4,917 research outputs found
Apsidal advance in SS 433?
Context. The Galactic microquasar SS 433 launches oppositely directed jets at
speeds approximately a quarter of the speed of light. Both the speed and
direction of the jets exhibit small fluctuations. A component of the speed
variation has 13 day periodicity and the orbital phase at which its maximum
speed occurs has advanced approximately 90 degrees in 25 years. Aims. To
examine the possibility that these variations are associated with a mildly
eccentric orbit and conditions necessary to achieve this apsidal advance.
Methods. The advance of the orbital phase for maximum speed is taken to be
advance of the apses of the putative elliptical orbit. It is compared with
calculations of the effects of tides induced in the companion and also with
gravitational perturbations from the circumbinary disc. These calculations are
made in the light of recent results on the SS 433 system. Results. The 13 day
periodicity in the speed of the jets of SS 433 might be attributed to a mildly
elliptical orbit, through periodic approaches of the donor and the compact
object. Advance of the apses of such an elliptical orbit due to tidal effects
induced in a normal companion looks to be to small; if caused by the
circumbinary disc the mass of the inner regions of that disc is ~ 0.15 solar
masses.Comment: 2 pages, no figures To appear in A & A. No significant changes from
original version poste
SS 433: The wiggle of the wind
The Balmer H alpha emission line in the stationary spectrum of SS 433 has a
component originating in the wind above the accretion disk. The Doppler motion
of this line is a blurred representation of the motion of the compact object
accreting. I show how this may be understood in terms of emission lasting over
a few days, like radiation from the jet bolides.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures. A coda to my circumbinary disk studies. To appear
in A&
Are we teaching our students what they need to know about ageing? Results from the National Survey of Undergraduate Teaching in Ageing and Geriatric Medicine
Introduction - Learning about ageing and the appropriate management of older patients is important for all doctors. This survey set out to evaluate what medical undergraduates in the UK are taught about ageing and geriatric medicine and how this teaching is delivered.
Methods – An electronic questionnaire was developed and sent to the 28/31 UK medical schools which agreed to participate.
Results – Full responses were received from 17 schools. 8/21 learning objectives were recorded as taught, and none were examined, across every school surveyed. Elder abuse and terminology and classification of health were taught in only 8/17 and 2/17 schools respectively. Pressure ulcers were taught about in 14/17 schools but taught formally in only 7 of these and examined in only 9. With regard to bio- and socio- gerontology, only 9/17 schools reported teaching in social ageing, 7/17 in cellular ageing and 9/17 in the physiology of ageing.
Discussion – Even allowing for the suboptimal response rate, this study presents significant cause for concern with UK undergraduate education related to ageing. The failure to teach comprehensively on elder abuse and pressure sores, in particular, may be significantly to the detriment of older patients
Trapped particle makes 3D images.
A technique employing photophoretic trapping has been applied to the implementation of a three-dimensional (3D) volumetric display system. This may ultimately enable the production of high-quality, free space images.N/
Finite Temperature Behavior of Small Silicon and Tin Clusters: An Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Study
The finite temperature behavior of small Silicon (Si, Si, and
Si) and Tin (Sn and Sn) clusters is studied using
isokinetic Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics. The lowest equilibrium
structures of all the clusters are built upon a highly stable tricapped
trigonal prism unit which is seen to play a crucial role in the finite
temperature behavior of these clusters. Thermodynamics of small tin clusters
(Sn and Sn) is revisited in light of the recent experiments on
tin clusters of sizes 18-21 [G. A. Breaux et. al. Phys. Rev. B {\bf 71} 073410
(2005)]. We have calculated heat capacities using multiple histogram technique
for Si, Sn and Si clusters. Our calculated specific heat
curves have a main peak around 2300 K and 2200 K for Si and Sn
clusters respectively. However, various other melting indicators such as root
mean square bond length fluctuations, mean square displacements show that
diffusive motion of atoms within the cluster begins around 650 K. The finite
temperature behavior of Si and Sn is dominated by isomerization
and it is rather difficult to discern the temperature range for transition
region. On the other hand, Si does show a liquid like behavior over a
short temperature range followed by the fragmentation observed around 1800 K.
Finite temperature behavior of Si and Sn show that these clusters
do not melt but fragment around 1200 K and 650 K respectively.Comment: 9 figure
Education: When investment in technology is not enough.
Another day, another airport and following a delayed arrival, I queue for more than an hour to hire a car. Unthinkingly I stare at a large behind the counter display as it scrolls through seemingly endless ads for car rental options. Suddenly I’m aroused from catatonic lethargy by the slogan: ‘Who needs I Spy – When you have WiFi’. This is accompanied by enticing images of in-car tranquillity with youngsters in the rear seat engrossed in working their mobile media. Surely even the most tedious of traffic jams would pass unnoticed?n/
Digitally enhanced learning: Facing up to the camera.
At last the lecture room doors swing open and tenaciously guarding my cup of coffee I try to move against the great tsunami of emerging students. Immediately behind me follow two technical support staff weighed down with equipment and cables. We are well aware that the incumbent lecturer has (as usual) overrun his allotted time and so we are running late. The clock is ticking - my lecture is due to begin in seven minutes, and in terms of technology, there’s a lot of setting up to do.n/
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