the dark energy
dominating in the flow component.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, Astronomy and Astrophysics (accepted
Dark energy and key physical parameters of clusters of galaxies
We study physics of clusters of galaxies embedded in the cosmic dark energy
background. Under the assumption that dark energy is described by the
cosmological constant, we show that the dynamical effects of dark energy are
strong in clusters like the Virgo cluster. Specifically, the key physical
parameters of the dark mater halos in clusters are determined by dark energy:
1) the halo cut-off radius is practically, if not exactly, equal to the
zero-gravity radius at which the dark matter gravity is balanced by the dark
energy antigravity; 2) the halo averaged density is equal to two densities of
dark energy; 3) the halo edge (cut-off) density is the dark energy density with
a numerical factor of the unity order slightly depending on the halo profile.
The cluster gravitational potential well in which the particles of the dark
halo (as well as galaxies and intracluster plasma) move is strongly affected by
dark energy: the maximum of the potential is located at the zero-gravity radius
of the cluster.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figur
Zeldovich flow on cosmic vacuum background: new exact nonlinear analytical solution
A new exact nonlinear Newtonian solution for a plane matter flow superimposed
on the isotropic Hubble expansion is reported. The dynamical effect of cosmic
vacuum is taken into account. The solution describes the evolution of nonlinear
perturbations via gravitational instability of matter and the termination of
the perturbation growth by anti-gravity of vacuum at the epoch of transition
from matter domination to vacuum domination. On this basis, an `approximate' 3D
solution is suggested as an analog of the Zeldovich ansatz.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figure
Energy composition of the Universe: time-independent internal symmetry
The energy composition of the Universe, as emerged from the Type Ia supernova
observations and the WMAP data, looks preposterously complex, -- but only at
the first glance. In fact, its structure proves to be simple and regular. An
analysis in terms of the Friedmann integral enables to recognize a remarkably
simple time-independent covariant robust recipe of the cosmic mix: the
numerical values of the Friedmann integral for vacuum, dark matter, baryons and
radiation are approximately identical. The identity may be treated as a
symmetry relation that unifies cosmic energies into a regular set, a quartet,
with the Friedmann integral as its common genuine time-independent physical
parameter. Such cosmic internal (non-geometrical) symmetry exists whenever
cosmic energies themselves exist in nature. It is most natural for a finite
Universe suggested by the WMAP data. A link to fundamental theory may be found
under the assumption about a special significance of the electroweak energy
scale in both particle physics and cosmology. A freeze-out model developed on
this basis demonstrates that the physical nature of new symmetry might be due
to the interplay between electroweak physics and gravity at the cosmic age of a
few picoseconds. The big `hierarchy number' of particle physics represents the
interplay in the model. This number quantifies the Friedmann integral and gives
also a measure to some other basic cosmological figures and phenomena
associated with new symmetry. In this way, cosmic internal symmetry provides a
common ground for better understanding of old and recent problems that
otherwise seem unrelated; the coincidence of the observed cosmic densities, the
flatness of the co-moving space, the initial perturbations and their amplitude,
the cosmic entropy are among them.Comment: 32 page
Triplets of galaxies: Their dynamics, evolution, and the origin of chaos in them
Recently Karachentsev's group at The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) (6-meter Telescope Observatory) published a list of 84 triple systems of galaxies with their distances, radial (line of sight) velocities, and angular sizes (Karachentseva et al., 1988). This gives a new ground for studies of the dark matter problem which fills the gap between the large cosmic scales (White, 1987; Dekel and Rees, 1987, and Einasto et al., 1977) and the scale of individual galaxies (Erickson et al., 1987). The data on the typical velocity dispersions and linear dimension of the triplets indicate that they contain considerable amounts of dark matter (see also earlier work of Karachentseva et al., 1979). Numerical simulations show that the statistical characteristics of the Karachentsev triplets can be imitated by model ensembles of triple systems with dark matter masses M sub d = (1-3 x 10(exp 12) M sub O, which is almost ten times greater than the typical mass of stellar galaxies estimated by the standard mass-to-luminosity ration (Kiseleva and Chernin, 1988). Here, the authors report that important information can be drawn from the data on the visible configurations of these systems. The statistics of configurations provide an independent evidence for dark matter in the triplets; moreover, it enables one to argue that dark matter seems to be distributed over the whole volume of the typical triplet forming its common corona rather than concentrated within individual coronae (or haloes) of the member galaxies
Pressure-impulse diagram method:a fundamental review
Accidental and deliberate explosions stemming from catastrophic events in the petroleum industry, incidents during complex manufacturing processes, mishandling or failure of domestic gas appliances or installations, terrorist attacks and military engagements, are becoming increasingly relevant in structural design. Pressure‐impulse (P‐I) diagrams are widely used for the preliminarily assessment and design of structures subjected to such extreme loading conditions. A typical P‐I diagram provides information concerning the level of damage sustained by a specific structural member when subjected to a blast load. This paper presents a state‐of‐the‐art review describing the development of the P‐I diagram method over the last 70 years, the main assumptions upon which its development is based and the framework through which such the method is applied in practice. The structural analysis methods used for the derivation of P‐I curves are discussed and the existing approaches are categorised according to algorithms used. A review of the P‐I curve formulae proposed to date is performed, where the formulae are classified according to the formulation methods
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