13,516 research outputs found
The globular cluster system of NGC 1316 IV. Nature of the star cluster complex SH2
The light of the merger remnant NGC 1316 is dominated by old and
intermediate-age stars. The only sign of current star formation in this big
galaxy is the HII region SH2, an isolated star cluster complex with a ring-like
morphology and an estimated age of 0.1 Gyr at a galactocentric distance of
about 35 kpc. A nearby intermediate-age globular cluster, surrounded by weak
line emission and a few more young star clusters, is kinematically associated.
The origin of this complex is enigmatic. The nebular emission lines permit a
metallicity determination which can discriminate between a dwarf galaxy or
other possible precursors. We used the Integrated Field Unit of the VIMOS
instrument at the Very Large Telescope of the European Southern Observatory to
study the morphology, kinematics, and metallicity employing line maps, velocity
maps, and line diagnostics of a few characteristic spectra. The line ratios of
different spectra vary, indicating highly structured HII regions, but define a
locus of uniform metallicity. The strong-line diagnostic diagrams and empirical
calibrations point to a nearly solar or even super-solar oxygen abundance. The
velocity dispersion of the gas is highest in the region offset from the bright
clusters. Star formation may be active on a low level. There is evidence for a
large-scale disk-like structure in the region of SH2, which would make the
similar radial velocity of the nearby globular cluster easier to understand.
The high metallicity does not fit to a dwarf galaxy as progenitor. We favour
the scenario of a free-floating gaseous complex having its origin in the merger
2 Gyr ago. Over a long period the densities increased secularly until finally
the threshold for star formation was reached. SH2 illustrates how massive star
clusters can form outside starbursts and without a considerable field
population.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, accepted for Astronomy & Astrophysic
Gravitational waveforms with controlled accuracy
A partially first-order form of the characteristic formulation is introduced
to control the accuracy in the computation of gravitational waveforms produced
by highly distorted single black hole spacetimes. Our approach is to reduce the
system of equations to first-order differential form on the angular
derivatives, while retaining the proven radial and time integration schemes of
the standard characteristic formulation. This results in significantly improved
accuracy over the standard mixed-order approach in the extremely nonlinear
post-merger regime of binary black hole collisions.Comment: Revised version, published in Phys. Rev. D, RevTeX, 16 pages, 4
figure
Bounds for the time to failure of hierarchical systems of fracture
For years limited Monte Carlo simulations have led to the suspicion that the
time to failure of hierarchically organized load-transfer models of fracture is
non-zero for sets of infinite size. This fact could have a profound
significance in engineering practice and also in geophysics. Here, we develop
an exact algebraic iterative method to compute the successive time intervals
for individual breaking in systems of height in terms of the information
calculated in the previous height . As a byproduct of this method,
rigorous lower and higher bounds for the time to failure of very large systems
are easily obtained. The asymptotic behavior of the resulting lower bound leads
to the evidence that the above mentioned suspicion is actually true.Comment: Final version. To appear in Phys. Rev. E, Feb 199
CCS and NH_3 Emission Associated with Low-Mass Young Stellar Objects
In this work we present a sensitive and systematic single-dish survey of CCS emission (complemented with ammonia observations) at 1 cm, toward a sample of low- and intermediate-mass young star-forming regions known to harbor water maser emission, made with NASA's 70 m antenna at Robledo de Chavela, Spain. Out of the 40 star-forming regions surveyed in the CCS (2_(1)-1_(0)) line, only six low-mass sources show CCS emission: one transitional object between the prestellar and protostellar Class 0 phase (GF9-2), three Class 0 protostars (L1448-IRS3, L1448C, and B1-IRS), a Class I source (L1251A), and a young T Tauri star (NGC 2071 North). Since CCS is considered an "early-time" (≲10^5 yr) molecule, we explain these results by either proposing a revision of the classification of the age of NGC 2071 North and L1251A, or suggesting the possibility that the particular physical conditions and processes of each source affect the destruction/production of the CCS. No statistically significant relationship was found between the presence of CCS and parameters of the molecular outflows and their driving sources. Nevertheless, we found a significant relationship between the detectability of CCS and the ammonia peak intensity (higher in regions with CCS), but not with its integrated intensity. This tendency may suggest that the narrower ammonia line widths in the less turbulent medium associated with younger cores may compensate for the differences in ammonia peak intensity, rendering differences in integrated intensity negligible. From the CCS detection rate we derive a lifetime of this molecule of ≃(0.7-3) × 10^4 yr in low-mass star-forming regions
Scalar field induced oscillations of neutron stars and gravitational collapse
We study the interaction of massless scalar fields with self-gravitating
neutron stars by means of fully dynamic numerical simulations of the
Einstein-Klein-Gordon perfect fluid system. Our investigation is restricted to
spherical symmetry and the neutron stars are approximated by relativistic
polytropes. Studying the nonlinear dynamics of isolated neutron stars is very
effectively performed within the characteristic formulation of general
relativity, in which the spacetime is foliated by a family of outgoing light
cones. We are able to compactify the entire spacetime on a computational grid
and simultaneously impose natural radiative boundary conditions and extract
accurate radiative signals. We study the transfer of energy from the scalar
field to the fluid star. We find, in particular, that depending on the
compactness of the neutron star model, the scalar wave forces the neutron star
either to oscillate in its radial modes of pulsation or to undergo
gravitational collapse to a black hole on a dynamical timescale. The radiative
signal, read off at future null infinity, shows quasi-normal oscillations
before the setting of a late time power-law tail.Comment: 12 pages, 13 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Bose-Einstein condensates on tilted lattices: coherent, chaotic and subdiffusive dynamics
The dynamics of a (quasi)one-dimensional interacting atomic Bose-Einstein
condensate in a tilted optical lattice is studied in a discrete mean-field
approximation, i.e., in terms of the discrete nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation.
If the static field is varied the system shows a plethora of dynamical
phenomena. In the strong field limit we demonstrate the existence of (almost)
non-spreading states which remain localized on the lattice region populated
initially and show coherent Bloch oscillations with fractional revivals in the
momentum space (so called quantum carpets). With decreasing field, the dynamics
becomes irregular, however, still confined in configuration space. For even
weaker fields we find sub-diffusive dynamics with a wave-packet width spreading
as .Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Probabilistic Approach to Time-Dependent Load-Transfer Models of Fracture
A probabilistic method for solving time-dependent load-transfer models of
fracture is developed. It is applicable to any rule of load redistribution,
i.e, local, hierarchical, etc. In the new method, the fluctuations are
generated during the breaking process (annealed randomness) while in the usual
method, the random lifetimes are fixed at the beginning (quenched disorder).
Both approaches are equivalent.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures. To appear in Phys.Rev.
Shell to shell energy transfer in MHD, Part II: Kinematic dynamo
We study the transfer of energy between different scales for forced
three-dimensional MHD turbulent flows in the kinematic dynamo regime. Two
different forces are examined: a non-helical Taylor Green flow with magnetic
Prandtl number P_M=0.4, and a helical ABC flow with P_M=1. This analysis allows
us to examine which scales of the velocity flow are responsible for dynamo
action, and identify which scales of the magnetic field receive energy directly
from the velocity field and which scales receive magnetic energy through the
cascade of the magnetic field from large to small scales. Our results show that
the turbulent velocity fluctuations are responsible for the magnetic field
amplification in the small scales (small scale dynamo) while the large scale
field is amplified mostly due to the large scale flow. A direct cascade of the
magnetic field energy from large to small scales is also present and is a
complementary mechanism for the increase of the magnetic field in the small
scales. Input of energy from the velocity field in the small magnetic scales
dominates over the energy that is cascaded down from the large scales until the
large-scale peak of the magnetic energy spectrum is reached. At even smaller
scales, most of the magnetic energy input is from the cascading process.Comment: Submitted to PR
Evolutionary advantages of adaptive rewarding
Our wellbeing depends as much on our personal success, as it does on the
success of our society. The realization of this fact makes cooperation a very
much needed trait. Experiments have shown that rewards can elevate our
readiness to cooperate, but since giving a reward inevitably entails paying a
cost for it, the emergence and stability of such behavior remain elusive. Here
we show that allowing for the act of rewarding to self-organize in dependence
on the success of cooperation creates several evolutionary advantages that
instill new ways through which collaborative efforts are promoted. Ranging from
indirect territorial battle to the spontaneous emergence and destruction of
coexistence, phase diagrams and the underlying spatial patterns reveal
fascinatingly reach social dynamics that explains why this costly behavior has
evolved and persevered. Comparisons with adaptive punishment, however, uncover
an Achilles heel of adaptive rewarding that is due to over-aggression, which in
turn hinders optimal utilization of network reciprocity. This may explain why,
despite of its success, rewarding is not as firmly weaved into our societal
organization as punishment.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures; accepted for publication in New Journal of
Physic
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