25,270 research outputs found
The mass of the black hole in GRS 1915+105: new constraints from IR spectroscopy
GRS 1915+105 has the largest mass function of any Galactic black hole system,
although the error is relatively large. Here we present spectroscopic analysis
of medium-resolution IR VLT archival data of GRS 1915+105 in the K-band. We
find an updated ephemeris, and report on attempts to improve the mass function
by a refinement of the radial velocity estimate. We show that the spectra are
significantly affected by the presence of phase-dependent CO bandhead emission,
possibly originating from the accretion disc: we discuss the impact this has on
efforts to better constrain the black hole mass. We report on a possible way to
measure the radial velocity utilising apparent H-band atomic absorption
features and also discuss the general uncertainty of the system parameters of
this well-studied objectComment: 7 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of
the Royal Astronomical Society Main Journa
Dynamic remapping decisions in multi-phase parallel computations
The effectiveness of any given mapping of workload to processors in a parallel system is dependent on the stochastic behavior of the workload. Program behavior is often characterized by a sequence of phases, with phase changes occurring unpredictably. During a phase, the behavior is fairly stable, but may become quite different during the next phase. Thus a workload assignment generated for one phase may hinder performance during the next phase. We consider the problem of deciding whether to remap a paralled computation in the face of uncertainty in remapping's utility. Fundamentally, it is necessary to balance the expected remapping performance gain against the delay cost of remapping. This paper treats this problem formally by constructing a probabilistic model of a computation with at most two phases. We use stochastic dynamic programming to show that the remapping decision policy which minimizes the expected running time of the computation has an extremely simple structure: the optimal decision at any step is followed by comparing the probability of remapping gain against a threshold. This theoretical result stresses the importance of detecting a phase change, and assessing the possibility of gain from remapping. We also empirically study the sensitivity of optimal performance to imprecise decision threshold. Under a wide range of model parameter values, we find nearly optimal performance if remapping is chosen simply when the gain probability is high. These results strongly suggest that except in extreme cases, the remapping decision problem is essentially that of dynamically determining whether gain can be achieved by remapping after a phase change; precise quantification of the decision model parameters is not necessary
An optimal repartitioning decision policy
A central problem to parallel processing is the determination of an effective partitioning of workload to processors. The effectiveness of any given partition is dependent on the stochastic nature of the workload. The problem of determining when and if the stochastic behavior of the workload has changed enough to warrant the calculation of a new partition is treated. The problem is modeled as a Markov decision process, and an optimal decision policy is derived. Quantification of this policy is usually intractable. A heuristic policy which performs nearly optimally is investigated empirically. The results suggest that the detection of change is the predominant issue in this problem
Comparative studies of global and targeted control of walkway bridge resonant frequencies
In this paper, three controllers are investigated for active vibration control (AVC) of a pedestrian
walkway structure. They comprise of direct velocity feedback (DVF), observer-based and independent
modal space (IMSC) controllers that are implemented in single-input single-output (SISO), multi-SISO
and multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) configurations. The objective of the SISO controller
schemes is to compare vibration mitigation performances arising from global control versus selective
control of structural resonant frequencies in a given frequency bandwidth. The objectives set out for
the multi-SISO and MIMO controllers are to realise global control within the same frequency
bandwidth considered in the SISO studies. A novel aspect of these latter studies is the independent
control of selected resonant frequencies at different locations on the structure with the aim of
imposing global control.
Vibration mitigation performances are evaluated using frequency response function measurements
and uncontrolled and controlled responses to a synthesized walking excitation force. In the SISO
studies, selective control of specific resonant frequencies has a slight degradation in the global
vibration mitigation performance although it reflects better performance around the target
frequencies. For the multi-SISO and MIMO controller studies, the selective control of the two lowest
and dominant frequencies of the structure at two different locations still offers comparative vibration
mitigation performances with the controllers considered as global in the sense that they target both
structural frequencies at both locations. Attenuations of between 10-35 dB are achieved.The authors would like to acknowledge the financial assistance provided by the UK Engineering and
Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) through Platform Grant (Ref. EP/G061130/2) and
Leadership Fellowship Grant (Ref. EP/J004081/2)
Sublimating comets as the source of nucleation seeds for grain condensation in the gas outflow from AGB stars
A growing amount of observational and theoretical evidence suggests that most main sequence stars are surrounded by disks of cometary material. The dust production by comets in such disks is investigated when the central stars evolve up the red giant and asymptotic giant branch (AGB). Once released, the dust is ablated and accelerated by the gas outflow and the fragments become the seeds necessary for condensation of the gas. The origin of the requisite seeds has presented a well known problem for classical nucleation theory. This model is consistent with the dust production observed in M giants and supergiants (which have increasing luminosities) and the fact that earlier supergiants and most WR stars (whose luminosities are unchanging) do not have significant dust clouds even though they have significant stellar winds. Another consequence of the model is that the spatial distribution of the dust does not, in general, coincide with that of the gas outflow, in contrast to the conventional condensation model. A further prediction is that the condensation radius is greater that that predicted by conventional theory which is in agreement with IR interferometry measurements of alpha-Ori
Jamming, two-fluid behaviour and 'self-filtration' in concentrated particulate suspensions
We study the flow of model experimental hard sphere colloidal suspensions at
high volume fraction driven through a constriction by a pressure
gradient. Above a particle-size dependent limit , direct microscopic
observations demonstrate jamming and unjamming--conversion of fluid to solid
and vice versa--during flow. We show that such a jamming flow produces a
reduction in colloid concentration downstream of the constriction.
We propose that this `self-filtration' effect is the consequence of a
combination of jamming of the particulate part of the system and continuing
flow of the liquid part, i.e. the solvent, through the pores of the jammed
solid. Thus we link the concept of jamming in colloidal and granular media with
a 'two-fluid'-like picture of the flow of concentrated suspensions. Results are
also discussed in the light of Osborne Reynolds' original experiments on
dilation in granular materials.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Searching for annihilation radiation from SN 1006 with SPI on INTEGRAL
Historical Type Ia supernovae are a leading candidate for the source of
positrons observed through their diffuse annihilation emission in the Galaxy.
However, search for annihilation emission from individual Type Ia supernovae
has not been possible before the improved sensitivity of \integral. The total
511 keV annihilation flux from individual SNe Ia, as well as their contribution
to the overall diffuse emission, depends critically on the escape fraction of
positrons produced in Co decays. Late optical light curves suggest that
this fraction may be as high as 5%. We searched for positron annihilation
radiation from the historical Type Ia supernova SN 1006 using the SPI
instrument on \integral. We did not detect significant 511 keV line emission,
with a 3 flux upper limit of 0.59 x 10 ergs cm^-2 s^-1 for \wsim
1 Msec exposure time, assuming a FWHM of 2.5 keV. This upper limit corresponds
to a 7.5% escape fraction, 50% higher than the expected 5% escape scenario, and
rules out the possibility that Type Ia supernovae produce all of the positrons
in the Galaxy (~ 12% escape fraction), if the mean positron lifetime is less
than 10 years. Future observations with \integral will provide stronger
limits on the escape fraction of positrons, the mean positron lifetime, and the
contribution of Type Ia supernovae to the overall positron content of the
Galaxy.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ
Sublimating icy planetesimals as the source of nucleation seeds for grain condensation in classical novae
The problem of grain nucleation during novae outbursts is a major obstacle to our understanding of dust formation in these systems. How nucleation seeds can form in the hostile post-outburst environment remains an unresolved matter. It is suggested that the material for seeding the condensation of ejecta outflow is stored in a primordial disk of icy planetesimals surrounding the system. Evidence is presented that the requisite number of nucleation seeds can be released by sublimation of the planetesimals during outbursts
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