Detection of radio emission at mas scales from HESS J0632+057 with the e-EVN

HESS J0632+057 is a variable TeV gamma-ray source. The likely low energy counterparts of the source are XMMU J063259.3+054801, the B0pe-type star MWC 148, and a point-like probable non-thermal radio source

Cooperative Transmission for Wireless Relay Networks Using Limited Feedback

To achieve the available performance gains in half-duplex wireless relay networks, several cooperative schemes have been earlier proposed using either distributed space-time coding or distributed beamforming for the transmitter without and with channel state information (CSI), respectively. However, these schemes typically have rather high implementation and/or decoding complexities, especially when the number of relays is high. In this paper, we propose a simple low-rate feedback-based approach to achieve maximum diversity with a low decoding and implementation complexity. To further improve the performance of the proposed scheme, the knowledge of the second-order channel statistics is exploited to design long-term power loading through maximizing the receiver signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) with appropriate constraints. This maximization problem is approximated by a convex feasibility problem whose solution is shown to be close to the optimal one in terms of the error probability. Subsequently, to provide robustness against feedback errors and further decrease the feedback rate, an extended version of the distributed Alamouti code is proposed. It is also shown that our scheme can be generalized to the differential transmission case, where it can be applied to wireless relay networks with no CSI available at the receiver.Comment: V1: 27 pages, 1 column, 6 figures. Submitted to IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, February 2, 2009. V2: 30 pages, 1 column, 8 figures. Revised version submitted to IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, July 23, 200

Formation and Collapse of Quiescent Cloud Cores Induced by Dynamic Compressions

(Abridged) We present numerical hydrodynamical simulations of the formation, evolution and gravitational collapse of isothermal molecular cloud cores. A compressive wave is set up in a constant sub-Jeans density distribution of radius r = 1 pc. As the wave travels through the simulation grid, a shock-bounded spherical shell is formed. The inner shock of this shell reaches and bounces off the center, leaving behind a central core with an initially almost uniform density distribution, surrounded by an envelope consisting of the material in the shock-bounded shell, with a power-law density profile that at late times approaches a logarithmic slope of -2 even in non-collapsing cases. The resulting density structure resembles a quiescent core of radius < 0.1 pc, with a Bonnor-Ebert-like (BE-like) profile, although it has significant dynamical differences: it is initially non-self-gravitating and confined by the ram pressure of the infalling material, and consequently, growing continuously in mass and size. With the appropriate parameters, the core mass eventually reaches an effective Jeans mass, at which time the core begins to collapse. Thus, there is necessarily a time delay between the appearance of the core and the onset of its collapse, but this is not due to the dissipation of its internal turbulence as it is often believed. These results suggest that pre-stellar cores may approximate Bonnor-Ebert structures which are however of variable mass and may or may not experience gravitational collapse, in qualitative agreement with the large observed frequency of cores with BE-like profiles.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. Associated mpeg files can be found in http://www.astrosmo.unam.mx/~g.gomez/publica.htm

Welded, sandblasted, stainless steel corrugated bars in non-carbonated and carbonated mortars: A 9-year corrosion study

Three different stainless steel corrugated grades (UNS S20430, S30403 and S32205) were similar welded to stainless steel bars with the same composition and dissimilar welded to carbon steel (CS). After cleaning the welding oxides by sandblasting, the reinforcements were embedded in mortar with chlorides and some of the samples were carbonated. Corrosion activity was monitored using corrosion potential (Ecorr) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). After 8 years of exposure, the samples were anodically polarized. Visual evaluation of the attack was performed after another additional year of exposure. Similar welded stainless steels offer a good durability if they have been sandblasted, except for S20430 when it is embedded in carbonated mortar with chlorides. Dissimilar welded steels are active since the beginning of the exposure for both studied conditions, but sandblasting reduces the corrosion rate of CS compared to non-welded CS bars.The present work was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the Project reference BIA2007-66491-C02-02

Influence of the forming process of corrugated stainless steels on their corrosion behaviour in simulated pore solutions

Stainless steels are formed by either hot working (HW) or cold working (CW) when used as reinforcement for concrete structures. The influence of the forming process on the corrosion behaviour is analyzed in depth in the present work. CW and HW corrugated bars of austenitic AISI 304L and 316L, and duplex SAF 2205 grades are studied. The electrochemical behaviour of the corrugated surface and the core of these materials are characterized by Mott Schottky analysis and polarization curves. Tests are carried out in both carbonated and non carbonated Ca(OH)2 solutions. The microstructure and local mechanical properties of these materials are also analysed by means of universal hardness (UH) measurements to complete available information. The results prove that the surface of corrugated bars is far more likely to suffer corrosion than the core of the same material. The corrosion probability and the morphology of the attack induced in corrugated surfaces by anodic polarization clearly differ in HW and CW bars.The authors wish to acknowledge the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (through project BIA2007 66491 C02 02) for its financial support in this research

Corrugated stainless steels embedded in mortar for 9 years: corrosion results of non-carbonated, chloride-contaminated samples

Mortar samples reinforced with 5 different corrugated stainless steels were tested for 9 years in 2 different conditions: partial immersion (PI) in 3.5% NaCl, and chloride addition to the mortar and exposure to high relative humidity (HRH). The monitoring during the exposures was carried out with corrosion potential (E-corr) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. A year before finishing (after 8 years of exposure), the reinforced mortar samples were anodically polarised to obtain more information about the pitting resistance of the passive layers formed under the different conditions. The last year of exposure was established to study the progress or repassivation of the pits. The PI is the most aggressive testing condition and it causes low-intensity corrosion in S20430 austenitic stainless steel after 7 years of exposure. The S32205 duplex stainless steel shows very good corrosion behaviourThe present work was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the Project reference BIA2007 66491 C02 02

Velocity Structure of the ISM as Seen by the Spectral Correlation Function

(Abridged) We use the statistical tool known as the ``Spectral Correlation Function" [SCF] to intercompare simulations and observations of the atomic interstellar medium. The simulations considered mimic three distinct sets of physical conditions. One of them (run "ISM") is intended to represent a mixture of cool and warm atomic gas, and includes self-gravity and magnetic fields. For each simulation, H I spectral-line maps are synthesized and intercompared, both with each other, and with observations, using the SCF. We find that, when thermal broadening is large in comparison with fine-scale turbulent velocity structure, it masks sub-thermal velocity sub-structure in the synthesized spectra. The H I observations we use here for comparison are of the North Celestial Pole (NCP) Loop. None of the simulations match the NCP Loop data very well. The most realistic sets of line profiles and SCF statistics comes from artifically rescaling the velocity axis of run ISM. Without rescaling, almost all velocity structure is smeared out by thermal broadening. However, if the velocity axis is expanded by a factor of 6, the SCF distributions of run ISM an the NCP Loop match up fairly well. This means that the ratio of thermal to turbulent pressure in run ISM is much too large as it stands, and that the simulation is deficient in turbulent energy. This is a consequence of run ISM not including the effects of supernovae. We conclude that the SCF is a useful tool for understanding and fine-tuning simulations of interstellar gas, and in particular that realistic simulations of the atomic ISM need to include the effects of energetic stellar winds (e.g. supernovae) in order for the ratio of thermal-to-turbulent pressure to give spectra representative of the observed interstellar medium in our Galaxy.Comment: 25 pages, 24 figures. ApJ Accepted (May 20). Also available at: ftp://www.astrosmo.unam.mx/pub/j.ballesteros/Papers

The changing milliarcsecond radio morphology of the gamma-ray binary LS 5039

LS 5039 is one of the few TeV emitting X-ray binaries detected so far. The powering source of its multiwavelength emission can be accretion in a microquasar scenario or wind interaction in a young nonaccreting pulsar scenario. Aims.To present new high-resolution radio images and compare them with the expected behavior in the different scenarios. Methods.We analyze Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) radio observations that provide morphological and astrometric information at milliarcsecond scales. Results.We detect a changing morphology between two images obtained five days apart. In both runs there is a core component with a constant flux density, and an elongated emission with a position angle (PA) that changes by 12 $\pm$ 3\degr between both runs. The source is nearly symmetric in the first run and asymmetric in the second one. The astrometric results are not conclusive. Conclusions.A simple and shockless microquasar scenario cannot easily explain the observed changes in morphology. An interpretation within the young nonaccreting pulsar scenario requires the inclination of the binary system to be very close to the upper limit imposed by the absence of X-ray eclipses