17,187 research outputs found
A perturbation density functional theory for the competition between inter and intramolecular association
Using the framework of Wertheim's thermodynamic perturbation theory we
develop the first density functional theory which accounts for intramolecular
association in chain molecules. To test the theory new Monte Carlo simulations
are performed at a fluid solid interface for a 4 segment chain which can both
intra and intermolecularly associate. The theory and simulation results are
found to be in excellent agreement. It is shown that the inclusion of
intramolecular association can have profound effects on interfacial properties
such as interfacial tension and the partition coefficient
Stringent neutron-star limits on large extra dimensions
Supernovae (SNe) are copious sources for Kaluza-Klein gravitons which are
generic for theories with large extra dimensions. These massive particles are
produced with average velocities ~0.5 c so that many of them are
gravitationally retained by the SN core. Every neutron star thus has a halo of
KK gravitons which decay into nu bar-nu, e^+e^- and gamma gamma on time scales
\~10^9 years. The EGRET gamma-flux limits (E_gamma ~ 100 MeV) for nearby
neutron stars constrain the fundamental scale for n=2 extra dimensions to M
>500 TeV, and M>30 TeV for n=3. The upcoming GLAST satellite is a factor ~30
more sensitive and thus may detect KK decays, for example at the nearby neutron
star RX J185635--3754. The requirement that neutron stars are not excessively
heated by KK decays implies M>1700 TeV for n=2, and M>60 TeV for n=3.Comment: Minor changes, matches version to appear in PR
Dynamics of a trapped Brownian particle in shear flows
The Brownian motion of a particle in a harmonic potential, which is
simultaneously exposed either to a linear shear flow or to a plane Poiseuille
flow is investigated. In the shear plane of both flows the probability
distribution of the particle becomes anisotropic and the dynamics is changed in
a characteristic manner compared to a trapped particle in a quiescent fluid.
The particle distribution takes either an elliptical or a parachute shape or a
superposition of both depending on the mean particle position in the shear
plane. Simultaneously, shear-induced cross-correlations between particle
fluctuations along orthogonal directions in the shear plane are found. They are
asymmetric in time. In Poiseuille flow thermal particle fluctuations
perpendicular to the flow direction in the shear plane induce a shift of the
particle's mean position away from the potential minimum. Two complementary
methods are suggested to measure shear-induced cross-correlations between
particle fluctuations along orthogonal directions.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figure
The spectroscopic evolution of the -ray emitting classical nova Nova Mon 2012. I. Implications for the ONe subclass of classical novae
Nova Mon 2012 was the first classical nova to be detected as a high energy
-ray transient, by Fermi-LAT, before its optical discovery. We study a
time sequence of high resolution optical echelle spectra (Nordic Optical
Telescope) and contemporaneous NOT, STIS UV, and CHIRON echelle spectra (Nov
20/21/22). We use [O III] and H line fluxs to constrain the properties
of the ejecta. We derive the structure from the optical and UV line profiles
and compare our measured line fluxes for with predictions using Cloudy with
abundances from other ONe novae. Mon 2012 is confirmed as an ONe nova. We find
E(B-V)=0.850.05 and hydrogen column density
cm. The corrected continuum luminosity is nearly the same in the entire
observed energy range as V1974 Cyg, V382 Mon, and Nova LMC 2000 at the same
epoch after outburst. The distance, about 3.6 kpc, is quite similar to V1974
Cyg. The line profiles can be modeled using an axisymmetric bipolar geometry
for the ejecta with various inclinations of the axis to the line of sight, 60
\le i \le 80 degrees, an opening angle of \approx\Delta
R/R(t)\approx 0.4f\approx 0.1-0.3\leq 6\times
10^{-5}_\odot\gamma$-ray emission may be a generic phenomenon, common to all ONe novae,
possibly to all classical novae, and connected with acceleration and emission
processes within the ejecta (abstract severely truncated).Comment: Submitted to A&A 9/1/2013; Accepted 27/2/2013 (in press
The spectroscopic evolution of the recurrent nova T Pyxidis during its 2011 outburst. II.The optically thin phase and the structure of the ejecta in recurrent novae
We continue our study of the physical properties of the recurrent nova T Pyx,
focussing on the structure of the ejecta in the nebular stage of expansion
during the 2011 outburst. The nova was observed contemporaneously with the
Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT), at high resolution spectroscopic resolution (R
~ 65000) on 2011 Oct. 11 and 2012 Apr. 8 (without absolute flux calibration),
and with the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) aboard the Hubble
Space Telescope, at high resolution (R ~ 30000) on 2011 Oct. 10 and 2012 Mar.
28 (absolute fluxes). We use standard plasma diagnostics (e.g. [O III] and [N
II] line ratios and the H line fluxes) to constrain electron densities
and temperatures. Using Monte Carlo modeling of the ejecta, we derive the
structure and filling factor from comparisons to the optical and ultraviolet
line profiles. The ejecta can be modeled using an axisymmetric conical --
bipolar -- geometry with a low inclination of the axis to the line of sight,
i=15+/-5 degrees, compatible with published results from high angular
resolution optical spectro-interferometry. The structure is similar to that
observed in the other short orbital period recurrent novae during their nebular
stages. We show that the electron density scales as as expected from a
ballistically ejected constant mass shell; there is no need to invoke a
continuing mass outflow following the eruption. The derived mass for the ejecta
with filling factor f ~ 3%, M_ej ~ 2E-6$M_sun is similar to that obtained for
other recurrent nova ejecta but inconsistent with the previously reported
extended optically thick epoch of the explosion. We suggest that the system
underwent a common envelope phase following the explosion that produced the
recombination event. Implications for the dynamics of the recurrent novae are
discussed. (truncated)Comment: accepted for publication in A&A (10 Nov. 2012), 10 pgs, 16 fig
Resonant Absorption in the AGN spectra emerging from photoionized gas: differences between steep and flat ionizing continua
We present photoionization models accounting for both photoelectric and
resonant absorption. Resonance absorption lines from C, O, Ne, Mg, Si S and Fe
between 0.1 and 10 keV are treated. In particular we consider the complex of
almost 60 strong Fe L absorption lines around 1 keV. We calculate profiles,
intensities and equivalent widths of each line, considering both Doppler and
natural broadening mechanisms. Doppler broadening includes a term accounting
for turbulence of the gas along the line of sight. We computed spectra
transmitted by gas illuminated by drastically different ionizing continua and
compared them to spectra observed in flat X-ray spectrum, broad optical
emission line type 1 AGN, and steep X-ray spectrum, narrow optical emission
line type 1 AGN. We show that the keV absorption feature observed in
moderate resolution X-ray spectra of several Narrow Line Seyfert 1 galaxies can
be explained by photoionization models, taking into account for resonance
absorption, without requiring relativistic outflowing velocities of the gas, if
the physical properties of these absorbers are close to those found in flat
X-ray spectrum Seyfert 1 galaxies.Comment: 22 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication on Ap
Complex X-ray Absorption and the Fe Kalpha Profile in NGC 3516
We present data from simultaneous Chandra, XMM-Newton and BeppoSAX
observations of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 3516, taken during 2001 April and Nov.
We have investigated the nature of the very flat observed X-ray spectrum.
Chandra grating data show the presence of X-ray absorption lines, revealing two
distinct components of the absorbing gas, one which is consistent with our
previous model of the UV/X-ray absorber while the other, which is outflowing at
a velocity of ~1100 km/s has a larger column density and is much more highly
ionized. The broad-band spectral characteristics of the X-ray continuum
observed with XMM during 2001 April, reveal the presence of a third layer of
absorption consisting of a very large column (~2.5 x 10E23 cm^-2) of highly
ionized gas with a covering fraction ~50%. This low covering fraction suggests
that the absorber lies within a few lt-days of the X-ray source and/or is
filamentary in structure. Interestingly, these absorbers are not in thermal
equilibrium with one another. The two new components are too highly ionized to
be radiatively accelerated, which we suggest is evidence for a hydromagnetic
origin for the outflow. Applying our model to the Nov dataset, we can account
for the spectral variability primarily by a drop in the ionization states of
the absorbers, as expected by the change in the continuum flux. When this
complex absorption is accounted for we find the underlying continuum to be
typical of Seyfert 1 galaxies. The spectral curvature attributed to the high
column absorber, in turn, reduces estimates of the flux and extent of any broad
Fe emission line from the accretion disk.Comment: 33 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
The Casimir Effect for Parallel Plates Revisited
The Casimir effect for a massless scalar field with Dirichlet and periodic
boundary conditions (b.c.) on infinite parallel plates is revisited in the
local quantum field theory (lqft) framework introduced by B.Kay. The model
displays a number of more realistic features than the ones he treated. In
addition to local observables, as the energy density, we propose to consider
intensive variables, such as the energy per unit area , as
fundamental observables. Adopting this view, lqft rejects Dirichlet (the same
result may be proved for Neumann or mixed) b.c., and accepts periodic b.c.: in
the former case diverges, in the latter it is finite, as is shown by
an expression for the local energy density obtained from lqft through the use
of the Poisson summation formula. Another way to see this uses methods from the
Euler summation formula: in the proof of regularization independence of the
energy per unit area, a regularization-dependent surface term arises upon use
of Dirichlet b.c. but not periodic b.c.. For the conformally invariant scalar
quantum field, this surface term is absent, due to the condition of zero trace
of the energy momentum tensor, as remarked by B.De Witt. The latter property
does not hold in tha application to the dark energy problem in Cosmology, in
which we argue that periodic b.c. might play a distinguished role.Comment: 25 pages, no figures, late
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